How do I apply discounts and promo codes?
Short answer
Set up a discount or promo code with a fixed amount or percentage, an expiration date, and rules for which services it applies to, then let it be entered on a quote or checkout link so the reduced price calculates automatically. TactStack tracks how often each code is used so you can see which promotions actually drive booked jobs.
Before you start
- A clear discount amount or percentage and which services it applies to.
- An expiration date or usage limit for the promotion.
- A decision on whether the code is public or targeted to specific customers.
- A way to measure whether the promotion is worth running again.
Step by step
- 1
Decide the discount type and amount
Choose a flat dollar amount or a percentage off, and pick a number that still protects margin on the discounted job.
A percentage that looks generous can quietly wipe out margin on a low-ticket service.
- 2
Restrict it to the services it should apply to
Limit the code to specific job types or line items instead of letting it apply to anything on a quote.
An unrestricted code gets stacked onto your highest-margin services by accident.
- 3
Set an expiration date and usage limit
Give the code a clear end date and, if needed, a cap on total redemptions.
A code with no expiration turns into a permanent discount nobody remembers approving.
- 4
Choose public or targeted distribution
Decide whether the code goes out broadly in a campaign or only to a specific list, like lapsed customers or referrals.
A targeted code measures a specific campaign. A public one measures general demand.
- 5
Add the code field to your quote or checkout
Make sure the customer or rep has a place to enter the code so the discount calculates automatically on the total.
A discount that has to be applied manually gets forgotten or applied incorrectly.
- 6
Test the code before sending it out
Run a sample quote through with the code entered to confirm the discount calculates and the expiration rule works.
A broken code in a live campaign costs you both the sale and the customer's trust.
- 7
Track redemption against the campaign it came from
Check how many times the code was used and tie those jobs back to the source campaign or list.
A promotion nobody measures gets repeated or dropped based on gut feel instead of results.
What good looks like
- Discounts apply consistently without manual price adjustments on every quote.
- Margin stays protected because codes are restricted to the right services.
- Expired or overused codes stop working automatically without cleanup.
- You can see exactly which promotions turned into booked jobs.
Common mistakes
The ways this goes wrong in money, and what to do instead.
Letting a code apply to every service›
An unrestricted discount code can end up applied to your highest-margin jobs by accident.
Do this instead: Limit each code to the specific services it was designed for.
No expiration date on the code›
A code without an end date keeps getting used long after the promotion was supposed to end.
Do this instead: Set a clear expiration date and usage cap when creating the code.
Applying discounts manually instead of by code›
Manual price adjustments are inconsistent between reps and leave no record of why the price changed.
Do this instead: Use a code field on the quote so the discount calculates automatically and is logged.
Never checking redemption data›
Running promotions without tracking usage means decisions to repeat or drop them are just guesses.
Do this instead: Review redemption counts against the campaign after each promotion ends.
Frequently asked
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