Spa Clientéle Marketing Tips

How Do You Get Spa Clients to Return?

I am just putting the finishing touches on an e-book on Getting Clients to Rebook and would love to add some additional tips and tools from you on what you do to get your clients back in the door. In fact if I decide to include your tip, I will send you a copy of the e-book absolutely free!

In my spas we always offered new and prospective clients a tour of the facility so they could see what was awaiting them inside. This gave us a great opportunity to talk about the different services we offered and often prompted both questions and new appointment bookings. 

Clients look to both their individual service providers and the spa's staff in general to guide them  to services, special, events and products that will benefit them or that they will enjoy. It is our responsibility as spa professionals to follow through on our end and provide clients with information that will help them make decisions and achieve their wellness, relaxation or beauty goals. The tour was just one part of this process but one that helped to plant seeds for future visits and prompt questions about everything we offered.

The biggest tool I've used (besides directly asking clients when they'd like to come back) is asking clients that don't rebook if they would like me to call them in a week or two to reschedule. I've been doing this with one client every week for almost my whole time in practice. He is a loyal, weekly regular that rarely knows his schedule in advance. But by calling him every Monday, I captured his loyalty and business as well as his wife's...and the tons of referrals they've sent me over the last 16 years. It's worth every phone call!

So what do you do to get your clients - newbies and regulars alike - to come back again? Please share your wisdom and ideas with everyone so we can all grow and prosper together:-)

Now Available - Laser Coaching Sessions

Growing a business comes with plenty of challenges. Though many of us try to do it all, sometimes we need to talk with someone who has been in our shoes and understands the demands and issues business owners face. Whether you are looking for immediate solutions to specific problems or just want to do some general brainstorming about your business, I am ready to help you. No matter what phase you're in right now, we'll  determine your immediate business goals and objectives as well as a plan to help you attain those goals.

Bring your toughest marketing or operational challenges to this focused one hour phone consulting session. We'll work together to find the right solutions to your problems and help you move beyond the place you've been feeling stuck in. We've been where you are and will help you find the answers you need to move ahead in your business.

This one-time session is regularly $147 and includes a follow up email summary of the key points, recommendations and referrals made during your session. BUT...if you book your appointment online before March 31st (meaning your appointment happens before the 31st) you'll get a special rate of just $99. 

Ready to schedule your session? Open appointments are available immediately. And there's need to fill out any forms or sign up for a lengthy coaching program. Just bring your top challenges and readiness to move forward to the call.

 

3 Ways to Increase Your Retail Sales

When you use the word massage or spa, most people immediately think of a tranquil environment, relaxing, beautifying and/or healing services or just envision a place to unwind and getaway. However it is extremely important for business owners and managers to think also of the retail area as a powerful and perhaps equal contributor to your business’ health, not to mention that of your clients. That being said, it is important to realize that simply carrying a few retail products will not be enough. You must plan for the success of this area. Here are a few ways to improve your retail mindset and results.

1 - Understand Why Clients Buy Retail
It is important to remember that most people come to a spa or wellness business seeking solutions for pain relief, stress management or various skin and issues. Someone who comes in for a facial may want to look and feel younger, improve the appearance of a scar or get their acne under control. In the case of a massage, they may be suffering from a few aches and pains, general tension or be recovering from an injury. And with body treatments such as back facials, cellulite wraps, self- tanning or body polishes, people often seem to be preparing for something special such as a big event or trip.

When they have these services done at a spa or reputable business, clients expect to be treated by knowledgeable professionals who not only can provide the treatments but also make educated suggestions about how to continue to improve their condition or appearance after they leave. For this reason it is vital that massage, wellness and spa professionals are prepared to meet those needs with a proper array of at home products for skin, body and mind. Knowing your clients and their specific motivations can help you determine how to stock your retail area from top to bottom.

2 – Have the Right Set-Up
Begin by thinking of your retail area as an additional treatment room, setting it up to have many of the same features as a treatment room. This includes things like appropriate lighting, furniture or fixtures that are appropriate to showcase, display or test the products, and a clean workspace. You may also want to accent the treatment area with elements from your treatment rooms such as fountains or flowers or give it a completely different look to set it apart from the rest of the business.

Just as you want a treatment room table to look fresh and inviting when a new client enters the room, you will also want to ensure that your product area is clean and well maintained. All products and display areas should be monitored throughout the day or between client visits. Product pricing, brochures, usage instructions, PR features/mentions and all other collateral should be attractive, informative and up to date. And of course all products available for purchase should be stored and rotated properly so that clients never encounter expired or rancid items in your stock.

3– Include Retail Products with Gift Certificate Purchases
Whether a client purchases online gift certificates through your website or at your office or business, including retail products in some of the packages or specials you offer can increase your gift certificate and retail sales. For example if your average gift certificate sale is $50 and you want to increase that amount to $75, include a “free gift with purchase” certificate or incentive toward a retail purchase coupon that can be redeemed along with the certificate. Choose something that has a high perceived value but that is not too expensive to give away or a product that you are trying to feature or highlight. You might also offer a package that includes a corresponding product – a take home body polish or moisturizer with a Salt Scrub or After Sun package, for example - that is actually part of the purchase price of the package.

The goal behind each of these suggestions is to provide the client with what they really want – solutions to their problems. Make it easy for people to buy those items that will help them take the relaxation or healing experience home with them. It will benefit your bottom line and increase your clients’ overall satisfaction.

SMART Marketing with Social Media

Note: I'll be teaching about Social Media at the Day Spa Expo in Las Vegas, NV (March 13-15) and would love to see you there. My class is on the 13th at 2:30 PM. Hope you can make it!

  The Internet has really taken the business world by a virtual storm over the last few years. In fact it seems like new tools and applications are being created daily allowing new opportunities for marketing to emerge.

Though I primarily use social networking to educate and reach out to past, present and future clients of my marketing coaching business, I have also used Facebook and LinkedIn.com to help fill empty appointment times in my very part-time massage practice. When I've got a few too many holes in my schedule I'll post some of the open times and occasionally offer a discount to fill them up.

Does it work? Definitely! Imagine that by spending less than 1 minute per week typing, I have often increased the weekly sales of my tiny practice by $80 (or more). In a year's time that one extra weekly appointment could mean as much as $4160 in additional revenue to my bottom line. Just imagine what the results could be for spas and service providers who have bigger client networks than I do. The boost in sales and profits could definitely be a lot higher!

Here are three SMART steps I suggest you take today to market your spa or salon with social media:

Pick a social network that you will enjoy using for business (or that your clients belong to) and become a member of it. Take care in creating your profile to include information about your business including website(s) and a business summary or description. Post a link to that site on your company website or issue an invitation for your clients to connect with you there. This can be done through an email, in-house signage or even a printed letter or flyer. Once your profile is all set up, start small by posting regular updates about what is new in the spa, events that are coming up or current specials.

Find a local online group that your clients and potential clients are likely to belong to. Look for groups on your social network that interest you or somehow can relate to the services you offe and that are in your geographic area. Some examples of the types of groups you might consider targeting: local business owners and associations, athletic clubs or teams, or men’s and women’s organizations, charities and causes, or even your children’s school. Once you join,  become active in the group posting comments or information that is relevant and helpful to its members, drawing a focus back to your spa or practice (and website) whenever it makes sense. People will begin to get to know you and your business through the conversation.

Start a blog that shares relevant information or thoughts with your clients and prospects.Your blog provides a way for people to learn about you, your company and services as well as related topics. It's a somewhat like a journal so it can be a little off the topic of what you do at the spa and can be fairly informal. Encourage your clients to sign up for a subscription or RSS feed to your blog so that they can get immediate notice of new posts and articles right to their email box or desktop.

Social networking sites allow you to announce events, promote new services, share resources, and add a higher level of credibility to your career if handled properly. Be aware that just like with email, you should always “think before you post” and only write what you don't mind the entire world knowing about you and your business. Whatever you decide join and whatever you choose write, know that done properly, SMART social media marketing can translate into more clients and sales and services for your spa.

And in March, be on the look out for information on my Social Media Boot Camp. Details for my free preview webinar are coming soon!

 

 

 

 

Great Ideas Don't Work If They Just Live Inside Your Head

Is your head constantly buzzing with ideas of things you want to do somedayto get the word out about your business? If your answer is yes, I hope you are gearing up by making a plan about what you want to achieve (and how you plan to achieve it) with each and every promotion that you are thinking about running.

But before you start daydreaming about all the things you're going to do or buy with the cash each marketing push could possibly bring in, I have a few questions for you...especially those of you that are waiting for just the right time or situation to begin doing all these terrific promotions.

What have you done today to market your business? Get new clients? Reactivate old clients? Get some PR or media attention? And are you doing something every single day to move toward your business and marketing goals?
 
Hopefully you've found tons of great marketing ideas contained within this blog. Combined with other marketing books, blogs and resources there are literally hundreds if not thousands of ways to promote your spa, wellness or massage business. Just this week, I've written about 8 or 9 different things on my new Smart Spa Marketing Facebook Fan Page. And of course I am always adding new things here on the blog.

BUT...none of it will help you grow your business, attract more clients or increase your sales if you just think about it. You must take action regularly to build a client base and keep people coming back. Similarly, if you put all of your hopes into the one big ad you've decided to splurge on or one last minute email blast, you are not very likely to have a steady stream of growth or success. It's not always easy or fun to do so - but daily marketing is a necessary part of creating and achieving the success you desire for yourself and your business.

So I ask you now to commit to doing one thing (or more) every single day to market and promote yourself or your business. Combined with a bit of planning, just the simple action of doing something every day can move mountains in terms of achieving your marketing and business goals.

Scam Alert for Texas Cosmetologists, Perhaps Others

Though this blog is first and foremost about marketing for spas and spa professionals, I felt the need to share this update with you.

Saundra Brown of Dermascope Magazine just posted the following information to her Facebook Page:
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is warning all cosmetology licensees that mailed notices which appear to be from the National Cosmetology Association or Professional Certification Service regarding the expiration of a “professional certification” are a scheme. Upon examination of the notice you will see that it refers to a “certification renewal” and NOT your license renewal.

 

Scary stuff. This is something all licensed massage, skin, nail and hair professionals need to be on the lookout for, not just in Texas but in all states. As a massage therapist, I have personally received a number of scammer emails that requested multiple appointments for an out of town visitor - an actress or other celebrity - and promised a high dollar fee for my services. It wasn't real - just some criminal's idea of how to get money from an unsuspecting service provider.

The lesson here is to read the fine print and to be wary of offers that seem to good to be true. Unfortunately in an unstable economy such as the one we're in right now, there are some who will go to any lengths to make a buck. Listen to your instincts and think before you blindly believe anything you receive in the mail or by email.

If you have any other scams to report or have a question about something you get in your mailbox, feel free to email me at Felicia@spalutions.com. In the meantime, please share the information above with others in your area so that they too may be protected from falling prey to a scam like this.

Updated info as of 2/15/10:

From Dermascope Magazine - If you fell victim to the Professional Certification Service (PCS) rip-off TDLR has some tips for you.If you mailed PCS a check the Department encourages you to call your bank immediately and place a stop payment on the check. If you mailed PCS a money order you should fill out the tracer request that was attached to it and submit the tracer to the money order provider. If it hasn’t been cashed you can request a new money order which you can make payable to yourself to reclaim your money.

Can Pets and Spa Profits Go Together?

Anyone who really knows me knows I am a huge animal lover. All of my pets, like Dolly (above) and Brownie, Pogo and Mojo (from left to right below)  are rescued as are any I will get in the future. They were all abandoned by someone else but have found a happy home living with me, my husband and our tabby cat Darby who is too shy to have her picture made.




Anyway, February is National Spay and Neuter Month. If you are an animal lover like me, why not join forces with a local or chain pet store or boutique for a fun indoor or outdoor event to raise money for the Humane Society or your local animal shelter. You can team up to offer dog washes or pet massages at the pet-related business while pet owners receive makeovers or chair massages. The services you offer can be free in exchange for a donation for the charity of choice or you can charge regular prices but donate part or all of the proceeds to the pet-friendly cause you select.

Do what you can to involve other pet-oriented businesses such as local vets, groomers, pet photographers, kennels and others. Give them a sponsorship status in exchange for free offers or certificates for clients that attend…and permission to market the event in their businesses and to their client lists.

At the event, have gift bags ready with treats for Kitty or Fido, offers and coupons from your sponsors, bandanas for all the clean pets…and a paw shaped coupon for all the owners to try your spa out on their own. Who knows, you may even end up adding pet spa and massage products to your own retail offerings to keep those fur ball fanatics coming in your door. Woof!

How to get started: Talk to your clients and staff to see what pet-stores, vets or groomers they frequent. Once you get your list and narrow it down to a few targeted partners and sponsors, set up a meeting or phone call to discuss the “paw-motion.” I'd love to hear how it turns out and to see pictures of your events!

Is Your Spa's Marketing Focused?

I have been accused from time to time of having entrepreneurial ADD. Ever heard of it? Basically it means I have been guilty of being somewhat easily distracted by new, interesting (and perhaps profitable) projects that have come my way. Then when the next bright, shiny thing came along, I'd forget about what I've been working on and wonder off in pursuit the next opportunity.

For example, a few months ago I had the opportunity to do some work in my part-time massage practice with a couple of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It was an amazing experience that taught me a lot about myself and was incredibly rewarding. As a result I was introduced to a whole new group of clients, a different focus for doing massage and a wealth of ideas about how I could promote and teach this type of work to other massage therapists. I could see creating workshops, books, volunteer groups and so much more in the blink of an eye. It was going to be incredible!

Did I mention that the primary purpose of my career is to work as a marketing and business coach for spa, massage and wellness professionals? That I had spent months refocusing that area of my business to do what I am most passionate about? That I have little desire to teach technique or do "hands on" classes and am working little by little to phase out my massage practice all together?

So I had to ask myself, are these ideas of creating training videos, courses and other materials on working with ALS patients in line with my business focus? The answer was no and I am proud to say that I saw this up front and walked away from (or at least tabled) the investment of time and resources I could have spent on a new endeavor. I felt relieved when I did and know that I can always come back to these ideas at a later time if they continue to be of interest to me down the road.

So my questions to you are:

1) What is your primary business goal or focus?

2) Are your current marketing tasks, actions and expenditures helping you achieve those goals?3) Do you have a marketing plan that illustrates how all these things work together?

Take some time to assess these three questions for yourself. Then make a list of all the things that are pulling your focus away from your goals and get to work on making some changes and getting through that list of distractions. Let me know if I can be of help!

Blogs - Easy and Effective Social Media Tools

I just finished the video below as a promo for two upcoming classes I am teaching at the 2010 AMTA Schools Summit next month. Although the tip and classes are directed at massage schools and massage educators, I think it is important for all businesses to consider following my advice from the video and START USING BLOGS.

Take a quick peek at the clip and then follow the suggestions below to get started.

Start a blog that shares relevant information or thoughts with your clients and prospects.Your blog provides a way for people to learn about you, your company and industry as well as related topics. It's a somewhat like a journal so it can be a little off the topic of your business and can be fairly informal. Be aware that just like with email, you should onlywrite in your blog what you don't mind the entire world knowing about you and your business. Encourage your clients to sign up for a subscription or RSS feed to your blog so that they can get immediate notice of new posts and articles right to their email box or desktop.

Write on other people's blogs. Write from your professional perspective when appropriate or possible and include info about your business (name, web site and/or email address) so that people can follow up with you if they want to. Look for blogs that relate to your profession, area or subjects that interest you. The one you are reading now is a great place to start!

If you're still not sure how to get started or are stumped about making blogging and other social media a part of your marketing plan, post your questions here or email me at blogs@spalutions.com to set up a quick social media consultation.

 

7 Lessons for Using Social Media

I've become something of a social media junkie. When I'm not checking Facebook and LinkedIn to see who's doing what and what the hot topics are, I am reading about how to use social media even more to promote and grow my business - and to help my coaching/consulting clients with their social media planning.

I don't pretend to know all the answers. Honestly there is SOOOOO much out there on social media I don't think anyone can understand all the ins and outs of every single tools and site. But it is important to understand some of the basics about all of social media.

That why I'm sharing this link  from http://Mashable.com with you on 7 Lessons for Using Social Media.  There are some great ideas in it - my favorites being Don't Expect a Response and What You Want is Not the Point. They remind me of a friend who started a blog for his company and was then disappointed that no one was "talking" on it. He wanted there to be a lively discussion - his readers however wanted to get information and nothing more at least in the beginning.

So what sites and tools are you using to promote yourself or your business? What is working the best for you? I use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn the most along with a couple of sites that are for specific groups. If you want to connect with me on any of them, please do!

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciaebrown 
Twitter - http://twitter.com/FeliciaBrown
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/people/Felicia-Brown/1158084519
You Tube - http://www.youtube.com/fbrown6886 and http://www.youtube.com/smartspamarketing Massage Professionals - http://www.massageprofessionals.com/profile/FeliciaBrown 

And if you aren't using social media (or don't really feel confident about doing so or how to get started), I'd love to know what trips you up or holds you back. I'll offer some help and "how tos" in future posts and/or courses.

Felicia

PS...I will be speaking on Social Media at the Schools Summit in February (in warm, sunny Florida) and the Day Spa Expo in March (in the un-official spa capital of the US - Las Vegas). Come see me if you can!

Email Marketing Made Easy

I am a big fan of the Internet and use it a lot to grow and promote my businesses - in case you hadn't noticed. One of my favorite tools to use besides my own web sites and blogs is for email marketing. Companies like Constant Contact and RatePoint provide great templates, images and tools to make sending newsletters and promotions a snap for a very cost effective rate.

One of the things that makes this type of service nice is that your emails are less likely to be counted as spam. People not only get your emails but can also forward the emails, click on links and even purchase products you recommend from Amazon.com or your web site if you have a shopping cart set up.

All of these activities are tracked so you can see who does what and who doesn't. You can also make it easy for people to un-subscribe without hurting your feelings!

The key to a successful newsletter (and business) is to have things that engage the clients and keep their interest. A few ideas:

1) Make stories and paragraphs shorter and snappier than you would in a magazine article.

2) Offer tips on how they can help themselves, save money or benefit from your services and products.

3) Include pictures and hyper-links to your web site, blog and other points of interest.

4) Try to send it out on some type of a regular basis - once or twice a month - unless people subscribe to some type of tip for the day or week.

5) Include a call to action - "Call today for a free estimate." "Schedule now and receive 10% off" etc.

Whatever marketing you do, make sure it fits with your business and personality style so that it fits your clients too. And as I keep telling myself, don't be afraid to delegate this job to someone else if it is not your bag or you don't have time for one more thing .

Want to try Constant Contact or RatePoint at no risk? Just click on the links below for a free trial.

RatePoint Trial
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