Spa Clientéle Marketing Tips

How to bring back inactive clients

The Dime, originally uploaded by "Mr. W".

"It costs dollars to attract a new client; and pennies to keep them."
                                                            - Anonymous

As the news media heats up doomsday stories about  recession, and decreased consumer spending and higher interest rates, it hard not to start worrying about what to do new or differently to keep your schedule full.  Don't fall into the easy and dangerous trap of offering cash discounts, this can only lead to lower profits and attracting the wrong clientele.

If you don't already, this is an excellent time to start communicating with inactive clients.  These are clients that you have not seen in two or more months...and do  not have anything booked in your schedule.   Rather than a one time contact, plan on a series of communications that will clearly demonstrate that you want them back. 

I have developed the four steps to re-activating inactive clients.

Are referrals with gift certificates "real" referrals?

Regularly answering your email questions the first "official" change based on your input.  Just click banner above, or to the right to submit your questions!

Good Morning Heather,

My name is Eva Renee Anderson and I have been an Esthetician for 7 years. Until last April I worked in a salon as an independent contractor, now I own my own skin care studio. My question is that I offer my clients 10% off their next facial service if when they refer a friend, should this also apply when a client purchases a gift certificate for a friend that has never been in before? Is this considered a referral? I'm anxious to hear your opinion.

Thanks so much,

Eva Renee
Severna Park, MD

And the winner is...

Congratulations to...

Nicole A. of Oakland Gardens, NY
http://www.nicoleadamonis.com/

who won a brand new Apple iPod! She's a solo esthetician and told me that reading Spa Clientele Marketing Tips "really helps" to give her ideas on what can be done even when her business is small.

Many thanks to everyone who completed our client survey!

It was wonderful to hear that I am helping you, moving in the right direction with the new plans I have to help more and learn more about YOU my readers.

Some things that are coming soon (based on your input) include more help with starting and managing e-mail newsletters, monthly promotional ideas and more teleseminars.  Look for a website resign along the way as well.  Stand by for more announcements this month!

If you still want to provide your opinion to improve Spa Clientele Marketing Tips even though the drawing is over, please fill it out online this week.

What you need to know before you add medical spa services at your spa

If my spa expanded their service menu to add aesthetic medical services like IPL (intense pulsed light) treatments, laser hair removal, or Botox what do I need to be aware of?

In addition to following the guidelines of state boards of medicine and cosmetology,  spa owners need to modify their insurance policies.  Given the very specific insurance needs of medical spas,  there are not a lot of  medical spa insurance providers.   One such provider is ISU Insurance, and their rep Sandy Elliot has been a wealth of information to me about in the ins and outs of spa insurance.

I got to know Sandy after receiving her "Sandy's Spotlight" newsletter -- a regular newsletter she mails out to her contacts.  She gives great information and it smartly fits the marketing philosophy I support of "serve first, sell second."  So I told her that and we got to talking about our respective insights to the spa industry.  I learned a lot!  I sat down with her for a more detailed interview so that I could share it with you here.

I need your help

I need your help to solve a problem for me.

The problem is that I have too many ideas of what I can do to help my clients and readers to fill their appointment schedules with clients.  So I need your help to narrow down my focus because I want to have laser focus on your needs.

Please take a few minutes to answer a few questions in a quick survey.

Click Here to Take The Survey

It will help me immensely in focusing on what is most needed! (Not what I think you might need.)

As a thank you, I am going to give away a brand new 4 GB Apple iPod Nano!   No gimmicks here, I promise.

Direct Mail Postcards Made Easy

Direct mail postcards have always been a tried-and-true way to increase awareness and bring in new clients to any business.  However, the effectiveness of those postcards will vary based on many things such as: what words you use; how many you send out; the list you send them to; how frequently you send the postcards; the visual design; and the promotional offer you include.  For most spa and salon owners, the prospect of creating a custom postcard can be intimidating and stressful.

While it isn't an impossible task, creating your own postcard campaign can be complicated.  I've compiled the basic steps for doing it yourself: