Spa Clientéle Marketing Tips

Do you really need to advertise to bring in new business?

You may have seen this issue on the blog before but I think question "Do you really need to advertise to bring in new business?" really deserves a second look.

It would be easier if it was a simple "yes" or "no," but as in life, things are not always so black and white.  However, I will say that there are many examples of successful spas, solo estheticians, salons and massage therapists out there that have never run a print ad and are happily booked up. 

What's their secret?  Well for one, success isn't a secret...but it there is no one magic answer either.   But success does require some planning -- we've all heard this before.  A business plan.  A personnel plan.  A marketing plan. And so on.

Very often the marketing plan does not get finished ... or even started ... prior to opening the doors on that first day.  This is not uncommon, but it could also be a costly mistake.  Without a marketing plan, spending and activities are reactive and are not as effective as when operating from a well thought out plan.

I know it can be overwhelming to know where to start...and sometimes this prevents us from starting at all.  But trust me when I say that having a month-by-month marketing plan will save you money and bring in more clients than not having one. 

To get past that stage of not knowing where to start, my friend and partner in this site, Heather Gallegos, created a four-hour course on creating your annual marketing plan called Smart Spa Marketing.  Spread over three to four weeks, this self-paced course will take you step-by-step in the creating a marketing plan for the next twelve months.  And then you can simply make small updates for the next year, and the next.

As most of you know, I recently purchased Heather's business along with the course. As I am going along in blending her business and products with mine, I'd really love to get some feedback on how I can make Smart Spa Marketing even better. That's where I need your help...

I've decided to offer the Smart Spa Marketing course for just $79, but only to the next 15 people that respond to this special offer. That's almost 40% off the regular price of $129. So what's the catch for giving such a huge discount? Not a thing. All I ask is that upon completion of the course you complete a quick evaluation of the course, tell me what you like least and most about it, and provide suggestions on what would make this class more valuable to you and others. The discount is simply my thank you for your time and help.

What's more, by implementing even just one of the helpful tools in the course, I am positive you will make back your entire purchase price and much more. If you don't I'll refund your entire purchase price.

To learn more about Smart Spa Marketing, just click here. When you are ready to make your purchase, type in the coupon code SMARTSPA to get your discount. 

Don't put off making this incredibly affordable investment in yourself and your spa or practice. This is a one time offer and one that will not be repeated.  Get started with Smart Spa Marketing today and make 2010 the best year ever for your business!

Thanks in advance for your help, support, and feedback . Stay SMART!

Felicia

Related Articles:

Five reasons why you need a marketing plan for your salon or spa

Slot machine marketing

Must-do marketing for solos

Let's Start the New Year Off Right!

 
Happy New Year!

Let me begin by officially say how excited I am to be here at Spa Clientele Marketing Tips. I am so thankful to Heather Gallegos for entrusting her "baby" to me while she charts a new course in her own life. As she mentioned in the previous post, she and I have gotten to know each other over the last few years and became fast friends because of our similar methods and philosophies about marketing spa and wellness businesses. I am so thrilled to be able to continue what Heather has already started on this blog and to introduce myself to all of you.  It is a really wonderful way to start the new year!

Like with my business, one of the best things that comes with the passing of December 31st is the opportunity to begin in January with a fresh start. I personally like the chance to reflect on the past year and determine what has been working well in promoting my business (and what hasn't.) I'd like to offer you a chance to do the same.

Below is a list of ten questions I have every prospective coaching client fill out before we begin working on improving their marketing and operations. I thought it would be a good thing to post it here so that you too could get the benefit of exploring the answers.

See what you come up with and feel free to share any of "ahas" or bits of inspiration that come from doing this exercise right here on the blog. And if you decide that you are truly ready to improve your results for next year's "examination" and want to work with a motivational coach and expert to make it happen, email your answers along with your contact information to newyears@spalutions.com. I'll get back in touch ASAP to set up your free initial consultation. 

Download Spalutions - Ten Question Business Assessment - 3

1)    What are the biggest strengths of your business or practice? What makes it unique or sets you apart from others in your field or area? 

2)    What are the biggest weaknesses or challenges of your business? What things are your competitors doing better than you?  

3)    How would you like to see your business change in the next six months?  

4)    What challenges might prevent you from getting these results?  

5)    How do new clients and prospects find out about you? Is this being tracked and if so how?  

6)    How do you follow up with prospective clients?  

7)    How do you follow up with new clients?  

8)    How do you follow up with past or inactive clients?  

9)    What do you love the most about your business and how are these facets represented in your business? 

10) What marketing strategies are you using right now? (not ads that you have purchased but things like sending birthday cards, offering a welcome gift to new clients, etc…things that are more internal in nature.)

Sometimes taking the time to do such a simple exercise can be just the thing to propel your business to the next level. I encourage you to take an introspective moment or two to get a clear picture of where your business is (and is heading in 2010.) And if you want more of what you got in this little exercise, get in touch and/or stay tuned for details on my upcoming Business Transformation Bootcamp that starts in a few weeks!

Slot Machine Marketing

Marketing doesn’t work. 

How often have you considered this to be true?   Well, you are not alone in thinking that spending money on print ads or a promotion didn’t work to fill your treatment rooms to capacity. Spending marketing dollars on an impulse or because you think you should or because a advertising sales rep calls, is what we like to call slot machine marketing. Just like gambling, slot machine marketing has very low odds of producing your desired result.  And changing “slot machines” to advertise another newspaper or a new direct mail postcard doesn’t improve your odds either.

The trick to effective marketing is to have a long-term plan, like a roadmap or blueprint, for all your marketing activities for the year.  While this may seem like a big job, it can really be completed in a few hours.  In future posts, I will be sharing the steps to take create your marketing plan for the year and guidelines for staying on track to follow it.

But I'm curious, do you plan your marketing activities (promotions, direct mail postcards, letters, advertisements) well in advance?  Or do you spend your marketing dollars in reaction to something or someone? Do tell.

10 reasons to have a professional logo

Sometimes startup or small businesses view getting a professional logo as low on their priority list, and I'm puzzled by that.  While I know that it costs money -- usually a few hundred dollars -- it is a one time cost that pays for itself in increased credibility and stature.  And since your target clients are expecting higher-end services, it is in your best interest to have a higher-end brand image. [Review my Marketing Strategy 101 Part 2 for more information on visual image branding.]  If you are on the fence about investing in a professional logo, here are 10 places that can benefit from one right now:

1. Your own skincare or haircare brand (the highest profit margin of anything you sell and free advertising on your client's bathroom counter)
2. Outdoor signs and windows
3. Websites
4. Business cards (all employees should have plenty and hand them out generously everywhere they go)
5. Brochures
6. Advertisements
7. Employee uniforms (whether it is an apron, t-shirt or lab coat, a unified appearance provides yet another consistent memory builder of your brand)
8. Gift Cards/Certificates
9. Shopping bags (are often kept and re-used by clients to carry office lunches)
10. Product samples for your skincare or haircare line

How much should you spend on marketing?

Wouldn't it be great if there was an easy answer to that question?  The reality is that what you spend on marketing has so many variables.  Too often the biggest part of that decision is how much money is left over after you pay your employees, rent, utilities and loan payments.   [Hopefully you are also paying yourself in there somewhere!]

While there are industry norms for the "biggie" expenses like labor costs and rent, the percentage of sales that should be spent on marketing is all over the board.  I've heard of some poor souls spending over $200,000 on marketing during startup and also see businesses spend nothing on marketing.  [Neither is a good idea.]   I read a statistic on a spa consultant's website advising that your rent and marketing expenses together shouldn't exceed 10%.  Since that seemed illogical to me, I asked the opinion of an expert.  Wellness Capital Management does budgeting, bookkeeping and real estate services for wellness businesses.  Monte Zwang, principal at Wellness Capital Management, had this to say about that 10% statistic:

Rent and marketing have little to do with each other.  I suppose if you have a  location that you pay nothing for, you have to advertise the heck out of it to get someone to find you.  So, I guess what they are saying is that you pay top dollar for a class one retail space, you won’t have to advertise as much. 

However, in our industry especially, it is difficult to find a space that is going to rent for less than 15% of gross sales if you are signing a new lease. So, let’s do the math; 2000 square foot space, $35/square foot rent equals $5,800 per month rent. No advertising and you will automatically do $60,000 per month?  Probably have to spend at least an additional $1,000 per month to bring in that level of business. Hmm.  Fat chance, I don’t believe in advertising anyway.

Thanks Monte! I have to agree with him about the advertising...the success of your ads are nearly impossible to measure and rarely pay for themselves in sales (much less profits).  [You can read more about that in the e-book you'll receive when you sign up for my weekly newsletter.]

How to set your marketing budget.  If you have one at all, you are ahead of the curve.  If not, don't worry as is it never too late to start!

1. How much have you spent on average per month for marketing?  Just tracking this can open your eyes to how much (or little) money is going out in order to bring in business. Marketing expenses include advertisements, signs, brochures, business cards, newsletters, post cards, customer appreciation events, graphic design and paid directories.
2. Calculate what 5 - 10% of sales would be per month.  This is your target range for marketing, but this can be too much for smaller practices. Monte advises, "$350-$500 (3%) per month should work for business doing less than $200K annually if there is a well defined program."
3. Set a target dollar amount to budget for marketing. Using the numbers in step two, pick a dollar amount that is right for your business. If you are starting out you may spend more, if you have established clientele you may spend less.  There is truly no right answer...only what is right for you.

Once you have a monthly budget for marketing, you can then start planning some regular marketing activities that fit that budget such as email newsletters or quarterly direct mailings.  It is much better to start with a plan and then know that you can easily say NO to any pushy magazine advertising sales people!

Marketing Strategy 101 (Part 2)

This post is part two of my earlier post Marketing Strategy 101 (Part 1) that lays the foundation to a solid marketing strategy.  Building on top of this foundation is critical to creating and communicating a memorable brand.   

There is a lot of confusion around what a "brand" is and why it is important.  As the name suggests, it can be a iron that is placed in hot coals to burn a brand into cattle or other free roaming animals.  Clearly, burning your clients is not what I'm talking about here.  Marketing branding does relate to marking a spot -- in this case, your clients mind -- that is wholly owned by you or your business.  To have "good branding" does not mean simply having a logo.  Good branding is ensuring that every single time your business interacts with your client, that it communicates and reinforces your key marketing message.  These business interactions include: how you answer the phone, your website, the actual service you perform, an email newsletter, your ad in a paper, etc.  While your logo is important, it is just one part of helping your clients remember you...even subconsciously.

Creating a brand that triggers a subconscious memory is critical for branding success.  And since the mind is a complex and multi-talented thing,  there are multiple ways to create a memory of your brand.

Sight. What your client sees is the first place to start making sure your brand is consistent and memorable.  This includes your logo, store front, lobby, treatment rooms, website, service menu, advertisements, signage and anything your clients can see or read.   The colors should be consistent and complementary (no point in having a bright purple door if nothing else in your business mimics that color or image.)  Pick and consistently use the same logo on your website, store front sign, and marketing materials.  A good logo is important but doesn't have to be overly expensive.   The words you use on anything that is read should always, always refer to your key marketing message or tagline.  Your decor style and tone should match your brand (e.g., if you have a water-themed name or brand, a flowing fountain or wall pictures will reinforce it).

Smell. Often overlooked as a marketing technique, linking a memory to a scent is one of the most powerful memory anchors.  Have you ever been in a Tommy Bahama's store?  Or noticed there is a certain smell to a brand new Tommy Bahama's piece of clothing?  They intentionally scent their new clothes and have diffusers in their store of the same scent.  I have smelled it maybe 5 times...but now I have an automatic memory of their brand (and the desire to go on vacation).  Find a unique scent (you have to pick just one) and scent everything with it -- use diffusers in the changing room and reception areas,  linens and towels, eye and neck pillows, use a spray at beginning and end of all treatments, etc.   Do as much as you can to anchor that scent in your spa and then sell candles and the essential oil blend of that scent. If you do a mailer, opt for a letter where you can scent the paper. You may think that this would be overpowering -- and it can be -- but experiment with it and you'll find it can be a powerful memory trigger that is linked to your business.  [The downside is that you too will have this trigger and will likely want to take a shower as soon as you get home for work to try to forget about work!]

Sound.  Have you every just heard a few notes of a song and it takes you immediately back to a long ago memory?  Perhaps high school dance or a wedding or a concert?  Usually this memory also comes with an emotion --- nostalgic, happy, or even scared.  You may also notice that sounds are becoming associated with cellular phone brands (Cingular and Verizon both have one).  While you are not going to spend money on creating a customized 5 note jingle or even a unique song, you can use sound and music to create a memory.   You can add a song to your website and of course you probably have a internal speaker system playing throughout the spa.  Whatever you do, the music selections should complement each other and your brand.  And you can also create a private label CD to sell that includes songs you play in your salon or spa.  Check out Prescriptive Music or At Peace Media.

Taste.   Although it is a strong memory trigger, taste is clearly not an easy thing to link to a salon or spa.  However, you can offer a unique beverage such as water with cucumber and lemon slices, or a green tea mix or anything that isn't as plain as a glass of water.

Touch.  Probably the least strong of all memory triggers, touch can be incorporated into your brand.  You can create a memory of a particular texture of your linens or the material and threadcount of your towels. Consider a signature finishing touch on facials or head massages.  Or a unique surface of the walls or floor.  Unless there is an obvious fit for your brand, I don't recommend spending much time on this one.

Bottom line, have fun with picking those signature touches that will reinforce your brand in all aspects of your business.   Your enthusiasm and attention to detail will be felt by your clients and will help them remember the fantastic experience they had at your salon, day spa or medical spa. 

Do you have any favorite sensory memory triggers of brands? Do tell.

Marketing Strategy 101 (Part 1)

Good marketing is like good skincare.  They both require consistency for best results. And while you might naturally think that marketing is supposed to be fun and creative, the very un-glamorous part of good marketing is deciding to say one thing and sticking to it.  For a loooooog time. 

The one thing or "key marketing message" can be tricky to finalize however.  Especially if you are starting out, most startups want to attract everyone -- denying no one who has money to spend.  The pitfall here is the simple business truth that you can not be all things for everyone.  And the other true, but well-loved, cliche "Jack/Jacqueline of all trades, master of none" applies here too.  Even with a well-focused business plan, your marketing has to also be focused on attracting your ideal client.  Here's some quick steps to clarify your key marketing message.

1. Identify your ideal client.  Think of who you most WANT to come to your business and what services they typically schedule.  What is their age range (60+, 30 something, early 20s); female or male; average spend per visit (including service and retail); employment profile (retired, tourist, stay-at-home mom, career professional); and other businesses they typically visit (nearby gyms, restaurants, etc.). Hopefully at least a third of your clients already fit this criteria.  Keep in mind, you are not excluding clients that don't fit this ideal profile...you will simply not be focusing your key marketing message to them.  Don't worry, you'll still be attracting all types of potential clients...you are simply targeting your ideal client by talking directly to them. 

2. Why does your ideal client come to you for service?  What are the key benefits (relaxation, improved self-esteem, anti-aging treatments) that you excel at providing and hopefully ONLY you can provide within a 20 mile radius.  How does your client feel when they leave? Write down the words and feelings that you want to be associated with the RESULTS of your services.

3. Create your "elevator pitch." Now imagine you ran into your ideal client, say, in an elevator (or line at the grocery store or a a friends party) and they asked you "what do you do?"   This is your opportunity to share why they, or someone they know, should visit your business...your "promotional pitch" if you will.  It should be casual and authentic.  The best way to create this is just role play with a friend.  And when you say something you really like, write it down.  Some guidelines to tell that it is good: it was easy and natural, it included how you make your clients feel, it would appeal to your ideal client and it made the other person want to either schedule an appointment or consider it in the future.   Now that is written down, you can play with the words -- is there a specific adjective that would be better to use? Can you get it down to two sentences?  Does is still feel natural and authentic?

Good example: Clients come to our oasis of tranquility stressed and overworked to let us take care of them.  They leave relaxed, renewed and better prepared to take care of their loved ones.  [Ideal client: female, over 30, mother, career professional]

Not-so-good example:  We offer the best services and quality products in the area. [Doesn't target anyone nor provide a real reason to schedule an appointment]

4.  Print your key message on all marketing communications. Your website, your answering machine, your brochure, any flyers, direct mail postcards, advertisements, press releases and even your business cards.  You may want to create a shortened version of about 5 words for signage, phone greeting or use as a marketing tagline, but these same words need to be in your key message as well.  [Thanks for calling Relax Day Spa, your oasis of tranquility]

Now that you have a key message, the next step in creating your marketing strategy is creating your brand -- a sensory (visual, audio, tactile & scent) memory of your business that complements your key message.  We'll cover that in Part 2.

Can you find key messages that work (or don't work) to market a local business or even big corporate brands?

Make the most of your clientele

 
Lots of spa owners and service professionals talk about the need for getting new clients into their business. They feel that they just aren't seeing enough new faces in their doors or bodies on their tables. Perhaps the advertising and marketing vehicles they are using to attract new business aren't very effective. Or maybe the business' current clients aren't sending enough referrals their way. But while both of these situations are quite likely and deserve some exploration, I think it is really vital to look at ways to engage and encourage more business from your current clientele.

My definition of "current" clientele is essentially anyone you have done business with ever. With any luck you have a client list, computer database, or even a three-ring notebook filled with contact data for everyone who has visited or spent money in your business. In the best case scenario you would have their name, birth date, mailing address, phone number, email address, and dates of all purchases ad visits. (Note: There are numerous Point of Sale of software systems out there that make tracking this information very easy AND even easier to pull back out as needed with the touch of a button.) But what can you do to reach out to these folks and increase their visits, purchases or sales?

Here are a few ideas:

    Ask every client to rebook every time they come in. This may seem like a no brainer, but just the simple act of asking every single client to come back and schedule their next appointment while they are there can make a huge difference in your overall retention rate and revenues. If you are treating someone for a specific condition such as a strained muscle, you can increase the likelihood of the client making another appointment even more by suggesting a treatment plan for their injury.

    Offer every client an upgrade on the amount of time or service they usually schedule. If you want to increase your revenue without adding more clients, why not offer a longer session for a special price. "John , I know you usually book an hour massage but I wanted to let you know this month I am offering a 90 minute session for just $20 more than a sixty minute session. Would you be interested in booking that his time?" Try it...you'll be surprised how often it works.

 

   Recommend helpful products to your clients. If you sell any products that will be of help to your clients in solving the problems they see you for or meeting other needs they have expressed, don't be afraid to tell your clients about them. One of the most popular products I sell in my practice is a neck wrap. I personally keep one in the freezer at my house to use on my achy shoulders and tell new clients about it after their first session. I explain how I use it, and then put it on to show them how easy it is to use. I sell one to about 50% of my new clients after that first visit or down the road after a few sessions.

Ask clients for their referrals. Even though you are asking for new clients by asking for referrals, your current clients are better than billboards or any other type of advertising for getting new people in the door. Your honest request for help to build your business - along with some type of small bonus or incentive like a small discount or service upgrade - will give people who like your work an incentive to help you grow your business. Be sure to acknowledge each referral and to thank people in whatever way you promised each and every time you get a new client from someone.

  Remind your clients that you sell gift certificates both in your business and online. Let them know that purchasing a gift certificate from you is a great way to give a hassle free gift for any occasion or to get someone they've referred with no success to finally come in. If you have an email list of clients, make sure they know about your online purchase option in every single email or newsletter. No need to hit them over the head with it...just add a tag line to your email signature that says "Visit our website for instant massage therapy gift certificates" with a line to your website just below it. Then be sure your website has a "Buy Gift Certificate Now" button or link on every page. (Click here to learn about my favorite resource for online gift certificates, TheGiftCardCafe.com.)

The bottom line is to make use of the resources and contacts you already have to increase your revenue and business. With a little work and dedication toward increasing your sales to current clients, you may soon decide you have all the business you can handle!

June 28: Grab a Facebook URL for your spa or massage business

Within 15 minutes on June 12, 500,000 Facebook users created user names which now allow them to have an easy to remember web address. An example is the Facebook Fan Page for Day Spa magazine: www.facebook.com/dayspa.  This options was (and still is) a first-come-first-serve registration for a web page address that could lead to your personal or business web page.   If you have a Fan Page already set up on Facebook for your spa business, you are already ahead of the game.  However, if you have less than 1000 fans, you may have been frustrated by the rules that prevented you from claiming a vanity URL for your Fan Page.

Well here's some good news! June 28 you can get one no matter how many fans. Mark your calendars.

Not sure what I'm talking about?  That's okay, here's the what you need to know:

Facebook Fan Pages--sometimes referred to as Product Pages, Company Pages or Business Pages--are the only way to promote your business on that site. Creating and promoting Fan Pages can put you miles ahead of your competitors who don't know about these powerful tools.

Because Facebook doesn't limit the number of Fans you can attract, but limits you to 5,000 Friends, you'd be crazy not to create a Fan Page for your business.  

It is also important to note that Google indexes these pages, so they can show up in the organic search results on the left side of the screen when somebody searches Google for keywords like "day spa" and your local city or zip code. So be sure to include relevant keywords when you create the name of your Fan Page.  This may mean the title of your Fan Page is a bit longer than you might think is natural, but having a long title helps folks see your page and is not going to prevent anyone from scheduling an appointment.  If your business name is Chrysalis Salon and Spa in Oswego, IL your fan page user name could be "chrysalis" or "chrysalissalonandspa" and the name you enter when you first create the page could be "Chysalis Salon and Day Spa serving Oswego and Montgomery."

Some quick links for you to get started now:

• Create a username for your personal page (which may be your business on Facebook right now): www.facebook.com/username. 
• Create a Fan Page
• FAQ about Facebook Fan Pages

So get a head start today on creating your fan page so you will be ready on June 28th to grap your own Facebook URL!

And by the way...facebook.com/spa and facebook.com/massage are suprisingly not reserved yet!

No cost ways to increase client referrals

I haven't met a business owner who doesn't want more client referrals.  Some businesses have such high referral rates and return clients that they don't need to advertise or do virtually any marketing.  What is their secret?  Often it is the act of being in business in the same location for years or inheriting clients from a co-worker who retired or moved.  [Did you know that everytime you switch locations you delay the building of your clientele by 1 year?]  So while time and luck play a role, I'd rather focus on what you can do right now speed up the buzz about you and your business with the clients you have today.

1. Over-deliver.  When you demonstrate that you look after your clients better than they expected, make them feel special every time you see or communicate with them and deliver amazing results your clients will want to tell everyone about you.  This is called reciprocity in human nature.  (Ever feel that obligation when someone unexpectedly gives you a Christmas or birthday gift?)  It does takes discipline, training and focus to stay "on" all the time with your clients.  However, once you and your staff make your client care the priority above the technicalities of running a business...running the business will not be so hard.

2.  Make it easy on them (and you).  Steer away from the legal terms and conditions of your "Customer Reward Referral Program" and tracking points or credits or anything that requires tracking period.  Simply ask all new clients who referred them and then make a note of that to reward that loyal client.

Make it easy for your clients to figure out who to refer.  Rather than the generic "if you know anyone who could use our services, please tell them about us," give your client a description of your ideal client. If you are a massage therapist, here is an example:

Do you know anyone who works long hours, or who has lots of children, or anyone who is often stressed and would perhaps benefit from a relaxing back massage?   If you do, I'm sure they would really benefit from a back massage with us. After all, you know how good our massages are! So, please introduce them to us. And if you do, we'll be sure to do something wonderful for you to thank you....

3.  Make it worth their while. Sometimes it is better to not tell them exactly what the reward would be for a client referral as this allows you to personalize the reward (and the value of that reward).  Perks during follow-on visits like a free product or a free service upgrade are great for clients that will feel truly rewarded by that.  However, often times free movie tickets or a coupon from a nearby restaurant have more memorable value for that client (because you know they need a reason to get out at night.)  For techo-geeks like me, I would be dazzled by an iTunes gift card.   While some of these rewards do have a cost, you can create a program where there is no cost to you to offer that reward.  Consider reaching out to a new business nearby (restaurant, clothing store, or a non-competitive service business) to request they donate a flat dollar coupon for your referral program.  For example, $20 at a new restaurant brings them a new customer, rewards your client and doesn't cost you a penny.

Even if you choose to provide a reward that is an expense to you, it will very likely be cheaper to reward all of your referring clients than it would be to place just one radio or newspaper ad.  And you'll get a much better response too!

What other ideas to you have that have worked to inspire client referrals?