Spa Professionals Join the Discussion On the DSA Forum!!!
It is normal that when the money gets scarce we immediately want to cut on spending … that is a good thing, but one needs to cut down on the right things.
We discussed some of these options throughout the month of March.
Marketing, PR and Advertising are usually items that go first – even in large companies. I think that is the biggest mistake a business can do. When the economy is weak, one has to be out there even more than ever, but naturally only in places where we know it works. Do you track your ROI of your ads, your email marketing, your PR efforts? If not, it’s time to start … how else would you know what works and what doesn’t? DSA Membership works and should be one of your priorities to stay connected and save with the many benefits our trade organizations offer their members!
With today’s technology some of the marketing that is being done requires only time and patience and learning … it’s called
Viral Marketing!
How much e-marketing are you doing?
Are you:
Using your client database to send out emails to promote open time slots to promote specific therapists at a special rate for short-term appointments?
Communicating with your clients that you understand without sounding desperate, but that they are missed and should not neglect their health? (NOW is the time to steer them away from the “pampering myth”).
Using your website as a marketing tool to make it easier for your web visitors to book appointments, buy gift certificates and products.
The DSA has several vendor members who offer special incentives to DSA member spas.
SpaBoom
1155 University Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
800-940-0458
The Gift Card Café
800 The Mark Lane-Suite 802
San Diego, CA 92101
484-919-9673
Use Newsletters
Email newsletters are a low cost marketing technique
Newsletters maintain constant contact with your core clients
Newsletters can be used as advertorials for your services and products
Emails can be used to broadcast exclusive special offers & discounts to enrollees The DSA has two email service members offering special discount to DSA members!
Constant Contact Email
1601 Trapelo Rd., Ste. 246
Waltham, MA 02451
781-444-6160
VerticalResponse, Inc.
501 2nd Street – Suite 700
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-905-6894
Retail Sales
Take a good look at your displays – are they attractive and inviting to buy? What is your sales technique to get clients to take home the products they need to enhance their treatments and use for home care?
If your staff isn’t selling 15-20% of the price of their services, something needs to be improved. Your target should be 20%+. And don’t accept excuses from massage therapists for not selling.
How are your gift card/certificate sales?
Get listed on every website that sells gift certificates to your spa … here is a list of DSA members we recommend you contact – what do you have to loose?
SalonSpa.com
24955 Pacific Coast Highway Suite C301
Malibu, CA 90265
310-456-0895
Spa Addicts, Inc.
400 9th Street – Suite W6B
Hoboken, NJ 07030
866-HAV2SPA (428-2772)
Spa Finder
257 Park Avenue South – 10th Floor
New York, NY 10010
212-924-6800
Spas Worldwide
1 Queen East Street
Toronto, ON M5C 2W5
888-772-7999
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WaySpa
189 Fifth Avenue – suite 1B
Brooklyn, NY 11217
800-929-7723 Ext. 32
Safeguard New Clients
Make them an irresistible offer to try you
Make them an irresistible offer to come back within the next 30-45 days
Survey them to measure if you are consistently superior or consistently mediocre
Survey them to measure if you met their expectations
Consider DSA Day Spa Accreditation to distinguish yourself from the crowd!
Form New Alliances
Partner with distributors & manufacturers
When your retail sales decline…..so does theirs
Ask about eliminating or reducing minimum order requirements
Ask about eliminating or reducing shipping fees
Ask for free samples for special events
Take advantage of product or equipment training for your staff during down times
Take advantage of special sales and promotions
Add gift certificate to flower delivery with your local florist
A new hotel in town? Go talk to the concierge
How about local merchant associations, teachers union, city hall, war veterans and dependents for soldiers presently serving overseas?
Special events get them in the door and will fill time on customarily slow days or evenings
Host a “Spa Awareness” open house where you give tours & introduce staff
Host a free Skin Analysis Clinic where you analyze the skin for free & recommend & promote the skin care products from your retail area and suggest future facial treatments
Host a free Makeup Clinic where you teach clients how to apply makeup while you recommend your retail makeup items & skin care products & facials
Host a Massage Awareness event where you offer free or discounted chair massages or reflexology and recommend specific future massage or body work treatments
Hold a charity event to spotlight your community involvement
Partner with fine dining establishments
An exchange of gift certificates for simultaneous free drawings gives both of you free advertising where high end clients gather
Now it is your turn to come up with some more innovative marketing ideas that have worked for your spa, saved you money and brought in new clients! Share with us your successes (and mistakes), so we can all learn from each other!
Remember – You Are Not Alone
Become A DSA / IMSA Member Today And Tap Into Our National Spa Networks And Save!
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