Cause related marketing is both a hot trend and a huge help to charities and organizations that do good in the world and industry. Getting your spa, staff and yourself involved with causes that you care about provides a number of opportunities besides just doing something good.

1)     It gives your staff  a way to have fun and grow together as individuals and a team.

2)     It can provide your clients an avenue to contribute while taking care of themselves and feeling good about your business and their purchases with you.

3)     It can bring your spa a lot of local (and sometimes state-wide or national) goodwill and publicity.

In my own previous spas, we donated gift certificates to many area charities, events and civic groups. We also delivered Mobile Meals as a group or with a partner, collected relief supplies for those affected by Hurricane Katrina, and participated in various Christmas “Adopt an Angel” programs to name a few. And we regularly participated in fundraisers for causes such as the Red Cross and Breast Cancer Research.

But in my experience, the joy and gift of volunteering doesn’t end with charities. Getting involved in professional organizations and trade associations can provide a whole different set of benefits to you personally and professionally. Groups like the Day Spa Association and the American Massage Therapy Association depend heavily on their volunteers to bring life and ideas to their efforts. Whether volunteers help to create mentoring programs for new members, stuff gift bags for tradeshow fundraisers or simply review articles for upcoming publications, there are ample opportunities to get involved. All move towards helping the collective membership in one form or another and supporting the profession from within the profession.

At the upcoming Day Spa Expo, there are a number of volunteer openings available for DSA members and non-members alike. I’ve found that volunteering at events like this can be a great way to meet new people, really learn about the organization and show, and chance to go home with something more than a bag full of product samples and brochures. I’d like to invite you to really be a part of the show by giving a few hours of your time in one or more of these areas:

• Day Spa Association Booth Set-Up (Saturday March 13 – various times available)
• Day Spa Association Booth Volunteer (Sunday and Monday March 14 and 15 – various times available)
• Day Spa Association Booth Tear-Down (Monday March 15 – after the trade show floor closes)
• Lunch and Learn (Sunday and Monday March 14 and 15 11:30 – 1:30 )
• Meet and Greet Party Set-Up+ (Sunday March 14 5:30 – 7:30)
• Meet and Greet Party Clean-Up+ (Sunday March 14 7:30 – 9:30)

And if you aren’t headed to the DSE but are interested in getting involved in the Day Spa Association, there are numerous opportunities available in all areas including Membership, Social Media, Research and others. I encourage you and all spa professionals, be it vendors, consultants, spa owners or individual practitioners to get involved and do something. Be a part of this wave of “conscious capitalism” and you’ll do a lot of good for those in need, the industry, yourself and your business.

Interested in volunteering at the Day Spa Expo or for the Day Spa Association? Contact Membership Chairman Felicia Brown at Felicia@spalutions.com with questions or to discus your area(s) of interest.

 Spa Consultant & Trainer 
NCBTMB Approved Provider
Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach
Felicia@spasolutions.com
www.Spalutions.com
www.SmartSpaMarketing.com