Marketing is one of those often neglected items. Many times spa owners view this as an expense rather than a revenue generating tool. You need to regularly review your current marketing efforts, and evaluate new options. However, to stay a step ahead of your competition you need to have the right marketing strategy.

The first thing you need to do is evaluate your current marketing program. Evaluate what is working and what is not. Figure out the actual cost versus the benefit of each type of marketing you are doing. Did the postcards work better than the radio ads? Did the free media attention from the grand opening get you lots of new customers? It’s easy to get sold on a particular advertising option, and one often forgets to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. If you signed a long contract for an advertising option that did not work, cancel it, if you can.

Don’t Underestimate Email Power

When you take your customers information, you should be taking not only their mailing address, but their email address as well. You may want to start a monthly email newsletter about your spa. Highlight a new procedure. Remind everyone that summer is coming, and that they need to get in for those hair removal treatments quickly. An occasional “Daily Specials” e-mail will allow you to respond to a lull in bookings by sending out a treatment special for the time slots you have available that same day.

Cross Marketing

Visit the health food store, jeweler, or the organic store and create a marketing program with them, offer discounts at each others stores. Remember, no one has too many customers, they will be happy you stopped by.

In the past many spas had a lot of success by cross marketing with hair salons. Just as long as your spa dose not offer any hair styling services, and the hair salon dose not offer any spa services, this can me a real great relationship that the two parties can really benefit from. Also make sure to give all the hair stylists in the hair salon that you are cross marketing with really good discounts on your services. This will get the hair stylists at the salon really excited and enthusiastic and your spa. Most hair stylists have a long list of clients that have been loyally coming to the hair stylist for years. These clients usually have developed a good level of trust with the hair stylist, so if the stylist makes a positive comment about your spa services to the client, you can be almost positive that this client will check out your spa the next time they are in the market for spa services.

Technology Power

When you opened your spa you most likely purchased a bookings management system. Are you using it to its full potential? These systems often allow you to run custom reports where you can see which treatment rooms are being under-utilized, and which clients haven’t been in the spa in a while. It may be time to check out the software vendors website to remind yourself of other productivity features which can help with your marketing efforts.

Network Locally

You need to be known in the community where you do business. It is important to contribute to local charities and events. If your customers are Generation X, then sponsor a little league team. If your customers are primarily baby boomers, you may want to be involved with local charities. Remember, most people do business with people they like. So networking gives you an opportunity to connect with many different people in a short period of time.

By using these tips, you should be able to grow your spa to that next level. You can’t just hang out a sign and expect people to run in, you are going to need to actively market your spa and be constantly aware of which options are working and which are not. Your marketing plan should be well documented and should always be analyzed and constantly evolving to keep you a step ahead of the competition.

by: This article is courtesy of Omlas. Omlas is committed to providing superior lasers, light-therapy medical devices and spa equipment at very competitive prices, for a wide variety of applications. The company is a global leader in the development of lasers and light-therapy medical devices.

Marketing is one of those often neglected items. Many times spa owners view this as an expense rather than a revenue generating tool. You need to regularly review your current marketing efforts, and evaluate new options. However, to stay a step ahead of your competition you need to have the right marketing strategy.
The first thing you need to do is evaluate your current marketing program. Evaluate what is working and what is not. Figure out the actual cost versus the benefit of each type of marketing you are doing. Did the postcards work better than the radio ads? Did the free media attention from the grand opening get you lots of new customers? It’s easy to get sold on a particular advertising option, and one often forgets to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. If you signed a long contract for an advertising option that did not work, cancel it, if you can.
Don’t Underestimate Email Power
When you take your customers information, you should be taking not only their mailing address, but their email address as well. You may want to start a monthly email newsletter about your spa. Highlight a new procedure. Remind everyone that summer is coming, and that they need to get in for those hair removal treatments quickly. An occasional “Daily Specials” e-mail will allow you to respond to a lull in bookings by sending out a treatment special for the time slots you have available that same day.
Cross Marketing
Visit the health food store, jeweler, or the organic store and create a marketing program with them, offer discounts at each others stores. Remember, no one has too many customers, they will be happy you stopped by.
In the past many spas had a lot of success by cross marketing with hair salons. Just as long as your spa dose not offer any hair styling services, and the hair salon dose not offer any spa services, this can me a real great relationship that the two parties can really benefit from. Also make sure to give all the hair stylists in the hair salon that you are cross marketing with really good discounts on your services. This will get the hair stylists at the salon really excited and enthusiastic and your spa. Most hair stylists have a long list of clients that have been loyally coming to the hair stylist for years. These clients usually have developed a good level of trust with the hair stylist, so if the stylist makes a positive comment about your spa services to the client, you can be almost positive that this client will check out your spa the next time they are in the market for spa services.
Technology Power
When you opened your spa you most likely purchased a bookings management system. Are you using it to its full potential? These systems often allow you to run custom reports where you can see which treatment rooms are being under-utilized, and which clients haven’t been in the spa in a while. It may be time to check out the software vendors website to remind yourself of other productivity features which can help with your marketing efforts.
Network Locally
You need to be known in the community where you do business. It is important to contribute to local charities and events. If your customers are Generation X, then sponsor a little league team. If your customers are primarily baby boomers, you may want to be involved with local charities. Remember, most people do business with people they like. So networking gives you an opportunity to connect with many different people in a short period of time.
By using these tips, you should be able to grow your spa to that next level. You can’t just hang out a sign and expect people to run in, you are going to need to actively market your spa and be constantly aware of which options are working and which are not. Your marketing plan should be well documented and should always be analyzed and constantly evolving to keep you a step ahead of the competition.

 

 by: Omlas is committed to providing superior lasers, light-therapy medical devices and spa equipment at very competitive prices, for a wide variety of applications. The company is a global leader in the development of lasers and light-therapy medical devices. http://omlas.com

According to a Global Spa Economy Report unveiled at the 2008 Global Spa Summit in New York, the global spa economy is estimated to be over $250 billion. Prepared by SRI International on behalf of The Global Spa Summit, the first-ever report represents the most comprehensive effort yet to quantify the rapidly expanding global industry. More than 220 industry leaders from around the world attended this year’s summit, which was highlighted by keynote speeches from hotelier Ian Schrager and Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States and Vice Chairman of Canyon Ranch.The report’s estimate, which looked at the year 2007, includes $60.3 billion in core industry revenues, such as facilities, capital investments, education, consulting, media, associations, and events, and $194 billion in related hospitality, tourism, and real estate.When more broadly related industries such as mineral essential beauty, nutrition, and fitness were factored into the equation, last year’s global health and wellness market exceeded $1 trillion, according to the report. The one-year snapshot makes the sector one of the first industries to organize at a global level and analyze its own worldwide impact.The report also found that 1.2 million workers were employed in more than 71,600 spas worldwide in 2007. During the same period, capital investment in these facilities approached $13 billion, with continued expansion on the horizon.The spa industry is growing at a breakneck pace, but its diversity and scope have always made it difficult to quantify its size and financial strength, as well as to harness the full power of its collaborative voice, - said SpaFinder CEO Pete Ellis, who also serves as the chairman of the board for the Global Spa Summit. For the first time ever, this report shows decision-makers from investors to policymakers to the industry’s own leaders just how big the industry is, and how integral it is to the global economy.In a breakdown of the industry’s revenues by nation, the United States emerges on top, with earnings of more than $12 billion, followed by Japan ($5.7 billion) and Germany ($3.8 billion). The list continues with France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and China.The report’s findings derive from interviews with over 50 high-level industry executives; 1,000 responses to a global survey of industry sources; and data collected from more than 210 countries - ten times more than in previous industry reviews. The study defined spas as establishments that promote wellness through the provision of therapeutic and other professional services aimed at renewing body, mind, and spirit.The study was conducted by SRI International, a worldwide independent research firm originally founded as the Stanford Research Institute.Global Spa Summit is an international organization dedicated to bringing together leaders and visionaries to shape the future of the industry. Founded in 2006, the organization hosted the second-ever summit in New York City in May 2008, where top industry executives gathered to exchange ideas and advance industry goals, such as establishing a common language and understanding across regions and continents and creating uniform performance benchmarks worldwide.  Last year’s sold-out Summit attracted top level business executives from all over the world with interest in the industry. Representatives from diverse sectors including the hospitality, investment, finance, real estate, medical, consulting, product, and other related industries attended this much anticipated event. Global Spa Summit was underwritten by Spa Finder, Inc., the world’s leading spa marketing and media company, in collaboration with a team of international advisors.

Contributing author: Ann Knapp/ Geologix Inc. manufactures products using a proprietary formula featuring 34 natural minerals contained in the ancient sea water from the famous Michigan Basin — a concentration of minerals higher than that found in any known body of water in the world. Mineral Essentials focuses on spa, skin care, and massage products to moisturize and provide anti-aging protection for great skin. Mineral Essentials