The holiday season is by far our busiest time of year. It’s an opportunity to grow your client base, your visibility and, of course, your revenue. But success won’t just fall in your lap; it takes strategy and planning. Unfortunately, I see it happen every year: Some spa operators don’t give themselves enough time to plan and execute.
Log in to view the full article
The holiday season is by far our busiest time of year. It’s an opportunity to grow your client base, your visibility and, of course, your revenue. But success won’t just fall in your lap; it takes strategy and planning. Unfortunately, I see it happen every year: Some spa operators don’t give themselves enough time to plan and execute.
You cannot expect to reach targets without a plan. You should love your business enough to prioritize marketing it in a way that makes people feel drawn to you. Here is how you can set yourself up for success.
Plan Your Strategy
As the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. So, the first step is to set your goals in all areas of your business. Write down your vision for success—the more details the better. Have clear targets in mind and create a plan to reach them. When things are written down and you can see them, they feel more real and achievable.
Check inventory levels for all your retail, which will allow you to plan better. Then, decide what you want to bring in beyond your regular products, such as makeup, jewelry, soaps, bath bombs, slippers, robes, socks, candles, aromatherapy—the list of possible gifts is endless. Think about your physical space and what you will realistically be able to display.
More importantly, consider what your clients will be most willing to buy. The more “generic” the items are, the easier it will be to sell them. Narrow fragrance options down to three, especially if your space is on the small side. (It will make it easier for guests to choose.)
Check in with your suppliers, as they might be willing to extend you terms, price breaks or bonus products for pre-paid holiday retail. In addition to costs, you want to know how quickly you can expect orders to be filled, so you don’t get stuck with seasonal merchandise that arrived too late.
Stagger your orders so they do not all arrive at once. This is both easier on your wallet and affords you more time to display new products.
Related: 6 Wellness Services to Help Your Clients De-Stress for the Holidays
Marketing Logistics
Do not focus on one single platform for your marketing. Instead, create an “around the world” marketing plan. People can miss a Facebook post or Instagram Story, so sharing your content across multiple platforms makes it more likely to be seen by clients.
But, you don’t want to start pitching promotions when you don’t otherwise share regularly. Prime your audience to get used to seeing your content. You should build value by offering tips and education, in addition to spa promotions. That way, by the time you’re leading up to the holiday season, guests are used to seeing your content and will be more likely engage. Remember to create a personality and brand that stands out and is identifiably you.
When it comes to email marketing, it’s highly recommended that you use an email marketing system—especially if your list has more than 50 people on it. Even from a business email, sending bulk messages like that can get flagged as spam. Similarly, you’ll want to be aware of image use. Three to four images in an email is plenty, and keep in mind that high-resolution images take longer to download and slow down delivery.
Get Creative
Marketing is best made up of moments, such as client nights, behind the scenes of events, selfies with happy clients, unboxing inventory, a new display and so much more. These day-to-day moments may seem mundane to you, but it gives guests a peek into your world and gets them excited and intrigued.
One thing I always recommend is that you document everything with pictures or video. So, when your seasonal inventory arrives, you can do a live unboxing on social media—it’s a fantastic way to create buzz! Collaborate with other local business owners in a way that’s mutually beneficial. A great way to cross-promote each other is by exchanging gift cards worth at least $20 each, and gifting those to your best clients as a thank you.
Host a holiday open house, client appreciation night or other event. Hold it on a slow night and offer mini treatments with seasonal drinks and treats. It’s a great opportunity to stay top of mind and remind guests of your seasonal promotions. If you’re able, consider collaborating with a local photographer for fun mini photo shoots.
On social media, you can do a giveaway—it is the holidays after all! This works well if you have some inventory that you need to move out quickly, especially more generic fare like lip balms, eye masks, sheet masks, hand creams, travel products, candles or aromatherapy.
Selfie contests are fun, too. Set up a seasonal #selfie station with the spa’s name and hashtag, and have guests tag the spa in their selfies. Pick a winner randomly and announce it on your page. Create a branded self-care holiday calendar for December, with daily tips or even a special gift-with-purchase incentive when they come in to shop.
Collaborate with a local charity. Whether it’s a drive or a “spa for a cause” day, it’s a guaranteed client favorite. Remember to share this on social media so that your community can recognize your efforts. One of my favorite ways to say thank you is by offering a gift card (at least $20) to guests who paid for a treatment in December, specifically meant to be used for a full service in January, which gets them booking into the new year (often the slowest month). Ka-ching!
Tazeem Jamal, LE, PMDT, (www.tazeemjamal.com) is an award-winning business coach, spa owner and master esthetician. She helps spas scale and grow their businesses using her signature framework, The Purple Carpet Experience. Jamal has been featured on TV, radio, podcasts and in multiple industry publications.
