Nancy Griffin
Wellness is a fundamental component to spa and a rapidly growing market trend—are you profiting from it? Here are five steps, including expert advice, to help you capture more revenue from health-conscious clients.
1. Develop therapeutic spa treatments: Spa treatments that rely on proven modalities such as hydrotherapy and aromatherapy will elevate your practice to the next level. Draw upon traditional, culturally-based healing therapies and educate your clients on the therapeutic benefits of these treatments. “Everything we do is solidly in the corner of wellness because our treatments work on the physiological responses of the body,” says international trainer Anne Bramham. For example, Dr. Vodder’s manual lymph drainage is scientifically proven to reduce swelling and bruising. Implementing these types of therapies, however, requires an ongoing commitment to staff training and quality control.
2. Focus on results: SRI International reports that 71% of consumer respondents said they would be more likely to visit a spa if they learned that a series of research studies demonstrated that spa treatments deliver measurable health benefits. Communicate these benefits in your marketing materials. Hospital-based Inspiritas Spa in San Antonio, Texas states in its copy, “All of the modalities offered are evidence-based, meaning that they have been shown to be effective for reducing patient side effects and increasing the patient’s sense of well-being.”
3. Offer educational seminars: “Education establishes a level of trust and credibility with the consumer,” says Mindy Terry, President of Creative Spa Concepts “You don’t have to have special rooms or expensive equipment to teach people how to manage their stress and live well.” Communication is key. “Offering educational seminars to your clientele on healthy skin and healthy bodies would be a good way to start changing consumer perceptions of spas as places to go for just a ‘quick fix,’ says Deborah Smith, Principal of Smith Club & Spa. “All that is needed is a comfortable meeting space.”
4. Hone in on home care: Home care products and programs support your clients’ efforts for a healthy lifestyle. Design customized home care regimes for each client and recommend appropriate products. Offer a variety of “support” items such as sunscreen, protective apparel, and portable home care devices. Look for products that extend the life your professional services. “Everything that you recommend to your clients you should sell,” says skin care consultant Sara Whisler. “You are the experts—view retail as an integral part of client education. Your clients will thank you for the convenience.”
5. Practice what you preach: Ownership, management, and staff must buy into what they are selling for any wellness program to be effective. Is wellness important to the philosophy of your business? Do you feel a personal need to improve your clients’ quality of life? “Wellness in a spa begins with the intention – from the ownership/management to the staff,” says Rianna Riego, founder/Principal at Global SpaVantage. “Live it before you preach it.”
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