Hawaiian Experience Spa (formerly Healing Touch Spa “A Hawaiian Experience”) Begins Franchising

Hawaiian Experience Spa originally opened under the name Healing Touch Spa, “A Hawaiian Experience” in July of 2007, as a full-service organic day spa. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, the concept became an immediate success. Their goal now is to expand this concept throughout the United States with motivated and dedicated franchisees.

Hawaiian Experience Spa, as the name implies, is a Hawaiian themed day spa, and is one of the only themed spas in the United States. By offering over 70 different treatments (many of which were inspired by Hawaiian culture and heritage and were developed exclusively by the founders) in combination with organic products and high quality therapists, Hawaiian Experience Spa provides a truly unique experience to their clients.

The day spa industry, as well as, the awareness of the benefits of organic products are both increasing rapidly. Additionally, consumers have an increasing awareness about the health benefits of massage therapy, skincare treatments, and the use of organic products.

The U.S. spa industry generated an estimated $9.4 billion in gross revenue in 2006, on 111 million spa visits.

Today’s society, including the medical community, accepts the value of the massage industry.

The Hawaiian Experience Spa Franchise Program offers aid in site selection, facility development, inventory guidance, marketing programs, initial training, and ongoing support.

 

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Spavelous Does Not endorse this or any other spa franchise.  Do your due diligence to insure that the company is financially stable and read your UFO (Uniform Franchise Offering Circular)  Massagiano a spa franchise went out of business this past year.  In addition review all financials and make sure it financially makes sense in your area.

Spa Franchise

Despite the technical mumb-jumbo, marketing your business online is not complicated. If yours is complicated,, then it’s time to rethink your online marketing strategy. It doesn’t matter whether you are a medspa or a car dealer, you can use online marketing to effectively boost your business. I have consulted with hundreds of business over the years, and the prevailing issue that I come across again and again is that business owners start spending money on their website and online advertising without having a solid goal in mind. Begin with the end in mind, and work backwards from there. You cannot have any hope of succeeding if you don’t have a specific, measurable goal for your online marketing efforts.

There are only two real functions of online marketing, and chances are good that your current website accomplishes neither. If so, you are wasting money. The first function is lead generation - new patients / clients coming to your business ready to hand over their money in exchange for your services.

The second function is to market additional services to you existing patients. Now in this sense, I use the term “marketing” loosely, because marketing to existing clients usually resembles educating them. Educating them about your services, offerings, advantages, strengths, and doing it in a way that makes them ready to come in for more. Does your existing website truly educate people?

One of the main principles we share here at the Medspa Marketing Institute is the concept of the marketing funnel. The marketing funnel is your lead generation system, and it’s a series of marketing steps that turns prospects into patients. The second major system we teach ids the patient profitability pyramid (PPP). The two go hand in hand. You get new patients into the business via a well thought-out marketing funnel. Then, once they become patients, you use the PPP to get them back into your spa or practice, buying additional services - ideally more expensive services.

Your website and online marketing efforts are a component of both of these systems, but a single website cannot fulfill both. So , you may need to entertain the idea of having multiple websites. One for your lead generation efforts, and another to support you patient profitability pyramid. That may sound like a lot of work, but it’s really not, it just takes a bit of planning, and being strategic with your marketing efforts.

The next installment in this series will discuss how to create websites (or modify your existing sites) to effectively generate leads, or get your existing patients spending more money.

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Spa Marketing

Medi-Spa in Orlando is Now Offering Amazing Treatment to Reduce Acne Scars

Dr. Horacio Gonzalez M.D. and Aneta Filardo CME, Owner is pleased to announce Winter Park Laser & Anti-Aging Center is offering advanced face, chest, neck, and body non-ablative skin resurfacing treatments for patients suffering from lax acne scars, post-surgical scars and more with the Palomar 1540 Fractional Handpiece. Scars are often a painful way to remind one of their past, and acne scars often plague adults-now there is a safe way to get up to an 80% reduction in scars. These safe and effective treatments utilize micro-beams of light to create columns of coagulated tissue within the Dermis (the second layer of the skin) to form new healthy tissue, stimulate collagen, and stimulate elastin to naturally resurface the skin.

“We can reduce the pitted “ice-pick” scars, and surgical scars, because we’re allowing the creation of new tissue, collagen and elastyn to form” said Aneta Filardo a (CME, Owner) with an office in (winterpark/orlando, FL.) “Our light based treatments go deeper into the skin’s second layer than ever before, and the technology allows for safe treatment.” Palomar Fractional is patented to penetrate deeper than Fraxel for a more significant result.

Unlike other methods of non-ablative skin resurfacing, Winter Park Laser’s method is much more comfortable because it leaves a significant portion of the skin unaffected by the pulses of light. This allows for quicker healing and little to no downtime.

“Patients can receive a treatment and go back to work or other activities without any recovery time,” added (Dr. Horacio Gonzlez, M.D.). Many patients are thrilled to look in the mirror and focus on themselves-rather than their acne scars.

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FL Med Spa, MedSpa, Medical Spa

 

Umstead Hotel & Spa to replace GM, sales managerTriangle Business Journal 

CARY – The Goodnight family, owners of the luxury Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary, have dismissed three members of the hotel’s management staff based on what was considered “underperformance on the owner’s vision.”

Leah Goodnight, daughter of SAS co-founder Jim Goodnight and his wife, Ann Goodnight, has been named acting general manager. She has taken over the role from former Managing Director Bob Schofield, who had been with the hotel’s management team since before construction began in 2006. The hotel and spa opened in January 2007.

“Operationally, the hotel is running fine and profitable,” Leah Goodnight wrote in a statement to Triangle Business Journal. “The upper management change was based solely on the vision and expectation ownership had set forth for internal procedures, and our concern about employee turnover.”

Other management members who were dismissed around Oct. 24 include Richard Brooks, director of sales and marketing, and Bridget Nelson, director of human resources. The hotel also has an ongoing search for a new food and beverage director following Nick Pijerov’s departure in September.

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Resort Spa, Spa Business, Spa Resort

Spa Reputation Management Proper

Spa marketing must take into account “reputation management”. As I was doing research for a client yesterday, I googled their spa name and found numerous consumer reviews about their spa.

While almost all of the reviews were 5-star, there was one that was a single star, and it leapt right off the page! As it turns out, the post had been made by a disgruntled former employee, and it was not the first time it had been done.

Because of the proliferation of social networking sites and consumer review sites (such as Yahoo, Yelp, Kudzu, etc.) and the Spavelous Spa Reviews.  It has become very easy for consumers to spread the word ion which business they like, and don’t like. However, most spas have not yet begun to get their arms around online marketing and social networking issues. It is important for a medical spa owner to understand that managing the commentary floating around the internet is a responsibility they should be aware of. While you cannot function as Internet police and get rid of every review that isn’t perfect, you can take action to get malicious or bogus reviews removed from review sites.

Discussions with the client revealed that the owner actually practices pretty good “reputation management” practices, but I know they are the exception.

One excellent tool to be aware of is Google Alerts. Google Alerts allows you to set up a notification for certain keywords, so when Google indexes a page that references that keyword, you get notified. Its an excellent idea to set up a Google alert for both your business name, and possibly your own personal name if it’s not a very common name. If someone praises or slams you on the Internet, you will get notified via email within a day, and you can react accordingly. It is also a helpful tool to stay abreast of industry news and a good way better understand your competition

There are also paid subscription services such as Chatter Guard. Chatter Guard indicates that “recent studies confirm that over 60% of online shoppers and travel planners visit and seriously consider peer-written reviews prior to making their online purchase”. That’s a large percentage, and it’s growing. So do yourself and your spa a favor and begin to be aware of your reputation online, and be proactive in improving that image.

Spavelous does attempt to verify all spa reviews.  When we are unable to confirm them, we place a warning on the review.

Spa Reviews

Luxury or necessary pressure relief?

Is spa treatment a necessity or an indulgence? It may boil down to how you view things.

For some, during this economy in crisis, an afternoon of pampering is just what the doctor ordered. For others it’s an expense that can be cut until times are better.

We went to see how one local spa is faring during this current economic crisis.

When you walk through the doors of the 15,000-square-foot Spa at Gateway Center in Mundy Township the atmosphere exudes pure relaxation.

Julie Weber opened the spa and salon four years ago when the economy was much better. “We’ve had plenty of people asking us ‘how’s the economy affecting you?’ But we’ve continually grown as being a new business. So we’ve grown. We didn’t have bad years, we’ve continued to climb the ladder.”
Things have slowed down since the Wall Street meltdown and the auto industry cuts, but Weber’s unsure if there is a cause-effect relationship.
“So we don’t know if it’s the economy, the election, or what.”

She says it’s a blessing that her clients find value in pampering themselves in this economy, even if they are getting less of it.
“Instead of getting their hair colored in four to five weeks, they might be waiting a couple weeks longer, just extending their colors out.”

Some clients have removed their acrylic nails in favor of regular manicures that don’t need as much maintenance.
While the stressed economy may some altering their services, Weber believes it’s the same stressed economy that keeps clients coming back. The spa is a place to unwind and de-stress.

“We have moms come and come at 7 o’clock at night. We’re open until 9 and we’ll have three or four moms just come because they need a break.”

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Day Spa, MI Spas, Michigan Spas

 

Executive Snapshot: Julie Nguyen

Entrepreneur Julie Nguyen of Potomac is owner of Blu Water Day Spa in Kensington.
Age: 33.

Profession/business: Entrepreneur, owner of Blu Water Day Spa in Kensington; certified micropigmentation instructor, member of the American Academy of Micropigmentation; master aesthetician.

Residence: Potomac.

Family: Married with two children.

Hobby: Spending time with family.

Last book read: “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle.

Last movie seen: “Sex and the City,” with “four of my fabulous girlfriends.”

Next vacation spot: “A beautiful island with a view of the water.”

Latest accomplishment: The opening of Blu Water Day Spa and winning the “Best Brow” International Micropigmentation Award of 2008.

How she keeps fresh ideas coming: “I have a passion for helping customers achieve their best and in order to do so I am constantly learning, researching and embracing the industry of health, beauty and wellness. I constantly attend the professional trade shows and seminars from leaders around the world to stay on top of the industry.”

Quote: “In order to grow, we have to stay in touch with our community in which we serve. Giving back to that community is essential and finding balance between marketing, advertising, promotion and philanthropic outreach is key to connecting with that community.”

How she keeps employees happy: “By mutually investing in one another, provide them with training, personal and professional growth opportunities. You must give your employees a ‘voice’ and if they believe in your vision and can see it clearly, it will empower them to do their best. There must be a mutual respect. Our management team believes in leading by example, work[ing] side by side and support[ing] one another.”

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Day Spa, Maryland Day Spas

San Mateo spa to pay $500,000 to molestation victim

A San Mateo spa that shut its doors unexpectedly last month has agreed to pay a woman $500,000 after an employee touched her inappropriately during a massage, the plaintiff’s attorney said Wednesday.

Masseur Kevin Bradshaw is serving a one-year sentence in San Mateo County jail for rubbing the woman’s breasts and pubic region without consent at the Sandra Caron European Spa and for inappropriately touching another woman during a massage at a second San Mateo establishment.

“We’re satisfied with the settlement,” attorney Todd Emanuel said. “This corporation is starting to be held accountable for mistreating and endangering its customers.

“Unfortunately, I feel that this is probably just the tip of the iceberg,” Emanuel added, noting that he is representing other women in similar suits against the Sandra Caron spa.

The spa closed at the beginning of October after failing to pay rent on its 3rd Avenue space, and employees and customers say it still owes them unpaid wages and refunds for existing gift cards. The Web site appeared to be accepting credit card statements for gift certificates weeks after the spa’s closure.

Peter Dixon, an attorney representing owners Sandra and Lionel Caron in the civil lawsuit, didn’t return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday. The Carons have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to Emanuel.

A judge scheduled a December default hearing for Bradshaw in the civil case after he failed
to retain counsel or respond to the suit.

In a document filed Oct. 28 in San Mateo County Superior Court, the unnamed plaintiff alleges that the Sandra Caron spa re-hired Bradshaw knowing he had been fired from Massage Envy in San Mateo for allegedly sexually battering another customer.

The spa received numerous complaints on the popular Web site Yelp, mostly centering on the decor and alleged nasty customer service, which one user described as “curt and snarly.”

Before closing the spa, the Carons filed a lawsuit alleging former employees wrote some of the negative Internet reviews.

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San Mateo spa left them high and dry, employees, clients say

San Mateo business shut down without warning, city and state officials are told
Former employees and clients of a San Mateo spa that closed last month have told city and state officials that the business shut down without warning — and failed to make good on outstanding wages and gift certificates.

The state Department of Industrial Relations said a former employee of the Sandra Caron European Spa on Third Avenue filed a complaint for $6,000 in unpaid wages for hours worked between July 14 and Oct. 10. If officials find in favor of the plaintiff, the spa may also have to pay nearly $2,800 in penalties, said Erika Monterroza, a spokeswoman for the agency.

A second employee, who worked as an aesthetician and asked that her name not appear in print because she feared reprisal, said the spa owed her more than $300 in wages for the first five days of October. The woman said four massage therapists and another aesthetician also never received their paychecks.

Between seven and 10 former clients of the spa called the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown San Mateo Association about unredeemed gift certificates, association Executive Director Kelly Mitter said.

“They just sort of vanished,” Mitter said. “It’s like somebody went home one night and never came back.”

San Mateo police Lt. Mike Brunicardi said a resident contacted police Wednesday about the spa but didn’t file a report because it was a civil rather than a criminal matter. He added that a gift certificate is a contract between a business and a customer and doesn’t fall under the department’s jurisdiction.

The store had no “closed” sign in the window this week. A for-lease sign and locked door were the only indications the business had closed.

Russell Hitomi, a senior property manager for Coldwell Banker Commercial-Wilbur Properties in Palo Alto, said his company began eviction proceedings after the spa failed to pay its October rent of about $13,000. An unidentified woman then dropped off the keys Oct. 7 or 8, said Hitomi, adding that the business had occupied the building for at least 10 years and signed a five-year renewal lease just two months earlier.

“We’re going to go after them for the entire five years,” Hitomi said. “It may be kind of a moot point, because I’ve heard that (the owner) has filed for bankruptcy.”

Hitomi added that Coldwell Banker plans to bring in a liquidator to buy up the spa’s abandoned equipment and merchandise, which includes massage tables, robes, washers and dryers, facial creams and an assortment of Betty Boop dolls.

On its Web site, the spa bills itself as the “largest day spa in the Bay Area,” housed in an 8,000-square-foot facility. It also advertises a number of job openings, including for a receptionist and massage therapist.

The spa remained operational Friday and appeared to be accepting credit card payments for gift certificates. The spa’s phone was disconnected and owners Lionel and Sandra Caron did not answer a message left at their San Mateo residence or an e-mail seeking comment.

The spa received 1-1/2 stars on the popular Web site Yelp and just three positive reviews out of 29. Complaints mostly center on the decor and customer service, which one user described as “curt and snarly.”

David Finkelstein, an attorney representing the Carons in the dispute with Coldwell, said the two parties were in settlement discussions.

Finkelstein cited the “general downturn in the economy and retail businesses” as the primary reason for the spa’s closure.

It wasn’t clear whether some of the business’ financial difficulties sprang from civil lawsuits filed against it by women who accused an employee of fondling them during massages. A jury convicted 33-year-old masseur Kevin Bradshaw of inappropriately touching two women at Sandra Caron and another San Mateo spa, and he is currently serving a one-year sentence in San Mateo County jail.

In an Oct. 28 document filed in San Mateo County Superior Court, one plaintiff charges that the Sandra Caron spa rehired Bradshaw knowing he had been fired from Massage Envy in San Mateo after being accused of sexually battering a customer.

According to the court filing, Bradshaw regularly engaged in sexual activity with female clients at Sandra Caron and rubbed a customer’s breasts and pubic region without consent just one day before he was accused of making similar advances toward the plaintiff.

Todd Emanuel, the plaintiff’s attorney, said he was representing “multiple victims” in cases involving inappropriate touching at the spa. The spa’s attorney in the case, Peter Dixon, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Customers with Sandra Caron gift cards can apply 25 percent of their certificates’ value to any 60-minute regularly priced spa service at The Spa Studio on South B Street, owner Wendy Narlock said. In addition, former Sandra Caron customers will receive a 30 percent discount at their first appointment.

Narlock said she made the offer because she felt sorry for the customers and wanted to attract new business.

“I hope people don’t think that this is something that happens all the time,” Narlock said. “We’re definitely not a fly-by-night outfit.”

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CA Day Spa, CA Spas, Day Spa, Lawsuits, Spa Closing, Spa Closings

Medical Spa Marketing Tips

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.

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MedSpa, Medical Spa