Ginger M. McLean has been appointed spa director of The Spa at the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Ginger McLean has extensive experience in the hospitality and resort industries. Recently Ms McLean served as director of spas and tarpon membership at Marco Ocean Beach Resort Fiddlers Creek in Marco Island, Florida.
What is SEO… for Salons, Day Spas & Massage Clinics?
Spa Marketing & Advertising
SEO- stands for Search Engine Optimization.
10 years ago, this term didn’t exist… but now it’s probably the
most vital media for a professional day spa or salon.
I.e: Your Day Spa, Salon, Massage Clinic.
Why? Well, research and trends are showing that EVERY day more and
more people are choosing their professionals that they want to do
business with… and buying every day products ‘on-line.’
Even in our own seminars, I’ll do a poll with the audience and ask
them, “How many of you go online to check the news, get directions, buy
airline tickets, gifts etc… NOW… more than you did 1 year ago?”
Answer: an overwhelming # of hands go up.
Pretty much the entire room.
Which Means:
“YOUR CLIENTS & PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS… are online looking for skin
care treatments, streaks, massage, hair cuts, and in many cases a
general hair salon or day spa to frequent.”
If you do NOT have a strong presence, then you are losing business
that is sitting literally in your back yard.
Here is another way of putting it:
“When you open a salon or day spa… do you rent or buy real estate?”
Answer: Of course
“Do you put a sign up?”
Answer: Of course… (or you should)
Last question, imagine having the ability to go into ‘just’ the
homes in your city, suburb, small town that are ‘interested’ in
what you have to offer… and these people have questions.
Wouldn’t it be great to ONLY talk directly to those people…
answer their questions, give them educational and promotional
materials… and invite them into your place of business?
This is a No-Brainer… the answer is “YES.”
Now, I realized that I didn’t go into the 2 different types of SEO
here… however I will in future emails.
What I wanted you to ‘get’ is that the future of spa marketing,
salon marketing and massage marketing is on the Internet (with few
exceptions… very few). And the sooner you get your website
presence dominating the search engines… the more success you will
have and the more money you will make.
It’s that simple.
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Teaching Managers How to Give Critical Feedback to Staff
Most managers and supervisors would rather run a mile… But senior management are tired of managers who don’t handle simple discipline. And because a supervisor won’t deal with incompetence, you may lose yet another good worker who says ‘enough!’ The ability to give honest, critical feedback is a key skill for good leaders.
How to make giving criticism less difficult and more effective:
Don’t start with an apology. When it’s time for the ‘big talk’, don’t hide your nerves by saying sorry. If you were really sorry, you wouldn’t be having the conversation! The offender usually knows there’s a problem, and a wishy-washy start will lose you respect.
Create a productive conversation. Ask the staff member to listen, then when they speak, make sure you really listen. Take turns speaking and listening with arms unfolded, concentration, and privacy. It may not come easily…and silences are OK.
It’s what they did, not who they are. Better to say ‘you used the wrong margarita recipe, which caused us to lose $400 worth of product’ than say ‘you’re a stupid idiot and a loser - don’t you ever do anything right?’ But we know which expression is the most commonly used! The first one shows you’re in control, and the second statement shows that both people have a problem.
Make use of Checklists: compare performance against a Job Description, the Code of Conduct, an operating procedure, logbook records, the POS printout or a profit statement. Shades of grey become black and white when there are words and numbers describing the issue.
Be specific about what needs to change. Telling me to ‘lose the bad attitude’ is just a rant. Explaining I need to greet fellow workers on arrival, smile at customers even when it hurts and be 5 minutes early every shift gives me a clear roadmap of how to make the team and the boss happy.
What’s not done is also important. Sometimes the ’sins of omission’ (things that aren’t done) are harder to criticize than things done badly. A safety induction is forgotten and there’s an injury. A salary review was repeatedly delayed and the worker is poached by a competitor. Dinner service is fast and efficient but the atmosphere is unfriendly.
Separate praise from criticism. When praise comes first, everyone’s waiting for a giant BUT, and then they forget any good points that have been made. Offer positive feedback after the tough stuff has been dealt with. Sometimes the withdrawal of praise may be a strong rebuke: a teacher colleague says it’s one of her most effective weapons. Her young students receive a lot of praise, and if the tap’s turned off, they feel it acutely. If your work culture revolves around criticism, staff will be deaf to most of what you say and concentrate on survival. For some managers, giving praise is quite difficult.
The conversation may sound like parents and children. You know many of the responses: ‘it’s not fair’, false promises, lies, blaming, denial, stony faces and tears. Some nervous managers even use a version of ‘I’ll tell your father when he gets home’! When you raise the conversation to ‘adult-with-adult’, there’s the possibility of breakthough and a fresh start. At school, young people are taught about their rights, and their outspokenness may surprise you - it’s not an attack, just how it is now.
They may think they are doing it right. Or that there way is better - sometimes the misconduct or errors is quite logical to the offender - check where they’re coming from.
Have the conversation in private. Never in front of others, or you can expect a walk-out or a no-show at the next shift. Rarely useful.
Some issues will need senior management. Cases of harassment, suspicion about stealing and questions of honesty need guidance and action from the top. These ones can’t be delegated.
Practice handling tough situations: a young supervisor giving feedback to an older worker, a female manager disciplining a male worker, a non-native speaker correcting a local, or a new manager dealing with staff who’ve been around for years. Practice and rehearse the right responses with the managers - chances are you’ve heard every excuse and justification.
As senior management, your responsibility is to ensure managers have the confidence and skills to give criticism promptly, fairly and accurately. It’s character-forming for everyone!
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Dollars+Sense: Beauty of a deal
Seven-year-old Adrienne O’Shea, left, enjoyed her first pedicure with her mother Natalie O’Shea at Red Nails. “This is a treat,” said Natalie O’Shea, who only gets a pedicure a few times a year. The two were on a mother/daughter outing.
Life’s little luxuries — manicures, massages and facials — can seem costly when both a gallon of gas and a gallon of milk cost nearly $4. Don’t be glum. Get glam for less.
Great idea
There are quite a few beauty schools and cosmetlolgy academies in the Minneapolos area. Scot Lewis in Eden Prairie is one of my favorites to get inexpensive manicures.
At Red Nail salon in St. Paul, Erin Schumann spent $30 for a pedicure in a whirlpool massage chair. At full-service salons she’d spend nearly twice that, but Schumann can’t see spending the extra money.
“There’s not much difference between a full-service salon and what’s done here,” she said.
Spa visitors looking to nail a bargain on manicures, pedicures, facials and massages increasingly are looking to cosmetology schools or minority-owned businesses, often Asian, for such services. Red Nail, Daisy Nails, Hollywood Nails and Elegant Nails are among the salons offering basic mani-pedis for under $40. Customers at full-service salons pay more than twice that price. Elegant Nails and California Nails in downtown
Minneapolis offer both services for about $31.
When economic times tighten, personal luxuries such as spa treatments are often the first to go, said Robert Lindquist, general manager at reVamp salon in Minneapolis. At best, clients extend a week or two between services or at worst, drop them entirely. He said it’s still a little early to see how much spa business will be affected, but other salon owners are taking no chances. ReVamp is advertising its “Buy four services, get one free” package deal more heavily.
In April the Jon Charles salon in Uptown Minneapolis offered 30 percent off any service for new clients or any client who “lapsed” because of a downturn in the economy. The salon called it the “It’s the economy, stupid” discount. The salon still offers the deal, albeit at a 25 percent discount, to new and lapsed clients.
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There are many new ways to generate spa client leads today, but direct
mail remains one of the most powerful lead-generation tools. If you
are not using this for your Day Spa, Salon or Massage Practice…
you should start!
Lots of successful businesses within the Spa and Salon industries
are discovering that direct mail is essential for growth, since
newer spa marketing tactics, especially online via internet spa marketing… such as
SEO, social media blogs, and email marketing, often have limitations
because of the rapidly changing rules and technical issues
involved. And a steep learning curve!
While a mailer isn’t as sexy as a viral spa video emailed to one
another and it’s not a hot topic at industry conferences &
tradeshows, it’s the most reliable way to reach people at home or
at work. Its reach is wider and deeper than any other medium’s.
Plus, there are few restrictions on format and no message filtering
headaches that plague email marketing.
Isn’t direct mail expensive? It can be. But don’t think that you
have to create big, flashy mailers. In fact, when your goal is to
generate new client leads, simpler, cheaper formats often work
better. That’s because the purpose of a lead-generating mailer is
not to tell the whole story but to say just enough to get people to
ask for more information.
Here are five basic direct mail tools that you can use to generate
new client leads quickly and inexpensively.
1. Sales Letter
The letter is one of the simplest and most effective direct-mail
tools available. It won’t win any design awards, but if written
well it’s one of the few types of advertising that people will
actually read all the way through. And generate a response!
To generate new leads with a letter, you generally want to offer
something free, such as a brochure, sample, treatment,
consultation, or information kit. There’s no need to get fancy when
writing your letter. Keep it simple. Identify a problem, present
your solution, and offer to send your freebie. Doing so allows
interested prospects to identify themselves and gives you a “foot
in the door.”
The simplest letter mailing includes a one- or two-page letter and
a reply card in an envelope. You can enclose anything else you
like, but remember that your goal is to get people to ask for more
information, not to close the sale immediately. Less is more.
2. Postcard
Yes, simple postcards are a terrific way to generate leads. They’re
easy to print and as cheap as mail gets. If you’re a small
business, you can even print postcards through a variety of online
printers and apply stamps and address labels by hand.
To get the cheaper postcard rate, the minimum size of any postcard
you can send in the US mail is 3.5″ x 5″, and the maximum size is
4.25″ x 6″. You can certainly create larger postcards, and many day
spas & salons do. You simply have to pay more postage. Larger sizes
give you more room for your message and photos or graphics. Just be
sure to talk to your printer first to determine the most efficient
size for printing so you get the most for your money.
Postcards are particularly good for generating a quick phone call
or for driving people to your Website. Since cards are small and
offer little room for copy, your product or service should be
familiar and easy to understand. Your offer should be simple and
direct. People don’t read postcards as much as they glance at them.
Your phone number or Web address should be big and bold so people
can’t miss it. If you’re driving people to your facility, make sure
to give clear directions and a simple map if you have room. Telling
people what you want them to do and how to do it is the best way to
maximize response rate.
3. Flyer
You want simple and cheap? Print up a flyer on ordinary paper, fold
it, affix a mailing label and a stamp, and throw it in the mail.
This kind of guerrilla tactic is dirt cheap and can produce
fantastic results for day spas, salons and massage clinics alike.
It’s particularly good for small, local businesses (or businesses
that want to appear small). Unless you’re selling Mercedes sedans
or Rolex watches, no one expects you to do fancy mailings anyway.
In fact, in a pile of over-designed ad mail, a simple flyer from a
local business stands out. People are subjected to so many clever
ads, they develop “ad blindness.” To get people to notice you, just
mail them ugly flyers that don’t look like ordinary advertising.
Ugly gets opened!
When you’re mailing a flyer, you should fold it in thirds (called a
“roll fold”) and affix a tab to hold it closed so it can survive
the journey. You will put your main message on the inside with
teasers and your mailing information on the outside. And be sure to
design the flyer so that when you read the address, the folded side
is on the bottom and the tab is on the top. Most printers, even
small ones, should know this…
4. Invitation
When you see the word “invitation,” you probably think of small
cards with heavy paper and elegant printing asking you to a wedding
or formal dinner. But invitations can take almost any form. They’re
simply a way of presenting an offer that feels personal and
important to your prospective client.
You can certainly go the expensive route if you have an expensive
products or treatments. But you can invite people to an event with
any of the formats above: a letter, postcard, or flyer. Just start
the headline with the words “You are invited to…” then tell
people what the event is.
You can invite people to an open house, special sale, party for
your best clients, product demonstration, informational
presentation, or anything that requires getting people to a
particular location. The key is to make people feel that they are
special and not everyone is being invited. Once they get there,
your staff can go to work.
5. Special Delivery
FedEx, UPS and other quick delivery services are far more expensive
than regular mail, but this is a technique for a special “wish
list” of your best prospects. If you have 100 key people you want
as customers, spending the money to overnight a brochure or product
samples may well be worth the investment.
This mailer is guaranteed to get opened. Who can resist opening a
FedEx package? Inside, you should include a personal letter
explaining who you are and what you are offering. You might send a
sample with a note that says, “Here’s a small sample of our skin
care products. If you’d like to see the real thing, call me and
I’ll have a full size product shipped to you.” Or you could enclose
a disk with a video presentation or an info kit with detailed
information about how others have used your products and treatments
and now look 10 years younger!
Once again, don’t try to fancy it up. You are sending a message to
a highly select group of people, so it should look like you’ve done
it personally. This isn’t advertising; it’s a personal contact from
you to them.
No matter what direct mail tool you use to generate leads, remember
to follow up quickly once you get the lead. Hot leads cool off
quickly. Ideally, you should respond to people within a week, more
than this is tooo long.
Give your leads to the receptionist and make sure they understand
what was offered so they can follow up with a phone call.
Almost every day a new marketing technology or technique is
developed. But good-old-fashioned direct mail hasn’t lost any of
its power for generating leads.
This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com. http://www.spavelous.com
Skincare and massage open house went well
Everyone was invited to visit True Colors Day Spa for a skincare and massage open house.
Complimentary mini-facials, skin analysis, microdermabrasion and light therapy consultations, custom-blended home skincare programs and hand treatments were provided by Beverly Gatrell and Pat Callahan, licensed estheticians.
They have recently attended advanced training on microdermabrasion and light therapy and have participated in The America Skin and Spa Expo in Chicago and The International Esltetics and Spa Conference in Philadelphia.
In addition, the spa will be introduced Kelly Rego, certified massage therapist, as the newest member of their staff. Ms. Rego will be giving complimentary head, neck, shoulder massages at the open house. Her massage services include aromatherapy, hot stone, and Kriya massage treatments.
True Colors is located on Bedford Street, in the plaza next to the Town Office Building.
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Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa Announces New General Manager, Don Taylor
Southeast Utah’s Spa resort premiere destination, Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa, is pleased to announce the appointment of Don Taylor as general manager.
Taylor’s appointment comes as the first in many steps toward creating a more fulfilling and adventurous southwestern getaway at Sorrel River Ranch, under the new management of CloudNine Resorts since March 2008.
Says Bill Shoaf, managing director, CloudNine Resorts, “We’re very excited to have Don Taylor join the Sorrel River Ranch team. Not only does he bring vast experience and a host of fresh ideas, he provides a vital link to the community of Moab, Utah.”
Taylor, born and raised in Moab, has been familiar with Sorrel River Ranch since the days when it was a simple farm. His ties to the surrounding area, along with 27 years of rich experience within the hospitality industry, make him the ideal addition to the ranch’s team of dedicated professionals.
”I’m very happy to be so warmly welcomed to Sorrel River Ranch,” says Taylor. “For years, I have followed the progress made at this beautiful resort, one of only two Small Luxury Hotels in Utah. As the general manager, I look forward to helping to transform it into an even more distinguished destination.”
While maintaining the adventurous, yet luxurious appeal of Sorrel River, CloudNine Resorts and Taylor plan to expand the resort’s current offerings in the coming months. Areas of focus will include a refreshed activity itinerary, bringing new options to the many outdoor adventures guests have continually requested at the ranch. Included are expanded horseback riding and hiking, in addition to the activities provided by local adventure companies, as well as a renewed emphasis on culinary innovation. Home to Chef John Clickner, the Sorrel River Grill will showcase an array of fine dining offerings and exquisite wine list.
Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa, owned and operated by CloudNine Resorts, is Southeast Utah’s premiere resort destination and has been awarded four diamond classification by AAA. Located alongside the Colorado River in Moab, Sorrel River serves as an ideal base from which to explore the natural beauty of the area’s legendary red rock cliffs, spires and arches. The luxury resort is also home to the fine dining establishment Sorrel River Grill and The Spa @ Sorrel River.
Find A Spa or Search the right Utah spa just for you
Utah Day Spas • Utah Resort Spas • Utah Medical Spas • Utah Destination Spas
Find A Spa or Search the right Utah spa just for you
This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com. http://www.spavelous.com
June l & 2,2008
Premiere DAYSPA conference
sponsored by DAYSPA magazine and Premiere Show Group
Join us at the premiere skin care and spa event during the Premiere Orlando Beauty Show
Save $10 off Day of Show Prices!
2-Day Professional $60
1-Day Professional $55
2-Day Student $50
Remember. .one registration gets you into Premiere Orlando
and the Premiere DAYSPA Conference!
For more information or to register, CLICK NOW,
visit www.premieredayspa.biz or call 800.335.7469
education & beyond
for spas and salon& Beauty Industry Professionals Only
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You really have to ask…what are these spas thinking?
Three spas in the same shopping center. They could potentially feel that they each have a different market. Hand & Stone the lower end Franchise spa, which only does massages for members. Bella Day Spa which also offers nail and hair services and Adam & Eve Medspa which will offer the aesthetic and cosmetic services, including restorative and reparative procedures.
You can not help to think that they will encroach on each other’s spa business. Hopefully they will do joint marketing and work as a team to do cross promotions and build each of their business as opposed to competing with each other. Should they choose the later, no one will win.
When you are going to build a spa, you should check out not only the existing competition, but you should seek to be the only spa in your shopping center. At very least , you should determine if the builder has any intention of leasing to other similar businesses.
6 tenants to join AJ’s in marketplace
Three spas, a dry cleaner, interior designer and a bank branch will be the latest properties to open this summer at the 84,668-square-foot Scottsdale North Marketplace.
The center, southwest Lone Mountain and Scottsdale roads, serves north Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek and is anchored by an AJ’s Fine Foods, which opened a 27,728-square-foot store in November.
Phoenix-based retail developer Pederson Group owns the shopping center.
“This is a great place to do business, because the customers really embrace you and make you a part of their lives,” said AJ’s Store Director Bill Hutson.
Joining AJ’s in mid-May is Casa Paloma Interiors, which will offer home furnishings and unique accessories, inspired gift items and interior design services. The store, owned and operated by Diane Johnson Maier, occupies 2,000 square feet.
Also set to open this month is Martinizing Dry Cleaners, which will use 1,080 square feet of space. The company says it is the “premier eco-friendly dry cleaning company” with more than 500 locations nationwide.
The dry cleaner uses a liquid, sand-based silicone it calls “Green Earth,” which is gentle on the nose and clothing. The silicone leaves clothes looking, smelling and feeling better, the company says.
The Hand & Stone Massage Spa is set to open in June with 2,778 square feet of retail space. The spa will provide a variety of massage services, including foot and facial massages ranging in times from 50 to 80 and up to 110 minutes.
Hand & Stone uses polished river stones heated up to 125 degrees, which helps a masseuse reach three layers deep into muscle tissue, according to the company. The store will sell a range of incidental products.
In June, Bella Day Spa will open an upscale 3,570-square-foot hair and nail salon and spa. The store will offer full service beauty care, facials, waxing, pedicures and a wide selection of spa services. Bella Day Spa operates several spas in Arizona, California and Colorado.
The third spa moving into the center is the 2,500-square-foot Adam & Eve Medspa, scheduled to open late this summer.
The medspa, owned and operated by Dr. Carl Sonder and his wife, will offer aesthetic and cosmetic services, including restorative and reparative procedures. In addition to injection procedures, such as Botox, the business will offer skin resurfacing, photo-facials for youthful restoration, laser hair and tattoo removal.
Chase Bank will fill another vacancy with a new 2,500-square-foot branch. When it opens late this summer it will be a prototype offering a variety of high-tech features for customers.
Scottsdale North Marketplace is located near some of the Northeast Valley’s most exclusive residential developments, including The Boulders, Whisper Rock, Legend Trail, Bellasera, Terravita, Desert Highlands, Estancia and Troon North.
The Pederson Group has developed nine shopping centers in the Scottsdale area, including Hayden Peak Crossing at Hayden Road, Thompson Peak Parkway in Grayhawk, and The Promenade, an 87-acre, 1-million-square-foot mixed-use development southeast of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and Scottsdale Road.
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