At the end of each year, we are always flooded with trend reports galore! And who doesn't love to hear from the experts on what's in store for the New Year? The Trendwatching.com report always intrigues me and challenges me to find ways to SPAdapt these consumer trends and new expectations to the spa industry. So here are the first 5... 1. Presumers & Custowners: Pre-launch & Personal stake Consumers demand it now , they want it first and they...

Let’s face it, we all have good intentions to finish the year off financially strong! How can you ensure that intention is maximized? By planning! Here are 8 Tips to Reach Your Financial Goals! 1. Set up a spa gift card display area in the reception center. Make a big fuss about gift card sales. Create a poster or a banner reminding your guests that giving a spa gift card to a loved one is a very special gift! 2...

Tanya Chernova is an international skin specialist, author of the bestselling book Under Mind , professional speaker and strategic coach, and I had the pleasure of attending her ISPA presentation recently. Are you like so many spas, where retail sales are low and slow? I feel like Tanya has nailed the solution to so many Spa Owners problems…problems with staff attitudes; low levels of commitment; and non-existent retail sales results . I believe her when she says finding the root...

When was the last time you went to a spa and had an experience where the therapist actually talked to you about adding a treatment to what you already selected from the menu? Or when was the last time a therapist actually recommended a product to use at home? You are probably thinking, I don’t remember or it rarely happens. Actually, the fact is most guests leave spas empty handed… except for cruise spas. In my position as a consultant...

Who doesn't love the perfect 10? 1. No hard sell or over-selling too many products. Men just want attentive sales people offering one-stop shopping solutions 2. Language should be non-technical yet educational. Uncover their needs effectively and base recommendations on facts. Always present top 2 options and make it an easy/hassle-free experience 3. Products must be "male-specific" and address the top 3 most common needs: a) Maintaining youth b) Stress reducing to improve quality and longevity of life and looks...

Effective inventory management is a function of having good and timely information, forecasting and planning. I have found there are five key factors when it comes to inventory management. 1. Less is more: About 80% of a spa’s product sales come from 20% of the products available on a daily basis. Keep a good “cushion” of inventory on top sellers. The majority of guests do not visit the spa on a regular basis. So, if you are out of stock...

March and April can be two of the slowest months of the year. It’s well past the holidays and not quite summer, so would-be guests have little reason to indulge. Incenting them to book a treatment can be a challenge. Have some fun with your guests this spring and launch a “Spring Cleaning” event! Encourage guests to rid themselves of old, expired products and refresh their skin care routines with personal product consultations. Book appointments or hold an event where...

If retail is going to be one of the main focuses of your business (and it should be!), we believe that the appropriate space must be allotted, based on a practical 4-point formula; not an impractical guesstimate. Too much, or too little space allotted to retail can seriously impede your sales opportunities throughout the entire spa and for the life of the business. Use this formula to (re)assign retail space and help avoid the pains of an under-performing floor plan...