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. You are probably a spa professional...

Capitalizing on the desire for long, lush lashes, Anna Phillips, a licensed esthetician, massage therapist, eyelash extension specialist, and permanent makeup artist, founded The Lash Lounge (Colleyville, TX) in August 2006. Since then, she has grown the business to include two additional corporate locations in Plano, TX, and Fort Worth, TX, and in 2010, the company began a franchising program, which involved the launch of four more locations in Texas: Austin, Flower Mound, Dallas, and Allen. The salons typically feature...

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...

Retailing has always been an important component of the spa business. But revenues don’t always equal profit, and it may be time to look for some margin leverage. If you consider that a retail sale with typical branded products needs to contribute to overhead in the same way that a service sale does, by the time you pay for the product, overhead, and sales commission, there is very little left in the way of profits. Perhaps it’s time to explore...

We hear it all the time, “Spas have to retail!” But even when we understand the imperatives behind the statement, which include margin opportunity, increased sales per square foot, and higher ticket prices, many spas don’t always know how to retail. Just putting up a few shelves with products on it, as is the case in 90 percent of spas, doesn’t necessarily count as retailing. Retailing professionals have developed a laser focus on the science behind moving products out of...

Just because the economy is improving doesn’t mean clients don’t still want a deal. In fact, they’re probably even more interested in pinching their pennies after surviving the latest recession. If you’re hearing an increasing number of clients uttering the dreaded words, “I need a discount,” you may be wondering how to respond. Andrew Sobel, co-author, along with Jerold Panas, of Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others (Wiley, 2012), suggests that, instead of answering yes or...

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...