According to IBIS World, in 2019 there were 23,395 health and wellness spas in the United States alone, with a predicted revenue of more than $19 billion.
The recent findings from Fortune Business Insights state that it is projected to reach USD 133.28 billion by 2027.
While it’s great that the industry is thriving as a whole, there has been a major impact on the spa industry during COVID. And while businesses are coming back to normalcy, competition to attract new clients and keep old ones is at an all-time high.
For spa business owners like you, it means only one thing—you have to find a way to differentiate yourself and stand out from the crowd by having a robust spa marketing strategy and spa promotion ideas.
Whether that’s solidifying your online presence, partnering with local businesses, or holding a class or event, here are 13 spa promotion ideas to help get you started.
Everyone remembers their first spa treatment, so make that new client’s first visit special — from start to finish. Saving money on a skincare product or service is hard to resist, so create a special “first-time visit” promotion that will get people into your spa.
It can be as simple as offering new clients $10 off their first visit or 20% off their first product purchase. All you have to do is make sure you’re providing any potential, new clients with a little extra motivation to visit your spa. These incentives give those who might have been slightly unsure about whether or not to book an appointment additional motivation for giving your spa a try.
You can see this tip in action over at Peaceful Escape, a spa in Dallas, Texas. The company offers a “New Client Wellness” voucher which gives new customers 15% off their purchase over $60.
Scheduling software that automates the booking process at your spa is one of the most effective ways to streamline your business, leaving you more time to focus on more relevant tasks. First of all, this gives your clients the option to make appointments online, and unsurprisingly, 75% of people want the option to do it themselves.
Scheduling software also reduces no-shows and sends out rebooking reminders to clients who are due to make another appointment. Not only does this make it easier for you and your staff, but both of these things help to keep your spa full.
Statistics around business reviews are compelling. According to BrightLocal local consumer review, 76% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2022.
It’s clear—reviews matter and the more you have them the better it is for your small spa business.
Why?
This allows you to provide social proof to potential clients who want to learn more about other people’s experiences with your brand. Our research found that 93.9 of people consult reviews before booking a service, so you can bet that having comments from happy customers will go a long way in increasing your bookings.
Managing calls and emails from clients wanting to book appointments can be complicated and take up a lot of your time, not to mention that it can be inconvenient for clients. If making an appointment is a hassle, they’ll simply go somewhere else where convenience is king. Making a phone call might be the preferred method for some, but others are busy during the day at work and can’t break away.
The solution?
Offer them the option to book an appointment on your website, your online listing profiles, and your social media pages (through Instagram and Facebook book buttons) when it’s most convenient for them, and it only takes them a second to do it.
With the right online booking system, clients have the ability to book an appointment in a way that will leave them feeling the best return on their time and that you value their time and their business.
Offering something more than just your services — education, a unique experience, etc. — helps build brand awareness and customer loyalty. Spas that sell massages are a dime a dozen, but if you can find a way to offer something more, you’ll set yourself apart.
Whether it’s hosting events, providing entertainment, or even just serving food and drinks, you can attract — and keep — more clients by adding more oomph to traditional spa offerings.
A great example of a business implementing this is Tomoko Spa. Tomoko—a-day spa offers a range of massage packages, but its most popular one is its Couple Spa Experience which includes an indulgent foot detox, full body massage, private shower… and to top it all off, a meal consisting of sushi, organic teas, and Japanese sweet delicacies.
Source : https://www.instagram.com/tomoko_spa/
The experience at Tomoko is unparalleled and it’s one of the reasons why people keep coming back.
As a spa, you’re in the unique position of being able to offer relaxing and rejuvenating services that are desired by pretty much everyone. Use this to your advantage and find other local businesses that are interested in swapping promotional materials establishing exclusive promotions between your spa and their establishment…in other words those interested in co-marketing.
The options are endless for spas. You can partner with hair salons, health food stores, local tourist destinations, hotels, wedding vendors, and local gyms — just to name a few. Create a mutually beneficial referral program where you can cross-promote each other’s businesses, bringing in more clientele for your spa, all while saving some money on ad space by advertising together.
Short, professionally produced videos help you connect with prospective clients before they even walk through your doors. Some simple ideas include:
Source: https://www.instagram.com/kineticbodytherapy/
If you’re looking to sell a higher volume of services and products to your customer base, package deals are a great way to go.
Consider packaging three massages at a slightly discounted rate, or bundling relevant products together with a service, like face creams and serums when they book a facial. Or create combination packages, such as a facial and a manicure, or a head-to-toe facial, massage, and mani-pedi. Selling services in a package of five, or 10, at a corresponding discount, keeps the customer coming back to get the treatments. As a bonus, you get the money upfront.
This is effective for a couple of reasons. First, you’re working off your current base of customers, and it’s easier to sell to the customer you already have as opposed to netting a new client. Second, packages are perceived as more valuable than single services. This encourages customers to buy more, which increases your volume of sales, all while introducing those customers to services and products they might have tried otherwise.
People like to give (and receive) the gift of relaxation, which makes gift certificates extremely popular in the realm of spas and salons. That’s why if you’re not selling them yet, you’re leaving a lot of money on the table.
So start creating those certificates right away. For best results, offer the option to purchase gifts online, so your customers can buy and book their spa services without having to call or visit your location.
Word of mouth is the most cost-effective promotional idea for any business, so reward those loyal customers who tell their friends and family about your spa and services. The numbers show that customers who are visiting you from a referral are more profitable and loyal than the average customer. In fact, their lifetime value is 16% higher than other customers and they’re 18% less likely to churn.
Incentivize your current customers to recommend you to friends, family, and their social media followers, and in the process, they get a reward. For example, maybe you offer $10 off your next visit, for both you and a friend, if you refer a friend. The bottom line is that your current customers are a great source you should never underestimate, and they can help bring in new business, all while feeling rewarded for the business they already give you.
Social media has become our go-to spot for research and consuming content and a large portion of this content is produced by influencers, making it a lucrative opportunity for you to promote your spa.
Highly targeted influencers can help your small business gain visibility, engage an audience, and promote your products and services. And while the big beauty influencers may be out of your league at the moment, research suggests that micro-influencers are the way to go for small businesses.
If not that why not team up with a satisfied client or even a co-worker? Here’s an example of how Endota Spa put this spa promotion idea into motion through an Instagram takeover
Email marketing is a powerful way to promote your business, and if you’re not leveraging this channel then you’re leaving money on the table.
Now we get that it may seem time-consuming, but it is worth the amount you spend on it. Did you know that for every $1 that you spend on email marketing, you get a revenue of $42 in return? All-in-one online booking software with a focus on marketing offers in-built templates to make client outreach easy and convenient for your spa business.
Booksy Marketing features offer in-built templates as well as ways to slice and dice your client data thus ensuring that you can personalize your email messages .
Last not but not least, focus on improving your website’s SEO. Your customers are constantly searching “spa near me” and if your website or booking page does not show up in search results, you are missing business from new or prospective clients.
As a local business, it is critical that your website is optimized for local search results and there are tons of ways to ensure that your website attracts visitors (and bookings)
Booksy integrates with Google My Business and through our Reserve, with Google partnership, we ensure that your booking pages are optimized from the moment they are set live.
Promoting your spa helps build brand awareness, increase visibility, and bring new clients into your business. There are many ways to do this, but it should include a mix of online and offline marketing efforts that build on the customer base you already have, all while bringing new faces into your spa. When employed consistently, these spa strategies are sure to set you apart from the rest — and increase your bottom line.
And if you're looking for spa management software, why not try Booksy's free 14-day trial?
