In this issue of Let’s Talk Shop, I want to talk about the importance of creating seasonal specials. And, I have just one bit of advice on this topic: think outside the box!

Get creative! Do not limit yourself to offering a random discount on an in-room treatment. If it is fall, try and think beyond a pumpkin peel. Go a little further, have a little fun, try something you’ve never seen before.

Seasonal specials are a great way to stay in front of regular clients with a fun message. This message may serve as a reminder to book an appointment.

Imagine this: a client is scrolling through Instagram and they see a post about your spa’s October Ginger and Turmeric Tea Detox Treatment. They see the name of your spa and, then, flash back to the last time they put on mascara. They cringe at the memory because they were not happy with how their skin looked – which, then, prompts them to tap to the spa’s Instagram profile and then tap the call button in the profile so they can book an appointment.

I call this, “tap - tap - boom!” Boom means money in the bank. In our example, coming up with a really cool seasonal special led to an appointment on the books.

These outside the box seasonal specials are also a great way to create dialogue with potential customers. Send e-mail campaigns about the spa’s upcoming seasonal treatments so they will go to anyone added to the list. If you’ve been doing networking in your community and adding e-mail addresses of potential clients to the database, these potential clients will see these incredible seasonal treatments that the spa has to offer.

Potential clients, will tap on the e-mail in their in-box to learn about the spa’s seasonal treatments, then, they will tap on the “learn more” link in the e-mail and – tap - tap - boom! Just like that, the potential client you met at a networking function six months ago is now a current client who is booked for a treatment at your spa because they happen to love the treatments you highlighted in your e-mail.

IT’S AN ALLUSION
A marketing professor of mine once said, “don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle.” The sizzle is the illusion. Creating a unique, outside the box, intriguing treatment will help you start conversations, set you apart, and keep you top of mind with clients.

Your spa offers incredible treatments every single day. Maybe you’ve even won some awards. You have highly trained professional and some of the best products and expensive equipment. Sadly, however, all of that by itself is not really enough. You need to know how to sell it to current and potential clients.

Ads, e-mails, and social media posts with an image of a massage bed and some text about relaxing and rejuvenating are not going to excite anyone. Viewers will simply keep on scrolling. But, being specific and using imagery can grab their attention. For example:

“The Ginger and Turmeric Tea Detox Treatment

50-minute lymphatic drainage massage in which an organic ginger and turmeric tea is served before and after the massage. The massage oil is also steeped with ginger and turmeric tea for enhanced detoxification benefits. You’re also given a box of ginger and turmeric tea to take home.”

I just took an almost medical, unappealing-sounding massage and made it sound inviting and almost necessary. I am also giving the client something to help them remember the spa at home.

Which would you rather tap on in an e-mail: a story on a ginger turmeric tea detox treatment or a story on a massage with the word “drainage” in it? Trust me: consumers do not want to buy drainage. That is for after surgery or a septic system.

Seasonal specials are the sizzle that will help you stay in touch with regulars, remind them to rebook their favorite treatments, and create a trend-setter vibe that will intrigue new clients.

Barry Eichner is the cofounder of Lipgloss + Aftershave, a marketing consulting firm that specializes in digital media content creation, as well as strategic planning and implementation for beauty brands. He and Jenni Nagle (cofounder) publish the namesake beauty blog and podcast Lipgloss + Aftershave. Eichner writes monthly columns that cover topics such as digital marketing, as well as overall business development for the independent skin care professional and day spa. He is a featured speaker at industry tradeshows across the country. Eichner has been selected to emcee the 2019 Skin Games in Las Vegas. He is also a published editorial and lifestyle photographer.

Co-founder of Lipgloss + Aftershave, Jenni Nagle has nearly two decades of experience in the skin care industry. She began her career as an aesthetician working in all aspects of the industry: day, medical, and resort spas.  Nagle always gravitated towards the business and marketing aspect of the spa industry and eventually managed large spas and became the director of public and media relations for a skin care brand.  Looking for even more opportunity, she created her own digital marketing and public relations firm offering consulting services to international skin care brands and currently runs Lipgloss + Aftershave, a personal care and lifestyle review website offering fresh, fun, and informative reviews of professional and retail skin care products, makeup, and hair care, as well as other unique personal care items.