Generating Repeat Business

by Melinda Minton

Pick up a local newspaper or magazine and count the number of spa and wellness-center ads. The count is dizzying. What’s more, the various ads appear one in the same: “Rejuvenation,” “relaxation” and “euphoria” are just some of the catchwords that seem to have been created by the same design firm.

Getting attention isn’t only about the unique quality of an advertising campaign—it is also about the message. What are the qualities that make a spa unique? Is it more customer-service oriented than neighboring spas? Does it have technicians trained in specialized therapies? Whatever a spa’s forté, the advertising must express those qualities and services in a consistent theme that is easy to understand, entertaining and noticeably different.

If a spa is lucky, new clients will respond to advertising and call or stop by to pick up a menu, ask about services or inquire about treatments offered. Imagine their first impression is an abrupt “Can I put you on hold?” That’s right: on hold.

Envision a new client entering the spa for the first time, excited about the services she anticipates will be nothing short of divine. Instead, the client finds technicians swarmed around the front desk, which is a busy hub of activity. As phones ring and technicians gossip, the client goes unnoticed for a time. When someone does finally look up to greet her, it is more of a “What do you want?” than “Ms. McCoy, we have been expecting you!”

Shredding money at the front desk makes more sense than practices currently in place at the typical spa. Scripting, systems and structure all are needed to create the opportunity for the $150 lead to feel welcomed and re-book.

Common scripting techniques include a consistent greeting to all guests such as “Ms. Horn, we are pleased that you could visit us for a treatment today. May I take your coat and offer you an herbal tea or mineral water while you are discussing your treatment with Elana who will be your massage therapist today?” Of course, that can be as casual or formal as the owner likes given the feel of the spa.

However, clients are more apt to feel they are in capable hands when each step of their visit is consistent and smoothly executed. A recent Spa Association (SPAA) poll showed that more than one-forth of all spa-goers are disappointed in their visit before receiving an actual treatment. That is an expensive problem.

When clients arrive at the spa for an initial treatment, they are expecting a lot. At the very least, they want to achieve a set of results. They also want to be treated as the unique, special people that they are.

Too often, spa technicians begin to view clients as components of time rather than valued individuals with unique needs. Consequently, each appointment becomes another massage or another facial. Clients sense this conveyor-belt-like treatment and move on to the next spa in hopes of better treatment.

To eliminate this type of problem before it occurs, spas should have systems in place to alert technicians about which clients they will be seeing each day. They should be offered a cheat sheet of client name, age and photo if possible with personal yet professional details of his or her likes and dislikes. When possible, each treatment should be made special by using a unique treatment masque, adding a complimentary foot massage or including a small gift for home sampling.

After clients receive spa services, it is imperative to educate them on homecare. Most clients appreciate the extra care and attention. Moreover, it is impossible to achieve professional results without a commitment on the part of the client. A schedule for follow-up treatments should be made at the same time homecare recommendations and instructions are given. Finally, a follow-up call should be made one to two days after the treatment to answer any questions, reaffirm the sale and check on the client’s health and comfort. A handwritten thank-you note always is appropriate. That type of personal gesture lets the clients know that you value their patronage and look forward to seeing them again.

Leads are expensive. Each new client is a pricey, one-time opportunity. Often, spa technicians don’t value the investment, time and effort that are put into generating new customers. Unfortunately, technicians can have short-term vision and see each client as another tip, their last appointment or another hour of work. It is crucial that management communicate to the staff how much goes into getting clients in the door. They could go so far as to do the math, showing what each new client costs given overhead, advertising and operations costs.

With that said, a disgruntled new client will tell at least five of her friends about her poor experience at the spa, plus she will never return. The average new client costs around $125 to attract. Think of the potential revenues lost and the long-term damage to the business when clients leave displeased with their experience.

Client retention is so important that it should be a major component in each technician’s pay structure. Measure what percentage of clients returned for each technician. Did the new client pre-book? Did the new client purchase homecare? Did the new client refer a friend? All of these details make up a portion of a spa’s growth cycle and bottom line. Drawing this data directly back to each technician forces him or her to be accountable.

Generating referrals is the best way to grow a spa’s clientele. Once ideal leads have been attracted from a target market segment, it is a natural follow-through to ask them to invite their friends to enjoy the spa also.

When I owed spas I was straightforward about asking for referrals. Particularly at the beginning of the year when sales and services were a bit slow, I would cut to the chase: “My New Year’s resolution is to have more clients just like you. Can I meet all of your friends?”

My clients would laugh and—you guessed it—invite all of their friends. More conservative methods of generating referrals include a free service for every three referrals given per client or a two-for-one special when a client refers a friend for a service such as a side-by-side massage.

It is not enough to simply advertise or to offer great services. Every detail of a client’s experience must be perfect. Like a bride on her wedding day, each client has a vision for his or her spa experience. Each client is a unique opportunity to expand the financial prowess of the spa. Each day is a battle to find and then cultivate clients who will build a sturdy foundation of regular spa enthusiasts to spread the word about the spa.

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