Marketing advice for Spas, Salons and Massage Therapists

Wishing You A Safe and Relaxing Memorial Day!

May 22, 2014

SpaBoom will be closed Monday, May 26th for Memorial Day. We will reopen with normal support hours at 7am MST on Tuesday, May 27th.

We hope you all enjoy a long holiday weekend to kick off summer!

SpaBoom Feature: Customer Retention

Customer retention is important in order to grow and maintain a healthy business. Maintaining regular contact with your clients can make the difference between them returning to your business or going with the next business down the street.

SpaBoom makes retaining customers easy with our Customer Retention functionality. It allows you to send email communications to customers in two different categories: those who haven’t visited you in a short or long while, and those who purchased a gift certificate almost a year ago for specific events (birthday, holiday, anniversary). Let’s take a look at how these work.

Visit Reminders

Visit reminders can be used if you are using Booking or Rewards functionality in SpaBoom. Clients are reminded if they haven’t been back to see you in a short while (usually 30-60 days, depending on your business type) and a second email is sent if a longer period passes between visits (usually 90-120 days). The longer period email will have an offer attached to it, to motivate them to come back and see you again. Visit reminders are a great way to stay in touch with your clients who may have gotten too busy to remember to schedule an appointment.

Purchase Reminders

Purchase reminders are used to remind a customer, who purchased a gift certificate almost a year ago, that the event they purchased it for (birthday, anniversary, holiday) is coming up again soon and suggest it is time to purchase another gift certificate for that same event this year. It’s a good way to stay in touch with those clients who used you last year and may have forgotten about you since then, and also provides a friendly reminder to them that a gift-giving opportunity is coming up soon.

Using Customer Retention can help you catch those clients who may get busy and lost in the shuffle of life, and remind them to come back and see you again.

We’ve made it easy to use the SpaBoom Client Retention functionality, just turn it on, make sure the email content looks good, and then let the system do all the work for you.

Here’s how:

Go to the Marketing tab and turn on Customer Retention at the bottom of the page
Once turned on, you will see 1-3 emails depending on the functionality you are using (booking and rewards)
You can go in and review the content of these emails, and edit them if you like. Go in and view the offer attached to the long period with no visit email to make sure it’s correct as well

And that’s it! Once you’ve turned on Customer Retention, and verified the content of the emails and the offer, you’re all set. The day after you turn it on, SpaBoom will take it from there and automatically send these reminder emails to your clients. It’s that easy!

With so much competition for business these days, SpaBoom’s Customer Retention is an important feature to help you stay in touch with your clients.

Have questions or need help setting up Customer Retention? Give us a call! We’re always happy to help.

3 Key Things to Help Your Business Grow

May 19, 2014

You’ve worked hard and invested a lot of time and money in your business. And now you’d like to see your business grow. Here are three key areas to focus on today that can help your business grow in the long run.

Differentiate Yourself

In a marketplace filled with so many competing or seemingly similar businesses, it is important to differentiate yourself. Focus on what makes you stand out from the competition. What are your strengths? Do you offer products and services nobody else offers? Figure out what makes your business unique and then highlight that. It will not only differentiate you from the competition but also strengthen your brand in the process.

Cultivate Loyalty

Considering the fact that return customers spend more, and also send new business your way through referrals, having a loyal customer base can really pay off. Make sure you cultivate that loyalty by delivering great customer service every time, communicating regularly with your clients, and asking them for feedback. By making your customers feel like they are a valued part of your business, you’ll keep them coming back again and again. That translates into growth for you. Happy repeat clients not only spend more per visit, they actually visit more frequently, and can help you grow your new client base through referrals of family and friends.

Be flexible

You are a small business owner, and that gives you a great deal of flexibility to implement changes quickly when necessary. But if you never make the necessary changes, or are resistant to change, in the long run that can hurt your bottom line. Making sure you regularly evaluate your processes and business model and update it to meet your current and future needs will make sure your business is ready to handle growth. This is a great place to involve your staff, since they’re often the ones with the best first hand experience on what is and what is not working well. Having a streamlined business that can flex to meet future needs will set you up for future success.

By focusing on these three key areas, you can make small changes in your business model and practices that can pay off with big results. Take some time this week to focus on some changes you can make in these areas.

Preserving Your In-House Retail Brand

May 15, 2014

In past couple of years we’ve seen some products manufacturers offering their goods online to the same consumers that visit your spa or salon. Yes, they’re offering the same products as you do, in house, but without that key piece of the retail formula – professional guidance and education.

What do you do when this occurs? Besides essentially competing for the same consumers, you’re now losing the retail revenue stream that may play a significant role in your business’ cash flow model.

There has never been a better time to know the key differentiators of your services, and most importantly, to share that information – consistently, succinctly, and in every venue possible.

Some spas and salons choose to discontinue products that are now available online in order to focus on those that remain exclusive for in-store sales. In addition, they focus their expertise during services, and help their clients choose the ideal products for their individual needs. One big drawback that consumers face buying online is choosing what’s available and ‘self-prescribing’ products which may very well be intended for entirely different hair, skin, etc.

Highlighting your expertise in skin, hair, and body care will separate you from the pack. Your clients come to you for your deep knowledge of your field; they return as they experience the benefits of professional care and products over time.

Offering a free skin or hair analysis with any service provides an immediate feedback mechanism that can direct your product and maintenance recommendations and ensure your clients are using what’s best, and will enjoy the optimal outcome in the process. And the perception of receiving a service with value goes a long way to engendering in-store product loyalty.

If you’re inclined to adding a private label line, doing so will absolutely prevent losing retail sales to online shoppers. In recent years ‘going private label’ has become much more affordable, with fewer upfront costs. Credit technology and small batch production – and enjoy creating a line of products tailored specifically to your brand, prominently featuring your brand, and supporting your marketing theme and messaging across labels and offerings.

Regardless your strategy for competing, you do have options. Again, what we find is that sticking to what you know/who you are as a business, and providing stellar customer service net big benefits while you remain true to your brand. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, should it? After all, being ‘real’ and delivering on your brand promise has always been key to success.

I Would Do Another Website With SpaBoom In A Heartbeat

May 13, 2014

We answer a lot of questions about websites – building effective, attractive, affordable sites is a core part of our business, and we take them seriously. Hearing from someone who has experienced what it’s like to build, then enjoy the power of a SpaBoom website is often the best way to learn. Case in point, Amy Stenger-Sullivan, who has three websites with us – Amy Sullivan Seminars, Baby’s First Massage, and Cincinnati Massage Connection. Her newest websites with us are Amy Sullivan Seminars and Baby’s First Massage.

The feedback below is in regard to the website build for Amy Sullivan Seminars:

I could not be happier with my new website! It was so easy to work with SpaBoom. I had a pretty clear picture of what I wanted in a website, and they worked with me to accomplish my goal. The site is clear, easy to navigate and functional in every way I need it to be. Tiffany was consistently responsive to every piece we needed to add or change. I would do another website with Spaboom in a heartbeat!

Best,
Amy Stenger-Sullivan, LMT, BBA, CNMI
Owner, Baby’s First Massage, Amy Sullivan Seminars and Cincinnati Massage Connection

Creating a website that showcases your business while it drives traffic in your door shouldn’t be a chore. Give us a call to learn more!

Important Information Re: Stripe Payments

May 1, 2014

Stripe has confirmed that they have begun moving customers to 2-day processing, with the eventual intent of moving everyone to that processing time frame. Stripe will be rolling out the 2-day processing to customers in segments, and will be sending email notifications once an account has been changed.

In the meantime, current processing time remains at 7 days for the majority of customers. There will continue to be a 7-day hold time for new accounts, but that will then move to a 2-day processing schedule once the customer is considered established.

Please contact us if you have questions. We’re happy to help!

Time For A Fresh Approach!

April 28, 2014

We’re now fully into spring, and with the first quarter of the year behind us, now is a great time for a bit of spring cleaning. The same processes you use in your home when you’re throwing open the windows and preparing for the change of seasons can also be a good idea for your business as well.

Time to Reflect
Take some time to reflect on what worked (& what didn’t work) in the first part of the year and make changes accordingly. Take a look at your numbers for the first quarter, but also ask your staff and top clients for feedback on what they liked and didn’t like from the first part of 2014.

Out with the Old, In with the New
Now is a great time to clear out old products, promotions, and packages and bring in something new and fresh for the warmer weather. Clear out all the products left over from the holiday and Valentine’s seasons and replace them with lighter, fresher offerings geared towards sunnier days. Introduce (or bring back) some of your warmer weather services, like spring facials or a cooling massage for summer. You can also update your marketing materials, such as collateral, with warmer weather colors and graphics.

Look Ahead
This is also a great time to look ahead to the next part of the year. Start planning out what your marketing schedule will look like for the next couple of months, or even the rest of the year. Planning out your packages and promos now will allow you to take full advantage of all the upcoming seasons and year, have to offer. And you’ll be ahead of the game.

It’s a great time to make your business more streamlined, and more effective. So get out there, shake out the cobwebs, and freshen things up a bit!

Ready For The Mother’s Day Gift Blitz?

April 24, 2014

Mother’s Day preparation is underway, and the possibilities are endless for creating specials sure to entice gift buyers. The ideas we’ve run across so far this year look promising for lucky Moms around the world – spas are creating nice packages that don’t cost an arm and a leg but serve up relaxation and pampering. A wide variety of treatments are being offered up, with time considerations built in as well as respect for cost.

From chair massages for Moms on the go, to all day luxury options for head-to-toe rejuvenation, to mani/pedi combos, to glorious hair color/style treatments, the options will run the gamut, and provide Moms around the world a respite from the day-to-day while honoring the role they play in our lives.

Regardless what you’re cooking up for services, to ensure the largest possible number of gift buyers know about your well-planned, Mom-centric gift offerings you need to TELL your audience what’s available.

Create the services you wish to promote, and update your website to reflect the way you’re making it super easy to please the Moms in everyone’s life this year.

Be sure to have POP in your business that put your specials front and center, and that you offer Instant Gift Certificates that make choosing those specials a breeze.

Write a quick blog article outlining what you’ve created, and point your readers to your website, which you’ve already updated so your promotions are prominently featured.

Generate at least 2 or 3 Email campaigns and time their launch to pique interest, maximize sales, and remind your clients that a gift for Mom from your spa, salon, massage therapy or esthetics practice is absolutely perfect.

Harness the power of social media. Mother’s Day is an ideal time to get your specials out on your Facebook page. Images are encouraged, so take full advantage and include eye-catching imagery of services and/or products featured to reinforce your promotions. Tweet away, too. Let your followers know you’re all about Mom, and encourage them to choose services that pamper and rejuvenate.

Gifts that provide a personal experience continue to increase over traditional gifts of stuff, so get out front and let well-meaning gift buyers know that your business has exactly what it will take to make Mom feel pampered and nurtured this Mother’s Day!

No Heartbleeding Here!

April 22, 2014

Just what IS that Heartbleed virus?

First of all, it’s not technically a virus, it’s a security flaw, but for all intents and purposes the virus label has stuck and is continuing to be used to describe this computer bug which takes advantage of a weakness that has always existed in most secure websites, allowing your supposedly safely guarded information to leak on the Internet. This has been happening since, 2012, in fact.

Per Wikipedia (yes, this can have its limitations, but in this case the synopsis is helpful):

Heartbleed is a security bug in the open-source OpenSSL cryptography library, widely used to implement the Internet’s Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. This vulnerability results from a missing bounds check in the handling of the Transport Layer Security (TLS) heartbeat extension,^[3] the heartbeat being behind the bug’s name.^[4] A fixed version of OpenSSL was released on April 7, 2014, at the same time as Heartbleed was publicly disclosed.

If you’re more visual, this comic from xkcd explains the virus in a silly but effective way, I think.

Rest assured, your SpaBoom service has not been compromised by the Heartbleed bug!

Many of you will have changed your passwords for Facebook and/or Twitter, though, which was a good thing to do! You will need to reset your integration within your SpaBoom account as a result of this. Please give us a call to help with that reset, and to answer any and all questions you may have about the security of your SpaBoom account!

We’re here to help!

What Is Double Opt-In Email?

April 16, 2014

If you are serious about building a good email list full of good prospects, then you want a double opt-in email list. But what is a double opt-in list and why is it so important?

A double opt-in email list is one in which your email subscribers are asked to confirm twice that they want to receive email communications from you. The first confirmation is when they submit their request to subscribe to your list, either by filling out a card at your front desk or signing up on your website. The second confirmation is via clicking on a link in an email they receive, confirming their sign-up. Double Opt-In is the gold standard of good clean email marketing lists. All SpaBoom accounts and websites come with email marketing featuring double opt-in, to ensure you build and maintain the most effective email list possible.

By asking your clients to double opt-in, you ensure that the person who signed up for your email marketing actually wants to subscribe. Otherwise, anyone could enter anyone else’s email address. By making them confirm again via an email link, you are ensuring that the quality of your email list is high, and that those receiving your emails actually want to receive your communications and will read them. A subscriber who is engaged from the beginning is one who will remain engaged and continue to read your email marketing communications.

But double opt-in has a few other benefits as well. It ensures that the emails on your list are valid emails and are current. If someone uses an email that is not valid, it will never be confirmed and will never receive any of your marketing. This helps make sure that your email list is only contains valid email addresses of those who want to receive your communications. Double opt-in also reduces spam complaints, and too many of those could lead to a ban of your domain name on more popular ISPs.

Your SpaBoom account makes it so easy to maintain your email list, by handling the second opt-in for you automatically. Once your subscriber has signed up for email, either by using the signup field on your website, or by being manually entered into the system by you, the second confirmation email is automatically generated and sent to them.

What happens if they don’t confirm?

Until they click that link and complete the second opt-in, they remain off your email list and will not receive email communications from you. If you look at their client record, you will see a red note that says, “Waiting for reply from confirmation email.” There is also a link that allows you to resend the confirmation email, in case they missed it the first time around.

Is there any incentive I can offer to get them to complete the confirmation?

Yes! You can create a sign-up promo offer in SpaBoom that automatically sends them a gift certificate for a free gift or percentage off a service once they click the confirmation link in their email. But it is also a good idea to let your clients know that they need to keep an eye out for that confirmation email, and encourage them to click that link to complete their signup and receive their free gift.

A double opt-in system helps to ensure that you build and maintain the cleanest and most effective email list for your business. While it is one extra step for your clients, it will pay off with happier clients who look forward to receiving your email communications and never feel like you are contacting them without their permission.

Need help with your sign-up promo or have additional questions about double opt-in email? Give our team a call. We’re happy to help out and answer any questions you have.