Spa Business Management | SpaBoom

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!

Good Leaders Develop Over Time

March 25, 2014

Are you lucky enough to have a mentor? If you are, you know how great it feels to have someone knowledgeable and experienced to guide you along your professional development path. You know that you can draw upon that amazing resource as you evolve and face challenges along the way. Mentors are gifts, and help give us confidence to find our own way, to become leaders and entrepreneurs and practiioners of many disciplines. I have been extremely fortunate in my career to have several extremely experienced, generous and insightful mentors who have shaped me and built my confidence and skills through the years. I am grateful for their patience and tutelage, and only now recognize how incredibly influential they have been in my professional development.

In an increasingly competitive and mobile workplace, however, mentors can be rare, which shouldn’t stop us from becoming the best leader we can be, because experience itself, hard work, a firm sense of self, and a dedication to continual improvement can provide the basis on which to build a successful career.

Experience – It pays to keep showing up day after day

Working long hours in your profession, reaching milestones, and overcoming development challenges will hone your abilities while you mature as a future leader. Malcom Gladwell, in Outliers, repeatedly mentions the “10,000-Hour Rule,” claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours. That equates to roughly 5 business years practicing your profession. Dogged persistence, patience and sheer tenacity go a long way to shaping an individual, one who can then impart that knowledge upon less experienced yet equally dedicated individuals as they make the trek from rookie to expert in a given arena.

Know thyslef, embrace thyself, to thine own self be true

You’ve seen the sayings, and unless you’re tuned into your more foundational tenets, you may not have given them a whole lot of credence. After all, catch phrases are everywhere and mean little, right? Well, maybe so, but only until they are relevant to you. And leaders who succeed, and in the process engender respect and loyalty in their colleagues and employees are those who have defined, and honor their true selves. The road to success is busy and full of distractions and an infinite number of ways to stray from simple, personal beliefs, but those who hold true to theirs have a much higher chance of becoming leaders that deserve respect – their own, and from others.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a leader is also very important. None of us are strong in every area, so recognizing early on where our true strengths lie allows for honest work in weak areas, and sometimes delegation of those aspects of our projects that others can, and will, handle much more adeptly and well. The ability to delegate, instead of ‘just handling it all ourselves,’ not only demonstrates self-awareness on our part, but allows others to grow skills and confidence in a larger group setting. It’s healthy to play to everyone’s strengths, and the end result is far superior, always. Delegation is also a time management component that can mean the focus is on producing the best result, not just protecting one’s ego by refusing to let go.

About the ego. Anyone who wishes to become a strong leader needs to embrace the greater good and let go of the ego as quickly as possible. Many, many bad decisions have been made throughout history by fearful, insecure leaders, and those decisions have often been to the detriment of their followers’ well being. Regardless of the setting – political, corporate, business, private – ego will interfere many more times than it will benefit the bigger effort. Does this mean lose your sense of passion and risk running out of steam to meet your leadership goals? No! It means be true to yourself, which, if you are dedicated to becoming a strong and compassionate leader, means letting go of that nasty little voice that always insists on being right, no matter what. That voice is short-sighted and seflish, and seldom supports the longer goal.

Most leaders take decades to develop, but knowing first that you wish to lead rather than follow others is the first step. The rest boils down to dedication, hard work, and keeping your eye on the long ball even when that feels impossible.

The Benefits of Having a SpaBoom Website

March 3, 2014

Your website is your store-front online. A place for your clients to check out your latest offerings, give you a call, and even make appointments right from the site. Our dynamic websites do so much for you everyday to make it easy to promote your business online, leaving you free to focus on running your business. But what exactly is a dynamic website and what makes it so special? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of having a SpaBoom Dynamic Website.

The Beauty of Dynamic
A Dynamic website is one that is always changing and updating, offering your clients the most up to date information and offerings in real time. Using our powerful marketing engine, your website is automatically updated with your current promotions, features, and specials. No more worrying that you didn’t have time to change your specials once Valentine’s Day was over. Your dynamic website already made the necessary updates to feature your newest specials and active offers.

Making Changes to Your Website is Easy
Gone are the days when you needed to contact your web designer and wait for them to make the changes to your site. Your dynamic website is simple for you to edit and changes are seen immediately, the moment you make them in SpaBoom. You can easily change the content or swap out photos at the click of a button with no need to learn fancy coding. If you can edit a Word document, you can easily edit your website.

Changing Your Service Menu is Simple
Whether you are expanding your Service Menu to include new treatments, or need to remove the holiday packages until next year, SpaBoom makes it easy to do. Create a new service and it is instantly seen on your site. Hide an old package and it automatically disappears until you need it again. No more worrying that your clients might see something you no longer offer or are missing out on a new service that they can’t see online. On your dynamic website, your service menu is always up to date.

Search Engine Optimization is Built In
You hear about it a lot and about how important it is for your website and the Google ranking for your business. But you’re not sure quite what it is. Well, no problem, because your dynamic website is built from the ground up with SEO in mind. Your dynamic website is already taking care of it for you without you even having to think about it. From the way it targets your keywords, features current and updated content, and even lists you on Google Places, your website is taking full advantage of SEO and helping you build an even stronger online presence.

Your Website Looks Good on Mobile Devices
These days, people spend more time on their mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, than they do on their computers. So you want to make sure your website looks just as good and is just as user friendly on a mobile device as it is on a computer. No problem! Our Dynamic Website is automatically optimized to look and work great on mobile, allowing your clients to do everything from check out your service menu and specials to call you directly from your website or even make an online appointment.

Having a dynamic website sets you up for success from the very beginning. It’s an effective and powerful tool that allows you to communicate effectively with your clients, create a successful online presence, and focus on growing your business rather than worrying about your website.

Valentine Packages that Sell

January 27, 2014

Choice is good. Too much choice paralyzes.

Why should you care about that? You’re trying to capitalize on Valentine’s Day sales, that’s why!

Creating a set of packages that offer up indulgent services and suit all of your potential gift buyers is a no brainer. Really.

First, let’s think about what we know from recent data, then we’ll go from there. The average gift certificate sale over the recent holidays was $85.

Second, most men who are buying for their loved one want a solution, not decisions to make. They’re trying to do the right thing by purchasing a gift of experience, but their patience for answering a multitude of questions while they do it is very limited. Packages offer the perfect way for them to do the right thing, no headaches involved!

Third, you already have what it takes to solve the gift giving conundrums with ease!

We recommend setting up three packages, one higher-end, one based on your average gift certificate sale amount (yours may be a little different from ours since ours is an aggregate – use the number that makes the most sense for you for this middle-priced package), and one value package.

That would look something like this:

Platinum Pampering Package, $125-$130

Joyous Indulgence Package, $85-$90

Loving the VDay Package, $50-$60

The key to packages is to leave room for upsell. Including services that lend themselves to add on’s means you’ll have an opportunity to provide more of your magic for your clients and generate more revenue while you do it.

Once you’ve created your packages, be sure to let your clientele know via blog posts, emails, and social media. Get the word out that you’re catering to the Valentine’s Day gift buyer, and then do that voodoo that you do to indulge, pamper, and create great customer retention once your gift recipients come in to redeem their treat!

Brand Management – What Is It and Why Is It So Important?

January 22, 2014

In today’s marketplace, effective brand management is key to growing and maintaining a successful business. But what is brand management and why is it so important?

Brand management is defined as the process of creating a relationship between a product or company and the emotional perceptions of the client in order to build loyalty. Effective brand management can mean the difference between your client seeking you out time after time or visiting a similar business because they cannot tell the difference.

So what can we learn about brand management from iconic brands like Apple or Coca Cola? Here are three brand management strategies used by these big companies that help create a strong and successful brand identity:

Establish your brand identity – the most important aspect of good brand management is to establish your true brand identity early on and then continually streamline and improve it. This is true whether you are known for being on trend, taking a holistic approach in your treatments, or using all natural products. By incorporating your company identity into your brand, you set yourself apart from others in your field.

Market to your target demographic – You have to know who your target audience is and design your marketing for them in order to garner their business time after time. This means communicating with your target clients where and when they want. Utilizing social media and email marketing is key to cultivating a relationship that drives future business.

Ensure Consistency – The most important aspect of successful brand management is to be consistent. Your clients need to know that they will receive a consistent product or service every single time they visit. This promotes good feelings when they see your brand or look at your marketing. The repeat business and referrals this generates can drive business growth over time.

Your brand identifies your business and sets you apart from others in the same field. But the most important thing about your brand is how your clients feel when they see it. Your brand is your reputation and it reminds people of how they feel about your business and the services it provides. Effective brand management can ensure that your clients think good things when they see your brand. And that can only lead to success.

Strategic Marketing for Valentine’s Day

January 21, 2014

Valentine’s Day is one of the Big Three gifting holidays each year, which means you need to capitalize on every selling opportunity around the event. Your goals should be simple but focused on three key marketing goals:

Generating Revenue
Growing Your Client Base
Retaining Your Clientele

It’s that simple. None of these stand alone, but are, in fact part of an overall strategy that you need to employ.

How should that work?

You’ll need to design well-timed, finely-targeted promotions and compelling packages that garner the interest of gift buyers. Once you have the attention of that audience, you’ll want to deliver gift options that fit their needs perfectly.

Simple, right? Of course! The good news is all the hard work you do designing great promotions and packages will help you prepare for and succeed with the next upcoming event, Mother’s Day!

Keep in mind the following things as you move forward:

Who is your audience?
What exactly are you wanting to sell?

A solid understanding of these key items will go a long way to shaping your messaging and offers, and will keep you focused and clear as you do it!

Resourcefulness – A Success Secret

January 15, 2014

Resourcefulness is the ability to find quick and innovative ways to overcome challenges. As a small business owner, finding creative ways to meet the needs of your business, your staff, and your clients is a necessity, but also the number one way to promote growth and success for your business. Being resourceful in all of your business decisions and practices, will lead to better, more streamlined processes, allowing you to save time and money.

Here are a few key components that resourceful owners use to promote growth and stay in touch with their business needs.

Be Open to Change

First and foremost, you need to be open to change. Having an open mind and being open to new and innovative ways of thinking about a routine process or situation is what will make a better solution possible. Cultivating the idea that a better solution is out there can make it much easier to go out there and make the changes that you need in order to run a more streamlined business.

Analyze – And be realistic

Next up, you need to be able to objectively assess the situations or processes of your business in order to determine where a change needs to be made. The first step in thinking outside the box is to determine what you want to change and what you have to work with. Developing a detailed objective list and then pairing resources that you have to make the change a reality creates a roadmap for easy execution.

Optimize What You Have – Be creative

This is where thinking outside the box really comes into play. Coming up with solutions for doing more with less in a stream-lined way could be as simple as asking, “if we didn’t have this resource or process, how would we get along without it?” Maybe a system you already have in place can be expanded or adapted to handle other processes. Or maybe a shuffling of duties, or scheduled tasks, could lead to a more eloquent solution.

Stay Focused

Finally, when you decide to implement change, be sure to stay focused. You can’t change or improve everything all at once, so be purposeful when selecting and implementing changes. Focusing time and effort on the change and following it through to the end can mean the difference between the intended outcome or having to return to the drawing board.

As a small business owner, you are in the unique position of being flexible enough to make improvements regularly and to implement them quickly. Doing more with less because you have created an innovative and clever solution is a savvy and smart way to continually develop your business strategy.

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