Marketing Your Spa Business via the Salon Reception Desk

A lot goes on behind the scenes of a salon reception desk.

The traditional role of the receptionist that once involved simply meeting and greeting clients and booking in treatments.

Today it needs to be so much more than that, in order for your Spa business to keep ahead of the competition.

One of the first things I do when managing a spa, is to make the shift away from back office ensuring that the beauty reception desk is fully utilized.

For me it makes sense, as reception is the main hub of the business where all the transactions take place.

With so much information to hand including clients details, their treatment history and services on offer.

This is one area I feel I can’t afford to overlook, when it comes to successfully marketing a day spa business.

Employing a front of house receptionist who is a natural multi tasker should be a prerequisite for any savvy beauty or spa manager.

Someone who has a flair for marketing who can cross and up sell products and services, and who can anticipate the decision making process in advance.

They also should be interpreting the spas philosophy to all those they come into contact with.

Collating clients personal details, building mailing lists and sending out timely promotional campaigns are all marketing activities that can be carried out at reception.

In my opinion in such a competitive industry these are the attributes that a successful business manager or owner should look for, when considering recruiting a front of house receptionist.

Below I have written  some successful spa business marketing initiatives, that I would include as part of my receptionists job description:

• Improving the relevance of offers and personalizing them in order to drive sales. This can be achieved by logging clients birthdays on their profiles and sending out birthday vouchers to serve as little reminders. Making a note of important dates that are coming up and sending out offers to tie in with these, are also great ways to encourage re-bookings
• Another great tie in with this offer, is to ask your receptionists to print off a data base of loyal clients and offer them double loyalty points on the back of this promotion, providing they redeem the voucher
• Guests who receive a gift voucher get to bring a friend for 25%. This  encourages the redemption of the voucher whilst enticing a new visitor to experience your salons services
• Any guest that books in should be called by the receptionist a few days before, to ensure their booking is complete and confirm their appointment. This is a really nice touch and much more personal then a text. It is also a great way to encourage clients to book extra treatments
• All guests that visit your salon or spa should receive an email sent by the receptionist thanking them and encouraging them to return again
• A good technique for marketing your salon is known as the three card trick. This involves the receptionist giving clients a handful of business cards. Explain to the client that their name is written on the back, if any three of their friends use your beauty services and return the card your client will receive a free treatment
• Ensure the reception designs are visually pleasing and avoid visual pollution. Instead promote a strong single message and change your offer every couple of months, rather than giving conflicting messages by trying to communicate to many offers all at once. Be creative and use color, humor and strong visuals to attract your client’s attention
• Spa parties for sweet sixteen’s, bridal showers, hen nights and corporate events are always good promotional tools that can be conveyed to the client at reception
• Internet marketing initiatives are really important that should not be overlooked. Take advantage of any new free advertising online and set up a monthly E newsletter.
• Encourage your reception team to register all clients email details and sell this service to potential new customers, explaining the benefits, such as offers on services. This could also be linked to retail products to help boost revenue intake
• Keep customer comment cards at the receptionists desk. This will give you real feed back and help you to keep constantly evaluating your business
• Identify top media channels and get to know them and the columns they write in. Get your receptionists to touch base with customers every three months, updating them on new developments. Send them branded gifts and invite them to experience a treatment.

Think creatively to gain their attention and in ways in which you can be of use to them. No matter how you approach your salon or spa marketing it is important that you stay one step ahead of the game. This is especially true in the current climate, as there are is a lot of last minute deals around.

It is really important not to lose sight of your marketing strategy and core brand. This will have to be conveyed to your reception team and therapists, through regular staff meetings.

Don’t get into the habit of reducing the cost of your salon services. This may become a slippery slope and will encourage your regular clients to wait until you put your next offers. Which could back fire, under valuing your business and you and potentially you could end up attracting the wrong type of clientele.

Remember that it is better to concentrate on offering excellent customer service, great treatments and services and stand out from the crowd, by being unique in how you sell your business.

Over time what will happen is that people will come to identify with your brand and image and recommend you to others. Word of mouth is going to be one of your biggest forms of marketing and will help you to reach a much wider audience.

Related posts:

1. Marketing in a Spa World