Cut, clip and a Corona promo just tip of the iceberg
July 20th, 2006 • Posted by Stephany Toman • Permalink
Mastering the art of spa promotion takes time, patience and the power to adjust when it makes sense to do so. Jasmine Salon and Day Spa in Omaha uses some simple yet effective ways to promote, both in general and for special events.
For Father's Day this year, they ran the "Cut, Clip and a Corona" promo. Dads who received this package got a haircut while sipping an icy cold Corona. Oh, and someone else was mowing their lawn, thanks to a deal Jasmine struck with a local lawn company. The promo was a hit, and shows what's possible when a little bit of creativity and fun are added to the mix.
This salon has also figured out to promote their website as an integral part of their sales machine. They make sure their url appears on all of the spa's brochures and business cards, as well as on internal signage that they use during peak periods. They also send out an e-newsletter in which promos, news and specials, and yep, their website address are included.
Telling and showing people that your spa's website plays a key role with your overall image and that the site serves as a great option for purchasing instant gift certificates — around the clock — will only help your business. And Jasmine Salon's voice message also encourages callers to try their instant gift certificates by visiting the website and following the GC path.
Jasmine has experienced such success with online advertising and marketing, they've opted to forego their usual yellow page ad next year in favor of more targeted online opportunities that they've found.
Actions speak loudly, here. Why not try a creative and fun promo that ties in with your spa's theme and specialty, and see what happens? And remember to tell people that your website makes buying your cool services and products a breeze.
I have a real problem with salons/spas giving clients alcohol. You never know the medications they are on or if they have a drinking problem. If they pull out of your parking lot and hit someone the salon is responsible! To serve liquor without a license in some states is against the law. Why open a can of worms? Why not a iced latte instead?
Please note: If you wish to offer up a promotion incorporating alcohol of any kind, you’ll need to be sure that your establishment is duly licensed, as Jasmine Spa is!
I don't have a liquor license at my nail spa here in Seattle, but for $10 I could get a 1 day permit to serve alcohol for special occasions. I will definitely consider doing more joint ventures with other businesses to add some fun and creativity to their experience. Alcohol could potentially be a problem, but we're all adults, aren't we?
I'm glad to see there are some spas that understand the meaning of going to a spa. Do you have so little faith in your treatments and therapists, you have to serve alcohol to get clients to visit your spa? Spas are for detoxifying your client's bodies, not pumping them full of toxins. I can't believe what spas have become. Sounds like many spa owners are in this for the wrong reasons. We are here to preserve life and prevent illness. Let's believe in the power of an awesome massage, a superb skin care routine, and flawless customer service to keep clients coming back and giving us referrals. This is what sells gift certificates, not alochol and gimmicks. Something else to consider – Is it really a good idea to hook up with a local company for any type of promotion such as lawn services? Now you have to deal with the type of customer service they provide. Remember, you promoted them, and if the client is not happy with them, think about the "bad press" you'll get and your company's reputation. Also, if selling this package as a gift certificate, you'll need to use a very short expiration date, just in case the company you hooked up with goes out of business. Sounds like a pain in the neck to me. I'm going to get a massage. I thought we were using SpaBoom to make our lives easier. I know I am.
Wow, what strong opinions… guess we just thought our idea of a spa is for someone to relax, enjoy a good time with their friends and pamper themselves. We don't think it is our place to tell our clients how to relax. We are just glad they choose our business as the place to go for that relaxation. It is the client we are in this business for, and our clients enjoy our fun creative ideas.
Valid point for any partner. We researched our partners with the same effort as we researched an Online Gift Certificate partner. It has to be a trusted company, it has to be someone with a good reputation, and someone with a good product — otherwise why would you partner with them? We were thrilled the lawn service agreed to partner up with US. There are a lot of salons in our pretty fierce competitive market.
Those are very valid points on the alcohol and detoxification services such as massages and body wraps. I could only imagine the reaction with our Margarita Pedicures, Chocolate Martini Pedicures, and Body Shot Brazilian's (just kidding on the last one!). Relax. Believe me we are professionals and don't force drinks on our clients, we use the drinks as an added value to specific services where they add a certain degree of fun. With so many choices a consumer can make, we are offering a fun, enjoyable place for them to relax and spend time.
Owner, Jasmine Salon — and happy recipient of a Clip, Cut & Corona for Father's Day!!!