Spa Marketing

A single loyal customer has tremendous value to your business over the long term. They are responsible for spending thousands of dollars at your spa over time, for bringing in new customers and being a spokesperson for your spa.

There are a plethora of corporate loyalty programs out there but most are impersonal and indistinguishable from one another. It is big business’s way of saying we care and very few do it well.

Create new opportunities for your spa. Sit down and identify your top 20 customers.

Ask yourself:

• When did they last come into the spa for treatments or product?
• When did we last communicate with each one?
• Do we know the services they prefer?
• Do they use a particular line of products at the spa?
• What can I do for this customer to make them feel special?
• How can I customize spa services to meet their particular needs?
• How can I reward them for their loyalty?

It is that old fashioned, Andy Griffith style customer service that recognizes each customer as they walk into your spa and makes them feel exceptional and vital to your business. Being clever will only get you so far; being worthy of a customer’s loyalty is priceless.

Posted in Creating Customers, Spa Marketing, General • 4 Comments »

Some of you have been out there for long enough to have weathered an economic storm or two. While there is certainly no end to coping advice circulating these days, we thought going to the source — those of you who have seen and done this before, and whose spas have lived to fight another day — was the best way find answers.

So, are you planning to adjust your holiday campaigns or offerings in any way? Are you considering offering packages with slightly different/lower price points? Or are you adding value, in terms of a giveaway product or perhaps a lengthened treatment time for the same price?

We've talked to some owners who are going as far as rewarding their longtime clients with temporary price rollbacks to ensure those loyal clients continue enjoying services on a regular basis.

What are you doing, what have you thought about, in terms of how best to ride this financial event out while continuing to provide great services that relax, pamper and support wellness for your stressed out and tensed up client base?

We want to hear, and thank you again for sharing your expertise!

Posted in Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • 7 Comments »

Two online seminars designed to enlighten and inform are right around the corner!

Featuring the most advanced online training technology available.

• Eliminates travel expenses — by bringing the event to you.
• No time out of the salon/spa — get solutions that you can put to work right away.
• It's really easy! — no special equipment, software or advanced computer skills are needed.
• Perfect for your entire staff — gather them around the computer… there's no additional cost!
• Every event is recorded — review the presentation at any time.

October 8th: Instant Gift Certificates

October 15th: Email Marketing

Instructors: Join the charismatic duo of Neil Ducoff (Founder & CEO of Strategies) and Seth Gardenswartz (VP of Business Development, SpaBoom) as they impart tried and true spa management wisdom and share the newest and most effective high-tech marketing solutions available today.

More information about the Instant Gift Certificates and Email Marketing webinars at the Strategies event pages here and here.

Limited seating, so sign up today to save your spot!

Posted in Creating Customers, Spa Marketing, Spa Gift Certificates • 1 Comment »

Holiday Promotion Brief:

• Background (situation Analysis).
• Target Audience.
• Measurable sales goal.
• Strategy.
• Tactics.
• Budget.

Once a holiday promotions strategy is developed it is important to convert that strategy into implementable tactics or steps.

These tactics should be specialized, employed to carry out a specific strategy in an organized fashion. Some of these tactics will naturally come to life, an intuitive process born of the strategy conceived. Others will require a methodical approach to crank out.

Think about the 4 P's: Product, Price, Promotion and place (spa). Take each piece and think about what you need to execute the product, price, promotion and spa location components of the promotion.

Timing is important — it defines the nature of the promotion and its time limitations. Incorporating, “For a Limited Time Only” in any promotional offer should compel the consumer to take advantage of the valuable offer immediately. It is the fun and nature of promotion.

Timing is also very important in advertising when you are considering the lead-time for each element of the holiday promotion. If you plan to incorporate email communications to existing customers, make sure your email address list is ready. Then add as many addresses as you can before you send out your first email.

Using the SpaBoom e-mail marketing tool is easy. You can write your copy for the email message and add it to the scheduler right now, today. All email communications can be ready to send out well before the holiday.

We wish you all the success this holiday season. It’s been a rough summer, I think just about everyone could use a spa day this holiday!

Posted in Holiday Promotion Brief, Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • Comment »

Holiday Promotion Brief:

• Background (situation Analysis).
• Target Audience.
• Measurable sales goal.
• Strategy.
  
• Tactics.
• Budget.

Developing a promotions strategy provides an outline of what will be communicated to target customers and how it will be communicated.

A promotions strategy is a plan of action developed to meet specific quantitative and qualitative objectives. It defines the process that will be implemented to meet a specific set of objectives.

The holiday promotion may involve developing a specific product/service package that provides value to the consumer and compels them to act and make a reservation. In this case you want to define the package, the "call to action" and then determine the appropriate method of communication to reach consumers with the offer.

There are a variety of advertising methods that can be used to reach target customers:

• Email marketing.
• Holiday Newsletter.
• Direct Mail.
• In-store promotion display.
• Traditional advertising, media.
• Public relations.

Developing a promotions strategy for the holiday will create a plan of action to meet set objectives and define a clear message to the consumer.

Posted in Holiday Promotion Brief, Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • 2 Comments »

…tomorrow morning when you login to your SpaBoom account, you might notice a few missing items from your Setup tab menu — Events and Email Marketing.

Far be it from us to actually remove features from your toolbox; I think you know us better than that.  Some of our most powerful and favorite features deserve to be highlighted, so we're separating out and moving both Events and Email Marketing to their very own tab, called "Marketing".

So far, that is all that has changed, but in the future we have plans to add even more ways for you to connect with your customers and be an effective and successful business.  Let us know what you think, and how you'd like to see us expand our marketing offerings.

Posted in SpaBoom New Features, Spa Marketing • Comment »

We hear from SpaBoom customers that writing web content can be a challenge. It is not surprising, writing effective web content is a unique marketing medium, much different than writing a brochure for your spa.

At SpaBoom, we thought it might help to answer some of your most vexing web content challenges. What do you want to know about writing effective web content for your spa?

I am constantly inspired by the stories I hear from our spa customers. Their unique passions and hard work for what they do is exceptional. That passion and inspiration along with a firm hold on its value to customers is a key piece in developing effective web content.

All the information you need to write effective content for your spa is out there, it is a matter of extracting and organizing it in a way that helps your customers.

We want to hear from you and will post our answers in a timely manner.

Posted in Spa Marketing, General, Spa Website Design • 4 Comments »

Let me be upfront right now. There is a reason I majored in marketing in college and not accounting. I just don’t have the patience for all those formulas that give you a sense of a business's bottom line. I know it is important but it lacks the excitement of my side of the business equation. That said, when it comes to advertising and holiday promotions I love to measure everything. It’s fun and there is nothing better than seeing a direct revenue jump from a planned holiday promotion that exceeds expectations. It just gives you a warm holiday feeling inside.

Your ability to measure your success based on original objectives also creates a benchmark for the future. If the promotion is successful, look for ways to improve and expand your holiday promotion next year and increase your budget accordingly. It will give you the confidence to build and grow your advertising plans.

Holiday Promotion Brief:

• Background (situation Analysis).
• Target Audience.
• Measurable sales goal.
• Strategy.
• Tactics.
• Budget.

Hit the mark this year by knowing what you want from your promotion before you put it in motion. The objective is to increase sales/margins over a particular time period based on previous years. It is a projection, a forecast and serves to guide future marketing investments.

It is critical to know how much your promotion costs, so add up all the expenses associated with the promotion. It is also important to try to identify the sales that result from the promotion over a specific time period. A concrete ROI (return on investment) will make your accountant sing.

Beyond quantitative there are the qualitative objectives that you hope to reach through your holiday promotion. Here are some favorites; you can add your own.

• Build awareness of your spa business and the services offered.
• Boost target customer traffic to your spa and business website.
• Increase the number of new customers utilizing your services.
• Encourage existing customer loyalty.

By understanding exactly what you want before you launch your holiday promotion you will be ready to meet success head on.

Posted in Holiday Promotion Brief, Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • Comment »

In Spa's best holiday ever — Part 3, I espoused the benefits of developing an advertising brief to help organize and frame your holiday promotions. Companies large and small use this tool to keep their focus where it needs to be especially when things get hectic.

Let’s talk about the first component of a Brief, the Background or Situation Analysis. It is valuable to take some time to think about where you stand and where you want to go for the holidays.

Holiday Promotion Brief:

• Background (situation Analysis).
• Target Audience.
• Measurable sales goal.
• Strategy.
• Tactics.
• Budget.

Background (Situation Analysis):

This is an opportunity to describe your spa business as it is today. This is time well spent because a “this is where we are” statement creates a benchmark for future improvements.

• Describe your spa's services and products.
• Explain the spa's current holiday challenges and opportunities:
• Holiday Promotion Challenges:
• Getting the spa's message through the holiday clutter to reach target customers.
• Manpower/time restrictions in developing and executing a spa holiday promotion.
• The current economy.
• Holiday Promotion Opportunities:
  • A spa's existing customers are the best customers.
  • Take advantage of opportunities to get your spa's holiday message to existing customers starting right now.
  • 50% of gift buyers wait until the last 48 hours to purchase their gifts. Your spa sells gift certificates on-line; this is a huge opportunity for last minute gift purchases.
  • More than ever consumers will be shopping online this holiday.
  • SpaBoom online gift certificates benefits:
  • No shipping costs for instant spa gift certificates.
  • Gift certificates can go directly to the recipient.
  • No Shipping deadlines, consumers can purchase gifts on Christmas Day!
  • Don't have to get in your car to purchase a gift.
  • Buy a gift certificate 24/7 and on Christmas Day.
  • It is never too late to buy an instant gift certificate.

In the next blog post we will be talking about understanding a target audience and how spas can take advantage of relationships with existing customers to increase sales over the holidays.

Posted in Holiday Promotion Brief, Spa Marketing, General, Spa Gift Certificates • Comment »

Planning Spa Holiday Promotions

It's time to plan your promotions strategy for the holidays. It can feel like an overwhelming task to develop and execute a successful campaign. There are ways to organize your plans that provide an effective framework and strategy.

I have been in the advertising industry for about 15 years. I have worked in Telecom, Retail and the Consumer Products industry. Whenever I was given the task of developing a promotional campaign I used an advertising brief to set the strategy and execution of the promotion. All industries use some amalgam of this form to guide a project. Whether you are a billion-dollar industry or an entrepreneur with a salon or spa, a guide will make any marketing project more successful. Why? It helps us to see the forest for the trees.

Here are the basic components of an advertising brief. In the coming weeks I will expand on each component as it relates to a spa holiday promotion.

Holiday Promotion Brief:

• Background (situation Analysis).
• Target Audience.
• Measurable sales goal.
• Strategy.
• Tactics.
• Budget.

Make the form your own and create a promotional campaign for the holiday that makes you jolly and sends you into the New Year a happier spa owner.

Posted in Creating Customers, Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • Comment »

Don't let negative employees sabotage your spa's holiday success.

Watching employees work together harmoniously is like watching a symphony; there is such synchronicity and beauty in seeing a team steady even under the most challenging circumstances.

The holiday always brings added stress, particularly for service providers who strive heroically to maintain a consistently high level of customer service. It is most challenging when your team is not aligned because it can truly make or break your holiday goals.

Before the stressful season takes over with a tidal wave of Ho-Ho-Ho! and red, take some time to inventory your team's successes and challenges.

• Are all employees aligned with the spa's organization's objectives? Do they feel a part of something more than their particular role? If you are hearing more "we" than "I" from your team then you are heading in the right direction.
• Do all employees understand their role in the team? Are their duties and expectations clearly defined? Employees who understand where they fit in the team and understand their duties take more responsibility for their performance. It is very empowering to be measured based on clearly defined goals and to be rewarded for outstanding performance.
• Is there a way for the team to voice and resolve issues that come up among team members? Having unique ideas and ways of accomplishing a task is a good thing. Conflict among a team is inevitable; how the spa owner manages that conflict is critically important. Make sure all employees know their problems and ideas are being heard and, when possible, implemented to make the team better and stronger.
• Is there a lack of harmony or trust among the team? Find out why and fix it. Trust among teammates builds unity and success — it is absolutely critical to know that each member is looking out for the rest of them team.

You work hard every day to make your spa the best. Taking time now to align your team toward a common goal will give them the tools they need to make the holiday a success.

Posted in Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • 1 Comment »

Now that you're thinking about holiday planning, keep up with the To Do list, and next thing you know you'll have set your spa up for a memorable and successful season!

Holiday To Do List (cont'd):

• Plan a customer event right before the holiday season.
• Use client email list to send out an invitation.
• Plan an evening of beauty to promote the spa’s services and product selection.
• Educate customers with a sampling party. Invite vendors to come and promote their products.
• Make sure your in-spa product displays are ready for the holiday.
• Place product orders to ensure that the spa can meet customer demand.

Execution is key, now. You've set the wheels in motion, now it's time to attend to the finer details and enjoy being so very proactive with your business this holiday season!

Posted in Spa Product Sales, Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • Comment »

My job at SpaBoom involves spending a great deal of time honing our message to garner attention. I really believe that what we offer makes a huge difference for businesses, so putting passion behind the messaging is easy. Attracting the attention of prospects, then converting them to SpaBoomers is what I do, and the endeavor is intensely rewarding. It's really a pretty selfish process for me. Knowing that a spa, salon or massage therapist has entrusted us to help them increase revenues in a cost-effective way makes me happy.

What you do is similar, but different.

You're looking for ways to bring new clients into your spas. You're looking for ways to increase the frequency of visits and the incremental value of the visits of your existing clientele. You're courting future clients and nurturing existing relationships — each requires tailoring your message, but, ideally, at times the same message can be used to do both.

No Gas is Greener message.

You offer Instant Gift Certificates on your website, which means you've embraced technology and have recognized that more of your prospects and clients are using the Web as a way to find you, and to do more business with you once they've found you.

Tell them what that means to them in terms they'll appreciate. Everyone is struggling with the reality of higher gas prices, so your offering them a wonderful gift solution in terms of Instant Gift Certificates means they can fulfill gift purchasing online. You're saving them gas money — a direct cost benefit (and great way to promote your Instant Gift Certificates!)

And, no gas means a greener approach. If they're not starting up their Suburban, trekking across the metropolis, possibly during peak traffic times (which means stop and start driving-the worst for fuel efficiency AND emissions), seeking a gift the old-fashioned way, they're helping the environment.

Oh, and Instant Gift Certificates can be emailed, which means no dinosaurs gave their lives to help support either the purchase or the actual gift.

Your 'green' message can appear wherever you're promoting your spa. It'll fit well in an email newsletter (which, of course you're doing since it's free in SpaBoom, right?), or incorporated into display advertising as a catchy tagline, included in your voicemail messages and printed on flyers for inclusion in your product bags.

It's simple and bears repeating. And it works for both your existing clients as well as your prospects.

Posted in Creating Customers, Spa Marketing, General • 2 Comments »

Before you know it, pumpkins will be all over the place and then a week later you will walk into Target and see red. It is in this moment that fear floods through the body and the realization strikes: procrastination has gotten the best of you. You have waited too long to plan a successful holiday season.

Don't wait. It is not too late to plan your holiday promotions, and with a little planning you can make this a record-breaking holiday for your spa. Take advantage of the lull that the end of summer brings and GET BUSY.

This is the time to think about how you can provide value to your customers. It is no secret that great service brings the prize of customer loyalty. Making your client's spa experience special and memorable is valuable to that person. They will want to help you succeed by buying Instant Gift Certificates from your website over the holiday.

So get ready now and you will experience a smoother, happier and more successful holiday sales season.

Holiday To Do List:

• Clean Up.
• Make sure all internal processes and procedures are working smoothly.
• Make sure spa employees are ready to make each client spa experience special.
• Clean the spa from top to bottom and give staff a visual image of your service expectations.
• Take care of the little things that are missed when everyone is too busy over the holiday.
• Make sure your spa website is updated and ready for the holiday.
• Update all content and contact information.
• Add a map and directions to your spa.
• Use the SpaBoom promotional content tool (accessed from Setup/Events) that allows you to enter your promotions that will go live at the dates you preset.
• Update your email list.
• Gather as many new email addresses as possible from your current customers.
• Purge the addresses you know are not correct.
• Have your list ready and set up in SpaBoom.
• Start thinking about a great service/product holiday promotion.
• Make sure you have the product in stock.
• Create POP (Point-of-Purchase graphics) to promote the promotion.
• The promotional offer should be visible in the spa and on the website.
• Make sure customers know your spa offers Instant Gift Certificates on the website.
• Develop POP that promotes the Instant Gift Certificates.
• Create an Instant Gift Certificate flyer to go into each clients bag.
• Make sure your website address is prominent in your spa.
• All advertising.
• On the door.
• Bags to business cards.

Now you're cooking. See how easy it is once you just get started? Go on, start ticking off the To Do list items, and look for more next week.

Posted in Spa Product Sales, Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General, Spa Gift Certificates • 1 Comment »

Competing in today's market requires skill and tenacity, and an undying focus on making the absolute most of your business, regardless. The media hypes negative events because they garner attention (and sell issues/subscriptions), but even in the face of tighter financial times there is opportunity for all who take the time to really embrace their effort.

The bottom line? You must trust yourself.

You created this spa business with passion, sweat and effort. Know that you can and must manage your business, like a business.

Get in control by actively acknowledging and managing your business challenges.

• Get real and face the problem.
• Dissect into manageable pieces.
• Define each task to accomplish.
• Take action.

Strengthen your relationships.

• Build loyalty with existing clients and employees.
• 80/20 rules always apply.
• Stay in contact with the spa's most loyal 20%.
• Keep track of your top customers and let them know you appreciate their business.
• Create a spa environment that is positive for employees and customers.
• Develop an online marketing program.
• Use all those client email addresses you've been collecting over the years.
• Let customers know about special events, new treatments and promotions going on at your spa.
• Send clients an email and give them a good reason to come in for a new spa experience.
• Provide value and strengthen relationships with existing clients.
• Send clients appointment reminders.
• Let clients know when you have appointment openings.
• Deliver Welcome emails for new clients.
• Send out a spa newsletter.
• Think long term.
• Update your website and keep it current.
• Educate your clients.
• Optimize your connections with clients.
• Know your audience and what they need.

Build new relationships that strengthen your bottom line.

• Create partnerships with other retailers and garner support for your business.
• Have a spa event at your day spa or salon.
• Get out of your comfort zone to create new customers.
• Look for ways to provide a key service to an unserved market.
• Help others. Selflessness and helping others is empowering. Problem solving for others keeps you ready for new challenges.
• Improve your processes.
• Correct mistakes that you've too busy to fix.
• Act on revenue-generating processes you have been meaning to get to but keep putting off.

Tighten your belt.

• Look at your inventory to look for efficiencies.
• Hold off purchasing new equipment.
• Focus on increasing sales instead of new product development.
• Increase profits by selling gift certificates from the spa website.

Occasionally stepping back and getting down to basics allows us an opportunity to strengthen the very foundation of our businesses. Now is an excellent time to take that step back!

Posted in Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management, General • 5 Comments »

Why do customers come to your spa; what is it about your spa experience or what you offer that makes your spa unique?

The question requires thought because it is the very thing you need to be focusing on. Granted, it can be a moving target especially for trendy spas that cater to those who want the newest and most cutting edge procedures. But even trendsetters need more than the next big thing to keep customers coming back again and again.

Find that thing that makes your spa special and stick to it like glue. It may be your personal stamp, spawned directly from what makes you tick or it could be born of the community of customers that surround you over time. Once you know you can use that knowledge to strengthen your website and SEO strategy and help customers find you online.

What makes your spa distinctive?

Do you offer unique treatments that are difficult to replicate without a huge outlay of cash, a trip to the Himalayas for a unique youth enhancing herb or a national talent search for specific expertise? SEO works for spas that have unique identifiers that become keywords on your website. By using those keywords on your site you leave a trail for customers find you.

Are you an integral part of your community building awareness, social responsibility and a loyal following of like-minded spa souls? Create a dialog with your customers by using the SpaBoom email marketing tool that allow you to send out the latest happenings and news from your spa.

Do you have location, a cross roads between work, fashion, bliss and an hour, half day or a full day of spa nirvana? Keeping your website updated can inspire a customer to pick up the phone and take advantage of your spas close proximity.

Are "new" and "now" an integral part of your vocabulary? Are you in constant search of the next big treatment for your cutting edge clients? Use the SpaBoom email marketing tool to reach your best customers and give them the scoop when there is something new and fabulous on your spa menu.

Does your meticulous nature infuriate less than perfect employees but also establish the groundwork for your customers' over the top spa experiences? A Dynamic website's ability to be updated and changed to satisfy your thoroughness can keep customers happy and build loyalty long-term.

Whatever that "thing" is that makes your spa sing is what will differentiate you from your competitors on the web.

Posted in Spa Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Spa Marketing, General • 2 Comments »

Fantastic! We want you to, too!

What many of you are doing:

You are making it easy for potential gift certificate buyers to overlook you. How? You haven't shared with them how cool your spa really is! Were you in the Top 10 LA Spas last year? Share that! Are you considered THE spa for sports massage in Boston? Share that!

Use the description that appears right next to your logo and address to really differentiate your spa. Use words that truly describe what you're known for, respected for, have perfected. People really care about that. Visit your own Spa Emergency listing and try to be objective. Would YOU choose your spa based on the words in that description? If not, spice it up!

You see, when faced with many choices, a well-phrased description of your spa will make it easier for a potential gift buyer to choose YOU over another that hasn't taken the time to use that space well!

What many of you are NOT doing:

You are not showcasing the gorgeous new logo you just had designed. Remember all the hours you spent haggling with your partners about color and design, discussing how that logo really needs to capture the essence of your spa, then more haggling while you determined what that essence should be?

Be sure you upload the logo ASAP! If a potential customer is looking at a list of spa options in their area and sees a sad little black and white faux logo next to your listing, they're not going to be dazzled. Or, worst case, not interested in finding out more about what you offer.

It's not that prospective gift buyers are shallow, they're just human, and if a nicely designed, pleasing logo that truly reflects your business is sitting out there for them to behold and enjoy, all the better.

So, if you have a logo and aren't showing it off on your Spa Emergency listing, you're missing out. And if you don't have one, consider creating one. For your business, for your website, for your image and brand identity.

No scolding intended, really! We just want you to get the most out of your marketing efforts, so we're going to keep reminding you about this stuff. Thanks for your patience!

Until next time.

Posted in Spa Marketing, General • 3 Comments »

According to Advertising Age (via TechCrunch), the top 100 advertisers in the U.S. made a big shift from old media to online in 2007:

What does this mean for you? The smart money is increasingly moving online and you need to think long and hard about whether enough of your marketing budget is following their lead.

The first places to spend money online for your spa:

• Your website: A great website — one that is both beautiful and effective — is the basis for all of your online marketing. If your website hasn't been updated since Al Gore invented the Internet, then get a new one! This doesn't have to mean a lot of money, witness SpaBoom Dynamic Websites.
• SEO: If you don't have a SpaBoom Dynamic Website, then second thing you should spend a little money and time on is search engine optimization (SEO) of your website. The Online Spa Marketing Guide has a great SEO overview.
• Integrate with offline advertising: Now that you've got a great website, ironically one of the best things you can do for your online presence is simply to make sure it is an integral part of all your offline marketing. Highlight your website, and make sure to tell people that you offer Instant Gift Certificates!
• Spa Emergency: 85% of SpaBoomers participate in Spa Emergency, the national directory of instant spa gift certificates. The free listing is great for SEO, and the pay-for-performance model is the perfect example of measurable online advertising — you only pay when you've actually sold something!

Once you have the bases covered, it's time to step up your online marketing:

• SpaBooker brings new business by enabling clients to book appointments directly from your website and from SpaFinder.com.
• Pay-per-click advertising with AdWords drives targeted visitors to your website.
• Local directories: Advertise on directories like CitySearch and Yelp! which have a strong presence in your area.

Posted in Spa Marketing, Spa Business Management • 3 Comments »

Episode 2: Will it attract the right attention?

Being just a pretty face simply doesn't cut it on the Web. Nothing proves that more readily than a gorgeous website that just can't seem to garner online attention or convert visitors to clients.

Why does this happen? Well, maybe there's too much Flash and not enough substance. If you've read our prior postings on how invisible Flash is to search engines, then you know we're not making this up just to be difficult. If you haven't, check out Seth's article to catch up.

Other factors in the so beautiful but terribly ineffective conundrum include heavy use of graphical text. If, for example, the name of your spa is only displayed as a graphic, rather than appearing in true text form as well, it won't be seen by search engines. It's invisible. Imagine that. Something you spent so much time and energy developing, the very essence of your business image, invisible.

While sophisticated in some ways, search engines are truly blind to the content within graphics. So don't stop using photos, by any means. Just make sure the describing text is outside of the graphic itself.

Speaking of photos… did you know that you can create your own library of photos within your SpaBoom Dynamic Website and rotate them as often as you like?

Posted in Spa Marketing, General, Spa Website Design • 2 Comments »

After Larry's post, I wanted to add a link to a complementary article on SEOmoz about an analysis of social networking and how it is in many ways more trusted than email marketing for contacting potential partners or clients. In that analysis, one sentence in particular jumped out at me:

Wow.  With that in mind, consider how your pride and joy (and blood sweat & tears) — your business — appears to the internet at large.  By all means, first work on your basic website functionality, referring to our great starter guide for tips:

But after that, consider secondary online presences like a MySpace or Facebook page.  At the very least, do you personally have a LinkedIn profile? Consider adding these to your constantly growing toolkit for developing your business and branding.

The work of promotion and growing your unique brand never stops - not in a good economy, not in a down market, not ever.

Posted in Spa Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Spa Marketing, Spa Website Design • Comment »