These tips from fellow owners will keep your spa business booming throughout the summer.

“The best thing that I’ve done for my spa was run a “spa sampler” special for Mother’s Day. Clients received an express manicure, introductory facial, half-hour massage and mini makeover for $100. This package was successful because it was affordable. We reached out to a clientele who doesn’t think they can afford to come to a spa. This package showed them what it was like to have a spa experience.”

DeeDee Helbig
Ava Bella Day Spa, Little Rock, Arkansas

“We are a relatively new business that is part of a dermatology office in a very rural area. We have tried various marketing techniques but what has been the most effective are our coupons. We started with coupons for 50-percent off our Express 30 Minute Facial in honor of ‘Nurse’s Day’ and then distributed them to area hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. The response has been overwhelming! In our rural area most people have never had a facial so the coupon gave them a great price to try something new and since it was only a short facial, it was cost effective for us to do this. We are doing it for teachers this summer, with the theme ‘Celebrate Summer!’”

 Lori Falkenstien
The Cosmetic Center of Panacea Dermatology, PA, Chanute, Kansas

“I have found a product line that I am finally truly passionate about. That has made me want to sell this product and its treatments. When you feel that passionate about something, it’s contagious.”

Jodie Roman

Esthetically Pleasing, Melbourne, Florida

“The best thing I do to boost my business is attending continuing education classes. My enthusiasm spills over to the clients and they actually want to know what I learned and to ‘try it all’ on them.”

Mary Jane Cash

Peaches & Cream, LLC, Aesthetic Center, Benton, Kentucky

“The latest and greatest I’ve been involved in is social networking–it’s just as important, if not more, as having a website. Local business owners and industry leaders said that being involved in social networking has added phenomenal increases in their business. I’m learning from some of the best and looking forward to implementing it!”

Lisa Caputo

Face Value Skin & Body Therapy Studio, Mountain View, California

“The best thing we have done to boost our business has been to ask for referrals. Your clients listen to what you tell them and you can’t assume they will make referrals on their own, but when you ask them to they respond wonderfully. The greatest compliment your clients can give you is the referral of their friends and family.”

Stacie Clark

Oculus Skin Care Centre, Atlanta, Georgia

“Advertising and offering a 10-percent discount for future treatments if they leave a rating for me on Kudzu.com. I find that people really do read testimonials and make decisions whether or not to try you out. This has boosted my business immensely–and as a sole source provider, advertising dollars are tight.”

Maura K. M. Keller

Serenity at Cherokee Rose, Fayetteville, Georgia

“One of the best things we’ve done to boost business was adding our e-newsletter. Constant Contact offers a very user-friendly system that allows you to customize e-mails for special promotions, education, etc. We add coupons that drive in more traffic. We also highlight a service, and in doing so we create more awareness of that service. There are a lot of companies that do e-newsletters for a fee, however we prefer a more personal touch.”

Dawn Warner

Skin and Body Harmony, Stone Mountain, Georgia

“With some creative marketing, I’ve designed flyers, brochures, postcards and a newsletter. I can e-mail or direct mail any of these marketing tools to my clients when business is slow, or announce a new product or service, offering clients a discount or bonus. Everyone loves to receive a complimentary gift or sample of a new product. It generates traffic, which usually turns into business.

Gloria Castellucci, MA

Just Skin, Staten Island, New York

“I stay in ‘front’ of my clients several times a year. One of the ways I can achieve this is through birthday cards. When a new client enters the studio they have a simple form to fill out that asks for their address, some health questions and their birth date. The birth date is placed in a pending file and at the end of each month the next month’s birthday cards are sent. The card encourages them to stop in to receive their free travel-size birthday candle.”

Melissa A. Emery

The MAE Company, Hartford, Ohio

“Implementing equipment. I went from being a ‘high-touch’ esthetician to a ‘high-tech’ esthetician. I purchased two devices at first, the Micro Current and Microdermabrasion from Bio-Therapeutic, Inc., and watched my business grow 500 percent that year! I have since purchased other devices from Bio-Therapeutic and have continued to see an increase in service revenue–not as dramatic, but still around a 20-percent increase this year.”

Meghan Kelly

Salon Kai, Salt Lake City, Utah

“We hosted a Spa Spring Fling where we we invited our VIP clients and their friends. We offered Fresh Face demonstrations from our Citrus Spring Line, citrus drinks, appetizers and desserts. We worked with our skin care line, Eminence Organics, to provide take home goodies including samples and chocolates. We had record sales and made many appointments—we are planning our next event for fall!”

Colleen Conway Rose
Yoga-360 Studio & Spa, Frankfort, Illinois