I love the beginning of a new year.
it is such an invigorating time in business to create goals and set a vision and plan for the year ahead and in this blog piece I wanted to share what I take into consideration when planning for the next 12 months with my spa clients.
In my opinion, spas are historically quite reactive businesses and I believe that if we switch our mindset to being proactive then that is half the battle won because we are showing our therapists and clientele that we are a fresh and invigorating spa that is keen to stay relevant in such an extensive industry.
Here is how I do it . . .
Research
I make it my business to know what the predicted skincare and treatment trends for the year ahead are going to be. It is so important that therapists have the opportunity to build rapport and educate their clients on their skin rather than just selling to them and I believe that to do this properly we constantly need to understand what our clientele is being told is going to be the “hot new must have ingredient / treatment / pill / product”.
I urge you to consider where you are looking when doing your research as well. This is the perfect time to utilise the publications that your ideal demographic are going to be reading. For example, if you’re a small luxury spa then are your clientele reading Vogue and Tatler? If so, then that’s where you should be doing your research.
Review
To quote the incredible Maya Angelou “You can’t really know where you’re going until you know where you have been” and if you haven’t already, I urge you to take a read of my previous post on embracing feedback in your spa because looking at the previous year will help you set measurable goals for the year ahead based on past product sales, feedback, treatment popularity and staff turnover.
I would urge you to look at every single element of the business in your review and set a goal around each of these areas that will tie into your overall vision for your spa.
This is where you can start to delve into the nitty gritty of the business and begin to create a strategy around how to achieve your vision for the year ahead.
Replicate
Take a look at the way other hospitality companies collaborate with each other and ask yourself if that is something that you can bring to your spa.
I would take the opportunity to contact your suppliers and find out what they have in store for the next 3, 6 and 9 months in terms of new products, launches and campaigns that can tie in to your spa and what you can market in house that would appeal to your ideal demographic and your top customers.
Could you also consider your current therapists and see if they have any expertise that aren’t currently being utilised in your business and perhaps they can offer something that you haven’t done before or how about bringing in a therapist that specialises in one of these new trends? Even if it was only once a month or for a limited time.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, bringing your therapists together can contribute to making your business successful and as long as therapists are consistent in their approach and are engaged, passionate and love coming to work and providing great treatments then this is where you can carve out a name for yourself.
A clear vision for the year ahead incorporates appropriate and measurable goals with the alignment of your company values. If you think that you might need some guidance or a fresh pair of eyes when it comes to establishing these then this is exactly why I became a spa consultant. I am here to provide you with the support you need to ensure that your spa is operating at an optimal level.
Why not reach out to me today and we can have a chat about how I can help you!