Fall Promotions

What services do they want to see on your menu? Brainstorming with your staff—those who get to develop more intimate relationships with your loyal clientele as they get to treat them one on one—and asking your guests directly (perhaps through a quick and easy survey) can guide you in the right direction.

How should you price your services? Although copying prices from the competition might seem like a simple way to go, it is more likely to be the wrong way to go. A better approach is to look at the profit you wish to make on a specific treatment, take into account the operating expenses, compensation and product cost. A treatment priced at $100 with 40 percent operating expenses, 35 percent compensation and 15 percent product cost, will yield a 10 percent profit (or $10).

Looking to reach out to a new target market? Now would be a great time to do so, as people come back relaxed from their summer vacations, ready to try new things and places. Take a good look at your business location and the demographic; perhaps you are close to a college, medical center or military base—this can give you a clue as to whom could be your next devoted clientele. A short and sweet YouTube video is an easy way to generate some attention to your business, as is taking advantage of all the technology that is out there, from your website to social medias, emails and print advertising (more on this below).

Take into account the services that provide the biggest return on investment (ROI), and which ones you should capitalize on to make the biggest profit. Use past financial reports to analyze and highlight your most profitable post- summer sellers to help bring forth your best bet.

Then set a time frame—not only when your promotions will start, but how long they will last, all while keep- ing in mind that a good cycle typically lasts between four and eight weeks.

When you have all these questions taken care of, input the answers and timeline into a marketing plan template. There are plenty available online that usually include sections such as budget, calendar and objectives. It needs not be a formal document, but it should cover everything involved in promoting your business and be easily understood by all key employees.

Step 2

Partner with your product or equipment suppliers to get suggestions on specific treatments, obtain promotional material, in-store demos, and help you train your staff on the new protocols. Then pack your retail area with post-sun at home care.
Do not forget to package! Pick a few treatments, bundle them up, give it a creative name and you have just made an addition to your menu that costs you nothing and is sure to spruce up your business.

Step 3

With all the above taken care of, you are ready to spread the message. Here are some tips on how to reach out to your loyal clientele and attract newcomers.

EMAIL BLAST

It is important to include an eye-catching and relevant subject line that applies to the client. Maybe create an email blast with a title such as ‘Fall Cleanup’ or ‘Get Your Skin Ready for the Holidays,’ suggesting, depending on the client’s budget, a series of chemical peels, facials or IPL [intense pulse light] treatments.

NEWSLETTERS

Another good tip is to include educational information for your clients within your print or email newsletters. Spas often write articles in their newsletters to help clients learn about sun-block, or transitioning skin care routines from summer to fall.

IN-SPA SIGNAGE

Opt for a chalkboard easel so that you can change it often, and place it in a high-traffic area, such as near the storefront entrance to attract the most attention from people walking by.

DIRECT MAIL

If you are sending out a direct-mail postcard or flyer, consider what kind of sun damage reversal messaging and imagery will make the greatest impact on your clients. Show before and after pictures of different brown spots and the skin after the removal on men and women. Educate men to the benefits of this machine, because men, too, want to look their best.

PRESS RELEASE

A press release should not only include all of the relevant facts and dates, but also points of interest, quotes and images consistent with your fall promotion. A good press release anticipates questions people may have about the subject, and answers them in an interesting way,

YOUTUBE

YouTube can be a wonder tool. Armed with just your phone, shoot exciting 90 second videos of your business, showcasing equipment efficacy, treatment results, the unique talents of your team and even inspirational endorsements from your loyal clients. Short and to the point is key with YouTube viewers. With about one billion people watching as many as six billion hr of videos monthly (according to YouTube), it is truly a powerful, and best of all free, marketing opportunity.

CROSS MARKETING

Take your plan to neighboring restaurants, fitness/yoga centers, bridal shops, women’s clubs and any other businesses you might want to cross-market with, in order to design successful cross-promotions accordingly.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Using your social media platforms is a great way to communicate with clients on an everyday basis and keep your services on top of everyone’s mind. It is important to use social media not just for announcing new treatments, but also for sharing new and exciting information about them to keep clients interested over time. Think of adding Twitter’s Promoted Tweets to your campaign to get the word out on your post summer treatments. It is not too costly and can go a long way if used properly. The secret of Promoted Tweets is to make sure you reach just the right audience (targeted by interest, gender or geography) for what you offer.

Remember, repetition is key when you advance your fall sun-damage- reversal offerings. You should be constantly telling people of your products and promoting your services. Also, feature a pre-purchase package at a discount for services that cannot be done during the summer months due to photosensitivity.

Step 4

Measure results. Track each pro- motion so that you can easily tell if the campaign was successful, and what was not worth the time and money spent.