Today, there’s a pretty good chance that new clients walking through your spa or massage practice door – or current clients seeking more services – started with an online engagement. (Pew Research reports that one quarter of Americans are online constantly.) Maybe they heard about you through social media or they read an online review. A search on Google for local massage therapy treatments might have led them to your website. It makes no matter if you employ all or just some of the online channels, the fact is that your target audience is online and you need to meet them there armed with information about your business.
In addition to having a website, your Internet marketing strategy should include the following tactics. You don’t need to do all of them. Consider which ones will be most effective for your goals. You may even want to experiment with some, depending on your time and budget, before deciding which ones absolutely are essential to keep your client roster active and growing.
Make your website a sales tool
Nothing will drive visitors away faster than a site that is hard to navigate and has so much information, visitors are overwhelmed. Starting with your design, make sure you site is uncluttered and consistent in style and colors that reflect your brand. Use standard terminology such as about us, services, products, etc., so it’s easy for visitors to find information. A search box also helps.
Content should be engaging to keep visitors on the site for a long time. Use customer testimonials about treatments to validate effectiveness. Quotes from customers also support retail product sales. Other content elements that encourage visitors to spend time on your site include videos about treatments, images, and industry news.
Get mobilized
Considering how much search and purchasing take place “on the go,” you’ll want to optimize viewing on your site for mobile devices as part of your online marketing and sales strategy. Mobile websites display content, images, video and data optimized for smartphones and tablets and for a touch-screen interface.
Socialize online
Find out what social channels your target audience employs the most and be there with content, industry commentary and updates on your retail products and services. Content should link back to your website to draw visitors there. Also check out the competition and see what they are posting that attracts likes and shares.
Offer online booking
Online customer scheduling enables clients to conveniently schedule an appointment 24.7 which can help to boost appointments. Today there are a wide range of offerings for online booking software. Many of them are cloud-based, which means you don’t need to acquire any software to run on your computers. You access the booking software from a browser and pay a subscription fee, which varies between providers. Some of the offerings start out as a free trial so you can decide if you are satisfied with the service before you buy.
Consider Facebook advertising
Facebook ads provide a cost-effective way to reach more of your audience. You don’t have to commit to a huge monthly outlay and you easily can turn your campaign on and off to align it with your budget and promotional needs. For example, you might want to run ad to promote special treatments or massage.
Employ direct mail
Develop a schedule and keep clients and prospects up to date with periodic mailings about specials and promotions. Also include educational tips and industry information. The key to success is making sure your list is up to date. You also need to enable contacts to opt out should they no longer want to receive your mailings.
The Internet provides immediacy and engagement. Make your Internet marketing strategy a key pillar of your marketing activity.