InTouch

I just got back from my week long training with Eric Dalton in Costa Rica and all I can say is wow! I am so glad I got the chance to study with this genius. I already utilized joint mobilization as a tool in my treatment room. Now I know that I was only playing with it. After his class I see so many more applications and my effectiveness have already showed marked improvement. Expanding my knowledge base has once again helped me to fine tune my skills...

At the recent New York Spa Show we had a great dialogue during our class on "Designing Your Dream Practice". One of the main topics of interest was how to attract and cultivate your ideal clients. I always emphasize the first step is to discern who those clients are, and then learning all you can about them including their needs and goals. The second thing is to deliver exemplarily customer service and build trust. Simply put "Undersell and Over deliver."...

What does your establishment say to your clients when they walk through the door? Is the ambiance inviting and relaxing or does it in some way increase the tension already stressed clients may be feeling?...

Do you know the 80-20 rule? It maintains that 80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your customers. That might be high for your practice, but bottom line, the rule suggested that among a key group of customers, there is opportunity to up sell spa services and products...

Following our series on ISPA trends we are now going to explore customizing. I've combined this trend with a recent consumer survey that indicates that menus need to become simpler...

I promised we would further explore practical ways to take advantage of the current spa trends, including "inspiration by nature." This is one of my favorites since I am a big advocate of the guiding principles of "Sense of Place."...

I think no time invites change more than the fall. The sudden coolness in the air and the invigorating scents of the season - pumpkin, cranberry, apple and cinnamon spice - wake up the senses and in doing so seem to trigger our desire for something new...

The International SPA Association (ISPA) recently released their report on the latest trends in the spa industry. I am excited to share some of them in the next several blogs, along with my favorite and developing protocols that represent each direction...

Whether or not you're a fan of Sex and the City - TV series and movies - there's no denying Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda touched a nerve with women everywhere about the importance of female friendship. It's probably one of women's greatest strengths that they allow themselves to 'share' with other women and so build the emotional bonds that carry them through life's challenges - however big or small...

Recent economic times and the resulting consumer belt tightening have challenged all of us to identify and focus on untapped opportunities. For instance, a current consumer trend is to move the entertaining hub back home...

August is traditionally the big vacation month. For families, it's the month to get away with the kids before they go back to school. With continued uncertainty about the economy, however, a "staycation" is the popular new way to get that much needed break...

We're hearing from more and more massage therapists who are extending their service offering to include body treatments, in particular wraps and scrubs. This trend has been growing steadily over the past two years in response to clients' increasing awareness of the benefits of these treatments to aid healing and hydrating...