InTouch

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...

Any plans for the summer? If you haven't already booked something, here's an idea. Why not explore some of America's historic hotels. Many of them are both spa resorts and hotels so you not only can relax, you also have an opportunity to find out about new special spa treatments that you may want to incorporate into your own service offering...

I have always been invested in improving the value of my services by fine tuning my client's experience. In the last year it has become my priority to ensure client retention by increasing the relevance of their sessions. To be relevant is to provide meaningful services that meet your client's needs when they need them the most...

In case you did not know it, this week is National Men's Health Week. The purpose is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. So it's no coincidence the week is celebrated leading up to Father's Day - after all, keeping dads healthy both in mind and body is what we all want...

How many times have we heard a client say, "I would love it if I could get my...(husband, son, dad) to try this." Usually one of the things that keeps these men out of the treatment room is fear of the unknown. My solution is the buddy system, which allows me to service two people in the same room, at the same time...

Are you incorporating the changing seasons into your spa's ambiance and decor? Many spas do and it can be a great boon to marketing - not to mention customer satisfaction. June, for example, is a perfect time for a sunny, hint of the tropics makeover to brighten clients' spirits. It's not hard to do. For starters, you can easily enhance the look and feel of your spa by placing flowers in brightly colored vases throughout...

As an NMT I am always focused on results, but as a business person I am also focused on orchestrating a great client experience. One of my favorite tools in my tool box is Polar Lotion...

I hope many people will be saying happy Mothers Day to their moms with a massage or skincare treatment so that that the appointment books for spas and salons are filled for the upcoming weekend...