Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Marketing/advertising/pr Ideas For Salon / Day Spa

Posted by heidibisbee on 1/4/2009 at 3:32 PM ET 500 Points
My client is opening a "Green Friendly" Salon / Day Spa that is focused on giving their client a "Ritz Carlton" or big city feel. When their client enters into the day spa they will be transformed. The Ambiance will make them feel like they are in another state (the salon will be located in the Midwest).

The Demographics will include women ages 25-65, but not limited to the occasional college student, as it will be located near a college campus. They are looking to pull clients from a 120 mile radius.

Some of the Marketing ideas I have include TV / Billboards / Target Mailings / Print media. I would like to do some kind of Grand Opening Promo, but have not worked out specifics, so any advice there would be appreciated.

I admit I have not worked with a client of this magnitude, so I am looking for "bigger" ideas. Budget is not necessarily an issue, but will need to be considered.

Since the business has not opened, they are looking for ways to draw traffic, so any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Unique ideas welcome! Also, any ideas we could promote to the college campus would also be a plus.

Thanks!

Heidi Bisbee
Bizzybee Marketing, LLC
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Mikee on 1/4/2009 at 6:37 PM Accepted
    I think the key is to get as many people in the door the early on to create a buz and some excitement.

    For many ladies, it seems that going to the spa can sometimes be a social event, something done with friends. With that in mind you might have a "bring a friend for free" promo during the Grand Opening week. This could be considered 2 for 1, but should not be called that. Play off of the idea that this experience is great shared. I know this can be expensive, but it will expose twice as many people to the spa. These people are more likely to tell others and get others to come.

    This may bring a lot of clients so you might not want to do it the first week when the kinks are getting worked out.

    Another idea is to offer free mini services all week to give people a sampling of the services.

    Hope this helps,
    Mike
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 1/4/2009 at 6:58 PM Accepted
    I think (as Phil) you need to tighten your focus.

    Do you think that anyone on a college campus can afford a Ritz Carlton experience? BTW, I just worked with the designers og the new Ritz in Denver.

    What does "green friendly" mean to you and your client? Green is a feature not a benefit and is extremely over used without an understanding of what it means. If you are going to attract enviro conscious clients you need to walk the talk in everything you do-- they know and will call you on "eco isolationism"-- the new word for the overused and trite "greenwash". And market the benefits of whatever green attributes your spa has. Organic lotions mean nothing to a consumer. But marketing the benefits of what goes on your skin goes in you and why that might be important.

    My thesis was on green marketing-- I was a founder of the CO Chapter US Green Building Council and serve on the ASTM E60 committee on sustainability/
  • Posted by heidibisbee on 1/4/2009 at 8:09 PM Author
    Boy Phil, nothing like an optimist! Give me a little credit here.

    I do understand the cost of TV, Billboards, etc, and will be working with a $100,000 marketing budget. This is no run-of-the mill Salon / Day Spa, and we have some in the vicinity who have built a name for themselves to where clients will travel the distance. I realize it may take some time, to build this "experience" the clients will get when coming here, but when they do, I also realize that there are those that are willing to travel the distance for great service. The client will be putting their employees through an intense training before even starting their first day of employment.

    Ritz Carlton experience? Yes, Ritz Carlton pricing - not so much. The College students will most likely be going there for a nice hair style for an upcoming event, or maybe a day with their Mom when it's parents weekend.

    As far as the green products, Carol, I completely get how too may companies tend to slap labels - same thing as the "organic" deal. My client will be selling everything from shampoo and conditioner to facial products and makeup - all green and environment friendly. Believe it or not, being from Ohio, green is just starting a trend here, so the timing is good.

    Mike, we are wanting to promote mothers and daughters, and friends, as they will have enough stations to fulfill this.

    So aside from all of this, I hope I have answered some of your questions, and I am still looking for some outside of the box promo ideas.

    Heidi Bisbee
    Bizzybee Marketing, LLC



  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 1/4/2009 at 8:31 PM Member
    It really depends on who you are talking to about the "green" initiative being new to Ohio. This article shows releases and buildings (including the 1st LEED supermarket in the nation is in Cleveland) dating back 7 years plus. Ohio has a very high BPI -- but I hear it all the time from those who aren't involved in the green community that this is "new" https://www.greenenergyohio.org/page.cfm?pageID=258. Trust me, those involved know its not new.

    I understand where your thought process is, but instead of being a "special occasion" spa, which is hard to make a biz model work-- you might want to focus on giving people a reason to come a couple times a month. Its much easier to bring in a client more often than it is to continually churn thru new ones-- or hope they return only a few times a year. I would focus on marketing the products that will bring them back-- and you haven't given us info on the services that would. Massage is certainly one, by marketing the stress relieving proven medical benefits which can, in certain situations, be covered by insurance. And eco-friendly clients would prefer that, over anti-depressants.

    Organic lotions aren't enough to make you green-- and you add value by warning your client. Everything today is "life cycle analysis" and the sophisticated buyer who wants to go to a "green" salon knows this and will take you to task/ Everything is "life cycle analysis", which as I stated avoids eco isolationism. These are not the "granolas" but sophisticated high end skeptical buyers. They are going to look at your building, your lighting, the containers, how these products come to you and by who, and how you treat your trash. That is why there is an ANSI spec for green being approved right now, and an ASTM spec beginning to develop. The Feds have long ago established advertising rules for this-- and hit those with misleading statements hefty fines. This is not a negative but an opportunity for marketing.


  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 1/5/2009 at 9:11 AM Accepted
    Why not team up with a local (quality) hotel and restaurant and provide an escape spa getaway? That would help with the radius - people would drive for a mini-vacation, and spa + food + hotel might be just the combo that would work. By co-marketing with a hotel, your marketing dollars would go much further.

    As Mikee mentions, perhaps attracting groups of women for a weekend retreat, etc.
  • Posted on 1/5/2009 at 9:29 AM Accepted
    Some Ideas:
    Celebrity book signing for a relevant subject book.

    Expert in the field of beauty speaker/seminar/luncheon.
    Guest speaker on spirituality.

    Series of lectures in the field of beauty, spiritualism, improving self, etc. with top experts. Lectures scheduled throughout the day. For one rate can purchase "DAY PASS" to the spa and special lecture series/lunch/appetizers/free beauty bible with sample green products. Almost like a "beauty" tradeshow within the spa.

    Marketing-Riot

  • Posted by michael on 1/5/2009 at 10:51 AM Accepted
    Heidi,

    Don't forget spafinder.com. They're pretty well know in the hospitality industry.

    This is a hard market for me since I can't stand the idea of a massage.

    Michael
  • Posted on 1/5/2009 at 1:31 PM Accepted
    As one Ohioan to another, (we are in the same vicinity), this is going to be a tough sell, at first. You know as well as I, how economically challenged our area is. The other well known spa of which you speak has set itself apart by being about personalized service and privacy for the clients. Its building is as much of the experience, as the treatments are. Other than the green aspect, will this spa offer a personalized experience completely catered to the person receiving the treatment? Nationally recognized/trained individuals performing the spa treatments? What is going to differentiate this spa from other spas that have organic products? Do you offer overnight accomodations? Perhaps your spa's owners would be able to hit the circuit to talk up the organic/green aspect of the spa. You're probably already trying to get some of our "local celebrities" to use the spa and use their visits to generate publicity in local papers, and on radio and TV stations, for instance.
    Out of the box promo ideas --- run a contest to provide services for a grand prize winner from anywhere in the continential US --- spa picks up expenses. Hollywood award season is coming up --- see if you can get some of the organic products placed in the gift bags or a certificate for services placed in the bags. (Yes, a star probably won't come to the midwest for a spa treatment but it sounds good to say award presenters received certificate for complimentary service in your promo materials.) Valentine's Day is coming -- offer a couples treatment package and partner with a personal chef to prepare a romantic dinner (organic, of course) for the couple.
    As for the college campus, since you are upscale I would target the professors or visiting distinguished guests rather than the students for now --- with too many students you might be perceived as a spa for college students.
    And, with the proposed budget, you should be able to advertise the spa fairly well on the local level. Good luck with this project.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 1/5/2009 at 8:16 PM Member
    You guys are assuming that servie and enviro products cost more
  • Posted on 1/6/2009 at 7:38 PM Accepted
    Scavenger hunt or hide beauty products in bags with the salons logo on it throughout the targeted area (maybe with gift cards in the bags or coupons redeemable for gift cards at the salon). Get any local Sororities sisters from the college to help place bags, etc. and donate something to them for their help. Then finally, tip off the media about the frenzy and have them talk about you for free allowing you to spend more money on giveaways for the event.
  • Posted on 1/7/2009 at 5:58 AM Accepted
    1. Offer a price very much lower than the regular price for first trial treatment. By doing this, you'd attract new customers, and keep the customers info for your next event like birthday offer, valentine offer, anniversary etc

    2. Road shows - offer special price like $20 off the normal to those with your coupons/vouchers bought during the road shows.
  • Posted by PennyPR on 1/8/2009 at 11:59 AM Accepted
    There is an obvious contradiction between the green claims and encouraging people to drive for 4 hours there and back. The solution is also an opportunity - you could link up with a carbon offset company to plant trees for the carbon miles your clients expend to travel to you, or buy some land and plant them yourself, thereby creating an opportunity for a press release to that effect. And nice pictures of tree planting for the website and media.
    Press releases well distributed to both online and offline media boost the chances that potential clients find your client online: so many people research spas online these days and online vouchers for the opening month could be promoted with some Pay Per Click Ads too.
    Collaborative marketing with complementary businesses like the hotel mentioned or fitness centres, wedding dress outlets and also local organic retailers will not only help the businesses involved, but provide further insight on what works in these markets in your area.
    It's a fair bet that those who care enough to put organic food inside will want to avoid the parbens and other alleged nasties in most toiletries and cosmetics. Play that angle up with well researched articles and distribute them to the media on and offline - hire a good freelancer with a great health & beauty track record (ask to see samples of their work) and preferably with a track record of placing pieces with the key media you want to get into. Freelance writers make their living by staying close to the commissioning editor's current needs and will sell your story in far more effectively than any PR person, providing you allow them to be objective.
    The scavenger hunt idea above sounds interesting if there's a centre people walk around, but distribute the bags yourself otherwise all the finders will be students tipped off by their mates re location. NB remember to have good photos and videos of this activity lined up for the media and YouTube, FaceBook etc.
    Have they an online booking system so you can sign up web traffic?
    Consider recession-busting facials and make-over demos for local TV companies? Or YouTube?
    Tie up offers with the commercial calendar - Valentines, Mothers, Spring Brides etc.
    Rewards for referrals - cheapest form of advertising is word of mouth and easiest market sector is the converted - existing customers encouraged to buy more with incentives, rewards, special networking and pampering sessions.
    Don't forget to build a permission-based mailing list for an online ezine full of offers and informative articles about the amazing new treatments and products they offer.
    And every new treatment/product is a chance to put out a press release.
    Plus a gala launch party - or series of parties - to provide networking and fun, with amazing prizes, plus more excuses for press releases (launch parties & also prize-giving and great pictures - the more releases you put up online and in your online media room, the more relevant SEO friendly copy builds up on the website.
    And as you attract people, find out what problems you solve. Rather than focus on the products - focus on the solutions.
    Some organic ranges are well-proven for controlling acne and other facial problems with less associated health risks than prescription formulas - tease that side out with lots of well-written press releases and articles, web copy, blogs, ezines, plus comments on blogs and forums devoted to these topics and you will have people willing to travel miles for effective help.



  • Posted by Perrie on 1/8/2009 at 10:32 PM Accepted
    How about having all the manufacturers reps there and offer a day of free treatments, lectures, seminars; have people call or email off website to register and you will build yourself a nice database too... Good Luck
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