Know-How Exchange : Strategy

I'd spend some energy marketing to your existing clients, too -- provide an opt-in newsletter, send them specials or offers so that they rebook. It's always less expensive to get more business from existing customers - and they may well refer their friends.

First, Where is this spa located?
Large city, small town...is your location private or Class A strip mall center?
Having been on a project to help build the awareness of a Day Spa - there are so many things one can do. Whether for a huge investment or a little investment, ultimately nothing truly comes for FREE.
To be brief and simple, here are some programs/opportunities that have worked well.

1. Offer your new and existing clients an opportunity for a FREE massage! By purchasing 'x' number of 'x' treatments one becomes entitled to a FREE massage. the customer is given a member card if you will with 'x' number of punch holes or something. It's an opportunity to obtain a FREE svc. and retain the general appointment flow.
2. Purchasing 'x' number of treatments in advance allowing them to benefit from a discount. This allows for secure appointment totals per month. Clearly, you would have to work through the numbers to see what treatments vs. how high a discount to offer.
3. Depending on your menu of services, maybe consider offering irresistible package deals, whether daily or per occasion/holiday.
After all said and done, your clients want to feel like their visit to the Spa is a well worth opportunity worth talking about to their friends.
send me your email with your specifics.
Hope this is a good start.
CSmith

The local women's or society magazine is a good place to advertise.

Make sure your local hotel (that doesn't have a spa) knows you exist and reward them for sending clients to you.

Sponsor a "First Pilates Class FREE" with the local teacher.

Lots of stuff you can do.

Michael

You could consider a number of different tactics, and it is usually a combination of different things that work together to bring success. You make no mention of what type of budget you have, but here are a few ideas:
-PR-cultivate relationships with local publications-let editors try your spa out with the goal of obtaining positive reviews. Also many magazines do spa reviews-contact the editors of those publications and let them try out your services with the objective of gaining a positive review
-Consider print advertising in the right magazines if your budget permits
-If there are local bloggers in the health and beauty sector, cultivate relationships with them with the objective of obtaining positive reviews over time
-Run some local ads-you could consider a contest for a free spa day-Get some of your suppliers to kick in advertising dollars if possible
-Make sure your website is up to par-test Google Advertising if your budget permits
-You could consider purchasing a local mailing list zeroing in on your demographics and test a direct mail piece with an offer
-For sure, as pointed out above, focus efforts on your existing clients. Repeat business is key for you and that is also where most of your referrals will come from. You need to stay top-of-mind with existing clients and establish regular communication, providing them with information that has value for them.

Hope this helps
Linda Whitehead
Zuz Marketing

I own a very high end skin care spa in Dallas, TX www.reneerouleau.com so I have a lot of expertise in this area, and marketing/PR are my strengths. I could go on and on for days, but here is one suggestion. Have a fabulous event for your top clients. Have a really nice, high end invitation made and send it to your top 50 clients. Tie it in with a launch of something new..a product or service (clients love new) and let them know in the invitation that this new service/product is being unveiled that evening, and they are the first to know. When you're dealing with high end clients, they love exclusivity. Have them invite a friend "You and a guest are invited to the unveiling of..." Your top clients also have friends that could potentially be top clients, so that's why you ask them to invite a friend. Plus, it's no fun to attend an event alone. At the event, you can showfase your other services and you can include that info in the invitation. Have your product vendors demonstrating at the event...a great night to sell products. Be sure to give them fabulous gift bags on their way out. Ask local high-end businesses to donate items (not just paper items) to the bag. Other businesses would love to expose their brand to your top 50 clients so it should be fairly easy to get others involved. Champagne, cocktails, appetizers...and you've got yourself a fabulous event! Plus people spend more when they've got a little alcohol in them! :)

Here is a specific idea we implemented for a client of ours that generated a lot of business:
They were looking to increase their client base and their prospect was similar to yours. They printed up a coupon with an offer for a free 1/2 hour massage. On the back of the coupon was a list of discounts on products they sold.

They distributed the coupons to office buildings in their immediate area. They got a 19% response rate for the massage, and of those people, 83% of them bought product or signed up for more massages/facials/spa, etc. while there.

That one promotion, while somewhat labor intensive on the front end, increased their active client base (at least 1 visit every two months) by over 30%. They gave a little up front and got a lot in return.

How dense is your target market? Study your best and newest customers. Do they live near by or work near by? What percent is out of town and staying at a local hotel? Are they 30+ Beverly Hills affluent, or are they Atlanta Suburb 30+ affluent.

I say direct mail postcards are the way to go. Forget the local city glamor magazine, they aren't pulling like they use to.

You can't go wrong with a beautiful 6x9 post card promoting several offers. Mail it to your nearest and best target market.

K