There are few work environments as serene as a spa. That said, it’s important to not get too relaxed – you’ve still got a business to run! When it comes to running a successful spa business, there are a few tips and tricks that are worth knowing. Below are just some of the tips and tricks every spa business should follow.
Focus on creating a relaxing environment
Satisfying customers in a spa business is less about providing a service and more about providing an experience. While it’s important to have working facilities and qualified staff to carry out treatments, the decor and the ambience is what will make your spa memorable. Focus on making your spa relaxing to all senses. When it comes to decor, use calming colours and warm lighting combined with unique features to make your spa distinctive (such as fish tanks, buddha statues, paintings etc.). Consider looking into a streaming music service for spa facilities, and explore different types of relaxing music. When it comes to scents, experiment with various relaxing aromas (smell is strongly linked to memory and could help your spa to stand out in people’s minds).
Hire experienced staff members to carry out treatments
When visiting a spa, customers expect top quality massages and therapy treatments. Make sure that you hire a few experienced staff members to carry out these treatments. You can still train up employees here, but there should be at least a few therapists that know what they are doing and who you can count on to provide a great service.
Don’t feel that you need a huge premises
Some people are put off launching a spa business, because they assume that a large building is required. However, smaller buildings can sometimes be more cosy. They’re also a lot cheaper and easier to run. A smaller building could mean not having space for that giant steam room and swim spa that you’d envisioned, but you can still invest in smaller luxury features like hot tubs and saunas.
Hire a professional photographer to take photos
It’s important that the photos in your marketing make your spa look like a paradise. Consequently, you don’t want to be skimping on poor quality DIY photos. Instead, hire a professional photographer who can use lighting and editing to help produce the best quality photos. Use these to promote your facility on social media, on your website, in flyers and in brochures.
Offer profitable experience packages
When looking for spa treatment as a gift or as a personal treat, many customers are drawn to experience packages. These typically include a variety of services at a discounted price. Wheel these can be a great way to attract customers, you need to make sure that they are still profitable. If most of your income comes from discounted services, your profits are likely to be slimmer – make sure that you’re not just breaking even and that you’re also earning money to put back into your business.
Consider a hybrid business model
Many spa facilities aren’t just spas. Some are spa-gyms. Others are spa hotels. Many even have bars or shops attached. This can provide an extra source of revenue so that you’re not entirely reliant on spa-only customers. Some companies also find that pricing these services a little higher allows them to charge less for their spa services – which could be useful in helping you to attract more customers. Of course, a hybrid business model is more complex to run, so you need to be careful of taking on too much. Any extra services you offer should be kept simple. Alternatively, you could hire someone to manage this part of your business (such as someone to specifically manage the restaurant or hotel side of things, while you manage the spa).
Renovate and upgrade equipment frequently
Worn decor and faulty equipment doesn’t look good in any business environment, however it can be particularly damaging to the reputation of a spa in which everything needs to feel fresh. It could be worth carrying out annual renovations to keep your premises looking good – which could include repainting walls and refinishing wood and stone surfaces. Meanwhile, make sure to get rid of any old equipment in good time before it becomes worn or outdated. Regular deep cleaning could be important too for making sure that your spa feels like a haven – cobwebs and mold are not going to create a very relaxing environment.
