5 Step Advice for a 5-Star Rating

The spa industry is booming with an expected growth rate far surpassing many other industries, and with so many different services and products out there, competition is at an all time high. The accessibility of various review sites can make it even more difficult to build a business as word of mouth travels much faster in our technology-driven world. Here are five easy steps a skin-trepreneur should do for earning, maintaining, and boosting business while standing out above the rest.

1. Craft a bespoke treatment and homecare plan – In today’s fast-paced world, clients want to meet their skin goals as quickly as possible, and the best way to generate and maintain results is by creating an individualized program specifically focused on their skin condition(s). Clients are literally putting their skin in our hands, and it is important we help them understand treatments alone cannot be the only avenue taken to address their concerns. The way they treat it when they are not with us is just as important as what we do when they are. It’s our responsibility to educate them on their role and commitment in our partnership, and part of that is proper homecare. This builds the strength, health and tolerance of their skin assisting us to move their treatments forward in a progressive manner. Explaining a thoughtfully created treatment and homecare plan is much more likely to gain loyalty, especially when you book their next treatment before they leave – the power couple of pre-booking and homecare recommendations sets up both of you for skin health success.

2. Offer a loyalty program – It’s much easier and less expensive to build loyalty and retain a returning client than it is to find new clients. An easy way to motivate clients to come back is by providing rewards. There are many different loyalty program models, with examples including offering points based on dollar spend that are redeemable for services or products, giving discounted or complimentary treatments in exchange for referrals, and/or discounts on series purchases. Selecting the details of your program could be as easy as surveying your current clients to find out what interests them most, but keep in mind you will most likely not be able to satisfy everyone. One note about reward programs; simplicity is more likely to drive understanding and therefore more engaged participation from your clients and staff.

3. Maintain an online presence – As most consumers tend to do online research before patronizing a business, not having a webpage, or at least some sort of social media presence, is no longer an option. Building your website and engaging with consumers through social media affords you some control over how your business is portrayed to the world, and allows your voice to be heard in the online conversation. Utilizing sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram also provides an opportunity for you to remain in touch with your loyal clients on a continued basis, while driving potential new clients to your business. Choose the best platform for you by ascertaining which your clients tend to use the most, and post content that shows off your knowledge and skills and is on-brand for you.

4. Attend continuing education – Part of the reason why this industry continues to grow is because of the development of new ingredients, methods, and technologies. This information is often available to consumers through many different media outlets, including content created by “online influencers”. Staying ahead of the curve is important as clients will not trust a practitioner who is seemingly less knowledgeable than themselves. Attending classes allows us to perfect current skills and learn new ones, gain a deeper understanding of skin conditions and how to best treat them. You can get up to date on the newest ingredients and modalities, network with other practitioners, and reignite passion for your work. There is nothing more satisfying than applying your new knowledge to achieve faster and/or enhanced results, or being able to field client questions in a more educated and professional manner.

5. Be consistent – It is easy to become comfortable in our business once we achieve success; however, that success can only be maintained by buckling down and continuing the same practices that helped us initially. Studies have shown it is typical under normal conditions to lose approximately a third of clients annually, and those clients need to be replaced for continued business building and success. Furthermore, providing consistent and best in class customer service sets client expectations, and is more likely to maintain their loyalty and motivate them to refer their friends and family. Every client is looking for a result, and it is our responsibility to help them each reach their goals. Remember, giving homecare recommendations and customized treatments based on continued education creates positive effects on the skin. All of these steps encourage your clients to continue to book appointments, engage with you online, share their skin success stories, and refer others; all resulting in happy, satisfied clients and a for you a booming healthy business.