The Most Effective Spa Marketing Technique You’re Not Using

Recently I spoke at a live event for day spa owners. One of the first questions I always ask wh en I ‘m speaking is: “what spa marketing methods have you used so far that you’ve found to be really effective?”

(I’ll be honest…I already know what they’re going to say, but I’m “baiting” them a little bit).

Without hesitation, hands shoot up all across the room…

“Referrals!” I hear them say, almost in unison.

“Really?” I respond, feigning surprise. “So what you’re saying is, referrals are a great way to get new clients?”

“Then how many of you have a system in place to generate referrals for your spa?”

No hands go up. Blank staring faces. Crickets chirping.

No surprises there.

So now I’ll I ask YOU the same question: Do you have a systematic way to ask your clients for referrals?

If not, why not?

Why Asking For Referrals is One Of The “Fundamental” Spa Marketing Techniques You MUST Implement Regularly

When a satisfied client refers another client to your day spa, the new person is “pre-sold” on doing business with you. There’s no easier “sale” to make. It’s just human nature.

For example, say you moved to a new town and found yourself in need of a car repair. You’ve begun a friendly relationship with your next door neighbor Charlie, so you ask him who you should see to get your car repaired. Without hesitation Charlie says “you should go to see Sam at Precision Car Repair. He’s not the cheapest in town, but he does great work. I’ve been using him for years”. Now, unless you were looking for the cheapest in town to get your car repaired (I sure hope not)…chances are good you would go to see Sam the Repairman without hesitation.You wouldn’t even consider going somewhere else.

These are the kinds of conversations you want your satisfied clients to have with their friends & family about YOUR day spa. There’s only one tiny problem with this scenario…

The Problem With Referrals

In the car repair scenario, there’s one person who’s actively LOOKING for a solution to a problem, and asking another person for the answer. While this is a best-case scenario, it’s not something you can “hang your hat on” if you want to build a spa business with referrals.

The solution? If you want referrals, you’ve gotta ask for them. Most of the spas I’ve seen who sit around and wait for “word of mouth” advertising to kick in and grow their business end up closing their doors!

Referrals are so important to the future of your business, you MUST be proactive and “go out and get ‘em”. For this reason, it only makes sense to implement a SYSTEM in your spa for getting referrals consistently.

How To Implement a Referral System For Your Day Spa

• Make sure with each new client you have multiple ways of communicating with them after the sale. Get their address, email, phone number and permission to send them text messages, if possible. Ask them to become a fan your Facebook page and follow you on Twitter. The best way to GET all this is to GIVE…in other words, give them some sort of free offer (a bribe) in exchange for all of their contact info. Don’t be cheap!

• Warm up the new client by sending he or she a Welcome Gift of some sort. Make sure you send this welcome gift in the mail…not just email. Again, don’t be cheap. Next, send them a spa newsletter that blends your personality with special offers. Don’t be overly “salesy” in your newsletter, but don’t be afraid to offer some compelling offers, either. Remember, everyone loves a deal.

• Once you’ve built this relationship, then ask for referrals. But here’s the thing – it’s not enough “just to ask”. You need to give them a BRIBE. I know this sounds crass, but it works. People are MUCH more likely to send business your way if there’s something in it for them.

• Put a deadline on the referral offer. Remember – an offer is not an offer without a deadline.  And just because you’re asking for a referral doesn’t mean it’s somehow “different” from other offers. It MUST have a deadline. Otherwise, you won’t get any response.

If all this talk of welcome offers, newsletters, and automated referral programs sounds like a lot of work, there’s good news: The Ultimate Spa Marketing system comes “fully loaded” with ALL of this – and SO much more. Proven, profitable promotions that run on auto-pilot, building your sales and profits automatically, so you can actually have a “life” outside your spa.

For a private online “live” demostration of the Ultimate Spa Marketing System, simply fill out this form or call 812-228-9208.