It’s an important time of year for hospitality. Here’s how to maximize the holiday season to attract new spa customers and convert them into regulars.
The holidays are an important time of year for spas and one of the busiest full of seasonal cheer, travel, and gift card purchasing. Your spa will have the opportunity to welcome a lot of new customers and start fostering longer term relationships.
You’re a professional and you already know how to do this, but just so you don’t forget anything, here’s a list of strategies for maximizing the holiday season’s potential for attracting new customers and turning them into regulars.
Attract new spa customers over the holidays and keep them coming back
Gift card promotions
Encouraging the purchase of gift cards for friends and family is huge for customer acquisition and retention during the holidays. Gift cards can boost sales and introduce new clients to the spa. Offering a small discount or additional service with the purchase of a gift card can be an effective incentive. Digital gift cards make this much easier. More than half of consumers surveyed before the pandemic reported being interested in giving or receiving digital gift cards that can be added to a mobile app or digital wallet. Given the rise in virtual adoption since then, you can be certain that this number has increased.
Holiday-themed treatments and packages
Offering limited-time, holiday-themed treatments or packages can entice customers to book appointments. These could include seasonal scents, festive decor, and treatments that align with the holiday spirit. In a multicultural location, you can make this inclusive by focusing on all the possible holidays your guests might celebrate at this time of year.
Membership and loyalty programs
Launching or promoting membership or loyalty programs during the holidays can encourage repeat visits. Offer special holiday discounts, exclusive services, or points to members during the festive season.
Host special events and workshops
Hosting holiday-themed events or workshops, such as skincare classes, relaxation techniques, or wellness seminars, can draw in new and existing clients. Launch a new product and offer mini services at an exclusive gathering. These events offer a unique experience and can be a way to showcase your offerings.
Email marketing and social media campaigns
Staying on top of your email marketing and social media to promote holiday specials, events, or gift ideas keeps you top of mind. Personalized email campaigns can target existing clients with tailored offers.
Collaborations with local businesses
Partnering with local businesses for cross-promotion can attract a wider customer base. For example, a spa could collaborate with a local gym, restaurant, or boutique to offer a combined holiday package.
Staff training
Train employees to sell your gift cards, promote loyalty programs and memberships, and encourage repeat visits. Create incentives or contests to reward whoever sells the most cards or signs up the most members during the season. Your team members are on the front lines with customers and their efforts will increase sales.
Follow up and feedback requests
After a client’s holiday visit, sending a follow-up email to thank them and request feedback can enhance customer relations. This could also include an incentive for booking their next appointment, and is also a good time to encourage online reviews from those happy customers.
Referral incentives
Encouraging clients to refer friends and family with incentives can be a powerful tool. This could include discounts or free services for both the referrer and the referee.
Yield management
Capture every dollar of potential revenue while also maximizing occupancy accommodating the right guests at the right times so that as many people as possible can take advantage of what you have to offer.
Guest relationship management
Collect and log guest information, including experience and product preferences, past activities, purchase history, health information, and more in your software system so you can personalize both communications and repeat visits. Book4Time makes this information easily accessible and shareable between team members, even across multiple locations, so everyone can stay on top of things and create the ultimate personalized services and experiences.
Be amazing & be creative
There will be a lot of people buying spa gift cards and visiting spas over the holidays – and there are a lot of spas out there. So, why would they choose one over another in the first place and why should they go back to yours? Because of whatever makes your guest experience special, exquisite, and unique, that’s why. Offer the best guest service you possibly can while creating something that is specific to your brand and that people can’t find anywhere else.
The holidays, with their excitement and energy, are the perfect time to hone in on what makes your brand one of a kind and really showcase it to the world.
These strategies are designed to create a festive and engaging experience for clients, potentially increasing their likelihood of returning after the holiday season.