The holiday season is a time of heightened energy and excitement when our clients are eager to look their best and spend quality time with their loved ones. As our busiest time of the year, it's the perfect opportunity to introduce new services, add-ons and little extra touches. These offerings enhance our clients' experience and showcase the best our industry has to offer, from innovative products to face and body devices, all complemented by our personal touch. By highlighting the benefits of these new services and add-ons, we can encourage our clients to try them and enhance their holiday experience.
During the holiday, some clients feel stress and anxiety about traveling, entertaining, or even searching for the best gift to give. In this fast-paced phase that we go through from October to the beginning of January, we must have everything ready for our clients to help them relax and trust in us that we have them covered. We want to anticipate their needs and let them know when they have a gift to give; looking their best, they know they can come straight to us. We are the first person they think of. How do we become their "go-to" person?
1. Show Gratitude
It starts with how we would like to be treated and helped during the holidays and then extends to what we need to be thorough for our clients and ourselves. Let's start with ordering enough retail products and back bar products, gift cards, gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons, wrapping paper, labels, product samples, cleaning supplies, fresh linens, decorations and thank you notes.
I like to mail a handwritten thank you note letting my clients know how much I appreciate them. Without them, I wouldn't be in business. This time frame has the highest traffic due to increased clients' need to look and feel their best.
2. Sample a Service
Offer a complimentary service or add-on – it is a win-win. They get to try something new. The next time they come in, they may want to add that to their service. That is extra income for you, especially come January when it can be slow. By doing this, you are planting the seed for the winter months to continue to get treatments.
3. Electrify Your Services
The amount of add-ons you can offer is endless. If you have a micro-current machine, you can do an add-on for the eyes to lift the eyelids/brows and help tighten the crow's feet. This is a quick 5-10 minute add-on. I have seen with my clients that adding microcurrent to their eye area has extended their Botox injections.
High frequency works well, too. Your clients will thank you if you use it on their scalp. It relaxes and stimulates blood flow to the follicles. If you have not yet tried this yourself, please do. It helps de-stress your clients tremendously. Add a light therapy mask to them as you massage their neck and shoulders. Have light therapy devices to sell all wrapped up and ready for purchase.
4. Shake Out the Stress
If you have a shake plate, have them go on it for 10 minutes. The vibration helps detox and improves their energy due to increased blood flow. We offer our shake plate to our clients, especially when they need a body treatment service. It does not require any time from your book. It helps the clients feel better. It's like they are shaking off their stress! This is such a great offer for your clients; think about all the holiday parties they attend and the bloat that occurs to our bodies when we indulge in sugar, alcohol and even flour.
5. Think About the Lymph
Start and finish your facial with lymphatic drainage, helping them to detox. Lymphatic drainage is one of the best tools we can offer our clients. According to the spa software we use at our spa, they calculate a revenue generation of 27% of clients who are rewarded a complimentary service come back to pay in full for the service. In the long term, you will not lose out on revenue.
6. Share On Social
Do a simple social media post of your treatment room. Film a 10-15 second video with your cell phone of your treatment room looking clean, relaxing and welcoming. Have spa music playing in the background. Walk your client through the experience. If you like, you can do a short video of the spa so a client is less intimidated to come in. One out of four women have never been to a spa, which can help them feel less anxious. You can make short videos of any devices you have and talk about the complementary service you would like to add to their spa service. It is all about connecting and educating our clients. I believe that to be successful, you need to be vulnerable, so don't worry if your hair isn't perfect. It's about the message, and that is that you have our clients' needs taken care of. You are their person!
7. Show Off Your Products
Show a quick video of your favorite products and why you love them. Explain what the product will do for their skin and why you love it. Share your successful experiences using them. Create beautifully wrapped gifts, available in all price ranges from $25.00 to $500.00, and have them ready to sell. This level of service keeps clients returning and referring us to others. It is our lifeline. I like to make sure our best-selling products are in our clients' direct line, whether at the register, in a window display, or on a display within their site. This will attract them and make it easy for them to buy gifts.
8. Countdown On Social
Once again, it is all about making everyone's lives less stressful. Offering a social media countdown is another way of being in front of clients. You could do a daily countdown of a holiday launch party, giveaway, or a holiday package, whatever you decide is right for you and your clients. You know what they like and dislike. Keep the social media post engaging by posting daily to build anticipation. They can be a post with a picture or a 10- second video.
If you have the time, try this idea: Ask your clients to post about their favorite service at your business and tag you. A great time to do this is in December for the 12 days of Christmas. You can offer $5.00 off any service for the posting. It's a great way to build your business fast.
Be Kind To Yourself
Remember to be kind to yourself and have grace. This season is filled with nonstop energy of excitement, anticipation, and stress, which create long days for us. Do something for yourself daily to help ease the stress, whether taking deep breaths, having your coworkers massage your shoulders for 5 minutes, or prepping healthy food that is easy to eat on the go. Wishing you all the most amazing and blessed holiday season!
by Lisa Stewart for Skin Inc Magazine