Holy, Spa Finder, this industry has grown.  How does anyone starting out in this industry make great purchasing and business decisions?    I suppose it is like any other industry, with some good products, some bad products and some really ugly products.  The problem along the way is not spending too much money before you figure out the good, the bad, and the ugly of the spa industry. 

Las Vegas was this weekend again the host to another major skin and body show.  This is the west coast version of the IESCS, June 28th-30th, with the IBS joining in the celebration of beauty, skin, and spa.  It was an ever present reminder that even though our country may be in the throes of a recession, the beauty and spa industry is alive, kicking and always ready for the next best product, machine, or spa treatment.  And you have the mix of serious buyers for spas and salons, and the new esthetician that wants to buy one of everything.  It is an eclectic mix of people, products, and energy.

Buyer beware it might be pretty, or temporarily moisturizing, but that doesn’t mean it works or that it will last.   You have to go to a show with clear cut goals, budgets and shopping lists.  You must have clear cut revenue streams attached to your purchases, if not your budget and credit card will be blown to bits by the hottest new item to hit the market. 

For first time attendees, our recommendation is to either go with a clear cut list with details of what you need to purchase or attach yourself to a spa consultant that can guide you through the maze.  You are looking at over 3200 booths, with countless products and of course, not everything is together so you have to zig and zag across the show floor with clear cut goals.  Spend day one walking the entire show, stopping at the booths that interest you, but without opening your purse.  Collect information and alternatives so that your next show days are productive. 

When you go to work with your vendor, have your card or information ready, so that the vendor can clearly see that you are a serious buyer worthy of their attention.  I overheard from one show buyer that the vendor was not taking her seriously with her questions.  On the vendor side, they are bombarded by hordes of people, asking questions, looking at the booths, and picking up products.  They have to be on for 8-9 hours straight….it is not an easy task.  When you are a serious buyer, preface your introduction with your information.  Unless the vendor needs sales training, they will pay very close attention to your requests and information.

Trade shows are not easy for the vendor or the buyer.  Whenever I tell anyone that I’m going to Vegas for a spa show, their eyes light up with the brain thinking…”ah…you must be going to have fun, & party”.  Actually, I am going to walk about 20 miles in 2-3 days, with terrible trade show food, sore feet and legs, and fuzzy brain syndrome (what happens when your brain goes on overload from seeing too many things in a small space of time).   It still is not easy to filter through the good, the bad, & the ugly…but at least you know how to skip to the next booth!

Okay, I have seen it all, cellulite gone in seconds, reduce fat, lose weight, etc.  I don’t believe half of what anyone says, less from what they do, and even less from….well, you get it I’m sure.  The beauty and spa  industry has its share of magicians, and I don’t know what made me stop at this booth….but I saw a picture of these legs…you know, the dimply, cottage cheese legs…you know the legs- I really have legs, but every product known to man has not stopped the dimples.  I am convinced that I was born with it, I inherited it, and it will never go away unless I have some invasive surgery or a leg transplant.  Now just look at those legs…would you believe it?   And inches gone in 45 minutes?

There were people lined up getting measured and putting on target body wraps….this was at the Premiere Orlando Beauty Show June 2nd.   The product was called It Works!  (It better work) Now this is cool, I want to try this.  And like the lollipop that I am, I tried my first of many ultimate body applicators.  The wrap is very cool when you put it on, and I wore it for almost two hours, but they told me that you only need 1 hour because it uses 80% of the targeted ingredients after 1 hour.  I wore the applicator and came back to get measured.  1 inch off my waist….get out…let me see the ingredients. 

Well, I looked through the ingredients,  there is nothing magical, but I think it is the blend that must make it work.   It is formulated without lanolin, propylene glycol, isopropyl alcohol, lanolin, artificial colorants, synthetic fragrances or animal by-products.  And then I saw the parabens….well they need something to preserve all of the vitamins and essential oils, but they don’t have formaldehyde and they are very, very low parabens.  From my esthetician days, I know that masks impregnated with products soak into the skin faster than if left to the open air.  The brain has a physiological function that makes it think that you are suffocating the skin, so the body sends down messengers to create circulation in the area that has on the mask.  The skin will then soak up the ingredients from the applicator faster because the mask is covering the skin totally and it is occlusive to the skin.  A great deal of information, but it basically means the brain causes the skin to soak up the ingredients.

You can see more videos here of the applicators being applied to the face, the neck, the abdomen, or the legs.  And you might too become a believer….Now, I am trying to build protocols for body treatments, facials, and of course, the turkey gobble neck.  The product actually works….it diminishes the fat cells… and what American woman doesn’t want to put on a wrap, curl up with a book, in front of the TV and lose inches.  You mean to tell me I can lose inches without exercising? Am I dreaming?  Check it out!  It Works!

As you grow in any industry you will always find sources and resources that are trusted and those that don’t fit your spa niche or simply don’t provide the right information.  One resource that you can always depend on is www.SpaTrade.com.    SpaTrade was founded in 2000 and acts as a resource knowledge base filled with articles, information, sources, and podcasts on just about anything in the spa industry.

I asked Nancy Griffin, the tireless, founder of SpaTrade what makes SpaTrade so unique and special.  She replied that:

• SpaTrade is “by the people for the people”. The site has survived due to the participation of our membership–member-generated content and active forums compliment the news and expert articles in the knowledge base.
• The site has focused recently on providing tips for day spas to survive during these turbulent time and creative marketing strategies to attract a new generation of spa-goer
  

Given the growth pains of the industry, SpaTrade gives spa owners, directors, and managers a resource that provides solid, valuable information.  There is a knowledge base (one of my favorites), an ask the expert, and special resources from the spa industry.  From the year 2000 to the present over 10,000 members have joined SpaTrade.  Use it and trust it like a friend.

When you are working (yes, being a massage therapist or esthetician is a job) the room needs to be set up with thought and understanding of how you work and the need for speed.  Although your client should never feel your speed, everything should be within reach, organized, and setup for easy access.  If you have never been a therapist before, it is very obvious when an architect or interior designer is clueless about room setup.

Setup of the treatment room should allow for the following and I think everything should be hidden (it looks clean, uncluttered, and you never see the “trash”)

1. Mobil Cart that moves around the room (great for esthetician & for body treatments) (3-4 drawers)
2. Hot Towel Cabinet
3. Cold Refrigerator
4. Towel Storage
5. Laundry Storage (Under Table)
6. Back-Bar Organization (at least 3 drawers)
7. Sink
8. Under Sink (paper towels)
9. Any machines or equipment should be on carts (preferably enclosed)

There are of course other very important items needed in the treatment room, but the list above are the key items.  Treatment room setup and design needs to be a joint collaboration with your management team of therapists.

You know you are on to something when the client wants to take the sheets home.  Now, you ask, how did that happen? 

In 2004, I was attending ISPA, and met this great couple at a booth.  They had these incredible sheets…very soft…very stain resistant and really beautiful.  Up until then, the industry used twin sheets.  The couple were Robert (from the robe industry) and Mia (a massage therapist who designed her own sheets).  The best part was the fabric…at this conference, they were pouring wine on the sheets to show that they would not stain.  I placed an order in of course blue Jacquard and tan fabric, with blankets, table covers, and the sheets.

I waited and waited and waited.  I would talk with Mia from time to time and they were perfecting the fabric, checking the dye lots, re-sewing the pockets, shortening the table covers, putting in new elastic.  Mia and Robert were getting it right–and today they continue to get it right.

Today, you can order directly from The Comphy Company for your spa.  You can mix and match your fabric and your colors, or of course, you can special order.  You will not find better sheets in the industry–even from copycats. 

Additionally, now we have sheets to sell to our clients.  They kept asking, “Can I purchase those sheets?”  “I want to take the Sheets Home”.  You can also purchase Twin, Queen, & King size sheets.  Of course they come Mia style with a jacquard tie.   Great massage retail!

After talking with 5 lighting designers, the architect, the interior designer, and the true Guido to lighting–the chief electrician himself, we still  had clients sitting in shadows.  Now, these were not just any old shadows, clients would remark, “I think I look older”, “I am looking very gaunt”,  “Well, I know I don’t look that good, but my hair…I just don’t know.  It became almost a daily occurrence.  Now, lighting to a massage therapist is ho-hum, but lighting to a hair stylist or a nail technician is the world.  And you certainly know when you just don’t have it right.

The original specifications for lighting drew upon this new type of “work” bulb that came in a pair or in quads.  When tested, it looked like you could light up the night, but when it came down to actually cutting hair or putting in highlights, the lights put off shadows that crept across the client like ivy on a brick wall.   The solution was to add in very tasteful track lights that allowed the hairstylists to angle the lights to fill the shadows.   
Lesson Learned #1:  Lighting is super important, not only to see your work, but to have clients feel great about how they look-highlights & all.
Lesson Learned #2: Even the experts sometimes make a mistake.  We had all of the experts and nobody caught the lighting issue.

Luckily, after each time the client would complain about how they looked, we would rush them over to the makeup chair and touch up their color.  Well it sure helped to increase makeup sales. 

You will hear spa owners lament over their nail departments with constant complaints of “I cannot find reliable help”, “It is such a messy department”, “we don’t make any money on nails”.

Stop whining and take your nail department to the spa.  Yes, create your nail department so that it is skin care for the hands and feet.  You don’t just do nails…you do skin care for the body.  Create a professional nail department that is spa quality. 

What is spa quality?  Think about your treatment rooms?  Would you put 3 people in a 10 x 15 room?  What is the ambiance of your nail department versus your treatment rooms?  Do they match?  Forget those cheesy formica nail tables and create a beautiful nail department, fill it with smiling, professional nail techs and create skin care for the hands and feet.  Yes, it can be done.

Impressions of the spa come from the 3 key design areas which include the entry or reception area, the locker areas (could include water therapies), and the relaxation area and treatment rooms.  

The entry and reception area is absolutely a deal breaker if it is not done correctly.  The reception area sets the tone, the theme and the brand of the spa.  Is it contemporary, hip, meditative, eastern, greek, or classic?  Do you touch the senses-seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling.?  Is each sense engaged?  Is there an ah-ha moment here?  Does your guest feel welcomed?  There also must be an area to depressurize the guest.  They are coming from outside the spa, where the world is buzzing and moving fast.  They need an area to start the process of relaxation.

The second key area of the spa is the changing area or locker room.  This area needs a sense of privacy and protection, plus this is the key moment for sanitary evaluation.   From steam room to sauna to showers or pools, this area is the one place where the guests will check out the dust, the mold, the grout lines, and bathrooms.  The attention to detail in a spa can never be understated, but the changing area is a key area in design.  Wherever possible, the least amount of grout lines, or any ideas or equipment that you can implement that provides sanitation, and future preventive maintenance, the better off the spa is in terms of sanitation and ongoing housekeeping.

The third key area are the treatment rooms and relaxation area.  The major key here is peace of mind, safe, and comfortable.   People could be disrobing, and will they feel comfortable in the atmosphere?  The area must impart a total sense of peace, while allowing for guests that are experiencing the spa together to have alcoves or areas to sit together.  In the treatment room, please give the client a place to sit to disrobe, and enough room to not feel claustrophobic.  The treatment rooms can either be too larger and canyon like or too small.  Too large, and you do not feel warmth, and protection vs. too small, and you feel closed in.

These three areas are considered to be the deal breakers in designing a spa.  Each area must be considered very carefully and with key attention to the details.  We have all been to a spa where the feeling was not cohesive, or the design did not carry through–deal or no deal–don’t mess up the deal breakers.

What? Brand the spa interior?  What does that mean?  Well, don’t look at me, I didn’t know either until after Rome was built.  You see, first you create the brand in your head, your brand has a heart, it has emotions, it has color, your brand has all the feelings and emotions you want your spa guest to experience–both intangible and tangible. 

• Spend hours with magazines, books, and the internet looking at interiors.
• Look at colors, designs, and feelings that emote your brand. 
• Visit other spas and visit hotels, especially boutique hotels.
• Start files of information of your likes and your loves.
• Then pretend you are at the front door of your spa, walking in the door.
• Take your plans and slowly walk from room to room-What do you see? How do you feel?

The next step involves sitting for days and days with your interior designer.  And if they are not a spa interior designer, they need to have experience with a similar type structure–preferably commercial.  Building a spa is such a unique structure that not just any interior designer can know the right questions to ask.  Your interior designer can guide you through the colors, the feel, the space concepts and branding the spa interior.  The interior needs the same branding as the brochure, the bags, the uniforms—it is all one spa experience from the treatment to the walls. 

What is your spa brand?  What are your spa colors?  If your spa had a name, what would it be?  If your spa had one emotion, what would that emotion be?  By starting to answer questions, you start to plan and brand your spa interior.

You have started to envision your over the top spa with all of the water features, when you start to ponder the locker room.  You start an amenity list like the one below, but it keeps going and going and going.  Unless you have built a spa before, the locker room area is where you need to attach yourself to fabulous spa consultant that knows what they are doing.

PARTIAL LIST OF LOCKER ROOM AMENITIES

Free-standing (on counter) soap dispensers

Sufficient space for clean/soiled linen; refuse disposal

Finishes to be durable, natural materials that are easily cleaned

Women’s- Body Lotion, Mouthwash w/cups, cotton balls, swabs,

hand soap, sealed brushes, combs in sanitizing solution, Makeup

remover, tissues, trash receptacle

Other:

Wall mirror

Wall lights

Faucets (on sensors)

Soap dispensers (on sensors)

Amenity trays for cleansers

Consumables: razor, shaving gel, q tips, tooth brush, tooth paste,

mouth wash, paper cups

Trash bins

Tissue dispensers

The locker room area is where your clients can see the dirt, the housekeeping, the attention to detail, the defects, the surprises, the down and dirty.  The locker area requires an expert, because if one thing is not done correctly, your spa will not recover from this defect.  Why, you ask?  Because, think of the time that the client spends in the locker room.  Think of all the things that they have to break.  Think of the baseboards to clean.  Think of the mold in the steam room.  Think of the slippage in the water area.  Did the drain slant the right way? Is water pouring out of the shower?  Did they order clear glass for the shower doors instead of opaque?  What brand of steam generator do you purchase and why?  Are the fixtures commercial?  Is there a place for towels? 

The amenity list for the locker area is so endless that you need an expert to guide you through the process.  Don’t wait another second–it will be the best money you have ever spent.  Need a recommendation?