The IECSC is in Orlando October 4th - 6th this year.  Yours truly will be speaking on Saturday morning at 9:15 on driving retail sales through the roof.  This conference has always been a mainstay for estheticians, and spa owners and this year should prove no exception.  See below the class description.  Be at my class, tell me you read about it on the TopSpaBee and you will receive a FREE gift.

Ten Ways to Drive Retail Sales Through the Roof
Nancy Reagan - Spa First Lady, N. Reagan Spa
Retail Sales are the largest driver of profit in a spa. Every increase in retail improves the profit to the bottom line. Ten ways to increase retail will include merchandizing tips, lighting, signage, recommendations forms, retail mix and other techniques (like don’t let them check out before the service) to inspire your front desk and therapists to drive retail sales through the roof. Retail Sales should be at least 15% of your revenue. This presentation would benefit spa managers, owners, and therapists. The value of increasing retail sales provides a direct flow through to the bottom line of profit and increased consumer loyalty.

10 Do NOT’s

1.      Do NOT blame.

2.      Do NOT justify (Excuses, Excuses).

3.      Do NOT complain.

4.      Do NOT  feel guilty about being out of balance ( it’s ok for a season).

5.      Do NOT quit starting and stopping. Stick with it.

6.      Do NOT take a million breaks.

7.      Do NOT be afraid .

8.      Do NOT manage or mingle in other people’s business (mind yourself).

9.      DO NOT listen to the wrong people (success will silence your critics).

10. DO NOT expect to much in the short run and too little in the long run.

10 Do’s

1.      Do believe (in your choices).  You have a choice.

2.      Do put both feet in.  Give it your all.

3.      Do be a lifer…no matter what your age.

4.      Do focus (successful people often have tunnel vision).

5.      Do mind your self-esteem (try not to speak badly to yourself).

6.      Do work it everyday.  Just DO IT!

7.      Do pretend you are going on vacation everyday. (You know how much you get done the day before vacation?)

8.      Do lead by example. (pretend like you have a team).

9.      Do love people where they are.

10. Do laugh at yourself.

Branding a spa may start with the niche, the name, the services, but that’s not the whole enchilada.  Branding includes the interior design, the feel, the smells, the furniture, putting it more succinctly branding includes all six senses…no kidding, not just sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell…it also includes that sense that no one talks about…the sixth sense….I like to call it the sense of good energy or bad energy.

True branding starts at the planning of the spa, at the design, the layout, the interior design, the concept details from start to finish.  You can feel the effects of true branding when you walk into a spa and it just all pulls together.  Some spas can have the best architect, designers, and spa consultants, but when the management and marketing begin their work, it just doesn’t pull together.  But the same can happen in reverse.  True branding carries the process from pre-planning and conceptual through marketing, advertising, and promotion.

By branding it easier to show examples of where branding falls short:  (these are real-life examples)

1. A eastern oriental themed spa serves coffee in mugs (maybe it should be green or black tea in tea cups)
2. A southern, plantation style spa has bamboo leaf table covers (maybe they should have been gardenias or magnolia leaves)
3. The menu of a southwestern style spa offers Napa Valley wine body treatments (maybe by indigenous it should have been an ancient Indian red clay mud treatment)
4. Walking into a very upscale and prestigious spa in a major metro city, the paintings on the walls are fabric covered frames of horses running and the Kleenex in the locker rooms are fabric sewn cozys)
5. An organic, green spa served (much as we love them) Mrs. Field’s cookies on their guest amenity table.

Yes, there are thousands of examples, but take a walk through your spa.  What is the niche of your spa?  Does every detail down to the shampoo and conditioner tie into your brand and theme?  Do your product lines match your brand?   If you had to call your brand a name, let’s say “Luci”, would Luci use that shampoo?  Would Luci have that painting on the wall?  Do the floors and décor match Luci?  If all the details do not tie into the brand, then you may be confusing your clients with your brand uncertainty.

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!