Four Steps to Launching a Successful Spa in 90 Days

The spa industry is thriving and paving a new landscape for experienced professionals to emerge into successful business owners. However, launching a new spa is not easy. It’s an expensive, time-consuming endeavor that requires talent, creativity, and determination. That’s why arming yourself with the right knowledge and tools can ensure growth and prosperity. Before starting up your new spa business, learn how to implement the proper strategies to garner success in just 90 days. 

First, determine your spa vision. 

Defining the experience is important. It will impact the target audience, physical space, and so much more. When deciding the spa vision, consider the guest experience and how the treatments, atmosphere, and ambience evokes feelings and emotions. In addition, given the highly-saturated marketplace, you will want to assess neighboring businesses and determine different ways to remain competitive. Doing so will help your business stand out amongst the marketplace and remain profitable by offering various services, products, and discounts. 

Second, assemble a business plan. 

Even with years of experience and a superb reputation, it’s still essential to create a smart business plan that is concise, unique, and specific about why the spa will be successful. In addition to an executive summary and financial projections, make sure to also consider including strategies to address the following: 

  • Cash reserves: Estimating startup costs is important, but also consider how to manage cash reserves for unexpected costs and fees that may incur. 
  • Business Model: Determine if the spa will adhere to a salary or booth rental format as well as the requirements/rules that need to be obliged. 
  • Continued education: No matter the spa format, employees are the face of the business so determine how to promote continued education for staff and encourage them to learn new skills and expand services.  
  • New trends: Innovation is key. Layout different strategies that keeps the spa ahead of the curve rather than sticking to old ways that can lead to business downturn. 
  • Appointments: Select a process that helps with scheduling without tarnishing relationships and bogging down the system. New technology allows beauty professionals to handle online booking, so set aside money to incorporate this software into the business.  

Third, embrace innovative technology.

One challenge is making the transition from an employee to a business owner and juggling new responsibilities. Fortunately, new software can tackle these new duties and serve as a viable business partner. These all-in-one solutions can help with inventory management, budget, scheduling, marketing, point-of-sale, online booking, spa-relationship management, and so much more. 

Not only will these integrations provide a more holistic view of your spa, but also help manage the business with ease and efficiency. Certain solutions can also save spa owners up to 40 percent in software costs and free up hours of time, allowing you to focus on what you do best: making clients feel beautiful. 

If you follow the booth rental approach, recommend spa professionals use the same software tools to help them deliver a better client experience while maintaining cohesiveness across the entire spa.  

Fourth, create a digital marketing strategy. 

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so incorporate a memorable marketing strategy alongside the launch that continues throughout the spa’s tenure. When creating a marketing plan, focus on goals that are realistic, achievable, and align with the spa’s target audience.

Every smart digital marketing plan should also: 

  • Promote a consistent and relevant brand. This means establishing brand standards that give an overview of the company’s vision as well as brand colors, logo specs, and messaging. Stay loyal to these standards to help establish a brand identify. 
  • Maintain a modern, sleek and mobile-optimized website. With more than 98 percent of consumers on mobile devices, the website should navigate across all devices especially mobile. 
  • Incorporate social media advertisements. Leverage social media ads by segmenting messaging to key target audiences. 
  • Always be testing. Identify customers’ needs, test hypothesis in paid social media ads, or marketing campaigns to further determine how best to connect with clients. 
  • Outsource digital marketing operations. This keeps costs down while maximizing profits, so partner with “middle-of-the-line” vendors or software providers with a proven track record of attracting and retaining clients. 

Whether its opening a spa business or starting your career as an independent spa professional, don’t let the risk of failure stop you from following your dreams. Take the time to prepare for this new venture by acknowledging and planning for various risk factors instead of harping on potential obstacles. With the right amount of talent, skill and determination, you’ll be more than ready to tackle this new beauty adventure. 

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