2009/2010 - Top Five Spa Trends

2. MEMBERSHIPS, LOYALTY AND FREQUENT BUYER PROGRAMS
Impressive statistics show that 70% of sales are represented by consumers who belong to loyalty programs and participate in members only exclusive offers. Membership programs such as VIPs, Loyalty, Customer Appreciation, Frequent Buyer, etc., are highly effective in cultivating consumer retention and encouraging a healthier bottom line. Clearly, consumers love loyalty programs.

Membership programs are becoming a popular trend in the spa community and are an effective way for management to stay connected while working hard building consumer loyalty. The membership process places the spa in an excellent position to understand their client's needs and create unmatchable value, superior service, the right mix of product and service menus. It also gives a spa an opportunity to offer members a sense of belonging and familiarity within an environment where a circle of trust and comfort is enormously important.

Spa memberships generally offer perks and rewards which may include a point system, discount cards, rewards, savings incentives, advanced notice of sales, frequency discounts, and maybe (if you are lucky) a free spa treatment on your birthday. Some are free to join and are specifically designed to keep you "in the loop", while others are based on an *annual fee and include 10 - 15% off products and services throughout the year. Where indulgence has been replaced by practicality, the membership trend is projected to evolve and thrive within the spa community.

*As with any type of signed agreement, make sure to read the fine print.

2009/2010 - Top Five Spa Trends

1. DISCOUNTS, DEALS AND GIVEAWAYS GALORE!
The economy is still very much on our minds. The great question of 2009 rests on whether the economy is truly in recovery mode or whether it has come up for a much needed breath of fresh air before shifting back into another recession. No one seems to know the answer. Most want to believe all is well, but the overall uncertainty is still widespread. Spending patterns of this past year, and most recently during the holidays, suggest a very tentative, cautious outlook.

Spas got the message loud and clear. An unmistakable quiet fell over the industry . . . and not the kind of 'feel good' quiet spas are famous for. This kind of quiet threatens the very core of a spa's fiscal health. It is a time when management becomes very creative. The result? Discounts, deals and giveaways galore. Modest indulgences. There are four things a spa enthusiast should do when there are so many promotions being offered. Look for them. Expect them. Exploit them. Enjoy them. Helps you, helps them. A win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

Spa Discounts

Can I approach the spa I go to and ask for a discount? I am tightening my budget and really don't want to give up my monthly visits because it is the only time where I am doing something just for me.


Everyone is anxious about money. It's difficult to indulge with a clear conscience and without a nervous twitch. While we agree it is a good idea to take a good long look at your personal finances, a trip to your spa is an investment in your overall health. Massages, facials, and other treatments help take the edge off these most stressful times. The good news? Spas are listening to the heartbeat of the economy and many are offering some great deals in a sincere effort to keep your business and patronage.

USA Today reports . . . "You can still go and have a spa experience without spending a ton of money," says Veronica Cole of the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in Ojai, Calif. "Many spas, like ours, offer use of our facilities with one treatment, so you can come spend hours relaxing." Jaime Huffman of the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, N.C., said more 50-minute massages have been made available recently instead of more expensive 80-minute massages. The Cliff House Resort & Spa in Ogunquit, Maine, offers a $99 spa sampler on Sundays. Booking midweek is usually cheaper than weekend trips, and spa owners suggest asking about specials like a mother-daughter discount or a family discount. Most spas have them but don't necessarily talk them up. So, don't be shy. Ask what promotions are currently running since the economy has turned and where you can stretch your dollar.

The Law of Lipstick

What has a lifetime of experience in the cosmetics industry taught us? When the economy goes down, cosmetic sales go up. Way up. When higher priced items become harder to get, sales of smaller luxuries go through the roof. This is the Law of Lipstick.

Leonard Lauder, Chairman of Estee Lauder, coined a theory called, The Leading Lipstick Indicator, which simply states the economy can be read by the rise and fall of lipstick sales. Some of the darkest moments in the history of the United States, financial and otherwise, are followed by a hefty increase in lipstick sales. That is not to say women throw discretion to the wind. Quite the contrary. Women are smart consumers. They will buy one thing while sacrificing another, . . . it is the perfect order of things. Big value will be switched up for a better value. Feel good purchases will prevail.

Make no mistake, female consumers are a force to be reckoned with. After all, women comprise just over 50% of the population, make over 80% of the purchasing decisions, own 40% of all businesses, employ more people than the Fortune 500 companies worldwide, start 70% of all new businesses for the past decade and control over half the private wealth. That, friends, is what we call the Female Factor.

Hold on to your lipsticks, ladies, while we continue to drive the marketplace forward and meet the expectations of those financial wizards who predict the beauty industry will become the fastest growing retail sector despite the financial downturn. More sales, more money, more employment, more growth. Never underestimate the power of lipstick.

Quote of the Week:
"Not even the threat of a recession comes between a woman and her lipstick." Jen Melocco, Fashion Editor