Spa Valentine’s Day, like other holidays and calendar-driven events (a change of seasons, etc.), offers the opportunity to generate increased business at your spa or facial suite. The multi-week period leading up to this special day is the perfect time for you to get creative and offer your clients gifts with purchase, upgrades, and bundles.
Jillian Wright’s 7 Tips To Success For Valentine’s Day
1. Start Planning Early
Starting early is key and thinking about new points of differentiation will yield a financial boost for your business. Today, Valentine’s Day sees no boundaries whether you are a couple, single, or want to celebrate with family or friends. Be sure to consider marketing messages that go beyond an appeal to couples or typical gender roles. Is there a way to encourage your mostly female clientele to share a deal with their partner, something that falls in the category of ‘hint-hint’? Or an opportunity to bring in more male clients? And don’t neglect to appeal to singles celebrating Galentine’s Day, Palentine’s Day, or even the dreadful ‘official’ alternative, Singles Awareness Day (just don’t shorten it to SAD).
NuFree Nudesse
Plant-Based Soy Alternative To Wax
One of the most popular wax alternatives out there is Nufree Nudesse! Jenni has been using it for years. It is carried by thousands of professional salons throughout the world. It was developed over 25 years ago to help plastic surgeons remove hair from a patient before surgery. It doesn’t stick to the skin, it’s self-preserving antibacterial/antimicrobial so it’s safe, clean, and germ-free. It’s completely BOTANICAL and safe for the entire body! It doesn’t dry and can be erased at any time! Finally, Nufree Nudesse is scientifically tested and uses no animal products.
2. Offer As Treatment Bundle
Look over your menu and see what you can bundle. Facial and waxing, facial with a special mask or eye treatment, brow tint and lash lift, oxygen facial and hand treatment? Do you work within an environment that offers body treatments or massage? Create an offer no one can refuse….Did someone say 3-hour facial extravaganza?
If you are in a salon, try working with the owner or manager to bundle a blowout or updo and a facial (always do the facial first!). There are many ways you can cross-pollinate and bring in business for everyone while making your clients very happy.
3. Don’t Discount
Try not to “discount”. It’s a dirty little word that devalues you and your business. Remember, your time and energy are extremely valuable. Discounting “dumbs down” your business. Bundling, GWP, and upgrades are the way to go. If you do decide to discount, treat it like an incentive, but don’t use the word “discount”.’
Contribution by Jillian Wright
With a lifelong passion for creativity and healthy skin, Jillian Wright quickly realized that facial aesthetics was her calling. After establishing herself as a highly sought-after aesthetician and opening an eponymous NYC-based spa and skincare brand, her entrepreneurial spirit continued to lead her through a 20+ year, multi-faceted beauty career.
In 1999, Jillian opened Glow Skin Spa – In 2009, Jillian changed the name to Jillian Wright Clinical Skin Spa.
In 2015, Jillian co-founded Indie Beauty Media Group (IBMG), the largest global exposition for indie beauty brands and an ecosystem of services dedicated to supporting the entrepreneurs behind them. The onset of COVID-19, unfortunately, brought a swift end to in-person events, leading IBMG to go completely digital. Around this time, Jillian recognized how much she missed giving facials and connecting with her clients. After having dedicated the past several years solely to IBMG, she took this as a serendipitous opportunity to go back to her aesthetic roots. In 2022, Jillian left IBMG.
In 2020, Jillian opened a treatment room at Bloom Beauty Lounge in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. In addition to regularly serving facial clients, she continues to coach and mentor young beauty entrepreneurs. In 2019, Jillian was awarded INNOCOS’s Emerging Leader of the Year.
4. Work With Your Vendors
Another way to add value during Valentine’s Day is to work with your current brands or device companies. See if they have a special GWP, or product that you want to promote. Partnering up is a great way to bring awareness to that brand, strengthen your relationship, and ultimately provide a special gift or service to your clients that they will not forget. For example, during this past holiday season, I put together a gift bag for my top spending clients.
I purchased Ouli cooking olive oil, which is something I do not carry. I wanted to give something special and unique. My clients who received my special gift were delighted and touched by the thoughtfulness. In addition, I created a gift bag with travel-size skincare products from Bioelements, a candle, stollen cookies, and the oil. Not only did I put together something memorable, but I also supported two small businesses that I love by purchasing and sharing their products with my clients.
5. Create A Giveaway or Raffle
Again, contact those you do business with or businesses you like and create a stellar giveaway. Make it work for you! Doing giveaways only work if you gain emails, new clients, new orders, or followers. Make it fun and interactive. Get people excited!
6. Work With a Local Charity
Have a “giving party” to support your charity of choice. A suggestion- 10% of your sales Valentine’s Day weekend will go to your favorite charity. Have a drive, collect and build community and awareness. There is nothing like coming together in the name of love to support those in need. The center of love and community is your heart. The trilogy of you is your heart, your hand, and mind ( I can write about this some other time).
7. Create A Pop-Up Shop
If you have other small businesses in your town, reach out to them to see if they want to create a special gift, pop-up, or experience. Think restaurants, musicians, bakeries, florists, candy stores ( did someone say truffle tasting?), wine shops (you have my heart flight of wine?), or even gift boutiques. See what you can come up with collectively to drive awareness and business to everyone. My father’s wife owns a German bakery, Dagmar’s Desserts, in Connecticut. Every year, I send out her incredible seasonal stollen (Stollen is a fruit bread of nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruit, coated with powdered sugar or icing sugar and often containing marzipan) to my VIP clients. I have it delivered to their homes and to their delight and surprise, they love it! It’s unique and special and unforgettable. So, I get to support her business and make my clients very happy.
Valentine’s Day is the perfect season to get creative, elevate your business, ignite loyalty, and support other businesses. Your clients will never forget and will think of you first which drives loyalty and an organic referral business. Think big and enjoy the results. Happy Spalentine’s Day!
