Customer satisfaction surveys help businesses measure guest experiences, identify areas for improvement, and refine services to enhance customer retention and loyalty.

Understanding guest satisfaction is essential for any hospitality business looking to stay competitive. Customer feedback provides invaluable insights into what guests appreciate, what needs improvement, and how to refine services to enhance loyalty and revenue. By leveraging structured surveys and key metrics like Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores and Net Promoter Score (NPS), hotels and resorts can make data-driven decisions that directly impact guest experience, retention, and ancillary revenue growth.  

Customer satisfaction surveys help businesses measure guest experiences, identify areas for improvement, and refine services to enhance customer retention and loyalty. They provide direct insights into what guests value, helping you make data-driven decisions to optimize offerings, boost ancillary revenue, and maintain a competitive edge. 

Measuring CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) scores and NPS (Net Promoter Score) 

CSAT scores and NPS are indicators of customer sentiment and loyalty. CSAT measures short-term satisfaction with a specific service or interaction, while NPS evaluates long-term customer loyalty. 

NPS is calculated by asking customers how likely they are to recommend a business on a scale, typically of 0 -10. Respondents are categorized as: 

• Promoters (9-10): Loyal enthusiasts who drive growth.
• Passives (7-8): Satisfied but unenthusiastic customers.
• Detractors (0-6): Unhappy customers who may damage the brand through negative word-of-mouth. 

NPS is calculated by averaging the rating for questions associated with a promoter score in each survey, then averaged across all responses to that survey. The score is then determined by subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters. A high NPS indicates strong customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. 

Collecting meaningful feedback: questions to ask in a customer satisfaction survey

Here are some examples of questions to ask in a customer satisfaction survey to determine NPS and CSAT scores. These surveys should be sent out after a guest leaves your property. 

1. Overall experience 

On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your experience with Perfect Hotels and Resorts? 

Cleanliness & ambiance 

Staff friendliness & professionalism 

Check-in/check-out experience 

2. Amenities & experiences 

If you took advantage of any of our onsite amenities and experiences, how would you rate them on a scale of 1 to 5? 

Spa & wellness services 

Dining venues 

Pool 

Fitness Centre 

Golf Course 

Did you book a cabana or poolside food and beverage service? How satisfied were you with the service offerings? 

Did you take advantage of any golf lessons or clinics during your stay? If so, how would you rate the quality of these? 

Did you visit the golf pro shop or rent any equipment? How would you rate your experience? 

Did you book any additional experiences (e.g., private yoga, guided hikes, or stargazing)? How would you rate your experience? 

3. Have your say & enhance your stay 

On a scale of 1 to 5, how likely are you to recommend our property to friends or family? 

Please share any comments with us about what would improve your experience and make it even better. 

The importance of follow-up 

Once a survey is completed, timely follow-up is key. If a guest had a positive experience, this is the ideal moment to encourage them to leave an online review. If they were dissatisfied, proactive outreach can help address concerns, recover the relationship, and turn a negative experience into a positive one.  

Agilysys Digital Marketing (ADM) offers robust survey capabilities, providing valuable insights into guest satisfaction and loyalty. It can even calculate your Net Promoter Score (NPS) automatically, helping you track performance, identify areas for improvement, and enhance guest engagement with data-driven strategies.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Now part of Agilysys. Learn more at book4time.com.

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We spoke with Ingrid Middaugh, Vice President of Operations for Trilogy Spa Holdings, about data, revenue, and marketing your spa so it gets the attention it deserves.

Ingrid Middaugh is the Vice President of Operations for Trilogy Spa Holdings and an influential leader with a passion for service excellence and more than 22 years of history working in the hospitality and spa industries. 

It’s a world she “kind of fell into” after graduating college with a dietetics degree. She explains, “I got married on a Saturday and moved to Vail from Michigan with my college sweetheart on Tuesday. He had an internship and I started working at a resort. We thought we were just going to be there for the summer but we ended up staying and it’s been 23 years.”

Her career began at the front desk at the Aria spa at the Vail Cascade and she worked her way up from there: “I just fell in love with the industry and with dealing with people who might be a little cranky when they walk in, but then changing them in a matter of an hour and seeing them leave happy and relaxed. Vail’s not an easy place to get to, so by the time people land in Denver and travel up into the mountains, well, we saw a lot of cranky people. To be able to turn them around and get their vacation heading in the right direction, there was something magical about it.”

After stints at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa and with East West Hospitality, Ms Middaugh now oversees spa operations at Trilogy’s Colorado, California, and Tucson, Arizona locations, developing treatment and spa experiences and directing spa employees to deliver exceptional services that inspire and elevate guests’ overall wellbeing.

We spoke with Ingrid Middaugh about data, revenue, and marketing your spa so it gets the attention it deserves.

Tell us about Trilogy.

Trilogy is a third party spa management company. We work with properties like Marriott and Hilton, and other boutique spas, who hire us to operate their spa on their property. We work closely with the hotel so we don’t feel like a separate entity but we have our own retail director, marketing and accounting teams, HR, and as well as a spa expert who writes our protocols for us. We manage every single aspect of the spa. It’s a great partnership to help increase hotel and resort revenue.

It’s very different from when the spa is managed in-house by a hotel or resort. At Trilogy Spa Holdings, the whole team, from retail to HR, is all about spa.

What would be the benefits of working with a management company rather than managing a spa in-house?

I think it’s the level of expertise and focus we bring. We have specific marketing expertise and set tools that we use to increase revenue. It’s well known in the hotel industry that spas are often viewed as an amenity and aren’t always showcased the way they could be. It’s like, “Oh, and we have a spa and a gym and an outdoor pool,” almost as an afterthought. We like to be the focal point and part of the experience of staying somewhere.

Where do spas miss marketing opportunities?

I’ve been in properties before where a guest comes down and says “I didn’t even know you had a spa here.” That is not what you want to hear! That should be at the forefront when someone is making their hotel reservations. Incorporating the spa into the hotel reservation, the confirmation, and the pre-arrival letter should just be standard. But I don’t see that happening in every property. Spa often has to fight to get its place on a page or in an elevator just for awareness, and that can be frustrating. Start with making sure each guest knows about the spa at check-in. Including the spa in hotel packages should be a standard as well. For example, the option to book a room with two spa vouchers. There are a lot of little things that you can do to make sure people know that you’re on property. We work with the properties to do this.

Can you talk about reporting and numbers?

Oh, yes. I love the Book4Time dashboard report. You can get such good insight from it. I oversee three locations and I can get a glimpse of what’s happening just by looking at the different reports. It has everything kind of rolled up on there and the benefit of having Book4Time is that I can log in and see what’s happening from wherever I am.

I can tell when a spa director is doing a good job and when there is room for improvement, just by looking at the schedule; whether they are at full capacity, if they’re closing early, whether staff breaks are properly scheduled … I can see what’s working and what isn’t. I was working with somebody at a spa that didn’t use Book4Time at one point and I was just taking their word on everything. When I got on property I could tell things were not being managed well.

What are some ways that spas can increase revenue?

Enhancements are such a huge upselling opportunity. You can really customize the guest experience just by offering enhancements to existing treatments. At our spas, we offer add ons like arnica to CBD, scalp treatments, and foot scrubs. All it does is customize that guest experience. Everything in Colorado is dry, so we make sure to offer hydration things. Colorado was also one of the earliest locations to start using CBD, and in the first year that we started offering it as an enhancement, we did about $50,000 in CBD enhancements alone.

Upsells are also key. If you don’t have a 50-minute massage available, but you do have an 80-minute massage available, they’ll probably take it. We also offer collagen and relaxation teas. A lot of the teas are complementary, but some are available as an upsell, which is always nice. You can do day passes. Maybe somebody doesn’t have time to do a full day of relaxation but wants to come in and use the salt room or compression booth. We can offer a day pass for them to come in. We do a lot of those in the wintertime for people after skiing.

We also do “Sparty’s” It’s a spa party! Groups of gals get together for a bachelorette, or just because, or as a getaway, and we offer discounts based on the number of people who book. I think that’s so cute! “Sparty.” 

What are you excited about?

I’m enjoying the sleep trend where people are offering treatments to help increase and improve sleep. I did a sleeping treatment in Costa Rica last year – I’m a non-sleeper – and slept really well for about six months afterwards. Another trend I see is putting the phone away and getting back to mental health, getting outside, not feeling like you have to be connected to everybody and respond instantly. Whenever our therapists have a little break, I encourage them to talk a walk outside.  We have a little river behind the spa where they can go walk for a few minutes. It’s so good to get outside and get out of your little dark room and immerse yourself in nature.

I think that in the wake of the pandemic people have retained that focus on the importance of being well, and even more on the rise is the mental health aspect of wellness. That is especially important right now, to make sure we’re taking care of ourselves, not only physically, but mentally too.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Caroline Fabrigas of Scent Marketing Inc. talks about creating the perfect signature scent for your brand.

We’re talking about scent marketing for your spa and hotel, and about how multisensory experiences can increase sales and elevate brand awareness and consumer connection. 

Caroline Fabrigas is the CEO of Scent Marketing Inc., a full-service scent and sensory marketing company and a leading authority in the art and science of scent marketing and branding that has created scents for world-class brands such as Hyatt, ­Auberge Resorts Collection, 1 Hotels, and Deep Blue Med Spa. She is also co-founder of ScentInvent Technologies LLC., a scent innovation firm dedicated to introducing new forms and function in fragrance. She has worked in marketing for luxury brands including Clarins, Prada, and Chanel, and maintains an active beauty consulting practice called BeautyFluence LLC. 

We got deep into it with Caroline Fabrigas about developing signature scents for hotels and spas.

Please talk to us about how scent elicits emotions and reactions.

We see what happens in the presence of scent versus in the absence of scent. When the right scent for the environment is present in an appropriate way, you will see the “linger longer factor,” where guests and clients will stay longer in a particular area, which is always good. There is also a memorability factor, as scent builds an instant recall, so when someone leaves a place, they will have a longer-term memory of that experience. (Read more on the science of consumer behavior here)

We think this works through the brain’s limbic system, which is where all memory is stored. It’s like the reptilian brain, the automatic reaction to things. The limbic system is connected to the olfactory system where a human perceives scent. When a scent molecule comes in, it’s like a lock and key opening a receptor in the olfactory system, and then that rushes to the limbic system and there is a reaction. Hopefully the right scent triggers the right reaction.

You can see it in everyday life. When you smell something amazing like baking bread, it makes you feel warm, it makes you feel hungry. When you smell fire and smoke, you have a totally different reaction. That’s the limbic system. In what we do, we try to tap into that with branded scent, that creates the reaction that we are looking to create. If we’re trying to create a dynamic environment, we will pick aromas known to promote this idea of energy or dynamism. If we’re looking for something comforting, relaxing, and calming, we will pick aromas known to create those kinds of sensations and reactions.

We often talk about the calming effect of lavender but what are some of the other scents that can evoke specific, sought-after reactions?

Peppermint is historically known to help clarity and focus, cinnamon is known to sharpen the mind, and pine can help alleviate stress. Vanilla can be comforting and calming, while citrus can help to provide a sense of energy and exhilaration, and eucalyptus helps support clearing and clarifying. Jasmine may also help sharpen the mind and help with precision. There was a study, in which the accuracy of baseball players hitting the ball increased in the presence of the scent of jasmine.

These things may be dependent on your culture and the associations you have with specific smells. But are there scents that evoke universal reactions?

I do think that the gourmand scents create a reaction because they are included in many cultures. Vanilla is noticeably sweet, warm, and comforting. And you would find it used in various cuisines. That could be a scent that I would say resonates. I also think wood would be universally recognizable as something grounding, anchoring, and sensual.

What are some things people should keep in mind when seeking the right scent for their business?

Picking a scent that is reflective of your brand and what you want to communicate. Because sometimes if you don’t have that alignment, you can create a disconnect and it can be disjointing.

There are different ways we work with our clients. We can create a total custom, bespoke scent from scratch or find the right scent that already exists in our extensive scent library. Sometimes someone is not ready for a completely bespoke scent and will want to find something that already exists. Then we’ll do a curation process, which is quicker and less expensive. Sometimes somebody will start with a curated scent and end up very happy with it.

I should add, how the scent is working with the diffuser is also something to think about. Maintaining your diffuser is very important. Whether it’s in the HVAC or whether it’s free standing, making sure it’s filled, making sure it’s clean, making sure it’s tended to. Like with anything else you need to make sure that it’s maintained.

Can you talk about the process of creating a bespoke scent and connecting it to the brand?

That’s my favorite thing in the whole world to do. We have created the scent for the One Hotels, which has become quite a collection now of hotels. We started with them when they were just doing their initial branding, and it was an incredible development because the whole premise was the idea about being one with the environment. We looked at the décor and at the philosophy of the brand, which was to be incredibly sustainable. In creating it, it wasn’t a superimposed fragrance, it was much more about the raw materials of your environment breathing with you instead of at you.

It all came together when we stood in one of the model hotel rooms with our perfumer. We smelled the wood and the greenery. And they have a faucet in every room instead of bottled water, and you could smell the cold water. It was an incredible experience. And then how to interpret that into scent? We have a specific process where we do a DNA analysis of the brand, of the colors, the textures, the sounds, the language, the philosophy, the ethos, and really what the brand wants to communicate. We use that as our brief and then we work with perfumers and research companies to determine what kinds of raw materials will evoke the kinds of sentiments and feelings that we are after. And we create these incredibly unique custom bespoke blends and share them in sniffing sessions with our clients, taking them through the different iterations of what we’ve created and why — how it connects to their ethos and their brand, speaking the language of that brand back to the client through the lens of scent.

How can scent marketing increase revenue?

I always hesitate to add that to the story because there are so many things that can influence revenue, like a sale, the weather, or the time of year. So, I tend to keep the influence of scent when it comes to purchasing behavior more to the other factors. Like many areas of marketing, scent is connected to brand building which is, of course, connected to revenue. There have been several experiments that suggest it has a positive impact on sales. In a well-known experiment conducted with Nike, for example. subjects who viewed sneakers in a scented room vs an unscented room were significantly more likely to say they would purchase the shoes, and appraised them at a higher value.

Also, we have many clients who have gone from just having an ambient scent diffused in their location to creating an entire revenue stream with us where we will make candles, room sprays, reed diffusers, all kinds of products that they can then sell, and it creates an entire incremental business for them. Right. This goes back to reinforcing the brand connection and memorability, and it creates this full circle experience as well as an additional revenue stream. So, it’s a wonderful business.

Now read this:

The power of scent marketing to increase sales at your spa

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Guests can’t take advantage of your classes, excursions, and cabana packages if they don’t know these things are available. These hotel marketing tips will help.

Effective marketing is a crucial aspect of business success across all industries, including the hospitality and spa industry. However, due to competing priorities, marketing efforts for spas and ancillary revenue services around hotels and resorts are often neglected. This is a mistake because no matter how outstanding your features and offerings may be, customers won’t know about them if they’re not marketed properly.

Most spas don’t have the luxury of dedicated marketing teams, so managers and directors who are already stretched thin must take on the responsibility of building the brand. Even for spas within larger organizations, like hotels or resorts, marketing budgets can be limited, if they exist at all. Fortunately, in today’s digital age, social channels and online platforms offer multiple free or low-cost marketing opportunities, eliminating the need to purchase expensive ad space. By leveraging social media, spas can raise brand awareness, market their services, and maintain connections with guests even after they leave.

Similarly, hotels offering classes, workshops, and activities may not always get the word about these things out there as much as they would like. Guests can’t take advantage of your classes, excursions, and cabana packages if they don’t know these things are available. These hotel marketing tips will help.

21 hotel marketing tips and strategies for your spa & ancillary revenue departments

1. Leverage online booking for your spa, classes, activities, and more

The software that manages all of your ancillary revenue operations should help with your marketing. An online booking site that makes it easy for guests to book things like spa appointments, activities, cabanas, and tennis and pickleball courts is a must-have for any property.

For example, Josh Fraser, Health club and Recreation Manager at Fairmont Chateau Whistler, uses Book4Time’s online booking platform. Between July 2022, when the Chateau started using the system, and December 31, 2022, a stunning 75% of sign-ups for the resort’s classes and activities came through the new online booking system. Fraser said, “The online usage is also great for our marketing. It means guests can actually see everything available to them, whereas in the past, they may not have been aware of what was on offer.”

2. Use QR codes

Fairmont Jasper Park has seen similar benefits with an online booking site that is accessible through a QR code placed throughout the hotel, leading guests directly to all of their offerings.

Awareness of what the hotel has to offer has increased, and as a result, so have bookings, resulting in a better ROI for the hotel’s activity program spend. The hotel’s Recreation Manager, Spencer Martin, says, “Book4Time has increased the awareness of our activities to guests, which has led to the money we spend on our activities being a better investment.”

3. Use Facebook or Instagram ads

While we are always trying to reduce spending, don’t discount the possibility of paid ads. Google ads can be effective but can also be expensive. Social media advertising can be more affordable and also a powerful way of raising brand awareness and attracting customers, and some spa owners are really happy with the results. You can play with demographics and target audiences and set your spending limits to see if these ads work for you without breaking the budget.

4. Teach, don’t sell

When it comes to content, that content should provide value to a target audience wherever possible. Today’s consumers are weary of being sold to and tend to block out online ads, marketing, and sales content, but they do respond to educational content that provides information they can actually use to make their lives easier. Rather than hitting people over the head with the message that you want them to buy your product or service, give them something they can use. This allows you to showcase your brand and position yourself as a trustworthy and valuable source of information.

This doesn’t mean you can never just post about a product or service you want to sell. But try to keep the balance tipping towards teaching over selling.

5. Increase your organic social media reach

Organic social media reach can be easily one of the most effective free marketing strategies. Your business probably already has a social media presence, and if it doesn’t, create one or a few on the platforms that work best for you, like Instagram and TikTok. Facebook remains the largest social media platform and may be good for ads, but it’s mainly used by older audiences. People are probably not looking for facials and massages on LinkedIn, but they might be looking for a destination that offers workcations or corporate retreats with yoga classes and group activities. Find out where your target customer hangs out and meet them there. Once you have the accounts, use them. Don’t leave them sitting there unused.

6. Post about your products and services

Yes, you can post about your amazing services and products – just not all the time. Share how much you love them and why. Talk about what they do, why they work, and why others will love them as much as you do. Remember to teach, rather than sell, where possible. Show how a product is used, for example. Share something useful about the product or service. When you truly love something, people can feel that and will respond accordingly.

7. Post about your team

People in the spa, wellness, and hospitality industry love to say that the people who make up our teams are everything. Share that with the world. Share what your staff is doing, what products they’re using, the stories that make them interesting, and talk about their expertise. Share stories and pictures of what’s happening around you and make it compelling so that people want to be a part of it.

8. Leverage video content

Instagram reels, Facebook reels, TikTok videos, YouTube videos – all of these can be used to market your business. Video content is a major driver of sales and engagement. Research findings suggest that a majority of people want to see video content online and that video marketing has high engagement numbers.

Create tutorials to show people how to do what you do. Don’t worry about giving away your secrets. People will still want the professional version. Teach your audience how to massage their own feet, give themselves a home facial, do a short yoga session, meditate, use singing bowls, make their own body oil… the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Video tutorials will raise brand awareness, engage your audience, and showcase your expertise and products and services.

9. Encourage team members to promote your brand on social media

Your team members who are active on social media should be eager to post about their work if they love their jobs. What can they tell the world about your brand as a company and as a workplace? This is also amazing employer branding. Don’t make social sharing mandatory for team members whose jobs it’s not, but do encourage it with those who would like to participate.

10. Encourage customers to share their experiences (user-generated content)

Your customers can and should be your greatest ambassadors. If they are pleased with an experience, product, or service, encourage them to share this on their social media channels. Make direct requests or they won’t think of it. Small gifts can often be a motivator for this, and you can say something about the gift like “If you enjoy it, please share that with your network!” If a customer likes you, they will want to be a part of your success.

Create a selfie station where happy guests can take blissed-out post-spa treatment photos to share on their own social channels. Make it an inviting place to stop for a bit on the way out. Make sure to ask guests taking selfies to hashtag and @tag your business!

11. Share posts about your customers

You can also take pictures and videos of your willing customers and share them yourself with a little comment or story about your experience together. Remember to focus on the guest and not on yourself – how great your experience with them was and what they brought to your day, rather than what you brought to theirs.

12. Be interactive and engaged

Aside from posting on your own social media channels, don’t forget to interact with other people’s content. Comment, like, and share other people’s good content from your online network. And keep the conversation going on your own pages by responding to comments.

Don’t try to control the conversation. Getting people talking about your brand on social media means letting go of control over the conversation. You can encourage positive talk but can’t force it. This means not deleting comments you don’t like from your own pages or arguing with people you disagree with. Be prepared for negative comments as things happen naturally. The best way to avoid this is to provide exquisite customer experiences and be above reproach, but there is always going to be someone with something negative to say. You can’t control that and you shouldn’t try.

13. Partner with micro or nano-influencers

Influencer marketing is common these days but might be out of a business’s price range and often doesn’t deliver as much bang for a buck as hoped. Micro-influencers or nano-influencers have smaller followings (somewhere between 1,000 – 100,000), cheaper rates, and can often have higher engagement rates.

14. Market your memberships with “bring a friend” perks

Membership packages that allow unlimited use of your facilities and a certain number of treatments per month are an excellent way to fill up your spa during downtimes and bring in a steady revenue stream all year round. Allow and encourage guests to bring a friend once a month to sweeten the deal and introduce new people to your spa

15. Sell gift cards

Gift cards are a tried-and-true marketing strategy to effectively get your brand name out there, attract new customers, and retain existing ones. Particularly around the holidays and special dates, these little gems can be powerful tools. Digital gift card sales make it even easier these days to get those precious gifts into the right hands, with almost no effort on the client’s part or yours.

16. Use email marketing

Stay in touch with your network by email. Send out welcome emails to new customers, birthday emails to existing ones, a newsletter updating your customers on events and product and service updates, thank you emails, and customer satisfaction surveys. Be sure to always collect customer email addresses – but don’t bombard people with too much messaging. Find a nice digestible pace, or people will just find you annoying.

17. Host events

Host private events to introduce loyal customers to new products, services, classes, or activities at your spa, hotel, or resort, or to celebrate holidays or milestones (like your one year or 10-year anniversary as a business). Pour tea or wine, offer a free class or workshop, or samples of your new product, and give mini facials or massages at a spa.

Encourage customers to bring a plus one. Don’t forget to take pictures and videos and to post these online to showcase what a great host you are and how compelling and lovely your clientele is. And encourage your guests to share their experiences with the world.

18. Start a referral program

Incentivize referrals from guests by offering a gift of a discount, upgrade, or free product or service when a new person comes in for a treatment or signs up for a membership at their recommendation.

19. Encourage online reviews

Reviews are a major element of boosting brand awareness. A vast majority of people look at online reviews, and many won’t even try a business with fewer than four stars. Encourage guests to leave good reviews, and always respond to all reviews, good or bad, with a “thank you” or an “I’m sorry your experience didn’t live up to your expectations.” Read more about handling online reviews here

20. Build your SEO

SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it refers to where you rank on search engines (mostly Google) when people search for particular keywords or phrases. So, for example, if someone is looking for an “Austin spa,” will they find you or your competition first? Learn about keywords and how to improve your rankings, then apply this to your website to improve brand visibility.

21. Donate to charity auctions

Charities often hold big events with silent or online auctions where people bid on items and the money they pay goes to the cause. These items are also donated by the businesses themselves. Donating spa products and service packages or free classes and experiences to these events is not only a great way to increase occupancy and expand your reach but also an opportunity to support the causes you believe in. It’s win-win.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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Marketing is key to business success no matter what your industry. Let’s take a look at 26 marketing strategies, tips, and tricks for your spa. 

Marketing is key to business success no matter what your industry. Spa is no exception, but sometimes in this world marketing can fall by the wayside, behind other, seemingly more pressing duties. But it is necessary. Because, no matter how wonderful and exquisite your service offerings, people will only come try them if they know about them.

Spas rarely have dedicated marketing teams, so the job of brand building falls to already stretched managers and directors, which can be the case even if they’re part of a larger organization and located in a hotel or resort. Budgets are also often small, if they exist at all. Fortunately, the current world of available social channels and free to occupy online space means a lot of marketing is free or fairly inexpensive these days, with no real need to buy expensive ad space. Social media provides the opportunity to market your spa, raise your brand awareness, and stay connected to your guests after they leave.

Amy Chan, Assistant Group Director of Spa & Wellness at Langham Hospitality, recently told Spa Executive, “We need to follow the world trends where the use of technology and social media are the new norm. This is one instance where the world of spas and modern technology can enjoy a happy marriage to enhance the customer journey and offer a holistic experience from the first click to the final touches in the treatment room.”

Let’s take a look at 26 marketing strategies, tips, and tricks for your spa. 

Be informative and educational

Where possible marketing should provide value to a target audience. This means sharing valuable, educational content that people will appreciate and relate to rather than hitting them over the head with the constant message that you want them to buy your product or service. They already know that’s what you want them to do. Sharing educational and useful content showcases your brand while bringing value to your audience by teaching them something new.

Don’t worry that you’re going to give away all your secrets and that people will think they don’t need you anymore. That’s old school thinking that serves no one. You’ve got plenty of secrets with knowledge and expertise to spare, and if what you have to offer is worth it, people will always need you.

Get busy on social media

If your spa doesn’t have a social media presence, create one, or a few, on the platform(s) that work best for you. Instagram and TikTok are good platforms. Facebook tends to be more used by older audiences but is still the largest social media network. Find out where your target customer hangs out and meet them there. 

Post about your products and services

Post about your amazing services and products. Share how much you love them and why. When you truly love something people can feel that and will respond accordingly. What makes your spa amazing? Talk about it. Remember these are bite-sized and situational pieces of content, so they can be a picture and a short message. You don’t need to write everything in one post, nor should you. You need something to post tomorrow.

Post about your team

People in the spa and wellness industry are fond of saying that our people are everything. So, share that with the world. Share what they’re doing, what products they’re using, the stories that make them interesting. Share stories and pictures of what’s happening around you and make it compelling so that people want to be a part of it.

Leverage video content

Instagram reels, Facebook reels, TikTok videos, YouTube videos, all of these can be used to market your spa. A lot of people want to see video content, and statistics suggest this number is growing to a large majority and that video content is a major driver of sales and engagement.

Create tutorials 

Help your audience learn how to massage their own shoulders or feet; do a mini body wrap or facial at home; use singing bowls; make their own bespoke lotion; treat their own hair (if your spa has a salon component) … the possibilities are endless. Video tutorials can engage your audience, showcase your expertise and products and services, and raise awareness for your brand. What can you and your team teach people?

Encourage team members to get in on the social action

Your team members who are active on social media should be eager to post about their work if they love what they do and where they work. What can they tell the world about your brand as a company and as a workplace (employer branding is important too!)? It’s never a good idea to make social sharing mandatory for team members, as not everyone has the same comfort level with online media, but it should be encouraged for those who would like to do it.

Encourage customers to share their experiences (user-generated content)

Your customers can be your greatest ambassadors. If they are pleased with a product or service, encourage them to share this on social media. Small gifts can often be a motivator for this and you can say something like “If you enjoy it, please share that with your network!”

Set up a selfie station

A selfie station in your spa where happy guests can take blissed-out post treatment photos to share on their own social channels. Make it an inviting place to stop for a bit on the way out. Make sure to ask guests taking selfies to hashtag and @ tag your spa!

Share posts about your customers

You can also take pictures and videos of your willing customers and share them yourself with a little comment or story about your experience together. Remember to focus on the guest and not on yourself – how great your experience with them was, and what they brought to your day rather than what you brought to theirs.

Be interactive and engaged

Aside from posting on your own social media channels, don’t forget to interact with other people’s. Comment, like, and share other people’s good content from your online network. And keep the conversation going on your own pages by responding to comments.

Don’t try to control the conversation

Getting people talking about your brand on social media means letting go of control over the conversation. You can encourage positive talk but can’t force it. This means not deleting comments you don’t like from your own pages, for example, or arguing with people who are negative or with whom you don’t agree. Be prepared for negative comments as things happen naturally. The best way to avoid this is to provide exquisite customer experiences and be above reproach, but there is always going to be someone with something negative to say. You can’t control that and you shouldn’t try.

Partner with micro or nano influencers

Influencer marketing is common these days but might be out of a business’s price range and often doesn’t deliver as much bang for a buck as hoped. Micro influencers, or nano influencers, have smaller followings (somewhere between 1,000 – 100,000) cheaper rates, and often  higher engagement rates.

Partner with other businesses

Partner with another business like a clothing boutique, flower shop, chocolate shop, or restaurant to sell, promote, and share each other’s offerings in packages or bundles or to sell or give away each other’s gift cards.  

Spa packages and bundles

Packages of several treatments or a selection of mini treatments are a great way to promote your services and introduce customers to experiences they might not otherwise try. Bundle products and services together to showcase how these things work together for the ultimate experience. Packages and bundles are great ideas for customers looking for the perfect gift.

Market your memberships with “bring a friend” perks

Membership packages that allow unlimited use of your facilities and a certain number of treatments per month are an excellent way to fill up your spa during downtimes and bring in a steady revenue stream all year round. Allow and encourage guests to bring a friend once a month to sweeten the deal and introduce new people to your spa.

Send out subscription boxes

Another way to diversify revenue and attract new customers is to launch a subscription box program. Home deliveries of your products once a month keeps you top of mind and makes an amazing gift for existing customers to give their loved ones.

Sell your gift cards

Gift cards are a marketing tool as old as time. OK, maybe not as old as time exactly, but they’ve been around for a while. Gift cards get your brand name out there and are a tried and true way to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Digital gift card sales make it all the easier these days to get those precious gifts into the right hands.

Email marketing

Stay in touch with your network by email. Send out welcome emails to new customers, birthday emails to existing ones, a newsletter updating your customers on events and product and service updates, thank you emails, and customer satisfaction surveys. Be sure to always collect customer email addresses — but don’t bombard people with too much messaging. Find a nice digestible pace, or people will just find you annoying.

Host events

Host private events to introduce loyal customers to new products or services or to celebrate holidays or milestones (like your spa’s one year or 10 year anniversary). Pour tea or wine, offer samples of your new product and give mini facials or massages. Encourage customers to bring a plus one. Don’t forget to take pictures and videos and to post these online to showcase what a great host you are and how compelling and lovely your clientele is.

Create referral programs

Incentivize referrals from guests by offering a gift of a discount, upgrade, or free product or service when a new person comes in for a treatment or signs up for a membership at their recommendation.

Place signage in the hotel or resort

It seems like an obvious idea. If your spa is in a hotel or resort, post signs throughout the property. Include a QR code with your menu and a link to your booking site. 

Manage your online reviews

Reviews are a major element to boosting brand awareness. A vast majority of people look at online reviews and many won’t even try a business with fewer than four stars. Encourage guests to leave good reviews, and always respond to all reviews, good or bad, with a “thank you” or an “I’m sorry your experience didn’t live up to your expectations.” Read more about handling online reviews here. 

Build your SEO 

SEO stands for search engine optimization and it refers to where you rank on search engines (mostly Google) when people search for particular key words or phrases. So, for example, if someone is looking for an “Austin spa,” will they find you or your competition first? Learn about keywords and how to improve your rankings then apply this to your website to improve brand visibility.

Donate to charity auctions

Charities often hold big events with silent or online auctions where people bid on items and the money they pay goes to the cause. These items are also donated by the businesses themselves. Donating spa products and service packages to these events is not only a great way to increase occupancy and expand your reach but also an opportunity to support the causes you believe in. It’s win-win.

Optimize for booking on web and mobile

Enable an online booking page on your website and make this accessible for mobile also. Post these links prominently on your page and all your social channels so no bookings fall through the cracks. Capture all possible bookings and leave no money on the table.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leading cloud-based spa management software for the world’s top hotels and resorts, used by more Forbes 5-Star rated spas than any other vendor. Learn more at book4time.com .

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Influencer marketing can be very expensive, or a cost effective way to give your brand a boost. Here’s why and how to turn your customers into influencers.

With more and more consumers ignoring and blocking traditional, outbound ads, content marketing is often touted as more effective and cost effective. Influencer marketing can play an important role in a content marketing strategy. 

Some research and insights on influencer marketing 

• The influencer marketing industry is reportedly set to grow to approximately $13.8 Billion in 2021.
• 75% of businesses intend to dedicate a budget to influencer marketing in 2021. 
• A survey found that 90% of respondents believe influencer marketing is an effective form of marketing. 

Why consider influencer marketing

Reports suggest that people are put off by traditional advertising and most likely to just ignore it in 2021. Research has also found that consumers trust recommendations from real people significantly more than we trust advertising and promotions from brands, and that influencer marketing works. 

A study conducted a few years ago looked at the results of an influencer marketing program conducted for White Wave Foods, the parent company of Silk Almond Milk and other products, and found the following:

• Households exposed to influencer marketing purchased 10% more Silk products than a control group.
• Every 1000 people exposed to influencer marketing purchased $285 worth of Silk products more than the control group.
• After 12 months, the ROI of influencer blog posts alone (not including social promotion) was 11X the ROI of banner ads.

Why turn your existing customers into influencers for your brand

There are several different ways to employ influencer marketing. Knowing whether to pay big prices, or what you should be expected to pay can be hard to figure out, as it varies widely. And it can be difficult to know what to expect in terms of ROI and how to avoid getting scammed by people with fake followings. One way to find people to work with is to comb through Instagram and TikTok looking for relevant accounts with large followings. There are also agencies that work with influencers. 

An influencer may have millions of followers, a few hundred thousand, or just a few thousand (maybe even a few hundred). Influencer Marketing Hub has broken down influencer levels into categories that look like this:

Nano-influencers: 1,000–10,000 followers
Micro-influencers: 10,000–50,000 followers
Mid-tier influencers: 50,000–500,000 followers
Macro-influencers: 500,000–1,000,000 followers
Mega-influencers: 1,000,000+ followers

The price of partnering with these people can be anything from $10 to more than a million. But bigger followings don’t necessarily mean better bang for your buck. You might find that someone with just a few thousand followers has far more actual reach and engagement than someone with a million followers. Even someone with 500 followers can be very influential, if those 500 people are very engaged with that person. 

For example, Dwayne Johnson, who reportedly makes a million dollars per sponsored Instagram post, got 1.8 million likes on a shared photo of wireless earbuds. Out of his 200 million followers, that’s a less than one percent engagement rate. Compare that to a post by Gabby Whiten, a nano influencer, about dish soap that got 300 likes. Out of her 3,000 (at the time) followers, that’s a 10 percent engagement rate. Builtin.com points out that what nano-influencers lack in reach, they make up for in engagement. 

One way to find these smaller-level influencers is to look at people who already know and love your brand. Tim Sovay, chief operating officer of CreatorIQ, an influencer marketing platform with a database of more than 20 million “creators,” told Marketing Dive,  “As the industry evolves, we are moving away from what was ‘Influencer Marketing 1.0,’ which was really a transactional relationship between brands and the creators that they worked with on one-off campaigns.” Now, he says, marketers are looking for longer-term partnerships.

“A creator is really choosing the types of brands that they want to work with, that they identify with and who their audience is interested in,” Sovay said. “On the brand side, they’re looking for a more authentic relationship, and weirdly, it’s almost like a traditional endorsement.” This is where understanding your high-value customer comes in, he said. 

Those influencers are already available to you in the form of your existing clients. Spa and hospitality is well positioned to truly tap into this. You already have customers that love you and your brand, and unlike many other types of businesses, you have direct interactions with and have built relationships with these people. They know you and you know them better than a retail company, or similar, probably knows and is known by its customers. Take advantage of that. Use your databases of customer information to partner with your most loyal. They are all potential brand ambassadors and they are your target market because they are already your customers. 

How to turn your loyal customers into brand influencers

Find ways to incentivize your customers to market your brand for you. It does not have to cost you much and the return should be more than your investment. More than a third of brands are more likely to give away free product samples or offer discounts than to pay their influencers. 

Offer discounts and products in exchange for referrals. Elkfox, a digital commerce solutions company, suggests creating tiered incentives, like $5 off a treatment for every friend who makes a purchase if they share a code, and increasing the reward to a hundred, or several hundred dollars worth of products or services if more friends become customers ($100 off when friends’ purchases equal $600).  You can also use your loyalty program to encourage referrals. 

You want your customers to share positive messages about your brand with their networks, and to make that happen, you have to ask. When you are communicating with existing customers, invite them to share these messages, particularly after a treatment, service, or purchase. You can send a survey before asking to make sure they are happy. 

Eventually you’ll see who is bringing in the most referrals and then you can approach them about opportunities to be more engaged with your marketing efforts. You might invite these people to be part of an exclusive brand ambassador program through which you offer extra rewards for those who bring in new customers (another suggestion from Elkfox). This takes time. It’s a long game, unlike paying to post an ad somewhere. But it’s worth it.

There is no more trustworthy ambassador than an existing user of your brand. You have hundreds, maybe thousands, of potential influencers to work with out of your existing client base. Consider the possibilities. 

We looked into our crystal ball and predicted the future for the year ahead. Subscribe to our newsletter and download our special report on the trends we’ll be watching: Nine spa and wellness trends for 2021. Download here.

Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com.

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