Tag Archives: spa booker

4) SpaFinder Spa Trend 2010: The Online Spa – Revisited

onlinespa 4) SpaFinder Spa Trend 2010: The Online Spa Revisited

Reviewing our spa trend prediction for 2010, “The Online Spa,” I think it is pretty clear that this did in fact happen during an unprecidented year of advancements and adoption of everything virtual.  If anything, I would say there have been some things that became big news in the tech world this year that we didn’t mention.  More on that in a bit.

Spa Trend #4:  The Online Spa

2010 will prove a watershed year for the spa’s virtual presence. Consumers are already finding spas online, booking treatments, joining online weight loss and coaching groups. They are printing out instant gift certificates, shopping virtual spa stores, being influenced by online reviews, and embracing social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. (Some even play the Sally Spa game (http://sallysspa-game.com/). But there’s more to come.

Get ready for gaming while you exercise, for having health information (like your blood pressure and heart rate) automatically uploaded for access online by your spa or doctor, and for spas to use yield management software that (much like the airlines) enables price variation, so spas can offer a less expensive massage on weekday mornings, compared to Saturday afternoons. And in early 2010, you’ll be able to stroll down any street in the U.S. and check your iPhone to pinpoint the spa nearest you, thanks to the upcoming SpaFinder App.

Sure, the Internet’s been around roughly 15 years, but there’s always that breakthrough year when online really clicks for each industry, and 2010 looks to be the defining one for spa adoption of Internet and social media marketing, along with new cutting-edge spa apps. It’s all being driven by global consumer behavior—the Web is simply where they “live” now. And these consumers expect instant information on spa services and offers, and even instant gratification with 24/7 reservations.

A recent SpaFinder survey reveals that 76 percent of spas are already selling gift certificates online, and an additional 8 percent have plans to. Thirty-three percent have embraced online, real-time appointment booking, and 21 percent plan to. Thirty-two percent currently sell online retail products, and 27 percent plan to. And spas are jumping into new social media platforms to connect with clients, albeit with a significant preference for Facebook over Twitter: Fifty-five percent of spas are now using Facebook (another 17 percent plan to), while 32 percent are using Twitter to get their deals out, and 19 percent plan to. (A more modest 29 percent currently use/plan to use mobile marketing.)

And with the explosion of online review and booking sites (i.e., Citysearch and Yelp in the U.S., Booking.com in Europe, SpaFinder.com globally), consumers are increasingly selecting spas based on what real-world consumers say online. Thankfully, spas are beginning to pay attention to their online reputations: Sixty-one percent now encourage their clients to write online reviews, and another 14 percent plan to.

In general, the way spas virtually connect with consumers is getting far, far more creative. But, while it seems you can almost “spa online” these days, there’s still nothing that can (or will) replace human touch. Spa, in fact, may be the ultimate countertrend to the world’s online virtual mania.

Since SpaFinder is on the cutting edge of technology, I am not surprised that we were quite accurate with our predictions regarding spas and cyberspace.  (Ok, maybe the Sally Spa Game didn’t quite hit the big time…) However, one big thing that we didn’t mention in our trend prediction was the Ipad.  Furthermore, I think that mobile became more important than I mentioned in our write-up.  Being an iPad user myself, I can now see what a great tool it is for reading online and enjoying beautiful photography, all while staying connected.  That is all a huge plus for spas and consumers.

Mobile has been on the trend radar for quite some time, and everyone predicted that it would be huge.  However there has been a lag in companies creating mobile websites; it isn’t just a matter of taking what you have online now, flipping a switch, and having it work for mobile.  You basically have to build your site all over again – and that is costly and time consuming.  Nevertheless, SpaFinder has recently taken the plunge and I can see now that the idea of life becoming almost completely mobile is beginning to look plausible.

I think I am going to give an A for this spa trend prediction.  And I won’t penalize myself for not trumpeting the Ipad. Hey, no one can keep up with everything going on in technology these days!

My twitter address: @susieellis

No Spa, No Massage, No Facials but a Cool New Year’s Eve!

No Spa, No Massage, No Facial but a Cool New Year’s Eve!

Report Card: Dinner and Nightclubbing in Las Vegas
by Susie Ellis

On the plus side: vegas3girls 763205 No Spa, No Massage, No Facials but a Cool New Years Eve!
My sunless tan lasted and looked pretty darn good
I made it all the way until 5:30 a.m. with only a short nap on the flight back.
Got a taste of the late night “party scene” at Tryst Wynn, Las Vegas.
Enjoyed seeing the young 20 and 30 year old girls in their cute dresses (short, short and shorter.)
Learned that pole-dancing isn’t just for fitness classes icon smile No Spa, No Massage, No Facials but a Cool New Years Eve!
Enjoyed the company we were with – the McCarters and the Turnbull’s (Tracey and Cassandra to the right.)

On the negative side: petehood 729349 No Spa, No Massage, No Facials but a Cool New Years Eve!
I think that Peter and I might have been older than any of the other 500 + people there!
When you wear something that was “hot” 10 years ago, it is still dated (that would be me) When you wear something that is “hot” now, it is hot (that would be Peter – to the right.)
There is no possibility of talking at a nightclub due to the volume of music
Time drags on very sloooowly when all there is to do for 5 hours is drink, dance and people-watch (and you don’t have the same agenda as the singles.)

Bottom line is….I would rather party and hip hop with the youngsters than shuffle around the cha cha floor with the oldsters. However, something in between might be the best of all. icon smile No Spa, No Massage, No Facials but a Cool New Years Eve!

Now, please point me to the nearest spa.

***

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Creative Ideas to Re Energize a Day Spa: Budget Massages, Express Massages, Yoga & Spa, Medical & Spa, etc.

future.change 765839 Creative Ideas to Re Energize a Day Spa: Budget Massages, Express Massages, Yoga & Spa, Medical & Spa, etc.Creative Ideas to Re Energizer a Day Spa: Budget Massages, Express Massages, Yoga & Spa, Medical & Spa, etc.
by Susie Ellis

OK…one last blog about the recent research data and then on to more fun things…like meeting Chrisina Ong last night at a cocktail party at Donna Karan’s….but first:

Let’s take one last look at the S curve with emergent, growth, maturity, and decline phases for the spa industry. (Check previous blogs if you want to see the graphs.) Here is the key point – our spa industry as a whole is definitely not in a mature phase where there is a leveling off of the entire industry. In fact we are seeing a great deal of growth in many of the segments especially in the medical spa, spa lifestyle real estate, and in the resort/hotel sectors.

I do think that when you look at traditional stand-alone day spas we are beginning to see flattening and it is becoming harder for them to make profits. The huge increase in the numbers of day spas has saturated some markets and now many traditional day spas are facing large numbers of competitors. These competitors include other day spas, resort, and hotel spas which are open to day guests (almost all of them), medical spas, and some new players like the highly discounted “no-frills” establishments, fitness clubs adding better spas, etc.

Critical point…..day spas that are facing this reality need to think about ways to begin a new S curve to breathe new life into their businesses. Here are some possibilities:

1. Narrow your focus and specialize in something that has growth opportunity and less competition.
2. Expand your offerings to include a segment which is in the growth phase.
3. Partner with someone (inside or outside of the spa industry) who is in the growth phase.
4. Turn the business over by selling it or even giving it away to someone who has the resources, energy, and vision to grow it again in new ways.

Here are some ideas of industry aspects that are more likely to be in a growth phase, which if incorporated properly, might help jump-start a flattening day spa:

  • Express Services

  • Budget Massages

  • Budget Facial Treatments

  • Mobile Spa

  • Baby Spa

  • All Men

  • Party Spas

  • Ayurvedic Focus

  • Tween Focus

  • Mobile Services

  • Fitness Services (Yoga, Core, Pilates, etc.)

  • Luxury Level

  • Squeaky Clean Facility

  • Medical Spas (the greatest opportunity might be here)

  • etc.

Think of businesses outside of the spa industry that have made some changes which started a new S curve and thus re-energized their businesses:

Dunkin’ Donuts began emphasizing lattes instead of their donuts.

Airlines that were threatened by the new low-cost airlines slashed their prices and then got creative to keep their customers.

McDonalds added playgrounds.

Movie theaters began letting you order tickets online.

Travel agents threatened with competition from online discounters began improving their service and changed their fee model.

I am sure you can think of other examples…in fact let us know by clicking on “Comments” and sharing them with us. This is a good time for us to help each other out with business ideas as it helps our entire industry to have strong healthy profitable businesses out there.