Making your spa stand proud above the rest can be pretty difficult, especially if you’re starting in the industry.
Luckily my years of experience have given me a strong prowess in knowing what makes one spa stand out from the rest and what customers and guests love and want from their experience.
If you want to succeed and stand out from the competition, here are some unique spa ideas that can draw more customers and expand your business.
Offer Some Quirky New Services & Treatments
Let’s be real here, everyone’s heard of a Swedish massage, and whilst they’re enjoyable, they don’t always scream ‘wow’ to guests.
Certain treatments will be offered at nearly every spa you come across, so you need to step your game up if you want to be unique.
Look at and take note of the treatments offered by yourself and other local spas around – is there anything missing?
One way to make your spa unique is to offer treatments that are not commonly found in other spas. Consider offering services such as hot stone massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, and cupping. These treatments can be tailored to the individual needs of each client and provide a unique experience that will draw customers back for more.
Another way to make your spa stand out is by offering unique packages. Create a package that includes a combination of treatments, such as a massage and facial, or a body treatment and wrap combined with a gift basket. This will give customers the opportunity to experience multiple services in one visit.
New spa treatments and services emerge every year so try to keep up to date with what’s popular not only in the US but in other countries in the world.
For more ideas, check out the blog post from The Daily Adventures of Me which features a blogger’s experience with different spas and their unique spa treatments. https://thedailyadventuresofme.com/home/unique-spa-treatments
If no spa in your area is currently providing a mud bath spa treatment, then why not be the first one to begin offering it in your spa?
If you do begin to offer an exciting new treatment, make sure to promote it verbally to customers in the spa and also across your social media platforms.
Additionally, make guests aware that you are the only spa in the area currently offering this treatment to give the treatment an exclusive vibe.
If you’re unsure whether your new spa treatment will be a hit with members, why not offer it in a package deal with a popular treatment so guests can try it out and you can get some feedback.
Offer Birthday Discounts
Guests and customers love to be made to feel like their membership has exclusive benefits, that’s why offering a birthday discount is a great way to make your guests feel special.
If you’re currently running any other offers like first-time visit discounts or discounts on Groupon, ensure the birthday discount is different (preferably higher) otherwise the exclusivity factor seems a bit diminished.
Keep giveaways on hand, so you can give them as gifts to make your customers feel appreciated on special occasions.
Generally, 10-20% off one treatment for a guest anytime during their birthday month is enough to entice them to come in when they might not have planned to originally.
You can also offer special packages for couples or friends. This could include a massage, facial, and manicure/pedicure combination. You can also create packages that are tailored to the individual customer’s needs.
Complimentary Samples Or Products
Everybody loves getting something for nothing so giving out complimentary samples or products to guests will always be appreciated. How you go about doing this will be at your discretion.
It could be a perk that’s only available when a guest has a certain treatment, or maybe if the spa is celebrating an anniversary you could offer them to guests who visit during that day or week.
Make sure to take the time to explain how to use the products to each guest and how they’ll benefit them, this will make the guest feel special as if you’ve personally picked out the products to suit them.
Partner With Local Businesses
Partnering with other businesses will give you a chance to expand the spa and also network with other people in similar industries or paths of life as you.
If your spa does not have a restaurant or cafe, try finding a local food business that could supply healthy smoothies or fresh salads to the guests after they’ve had your treatments.
People love to see businesses in local communities working together and if another business could be the right fit for your spa, then why not try it?
Ask other businesses (preferably not competitive ones) if they would be interested in collaborating to offer exclusive discounts to each other’s customers.
For example, if there’s a nice gym near your spa, why not offer a small discount for people who have a gym membership there and vice versa, this will hopefully bring new customers through your doors and they may even advertise your spa on their notice boards or social media.
Offer More Unique Experiences
We mentioned how important it was to offer different treatments to local competitors, but what makes spas truly a class above the rest is when they offer ‘experiences’ for members and potential guests.
Try hosting special events like a wine-tasting evening, a yoga retreat or exhibit pieces of art by a rising artist for your guests at your spa, by bringing in local experts.
This will entice potential new guests to visit your spa for the first time and also encourage existing members to try something new. It doesn’t have to be anything that would break the bank.
Simple things like hosting a monthly self-care event for members will create a sense of community within your spa and may even entice guests to have a treatment whilst they’re visiting.
Make Your Website & Marketing Visual
Long wordy brochures are a thing of the past, so keeping your website and social media platforms bright, visual and engaging is the key to attracting new guests and also keeping your existing members involved.
Instead of listing your services and treatments on your website, create individual videos showing what the treatment entails so potential customers can fully understand what they’re paying for.
Whenever you have special events or experiences at your spa, make sure to document the occasion on social media so people know exactly what kind of things you do there and will want to get involved the next time you host something special.
If your spa has a specific color theme throughout the building, try to blend that into your website and marketing materials.
Start a Referral Program
It’s not the most unique idea but it is appreciated by guests and is an easy way for your spa to have cost-effective promotion without actively doing anything yourself.
Start an incentive program that encourages your existing members to recommend you to anyone they know and in return they could get a discount for themselves and the person they recommended when they next visit.
Potential guests are more likely to come if they’ve been recommended to your spa by a friend in comparison to if they had seen a social media ad campaign that you’ve paid to do.
You could also offer rewards for customers who refer more than one person, such as a free treatment or a discount on their next visit. This will encourage your existing members to spread the word about your spa and bring in new customers.
In addition, you could create an online referral program that allows customers to easily share your spa with their friends and family via email or social media. This will make it easier for them to refer you and will also help spread the word about your spa.
All in all, there are various tactics you can use to make your spa unique. From special events and experiences to visuals and referrals, you have a plethora of ideas at your disposal to make your spa stand out from the rest.
