It’s not always easy to measure ROI but these three ways to increase revenue in your spa are effective and quantifiable.
By Erica Martin,
Sales Director at Book4Time
There are many ways of increasing profitability in the wellness industry but it’s not always easy to measure their true impact on the bottom line. Focusing on enhancing the overall guest experience and improving staff efficiency are sure fire ways of increasing revenue but quantifying the ROI of these strategies isn’t straightforward.
Today I’ll focus on some of the more direct, measurable ways of bringing in more money and ensuring a steady cash flow. Here are three ways to increase revenue in your spa.
Focus on ease of booking
It’s no secret that accessibility and ease of booking are important when it comes to maximizing occupancy. As things start to ramp up again, people are looking to fill their calendars and indulge in the favorite activities they’ve been deprived of for so long. Now, more than ever, people want quick and immediate access to their desired services and to secure a booking as quickly as possible. While most spas (thankfully) now offer online booking, in many cases there isn’t a clear path for guests to get there. Countless times we’ve come across websites where you need to search and scroll, sometimes through several pages, to find that tiny “Book Now” button. In these cases, guests are more likely to lose interest or get frustrated and move on to one of your competitors. Keep your booking button front and center on your main web page, or on the spa page on your hotel website. This doesn’t mean it has to be right in the middle but somewhere visible and easy to access is key. If you have your treatment menu directly laid out on your site you can add a link to book that specific service next to each description. Another option is to build the booking tool directly into your site which would allow you to customize even more of the booking experience and overall flow for your guests.
Other ways you can direct guests to view your menu and book an appointment include QR codes. Hotel/resort or casino spas can place advertisements for the spa with QR code at the hotel front desk and on posters throughout the property. Booking and menus should also be easily accessible from the guest room, either from a QR code or an in-room or IPTV style app. And hotel confirmation emails are a great way to prompt guests to book their spa appointments before they arrive.
For local day spas or those looking to bring in more local guests, advertising on social media and ensuring your booking link is available through your bio on all of your social media pages is important. Search engines, like Google, also allow you to set up integrated booking right from your company profile. In your spa confirmation or follow up emails it’s helpful to include your booking link to either direct guests to invite a friend, perhaps with a referral incentive, or to simply book their next appointment.
Enhancements and upselling
Add-ons or spa enhancements are another way to directly increase your average ticket and bring in additional revenue. Look at offering a wide selection of add-on options and allow guests to select from a list of enhancements that can be added to their service without increasing the appointment time. Essential oils, scalp massage, eye or lip treatment and enhanced masks or exfoliation options such as dry brushing, are all great options. Make these enhancements available on your online booking site, so the guest has the option to add to their service directly at the time of booking. In addition, this could be part of your intake process and something your therapist can offer the guest as part of a consultation before the start of their treatment. Give your therapists incentives when it comes to the number of add-ons or enhancements they sell, or their overall average ticket, and create an internal competition making it fun for everyone.
Of course retail product upsells are a huge revenue driver for the spa. The way products are recommended to guests is key as it should be a smooth process internally for staff and should appear seamless and genuine to the guest. Make sure therapists are able to notify the front desk of which products are being recommended so that they can have them ready for the guest to physically see at checkout, and that both your therapists and front desk staff are well versed and trained on the benefits of each item and product line to ensure a continuous conversation, no matter where the guest is in the spa. Recommend a few select products and outline the reasons those would work well to create the best overall experience for your guest.
Gifting and recurring revenue
Spa services and self-care make great gifts. Offering spa gift certificates for treatments, packages and series, or set monetary amounts is essential to securing advanced revenue. In addition to offering gift cards or physical gift certificates in the spa, online gift certificates are a great option. Around the holidays people are always looking for quick gift ideas that they know their loved ones will appreciate. The same goes for personal celebratory milestones like birthdays, bridal showers, weddings, honeymoons, and even baby-moon gifts, which we’re seeing more and more of. Make the buying and delivery process quick and painless for your buyers which will allow you to accommodate last minute shoppers and buyers who may not live close to their intended recipient. If guests can purchase gift certificates online they can print it off themselves and send it as part of a card of gift, or just email it directly to the recipient. This also helps to improve your staff efficiency around holiday time and alleviate lines of holiday shoppers at your spa.
Packages and series are also great options for local guests to purchase for themselves and take advantage of discounted services when purchased in bulk. This helps to keep guests coming back and to fill up your downtime if you place restrictions on when they can be redeemed. Referrals and loyalty incentives are another way of incentivising guests to keep coming back and spreading the word about your spa. For example, a discount or spa credit incentive if they refer their friends and/or a discount or credit if they spend a certain amount on certain items.
Do you want to increase your spa revenue? Get in touch with a Book4Time representative to discuss the possibilities.