With the holiday season just around the corner, spa operators should start shifting gears to make the most of what is essentially the most lucrative season for business during the year.
Experienced operators often have a go-to checklist to prep their outlets weeks in advance, and have a tried and tested game plan, aimed at maximizing footfalls, engagement, and revenues during the last few weeks of the year.
There is still plenty of time to get your spa ready for the forthcoming holiday season, and in this article we will share some essential tasks to get you started.
- Prepare Your Staff For The Holiday Rush
Almost all businesses witness a spike in demand over the course of the holidays, whether they prepare for it or not. While this might seem like a blessing, the sudden spike often leaves employees at such establishments overwhelmed, leading to dismal customer service, forever tarnishing reputations.
As a result, it is absolutely essential to prepare your staff for the sudden rush in the coming weeks. You can get started by examining data from the previous holiday season, to predict demand zones for various products and services, before training your staff accordingly.
If needed, consider hiring temporary staff to handle the holiday demand, so as to maintain the quality of services. The additional revenues will often far outpace the costs involved in hiring additional staff during these seasons.
- Go Big On Christmas Decor
When entire streets are shiny and flashy with elegant Christmas decor, your clients will likely be put off if they don’t see the same at your place. Changing your decorations to match the seasons is a great way to scout clients, and show them you care.
It need not be too extravagant either, just simple additions can set the mood for Christmas, and delight visitors when done right. This includes special lightings, pasties, and a small Christmas tree, among other things, which should be well within the budget for most spas.
- Reinvent Your Menu
The next thing on the list is to reinvent your menu, both in terms of offerings, and prices. As the new year approaches, it only makes sense to unleash a new beginning by including new products and services that leave clients excited.
Given the sheer volume of customers that most spas receive during this season, it is perfectly feasible to offer good discounts and offers. Most of your peers and competitors are likely to go all-out in this regard, so it is only logical to stay on top of it, and make sure you don’t lose much business to them.
- Send Out Christmas Cards To All Your Customers
Once the stage is set for the holiday season, with your staff, menus, and interiors perfectly reflecting the theme of Christmas, you can kickstart your promotions. Beyond the obligatory signages, below-the-line marketing, and social media shout-outs, spa owners have to ensure the first word of their Christmas offers, and deals are sent to their existing long-term patrons.
Apart from an email or SMS blast, operators should make sure to include Christmas cards in their outreach and marketing mix. Nothing grabs attention, and conveys feeling quite like a customized card hand delivered physically to your customers.
Final Words
The holiday season is not something that spa operators can take lightly, with a number of businesses in this sector generating a bulk of their yearly revenues during this one month alone.
With the right strategy and execution, this season can very well be your chance to supercharge your business, and take sales to the next level.
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