5 Tips for Dealing with Cranky Clients

Unreasonable customers are always a pain, but they're especially prevalent and stressful during the holiday season!  But keep your cool and resist the urge to "tenderize" your clients during their massage sessions with the following tips:

1.)  Remember: The customer is always right - I know this is probably the hardest to accept, but customer service experts have long said that a happy customer tells one or two friends, while an unhappy customer tells several--or in the age of social media, hundreds of his closest strangers. And these statistics can be magnified by the emotions related to the stress of the holiday season.

2.)   Train employees to cope with problem customers - Hold staff meetings between the end of October and Thanksgiving to do scenario training and discuss best practices for dealing with nightmare customers.

3.)  Hire enough holiday help to minimize customer frustration - Staffing up adequately during the holidays can prevent a lot of aggravation for both customers and employees. If someone is already upset and then has to wait a long time on line or on hold, this will only add fuel to the fire.  Also overworked employees also may mishandle customers.

4.) Don't promise what you can't deliver - Promising your clients the sun, moon and stars is great but not so great when you can't deliver.  If you say you're going to try to do it and you don't do it, their problem becomes your problem. You always try to please your customer, but don't give them a reason to heap blame on you.

5.)  As a last resort, be willing to lose the customer and the sale - If you offer your best plan for resolving a problem and the customer is still being difficult, it's okay to part company and refund the purchase price.

Winning by Pinning

Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, YouTube...seems like everyday there is another social network to keep up with? The newest of theses networks...Pinterest. You may be thinking this isn't the network for your spa or clinic because your business is not Pinterest-appropriate, right? Think again! Companies that would not classify as visually stimulating are using the site.   For day spas, it’s a slam dunk, as images relating to wellness and relaxation are some of the most frequently pinned (or most popular) on Pinterest.

Here are some expert approved tips and tools for gaining a presence on this new social network:

• Why Pin?  It's free publicity!  Pinboards and re-pinning functions facilitate virtual word-of-mouth marketing for your business.  It’s also a great way to boost your spa’s SEO (search engine optimization). The more content your spa or clinic puts out into the web, the more hits it is likely to get in a web search.

• What's Pin-worthy?  Remember all that money you dumped into fancy photography for your spa or clinic?  Here's some catagories you can put them in on your Pinterest profile:
  
  
  
  • Products we Love
  
  
  • Tricks of the Trade
  
  
  • Fan Favorites
  
  
  • Service Specials
  
  
  
  

• Pinning Practice Makes Perfect!  To successfully market your business via Pinterest, spa/clinic owners must go beyond simply creating pinboards and posting beautiful images. Offer key information about your spa:  your website, physical and email addresses,  and phone number, for instance.  Also try these tips:
  
  
  
  • Watermark your images. Include your URL at the bottom, so that when the image is re-pinned, audiences know that it’s originally from your spa.
  
  
  • Use hashtags (#) to increase exposure
  
  
  • Use other social media platforms to cross-promote your Pinterest page.
  
  
  • Keep your page fresh and up to date
  
  
  
  

Make sure to follow Scandle on Pinterest for in-spa-ration!:)  Also share your pinterest page here and let's all get pinning!:)

Source:  Winning With Pinning - DaySpaMagazine.com

Holiday Spa Treats for Fufilling Holiday Sales

‘Tis the season for the holiday hustle and bustle!  With all the upcoming festivities, who couldn't use a little holiday break to ease some tension and get some Christmas shopping out of the way? The holidays offer your clients the perfect opportunity to take some time out for themselves at your spa or clinic, while providing them with great pampering gift ideas that they can't find at "big box" retailers.  Here are a few of our favorite Holiday Treat-ments that are sure to warm your clients up and give them some in-spa-ration for stress-free holiday gift giving:

• Winter Refresh Pedicure -Enjoy the classic elements of a pedicure paired with the invigorating winter scent of peppermint. This pedicure features The Scandle Lotion Candle in Silent Night (providing aromatherapy effects of lavender and mint) along with your choice of Scandle's Dead Sea Salt or Turbinato Sugar Scrub.  Simply light The Scandle Candle (or use The Scandle Lamp) to melt The Scandle Candle.  Then, combine some of the soothing warm oil along withThe Scandle Salt or Sugar Scrub and follow with a hydrating Scandle Lotion Candle  moisturizing foot massage.   Recommended gifts for customer purchase:  Scandle Spa Trio.

• Holiday Spirit Massage - Treat clients to a full-body custom pressure massage that uses the warm scents of our Limited Edition Holiday Spirit Massage Candle (with notes of cranberries and orange zest). This massage increases circulation, soothes tired muscles and creates an overall sense of relaxation. Recommended gifts for customer purchase:  Scandle Massage Experience.

• Mint Delight Scrub - The invigorating scent of peppermint accentuates this luxurious full body gentle exfoliation.  By combining the warm oil of our Limited Edition Silent Night Scandle Body Candle along with The Scandle Salt or Sugar Scrub, this warm tempting treat is designed to stimulate circulation and reveal soft healthy skin.  Recommended gifts for customer purchase:  Scandle's Get Your Glow On.

We're sure these treatment and gift ideas will give you're clients the holiday warmth they need during this time of year and help them enjoy the season, stress-free!:) Happy Holidays!

Ready, set, sell!

The biggest holiday shopping season of the year is quickly approaching!  Do you have all your proverbial "ducks in a row" at your spa, clinic, or wellness facility to make it your most profitable?  Here are some easy-to-implement, high impact sales stimulation that you can use both in-store and online:

• BOGO – Buy One Get One – offers are potent draws for almost any business. It doesn’t have to be “buy one get one free”. 50% off the second item is very powerful and equates to a 25% discount on the total sale.

• Print compelling short-term offers – good for one week, for example – on customer receipts. An offer that’s good for a limited time will bring customers back quickly with almost no advertising expense incurred.

• Advertise a same-day or next-day sale. The sale may be limited to a few hours with special “doorbusters”, say from 7am-11am, to attract customers at a time that is normally a slow period at your establishment.

With so much going on in social media, you can create great “buzz” for your business and generate huge sales at almost no cost. Create a special promotion your followers can take advantage of – and share with their friends! Want a few examples? Try these!

• “Like” Us on Facebook and get 15% off your next purchase.

• Post a unique picture on Facebook. Offer customers who post a comment $5 off their next purchase.

• Have a special keyword phrase known only to your online followers or website visitors, giving people who provide the phrase at checkout a promotional item with your company logo – a pen, a shopping bag, a travel mug, etc. – with a minimum purchase of your choosing.

Be imaginative and watch your holiday sales skyrocket!  Happy Holidays!:)

Scandle Massage Lotion Candles Are Lighting Up The Airwaves!

With only 3 more days to the kickoff of the biggest holiday shopping day of the year (Black Friday, Nov 23rd)...The Scandle Body Candle has been lighting up the airwaves and gift guides as THE GIFT to give that special someone this holiday season!

Check out The Scandle Massage Lotion Candle on the Steve Harvey Show today (Tuesday, November 20th)...

[caption id="attachment_4460" align="aligncenter" width="210"] Scandle Body Candles were featured on The Steve Harvey Show! Tuesday November 20th, 2012[/caption]

...And on LovingYou.com

[caption id="attachment_4456" align="aligncenter" width="240"] Check out Scandle Body Candle in LovingYou.com[/caption]

 

Check out these Scandle sightings today for exclusive discounts for your holiday gift giving!

Boost Business While Giving Back...

One of the best ways to give back to the community that supports your business is by getting involved in charitable activities and The Holidays are the best time to do it since everyone’s in a generous frame of mind!:)  Not only does giving back to your community raise your spa or practice's profile in the community, it makes clients and prospective clients feel better about your business—and more inclined to spend money with you.

How do you start a giving program? Here are some steps to get going:

1.)  Choose A Cause - Your cause should be one that relates to your business, your community and your customers.  Since most of your clients are most likely from the local community, you’ll also want to pick an organization that’s locally based.

2.)  Do Your Homework - Check the background of any group you’re working with. Sadly, lots of scams are out there that appear legitimate. Even if an organization is legitimate, you’ll want to know how much of the money they collect goes to their clients as opposed to being used for overhead.  A good source is CharityNavigator.

3.)  Figure Out How You Will Help - The amount of time you have to spare vs. the amount of money you have to spare will be key to this decision.  If you have time to spare, you or your employees may want to volunteer for the organization.  If you have money to spare, you might just want to donate funds. You could also consider having special events where part of your sales on that day go to the organization, or giving the organization your net profits from the sale of a certain product (for some inspiration, check out Scandle Body Massage Candle's partnership with The Arbor Day Foundation for Earth Month).

4.)  Get the Word Out - Let your customers, community, and local media know that you’re involved with this organization by spotlighting it in your marketing materials and on your website, in social media and in signage in your store. Show customers how they can get involved and help too, whether by purchasing a product that supports the cause, donating money or shopping on a certain day.

What organizations/causes has your spa or clinic partnered with?  Please share below!

Source - "How Your Small Business Can Give Back This Holiday Season" on Network Solutions

 

Massage Your Feet for Healthier Skin...

Could reflexology be the answer to your skincare woes? With its much-acknowledged body benefits, reflexology is often hailed as a holistic wonder. But could the alternative medicine heal your skincare woes as well as healing your body?

Skin is, after all, the largest organ in the human body and acts as a protection from the elements.

So, how exactly does reflexology work? And can it offer a fabulously glowing complexion?

In short, the answer is probably. The natural healing process is based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet, hands and ears, which correspond to every part, gland and organ of the body.

Through application of pressure on these, the feet being the main area of application, reflexology relieves tension, improves circulation and helps promote the natural function of the related areas of the body.

It can help to correct imbalances within the body and can be particularly beneficial for people who suffer with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, dermatitis, and rosacea to name a few.

One of the main reasons it seems to work is because it can help detoxify the skin, through manipulating pressure points in the feet that help the kidneys and other organs function optimally.

The lymphatic system also benefits, and this is a key part of getting rid of toxins that may accumulate in our bodies.

So, there you have it, the glowing skin you dream of could be just a foot massage away!

Source Xpose Entertainment - Reflexology Beauty

Give Thanks This Thanksgiving

Want to build lasting relationships with your customers? Try connecting with them with two simple words, "Thank You"! With Thanksgiving just one week away, there is no better time to garner goodwill and loyalty than by thanking those who keep your business running and growing. People appreciate being appreciated, and saying so allows your spa, clinic, or wellness business to connect with people on an emotional level, beyond just your product or service.

Here are a couple of ways to give thanks:

1.)  Social Media Shout Outs - Recognizing customers shows them how much you value them. Thank customers by mentioning them in a tweet, posting a coupon on Facebook, or your blog. As a bonus, the customer will often share your efforts with their family/friends.

2.)  Personalized Emails - Turn a customer into a loyal one by giving them special attention. Send personalized emails to customers thanking them for their business. Give customers a reason to remember you in the New Year with a discount on their favorite products or services.

Let's face it...we all have choices on where we spend our time and money.  Take the time to thank them for choosing your business. Saying thanks is an easy and effective way to grow relationships—and ultimately, benefit your business!

How do you show your customers thanks?

Provide some POP for Successful Retail Sales!

No, we're not suggesting that you provide your customers with Soda Pop to help your retail sales, but being a soda junky myself, this certainly would close the deal for me!;)  What we are suggesting here is creating an environment that is conducive to shopping through enticing Point-of-Purchase Displays (POP displays).

The Holidays are the prime time to make sure that your retail area is up to snuff.  As clients are checking out, they browse the surrounding area.  This is why candy, gum and magazines are clearly visible at the registers in grocery stores, and why retail stores often place POP items on countertops.  While clients are waiting to check out with nothing else to do, they often find themselves grabbing something and adding it to their purchase.  We suggest offering retail items at a reasonable price point (like our Scandle Lotion Candle Travel Tins that are great for stocking stuffers) that encourage last minute add on sales/spending!

For more holiday POP ideas and gifts that make gift giving fast and convenient for your clients, check out our November Newsletter for new products, sales tips, and discounts!

Scandle Friday Spa Treatment Feature - Mani/Pedi While You Work

Do you provide on-site services to your customers either at the office or at home? Here's another interesting idea besides the basic chair massage service for corporate clients....Mani/Pedi services in their cubicles or conference room!:)

For clients that are too tired, busy, or (gulp) lazy...you can offer to come to them at work instead of them come to you.

By providing a convenient spa services you can meet the beauty needs of working women with little or no time while boosting profits!  Sounds like a win - win to me!;)

Any other services that you can recommend on-site?  Please share!:)

Limited Edition Holiday Fragrances, Specials, Gift Sets, and More!

 

[caption id="attachment_4359" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Try not to panic! ♥ Check out Scandle's Nov. Newsletter for Limited Edition Holiday Fragrances, Gifts Sets, and Savings![/caption]

Scandle's Friday Treatment Feature - Hot Sticks

Offered by the Okura Spa in the heart of Bangkok's downtown, the "Hot Bamboo" massage may be new to Bangkok but is in fact an ancient treatment common to both Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine. In Japan, it's called "Take" massage and it remains popular with both men and women.

The sticks themselves are about 30 centimeters in length and made from a golden species of Japanese bamboo only found in deep forest.

Once heated, the therapist uses the sticks to apply deep tissue pressure without physical exertion. The temperature of the sticks is not too hot but warm enough to penetrate and soothe. That's similar to the hot stone treatment but while the stone can burn the skin if the therapist isn't skilled, the sticks tend to quickly cool off.

When the bamboo sticks are rolled on the back or shoulders, they are quite rigid. Applied with essential oil, they become slippery cylinders and it's essential that the therapist is trained in controlling their motions.  The focus is more on a full body massage than one specific tension area, since the stick allows for a greater surface area.

Source:  "Sticks that Heal" The Nation/News Network Oct 28, 2012