There’s a lot of noise in the spa consulting marketplace today. Everyone has a product that they want you to buy. You sign up for various mailing lists to ensure that you receive their newest information first. But what about the 100 people on the list before you? Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
October 9, 2015
Six Soft Skills Your Spa Therapists Should Master
Tony is a veteran stylist who works in Philadelphia. He’s been in the beauty industry for over 20 years and consistently has the top retail sales in his salon. He’s tried to retire several times but his clients won’t let him. His client base, amazingly, ranges in age from 19-82! Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
October 7, 2015
Does Your Spa Service Suck?
Last week I traveled to the Middle East to discuss spa training and increasing retail sales with a well-known resort company. I was impressed by the opulence and beauty of their spa, it was the type of place designed for indulging in luxurious treatments all day long with your girlfriends. Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
September 29, 2015
I haven’t had an opportunity to post about anything related to increasing retail selling or spa training or therapists in the past two weeks because there’s been a lot going on. First we had to go to Laos to take care of our visa renewals. Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
August 26, 2015
Why Your Massage Therapists Don’t Want to Sell
For many therapists in the spa industry, retail selling has negative connotations. Some massage therapists consider their vocation to have roots based in spirituality. They don’t think that commerce should enter into the process. “Render under to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s….” Others have expressed discomfort with the idea that as health care providers making a product recommendation may be crossing their line of authority. Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
August 18, 2015
Why Millennials Will Force Spas to Step Their Game Up
Women and men between the ages of 25 to 34 are pretty glamorous people. They like to look and smell good. And they love to shop for the products which can help them get that way.
Consumer research firm Scarborough offers some interesting insight into the Millennials when it comes to making purchases. Among them:
- 65% of millennials like to compare prices across different sites before purchasing
- 34% say going online is one of their favorite things to do in their free time
- 51% agree that being able to customize an item makes them more likely to purchase
Spa therapists need to understand that many millennials who get spa treatments come mentally prepared to buy. Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
July 14, 2015
You Can’t Put Lipstick On Declining Spa Sales
Almost half of spa owners see no increase in their sales in the foreseeable future. Yes, according to the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) “60 percent of spa and salon owners are positive on growth, expecting to have higher retail sales in the next six months.” As for the other 40 percent — flat to declining.
What’s shocking to me is that 0.5% growth is now being called success. “Overall indicators and feedback from beauty professionals across the country continue to be positive and we remain optimistic that the beauty industry will continue this growth into 2015” says Steve Sleeper, Executive Director of the PBA.
Is retail sales a force of nature that can’t be controlled by man (or woman)?
Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
July 5, 2015
The Zen of Spa Retail Training
The first time that I had to give a public speech I began to cry hysterically. I also wet my pants.
I was four years old and in kindergarten.
Since that time I’ve had many jobs where public speaking came with the territory. It’s never been fun but I’ve gotten considerably better at it. When I worked for Verizon as a training manager, I attended a two day workshop on public speaking. I had an instructor who was able to create a safe emotional space for the attendees. He built such an atmosphere of support that it was almost painless to stand in front of the other 11 trainees and give a five minute presentation. People performed brilliantly during those two days. I wish I could remember his name, he was wonderful. Read More
Linda Harding-Bond
June 24, 2015
Once a month the CEO of a certain Five-Star resort company would return to the home office. A status meeting was always held. All vice presidents and middle management would attend either in person or via Skype.
On this particular day as we were waiting for the meeting to begin, he regaled us with a story of his visit to one of the company’s more remote locations. He said 18 hours on a plane had earned him an extremely stiff neck. Immediately upon arrival he’d booked a massage. In a luxurious hut with the ocean as a backdrop, he’d explained his problem to a therapist in detail. He opted for an add-on treatment of Thai herbal balls; heated poultices which are rhythmically applied to sore or stiff body points to promote blood flow. He’d also requested that a heated towel be placed around his neck for the first 10 minutes prior to treatment. >>>To read more click here>>huff.to/1GEycWV
Linda Harding-Bond
June 17, 2015
Why your New Spa Product Will Probably Fail
My friend Cheryl developed a beautiful line of organic body products. She sent me samples and I was thrilled to discover that her creations where some of the best I’d ever used.
When it won a best new product of the year award in New York City, she and I celebrated with a champagne lunch. I remember screaming in delight when it was later selected as one of the swag bag items for the Emmy Awards. A Five-Star hospitality group in Asia began carrying her line at their chain of spas. Her product was unstoppable. Read More