What is probably the most important part of your eMail Campaign?

That little old subject line that some people just gloss over.

There are some people I know who would argue that it is the most important puzzle piece to your eMail campaign.

Let's face it, because of the Internet things are changing so fast that it's amazing that we aren't blowing out brain cells and pulling muscles as we try to keep up with it. One of the coolest things about we humans though is just how we are creatures of adaptation. We learn to search, gather, and eliminate information that clutters up our already busy time.

In some ways the continual flow of information to us in our eMail boxes and our iPhones has made us a bit stilted. In the short period of time that I see an eMail with the prefix "FWD:" attached to it I am going to look at the subject and who sent it and then figure out if I should trash it or read. You're probably not all that different than me.

We all probably get upward of 50 emails each day. I would hazard to guess that many of us receive a lot more than that. A quick look at my Google Spam filter shows over 1,000 suspected spam eMails.

Did you know that in 2008, it was estimated that 210 billion eMails flew around the Internet ether each day. That's a lot of mail to have sort. Thankfully we are adaptive people with powerful tools like spam filters.

This brings me back to the beginning of my post. In your spa or salon eMail campaigns, the subject line you choose is of utmost importance for gaining the attention of your clients.

If you don't stop them in their mouse-clicking tracks then they won't be clicking on your eMail.

Be personable in that subject line, it's a great way for you to grab their attention. Showcase your Spa's personality.

The other thing to do is to get creative. You know that there is no one understands your business or your clients better than you do. Relate local flavor and happenings that are important to your area. Things that your local spa goers know and follow.

Did something special happen at your spa?

Use it: "You have to hear about what happened at [insert your spa/salon here] this week!" Then tell them briefly of the happenings, like a new baby or wedding or award. Connect with your clients and then attach a coupon for a special or free item to draw them. Finally, encourage them to forward the email to their friends.

We live in an era where people desire connection, giver that to them. Lock onto that and be willing connect in a relationship with them. Visit MoreSpaTraffic.com and we can help you with our proven campaign program.

Retaining your spa and salon clients.

Do you want to retain clients?

Well of course you do, you are after all in business and it's a business that depends upon clients.

Great spa and salon treatments can only go so far in setting you apart from everyone else.

If you want to go beyond the treatments, beyond the experience, you must connect on a personal level with your guests. Get to know them, and let them get to know you.

Practice the service of listening. I say service, because I mean active listening, not the zoning out variety. Service listening involves thinking on what's being said and then asking pertinent questions, watching the physical cues and demeanor of your spa guest.

Make them know that your time with them is important which means putting the cell phone away.

Be respectful. The client is putting themselves into a position of vulnerability.

All in all be the best servant you can be, because it is the heart of a servant that will impact those people the most and bring them back again.

And what does the heart of a servant look like? It is a heart that puts aside itself for another.

So how do you connect with the client after they leave the four walls? Well, come to MoreSpaTraffic where we can help with that.

Do you reward your clients?

That reward should equal the value of the client to your spa/salon business.

I'm certain you have clients who frequent your spa or salon on a regular basis? You can tick them off on your fingers naming each one. They are regularly booked.

You know who they are when their day goes by and they don't show or they call in to cancel, you miss them because in a big way they have become part of your family.

It's those clients who are your fans. The people who come not just because of the quality massage or facial or hair treatment, but because your business offers them something more, sometimes something as intangible as friendship or a place to rejuvenate.

How do you reward those guests for their loyalty?

Is the reward equal to their value as a customer to your spa/salon?

If it's not equal to the value of that client to your business than you may want to study upon that for a little while.

Unless you're one of the big chains with large marketing budgets as large as their square footage, you are going to find it difficult to let the people within driving distance know you exist. Harder still is finding a way to keep your name before those people on a regular basis.

Those loyal clients know people and they will willing spread your brand because they have found value in you. They are the people who will bring others via that old fashion marketing mechanism of "word of mouth".

In essence those clients are the coals to your fire that you need to nourish and keep burning. If you let them cool then getting that fire going will be more difficult, or worse, you might find that all your coals have become wet!

So as you consider ways to reward your best clients, consider that reward in relation to their value.

Remember, we're here to help connect with those customers:
www.MoreSpaTraffic.com.

Are you reaching your clients on a personal level?

In the spa business it is necessary for you to reach out and touch your clients. You must physically interact with them whether it's working out that knot pinching a nerve in their neck or giving a pedicure. So yes, you do interact with them.

The question though is, are you connecting with them on a personal level? Are you giving that extra little bit of effort that shows your client that, "Hey, I am so glad I know you"?

It's that extra little bits, whether it's asking about their family or giving them a foot massage before the pedicure, that connect them with you. And should in your conversations with your clients, you note something that you really want to remember so that you can ask them about it the next time you see them, make a note of it to reminder yourself, unless your blessed with an ironclad memory. It's definitely something you have to work and something that won't necessarily show immediate returns. Such things help to make your spa or salon more friendly and that is a step that opens up the doors to great client interaction and return business. You want and even need, after all things are said and done, clients who will tell their friends and family about you.

Which reminds me of something I came across a while ago. Though it doesn't deal with spas I think it is pertinent:

How Every Touch Counts

It gives a real world example of how, in this web enabled world, making a bad impression on a client can go a long way towards making business especially hard for a business owner.

Sure that might cause a bit of fear at first when you think about the negative possibilities of such connectedness. But, as the cliché goes, there is a flip side to that coin and the good thing is you have the power to flip the coin. Take advantage of the interconnectedness of the Internet. Set up a website and a blog for your Spa. Get a Twitter account running if you haven't gotten one yet. You don't have to update these things on a daily basis, though you may find yourself on Twitter quite a bit. Get your clients' email addresses.

You may even want to find out if they would like to hear from you occasionally via a Text on their cell phone. An easy way to find this out would be to give them your cell phone number so that they can text you if they want to check on an appointment or had any questions.

Make yourself available that way and I think it will lead to a growing business for you.

Remember desire to help you tap into and reward those loyal customers at MoreSpaTraffic.com.

Our progran will help you show them you appreciate them and will help you to discover new customers for your spa/salon.

Finding great deals in Washington D.C. Spas and Spa=Life.

I just read this entry by Katie T. and I thought it had a lot of great advice that could be used by everyone no matter what area of the country you are in today.

Thrifty District: Reduced-Price Relaxation

You can go ahead an insert the obligatory comments about the horrible economy plus how stressful everyone’s jobs are at the moment, and therefore make the obvious case for the increased need for stress-reducing treatments. Duh. You know my intro already. But let’s be realistic in our cost benefit analysis - is $120 for a massage going to make you feel better or worse about your financial situation? Right, you’re rolling your eyes, that’s what I thought.

But just because you can’t afford it doesn’t mean you don’t still need it. So I’m here to help you, friend, find a cheaper ticket to stress-less-ville. I’ve got a few cost-saving tips if you want to go to a professional spa, and then a few quick ideas and links if you’re up for a do it yourself spa session.

I also found this news item cool.

Spas Add Years to Your Life

Dealing with your stress today can help prevent stress-related illnesses (heart disease, stroke, depression) tomorrow. "There's quite a bit you can learn at a spa to help reduce stress," said Dr. Brent Bauer, director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic. "Things like meditation, acupuncture, massage and guided imagery - the right answer is to find what fits for you and incorporate it on a regular basis."

As always, if you run a Spa, Resort, or Salon, be sure to check out our website, MoreSpaTraffic.com.

We have a great means to cost effectively market your business and increase it by 15-20%. You're customers matter to you, and we can help you connect with them outside the spa.

Example of How Every Touch Counts.

I ran across a rather intriguing blog post the other day that details the amazing power of the wonderful Internet social mediums like Facebook and Twitter.

The post is focused on an event that took place in a restaurant, but it's pertinent for spa and salon owners too. Really, it's pertinent for any business owner who works with the public.

Here's a snippet from, How Every Touch Counts:

A customer waiting for attention from the waiter instead decides to update his Facebook Status with the message that “I’m in The Mill Pub and can’t get service. Hate that”. This message then becomes visible to the customer’s network of hundreds or thousands of friends. Could this have a negative effect on perception and even on bookings? Potentially.

A similar incident became widely publicized in the US recently when the high profile wine blogger and internet celebrity Gary Vaynerchuk when he attended a recent conference in Miami. His poor experience in a high profile hotel affected him so much he video blogged about it, as did a few other high profile internet folks with the result that hundreds of thousands of people learned of their experience within 24 hours. The results were huge and the hotel went into fire-fighting mode to try and offset the negative publicity.

The bad publicity lost the hotel a lot of key business.

It's a great example of the need of business owners and managers to treat every customer like they are their only customer. Is it easy? My word, no! But it is necessary to succeed in this current economic climate where we must do everything we can within reason to keep our loyal customers and and make new ones.

It's also a great example of just how powerful this new medium is today and as business people we need to be actively involved in using the power of the Internet to connect with our customers and make new ones.

That's what we at MoreSpaTraffic.com are committed to doing with our spa marketing program for you. We can help you connect on the Internet with your loyal customers and others in your area with a cost effective program that will increase your business by 15-20% and help double your referrals.