DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.
Issue link: https://dayspamagazine.epubxp.com/i/109233
HOW TO KEEP A MAN ARE YOU WORKING ON THE RELATIONSHIP? Your spa may be the one place where men receive a little nurturing, so don���t disappoint���be reliable and consistent. For instance, make sure your front desk staff is there come appointment time. ���Men hate to announce their arrival,��� Cox remarks. And don���t make that repeat male client have to repeat his requests. ���Be organized, make notes and know your clients!��� she says. Small gestures can go a long way. Find out what type of music your male client likes to hear during a service. Remind him when important holidays are coming up. 50 DAYSPA | MARCH 2013 Take note of your male client���s frame of mind when he walks in the door. You���re making yourself���and your spa���indispensable. And that goes a long way toward building a relationship. Men need to feel appreciated, especially as the relationship goes on, so make use of loyalty programs. ���If someone is a loyal back wax client, after ���ve waxes I give him a free service,��� Cox says. ���If he regularly purchases products, I occasionally give him a complementary one.��� ARE YOU PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE? Burke Williams incentivizes men to return to the spa with speci���c service packages offered exclusively ���for him��� multiple times throughout the year, and during the holiday seasons. Says Eckenweiler, ���We feel that this male spa package tactic incentivizes women to give the gift of spa to the men in their lives. And that, in turn, leads to men making the spa visit a regular occurrence.��� Always rebook male clients while they are still at the spa, say the experts. ���Guys don���t want to call and book a spa appointment from their of���ce,��� says Starr. ���Get them to book before they leave. Today���s software does everything for you, including sending clients reminders.��� Adds Knowlton, ���Always do a follow-up call to see how the previous service went for them.��� Finally, when creating your event calendar, don���t forget about the men. Soukup notes that most spa events don���t really encourage men to attend. ���Try an event focused on de-stressing, becoming a better leader or becoming more productive,��� she says. ���It doesn���t have to be only for men, either. Men want to be around women. Market it to the women, and let them know how their men could bene���t from attending.��� Liz Barrett is an Oxford, Mississippi-based writer and editor. �� THINKSTOCK/GOODSHOOT ���Our male return rate has a lot to do with providing the services they need, the convenience they want (online booking, for instance), and a friendly and helpful staff,��� says Whynot. ���Men want direction and structure. If you want them to book an appointment, explain to them why it���s important and they will usually book.��� If a man isn���t sure what he wants, Place 360 brings him along slowly. The spa will set him up with a 30-minute generic skin service and then perform various treatments within the allotted time, depending on his needs. Whynot notes that, ���Men usually want the facial, but they don���t want people knowing that they���re getting it.��� As they get more familiar with the drill, they have the opportunity to call more shots. ���We have something called Club 360, which gives men the opportunity to put together custom packages: golf packages, stress management packages and more,��� says Whynot. ���We even have a package in which we offer them a beer instead of the traditional glass of wine.��� Zen 3 created Zen Men, a collection of service packages geared toward maintenance, performance, repair and more, for its male clients. ���We don���t offer facials or nail services, only bodywork, and that makes it a little easier for us to attract and keep males,��� acknowledges Knowlton. ���But it���s always about personalizing the care. We treat everyone like a new client, every time.��� Small details are very important when it comes to catering to the male client. ���Parking is a huge thing,��� notes Cox. ���If they can���t ���nd a space, they���ll arrive grumpy. Don���t assume what their state of mind is; detonate all of the bombs before they arrive.��� Cox suggests having men���s magazines, offering them a beverage and keeping a nice ���ow to the entire experience. ���It���s like dating; less is more,��� she says. ���Keep it simple. Many male clients work white-collar jobs and they���re used to protocol. They want to see that at the spa, too.��� Cox also points out that, since men generally lean toward massages, incorporating elements of massage into a facial will show them that you understand what they want and can balance the way you present it.