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96 DAYSPA | APRIL 2014 MARKETING SAVVY emphasizes how the spa's Teen Facial incorporates a personalized evaluation and drives home the impor- tance of a well-rounded skincare regimen. "We combine the treatment with a free gift and one-on-one instruction from an esthetician on how the client can keep her skin looking great between fa- cials," says Miller. "It's all about helping her to achieve healthy skin." 3 Educate. Although today's teens are used to quick- fi x products that promise automatic results, as a spa owner, you know this is not how quality skin care works. Informing the next generation on the impor- tance of developing healthy skin habits now is a vital part of the treatment process. "Being a teen is hard, and I think we all remember what it was like when we had our fi rst breakout, or how uncomfortable we felt about our appearance," says Susan Storey, com- munications director for Scooops Kid Spa Salon in Madison, Wisconsin. "A great way to help teens feel better about themselves is to empower them—give them information on how to treat and prevent skin fl are-ups and adopt good skincare habits in general." Diane Hibbard, Burke Williams' skincare director, says the spas' estheticians are specially trained to work with teens and understand their specifi c needs and concerns. "Dispelling myths about breakouts, teach- ing good hygiene and educating teens on the connec- tion between stress and skin eruptions are some of the ways our staff supports this young market," she explains. Licensed esthetician Laurie Webb of Waterfalls Day Spa in Middlebury, Vermont, also enjoys the educa- tional aspect of working with teens. "Teens are willing to learn about skin care from a reliable source provid- ing information in a relaxing spa setting. At this age, they're typically not keen on listening to a parent's ad- vice, so the spa is the perfect place to start a dialogue." 4 Seize marketing opportunities. Offering specials for parents and teens to come in and enjoy their individual services with additional time to unwind together can be a good "in" to attract the younger client. "We've found that having the mom and her teen together helps transition the daughter into feeling comfortable at the spa," says Webb. "We offer side-by-side massages, and dual pedicures and facials to allow for some mother- daughter bonding time. We do a lot of subtle things, like have them sit together without inter- ruption before the service begins or bring the mom in at the right time to talk about skincare solutions for the teen with the esthetician, and let conversa- tions happen organically." Want to create a little PR buzz? Trent recommends connecting with young local celebrities or star athletes in your community. Reach out to teens who are ac- complishing extraordinary things. Did a local girl just win the state tennis championship? Offer her a day at the spa to relax sore muscles and learn about skin care for an active lifestyle. Find out if the local spelling bee champ knows how to spell "esthetician" and invite her to the spa for a complimentary facial or mani/pedi. From there, you can issue a press release or even pitch the story to the local paper. Prom and graduation are ideal times to draw teens into the spa. A facial performed a couple of weeks before a big event can help prevent a young client's skin from breaking out and add to the excitement of the occasion. 5 Create the right ambiance. Do you offer desig- nated times for teen appointments or dedicate a section of your spa to teen services? There are plenty of things you can do to transform your spa into a hip and happening haven: • Choose youthful décor. A fun, informal envi- ronment can be useful in attracting a batch of young spa-goers. "At Scooops, we create an am- biance that is bright, fun and inviting to the tween and early teen markets," says Storey. "We feature whimsical seats in the shape of ice cream cones and oversized 'banana split' pedicure thrones, among other things." "Teens are typically not keen on listening to a parent's advice, so the spa is the perfect place to start a dialogue." ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM M k t g S a v v y 4 1 4 . i n d d 9 6 Mktg Savvy 414.indd 96 3 / 7 / 1 4 9 : 5 3 A M 3/7/14 9:53 AM