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dayspamagazine.com | AUGUST 2014 29 Her tools: 1. It's in the email. "We send our clients a monthly email newsletter in which we highlight what's new in our treatments and boutiques," says Satterfi eld. "Specials are discussed and stories are written about individual team members. I always personally write an article about what the month at the spa holds. We also highlight success stories of our customers. I get so many clients telling me they look forward to reading the article each month!" 2. Seasonal strategies. "Every two months we change our seasonal treatments to fi t the time of year," adds Satterfi eld. "Customers really get revved up about what they are and anticipate them with excitement. All signage is changed in the store and marketed with graphics and our logo. Our seasonal treatments carry upgrade charges, which gives us a better profi t margin while keeping the clients from getting bored." 3. The VIP treatment. "We have a VIP membership program in two tiers, one offering one treatment per month and the other offering two," explains Satterfi eld. "Discounts— such as 50% off any spa service on your birthday—and free upgrades are included in both, and services roll over and can be credited toward hair services. Guests can also transfer credits to immediate family members, for a small fee. In addition, we hold VIP events, which go a long way to making our customers feel special." Cheri Satterfi eld, president and owner of Tuscan Sun Spa and Salons in West Virginia PRO TOOLS Spa clients are becoming increasingly clued in to the importance of mind-body health, but lengthy annual wellness getaways may not fi t their schedules (or budgets). You can help plug the gap by offering a series of shorter, more affordable retreats throughout the year. And rather than a massive marketing budget, all you'll need is a repackaging of your existing options. Believe it or not, you can look to the Spa at Mandarin Oriental (mandarinoriental.com) in Miami as an example. The spa recently debuted a series of six customized wellness retreats designed to improve mind, body and spirit. Even though the Mandarin can include two nights of accommodations—something a day spa can't do—other aspects of the package are totally translatable: a healthy breakfast, a bento box lunch, a one-hour fi tness class, nutritional trips and four hours of personalized treatments. The Mandarin's offerings include Strengthen, designed to increase mental and physical energy; Uplift, aimed at mind-body balance; and Exotic, incorporating authentic Thai massage. Explains Osa Mallo, spa director, "A lot of effort—and cost—goes into creating an annual retreat. We always have guests saying that that particular weekend simply didn't work with their schedules. Our Personalized Wellness Retreats enable them to embark on this journey on any three days of the year. In turn, we can market the retreats to a specifi c segment of travelers, making them a delightful experience for guests, and a well-rounded, brand-specifi c and profi table offering for us." PETITE RETREATS Calling all spa and salon owners! Looking for a one-stop business solution to help boost your bottom line? Allied Professionals Association, best known for its liability and property insurance policies, is branching out by offering full business support packages for owners. Customers who sign up for insurance with the Denver-based company also receive automatic membership that entitles them to benefi ts that include: a free business resource center providing information on certifi cation and training programs; webinars; client fi nancing solutions; a live experts forum; reference guides; marketing support; and advice from experienced spa consultants. "We're trying to make it easy for people to start up and maintain a business," explains APA's founder and director Kenneth Callison. "We have a deep investment in our clients—we want their business to succeed and for them to be the best they can be so they can continue to be our clients! People can fi nd the insurance business very impersonal, but we're trying to get away from that image by nurturing the relationship with our clients." Visit the website (alliedprofessionals.net) for further details. Professional Partners The pro: CHERI SATTERFIELD