A brand is the words, images, thoughts and feelings that come to mind when someone thinks about you, or interacts with you and your business in some way. It’s the real estate about you in someone else’s heart and mind. Most spa owners are very clear about their brand when they first open, but over time, as businesses evolve (i.e. services, products and staff change), the brand’s original concept can dilute and the message you want to deliver is not always the message your clients are getting. It’s at this point when your brand may just need a reboot. 

Until recently, Western Medicine has failed to recognize the healing benefits of the Spa and Fitness Industry. With the arrival of the latest trend, the Medical Spa, the two fields have converged and caused a veritable explosion, making this new trend the wave of the future. As defined by the International SPA Association, a Medical Spa is an…

If you’re already familiar with the rudiments of spa management, you know the right location, business plan, branding and space are vital to success. Yet if you’re venturing into the arena of a medical spa, that success depends on additional factors--including a thorough understanding of what your clientele expects, what your facility will entail, and what’s needed to present an enhanced menu of professional services credibly and effectively.

Maintaining beauty and youthfulness is a daily preoccupation for many women and men. Environmental exposure, lifestyle choices, normal chronology and many other factors all take their toll on the aging process of our skin—and most appearance-conscious people are eager for ways to effectively turn back the clock.  So it’s no surprise that millions of dollars in research and testing have helped to create mass market, anti–aging skin care products. 

Everywhere you look you see products labeled as green, eco-friendly, sustainable, non-toxic, organic and natural. Spas are easily following this trend because guests want holistic treatments and natural products. So how do spas make small eco-friendly changes? It’s not as hard as you think and you don’t have to pay a fortune to do it. If you’re spa is up and running here are some ideas to help you make those baby steps that will bring you huge benefits in the future. 

There’s a well-known motivational expression: “If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.” When it comes to your brand, consistency not only enhances your credibility but also helps ensure your image is crystal-clear to clients/patients. Conversely, if your approach is haphazard and inconsistent, clientele won’t know quite what to make of your brand.

In any professional endeavor, the bottom line has to be a top priority. After all, a business can’t stay afloat for long without a healthy profit margin. Yet it’s also important to address the non-profit side of things, to project a genuine demeanor of concern for clients, your staff, and the larger community. Caring is the sixth key to establishing a brand that is both powerful and well thought of in the minds of your clientele. 

“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they’ll remember how you made them feel.”  No less a philosopher than Maya Angelou made that wise observation about one of life’s truisms. And nowhere is that wisdom more true than in a profession dedicated to giving people a boost in appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

When it comes to marketing your brand, conversation is more than just an art: Knowing how to engage clients/patients with the right dialogue is often the tipping point between spot-on communication or muddled messaging for your business.

It’s been said that information is power, and the more you tell, you more you sell. Content is another key brand touch point for your business: Every news bite, commentary, photo or bit of factual material you send out should carry your unique branding signature. 

DryBar, SoulCycle, Skin Laundry…What do these three diverse brands all have in common? A very recognizable culture. They created their own systems and introduced a very specific methodology. Clients not only quickly adapted, but embraced the brand. Now their operations are identifiable as uniquely their own. Simply mention the name—DryBar, SoulCycle, Skin Laundry—and consumers know instantly what to expect from their signature culture. 

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, defines a brand as “…what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” The words, images, thoughts or feelings someone has when they think of you and your business--that, in a nutshell, is your brand.