Spa Marketing

Experts Agree Spa Training In Top Demand

“According to Global Spa Summit, a shortage of high quality, trained labor, including spa managers, spa directors, aestheticians, and massage therapists, are some of the top challenges facing the spa industry today”

Maintaining the integrity of a fast-growing $40 Billion industry, while at the same time attracting investors & reaching more consumers, was cited as the top challenge in summit meeting for 2007 and on-going concern for 2008. Along with this, there is a lack of industry wide standards for defining spa categories and best practices. According to spa summit, “the spa industry’s authenticity is threatened in the present and even more so in the future, by outside investors that only think of the bottom line and not the mind, body and soul transformations of the people”. It will take leaders in the spa industry to turn this around for 2008 and keep that genuine goal to be profitable, yet retain the authenticity.

How does one retain the authenticity in this growing industry? Liz Galloway of The Lotus Effects is a leading innovator and spa consultant, with concentrated focus and attention that on-going training in the spa industry continues as the industry grows. Developing and founding both The Lotus Effects and Spa College International, along with speaking at Spa Events and teaching at International retreats, such as Costa Rica, Liz is an innovator in teaching new techniques, quality training, styles and consulting to make your business grow into the best it can be. On-going training and quality is very necessary if spas want to outlast the newcomers to the scene.

3 topics stood out in the 2007 summit—solving Spa labor shortages, standardizing best practices & building a model to benchmark success. Because there is no conduit for training and experience in this industry, there is an urgent need to refocus efforts on hiring educated and qualified managers, employees and spearheading future movements for standardizing and shaping educational programs and pumping money from investors back into the sector.

The spa industry has grown 40% over the last 3 years and shows no signs of slowing down in 2008, but rapid growth can also create fragmentation and impede innovation. Women’s Wear Daily expanded on the fragmentation of spas “Spas started falling into different categories, for example, a spa is known either as a Day Spa or as entity within the hotels and resorts, focusing either on medical in nature, or those that focus on skin care or target a certain demographic”. For 2008, the industry is coming of age, needing to keep up and meet demands for personal development, environmental and proper hiring of educated managers and employees, while maintaining high industry standards.

This year will bring about huge change with the use of technology, consistent training and increasing demand from the public for new treatment options catering to youth and beauty. People are being geared not just toward an environment to be pampered in, but a place to escape and achieve overall health in mind, body and spirit. With new & cutting trends on the increase, training and innovative techniques are key for staying on track and maxing business potential to that next level. What can one expect for 2008? Medical spas are on the rise in Costa Rica and other areas, as people are looking for alternatives that are less expensive outside the US, providing not just cosmetic procedures, but aftercare and recovery in a soothing luxurious environment. Therapeutic therapies combined with relaxation methods and detoxing seem to be the latest craze in 2008. Needing complete beauty and body overhauls, Americans are picking retreat destinations such as Costa Rica, for a soothing way out of everyday reality.

Learn how to keep up with the latest spa trends and grow your business to the next level, expanding and incorporating on-going training into your spa, whether for yourself, or your managers and other staff.

Advice for 2008? “Be pro-active, train your staff consistently, keep up with the latest trends, and get involved in 2008, protecting the spa industry from sub-standard practices and those just interested in the bottom-line”. The resources are out there, start today with a consultation from Liz to make your spa a leading success.

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Economic worries mean fewer spa visits

Today’s economic downturn is causing spa owners in the Valley to sweat as they watch their bottom lines sag.

“When the real estate market began dropping, people stopped spending money on themselves,” said East Valley, Scottsdale, Arizona spa market analyst and Mesa author Christina Jordan. “Spas in the Valley, especially the day spas, are losing customers and income.”

Day spas is the general term for less costly, quicker-service spas, usually located in malls. Among the fastest-growing segment in the industry, they are mostly smaller facilities, Jordan said.There are an estimated 500 day spas in Arizona, mostly in the Valley.

Other spas include Arizona Resort spas, located in moderate to posh hotels and resorts, and Arizona med spas, a combination of a day spa that also offers medical treatment supervised or directly provided by certified medical physicians. There are more than 200 resort spas in Arizona, with most of them in the Valley, Jordan said.

“Resort spas are losing clients, too, but they have more financial support and better marketing to stay afloat, while the day spas are being hit the hardest by the economy,” said Jordan. “The smaller day spas generally don’t have enough capital to handle this downturn.”

Day spas began expanding in Arizona and the Valley about 15 years ago and - until the recent economic decline - had been doing well.

“The growth is the result of the baby boomers, both men and women, who are going to day spas for beauty and body treatments,” Jordan said. “There is also an increasing number of young people who are attending and graduating from aesthetic and cosmetology schools in the Valley and throughout the state. Thus more spas.”

“But while the spa industry is growing in size, it’s not growing in income.”

Lisa Allen, co-owner of Blush Med Spa in Gilbert, said her spa has steadily been losing clients since December. “We opened in November with a lot of customers, but then it started slowing down,” said Allen, who describes her spa as a combination day and med spa.”Today, we’re trying to get them back by offering special treatments at lower costs.”

Her spa, as well as others in the Valley, are attempting to lure customers back to their massage tables, cosmetology chairs and meditation rooms with reduced rates Spa Deals and Spa special offers.

Spas in the United States

* There were an estimated 13,757 spas in the United States in August 2006, up from 10,128 in April 2004. This includes 3,139 spas in Arizona, Spas In California , Spas In Nevada, Spas In Utah, Spas In Colorado and Spas In New Mexico that earned a combined $2.7 billion annually.

* The spa industry generated $9.7 billion in 2005, up from $7 million in 2003.

* There were 10,988 day spas in 2006, about 80 percent of the total in the United States that earned $6.7 billion in revenue annually; 1,218 resort spas earning $2 billion and 915 med spas taking in $469 million.

* A total 267,400 employees worked in the spa industry, including 124,500 full-time, 101,300 part-time and 41,600 contract workers.

* Arizona is the busiest spa state followed by California and Nevada and is, appropriately, called “The Spa State.”

Source: International Spa Association’s 2006 Spa Industry Study

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Employee or independent contractor?

One of the biggest liabilities for small business owners is improperly classifying workers.

Recently, a number of our local day spas and salons were fined for incorrectly classifying workers as independent contractors when in the eyes of state and federal tax officers they are deemed employees. Many businesses were also fined for failing to file the mandatory 1099 forms for all contractors’ they used in their business. It is a good idea to annually review filing responsibilities for all your employees and workers and set up a structure that limits your businesses’ liability.

“It’s an important issue for the IRS because worker misclassification may give a competitive advantage to the business using independent contractors,” according to Don Segal, the acting employment tax policy program manager for the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS analyzes tax information, trying to find spa entrepreneurs who may misclassify workers as independent contractors instead of employees. The reality is that it is easier for the IRS to collect taxes from business owners than from independent contractors.

Business Owners also file state taxes and the State Franchise Tax Board and the Employee Development Department has a reciprocal agreement with the IRS. Cross-matching state and federal returns allows for the IRS and the EDD to find misclassification mistakes.

The definition of an “employee” is anyone who performs services for you where you control what will be done and how it will be done. With an independent contractor, the business has the right to control or direct only the result of the work done by the contractor, not the means and methods of accomplishing the result. There is a twenty point check list that business owners and managers can refer to that defines independent contractor work.

As a business owner that uses independent contractors you can establish operational procedures to protect yourself and your business. For every contractor be sure to maintain completed W-9 forms, contractors’ business licenses and certificates of insurance. We also recommend having an Independent Contractor Agreement form signed by the business owner and the contractor for each job. You should have invoices, business cards, telephone listings and other documentation showing that the contractor operates a business.

Additionally business owners will need to complete and file Form 1099-MISC, which is used to report payments made in the course of a trade or business to another person or business that is not an employee. This is mandatory if the contractor is paid more than $600 in a calendar year. Business owners need to give the contractor a copy, and send one to the IRS. There is a $50 per-form penalty for failing to file the form.

The IRS has two useful publications for helping to classify your workers. Publication 15-A, Employer’s Supplemental Tax Guide and Publication 1779, Independent Contractor or Employee. Both publications can be found at www.irs.gov.

If you have questions of whether your workers are contractors or employees you can call the NVC SBDC for free and confidential counseling.

The SBDC also provides complementary Business Rx of your business if you have been operating for over a year, have multiple employees and financials. For these resources contact the SBDC at 253-3210.

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Institute of Spa Management Announces Job & Career Center for Spa Industry Professionals Worldwide

The Institute of Spa Management announces the new ISM Job & Career Center, free for all employers to post jobs and internships that relate to management in spas worldwide and students are automatically notified of career opportunities.

In an effort to connect spas worldwide with international ISM students who are highly educated in spa operations and business management, the Institute of Spa Management has launched the ISM Job & Career Center. The service is free for all employers in the spa industry to post jobs and internships for positions that relate to spa management. Within 24 hours of approval, opportunities are broadcast to current students, as well as graduates of the ISM spa management program.

At the Institute of Spa Management, the organization’s primary goal is to educate the spa industry, one professional at a time through quality management education and professional training for adults. ISM has current and past students from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, China, Japan, Iceland, and all across Europe. Abby Cavanaugh, Director of Student Services: “A number of our talented graduates are looking for career opportunities abroad, others are looking for a long term position closer to home, and some current students are looking to complete an internship to gain real world work experience in spa management. All of our students emerge from the Spa Management Program as extremely analytical and well educated management professionals - highly trained in all aspects of spa operations - who are ready to hit the ground running”.

The Institute of Spa Management has always been proud to make spa management education accessible to students worldwide, and now ISM looks forward to bridging the gap between career professionals looking for spa management positions and employers looking to hire the best management talent in the spa industry.

About Institute of Spa Management:

The mission of the Institute of Spa Management (ISM) is to further the spa industry by offering advanced college-level training for spa professionals that is accessible, affordable and self paced. ISM offers Spa Management and Spa Ownership programs at reasonable prices in an effective combination distance education and online learning format that enables learning and knowledge retention. ISM believes that the future of the spa industry belongs to those who treat clients with the highest level of integrity and provide innovative services in well run facilities. These necessary elements for spa success can only occur when quality education is the premise for spa managers and directors.

Spavelous is pleased to announce the new SpavelousPro Spa Employment area.

Here you will find a current listing of all jobs in a spa. Search by state and spa job position.

• Spa Director Jobs
• Assistant Spa Director
• Day Spa Manager
• Massage Jobs
• Aesthetician Jobs
• Nail Technician Jobs
• Resort Jobs
• Spa Coordinator Jobs
• Spa Receptionist

Spa Owners may post spa employment openings here as well. Let Spavelous help you to fill your employment needs.

This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com.

“According to Global Spa Summit, a shortage of high quality, trained labor, including spa managers, directors, aestheticians, and therapists, are some of the top challenges facing the spa industry today”

Maintaining the integrity of a fast-growing $40 Billion industry, while at the same time attracting investors & reaching more consumers, was cited as the top challenge in summit meeting for 2007 and on-going concern for 2008. Along with this, there is a lack of industry wide standards for defining spa categories and best practices. According to spa summit, “the spa industry’s authenticity is threatened in the present and even more so in the future, by outside investors that only think of the bottom line and not the mind, body and soul transformations of the people”. It will take leaders in the spa industry to turn this around for 2008 and keep that genuine goal to be profitable, yet retain the authenticity. Spa summit 2008 is meeting May 18th-20th.

How does one retain the authenticity in this growing industry? Liz Galloway of The Lotus Effects is a spa consultant, with concentrated focus and attention that on-going training in the spa industry continues as the industry grows. Developing and founding both The Lotus Effects and Spa College International, along with speaking at Spa Events and teaching at International retreats, such as Costa Rica, Liz is an innovator in teaching new techniques, quality training, styles and consulting to make your business grow into the best it can be. On-going training and quality is very necessary if spas want to outlast the newcomers to the scene.

3 topics stood out in the 2007 summit—solving labor shortages, standardizing best practices & building a model to benchmark success. Because there is no conduit for training and experience in this industry, there is an urgent need to refocus efforts on hiring educated and qualified managers, employees and spearheading future movements for standardizing and shaping educational programs and pumping money from investors back into the sector.

The spa industry has grown 40% over the last 3 years and shows no signs of slowing down in 2008, but rapid growth can also create fragmentation and impede innovation. Women’s Wear Daily expanded on the fragmentation of spas “Spas started falling into different categories, for example, a spa is known either as a Day Spa or as entity within the hotels and resorts, focusing either on medical in nature, or those that focus on skin care or target a certain demographic”. For 2008, the industry is coming of age, needing to keep up and meet demands for personal development, environmental and proper hiring of educated managers and employees, while maintaining high industry standards.

This year will bring about huge change with the use of technology, consistent training and increasing demand from the public for new treatment options catering to youth and beauty. People are being geared not just toward an environment to be pampered in, but a place to escape and achieve overall health in mind, body and spirit. With new & cutting trends on the increase, training and innovative techniques are key for staying on track and maxing business potential to that next level. What can one expect for 2008? Medical spas are on the rise in Costa Rica and other areas, as people are looking for alternatives that are less expensive outside the US, providing not just cosmetic procedures, but aftercare and recovery in a soothing luxurious environment. Therapeutic therapies combined with relaxation methods and detoxing seem to be the latest craze in 2008. Needing complete beauty and body overhauls, Americans are picking retreat destinations such as Costa Rica, for a soothing way out of everyday reality.

Advice for 2008? “Be pro-active, train your staff consistently, keep up with the latest trends, and get involved in 2008, protecting the spa industry from sub-standard practices and those just interested in the bottom-line”.

• Full Article

Find Quality Employment

Here you will find a current listing of all jobs in a spa. Search by state and spa job position.

• Spa Director Jobs
• Assistant Spa Director
• Day Spa Manager
• Massage Jobs
• Aesthetician Jobs
• Nail Technician Jobs
• Resort Jobs
• Spa Coordinator Jobs
• Spa Receptionist

Spa Owners may post spa employment openings here as well. Let Spavelous help you to fill your employment needs

Looking for a spa job, like from spa manager to massage therapist? Here are some spa job hunting tips to help you find the best spa job for you.

* Write a great resume and cover letter detailing your experience and accomplishments. Make sure it’s honest, grammatically correct and has no spelling mistakes.

* Decide what city or region you want to find a spa job and print out a “hit list” for spa job hunting by using resources like Spavelous.com

* Do your homework on the spas where you’d like to find a spa job. Is it a day spa , resort spa , medical spa or destination spa ? What product lines do they use? What treatments do they perform? What’s their philosophy? You can find out a lot by going to their website.

* If you’re a massage therapist, esthetician , or want to work at the front desk as a spa receptionist, call the spa directly and ask to speak with the spa director. Tell her your name, the spa job you’re looking for, and little bit about yourself. Ask what her employment needs are right now and where you should send your resume.

* Direct the cover letter to the person you spoke with on the phone. Tell her/him why you got into the spa industry, why you want to get a spa job there and the strengths you will bring to the organization.

* If you can, get a spa treatment there before the interview to get a feel for the place. Observe the people working at the spa. Are they happy? Ask if they like their spa job and see what they say!

* During your interview, notice how the interviewer treats you and other people. Is it the kind of spa you want to work in? Remember, you’re interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you!

Here you will find a current listing of all jobs in a spa. Search by state and spa job position.

• Spa Director Jobs
• Assistant Spa Director
• Day Spa Manager
• Massage Jobs
• Aesthetician Jobs
• Nail Technician Jobs
• Resort Jobs
• Spa Coordinator Jobs
• Spa Receptionist

Here are some additional resources that list spa jobs.

* The International Spa Association lets you post your resume and search spa jobs by region and type.

* Spa Trade has a job board where you can post or search for spa jobs.

* The Day Spa Association has a list of spa jobs from its members.

Spa Business / Spa Press Releases / Spa Marketing

Potential Pitfall: Not having in place the correct people prior to opening- The build out is the most expensive part of your project- your most time consuming and usually the area in which you know least about. The people in your Development Team are extremely important. You cannot offer a flawless service if your facility is flawed. Here is a breakdown of the people you need to hire and why you need them.

Spa Consultant

This is your right hand person, from beginning to end of the project. They complete your Spa Financials (Business Plan, Capital Expenditure List and Financial Forecast). They fine tune your concept, create menus, and recommend products and equipment accordingly. They work closely with your Architect and your Designer to make sure the facility is functional and the concept shows throughout the design. They implement your business infrastructure, recruit, hire and train your staff and help you open the doors and generate revenue.

Architect and Designer

Creates a layout of your facility that is functional, beautiful and in conjunction with the concept.

Structural Engineer

Determines if the facility has the capacity to bear heavy loads. For example, can the floor bear the weight of hydrotherapy tubs, tanning beds, flotation tanks, whirlpools, and heavy laser equipment? (Note: It is your duty to get the weight of the equipment for your Structural Engineer.)

Hydraulic Engineer

Reviews whether your facility can meet a Spa’s plumbing requirements. Wet rooms, Multi-Purpose rooms and Locker rooms need showers, steam units, toilets etc. Your Hydraulic Engineer will ensure the facility’s water pipes can take both inflowing and out-going waste, that pressure is strong enough to remove materials such as clumpy, clay-like seaweed, that pipes are large enough and unable to erode from certain materials, and their location is inconspicuous so that clients are not disturbed by the noise.

Electrical Engineer

Determines if your facility can meet a Spa’s electrical needs. Most Spa equipment requires a singular phase power source; however, your lasers require three times this. Check to see if your site can handle this. Wax Pots, Sterilizers, Hot Cabby’s, Steam Units, Facial Units, and Beds all utilize electricity. The Electrical Engineer makes sure there are enough outlets, that they are located in the most discreet places and that it is functional for the staff. You do not want patients tripping over chords nor staff walking back and forth from bed to equipment.

Mechanical Engineer

Can the location meet a Spa’s heating and air-conditioning needs? There is nothing worse than sweating during your massage for both the patient and the therapist! Steam rooms, Wet rooms, Laser rooms, and Locker rooms get very hot and very muggy. You need to be able to ventilate these rooms properly. These rooms require different ventilation and temperature from the Manager’s office, the refreshment area, and reception area. Temperature controls and ventilation must be planned accordingly!

The build out of your facility is crucial to the smoothness of the operation. Even the cleverest of concepts can backfire if the facility is designed incorrectly. For example, a combination of an Oncologist, Plastic Surgeon and Spa is a fantastic idea to help a suffering breast cancer patient who has recently had a mastectomy. Under one roof she can have her reconstructive surgery, energy work, scar management and be fitted for a wig.

However, this scenario drastically changes if she has to walk through the main lobby to get to the location where she tries on wigs, or she needs to undress in a locker room that doesn’t have the privacy she needs at this difficult time. With a strong development team on board, they can foresee these problems and, in advance, create a separate entrance for women who need discretion or create a separate waiting room that is patient specific. An experienced development team builds a facility that enhances your concept, not spoils it.

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