How to Squeeze Out More Cash in Q4

Looking for tips on how to squeeze out more cash in Q4?

Well, spa owners, you’ve come to the right place!

Spa owners typically leave their marketing until the last minute… which means that earning opportunities often get lost in the scramble. After all, if you’re not following through with your marketing intentions, how do you know if it’ll even work–or how to improve it as time goes on?

Here’s how to stop procrastinating about your marketing and start prioritizing your marketing this Fall to end the year with some real fanfare:

Tip #1: Don’t Neglect Email Marketing for Your Spa Biz

Communicating your offers to existing clientele is the easiest demographic to do so with… which makes email marketing one of the most important avenues for your spa business.

As Delia, former spa owner and resident digital marketing expert, puts it, “Your email list already knows you, likes you, and trusts you. It's all about that trust and like factor. Assuming that you already have your email system set up, we suggest that you get a template up and running so that you’re not having to put a lot of work into each new email.

“What should that template look like? Well, it should have your brand colours, brand images, and sections laid out. That way all you need to do is plug in a new copy each time and swap out calls-to-action. Whether you have a newsletter sign-up or an opt-in on your website that’s letting people sign up for your email list, you’ve already promised these exclusive offers and promotions… so take advantage of it!”

Tip #2: Start Planning Those Events (Early!)

Know that spa events would send your sales through the roof? Well, you’re not wrong… but don’t trick yourself into thinking you have more time to plan than you really do!

Here’s how to structure your pre-planning process. You can see why you need more time than you think!

• Pick you date and work backwards from there
• Determine how you’re monetizing the event
• Figure out which new treatment, product, package, or bootcamp you’ll be showcasing
• Calculate the capacity of the space (do you have enough room for all the necessary team members, clients, products, and treatments?)
• Solidify how you’re intending to invite people
• Crunch the numbers on how long before the event you’ll be sending out invites
• Decide how long of an email sequence you want leading up to the event to keep clients interested
• Write down your break-even number

Before Delia and I were Launch Event Certified, we also fell into the trap of, “Oh, we have lots of time to plan!” Trust me when I saw that, if you’re looking for how to squeeze out more cash in Q4, spa events are one of your best bets– but you’ll need to start planning strategically months before to make it worthwhile. 

Tip #3: Pre-Plan the Holidays

Here at Kirsten Foss Coaching, we see it time and time again: spas have amazing specials that their clients clamor for… but they release them way too late into the holiday season for them to have a real impact on sales.

So how do you fix it? Start with looking at last year’s orders and sales and start planning accordingly– what were bestsellers? Which products or services were a struggle to sell? Prioritize your fast-sellers and build holiday offers around them.
For example, for the Christmas season communicate with clients through email, social media, and in-spa conversations starting at the beginning of November to get them in the mindset to buy. (And don’t forget to loop your staff in on your holiday specials!)

For maximum sales potential, don’t forget to include “bounce back” offers for January to keep that Christmas spirit going strong: what Delia used to do during Christmastime was have an advent calendar available to in-spa clients, where they would pick a number and receive a surprise bounce back offer that they could redeem in January. 

Feeling Overwhelmed? Let the Experts Take It From Here

If these three tips are too much to take on right now amid the hustle and bustle of your day-to-day spa management, don’t sweat it: book your done-for-you editorial calendar for October through to December to squeeze out more cash in Q4 (without the struggle!)