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Whether you’re looking to bring in more clients or you’re opening a new location, promotional marketing can have numerous benefits for your spa business: renewed client interest, increased brand awareness, and more bookings, which can contribute to increased revenue. Wondering where to get started? Here are 17 spa marketing ideas to consider.
1. Audit your website.
A user-friendly website is crucial to your spa business, especially as it relates to connecting with customers. According to the Square 2024 Future of Customers report, 26% of customers cited that the lack of a website to view services and prices would make them more likely to avoid a beauty or personal care business. You can appease customer needs and grow your business online by opening your own Square Online store for free. The discoverability of your business depends on it. Without an online presence, it’s difficult to compete with other businesses. A strong website, in addition to showing up on social media, can help improve your ranking in Google results.
Search engine optimization, or SEO, should also be a focus as you build your website to ensure that your target clientele can discover you. It’s helpful to understand SEO tactics — ranking for relevant industry keywords, meta descriptions, page load speeds, and mobile-friendly design — to help your website appear in the top results on Google.
Here you can find some top features to consider, from booking buttons to sections for specific services.
2. Offer online appointment booking.
Creating a way for clients to book their own appointments online encourages more bookings. Square data found that 25% of global consumers prefer to book beauty and personal care appointments through an online booking platform. It makes booking more accessible to those who are either too busy to call in or those who’d rather not have to talk to a receptionist.
With Square Appointments your clients can book when it’s most convenient for them. Square makes it accessible for everyone to create a free, customizable booking website that features your services.
Automatically display your service offerings and your estheticians’ or massage therapists’ availability for the upcoming months, right on your site. You can accept or decline appointments automatically or at your own convenience, and you can block out personal or vacation time when needed. Your availability is updated immediately across all devices signed in to your Square account for any clients or other employees to see. No more double-booking issues, and no more physical appointment books needed.
3. Launch a Google Business Profile.
Once your website is built out and you’ve worked on your site’s SEO, it’s time to launch a Google Business Profile. A Google Business Profile allows you to provide photos, services, products, location, and contact information for your spa. With Square Appointments you can set up Reserve with Google to allow current and future clients to book directly from your Google Business Profile.
This free profile is the best way to boost your discoverability in both a normal Google search and in a Google Maps search. It also improves your local SEO advantage among competitors. Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most trustworthy and cost-effective forms of marketing. Your Google My Business listing allows clients to leave reviews to entice potential customers to book with you instead of a competitor.
4. Use social media.
It’s important to show up on social media for your business. Social media channels are no longer just places for individuals to interact and engage. Platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have become incredible tools to build your brand and grow your potential client base. In fact, 47% of customers surveyed use social media to interact with their spa, salon, or stylist, and 19% of customers book appointments through social media. Among millennial and Gen Z clients, that figured jumped to 38%.
Facebook and Instagram
Facebook, which owns Instagram, offers business pages where you can share a summary about your spa, services, hours, location, and contact info. You can add pictures of your spa so your customers know exactly what type of atmosphere to expect when they first walk in. And your current clients can leave reviews here, just like on your Google Business Profile, for others to read when trying to find a new spa to visit.
A newer feature Facebook released is the Q&A session. These sessions allow you to lead real-time question-and-answer discussions to address anything your clients or potential customers may want to know about your business or services offered.
When you’re ready to create an Instagram profile, you can create a business profile that links to your business page on Facebook. Both social media channels offer different benefits and slightly different audience demographics. Social media is an incredible opportunity to be discovered and to get bookings directly from where your clients spend most of their time. In fact, we found that 70% of appointments booked on Instagram are new customers.
Be sure to review your analytics on both channels before creating content to ensure that you are speaking to the right audience. Another great feature of Square Appointments is that you can accept bookings right from your Facebook or Instagram business profiles. It’s as simple as a Book Now button right on your profile or page, allowing your clients to book instantly without leaving their Facebook or Instagram apps.
X (the platform previously known as Twitter)
Twitter is a great way to start conversations with your target audience in real time. With thousands of tweets being sent every minute, there are always conversations to jump into that could be relevant to your business or industry. Follow like-minded individuals and brands that fit your aesthetic.
Offer tips or promotions through Twitter to get people to interact with your brand. Twitter is also a great place to offer giveaways for your spa, enticing people to share your brand with their audience as well.
Not sure which type of promotions you want to offer and looking to get the creative juices flowing? Have live audio conversations directly on Twitter Spaces. You can join beauty and spa Spaces to brainstorm with other spa owners for ideas on how to boost your bookings.
TikTok
TikTok is another great way to promote your spa business. As of March 2024, the hashtag #spa has 2 million posts and over 22 billion views on the platform alone. Use your account to highlight your offerings, to show off the ambiance, and to lean into any relevant trending topics that can help you attract customers who may be searching for new spa experiences.
TikTok also lets you choose from over five different ad types. Popular options, such as in-feed ads, set up your content to blend in with your feed and feature a clear call to action (CTA), such as “book today.” With CTAs attached to your content, the booking experience is seamless for customers, boosting your ability to acquire new customers and reengage existing clients. Research shows that in-feed ads on TikTok achieve 23% higher detail memory than TV ads. With the right balance of strategy and creativity, TikTok ads have the potential to help your business soar.
Influencer marketing
Partnering with influencers can be a great strategy when it comes to boosting bookings and future spa promotions. Influencers often have an extensive audience base that trusts their judgment for reviews of products, services, or locations. It’s like elevated word-of-mouth marketing.
However, it’s important to do your research before working with an influencer. Be sure that the influencer you’re interested in working with has a good engagement rate and not just a high number of followers. You’ll want to be sure that the influencer’s aesthetic fits with what you want your spa to be associated with. Once you find an influencer to work with, communicate thoroughly and often to make sure that you are both aligned with the goals of the campaign.
5. Reward loyal customers.
Whether you want to bring in new clients or add a new location, it’s important not to forget about your loyal customers. They’re the ones who you can rely on for repeat visits, good reviews, and referrals, so treat them as your VIPs. Over 70% of consumers said that customer loyalty programs make them more likely to continue doing business with a brand.
Thank these regular and returning customers with a loyalty program. Programs that offer discounts or free services on clients’ birthdays, memberships, frequent visitor cards, or referral programs can be great ways to show your appreciation to your loyal clientele. Furthermore, 25% of beauty and personal care customers want status updates on loyalty programs, which helps increase the number of visits and the potential for referrals to friends and family.
6. Set up a referral system.
When it comes to creative spa promotion ideas, a referral system can be a great option to offer your frequent customers. Empowering these customers to share their satisfaction and experience at your spa through referral benefits is a surefire way to grow a stronger client base.
Our partnership with Groupon, for instance, makes it easy to offer referral benefits directly within the Square app. With this partnership you as the business owner can leverage your Square app to create marketing and referral campaigns on Groupon and allow any new clients who purchase a Groupon to book directly with your business. This partnership allows for a more seamless and branded Groupon transaction.
7. Use personalized email campaigns.
Email marketing is a low-cost, effective way to offer new spa promotions to your online audience. It’s not just about sending the same email to everyone. Personalizing your email campaigns can add an extra level of engagement with your clientele.
With Square Customer Directory you can segment your audience by the type of services they receive, frequency of visits, and many other factors. Try segmenting your audience and dedicating email campaigns that will feel more personal to them. Sending different promotions to different segments — such as facial promotions to those who frequently come to your spa for facials or a massage discount promotion for those who love to visit for a massage every month — can increase click-throughs and bookings with content that’s relevant to each consumer.
With Square Marketing you can design, automate, and send email campaigns of all types, including spa promotion ideas, newsletters, and announcements, all from your Dashboard. Your client email addresses are saved right within your Square account, templates are there and ready for you to send, and all your analytics are in one place, making email marketing a breeze.
8. Use SMS marketing.
Another way to reach your audience in the palm of their hand is to use SMS, or text message, marketing. With Square you can send booking reminders, limited-time offers, and even special offer announcements right to your clients’ phones.
SMS marketing pushes your spa promotion straight to the top of your clients’ lists and makes that promotion easy to access when they come into your spa for their services. You can include a direct link to your booking options, making it easier for your client and increasing the likelihood of them booking right there and then.
9. Offer a yearly membership.
One spa promotion idea that will keep your clients coming back is a yearly membership. You can offer a monthly or one-time fee that gives your client access to a specific amount or type of service you offer. A membership like this can create a sense of loyalty to your spa while giving your top clients a VIP treatment.
10. Use video marketing.
We’ve all seen it. Video, especially in short form, is taking over. With platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, consumers are interested in consuming content through video. Don’t be afraid to jump into video marketing.
You can use content you already have to create fun and engaging videos. Customer testimonials, tips and tutorials, or even teasers of new products or services are all strong ideas for short-form videos that can make your spa stand out among your competition and position you as a trustworthy leader in your industry.
11. Partner with other businesses in your area.
We’re all about self-care here. Experiment partnering with other businesses focused on self-care in your area to expand your reach. Businesses such as gyms, naturopathic clinics, and yoga/pilates studios have similar clientele that you may hope to target. You can use these partnerships to promote each other’s services and products.
12. Offer gift certificates.
Gift certificates are a proven way to boost bookings. Whether it’s a gift for a current client or a gift from a current client to someone new, it gives the recipient an immediate reason to book with you.
Square Gift Cards allow you to set up and sell gift cards right from your POS. With eGift cards your clients can purchase digital gift cards to send to their family and friends with no fuss. They’re a great last-minute gift option to offer on your website and in your email newsletters.
13. Promote new service offerings.
Whenever your spa offers a new service, it’s a great promotion idea to send an email or SMS message with a coupon or discount for those who book that new service within a certain amount of time. Not only does it boost bookings, but it can increase awareness of your newest service offering. You can add gift cards to your Square Online site for any of these future services, which clients can purchase as gifts for their loved ones.
This tactic can also work with any new clients. With Square Marketing you can create an email template that goes out to customers after they first fill out a booking or contact form. In this email you can offer a percentage off to those who book their first service with you.
14. Provide seasonal offers.
Seasonal offers can be used to drive traffic and bookings during times of the year that may be slower for you. Send a new facial offer during back to school to target your clientele. This can be a good refresh before getting back to the grind during the fall. Offer a massage discount around seasonal breaks to kick-start your clients’ relaxation.
Get creative with your promotions for different seasons. You can even use specific events in your area and build promotions around them. For example, if you’re in an area with a large summer music festival, structure spa promotions around the festival season and make your spa a destination stop for festival attendees.
15. Provide holiday spa promotions.
This works with specific holidays as well. Loop in those digital gift cards and offer promotions centered around holidays, such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Black Friday. These holidays are historically seen as high-purchasing times, so capitalize on that and give your online audience a reason to buy from you even if they aren’t looking to book immediately.
Remember that these holidays come with a lot of content competition. Other businesses in the area and in your industry will be sharing promotions via email marketing and social media. Make the effort to stand out among the rest and experiment with different types of promotions that show off your brand. Square sellers have been especially creative in the past and have seen some great returns on their efforts.
16. Offer special spa packages.
Possibly the single-best spa promotion idea that really boosts bookings is spa packages. Combining your popular services for a discounted rate or a two-for-one deal has proven to be a great way to upsell your customers and increase their average purchasing total. It’s also a great selling point for new customers who would like to get a taste of some of your offerings all at once.
In addition to the upsell of another service, a spa package promotion gives your returning customers the chance to experience a service they may not have opted for otherwise. No one can resist a great deal, especially when it comes to pampering themselves.
17. Make your spa a one-stop shop.
By adding new offerings, you create more ways to differentiate your marketing efforts and more incentive for customers to engage with your business. The Square 2024 Future of Customers report found that 63% of customers have purchased a retail item from a beauty or personal care business. Adding new offerings allows for customers to support your business in a way that suits their needs and budget and can even encourage recurring purchases or subscriptions.
Diversifying revenue streams can also help your business unlock a new audience. Square research found that 78% of Gen Z consumers would be interested in offerings outside of traditional services, such as in-person classes. Classes or workshops can attract customers who are looking for new experiences but are unfamiliar with your business. This soft introduction to your broader offerings can help encourage further exploration of your business and potentially secure new loyal customers.
Have some fun experimenting with new ways to bring in clients and keep them coming back. With these spa promotion ideas and the right set of tools to implement them easily, you can grow your brand and your bookings.
