“ When setting out to build successful programs with our valued brand partners , there are several key points that set a solid foundation and provide room for continued growth through service and retail sales .”
Once you ’ ve answered these questions to your satisfaction and established that a potential partner aligns with your core values and can meet your specific support needs , then the real fun begins ! At that point , your mindset can shift from ,“ Could this partnership work ?” to “ Let ’ s make a deal !” Once the contracts are signed and you ’ ve exchanged your reseller ID information ( admittedly not the most romantic way to begin a relationship ), you can cultivate the aspects of your partnership in unique ways that will best benefit your spa ’ s business .
Partners in Prosperity Creating a partnership that is customized to your business is paramount , and there are a few ways in which you can achieve this with a new vendor . I am a firm believer in building things together .
One of my favorite things to partner with vendors on is creating amazing spa service experiences . Not only is partnering to create these types of experiences fun , it also exposes you to resources you may not otherwise have access to , such as in-house education teams who can actually , for example , write service protocols for your team to follow . That may sound like a fun thing to tackle yourself , but it ’ s a difficult task that requires a very specific skill set . Trust me , I ’ ve learned the hard way !
Plus , when you work in tandem with vendor partners , you can influence the cost of goods to establish pricing you ’ re comfortable with and ensure the special touch points that make your spa experience special are built into each service . Creating a custom treatment with your partners will benefit your spa ’ s educational needs as well . When you ’ ve partnered on treatmentbuilding , it makes it much easier for your vendor partners to train your team around the services you ’ ll be offering , which takes a huge burden off spa leaders who , rumor has it , are often exceptionally busy !
Just as personal relationships must be worked at and nourished over time , vendor partnerships must be tended to regularly if they are going to reach their full potential and grow your business . A one-and-done training session is not a recipe for success . For that reason , I ’ ve found it beneficial to create an annual calendar of all vendor support . Charting out your annual plans and vendor commitments in advance is a great way to stay on track and ensure that you are receiving all the support you need to be successful . I always track any educational engagements ( whether in person or virtual ) and try to align them on my vendor calendar to support any in-spa events or launches .
Additionally , piggybacking events with training always equates to more sales . What ’ s been even more successful is working with my vendor partners to provide prizes for top sellers at the events that we put on together . The last component of a customized approach is to work with your vendors to provide fantastic giftswith-service ( GWS ) or gifts-withpurchase ( GWP ) at your events or during major holidays .
My vendor partners are key to how I ’ ve built my career over the years , and they ’ ve helped me succeed in many ways . One thing to always remember is that your vendor partners should be just that — partners . A one-sided relationship simply won ’ t generate the impact spa leaders should see from the efforts described here . Spas and vendor partners alike must understand that working together to grow our respective businesses is crucial . If those partnerships are built on trust , honesty and kindness , they will ultimately blossom into relationships that will return your investments ten-fold . •
KATE ROACH is The Manager of Vendor Partnerships at Woodhouse Spas . She has been a licensed esthetician for over 20 years and holds a passion for wellness , beauty , and self-care . Kate has held leadership positions with Steiner and Equinox and is proud to build programs of value for Woodhouse Spas and their roster of Vendor Partners .
50 PULSE • APRIL 2022