massage , we will use a special blend of oils for stress and to help sleep quality . We can also add a back exfoliation and some deep breathing exercises and stretches to the massage , together with a special muscle gel applied to any areas where we find stress knots to soften those up . Does that sound wonderful to you ?
This kind of direct , unambiguous response is exactly the kind of thing that — even before the guest arrives — the RAS will identify as relevant and valuable . Even using the words ,“ we will ” rather than something like , “ maybe we could ” are likely to be tagged by the RAS as signaling a greater level of importance . According to the NLP Institute of California ( NLP stands for Neuro-linguistic Processing ),“ Setting your intent plays a key role in encouraging your subconscious mind to bring forth a desired goal .” In that way , a “ will ” is worth a dozen “ maybes .”
Once the stage has been set and the RAS primed by that initial interaction , the rest of the guests ’ personalized experience might unfold like so : l On arrival , the guest is welcomed with a stress relief tea or a superfood shot of celery , ginger , apple and lemon . l The guest ’ s feet are soaked and washed in hot Epsom salt water with chamomile to induce a calming effect . l A therapy mist containing a special blend of aromatherapy oils for improving sleep and calming the senses is sprayed into the air . l A special soundtrack conducive to stress relief is played . l As the guest lies face up on the mas-
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l sage table , a blue LED dome is positioned over their face to relieve stress and benefit the skin simultaneously . A hot pack is placed over tight muscles to soothe and relax the guest . The massage is delivered as described during the booking . The specifics , of course , will vary based on what each spa is equipped to provide , but the principle remains . An experience that leverages guest need into this level of personalized experience is not going to fade into obscurity in their mind — it ’ s going to push past the brain ’ s filter and stick in their memory as valuable and relevant to the outcomes they desire . It may also make them likelier to recommend an experience at your spa to others .
Don ’ t wait to unlock the power of personalization in your spa . Pull your team together to brainstorm the many ways your spa can use its assets to develop more personalized services , stand out from the crowd and drive revenues in a powerful way . n
“ It ’ s easy to toss around words like personalization and to make gestures at customizing experiences on a guest-by-guest basis , but actually building those experiences can be a real challenge .”
MARISA DIMITRIADIS is Managing Director of The Spa Consultants and a Business Coaching Specialist with the Spa Professionals Guild . Since launching in 2020 , the Spa Professionals Guild has attracted members from 19 countries and offers business owners networking opportunities and group coaching sessions , providing best practices to professionals throughout the industry .
34 PULSE n AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2022