ORGANIZE AROUND OUTCOMES, NOT TREATMENTS
Many male guests begin not with a treatment, but with a concern or a goal: l l l l l l
Poor sleep Chronic stress Skin irritation Muscle recovery Reduced mobility Healthy aging In research on retail experiences involving grooming, wellness and self-care products, retail strategy and consumer experience firm MG2 found 52 percent of male consumers prefer assortments tailored to specific needs and outcomes, including preventive health and active lifestyle solutions. The finding reflects a broader shift in how many men engage with wellness. Consumers are increasingly seeking solutions, not services. l A facial is explained in terms of skin health. l A massage is connected to recovery goals. l Hydrotherapy is described through its intended benefits. l
A wellness package brings related services together around a defined goal. The spa industry has traditionally organized itself around treatments and modalities. Many male consumers increasingly organize themselves around outcomes. This shift has implications far beyond marketing. It influences menu design, consultations, memberships, retail assortments and the way value is communicated throughout the guest journey.
The treatment itself may require little change. The way it is organized, explained and connected to the guest’ s goals may change everything. The future belongs to operators who stop selling services and start solving problems.
TRAIN TEAMS TO COMMUNICATE OUTCOMES
Educational content, clear guidance and simple routines can help make product recommendations relevant. Educational signage, QR codes and curated guidance give guests ways to understand their options.
Fewer questions do not necessarily mean less interest or less need for information. Clarity still matters.
The service may only require modest modification. The communication often requires a significant shift. Make the value clear early. He needs information translated into relevance. He wants to understand what a product does, why it matters and how it fits into his life.
He is not buying peptides. He is buying healthier skin. He is not buying hydrotherapy. He is buying recovery. He is not buying wellness for wellness’ sake. He is buying the outcomes wellness makes possible: l l l l l
Recovery Confidence Better sleep Healthier skin Resilience
EVERY ROLE HAS A PART
Training should reflect those realities. l
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Managers need education around male wellness experience design, marketing and consumer expectations. Guest service teams need the ability to communicate value quickly and clearly. Providers need confidence discussing outcomes, home care and long-term wellness goals. For many organizations, this represents a significant cultural shift.
The modern male guest needs more than an explanation of wellness. He needs its value made relevant. When teams communicate through that lens, they can strengthen trust and engagement. But clarity is only part of relevance. The next step is giving him opportunities to experience that value for himself— and reasons to stay engaged.
Part 3 looks at how product experience, retail design and community can turn a relevant visit into an ongoing relationship. Find it exclusively in the digital edition of the November 2026 issue at pulse. experienceispa. com. n
SOURCE CITATION l
Findings referenced in this installment are drawn from MG2’ s 2024 report, What Men Want: Store Experiences that Demystify and Bolster Confidence, which explored how male consumers engage with grooming, wellness and self-care products in retail environments.
MICHAEL BRUGGEMAN is an entrepreneur, organizational development practitioner, author and CEO of One Well World, a portfolio of wellness, skin care and purpose-driven brands. Bruggeman holds an M. S. in organization development from Loyola University Chicago and has more than four decades of leadership experience helping organizations navigate transformation, innovation and growth. An avid outdoorsman, he draws inspiration from nature’ s living systems, which inform his work, writing and leadership philosophy.
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