HOW TO WOW THE FIRST-TIME SPA-GOER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
about the services we offer . We include them in all of our vendor trainings so that they can really speak to it . Someone who has never had a massage before doesn ’ t know the difference between a Swedish massage and our Alpine Arnica Deep Tissue Massage . It ’ s really up to us to educate the guest , because they may not want a lot of pressure or their neck really hurts . If they have specific areas of concern , we want to focus on that .”
In addition to informing new guests about the value of the services they might receive at a spa , it is also critical for spas to speak to the moment as they encourage newcomers to visit . A big part of that is understanding the particular kinds of stress that have risen during the pandemic and identifying the ways in which spas can provide some relief .“[ Market ] to guests in a way that ’ s of the times ,” says Erin Stremcha .“ One example : a blog post asking ,‘ How ’ s your skin under the mask ?’ It ’ s a way to get someone who may or may not be a first-time spa-goer who says ,‘ Oh wow , yeah , my skin is suffering . That ’ s how you fix it ? You get a facial ?’ This time , during the pandemic , has given people a chance to reflect more on themselves and that has naturally put us in a place of thinking ,‘ I want to take care of myself .’” In particular , Stremcha cites women with children at home — a group that the American Psychological Association has noted is enduring higher levels of stress than the population in general — as a demographic that may now see a spa visit as a part of looking after their own mental well-being .
The Intimidation Factor
Even before the COVID-19 crisis , first-time spa-goers were likely to have at least a few questions about the experience . But now , those questions
At properties like Red Rock , Trilogy Spa Holdings prioritizes education for first-time guests because so many only have a passing notion of which services will provide the greatest benefit . often go well beyond whether gratuity is included in the price of their service . Spas have put a tremendous amount of time and effort into the sanitation practices that keep guests safe and give them peace of mind about returning , but people with no previous spa experience may not know just how stringent most spas ’ protocols are . Overcommunicating those details ( something spas are likely used to at this point ) can help reduce any feelings of anxiousness or intimidation a newcomer might experience .
“ The communication that ’ s happening up front is what helps them feel comfortable ,” Stremcha says .“ On all of our spas ’ websites , we ’ ve added a safety section . In our pre-arrival and our confirmation emails , we ’ re touching on safety in general — what the protocols are , what you can expect to see , what we expect of guests , what we expect of staff .”
COVID-19 has certainly changed the substance of those initial conversations with guests . However , that first connection remains an opportunity to start the guest journey off right , especially for those who might have no previous positive spa experience to compare it to .“ A point of focus for me is that first connection we have , which is typically on the phone with the guest ,” says Mark Kennedy Smith .“ It ’ s so important that we ’ re starting an experience for them right then and there . [ The pandemic ] has added layers of experience for the guest , and our goal during that initial contact is letting them know that we handle it in a way that ’ s very thorough . For the newcomer to the spa , it can be quite overwhelming .”
Although the reservation process may now include a few additional steps , Smith says that the extra work ,
18 PULSE ■ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020