While many consumers recognize a spa as a special place to be pampered and restored, spas have also become known for helping clients achieve an overall sense of health and wellness. This spa-wellness revolution has led to seven notable trends in spas today.
Go green
First,
many spas are going green by conserving and recycling the resources
they use. Consumers are becoming more interested in being eco-friendly
and want to support businesses with a sense of environmental
responsibility. Thus, spas that adopt a green policy have a greater
chance of visibility and have an advantage in today’s competitive spa
market.
Bottom line
Today, spas are paying
more attention to profitability. Spas are still seeing growth, yet it
is slowed due to increased competition in the marketplace as well as
the current economic downturn. For these reasons, spas have placed a
greater focus on the bottom line. Therapists who can communicate to
their employer a plan for how they can help the bottom line by taking
an active role in practice management and building their clientele have
an advantage over those who simply leave it to the spa’s owners and
managers—who may not know the client as well.
Pain management
A
third trend is consumers visiting spas not only for pampering and
relaxation, but also for pain and stress management. Some clients
require deep-tissue massage, especially those who are active and choose
massage therapy to focus on correcting a specific problem. A
deep-tissue massage helps clients recover more quickly and perform at
full potential. This is achieved by removing lactic acid from the
muscles to increase range of motion, reduce muscle tension and increase
blood flow. Massage therapy also helps alleviate pain for clients with
upper back and neck tightness from frequently sitting over a computer,
talking on the telephone, driving and carrying heavy bags.
Meri Martin, a licensed massage and bodywork therapist at latria Spa & Health Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, says the focus of her massage therapy practice has shifted to pain and stress management, including issues of tension and migraine headaches. "We are treating old injuries that cause trouble because of stored tension throughout the body. My clients have a greater need for bodywork because of the increase in stress in soft tissue."
Stress relief
While
some spa clients are turning to massage to alleviate pain, a fourth
trend in spa wellness is many clients want a massage simply to relieve
the stress they are feeling during these difficult economic times.
According to Jennifer Lantry, a licensed massage and bodywork therapist
at latria Day Spa in Cary, North Carolina, "I believe the biggest trend
right now is that more and more clients are telling me they are
stressed because of the economy and they really need a massage in order
to relax and to forget about their problems. This is a way for spa clients to quickly escape for
at least one hour, and it is much cheaper than going on an exotic
vacation. According to the 2008 Massage Therapy Consumer Survey, 59
percent of Americans report that they are more stressed this year than
they were a year ago."
Advanced education
Many
therapists are taking spa management courses via the Internet at such
schools as the University of California, Irvine Extension or technical
courses at such programs as the Bellus Academy in San Diego,
California. Therapists are also continuing their education to learn
about the latest pain-management techniques and medical massage
therapies. When the economy recovers, these therapists will be
positioned to attract more business because clients, especially those
visiting a spa for the alleviation of pain, desire the most
knowledgeable therapists.
Skepticism
Many
spas have seen a decline in gift certificate sales due to client
skepticism. Spas solve this challenge by offering alternatives to gift
certificates, such as membership programs, special monthly promotional
offers or other regular programs, to bring new, first-time clients into
the spa and build long-term client loyalty. Martin has not seen the
decline in business in today's economy. She attributes this to the fact
many of her clients are on memberships. "Our membership program gives
them the comfort of knowing they are saving money and as a result, most
actually come in more than once a month," she says.
New technology
And
finally, one of the most important new trends in spa wellness is spas
are now experiencing increased popularity in using state-of-the-art
skin-care imaging systems and diagnostic aids. From teens to aging baby
boomers, everyone wants to look and feel better. To achieve this, spa
clients want authentic and credible skin-care products and procedures.
They want to be absolutely certain they will achieve positive results.
Imaging devices measure the skin on several different levels to show clients how their skin looks before and after applying professional skin-care products. These specialized machines allow spa clients to be confident in products that will correct their individual skin problems before they purchase these products for use at home between spa visits.
Erika Mangrum For more information on Mangrum, IntuiSkin or Iatria Spa & Health Center, call (800) 272-5502, (919) 314-2214, e-mail Erika@aesthmedpro.com or visit www.IntuiSkin.com.
