A hard truth I share often is “if you aren’t paying yourself, unfortunately you have a very expensive, time-consuming hobby.”

 

I know that sounds really harsh, but I share that because I want you to start building a positive relationship with your money.

 

Money doesn’t define your worth – it’s a tool that is used to measure the health of your business and it guides you to make smart, database decisions. 

 

As we prepare to turn the calendar over for a new year, understanding how to set your financial goals based on how much you want to pay yourself is vital for spa owners to get serious about their money. 

 

That’s why in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, we cover the financial percentage breakdown I use and recommend for spa, plus how to set milestone goals for weekly, monthly, and annually financial goals.  

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

 

• The percentage breakdown I recommend for organizing your weekly revenue
• Planning questions to ask yourself to map out what you need to make to build the life that you (and your family) want to live
• How to divide an annual revenue goal into monthly, weekly, and daily micro goals based on the number of providers in your spa
• One strategy to implement in your spa to prioritize employee engagement and to help them feel a sense of accomplishment and worth

References Mentioned in Episode #310: Setting Smart Financial Goals – Part 1 – 2023 Annual Planning

 

•  To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

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Episode Transcript

Where is the first place people go to share recommendations, give reviews, and connect with other people in their communities?

 

Facebook AKA the new “digital word-of-mouth” platform.

 

We live in a world where the moment an experience ends, we want to tell others about it – both the good and the bad. 

 

This is why you’ll often hear me talk about how in order to attract new clients, you need to meet them where they are online. That place is inside Facebook groups. 

 

In this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, Maria Ramos, known to her 76,000 Facebook group members as “The Money Making Esthetician,” joins me to share how she gained 250+ new leads by implementing a Facebook groups marketing strategy she heard right here on our podcast.

 

Before we dive in, I want to preface that today’s episode is not about building your own Facebook group from scratch (which could be a good strategy depending on your business), but rather how you can leverage established active Facebook groups in your area. 

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

 

• Results Maria experienced after implementing this Facebook group strategy
• Importance for new providers to get hands-on experience during the onboarding process
• The use of a Google Form to capture lead information and segmenting those leads by area of interest
• Focusing on providing a quality experience for every client, especially when it’s for new providers’ practice

References Mentioned in Episode #309: Capturing 250+ New Client Leads through Facebook Groups with Maria Ramos

 

•  Learn more about Maria’s work via her website https://www.themoneymakingesti.com/ 
• Join Maria inside The Money Making Esthetician Facebook group
• Connect with Maria on Instagram and TikTok
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community

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Episode Transcript

What does it actually mean to “go viral?” 

 

Maybe you automatically think of a meme that circulates around the internet at warp speed or a dance or social media challenge that everyone and their mom (literally) is posting to their profile. 

 

As a brick-and-mortar spa owner, you may be thinking, “does attempting virality matter if I’m trying to cater to the people in your local area?” 

 

On this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’m chatting with a return guest on the podcast, Brendan Kane, on the art and science of crafting content with virality in mind using the insights he and his team have studied and compiled through his Viral Trends project.

 

If you didn’t listen to our first episode with Brendan (Episode #279, be sure to give it a listen!), here is the short and sweet synopsis of his prolific body of work…

 

Brendan is the author of the international best-selling books, ​”One Million Followers”​ and “Hook Point: How To Stand Out In A 3 Second World​.” 

 

As the founder and CEO of the Hook Point agency, Brendan and his team have generated 60 billion views and 100+ million followers for the content they have worked on and now, through his Viral Trends Project, he and his team provide real-time analysis of the world’s most viral content pieces and trends and share their data-driven ideation process that lets content creators, brand builders and business owners leverage these strategies for your own content. 

 

If you’ve ever seen a piece of content and not been able to put your finger on why it was so alluring and compelling, but immediately pulled you in like a magnet (and I think we all have!), this is a can’t-miss episode! 

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

 

•  What it actually means to “go viral” and where viral content stems from
• The two key facets behind every viral piece of content that need to be mastered if you want to generate views and velocity with your content  
• Shifting your perspective behind content creation from one-to-one to one-to-many
• Specific implications of creating viral content as a small business owner and brick-and-mortar spa owner
• All the varying factors of “viral” content that Brendan and his team assess through their Viral Trends Project to determine what plays the most important role in vitality 

References Mentioned in Episode #303: Harnessing Viral Trends for Your Business with Brendan Kane

 

• Learn more about Brendan’s Viral Trends Project with his company Hook Point via their website
• Connect with Brendan on social media on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook
• See Brendan’s speaking engagements here
• And tune into our first episode with Brendan as a guest here – “Episode #279: Using Hook Points to Drive Social Engagement and Results with Brendan Kane”
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

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Episode Transcript

Increasing overall efficiency in your spa (and thus, increasing your profit margin) is partially dependent on your team, but the other half of the equation? 

 

It’s in the tech. 

 

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of utilizing software alongside your systems in your spa and there’s no shortage of software options for every facet of business on the market, but when it comes to the question of “what’s the best spa scheduling software out there?” 

 

Well, that’s a loaded question because although it’s one my team and I get time and time again, there’s no “best” option out there. 

 

Why? 

 

Because just like a killer outfit, very rarely, if ever is there a business software or tool that is one-size-fits-all. 

 

That’s why I set out to do a series of interviews here on the Spa Marketing Made Easy podcast with the founders of various spa scheduling software companies so you can make the best informed decision on the best scheduling software for your spa business. 

 

And joining me for the latest interview in the series is, Daniel Lang, Co-Founder and CEO of Mangomint, a company with a mission to make salon and spa software invisible. 

 

Yep, you read that correctly, and they achieve that in a number of really cool ways and features that you’ll hear all about when you tune into this episode where Daniel dives into how Mangomint differentiates itself as a spa scheduling software and what would make it a good fit for increasing your spa’s efficiency. 

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

 

• What makes Mangomint different from other spa and salon scheduling services and softwares 
• Mangomint’s approach to crafting their features and what considerations they made in crafting some of their unique features and how they benefit you as a Spa CEO
• What kind of spa and level of business Mangomint typically works best for
• Daniel’s insights as to how Mangomint’s integrations and various features can grow with a spa as they expand and scale 

References Mentioned in Episode #302: Increasing your Spa’s Efficiency with Mangomint Co-Founder & CEO, Daniel Lang

 

•  Learn more about Mangomint and sign up for their free 30-day trial where you can migrate your data and get the full Mangomint experience 
• Click here to watch a video demo of Mangomint or book a 1:1 demo call here
• Listen to the other episode in the Spa Scheduling Software series, Episode #280: Systemizing Your Sales and Marketing with Square
• Check out email service providers mentioned in this episode including: Mailchimp, Klaviyo and Flodesk 
• Learn more about Shopify as a premiere ecommerce platform 
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

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Episode Transcript

If all the fall decor overflowing on store shelves wasn’t enough to remind you, we are officially on the cusp of the holidays! 

 

And you know what else that means, right?

 

It means that the biggest spa sales weekend is right around the corner! 

 

That’s right, it’s not too early to be thinking about Black Friday/Cyber Monday – in fact, the slower season of summer is really the optimal time period to plan and prep (think Christmas in July), but even if you’ve yet to give the holidays any thought, you’re right on time. 

 

Whether you’ve yet to define your Black Friday weekend promotions, or you know what you’re offering, but you need a little prepping pep talk to help you whip your marketing in shape, this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy is for you! 

 

From the famous “Buy $100, Give $100” promotion to the “Retail Reversal” promo, you’re going to get a step-by-step offer walkthrough, plus my top tips on positioning and marketing your offer so you can jump into the holiday season with a splash (and a very nice infusion of cash). 

 

P.S. – Want to hear solo episodes like this in real-time so you can engage in Q&A? Keep the conversation going and join the inside of the Spa Marketing Made Easy Community by clicking here.

 

In this episode, I discuss: 

 

• Why the time to prep your Black Friday promotions is NOW
• The famous “Buy $100, Give $100” promotion that’s a hit around the holidays 
• An overview of the “Retail Reversal” promotion and how to conduct it and set you up for repeat retail sales
• And best practices for positioning and promoting your Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend offer 

 

References Mentioned in Episode #297: Prepping Your Successful Black Friday Promotions

 

•  Listen to Episode #103: The “Buy $100, Get $100” Spa Gift Card Promotion
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

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Episode Transcript

 

 

Being the boss of your own business comes with a lot of perks like setting your own schedule, working your spa and space you want, having unlimited earning potential…

 

Having that kind of freedom is why most spa owners venture into entrepreneurship in the first place, but with that freedom, especially over the financials, can come a lot of stress from not understanding the bigger money picture of your business. 

 

From how much you should pay yourself to how much you can realistically pay your team (and how much money is needed to continue growing that team sustainably), how are you supposed to know how those numbers should shake out?

 

That’s exactly why in this week’s episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’m sharing a simple breakdown of how to assess and allocate the money you have coming in and going out so that your spa can not just survive now, but thrive in the long-term to meet your bigger dreams and vision.

 

In order to truly own the role of Spa CEO, you have to not only intimately know your numbers, but also understand the flux and flow of your finances so you can always keep your finger on the pulse of your business’ lifeblood. 

 

(Yes, we’re in this to help our clients feel their most beautiful, confident and radiant, but let’s not shy away from the fact that you and your team deserve to get paid well for that work and see the financial fruits of your labor.)

 

Business is about profit, so let’s talk money, honey and get your numbers in gear to help you build a life and business that you love. 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

 

•  How to make financial decisions through the lens of understanding what our businesses can currently afford  
• Why I use the Profit First method and the specific breakdown I recommend for spas to follow
• What factors you need to consider when it comes to your personal and lifestyle goals and how they impact the financial choices you make in your business
• How getting a strong grasp of your spa’s financials allows you to understand what you can afford in the now and future cast that into meeting your bigger future vision

References Mentioned in Episode #296: Understanding What You Can Afford in Your Spa

 

•  Listen to Episode #225: Becoming a Profitable Shareholder of Your Business with Mike Michalowicz
• Check out the book Profit First by Mike Michalowicz 
• Listen to Episode #284: The Spa KPIs and Metrics You Need to Know to Grow
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

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Episode Transcript

Wish you could peek behind the curtain on what goes into hosting a wildly successful spa event? 

 

Lucky for you, in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’m talking with Kerri VanEe, one of my Spa CEOs from my Growth Factor Framework program about all the ins, outs, ups and downs of hosting her first spa event, which resulted in a whopping $90K in revenue that came in during the event and in the months to follow. 

 

If you don’t have the pleasure of knowing Kerri from inside the Growth Factor Framework community, you should know that she’s an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner who has spent the last 20 years in the healthcare field, and she opened Essence Aesthetics and Health, a medical spa in a small rural Iowa town, in March 2021. 

 

That’s right, smack dab in the middle of a pandemic. 

 

At Essence Aesthetics, Kerri and her team of Registered Nurses provide personalized medical grade aesthetic treatments as she works to empower her clients to show up more confidently and as their best selves. 

 

And after just 14 months of being open and hosting her successful birthday celebration event, which is what we break down in this episode, she is currently doubling her team. 

 

It goes without saying that Kerri’s a bonafide businesswoman, and the lessons she’s sharing in this episode are a must for Spa CEOs at every level to take note of.  

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

 

• How Kerri launched into owning her spa in the middle of the pandemic and what her goals looked like before settling on running an event
• Kerri’s backstory to the “why” behind her event and how she began to set the framework for what her event would look like
• What planning for the event looked like in terms of timeline, team, marketing efforts 
• How her event took shape including the offer and what the event entailed, and of course, the results! 

References Mentioned in Episode #293: Creating a $90K Cash Infusion with Her First Spa Event with Kerri VanEe

 

•  Learn more about Kerri’s spa, Essence Aesthetics, via their website, and connect with them on Facebook and Instagram
• Listen to Episode #251: Hosting 5-Figure Spa Events with Taylor Moody
• Listen to Episode #267: Scaling from Solo and “Doing it Scared” with Allison Cremona
• Listen to Episode #290: The Biggest Mistake Spa Owners Make When Hosting Events
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community
 

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Episode Transcript 

You know that hosting an event for your spa can lead to a nice cash infusion, but you also know that an event has the potential of costing more than it brings in – in money, time, and energy. 

 

Sure, there’s plenty of marketing you can do to take your best shot at making your event a success, but when it’s all said and done, you’re still afraid that hosting an event could be too much of a roll of the dice. 

 

Rather than making the move of hosting an event for your spa a marketing coin toss, tune into this short and sweet episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy where I’m sharing the number one mistake to avoid so you can kick off planning an event so that it’s a smashing (i.e. highly profitable) success! 

 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

 

•  The number one mistakes spa owners make when planning to host an event in their spa 
• Questions to ask yourself when planning your spa event 
• How to tie your business goals to the offer you’ll present at your spa event 
• Evaluating the success of your event based on the timeline that aligns with your goal 
• How the planning process and marketing differs based on your event goal

References Mentioned in Episode #290: The Biggest Mistake Spa Owners Make When Hosting Events

 

•  Listen to Episode #251: Hosting 5-Figure Spa Events with Taylor Moody
• Listen to Episode #267: Scaling from Solo and “Doing it Scared” with Allison Cremona
• Learn more about the project management software we use at Addo Aesthetics; monday.com
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

Social media tends to be the hot topic when it comes to digital marketing, and while it is a crucial pillar in your overall marketing strategy, there’s another pillar that is equally as important, but is often overlooked – but not today! 

 

I’m talking about SEO aka Search Engine Optimization, and here to discuss it with me on this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy is Caitlin Strempel. 

 

Caitlin is an SEO expert and marketing success coach who helps business owners get to the top of their industry by getting to the top of Google and found online at her company, Rising Ranks Digital. 

 

Caitlin has worked with locally-based businesses all the way to large-scale global brands such as Under Armour, Lexus and more, and she’s proud to have a 100% success rate at getting her clients to the first page of Google, which is something she’s going to share her top tips on in this episode. 

 

Whether you’re a spa owner who has no idea what SEO is or the faintest idea of how to get it to work, or you’re a tad familiar, but know you could beef up your efforts to gain better traction on Google, this episode is a must-listen! 

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

 

•  What SEO is and why it’s especially important from a local business perspective
• The first step to getting started with honing in on your SEO efforts and Caitlin’s top recommended tool to use 
• Using organic SEO efforts alone and alongside a paid Google ads strategy 
• When spa owners should look into investing more time, effort and money into ramping up their business’ SEO 

References Mentioned in Episode #289: Using SEO to Rise the Ranks of Google with Caitlin Strempel 

 

• Learn more about Caitlin and her company Rising Ranks Digital on her website 
• Connect with Caitlin on Instagram 
• Check out Caitlin’s top recommended keyword research tool, Ubersuggest 
• Listen to Episode #219 of Spa Marketing Made Easy: Getting Found through Search and SEO with Neil Patel
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

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Episode Transcript

 

As you work toward becoming a Spa CEO and putting the systems and structure in place to allow your business to thrive without your hands being the one to turn the gears, something becomes abundantly clear; your money, when leveraged, can begin earning on its own. 

 

Now, there are plenty of ways to create this leverage, but one way that spa owners in particular can benefit from is owning the space where you operate your spa aka commercial real estate. 

 

Here to talk with me about it in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy is Annette Walter, the CEO of Timber Industries, which is the largest 100% women-owned pallet, crating and lumber distributor in the U.S., as well as iEvolve Consulting, a growth, strategy and operations business coaching firm. 

 

In this episode, we’re diving into the topic of investing in commercial real estate to help diversify and grow your wealth, and if this topic has you feeling a little hesitant (as in the “who am I to…” variety), this episode is especially for you.  

 

And if owning your space, or future space, has ever crossed your mind, I know you’re going to love this conversation!

 

In this episode, we discuss: 

 

•  How Annette broke into the world of commercial real estate and why now might be the best time to begin your foray into this space
• The 101 on how financing and real estate transactions work in comparison to residential real estate and what the pathway to owning commercial real estate looks like
• Who you should have on your internal advisory board to help you make the most sound financial decisions both personally and professionally
• What you need to have to begin looking into commercial real estate opportunities – spoiler: it’s not as intense as you think! 

References Mentioned in Episode #288: Breaking into Commercial Real Estate with Annette Walter

•  Learn more about Annette’s operational strategy and business coaching company, iEvolve Consulting, visit her website 
• Connect with Annette on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook
• To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

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Episode Transcript