This month we are running our ‘Wellness for Business’ campaign bringing you a wealth of PR and marketing expert advice and tips from our team and industry advisors. Keep an eye on our social channels for updates.
In the meantime, we caught up with spa industry expert, Andrew Hammond, co-founder of Spa Life to find out his views on the most exciting developments for 2025 and much more.
- What trends or innovations in the spa industry are you most excited about for 2025, and why?
I am most excited about the rise of Touchless Wellness innovations and their applications because of the opportunities these may offer. The most obvious advantage is, of course, supporting an industry that is struggling with recruitment of therapists, but touchless innovations could also increase the capacities in certain areas, or the development of treatment packages to enhance guest experiences and boost revenue.
I am also intrigued by the advent of social wellness clubs. The importance of Mental Health is now being recognised at government level and forward-thinking entrepreneurs are responding by developing a new type of members’ club, with a focus on wellness and social interaction. I look forward to seeing how this trend develops.
On a personal note, I believe there’s not much that can beat a great hands-on massage, but there’s a lot to be said for the exhilaration of an Aufguss ritual, followed by an ice plunge, and in the post-COVID era, Halotherapy may have more of a part to play in prevention than pre-Covid for many people.
- In your experience, what are the top three marketing strategies every spa operator should prioritise to thrive?
Primarily, from my experience in business, the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, is consistently proven to hold true, where 80% of an organisation’s revenue comes from 20% of its customer base. So, by applying this principle to a marketing strategy, it is vital that spa operators maintain accurate and detailed databases of all customers and importantly, can segment these to identify the top 20% in terms of spending. This will allow the business to implement targeted campaigns where, instead of spreading effort across broad audiences, the spa can focus on the top 20% of the market that is most likely to generate 80% of the sales target.
Secondly, in this modern digital era, it is important that every spa should be implementing a comprehensive digital strategy including a fully responsive website, with data-capture forms, plus social media campaigns using a combination of aspirational images, evidence of wellness benefits, and compelling customer testimonials, all linked to lead generation tools. In spas that are linked to other businesses, e.g. a corporate hotel, it may be beneficial for the spa to have its own website and identity on social media also as the target audiences for the two businesses may be quite different.
Finally, while social media is often the first port of call that operators may think of for prospects seeking information about a spa, Public Relations campaigns are often overlooked as part of the marketing. But PR can be an exceptionally effective, low-cost method of driving leads, growing social followers, and generating new business for spa operators. Local publications are always hungry for news and stories of personal interest, which most spas will be able to offer; local events are great opportunities for spas to share their message and grow a list of prospective new customers; and a well written local newsletter or regular column in the local press allows spa operators to control not just what is printed about their business, but where and when it is released, for optimal effect.
- What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from your journey in the spa industry?
In the 15 years that I have been running Spa Life, I have learned that the industry is developing rapidly but the aspirations of the people within it are very much the same, even though, in the early days, they may not have realised it. People want the opportunity to come together, to collaborate, and learn from each other. It was always our goal to build a strong, supportive spa Community and in working toward this, I have also learned that if you ask your community what it wants, it is important that you do your best to deliver it, if you want to maintain their trust.
Fortunately, the Spa & Wellness industry is filled with remarkable people who are willing to share their opinions, thoughts, and ideas and to support each other on an individual level, even competitors, and this is quite rare in my experience.
- What has been your most significant professional challenge, and how did you overcome it?
Without a doubt, it was the COVID pandemic. For a business dedicated to bringing people together face-to-face, this was an extremely challenging time for Spa Life. Like many businesses, we quickly learned how to use Zoom and Teams, but these platforms were not appropriate for the type of networking we offer, so we set out to identify a new Virtual platform.
After lots of research we selected, and then adapted, a unique virtual platform which allowed us to deliver the type of private networking meetings and business development opportunities our customers were used to, plus a communal conference programme within the same platform. Looking back on this period, it was a very steep learning curve, but I believe we delivered a remarkably successful and unique virtual event.
- For spa professionals considering attending a Spa Life event, what unique benefits or opportunities can they expect to gain?
A Spa Life Convention is an event like no other: it is a unique combination of formal and informal networking opportunities, the chance to attend a management conference focussed on the needs of the modern spa manager, a relaxed, professional EXPO arena that is the hub of the event, and a celebration of success with the Gala Dinner and Awards programme.
Spa professionals will be exposed to all the latest trends, products and knowledge needed to keep up with this fast-paced industry.