We’re preparing for her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, June 2 – 5. and we want to showcase our SpaFinder partners across the UK.  We’ve got all bases covered – from wellbeing, spa, beauty, fitness and health – with email campaigns, blog articles and social media marketing.

ALL our partners can feature their exclusive Diamond Jubilee deals:

Post a Stay Deal >

Post a Day Deal >

Treat your loyal customers to some royal relaxation & wellbeing – and entice new consumers accross your threshold who will spend on spa and wellness! For more information email info@spafindereurope.com.

Plus, promote your Diamond Jubilee Event For Free!

Are you holding a special health & wellness event for the Diamond Jubilee? We want to know about it!
Being a SpaFinder partner means you can take advantage of this unique marketing opportunity.

Promote Your Event >

Launched in 2010, Pinterest is a rapidly growing online bulletin board community where users can post their favourite images. Doesn’t sound like much, but take a look at the numbers, the purpose and usability factors and the strategy and you might find that Pinterest could be something valuable—and fun—for your business to get involved in.

As a place where a staggering number of people are communicating with each other through pictures, Pinterest is only growing – in December 2011 alone, it’s been reported that more than 7 million unique registered on the site, up from 1.6 million in September. Not only are pictures being posted left and right, the links associated with these photos are being shared at the same time, which ultimately drives traffic—and business—to company websites and blogs. In fact, it’s so powerful that it’s driving more traffic to sites than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined, according to a recent report from Cambridge, Massachussets-based content-sharing site Shareaholic.
To further show how some companies have experienced success with Pinterest, here’s an impressive stat from an article published on LinkedIn by Jason Falls: In the last six months, the retail deal site ideeli.com has seen a 446 percent increase in web traffic from Pinterest and sales resulting from those visits have increased five-fold.

Here are the basics of Pinterest for the unfamiliar:

1. The Boards: Users create as many boards as they like – these are usually categorised in a fun way like “Places I want to travel to,” “My style,” or “Delicious dishes to make.” There are no rules to what boards to create, but most people categorise photos this way, “pinning” relevant photos to each board.
2. Interaction: What makes Pinterest a social media site is that users interact with each other through re-pinning photos that others have on their boards, liking other users’ photos and commenting on the photos. Re-pinning of photos has the potential to make a photo and its associated link go viral with hundreds or thousands of re-pins.
3. Usability: Anyone and everyone can use Pinterest – and they are. From brides-to-be to online clothing companies, everyone has something to share that someone else will likely find inspirational or useful. Easy to use, this is how Pinterest can get addicting to consumers as surfing a simple site with beautiful images makes it a breeze to find images of things they like—and want.

And here’s how to get started on Pinterest with your spa:

• Create boards that will enhance your brand image and will help followers obtain the spa lifestyle your spa speaks to, whether it be healthy eating, spa and beauty products or spa décor. For example, our Pinterest site includes boards for “What Wellness Is,” “Good Eats,” “Places We Love,” “Hair, Beauty & Spa Style,” and more. All the photos we post are aimed to inspire and educate other Pinterest users towards a health and wellness, spa-oriented lifestyle.
• Associate Editor of Mashable, Lauren Drell suggests crowdsourcing, which can be a great marketing vehicle for brands. One of her tips included asking fans of your brand to pin pictures of themselves with their favourite product (in this case, ideally from your spa, or even a photo of them in your spa). You can then create a VIP board of sorts and re-pin those photos there. ““It’ll give a shout-out to these fans and show potential customers that your current users really like using your product,” she writes.
• Make sure that the photos you are pinning from your spa are linked back to your site and use SEO best practices when writing captions to optimise the number of eyes on your photo and link.
• Because Pinterest is image driven with very little text, make sure you’re pinning great images, both in quality and in context. Beautiful, eye-catching and inspiring photos will attract the most traffic.
• Be sure to pin photos from sites other than your own and re-pin, like and comment on other users’ photos – just like Facebook, engage with other people and participate in conversations.
• Remember that the possibilities with Pinterest are endless and there is no “messing up.” Simply sign up, create your boards, start pinning and see where it takes you.

“As more families travel with children to spas, the industry is evolving to accommodate the under-18 set, from opening kids-only spas to offering services focused on everything from childhood obesity to the development of lifelong wellness practices,” according to the SpaFinder’s 2012 Spa Trend Report™.

As more spas grow cognizant of the rapidly growing traveller demand to be able to bring teens, tweens (and even younger!) along for the spa experience, it’s predicted that far more resort and hotel spas will re-evaluate age restrictions in fitness/spa areas and welcome these age groups with appropriate, tailored programming.

What could this mean for your spa or wellness business? Here are some easy tips to expand your teen and tween audience:

• Reconsider your spa’s age restrictions (if any apply), and realise that expanding your clientele to teens and tweens may be a lucrative marketing venture – and, as a bonus, accommodating the younger crowd will most likely please your adult spa-goers that are parents.

• Roll out teen/tween programming: Take a cue from places like the Topnotch Resort and Spa, which now offers dedicated kids’ packages like The Shirley Temple (for girls under 12), a combination of a mini spa manicure, a June Jacobs bubbly spa pedicure, mini facial and Shirley Temple drink, that cater to the younger traveller. As well, services like teen yoga or deep-cleansing facials, complete with a pre-treatment consultation with an esthetician or post-treatment talk about at-home skincare tips, teach new generations of spa-goers fabulous wellness and beauty habits.

• Skim your spa menu and rename, or add, some spa treatments…: Ice Cream Pedicures or Starfish Sparkle Manicures (Sundae Spa in Connecticut) or the Teen Transformation Facial (Loews Coronado Bay Resort) make spa services sound appealing to the teen/tween crowd.

• …Or, create a new teen/tween spa menu altogether: SENSE, A Rosewood Spa at Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort, recently launched its Rose Buds™ Junior Spa Menu, for guests ages 4 to 16, which includes treatments like Chillax, the Beach Bliss Mani and Pedi, Mini Massage, Mini Facial, braiding and hair wraps.

• Designate an area of your spa for kids only: Major destination and resort spas like KeyLime Cove and Disney Aulani in the U.S. and Schloss Elamu in Germany feature special spas designed just for teens and kids; if this isn’t possible, designate an area (or even just a day of the week/month/etc.) of your spa for your younger guests only. The Homestead performs Kidspa Tween & Teen Services, such as My First Facial or the Blueberry Belle Pedicure, exclusively in its Spa Suite.

• Get the adults involved: Encourage parents to ease their tween or teen into the spa scene by promoting such treatments as mother-daughter/father-son massage or personal fitness sessions for two.

• Spa parties: Turn your typical spa party (i.e., bridal showers or hen parties) into a kid-friendly version for the under-18 demographic. Targeted treatments (teen facials, mani/pedis, makeup applications, etc.) and fun food will make it a hit.

Why Host a Wellness event?

• It has potential to raise awareness of your business
• It can generate customers – whether old or new –  to come through your doors
• It encourages clients to try something new

Planning Your Event from A to Z

Pre-event planning

• Motivate your fitness/wellness team to brainstorm: Have a meeting with your spa or wellness team to brainstorm and assign responsibilities.
• Keep it simple: Pick just one message or topic that your event revolves around. Recruit a lead therapist, a nutritionist, wellness consultant, etc. to come in and deliver a lecture or speech. Invite clients to come in for a tour and serve champagne. Gift a product to clients and explain to them the benefits.
• Create a snazzy invite to generate a crowd: Use an attention-grabbing title, urge invitees to mark their calendars and bring a friend or create a call to action by including an RSVP. If using an electronic invitation, have a link that people can click on right to the RSVP. Remember to put signs up in the reception area to promote your event, and post event details on your social media pages.
• Promote: Use posters, web banners, templates and more – to help you promote your offerings in your community – and don’t forget to let us know about your event so we can feature it in our media communication too.
• Get spa or wellness brands involved: Vendors have an annual budget for sampling and are enthusiastic about promoting their brand. If your business already works with certain brands approach them for support.
• Be resourceful: Or, get local businesses involved as well and ask for donations, whether it be food or beverage or decor.
• Set revenue targets: While the foundation of these events lies in education and raising awareness toward a healthier lifestyle, events do have income potential. You’re going to spend money, but you can also make money. People that go to events are in the party mode, which can mean the buying mode.

Tips for a successful event

• Tell SpaFinder about your event; be featured via our extensive consumer marketing channels.
• A private affair: If you’re able, just keep the event private.
• Initiate a call to action, i.e., the first 10 people to RSVP get a free consultation, product, goody bag with your spa menu and samples, etc.
• Picture perfect: Have someone on staff take photos during the event that can later be uploaded to your social media outlets.
• Indulge the senses: Let party guests use their senses. Have aromatherapy oils for them to smell, scrubs and masks to try, spa tours, etc. And if you’re going high-tech with your event, we recommend performing invasive services on other spa therapists or models and not necessarily a party guest.

Contact us at info@spafindereurope.com with details of your upcoming event.

Just as a doctor in a hospital can speak to the purpose of treatments and medicines he or she will use on the patient to provide results, the therapists and estheticians at your spa should be able to do the same. Each and every treatment and product offered in your spa should have an objective, and all of your employees should be able to express to your clients exactly how that treatment and product will work for them to achieve that objective’s outcome. Clients are coming in for results and fast ones at that. It’s time to “replace relax, with results,” says Sarfati.

Another essential point Sarfati touched on is the importance that treatment rooms must have the right tools. Your estheticians have to have quality magnifying lamps in order to do proper consultations and analysis. Another must-have for estheticians is the DermaScale. Your tools become your authority, and once you are the authority, your clients rely on you and will continue their business with you, Sarfati says. She urges spas to not be afraid of high frequency. “We’ve been high-touch, let’s get high-tech,” she says of the spa industry’s need to spend on technologically advanced tools, products and treatments.

“Let’s get clinical in 2012!” Sarfati urged the group at the lunch. Just as SpaEvidence and SpaFinder strive to show, Sarfati believes that it’s time to show clients that spa is a necessity, not just a luxury, just like your yearly checkups at the doctor. A great way to “get clinical” is to give your spa a makeover. Brighter and lighter will project a different image, one that is results-oriented. Like Sarfati says, “If you want to be clinical you have to look clinical.”

We encourage you to send our food and wellness editors your distinctive healthy spa recipes (preferably with nutritional information), the stories surrounding them and even bios of your exceptional chefs.

We look forward to working with you in the months ahead and urge you to take full advantage of the many editorial opportunities SpaFinder offers. Please feel free to contact us anytime at info@spafindereurope.com.

As SpaFinder President Susie Ellis said in the SpaFinder Spa Trend Report, the industry is exiting recession mode and is beginning “a new era of pushing the envelope with fresh, new ideas that deliver more wows, more fun and quite serious wellness innovation…there seems to be something really new in the air — and we like what we are seeing!” While she was speaking on the new top 10 trends, we think her thoughts can pertain to new renovations for your spa as well.

If you think it’s time to renovate, consider the following ideas, taken from the 2012 Spa Trend Report (which is known to forecast the trends and ideas that will reshape spa and wellness this year) to keep your spa competitive.

If you’re ready for a big change…

Go for the wow factor: Big wows or small wows, have your spa serve up some surprises to please seasoned spa-goers who are searching for “aha” experiences. Ponder these wows for most any budget in your renovation process – from the bold “bubble design” of Milan’s Atomic Spa Suisse (LED-illuminated mirror bubbles rise to the top of treatment rooms, baths and the sauna) to the smaller wows such as Hilton’s eforea spas emphasising Vichy showers or the Salt Yoga Studio (Thailand) highlighting its wall of Himalayan salt.

Courtesy of Atomic Spa Suisse

Play the hot-cold game: The trends report forecasts that spas will step out into the cold and there will be more icy therapies and cold design experiences (which promote the reduction of pain and inflammation and the release of endorphins) in 2012. Consider adding ice/snow rooms, or “igloos” as an alternative to classic cold “plunges.” This February, leading spa designer Thermarium will launch the first-ever “snow shower”: With the touch of a digital touchscreen, spa-goers can choose between “light snowfall,” “moderate snowfall” or “blizzard.”

Pick up the good vibrations: Sound, music, colour and light are becoming the main event — unleash this new wave and update your spa with the plethora of equipment and facilities that are now readily available. These include MUUSA, new software innovation that creates real-time treatment music directly generated by the therapist’s hand movements and the client’s bodily responses; rocking gravitational beds with chromo-therapy, found at Spaciomm at Hotel Omm (Spain); high-tech saunas, steam capsules, lounge chairs, massage tables, tubs and experiential “pods” that interweave light, colour, sound and music/rhythm together; the award-winning AlphaSphere by sha.; and futuristic-type spa tables with “vibromotors,” “musical massage” and “oscillating waves” combining music and chromo-therapy from the likes of spa designers Gharieni, Klafs, Schletterer or Thermarium.

Spa as a family: Allow families to get their spa-on together, by designating areas where whole families can spa together or where kids can indulge in their own whimsical, child-friendly treatments, fitness classes and more. Take a note from kid spas such as Keylime Cove (U.S.) or the Scoops Kids Spas at Great Wolf (North America).

Courtesy of Keylime Cove

Put your best feet forward: Unique specialty pedicures, treatments and foot spas are on the rise, as more people seek comfort for the most utilised part of the body — which means you may want to update mani/pedi chairs/stations or renovate to provide private, designated areas for treatments like reflexology.

…or if you like easy-breezing ideas that won’t break the budget

A little polish: It sounds like a no-brainer, but repainting your spa interiors can provide a glam, updated look. If you want to save a few bucks, have an after-hours painting party with your spa therapists, estheticians, etc.

It’s the little wows: Adding a few extras in the relaxation room, from new snacks and beverages to warm towels and warm neck pillows, let guests know you’re engaged with their needs and gives them a wow to talk about when they leave.

Give your menu a makeover: Your spa interiors may not be the only thing that needs updating – your spa menu might as well. Review SpaFinder’s hot spa trends of 2012 and update your menu accordingly to accommodate more seasoned spa-goers. Also, take a moment to possibly delete the services that are not so popular with guests.

Try wellness: With the industry moving into more “wellness,” it’s also important to update to accommodate guests looking for not just a spa but a wellbeing experience. If your spa includes a fitness centre, see if your exercise equipment needs updating — and possibly add some additional exercise classes to your schedule as well.

Wellness Week™ kicks off March 19-25, 2012.  This global movement is dedicated to providing consumers an affordable way to discover and experience the wellness lifestyle.

Our multimedia editorial is a key component in building awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle – and sending new business to participating spas and wellness businesses. This original content will focus on these six inspiring topics:

• The De-Stress Guide
• H20 Healthy
• Zen in Zzzz’s
• The NEW Fitness
• Glorious Food
• What Heals You

Plus, we have a social media campaign in store that includes deals promotion, original content, tips and advice from wellness experts.  We encourage you to share our wellness content on your own social media channels, blog and website.  If you aren’t already, please follow us on Twitter @SpaFinderEurope and use the tag #WellnessWeek for all related tweets.

ALL our SpaFinder partners are invited to post an exclusive Wellness Week deal for these special 7 days:

Post Wellness Week Stay Spa Deals here.

Post Wellness Week Day Spa Deals here.

We invite you to be part of the conversation with our wellness-seeking audience for Wellness Week and all year long by sending us your news as it relates to wellbeing, spa, beauty, fitness, products, recipes, special deals, trends, treatments, etc.

Have any queries about Wellness Week™? Email Monika at  monika@spafindereurope.com.

Trend #1: Healthy Feet Treatments
With the busy lives that people lead today (and with many women leading them in heels), tired and achy feet are ten a penny. Add the fact that the average person spends four hours a day on their feet, and it’s no wonder there is a national epidemic of foot problems like bunions, hammertoes, arthritis and worse. Reflexology is already offered at many spas and wellness centres, but even something as straightforward as a foot massage named in an interesting way to address the growing concerns of guests can play into this trend. Incorporate information and techniques that address more than just the relaxation factor – make it a wellness treatment to let guests know you’re caring for their wellbeing, and we’re sure their feet will thank you.

Trend #2: Cold and Ice Treatments
While not everyone is going to have the resources to build an Ice Fountain for guests to cool off after hot treatments, like The Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, there are more economical ways to use this trend on your spa menu. If you already have hot stone massage, why not turn it into a hot-and-cold stone massage? To immediately incorporate the trend into your everyday business, start to offer ice-cold towels post-treatment to help invigorate guests and regulate their body temperature.

Trend #3: Wellness and Beauty Coaching
Wellness and beauty coaching is a serious trend right now, not just another passing fad. Clients are busy and need help figuring out a life routine that they can stick to, be it nutritional, skincare or just life coaching. While it is mostly destination spas that are offering these programmes, that doesn’t exclude the rest of the industry from including this service for its clients. Wellpeople.com in the U.S. offers certified on-site or online wellness coaching for spas, hospitals and businesses. Early registration for certification training is being offered now on the company’s website.

Trend #5: Spa, Wine and Dine Packages
Fine dining and spa-ing are being aggressively paired, packaged, curated, marketed and savoured together as never before. Hotel and resort spas are boasting their award-winning chefs by combining them with their five-star spas, giving pleasure-seeking foodies and spa enthusiasts an ultimate experience to remember. To take advantage of this trend, work with your chef to begin exploring the potential of merging spa and cuisine in a new and innovative way. Find out what your chef can commit to or take a look at the offerings on your restaurant’s menus and attempt to create a spa treatment around it, offering it as a part of a special and indulgent package. From matching ingredients like chocolate in a treatment with an imaginative chocolate dish to relish in after the spa, to incorporating cooking classes or specially curated meals into spa packages like girlfriends’ getaways or romantic couples’ retreats, foodies and spa enthusiasts alike will be satisfied in more ways than one.

Trend #7: The Glam Factor
The “lipstick effect” is certainly visible during this long economic downturn, showing that small beauty splurges are something women, and men alike, are willing to spend their money on. Take note from the trends and offer “quickie grooming and beauty.” If you already offer hair care, why not create a blow-dry happy hour for clients where they can indulge in a quick blowout with friends and a complimentary drink? Offer this service to new customers at a discount and watch the books fill up! For your male clientele, offer a private male grooming bar for eyebrow waxes, male mani/pedis and old-school shaves.

Trend #8: Spa Evidence
An empowering and game-changing new online resource is here for the spa and wellness industries: SpaEvidence.com. The site is the world’s first portal to the medical evidence – with thousands of clinical studies – that exist for 21 spa and wellness approaches. SpaEvidence.com represents a giant step forward for industry validation as it forges a new, common ground between the spa and medical worlds. But to unlock all this transformative potential, spas need to use the site! By spending just an initial 15-20 minutes at this easy-to-use portal, the entire fascinating world of Evidence-Based Medicine will open up to you. Bring this important and free resource to your customers by posting SpaEvidence to your site. You can add a direct link to your site or even display a SpaEvidence logo or banner, for free! Contact Dulcy Gregory at dulcy@globalspasummit.org for more information.

Trend #9: Spa Becomes a Family Affair
Our Trends Report notes that kid-specific spas are on the rise, and like wellness coaching, this trend is more commonly offered at getaways and resorts. Still, there are certainly ways that day spas can create revenue from this burgeoning trend. Mummy-and-Me (or Daddy-and-Me) services can be offered to busy mums who are looking to come in and enjoy a day of spa and wellness but cannot find a babysitter or have a tween looking to join. If you have free space in the spa, offer a class for youngsters who come to the spa with mum or dad ─ whether it’s a mini spa-party with mani/pedis for the kids or a fun kids’ yoga or wellness class, mums, dads and children alike will be thrilled at the added services.

Check out all 10 trends by scrolling through our dynamic new slideshow presentation that depicts many of the trailblazing spas who exemplify the trends we’ve identified and summarises each forecast. View the Trends Slideshow >

• SpaFinder.co.uk’s romantic deals page consistently lists special packages for two at sumptuous locations around the globe.
• Our Club Spa Blog and newsletters, give top treatment tips to your consumers, plus, feature the best romantic spa offers and Valentine’s spa product roundups.
• SpaFinder readers vote every year for their favourite spas, including best for romance, in the 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards The Langham London and Alexander House Hotel Utopia Spa took the top honours.

Here’s how to make the most of your Valentine’s Spa Deal on SpaFinder:

1) Include the discount or saving in the title

2) Give your promotion a sensually appealing name

3) Simply list all the elements of your Valentine deal

3) Submit your deal – it’s fast, easy and is designed to boost your Valentine’s bookings through SpaFinder!

• To post a Stay Spa Deal, fill in the form here.
• To post a Day Spa Deal, fill in the form here.

So keep those Loved-up Wellness Deals coming for your Professional Listing! And if you have any questions, please contact Monika at monika@spafindereurope.com.