I’m not sure where in the world you are reading this from, but here on Vancouver Island, we are having the most epic summer. We are known for our wet, rain-forest like weather so the endless weeks of sunshine have been a real treat! Which makes it really hard to even think about the fall.

But a new season is quickly approaching and I want to give you the nudge to get started on your fall marketing strategies.

To help you get focused for fall, I have a few tips to help you accomplish a smooth and effective marketing campaign.

1. Get crack’in!

You may think you have loads of time to put your fall marketing together, but the fact is most of you are throwing together your marketing at the last minute and it could be much more effective if you took the time to think things through. If you don’t have time to do this yourself (and it makes you want to go cross-eyed anyways) consider hiring someone to do your marketing for you on retainer.

When I had a much bigger spa, I had a graphic designer create my media and send it to the printer. All I had to do was pick it up and hang the posters & shelf talkers (this was pre-social media). I was better off generating the money in the spa and paying someone to create it so I could look way more pro!

2. Solve an Autumn problem.

For example, if your spa’s focus is skin, then create a marketing campaign that solves a specific skin problem your clients have in the fall. If your focus is on holistic bodywork, perhaps feature a warming aromatherapy massage.

Be sure to use copy that speaks to the benefits (not the features) of that treatment. Guests really only care WIIFM (what’s in it for me) and can be overloaded with info if you include all the features. A confused mind usually says “no” and is off looking at something else.

3. Speak to only your Ideal Client.

This was a topic discussed in my Facebook group when a spa owner was planning her “Back to School” special.

She was on the right track, but I needed more information to give an effective answer for her. I said: It depends on who you want to market to. High School students? University students? Mom's whose kids are going back to school?

Can you see how her marketing message would be quite diluted if she chose all of these groups? Her marketing would also look very different if she chose a particular demographic to speak to. How you communicate the needs/wants of a university student is going to be much different than if you were speaking to Mom’s needing a break after a full summer with her kids home. Pick a specific Ideal Client and keep your communication clearly focused on them in order to attract their attention.

Your fall marketing campaign doesn’t need to be complicated. Maybe it’s a featured treatment not normally on your menu. Maybe it’s a product you know guests love in the fall. Maybe it’s to share your winter hours and a few professional beauty tips. Whatever you decide, post it in-spa, email a short newsletter and share it on social media to distribute far & wide!

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Does the thought of getting started on your fall marketing strategy make you want to stay at the beach sipping cocktails?