This February has been dedicated to how to utilize your spa expertise to increase bookings and sales via blogging, vlogging, or a mixture of both!

“But Kirsten,” I hear you say, “what if I’m not confident enough to be a subject matter expert? Or what if I don’t deem it an important factor for spa business growth?”

That’s where I come in to illustrate how you’re mistaken-- and what you can be doing to capitalize on being a subject matter expert in a way that suits your time, budget, and personal skill set.

First Things First: What is Spa Subject Matter Expert?

If you are already a member of my free Facebook group for spa owners, Spa Business Mastery, then you know that I classify each and every spa owner as a subject matter expert: if you have a niche as a spa owner and esthetician, then you are a subject matter expert whether you feel like one or not!

While female business owners and entrepreneurs are less likely to think of themselves as subject matter experts due to a researched lack of confidence in comparison to male business owners, you classify as a spa subject matter expert if you:

• Have a deep understanding of a niche topic, process, or function

• Have taken the time to delve deeply into research, as well as dedicated time to learning the topic hands-on

• Have continued to further your education in order to stay current

Why Should an Emphasis Be Placed on Being a Subject Matter Expert?

Positioning yourself as a subject matter expert in the spa industry is invaluable regardless of your current growth stage: whether you are overbooked or struggling to retain clients, being known as a subject matter expert in your community helps to grow and stabilize your spa business by establishing you as a trusted resource and thought leader-- as well as helping you to attract your ideal clients.

As an example, consumer research shows that establishing trust is essential before consistent retention and purchases can flow; this is because, when you position yourself as a subject matter expert, you are not only establishing yourself as a reliable resource within your niche but also cementing your spa’s values.

Whether your spa business’s foundation is science-oriented, holistic, or orbiting around a specific skin condition-- such as acne or anti-aging-- showcasing your education for your audience will transform them into long-term clients interested in the specifics that you have to offer. 

This positioning is especially vital if you are selling higher-ticket treatments or skin care products: if your website and/or social media is vague on what and how you offer what you do, you are less likely to draw in clients who are passionate about your services and who trust your expertise enough to come back loyally. 

My recommendation? Tailor each and every one of your service descriptions, product blurbs, and social media captions to your ideal clients in order to fix your potential “leaky bucket” problem. 

How to “Keep Current” as a Spa Business Owner

Between marketing, managing your spa, and squeezing in time for your personal life, to say that, as a spa business owner, you’re busy is an understatement; that’s why it can be tricky to find the time to stay afloat of current trends, research, and practices.

As a former spa business owner and current business coach myself, my hacks for “keeping current” without piling too much on my plate are as follows:

• Subscribe to industry newsletters

• Follow thought leaders in your niche on various social media platforms

• Watch how your competitors are positioning their own subject matter expertise on social media

Customizing your research to fit your life is essential: when beginning to craft ways to position yourself as a subject matter expert in your community you will inevitably need to develop new habits to ensure that you are putting the required amount of time and effort into your content to guarantee that you will see results from it. 

When beginning, I strongly recommend that you focus on two main aspects-- patience and consistency. Understand that you:

• Won’t be polished straight out of the gate-- and that that shouldn’t deter you from continuing to post content and put yourself out there as a subject matter expert

• Will be appreciated by your consumers by putting your resources out consistently, regardless of bumps in the road or adjustments you may have to make along the way to better convey your knowledge 

• Will be trusted by your audience as a resource if you reliably dedicate yourself to showcasing your knowledge for your community

The Fear of Being Judged… and Why That Shouldn’t Hold You Back

Putting yourself out there is nerve-wracking regardless of your age or depth of experience; impostor syndrome dictates that we, as business owners, may feel that our success is up to luck, that our competitors are more knowledgeable than us, and that the people around us are waiting for us to fail. 

To quash these feelings, acknowledge that you have worked hard to gain the knowledge that you have and reframe potential failure as a learning experience. When I first began curating my Facebook Live video trainings, there were many aspects that I had to iron out in order to better convey my messaging; however, because I knew that I had something valuable to say to spa owners my sense of conviction outweighed my fear of being judged, even in that nail-biting beginning phase.

Even when I first transcribed my Live trainings to a blog format, I found myself hung up on thoughts like “What if I’m a bad writer? What if I can’t write anything?” What I quickly learned, however, was that even if I was it didn’t matter. Letting go of the inherent perfectionism that we as spa business owners share and focusing instead on the value I was providing the community was my way of getting over that initial hump, and is something I recommend you orbit around when first starting out.

“What Methods Should I Use to Share My Knowledge as a Spa Subject Matter Expert?”

The joy of positioning yourself as a subject matter expert is that there are so many ways to do it, and that each of these ways can be customized to fit your preferences and strengths. My top recommendations are:

• Writing: Whether that be in a blog format, pouring your efforts into refurbishing your website’s descriptions, written content on social media, or via newsletters, monthly writing is the perfect method for those who enjoy the written word and want to showcase their knowledge through long-form content pieces.

• Video: Writing’s visual counterpart, video helps personable, high-energy spa business owners shine. Scripted videos, off-the-cuff blogs, videos embedded in monthly newsletters, or videos repurposed for social media offer your audience a direct taste of your personality and atmosphere for your business.

• Guest Podcasting: Serving the dual purpose of networking and marketing, lifestyle podcasters often will feature spa business owners, skin care thought leaders, or clients in guest podcasts. Go ahead and repurpose those into your own marketing to add a dynamic angle to your educational perspectives on the topic at hand.

• Networking Events: Networking groups such as E Women’s Network are frequently looking for members to speak at their annual meetings. This can be a way to link up with like-minded spa business owners and swap perspectives on your niche.

• Community Events: Expos like Canada’s Health and Wellness Expo encourage spa business owners to showcase their expertise while interacting with the local community and your potential client base.

Your First Steps as a Subject Matter Expert

Not sure where to begin? Join the myriad of spa business owners just like you who have used my private coaching to bolster their marketing, hone their client retention, refine their processes, and change their spa business’s growth trajectory for the better.