In order for spas to be profitable business ventures in and of themselves, they need to be properly planned and staffed, but of equal importance is the need for an exceptionally strong, creative, on-trend and well-executed marketing plan. Consumers need to know why they should go to your spa, e.g., why is your spa different from and better than the one down the street. In our 25 years as spa advisors, we have constantly emphasized the need to have a solid pre-opening and operational marketing budget and plan that will allow you to bring in people who want to spend time and money in treatments and retail. Since marketing is critical to revenue-maximization, I thought it would be beneficial to hear from people who are integrally involved in creating and implementing marketing strategies and plans. Therefore, I invited 3 of HFD's well-respected clients to share some of their experience, insights and strategies. READ MORE

Too many spas are financial under-performers. They do not know what to do or how to do it. HFD has created a "GPS approach" for spas. There is a starting point and destination with clear directions and a coaching message that tells you when it is time to "re-calculate" and change direction if you go off-course. HFD's program is called Spa Profit Maximization - Spa ProMaxT. It consists of very sensible and sound business principles and best practices. The following is an overview of 18 common sense, simplistic principles or P's within the Spa ProMaxT program. When you follow the P's, the ultimate destination is Profitability. READ MORE

More major chain and niche hotels are now focusing on building an outstanding service environment rather than emphasizing their bragging rights for the best spa, most comfortable beds or most elegant furnishings. One of the keystones to building this culture is the Concierge Service. In this article we will explore how to find these service specialists, how to keep them motivated and inspired and working to improve your turnover statistics as well as bottom line. We will discuss the techniques for creating loyalty and using their unique skill set to best advantage. READ MORE

There may be no bailouts possible for us in hotels. For our financial and service challenges, we must rely on old-fashioned virtues and hard-won skills. Professional hotel concierges have shared some of their best practices for survival in these difficult times. There are lessons to be learned. Many writers have extolled the virtues of our grandparents during the Great Depression: thriftiness, shared sacrifice, team spirit, and greater efficiency. READ MORE

Contemporary travelers in the luxury market are searching for a safe haven and are time-challenged. These guests seek unique, memorable and local experiences that reveal the culture of the country and city they are visiting. They want to capture the "Spirit of Place" - that magical intersection of culture, monuments, cuisine - which defines a locale without taking the time to read the great travel writers like Lawrence Durrell, Paul Theroux, Bill Bryson, or Evelyn Waugh. Who, within the hotel, could serve as the guides, filter the overload of information and tailor it to individual guests' desires and needs? READ MORE

How do you recover as a service organization when everything that could possibly go wrong, does? I had a recent experience with United Airlines where I spent six hours on a plane to fly from Newark to Chicago and I was actually almost grateful to have done so! As a service professional, I became fascinated with the way the captain and the customer relations department handled the situation each step of the way. It was a textbook example of Service Recovery that made me marvel at how well it was executed. READ MORE

Integrating the Concierge Department with the Marketing and Sales effort in servicing groups makes excellent business sense for hotel management. Meeting Planners have unique and specific needs and the concierge is well equipped to facilitate them by reaching out to their vast network of local contacts. Concierges have the capability to enhance the revenue from groups by being the onsite problem solver, transportation expert, link to authentic local experiences, finders of last minute piano players, boxes of fine cigars, or a bubble machine for their display at the convention center. Having worked both sides of the desk, as a Meeting Planner and a Concierge, I have seen this natural synergy. Read on... READ MORE

"Why won't the hotels follow the corporate graphic standards?" "They don't understand that my hotel's market is different?" Sound familiar? In many cases, the rapport between the corporate marketing department and hotel field marketing can be described as a love/hate relationship. Creating synergy between the two will have a positive impact on the brand image as well as the bottom line. But as part of the corporate marketing team, how do you accomplish this sometimes daunting task? READ MORE

Marketing partnerships can provide multiple benefits. They can help stretch your marketing budget, expand your brand visibility, provide a low-risk test marketing opportunity, generate incremental dollars and create community goodwill, just to name a few. However these same marketing partnerships can explode and cost you unexpected time, money and brand credibility if they are not developed in a strategic manner. At m-k-t-g, we employ an eight-step approach to the development of strategic partnerships and marketing alliances to ensure that all parties involved receive a ROI that is favorable to both their brand image and bottom line. READ MORE

If you think your marketing efforts are finished when your guests walk through the front door, then you are leaving money on the table. Marketing initiatives that generated the guest booking are just the first part of the battle. Getting guests to spend money in your hotel throughout their stay is what drives incremental revenue and makes your marketing efforts a complete success. So how do you maximizing guests' expenditures? By using a touch-point marketing strategy. Touch points are opportunities for generating incremental revenue from hotel guests throughout their stay from the moment of arrival to departure. Touch-point marketing involves determining the message, identifying the areas of opportunity, developing a method of delivery and tracking the conversion rate. In a nutshell, you have to tell the guest what you want them to do, how you want them to do it, affirm that they have made the right decision and tell them thank you for their spending. In addition to driving incremental revenue, touch-point marketing is critical to building brand loyalty. READ MORE

As a major player in the Hospitality Industry, spas have become independent profit centers that justify their existence with bottom line income that adds to overall resort profitability. In addition, spas can enhance resort/hotel occupancy, length of stay and occupancy ratios. Spas also provide the type of experience that all guests want and hotels/resorts should strive to provide throughout the property - a memorable experience that is caring, warm, empathetic and creative. It is no wonder that the number of spas in hotels/resorts continue to grow at a rapid rate. The result of rapid growth, of course, is increased competition. The combination of intense competition, a very savvy spa clientele that demands exceptional experiences and mounting staff turnover requires a serious look at current spa operating and compensation models. READ MORE

Ultimately, planning and people create the profitability of your spa. Your spa profits are greater with a return of loyal guests rather than a return on investments alone. Add in the planning and the people to your budgeting process and you will see a greater customer base, soaring profits and best of all, sustainability. READ MORE

Spas are almost a rite of passage for hotels and resorts. Is your spa not only a rite of passage but also a financially successful asset to your property? A successful spa attracts guests to your resort/hotel, receives high acclaim from guests, contributes to overall guest satisfaction and desire to retire, adds revenue dollars to the overall property and strengthens occupancy rates. Financial success in the spa means that more guests are enjoying the spa's experiences and, isn't that why we are in the hospitality business in the first place? As you can imagine, this article is about numbers and how to raise them. READ MORE

Having a diverse work force is extremely important for any business. A diverse work force is able to respond to your diverse clientele. They have a better understanding of your customers, while bringing new ideas and creativity to the workplace. Successful companies are also understanding that diversity must include lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-persons (LGBT) employees, and that programs, opportunities and incentives must be put into place and exist for them as well. READ MORE

Employers in the hotel and hospitality industries are not immune from the impact that the weakened economy has on employment-related decisions in the workplace. Often times, even decisions made with good intentions are met with problems and potential legal exposure due to the failure to strictly comply with an employer's obligations. In this article I identify best practices for hotel employers facing five employee dilemmas that can result from the current economic climate. READ MORE