Did you know that the bridal market generates about $50 billion in revenue each year? That’s billion, with a “B.” If your spa doesn’t accommodate for these specialty clients, you’re missing out on a big piece of the money pie. There are countless opportunities for profit, growth, and referral business when marketing your location as a key player in this space. Here are a few tips to elevate your business and prepare for the upcoming bridal season.
BE PREPARED
Typically, the busiest bridal months are June and September. But, regardless of where you are located, you should be ready for high traffic season at all times. Also, don’t just target the bride – think of the entire bridal party, wedding guests, and even the groom. By creating a custom bridal service menu, you can easily cater to these clients and give your bottom line a significant boost.
FOCUS ON THE SERVICE MENU
Include bundles for everything – hydrating facials, massages, manicure and pedicure combinations, spray tans, eyelash extensions, makeup trials, hair styling, teeth whitening, and everything else in between. Take your existing service menu and revamp it into custom and luxurious bundle options to make it appealing to clients. Be sure to include multiple session discounts and assign the packages creative names that reflect the occasion (like “diamond-worthy facial,” “skin bling before the ring,” “married to makeup,” and others).
HEAVILY PROMOTE WEDDING SERVICES
Let everyone know that you are the go-to spa for wedding services. Post signage in the reception area, send out e-mail blasts, post on social media, and hand out flyers. Don’t be shy – be shameless. Broadcast to the world that you offer these tailored services and never assume that the bride will always be the one to reach out to inquire about bridal beauty services. Offer gift cards for wedding guests and bridal parties to purchase hair and makeup trials for the bride, along with special add-ons that can be gifted to another person.
BUILD YOUR REPUTATION AND NETWORK
The wedding industry is all about building relationships. Rely on like-minded businesses within the industry that you can partner with. Build a list of preferred vendors to offer full-spectrum resources to clients. If you can offer a one-stop shop for brides, they will be very appreciative and send you lots of business. Pamper your clients as much as you can and continuously feed them with options and available services that will enhance their wedding experience.
PARTICIPATE IN BRIDAL SHOWS
Local bridal shows, trunk shows, and other convention-type events are a great way to tap into the bridal community and attract new clients. Set up a booth and be prepared with plenty of promotional material, brochures, live demonstrations, and before and after photos. Offer a raffle winning for a free hair or makeup trial and special offers if clients book appointments at the show. Offer complimentary or discounted makeup and hair trials if the bride commits to using the spa for the wedding day services. Invite attendees to sample your services and showcase your bridal bundle menu.
When you aren’t recruiting new clients, bridal shows are the perfect space to make industry connections and build your network. Meet as many photographers, DJs, venue representatives, caterers, and wedding planners as you can. These relationships build crucial referral business that is necessary to succeed in the bridal space.
ORDER SURPLUS SUPPLIES AND ACCOMMODATE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING
Order surplus supplies and accommodate flexible scheduling. Be sure to have an abundance of disposables and other specialty items like false eyelashes, airbrush makeup, bobby pins, and other bridal essentials on-hand at all times. As you begin to fill your appointment book with bridal requests, you will fly through these materials, so it is very important to keep them in stock. Also, bridal parties are notorious for being late and distracted during their appointment times. To counter this, build in buffer time when scheduling bridal clients and always aim to have them ready early on the wedding day. Though brides can bring high-stress and anxiety into your spa, they are very loyal clients to your business.
OFFER A CHECKLIST
Offer a bridal checklist that includes a timeline of when certain services should be completed. Suggest a makeup trial six months in advance, a facial 30 days before the wedding date, a massage the week of, and so on. Provide written details as to what brides should expect the week of the wedding and, most importantly, the wedding day itself. Answer frequently asked questions to alleviate their stress ahead of time and strive to go above and beyond the standard level of service.
In general, beauty services play a huge role in wedding festivities and provide a multitude of revenue opportunities for the spa. Bridal clients are usually willing to splurge on services that make them feel more confident and flawless on their wedding day. Clients tend to book appointments up to a year in advance of their actual wedding day, so it is never a bad time to advertise these services in the spa. The goal is to de-stress clients and keep them coming back for more, then ultimately gain a ton of referral business. Request testimonials and reviews from your clients and encourage them to share images across social media channels. Following all of these guidelines will help to establish your spa as an authority in the wedding industry.
Amanda Azar Walsh, L.M.E., is a professional makeup artist, medical aesthetician, and body wrapper based in south Florida. She is the founder and executive artist of Azar Beauty, lead artist for NewsmaxTV, Pelican Grand’s Pure Spa, and Studio 1 Talent Specialists. Walsh has a degree in business management from Florida Atlantic University, diplomas in fashion makeup from Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry and Paramedical Aesthetics from Southeastern College, is dual-licensed, and holds over 40 certifications. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Businesswomen, National Aesthetic Spa Network, Look Good Feel Better®, and a RAW Artist® alumni.