How can my spa attract a younger clientele?

Q: What should my spa be doing to attract and retain a younger clientele?

It’s important for spas to choose a brand partner that will help them evolve. To excite existing clients and bring in new customers, including the mature millennial, a brand must have innovation at its heart. It should be setting the trends, rather than following them, harnessing new ingredients and making use of the latest technologies.

The millennial customer is often time-poor and demands to see a difference immediately. For spas to attract a younger clientele it’s therefore essential that they not only offer a great experience but one that is tailored to the individual client’s skin needs. Treatments should deliver maximum results in minimum time, at an affordable price.

Design treatments that speak to the customer and their lifestyle. Your menu needs to target the wellness concerns that millennials face; such as stress, broken sleep and long working hours, which have a direct impact on skin and body. Spas should also create packages that cater to mothers and daughters to bridge the gap between generations.

By enticing mothers to bring in their daughters, spas will organically introduce a younger customer to the wellness experience, turning them into return clients and advocates of the spa and the brands it works with. It’s key to effectively target the way you communicate with the millennial market. The first place millennials will look for spas and treatments is online, so you need to ensure you have a strong digital presence.

Optimise your homepage, as this is your business “shop front”, create an easy-to-use online booking system and make sure your social media content is engaging. If you have a strong online footprint and treatments that deliver tangible results, you will bring in customers of all ages.

Noella Gabriel is managing director and co-founder of British skincare brand Elemis, overseeing everything from marketing campaigns to product and treatment development.