I had a wonderful time in Hershey...again! The show was a great success for our PlaqClnz Booth. Kate and I enjoyed answering your questions and sharing our first hand experience with the product in the salon. We have received lots of positive feedback about how well the product works. In fact, PlaqClnz 2 oz. Gel is our #1 retail item in the salon, and is our #2 Spa Service. If you are not familiar with the PlaqClnz Groomer System please send me an email and I would be happy to respond. If you Google PlaqClnz, you will see some amazing before and after photographs from groomers who use the system.
On another note, my Friday Evening 2 hour program, From Salon to Spa, was a blast...Or at least I had fun! I arrived early to set the tone for the evening. Spa music played in the background, the room filled with the aromatherapy fragrance of lavender and chamomile. I took the audience from the planning stages of developing your spa menu, to pricing your services, through the procedures, and onto salon layout...ending with a tour of my premium services salon, A Fortunate Dog Spa. The feedback was great...All 4's (excellent) and 5's (outstanding) on my Speaker Evaluation sheets (Ok, there was one attendee who gave me a 3 -good- in two areas of feedback. But, I can live with that.)
I have had a couple requests for the handout from the evening, so I am posting it here. It is a very condensed overview of the information. I hope that it helps in some way. At any rate, I hope to have an opportunity for an encore performance sometime in the future. It was great fun and wonderful to see so many smiling faces in the group when I know you had a lot of options for the evening. Thank You for sharing those hours with me.
Groom Expo 2010 - From Salon to Spa – Karla Addington-Smith
Clearly Define your services.
Grooming Services have mass appeal. All dogs regardless of breed or coat type require grooming. Clarify very specifically what your grooming services include. This will provide added value to the cost of the grooming. It is your grooming service that brings in the client.
Spa Treatments are services that enhance the health and quality of the dog’s skin and coat. These treatments use specifically formulated professional products that may treat dry skin, moist dermatitis and external parasites. The key to successfully selling these add-on treatments is by providing them complimentary the first visit. This adds value to the grooming and sets a level of expectation for following grooming visits.
Spa Services are non-skin treatments and procedures that enhance the pet’s beauty, comfort or health and provide pet parent satisfaction. These services most closely parallel the human salon and spa experience.
Pricing your services:
When developing your Grooming price schedule consider: Average national grooming prices as surveyed on petgroomer.com. What other local groomers are charging. Market demographics . (Who is your target market?) What are your overhead costs? What dollar sales do you need to cover expenses and be profitable? How does your establishment and services compare in quality and client experience to other local shops? What are your value added services worth?
Develop a printed base price list. Use the space to educate and enlighten about your policies and requirements. Provide tips for an enjoyable visit. You may want to address client tipping etiquette and give details about your grooming services.
The spa menu brochure should be printed in color on glossy paper to convey quality and an upscale appeal. Use the front of the brochure to define your grooming services and mission statement. The spa brochure should detail the services and treatments with pricing. Your bio may also appear in this brochure. People do read this. Make sure every new client leaves with both the price sheet and spa brochure at their first visit. Many clients review the brochure and call back requesting an additional treatment. Grow your business not simply by grooming more dogs but by up-selling each client with at least one spa treatment or service.
Creating the Spa Experience
You have 20 seconds to make that first impression. Everything the client sees, feels, hears and smells should appeal to the senses. A spa environment will provide a soothing, uncluttered atmosphere utilizing color, scent and sound to achieve the perception of tranquility people in-the-know equate with the spa experience. So your spa environment must appeal to your client’s senses first!
Marketing
Every contact you have with your current or potential client, whether directly or indirectly, is marketing. Marketing makes the client aware of your services, satisfies your clients and, if marketing is consistent, creates customer loyalty.
The outside of your building is a marketing tool. Your salon environment and services are marketing tools. How you answer the phone and anticipate the client’s questions before they can ask, is a marketing tool. Your price list and spa brochure are marketing tools that educate, making your potential client aware of your services. Providing the complimentary spa treatment is a marketing tool, as well. Use targeted direct mail and support with local print ads to create awareness. Send brochures and introductory letter to vet clinics, pet sitters and other non-competing pet related businesses. Use thank you cards, email marketing and reminder calls, cards or emails to stay in front of the client.
Impress with a cohesive message and consistent high quality services. This creates client loyalty.
Retailing
High impulse items are perfect for boutique retailing. Toys, treat, collars & leads work well. Try to avoid the same brands as found in other shops and big box stores to reduce price shopping on exact items. Like the human hair salons, sell what you use. Use unique fixtures for displaying retail. Keep inventory levels wide, not deep. Offer monthly specials to change your client’s shopping habits. Give them a reason to drive past the other pet retailers to shop with you!
Dog food is a must have. Pioneering a new line can be slow and expensive. Ask your clients what they are currently feeding. Can you meet or beat the price? Will the company work with and support your efforts by providing samples, signage, and participate in co-op advertising?
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