Online Retailing for Spas - an Introduction

How/where should spas get started with online retailing?

Online retailing is as easy as setting up a shopping cart option on the spa’s website. It can be done by a web designer, and the payments can be processed by regular credit cards, as well as by paypal. All that’s needed is a business bank account, and the right software.

As a brand owner, do you want to know if your clients are selling products online? What might be involved with that?

As a professional brand owner, one wants to keep the value of the products high, and avoid underselling by distributors. Underselling, essentially means selling below the MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price). While it may not be an issue to sell cheaper in person at the salon, selling online at discounted prices is discouraged. In addition to pricing issues, online sellers have to make sure the directions and skin type information is listed in a detailed fashion on their site, especially for professional products. When consumers purchase online, they are often confused as to which product suits them best, and how to utilize it, unless consulted by the esthetician prior to purchasing. 

What help can you provide from a brand perspective? Do you help with fulfillment? Providing images, descriptions? Is pricing set by you, the brand?

The inspiration for SAIAN Natural Clinical Skin Care comes from our customers. We are not just a skincare company, we are a lifestyle brand, dedicated to bringing our customers the best in skincare, anti-aging supplements, ergonomic equipment, supplies and education. We are the esthetician’s partner in creating her most successful beauty business - no minimum order, $2-$7 cost-per-treatment, free samples, and support from our friendly staff. 

We don’t do fulfillment, or set the prices, and we discourage online sales that are less than double wholesale price. Of course, all the images and descriptions are provided by us!

What are some of the advantages of having spas sell products online? 

The biggest advantage to having spas sell products online, is the additional retail income that the sales will bring in. Treatments will only bring in so much revenue, but product sales can make or break a spa’s success. In addition to bringing in revenue, product sales keep the customer’s skin looking good between facials, and maintain an ongoing relationship between the customer and the spa.

Selecting a Receptionist for your Spa or Salon

As the first person your customers communicate with – on the phone and upon entering the spa, the receptionist needs to make a good first impression. A great receptionist is someone on the front lines who has a professional appearance and attitude. Not many people know this, but I have spent 8 years out of my 17 years of industry experience as a spa receptionist. I know exactly what it takes to select a great receptionist, and will give you some pointers on what to look for as you go through the interview process.

First thing to look for in a qualified spa receptionist is a tidy, put together appearance. Your spa or salon is a place of beauty, health and tranquility, so having a receptionist with chipped nails, or messy oily hair will create disharmony in the overall image of your business. By any means, your employees don’t have to look like supermodels, but excellent hygiene is a must! A tidy and put-together person will also be wonderful at organizing the desk, and keeping the work area clean and manageable. This type of employee will never write an important phone message on a post-it in a pile of papers.

During the interview, you can role-play with the candidate, and him or her take down a message. Look for legible handwriting, correct spelling, and take notice of the tone of voice. A good phone presence is a crucial skill. You can trust that an empathetic person will be a wonderful listener who can accommodate your clients’ requests, and will help work out any slipups that may occur, such as double-booking, or other issues. It is important to choose a team player who shows enthusiasm in discovering the spa’s treatments and products. A good receptionist will ask many questions to get better acquainted with the different types of facials, and massages, and will try treatments to know how they feel. First-hand experience with treatments and products is the best way to passionately talk about them, and suggest them to clients.  

A very important quality in a front-desk person is the ability to multi-task without feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or frustrated. A candidate who is well-versed in a multitude of computer programs and apps is an asset to your organization. Not only will this receptionist quickly acquaint him/herself with your spa booking software, but he or she will be able to manage multiple tasks with ease. Someone who is technologically savvy is wonderful at implementing the newest apps and programs to help take the clutter out of, what may seem to be confusing, tasks.

Look for candidates with a humble and agreeable personality. A person who easily takes directions, and can handle constructive criticism will be a breeze to work with for both you and your clients. Look for someone with great integrity who can show initiative and improvise, and avoid those who will walk past a candy wrapper on the floor, and use the excuse “that’s not part of my job description” to justify not tossing it into the trash can.

These simple tips are what I believe will help you select the right person for your front desk. I have worked as a receptionist at the same spa for 8 years, prior to joining my mother to start our own skin care brand.  My previous employer, co-workers, clients and I still keep in touch, because that job was my passion and my priority. I never brought in negativity, and I always made everyone I worked with feel loved and well taken care of.  The most important attributes to look for are integrity and a good nature, and the rest of the technicalities can be learned in time!

DERMASCOPE Magazine's 40th Anniversary Issue

DERMASCOPE Magazine interviewed Dasha Saian for their 40th Anniversary issue, asking to share some business advice, as an industry expert. Here is the full version of that interview: 

Do you have any advice for newbies? What advice do you wish you had been given when you began in the industry? 

What I wish I had known is that building a brand isn't only about the quality of the product, but about the knowledge of the educators, and the language of the marketers. Keeping it simple and explaining it well is the key to success!

Tell us about your history with DERMASCOPE. Any great stories or fun facts readers would find interesting?

My first article, co-written with my mother, came out in the May 2010 issue of DERMASCOPE, and my first solo article came out in the July 2010 issue of DERMASCOPE Magazine - exactly 5 years ago! Ever since then, I have been blessed to be a part of this wonderful publication! I am so overjoyed and proud to have been able to start contributing at such a young age, and can assure you that I will never run out of content, topics, fresh information, and inspiring stories in the coming years! My work is my passion and pride, and I am committed and dedicated to share all my knowledge and experience with DERMASCOPE readers!

What product innovation do you feel paved the way for today’s must-haves in our industry?

Natural products without chemicals and parabens are among the most popular and revered in the industry today, and rightfully so! Health and beauty go hand in hand!

What do you feel is the one thing that has made the biggest change in the industry?

More and more professionals are now taking the time to research ingredients, to make sure they are choosing the right products for their clients. Gone are the days of relying on ads and promises - estheticians want results, and invest their time in finding the best products out there!

What is the one advancement that is needed the most going forward?

Education is the most important element which must be present to be able to advance! Taking workshop classes, watching tutorials, webinars, listening to podcasts, reading trade magazines such as DERMASCOPE, that's what it's all about! If you feel you know everything, you close yourself off from learning more.

Music for Your Spa - Music for Your Soul

Every time I am in Hong Kong, my home away from home, I put a day aside to visit the Giant Tian Tan Buddha on Landau island. This is one of my favorite places in the world - a peaceful, tranquil mountain where monks chant in the Po Lin monastery, and the fragrant sandalwood insence is burned while prayers and chants are sung. The Giant Buddha sits atop a mountain, waiting for visitors to get to him by cable car. Tian Tan Buddha (天壇大佛) is 112 feet tall, and sits atop a lotus throne surrounded by 6 devas. It's incredible, the statue is so huge, it can even be seen from Macau on a clear day!

The best memory of Landau and Tian Tan Buddha, for me, is the music I bought while I was on the island. I have never heard of Imee Ooi before, but the chants were so pleasant and relaxing, that I bought 3 albums, and have been listening to them for the last 3 years! Being in the spa industry for so many years (almost 17!) I know the positive difference beautiful and relaxing music can make for your spa/salon/treatment room. Guests will remember your massages and facials, and will absolutely float on a cloud of bliss when they hear Imee Ooi. Her music is available on iTunes HERE: 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/imee-ooi/id592393059

Here are a couple of samples on YouTube: