This Just In: Massaging Profits

This year, it’s not just about what you should retail, but who should be retailing. Usually we look to estheticians, hairstylists, nail technicians and makeup artists to get those products moving. But body therapists also carry great potential to introduce clients to a variety of products. The key lies, according to spa industry retail expert Carol Phillips, in teaching consumers that self-care encompasses the entire body.

According to Phillips, massage therapists’ retailing rate in spas is less than 5%, while retail stores such as Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret continue to increase body care sales and expand their lines. Can spas compete? Yes, especially as consumers become aware of the differences between simple fruity- or floral-fragranced lotions and therapeutic body care products. Here, body workers can step in—but first they’ll have to get past their own resistance. “A lot therapists think body products are too froufrou,” Phillips says, “but they could be retailing products that offer firming, lifting and detoxifying benefits, as well as supplements and other tools to decrease stress.”
      Of course, good retail has a lot to do with good timing. When is the perfect time for a massage therapist to introduce products to a client? Phillips believes the discussion should take place while the client is on the treatment table. Before the massage, the therapist can ask the client to identify any body-related concerns. After the massage, he or she can provide assessments while the client is still in the treatment room. Phillips suggests the therapist fill out a body care prescription card and hand it to the client, saying, “I just outlined three simple things you can do today, tomorrow and the next day.”

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      Just as estheticians recommend facial products to help their clients maintain their complexions between treatments, massage therapists can use this retail opportunity as an extension of their treatment until the client returns for another massage. For instance, Phillips says that take-home mud therapy products are an ideal way to promote continued detoxification and relaxation. She suggests that massage therapists train clients to perform nightly or weekly rituals that will extend the benefits of massage. “Ask clients what they have on their nightstand, and what they do before they crawl into bed,” she says. “Listen to their concerns, then offer something specific.”

To learn more about Carol Williams and her marketing firm, visit www.encompassone.com.