Every business owner is concerned with improving his or her numbers. In a spa setting, there are a finite number of ways to increase revenue: either through services, or retails. Within these two main categories, focusing on re-booking clients to increase the booking rate, selling more retail products, and advertising/promotions are all valid ideas to increase revenue and therefore profits. But what about a way to maximize the time spent and money earned with currently scheduled clients? Is there a method to maximize client results and increase the hourly income at the same time? Enter the world of upgrades and add-ons.
Yes, There Is A Difference!
Upgrades are simply taking a client that’s booked for a fixed time service (let’s use an hour long facial for example) and offering them an option, picking one or two alternative treatments to offer that have both more impact and a higher investment than the originally scheduled service. So we simply swap a less effective one hour service with another one hour service that has a greater benefit and a larger investment to the client.
It is important to offer these as low-pressure options, as opposed to high pressure recommendations, and fully explain the differences in the form of features and benefits. If the client feels the choice is theirs, they will be comfortable. If they feel pressured, well, you know the resulting fallout from that.
An add-on, on the other hand, is a client-based attempt to give them a more valuable, need- filling service and at the same time it usually fills more time in our books. We are, as the term indicates, adding something of value to the service, while normally also adding time to perform the additional treatment. To increase the rate of add-on services, it’s important that you take the incentive to suggest things that might be of interest or fill your client’s needs, especially if you know you have a time gap after their scheduled service and that your client doesn’t have another service scheduled immediately following. For example, if you go into a facial knowing that you have half an hour free following it, you might quickly ask the client if they have ever done microdermabrasion; and if so, would they like to add a service that both exfoliates (feature) for brighter and fresher skin appearance (benefit) and also smoothes fine lines (benefit) by plumping the skin through stimulating collagen production (feature). Explain that microdermabrasion is an additional investment and takes an additional half hour, as they may have schedule conflicts to be considered.
In summary, an upgrade is a one for one swap of time and service, while the add-on typically requires more time than the original service, but not always. Add-ons sometimes can be done within the original time allotment (ie: lip wax) and sometimes come at the client’s request.
Which Is Best?
The main consideration when choosing between offering clients an upgrade or an add on is: What does the client need from you and how does your schedule look as you pick them up for their appointment? If your time is locked in with appointments immediately following, the upgrade is your only route to better results. With no time limitation on the backside of your appointment, you can utilize an add-on to better serve the client.
Let’s examine the psychology here, as your key to allowing upgrades/add-ons will lie in your execution and the place from which your efforts come from. The intention should first and foremost come from a place of being firmly entrenched on the side of our client’s best interests, knowing their needs and desires, and coming purely from our heart assisting them in any and all ways possible. In ‘allowing’ them to upgrade or add- on, we passionately but neutrally provide education on the features and benefits of their option(s), and let them decide on their choice without additional influence or pressure.
For a possible upgrade, asking a question like, “Which service do you see as your best value?” can be a very powerful closer. With add-ons, once the features and benefits are fully explained, we might ask, “Should I tell the front desk to book us for that extra half hour so we can freshen, plump and brighten your skin today?”
A Win-Win Situation
It is important to not operate from our own self-interests. But ironically, in the long run, most often the client’s best interests will also serve us. This is the ultimate win-win situation. If the client invests $200 instead of $110 for an hour service with us and gets spectacular results, have we not both won? But even if they don’t, the simple fact that you offered something better may prime their pump for future visits, as often the client will ultimately see the advantages of your options and choose something better next time. A delayed win-win…
So let’s get out of the rut and begin to maximize our client’s results by being proactive with options and choices. Proactive that is, but not aggressive or pushy. Remember to educate through features and benefits, and let the process gently unfold (allowing). Whether clients choose your options or not, your efforts will pay off for you and the spa eventually.
As with recommending retail, service upgrades or add-ons, if you don’t ask you’ll never know. There’s not a down side, since the answer is automatically “no” if you don’t bother to ask! And if you truly are invested in the client’s best interests and results, giving them options for bigger and better is a natural extension. If their results and satisfaction increase, so will their commitment to you. And ultimately, your profit potential will be endless, but first you have to put forth a consistent effort to build the momentum. Build it and they will come!
