As massage therapists, we specialize in helping people feel better and giving them sessions dedicated to self-care.
We know a spa day for mom is a great gift for Mother’s Day.
How do we let everyone else know?
We market our business and tailor our efforts toward our target market, spouses, partners and children. Effective marketing is not just about making mom feel good. It is about making the gift giver feel good, too.
Creating the Perfect Mother’s Day Spa Package
Include traditional massage services in a spa package for moms. These services are usually packaged and offered for a bit of a discount for Mother’s Day.
Here are a few options to consider when creating a Mother’s Day spa package:
Massage: Many techniques can be offered for 60 or 90 minutes. Swedish, deep tissue and pregnancy massages are popular.
Herbal wraps: Muslin is immersed in hot water infused with herbs. The wrap can be invigorating, stress-relieving, hydrating or relaxing that can be used in place of a body mud in a spa treatment.
Exfoliation: Used to remove dead skin cells, it can be added to a massage or offered as a standalone treatment. Salt and sugar scrubs, body polishes and dry brush exfoliation are common exfoliation treatments.
Foot treatments: Reflexology is a great alternative to a full body massage. Adding a foot scrub or paraffin to the service can make it extra pampering.
Specialized add-ons: Aromatherapy, hot stones and hot towels can be added to any massage.
Gift Ideas For Your Audience
It can be difficult for people to pick out gifts for mom. Make it easy for them by setting out products and gift cards that will appeal not only to mom but to the buyer, too.
Instead of the typical gift card or paper gift certificate, include an item that will be given as a gift.
For young children make the package attractive to the child. A cute stuffed animal holding a body scrub and a gift card for mom’s Swedish massage can be a cute gift idea for any child to give their mom.
You could also have a frame to put the child’s picture in with the gift card. You can then attach it with a colorful ribbon.
We want the child to be excited and happy about the gift they are giving to Mom.
You can encourage the child to give mom breakfast in bed with one of these gifts attached to the tray. Just think about the joy the child will have when their mom sees this thoughtful gift.
For teenagers, make the package relevant to them as well as mom. Set up a selfie station at your spa near your products and gift cards. Have the teenager take a selfie holding the gifts that mom will receive on her spa day.
You can help the teenager pick out a special gift their mom will enjoy.
You can help create a spa day for a mom and daughter, so they can spend quality time. You can also encourage them to purchase a 60-minute massage gift card with a theme the teenager comes up with.
Set out a product package that includes a set of new ear buds to use with a gift card for her herbal body wrap.
Other products such as aromatherapy stress-relief candles and a rice-filled neck wrap can be thoughtful gifts for mom. Aromatherapy can be a great way to personalize the spa experience. If mom is often stressed at work, encourage the teen to buy a lavender essential oil.
For spouses and partners, make the package thoughtful and easy to arrange.
Other than letting mom sleep late and giving her breakfast in bed, what is a more thoughtful gift a spouse or partner can give?
It’s important for the gift to be tailored to the mom’s likes, needs, wants and desires. Show that real thought was put into giving her a special gift.
Often a gift card for a massage can be thought of as a last-minute gift idea.
However, making an appointment for the massage or spa service and making sure mom can easily keep her appointment shows more forethought and effort.
Encourage the spouse or partner to go ahead and set up the actual appointment.
Mention setting up the babysitter and taking her out for lunch or dinner after her massage at a local eatery. Instead of only one massage, encourage them to buy her a package of massages at a discounted rate.
A special note for buying a package for a mom to be: Make sure that the mom to be is cleared to receive a pregnancy massage before purchasing that specific kind of massage. Hot stone massage and herbal wraps are not usually appropriate pregnant woman.
Connect with Your Target Audience
Now that ideas for gifts and packages to offer are swirling around your mind, how can your target market find out about your services quickly and easily?
We live in an age of social media, but don’t discount face to face marketing.
Do you have young children in daycare, preschool or kindergarten? Do they know that you are a massage therapist, have a spa, or offer packages?
While you probably can’t advertise at the school, you can take time to get to know the other parents. Word of mouth is one of the best types of free marketing you can use.
Pass out those business cards and make a flyer of what special services you are offering for your Mother’s Day spa package. Pass out your cards or flyers to mom’s and spouses at the grocery store, the park or any place where parents bring their kids.
Do you have a website for your business?
If not, you need to get one right away. Spotlight the special packages or gifts that you are offering for Mother’s Day. Saturate your website, your Facebook, your Twitter account and Instagram accounts with interesting gift ideas.
Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words, so include tantalizing photos of what you have to offer. Keep in mind that your advertising should be focused on fun and meaningful ideas for Mother’s Day gifts.
Yes, it should spotlight what you are offering, but it should not just be a sales pitch.
If you are a sole proprietor and thinking that you don’t have much to offer, consider including gift ideas that could be purchased at nearby establishments and added to your massage packages.
Is there a restaurant next door that would like to offer a Mother’s Day lunch to your client’s? A flower shop that would love to offer a spa treatment with a dozen roses?
Partnering with nearby businesses can be a win for both of you. All these items would be paid for, just bundled into package at a discount.
Have a Mother’s Day gift raffle that includes items from the store and massage from your business.
In that case, you would both donate the items and come to an arrangement to split the raffle money. The raffle money could also be donated to an organization that helps mothers and children.
Spa packages and Mother’s Day are a great combination. Create spa packages that will work for your business. Make the packages attractive to the buyer not just the mom.
Find new ways to market your business through social media, business partnerships and face to face meetings.
After all, moms deserve to be celebrated, and we are up to the challenge.
About the Author
Pamela Bronson, LMT, is currently in her fifteenth year as an LMBT and her thirteenth year as a massage therapy instructor. She is proud to be working as the coordinator of the massage program at Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Educating the public and her students about the benefits of massage therapy continues to be her passion.