Start Spreading the News
Consumers today are inundated with noise about the latest and
greatest products, places and services. A well-balanced media
campaign that reaches consumers via a variety of outlets can
help your spa be the song that gets stuck in their heads. “In
order to engage with consumers, spas need to create two-way
content with target audiences to build loyalty that, in return,
builds business,” says Sheenah Rogers, public relations associate for Under a Tree consulting company. “Not only is a media
campaign important to drive business, but also to ensure that
your brand and reputation are being upheld correctly.”
Your brand never stops being built, and neither should your
media efforts. It may sound tiring to be socially relevant round
the clock, but according to Kristin Gladfelter Johnson, president
of Flourish Marketing, one simple way
to keep your presence known is to piggyback off of other events. “You can
create your own calendar of events to
keep top of mind,” she says, recommending spas list important events
that happen every year in their cities
and then figure out ways to tie in with
them, such as providing a deal to those
participating in the Susan G. Komen
three-day breast cancer walk. Other
options include speaking about your
spa at local women’s groups and civic
organizations or donating spa items to
local charity auctions.
“We work with spas six months in
advance of opening, during the programming phase, to begin to build
annual strategies that create long-term and ongoing results,”
says Rogers. “There are a multitude of reasons to launch a
media campaign, but those reasons should be built into a longterm reactive and proactive plan that can be measured, tracked
and is flexible to shifts in the economy, business goals and so
on.” If you get the PR ball rolling now, when newsworthy
events at your spa do occur, it’ll be easier to pique consumers’
interest.
The Medium
With an ever-growing number of media outlets available, how
do you know which one will work best for your spa? “I recommend a balanced approach that includes traditional press
outreach (via a press release), but you need to incorporate a
marketing campaign that ties back to your PR message and
include a consistent and engaging social media ‘conversation’
with your customers and followers,” advises Johnson.
According to Rogers, the social-media component cannot
be overlooked. “The reason online is so important is because
this is the place where other people are
talking about your brand,” she says.
“Here is where a proactive and reactive
communications plan comes into play:
Within that plan, you can identify how
to respond to the virtual world, how to
control your message and how to create
meaningful conversations with people
who can ultimately become your
ambassadors.”
With almost all media now integrated, creating those meaningful
conversations has become simpler.
“Your favorite magazine has a website,
a blog and both Facebook and Twitter
handles,” says Johnson. “You can
promote your event or happening by
connecting with writers and editors
across all of these channels.”
For Ali Lundberg, public relations advisor for Under a Tree
three is the magic number of connections: “If you can reach a
prospect at least three times, you will have an influential campaign,” she says.
“Your brand never
stops being built,
and neither
should your
media efforts.”
March/April 2012
■
PULSE 45