Pulse March 2021 | Page 47

— ASHLEY PALLINI , Marketing Manager , The Del Monte Lodge Hotel & Spa locker rooms and relaxation areas , closed . Unlike St . Gregory Spa and Miraval , the Spa at the Del Monte didn ’ t have to pivot to target a local clientele upon reopening : Ashley Pallini , Marketing Manager for the Del Monte Hotel Group , estimates that 90 percent of the spa ’ s business was already local , driven by the spa ’ s salon services . This allowed Del Monte to rely on organic social media marketing and email marketing upon reopening , communicating with dedicated local spa-goers through a platform they knew well . Like others , safety was the core of The Spa at the Del Monte ’ s marketing message upon reopening , according to Pallini . And while all of the spa ’ s enhanced sanitation protocols are still in place , marketing those protocols is no longer the number one priority . “ Fortunately and unfortunately , these safety protocols have become part of the norm now ,” says Pallini .“ It ’ s not the forefront of our messaging .” Instead , the spa has pivoted to more positive and less COVID-centric campaigns , taglines and promotions . It recently relaunched its seasonal treatment options with a pedicure but avoided the now-typical ‘ return to spa ’ messaging ; doing so kept its marketing future-focused and avoided the issue of COVID-fatigue .

Much like Miraval , The Spa at the Del Monte has made its marketing both this year and last as positive as possible ; rather than trying to market in response to an ever-changing tapestry of restrictions and protocols , Del Monte “ stuck to our guns ,” says Jennifer Wayland- Smith , spa director .“ The pandemic has not changed the philosophy of the spa overall and how we market .” Pallini concurred : “ We never changed who we are in our messaging . We provide our clients and guests with positive experiences , and we want to continue to provide them with positive experiences .” This approach means that the spa ’ s 2021 marketing plan includes ideas that worked well during 2020 , such as a promotional partnership with a local on-air radio personality for Valentine ’ s Day , Mother ’ s Day and the holiday season .

An adherence to one ’ s true core values — rather than any changes one ’ s spa has made in response to COVID-19 — is Wayland-Smith ’ s guidance for other ISPA members looking to refresh their marketing message in 2021 .“ You can certainly enhance your message ,” Wayland-Smith says ,“ but be true to who you are at the core , because that ’ s what your guests know and love .” n