If they like it , if we get resoundingly positive feedback , let ’ s try it out ; let ’ s bring in a rep for a demo .” He adds that the spa does not sell any products that the team hasn ’ t tried out first . That ’ s both because the team can better educate guests about the products when they have used them personally and because , as Donat puts it ,“ If you push something on your team , and they ’ re all against it , they ’ re not going to sell it . It ’ s a losing battle . They ’ re great at their jobs , and they know what they like . If they ’ re in love , they ’ ll sell it .”
Taking the steps of providing product and even treatments to staff so that they can speak personally to their effects requires time and planning , but that investment is worth it in the end to have a team who essentially act as ambassadors for both .
Even items like therapeutic massage guns and recovery devices are made available for trial use by staff .“ Right now , it all comes down to education . Our front desk staff gets free facials and free massages so that they know what they ’ re selling . If [ a guest ] asks at the front desk and they try to sell from the shelf , it ’ s hard , but if they have experienced themselves , it ’ s so much easier ,” he says .
Not unlike getting a car recommendation from a mechanic , getting skin care product recommendations from an esthetician well versed in their use is likely to carry a lot more weight than a generic endorsement or a rehearsed sales pitch . Donat encourages spa leaders to involve their teams in the retail sales operation by doing whatever possible to increase their understanding of and
investment in the products your spa has available .
Employees are not the only group that can play a part in your spa ’ s approach to retail sales . Donat advises spa leaders to work with their teams to document every request made or question asked by spa guests .“ We have an Excel sheet of what the guests ask for , and if I have multiple guests asking for the same thing , I see a need ,” he says . Meeting those needs is something that the team at Remede Spa take very seriously as they strive to become the St . Regis Deer Valley ’ s first Forbes Five-Star component . And though not every spa is in that situation , the strategies Donat outlines can be adopted or adapted by any spa as they seek to push their retail revenues to new heights during the remainder of 2021 . ■
Switch It Up !
THE LARGEST INGREDIENTS IN A WINNING RETAIL formula may be those in-depth consultations with guests , collaborations with resource partners and in-depth product feedback , but there are other ways to draw your guests ’ attention to your retail area ( s ). At Remède Spa , Benjamin Donat says he and his team refresh their retail spaces around once per quarter , taking care to rotate products to new locations with each refresh .“ When we do inventory for the quarter , we do it a little bit differently , so when the guest comes in , even though maybe the vendors are kind of the same , we look different ,” Donat explains .
During these reorganizations , Donat advises being intentional about positioning products and testing how their placement affects sales . Products that consistently sell well might be moved from a centralized shelf to a corner to give other products a chance to catch browsing guests ’ eyes . The holiday season ( which , believe it or not , is right around the corner ) is a perfect opportunity to invest some time in brightening up displays and giving shoppers a new look to consider as they search for the ideal gifts for the spa-goers in their lives .
26 PULSE ■ SEPTEMBER 2021