Delivering an exclusive experience that goes beyond your spa’s doors

You’ve got a stacked service menu and the skilled staff to back it up. But are you offering the kind of atmosphere and attention that makes everyone who books an appointment feel like a VIP?

Luxe isn’t just a price point. It’s a feeling. It’s about making clients feel like they have your undivided attention and that their needs will be met like no one else’s. And it’s about delivering that experience beyond your spa’s doors. Here’s how to create a premium client experience that will keep them coming back.

Perception is everything

So much of what constitutes a luxurious spa experience comes down to vibes — or, put another way, how clients perceive your business and the services you provide. Before you start decking out your spa with candles or expensive fixtures, it’s crucial to understand what your clients are looking for from a “deluxe” experience.

You don’t need a degree in psychology, but it helps to understand what motivates your clients and shapes their behavior. Your clients’ personal and cultural backgrounds shape their perceptions and expectations, so investigate your data, from social media engagement to your current client roster, and look for patterns that tell you what they respond to. 

What this means will be different for every business, but one of the most important ways you can boost that luxe feeling is to focus on the sensory experience — the things clients can see, touch, smell, and hear.

If there’s a lot of loud noise and frenzied movement in your spa, clients will have a hard time feeling relaxed. Instead, operating in low tones with calm, steady internal processes and ambient music can put clients at ease. The same goes for lighting, colors, temperature, and even the way the towels and robes feel against their skin. You want to connect your spa’s brand with these feelings and emotions. Successfully doing so will go a long way toward delivering an upscale spa experience for your clients.

Your online presence matters

While nailing the look and feel of your physical business is essential, the VIP experience begins with your online presence — namely, your website and social media accounts. They’re the window into what your spa is all about and one of the best ways to land new clients.  If the experience is clunky or doesn’t mesh with your branding, people may assume that feeling extends to your services and may look elsewhere.

Here’s an example: Many people, especially Gen Zers, prefer to book online. They want a seamless experience, from initial discovery through social media or a Google search to scheduling their first appointment. If they experience friction — maybe your website is too slow, maybe the booking form is unresponsive on mobile devices, maybe you’re not monitoring your Instagram DMs, maybe you make them log into an app to see service options — chances are good that this potential client will move on and find a spa that makes them feel more valued as a potential client.

Keep this in mind as you design your website. It should be mobile-friendly and offer a seamless self-booking experience that gives the client complete control over the experience — when they want to book, the services and add-ons they want, and even their preferred specialist. 

Also, a lot of people book through social media, so get on the platforms where your clients are and stay active. Be responsive to messages, and leverage your scheduling software to avoid double-booking.

Reward loyalty with exclusive benefits

Repeat business is the most reliable way to drive sustainable growth — and membership programs are one of the best methods for bringing people back while keeping those VIP vibes going with every visit. They not only create a feeling of exclusivity for your clients, but also provide predictable revenue and improve customer retention for your business.

When developing your membership program, try to go beyond the basics like discounted rates or free products. You want your clients to feel like a VIP, so think up member-exclusive benefits like: 

• Preferred appointment slots or first-to-know sign-up opportunities

• Access to members-only services or rooms

• Exclusive robes, food and drinks, and other perks during their visit 

• Hands-on educational workshops with staff experts

• Personalized lockers or storage (in the VIP section, of course)

• Exclusive access to members-only events

• Preferred parking spots or valet service

• Complimentary guest passes for spa amenities

• Shareable family services

• Birthday perks

These are the kinds of perks that elevate the average spa visit into one your clients will brag about to their friends.

Personalized experiences, personalized marketing

Providing the kind of highly personalized attention that makes a client feel special is at the heart of VIP experience, but it’s hard to do that at scale without help from your tech stack. 

Client profiles are a perfect way to start building more personal relationships with the people who walk through your doors. Noting their service and product preferences, allergies, and unique quirks — even little things like their favorite drink — will help you anticipate client needs before they even ask and make them feel like the most important person in your spa. Building it into your client management systems and processes ensures these profiles remain current and available for everyone working.

Personalized marketing is a great way to extend that luxury experience beyond your spa’s doors. Automated tools can help you build scalable messaging that can easily be retrofitted with names and other info from your marketing lists. Send out birthday messages, booking reminders, discounts on preferred services and products, and other emails and text messages that remind the client that you’re thinking of them.

Remember: the VIP experience is about more than offering micro-silk baths. It’s about creating a throughline of luxury from end to end, where every client feels like a member of an exclusive club. Once your clients get a taste of the sweet life, they’ll never want to stop.