Monique Iacobacci is the Executive Director of SPA care - a group formed by the Day Spa Association to promote giving and relief efforts for day spas in trouble. Yesterday she posted a column on "giving back" on the DSA Blog. As I am a big proponent of this type of thing, I wanted to share it with you as well as my comments!

"The nation on a whole is much more in tune and active in their effort to helping others. This fairly new philanthropic phenomena that is sweeping our country is responsible for a domino effect that is influencing our industry. It does not take much effort to see these new “causes, campaigns and movements” popping up around every corner. In essence, it has become “cool to care”. It is exciting and refreshing to see our once somewhat complacent industry take on a new breath of vision and direction, as we come up with innovative ways to help our community.

As I look around, it all makes perfect sense to me. We are an industry of caring and sharing individual …"


Click here to read the rest of the column. My response is below

Hi Monique -

I couldn't agree with you more about getting your spa, staff and yourself involved with causes you care about. It provides you with a number of opportunities besides just doing something good.

It can provide your staff with a way to have fun and grow together as individuals and a team. It can provide your clients an avenue to contribute while taking care of themselves (not to mention feeling good about your business). And it can bring your spa a lot of local and sometimes national goodwill and publicity.

In my previous spa (Balance Day Spa - Greensboro, NC), we donated gift certificates to many area charities, events and civic groups. We also delivered Mobile Meals as a group or with a partner, collected relief supplies for those affected by Hurricane Katrina, and participated in various Christmas "Adopt an Angel" programs to name a few.

As a consultant, whenever I host an event or gathering, I ask people to bring a donation of some type usually for the local animal shelter or food bank.

At my new spa, Inspire Skin & Body, we have actually written "giving back" to causes we believe in and our community into our mission statement. We have a clear directive to work with at least six charities per year with some type of fund raiser or awareness event. We also provide gift certificates or other donations to groups that are important to our clients whenever possible.

For example, in October Inspire will donate a portion of the proceeds from service and retail sales to Lee National Denim Day. (http://www.denimday.com). People can also make direct contributions to our group online - click here to make a donation, we're group number 221275 - or at the spa. Additionally for a $5 donation, all staff members will get to wear jeans to work one day during the promotion

Down the road, we will work with other groups like a local women's foundation, Meals on Wheels, Urban Ministry and others. Our goal is to establish an annual "giving" calendar - somewhat like a marketing calendar - to track our various efforts and events.

So like you, I encourage all spa professionals, be it vendors, consultants, spa owners or individual practitioners to get involved and do something. Be a part of this wave of "conscious capitalism" and you'll do a lot of good for those in need as well as your business.

Felicia Brown
Guerilla Marketing Coach
Spalutions!
www.spalutions.com
and
Owner/Chief Visionary
Inspire Skin & Body
www.InspireSkinandBody.com