Felicia's Blog

Going Green

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:51:37 GMT

When I first decided to open my new spa, Inspire Skin & Body, I knew that I wanted it to be different than my last spa in a number of ways:

First the space would be much smaller, more intimate and more manageable than what I'd had before.
Second, I knew that the staff in turn would be smaller and that we would not offer nail services choosing to focus in on results-oriented skin care, massage therapy, make-up and body care.
Third, I knew we would carry our own product lines where I had more control over the ingredients and production.
And fourth, I wanted Inspire to be as green as possible (and I'm not just talking about money

So what does "green" mean in the spa industry? According to the Green Spa Network (www.greenspanetwork.org), these are the characteristics of an eco-conscious business:

Strives to conserve energy and water.
Is committed to recycling, and uses recycled and recyclable materials.
Uses and retails natural/organic skin care.
Consistently looks for ways to minimize waste.
Feels a responsibility to its guests and the planet to reduce exposure to toxins.
Is committed to reducing hazardous waste.
Is open to learning and adopting environmental friendly strategies and techniques.
Shares its concern for the planet's well-being with guests.

Some of these issues are more challenging than others, but at Inspire we are committed to being respectful and conscious of our world and environment. We use eco-friendly laundry detergent and have a recycling area set up in our breakroom. We buy in bulk as much as possible and use real glasses or cups for all of our beverage service. And we used eco-friendly paint on the walls when we were redecorating.

These may be small steps to some, but they are ones that still make a difference. We aren't perfect "greenies" yet, but we are trying to make a positive impact on our world as well as our clients. I encourage you to do the same in your spa or business

Engaging Clients and Growing Your Business with Email Newsletters and Surveys

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:52:48 GMT

I am a big fan of the Internet and use it a lot to grow and promote my business - in case you hadn't noticed. One of my favorite tools to use besides my own web sites and blogs is Constant Contact. This service provides great templates, images and tools to make sending newsletters and promotions a snap for a very cost effective rate.

One of the things that makes this type of service nice - there are others - is that your emails are less likely to be counted as spam. People not only get your emails but can also forward the emails, click on links and even purchase products you recommend from Amazon.com or your web site (if you have a shopping cart set up).

All of these activities are tracked so you can see who does what and who doesn't. You can also make it easy for people to unsubscribe without hurting your feelings!

The key to a successful newsletter (and business) is to have things that engage the clients and keep their interest. A few ideas:

1) Make stories and paragraphs shorter and snappier than you would in a magazine article.

2) Offer tips on how they can help themselves, save money or benefit from your services and products.

3) Include pictures and hyperlinks to your web site, blog and other points of interest.

4) Try to send it out on some type of a regular basis - once or twice a month - unless people subscribe to some type of tip for the day or week.

5) Include a call to action - "Call today for a free estimate." "Schedule now and receive 10% off" etc.

Whatever marketing you do, make sure it fits with your business and personality style so that it fits your clients too. And as I keep telling myself, don't be afraid to delegate this job to someone else if it is not your bag or you don't have time for one more thing .

Want to try Constant Contact at no risk? Click here for a free trial

The Power of Social Marketing on the Internet

Felicia Brown LMBT — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:34:00 GMT

Are you a member of Facebook, MySpace or other networking sites such as LinkedIn or Plaxo? If not, you may be missing a good opportunity to grow your business and the buzz surrounding it.

I actually belong to a number of these sites and am just now starting to get the swing of them. Take Facebook for example. What I like about it is that you can give your friends and contacts quick updates on what you are doing, send them online "gifts", start or join groups that match your interests and have a little bit of fun. I actually started a group for my new spa recently and in one day 14 people had joined it. That means that my group is listed on all of their pages and seen by all of their friends! We've also added a link for people to join the Inspire Skin & Body group on our spa's web site, www.InspireSkinAndBody.com to encourage more group additions.

Click here to visit my profile page on Facebook if you are already a member and learn firsthand about how I am using this site. Feel free to add me as one of your friends If you aren't a member, joining is free and easy!

Click here to visit my professional profile on Linked In and "add me to your network."

Visit my page and add me as a connection on Plaxo by clicking here.

I can't promise that joining any of these will bring in tons of new clients to your practice. What it can do though is give you a free way to stay connected with people you already know, announce new education or services, and add a level of credibility (in some cases) to your career.

One word to the wise - don't write anything on your page(s) that you would be embarassed to show your mother. The Internet has an incredible memory and portability! So be careful what thoughts, pictures and comments you put out into cyberspace.

Is Licensing for Massage and Spa Professionals a Good Thing?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:14:38 GMT

I thought I would pass on this link for a recent article in Massage Therapy Journal by my colleague Camille Hoheb. The article, A Strong Foundation, discussed some of the history and reasoning behind state massage therapy licensing as well as a few quotes from yours truly.

I have to say that in addition to what I shared in the article, I think licensing is a good thing overall. It helps to separate the educated and ethical professionals from those who are neither. And while I often gripe about the various aspects of our state's own massage licensing, I wouldn't go back to the days when everything was mandated by local governments and municipalities.

If you have licensing questions or stories, feel free to reply to this post. And as always, please let me know how I can be of help to you and your business!

Felicia
Felicia@spalutions.com

Too Young For This - An Amazing Story about Healing from and with Breast Cancer

Felicia Brown LMBT — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:50:37 GMT

Last week I was a speaker on a cruise - The Cruise for PIINK. Our keynote speaker was a young breast cancer fighter, Alice Crisci, who turned her breast cancer diagnosis at age 31, into a national business with opportunities to mingle with Hollywood celebrities.

Alice is truly one of the most inspiring people I've ever met. Her story (and her wilingness to share it so openly) has truly increased my awareness of breast cancer and the effects of it more than anything else ever has. And her incredible attitude and passion for living life out loud -as well as helping others through her example and foundation - is no less than amazing.

I encourage every person afftected by cancer whether as a patient, survivor or friend/family member of someone who is going through it, especially young people between 18 and 45, to get involved in her organization or at least purchase a copy of her book. It is a quick read but one that will affect you deeply.

Check out the links below to read about Alice and her story as well as to visit the site for her foundation, My Vision. I encourage you to purchase her book at the very least and to find a way to get involved.

Alice's Blog on The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alice-crisci

http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_8827085

www.myvisionfoundation.org

Finding a Room or Booth Renter

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:12:25 GMT

Hi Felicia,

Great class this weekend. I have been looking for your scrub all my career. I love it.

My question to you is - I have a small skin care salon and I currently have a room for rent in the salon. Can you give me some suggests on finding someone to rent it, I have ran a ad in local paper and I also am listed on several employment sites. Do you have any other suggestions on finding someone in skincare or massage to rent the room.

Thanks -

Cathy

Hi Cathy -

Thanks for your email! I am so glad you like the Rejuvenating Body Polish and that you enjoyed the class on Waterless Spa Treatments. Please tell your friends and colleagues about the products or send them to my website at www.spalutions.com where they can purchase the products online.

In terms of the rentals, the best thing that has worked for me is word of mouth in the local area. Talk to or email your local friends and colleagues (in and out of the industry) about the space that is available, put a notice up at any area massage or esthetics schools, add a listing on Craig's List. If you can add a picture to the email or other notices, that is even better.

I would also take a few minutes to visualize exactly the type of person you want to rent the space. Make a list of their professional attributes or qualities, how often they are there, what kind of clients they see, etc. Get clear on your desired outcome and you will help to attract it to you.

Hope that helps!

Felicia Brown, LMBT

Owner & Spa Consultant

Certified Guerilla Marketing Coach

Spalutions!

336.508.0790 Direct

www.spalutions.com

Spa Philanthropy - Giving Back through Your Spa

Felicia Brown LMBT — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:26:29 GMT

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

What Would Your Business Do in a Crisis

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:06:41 GMT

Disaster sometimes strikes when you least expect it. What would you do if your business suddenly flooded because of a hurricane or you became injured and unable to work? Click here to read a fantastic article in the most recent Massage Therapy Journal by my friend and colleague Camille Hoheb on Surviving a Worst Case Scenario. You'll actually read about a couple of my own dilemmas in the article and how I handled them! I'd love to hear about how you handled your own issues if you feel like sharing them

Here is a taste of what you'll find in the article...

"Do you have adequate cash reserves to see you through the trouble, as well as proper insurance coverage? Do you have an idea of what resources are available for you and what steps you can take to get on your feet and back in business quickly?

Consider an injured hand, a flooded toilet or an arson attempt on a neighboring business. Or, imagine one of the worst hurricanes in U.S. history. You might think you and your business will never experience adversity, but crime and disasters can, and do, happen. So, you need to have products and plans in place that will enable you to continue to do what you do best—whatever the circumstance."

Read the whole article...

Blogging as a Marketing Tool for Your Practice or Spa/Salon

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:09:12 GMT

I've been blogging for over a year now, sometimes to share personal insights or stories, but mostly to provide resources, ideas and examples to grow a business for my clients and readers. (OK I've shared a few PR goodies about my companies as well

For me the biggest benefit about blogging is that my clients get to know me and the way I think in a very personal way - which stregthens our client relationship (hopefully) and allows prospects to determine if I will be a good fit for them.

This morning I got an email from Salon Today that talked specifically about the benefits about blogging for your spa or salon. So maybe you should start writing instead of just reading...but only if you follow the wisdom in the Salon Today article! Click here to read the article!

For another great resource for marketing and business building for your spa or salon, click here to check out the blog mentioned in the Salon Today article by Aura Mae.

How Has Partnering with Other Professionals Paid Off for You?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:29:00 GMT

Recently Massage & Bodywork Magazine asked the question above of their readers in 'Round the Table. I am a big fan of networking and cooperative marketing so I had to respond. Although they edited part of my comments, here is what they printed online (and in the magazine!)

By getting to know these varieties of professionals, I learned so much about how to make my own massage better and broaden my own knowledge and skills. I also found out who was good at various modalities, which provided a good pool of people I’d refer to when my work was not exactly what a client needed or if I was unable to fit someone into my schedule.

As my own practice blossomed, I became known as the local expert on marketing and growing a massage business. This brought about a number of opportunities in my life from numerous teaching, speaking, and writing opportunities (Massage & Bodywork was one of them). It also brought a constant stream of incredible people who wanted to work in my practice and day spa. Those people had a huge part in making that business a success.

Now that I’ve sold my spa and do consulting and training full-time, I get to help massage, skin, and spa professionals succeed as my job. And although I now get paid to do what I used to do for free, I’m still in partnerships that help us all learn and prosper.

Click here to read the rest of the responses.

I'd love to hear how you cooperate or partner with other professionals to grow your business, improve your skills or simply support each other. Please add them to this blog or send them to me at Felicia@spalutions.com so I can share them with other readers.

If you'd like to comment on the current 'Round the Table question, "What makes your practice unique?" click here. Good luck!

The Value of Branding Your Business

Felicia Brown LMBT — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:19:00 GMT

I just ran across this great column by Nina Howard of Bellanina Day Spa and the Bellanina Institute on the Day Spa Association blog. Nina and I are really like minded and have a very similar background in the spa industry. Here's what whe had to say.

"Early on in my Day Spa career I learned that branding my Spa was the single most important element to achieve value as a business. Beginning with the end in mind, you have very little to show for your years of hard work when it is time to retire and sell your business if you have a strong brand in the service business..."

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

Nina -

Once again you are right on target. There are so many aspects of branding that are important to create a cohesive image and feel for your business. These happen from the first moment your client hears about your business to the moment they leave the building after every service and beyond.

Marketing and branding also encompasses details like how your staff answers the phone, what kind of attitude they have, and how your business is involved in the community. In short, marketing and branding can involve practically everything that touches the client.

I worked with a client not too long ago that had both some big pluses and minuses in the branding department. On the plus side, they have a beautiful space, chic marketing materials and web site that all create an upscale, high-end feel. When I went in for a secret shopping visit, I noticed that even their door mat and pens had the business’ name and logo emblazed on them.

On the minus side, their company name and outside signage (beautifully done awnings, by the way) give no indication as to the type of products or services they offer. While choosing a name like “LItchfield and Company” (not their real name) may seem exclusive or classy, it gives no indication of the fact that they provide skin, nail, hair and massage services and products. That is NOT good branding!

Another example that really stood out to me was the spa’s intake forms. While I was given an expensive, beautifully logoed pen to fill this form out, the form itself was a poorly photocopied, generic intake form likely from a product manufacturer. The questions it asked were incomplete (no birthdate or email address blanks for example) and not really effective for the therapists performing the services.

While these examples do not cover the whole business, they stood out to me over many other things I saw during my visit. The point is, that all of your marketing and branding tools and efforts should guide clients in the same direction - doing more business with you.

Sexual Harassment of an Independent Contractor

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:29:08 GMT

Felicia,

I was referred by an article that bore your name regarding independently contracted employees...

I am a contracted employee at a chiropractic office and a colleague of mine is having a tough time with this question. She has been in a situation where someone has "suggested" (getting together) outside of a massage, but this someone has been a client of the chiropractor's for at least 2 years. He had gotten her mobile phone number from her card and was calling her frequently.

At that point she told the chiropractor(s), she didn't want to work on this someone/client but yet they still scheduled a massage with her. She wants to know what her legalities are as an independent contractor...can you lead me to a website or something that would pass on information for her. She is afraid that she will be fired over the whole matter regarding giving her phone number out and she hasn't been taken very seriously...

I would appreciate any advise you can give me to pass along to her. Thank you.

Concerned Therapist

Dear Concerned -

It seems there are a couple of problems with this situation that your friend is dealing with. The first is that the chiropractic office is scheduling a client that she feels uncomfortable with even though she has told them not to. Depending on how many staff members there are at the office and the laws of your particular state, this could be considered a type of sexual harassment (from the client) and the chiropractor could be held accountable for not protecting the staff member after it was reported. It is a little more hazy or complex since she is an independent contractor, but is certainly an issue that an employment law attorney is more qualified than I am to help with.

You could also tell your friend to visit the IRS web site (www.irs.gov) to determine if she is really an independent contractor as well as that of the US Equal Opportunity Commission (http://www.eeoc.gov/) to better understand the US laws regarding harassment. Your state or local government may also have laws regarding this area of concern.

The second concern I see is that of giving out her contact information without consent of the chiropractor. According to your email it sounds like your friend's cell phone number was written on her card rather than printed. My questions for her would be 1) Why did you give him your number? 2) Was it to schedule appointments when the office was closed? 3) Was it done in a way that perhaps the client thought it was an invitation for these "suggestions"?

Whatever her answers, since she is an independent contractor, I would say the chiropractor really has no reason to be angry. ICs are supposed to maintain as much of the control over their work situation as possible, including communication with clients. That being said, someone who is legally supposed to be in control (your friend) may not have grounds to pursue any type of harassment protection. But an employment law attorney can answer any and all of these questions.

Hope that is of some help to you and your friend. Best of luck to you both.

Felicia

You never know when Inspiration will come

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:15:03 GMT

When I sold my spa over three years ago, I had absolutely no plans of opening another one. I was tired, burned out and a bit jaded. I'd had my fill of employee dramas, client complaints and unexpected crises.

But in the time since I sold "my baby" I've had the opportunity to learn a lot about myself and what I want out of life. I've also learned a lot about the spa industry both from other spa owners and a whole legion of well-know and respected spa consultants who work all over the world. I found new and better ways of doing things than I had in my last spa...better compensation structures, better management tools, better products and retail strategies. It has been incredibly inspiring.

And so when unexpectedly presented with the opportunity to have my own spa again, I decided to take the leap into the somewhat known deep water and give it a try again with INSPIRE Skin & Body. So far it has been fantastic.

Working with my incredibly talented, passionate and caring group of staff members has made me really appreciate the best that a spa business and workplace has to offer. We have had a great tme so far collaborating on our company vision, services and approach to how we do business. Everyone has pitched in to unpack boxes, answer phones, and pick out carpeting. It is exactly llike what I hoped it would be.

Click here to read our official email announcement and get a feel for who and what our business is all about!

Building a Business That is Rarely "Open"

Felicia Brown LMBT — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 08:27:23 GMT

Dear Felicia -

If you own a massage business and only have office coverage 3 hours a day five days a week and the rest of the time there is a closed sign on the door, does it do any good to spend all kinds of money on consultants, advertising, and purchase of products etc. ????? I think not, but you might have another opinion...

Frustrated Massage Therapist

Dear Frustrated -

I have to agree with you that it seems like the closed sign and lack of phone coverage really works against investing in advertising and consultants fees. Perhaps the owners have not shared that information with their consultants!

To be fair though, when my own massage business was first starting out - and we were located in an off the beaten path office building - we did not have a receptionist at all and kept the door locked when we were all in session. We all took turns checking messages and calling back clients to schedule appointments. It was only when we moved into a location with greater visability and the possibility of walk-ins that we added a full time receptionist.

However as with many spa/massage businesses, this was an incredibly difficult step for me to take due to the high cost. Our staff's compensation structure was not set up to include having a receptionist or really to do a lot of advertising, so those costs came out of my salary instead. I find this issue with nearly every massage practice or small spa I work with...and it is really hard to change.

Would you and the rest of the therapists be willing to get paid less for every session in order to have a receptionist on staff and have the doors open all the time in order to get more appointments? Honestly, that is probably what will have to happen in order for your boss to be able to afford hiring a full-time receptionist staff.

Going back to the "closed" sign, part of what makes any spa or massage business successful is accessibility. I have worked with many massage therapists over the years who want to have their ideal schedule from the get go - something like Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1 to 4 and one Saturday a month. While I think it is possible to eventually get to a schedule like that, it does not happen in the beginning of one's career. Instead it is something that a therapist can work up to as they develop the loyalty of their clientele. Then they can begin to shift their clients into their ideal schedule.

I hope that helps! Please let me know how else I can be of assistance

Have a business question you want answered? Sent it to me at Felicia@spalutions.com. Thanks!

Cruise for a Cause

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:27:54 GMT

In October, I will be a part of a really cool event and learning opportunity. The “Cruise for P.I.I.N.K.” event, organized by Spa College International, is a 5 day getaway providing wellness seminars, networking socials, breast cancer awareness events and a silent auction to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Spa College Founder, Liz Galloway explains, “The acronym P.I.I.N.K. not only raises breast cancer awareness but also stands for “Positive Initiative Is Natural Kindness and excitement is high for this event”. Cruise for P.I.I.N.K. will take place October 13-18, departs from Fort Lauderdale and will visit exotic ports such as Key West, Cozumel and Belize City. Online registration is available at www.lotuseffect.scom/media.html or for more information call (801) 225-7600

Click here to read more about the event and my involvement in it. Hope you can make it!

How Winning Awards Increases Your Credibility

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:47:24 GMT

I've been really fortunate over they years in terms of receiving great publicity for my various businesses. Some of that publicity came from being in the right place at the right time - like attending a local city council meeting when the city licensing laws governing massage were being discussed.

Other publicity has come from knowing the right people. For example, a good friend of mine used to work at an area television station - he was the weather guy. When I had an event going on at my office, I asked him to help me get coverage of the event on his station. As a result, I made numerous appearances over the years on that station and as result became known as THE massage therapist (then spa owner) in town.

But some of the best publicity I've gotten is from winning awards. (Best Local Spa, Women in Business, Granted, you usually have to "do" something well to win these. But I have found that in many cases, such as local polls or awards sponsored by printed publications, you can often get great press just for being nominated. And you could even win!

Either way, getting your name mentioned in conjunction with being nominated for or winning an award is not only impressive but also is something you can use to gain more publicity in other areas such as your professional trade organizations, local publications and so on. And believe me, your clients, prospects and peers will see these mentions (if they don't show it to them). And every article or television appearance help you to gain better credibility and professional exposure.

Recently I received an award that really caught me by surprise. Six times a year, the Day Spa Association selects a Day Spa Person of the Month from their membership and volunteers. Each month the Day Spa Association will recognize a woman or man who has made a significant contribution to the Spa industry. Then prior to the Day Spa Expo in 2009, the DSA will conduct an on-line poll to vote for one of the monthly winners to select the "Spa Person of The Year". In addition to the award, the winner will also receive this lovely Irish crystal lamp.

Although I've been spending quite a bit of time in my volunteer role as Assistant Editor for the Day Spa/Medical Spa Bible - due out later this year - I had no idea that I might be eligible for this honor. But as I have learned to do over the years, once I got over my surprise I got to work on a press release and getting some good PR from it.

Something new that one of my PR experts suggested (in addition to sending the release to targeted industry and local publications) was to post the release on PR Web. This is an online resource for writers, publications, online journals, etc., for up to the minute news reports and stories that might be of interest to their readers. And as you will see, you just never know who will post your news!

PR Web

eMedia Wire

Beauties News

Carolina Newswire

NeedCheapTickets.com

24/7 Press Release

www.topix.net

Buzz Tracker

PR News Now

News Guide

PR-USA

Jordo Media

Keep a Positive Attitude During Down Times

Felicia Brown LMBT — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:14:17 GMT

I have to admit, I am really growing tired of hearing so much from the media on how difficult things are with the economy and gas prices right now. Everywhere you go CNN and the other current events networks are blasting this "news" over the airwaves. It is as if they think people are unaware of the rising fuel costs or the higher prices at the grocery stores. Give me a break! We need to hear things that are positive and helpful - not depressing and upsetting.

That is just one reason I was glad to see the following in my online Business Journal:

The economy may be slowing, but it hasn't ground to a halt. That means with a few adjustments, there's still money to be made.

"Fewer people are buying and yet there's still sufficient numbers of people saying 'yes' to keep almost any company thriving," said Steve Waterhouse, president of Predictive Results. "Now is the time to ramp up advertising. Now is the time to ramp up marketing, because it's a little more difficult to find the people that have the money who are ready to say, 'yes.' " But not impossible.

Click here to read the whole post.

For nearly my entire career, I have been a big proponent of using down times to promote, market and improve your business. Use your slow times to get in touch with people you haven't seen in a while, to make new networking contacts or to strengthen your skills. Find the blessing in the situation and use it to your advantage. By doing so, you'll be growing and publicizing your business at a time when others are panicking or feeling stuck where they are. You'll also end up way ahead of your competitors when "the economy" starts to improve and people are ready to spend a little bit more on themselves again.

Let me know how I can be of help!
Felicia@spalutions.com or 336-508-0790

Blow, Blow, Blow Your Horn - And Promote Your Team

Felicia Brown LMBT — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:07:20 GMT

You know me...I am always one to toot my own horn. So of course I have to share the publicity I've gotten so far about my trip to Poland. Click on any or all of the links below (they are all pretty much the same) to see where my press release has ended up on-line so far. And keep your eyes open for this and other stories about me and my various business (ad)ventures in local and trade magazines alike.

Here I am onstage at the Spa & Wellness Quality Forum

Click here to see other pictures from the conference

Carolina Newswire

Spa Trade

Massage Magazine
http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=2906&catid=SPALUTIONS!%20OWNER%20&%20FOUNDER%20IS%20KEY%20PRESENTER%20AT%20THE%20SPA%20AND%20WELLNESS%20QUALITY%20FORUM%20IN%20POLAND&title=

So what can you do to toot your own horn and get some publicity for yourself, your business or someone else who is a part of it? Be on the lookout for PR opportunities everywhere and please let me know how I can be of help! I'd love to help you create your PR and marketing vision as well as the tools to get your name in lights!

How Young is Too Young for Spa and Massage Services?

Felicia Brown LMBT — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:12:34 GMT

Hi Felicia -

What is your opinion on massages on minors? 14 and up? Parental release?

Keith West-Harrision
Spa Consultant
Spa Enrichment Strategies

Dear Keith -

I am ok with massage at any age (if they are potty trained) with a parental release and the parent in the treatment room for at least the first session. For small kids under 12 or 14, I would say parents are in the room every time until a rapport and trust is established with the parents and the clients.

As for the duration of the session, kids under 10 (unless they are big) are usually good for a 15 minute session at most. Ages 10 - 14 can use about 30 minutes - again unless they are big for their age or are dealing with an injury or muscle spasms. Over age 16 you can use your discretion as to the time. I try to judge each client for themselves and find out why they are there to see me.

Other tips:
No glutes, no abs, no pecs on girls.
Have them leave underpants on.
Don't put underage girls with male therapists. (Boys seem to be OK with either but can at times be better with a male therapist.)

With skin care, waxing, body treatments and nail services I would ask the same if possible, at least up to age 16.

Part V of My Polish Adventure

Felicia Brown LMBT — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:27:14 GMT

I thought I would wrap up the final installment of my Polish adventure with some really interesting spa experiences and my favorite part of the trip...most of which occurred at the Hotel Malinowy Zdroj.

The Hotel Malinowy Zdroj (the name of which translates into "raspberry spring" is out in the beautiful countryside and low-lying mountains (foothills really) of southern Poland. The hotel sits at the top of the hill and is surrounded by a quaint village and surrounding farmland of Solec Zdroj, Poland.


St. Nicolas Church had the most hypnotic chimes!               One the houses in Solec Zdroj

The claim to fame for the hotel is that it has tapped the strongest sulfur spring in Poland (which does not smell like raspberries!) They use the water in some of the treatments available in the rehabilitation center part of the spa. Alas you must gain a doctor's approval to take a sulfur bath, so I did not take one. However, I have to say that I was not greatly disappointed!

Rather than tell you about every single moment of my stay, I am going to share an overview of the services I got and the overall experience I had. The services below (all done in the rehab center) were included in my stay. Three of the more extended services I had (a facial and two body treatments) were extra and done in the "beauty center" or what most of us would think of as the spa. I am putting them in order from worst to best in my opinion.


    The Ayurvedic Massage Room at the Spa                      The ceiling of the room. Cool, huh?

Inhalation therapy - Donning a face mask and inhaling an unknown herbal vapor for 15 minutes was not at all relaxing to me. Perhaps if I had breathing problems or the mask did not make me feel claustrophobic, I would have appreciated it more.

Light therapy - I had this done on my calf after a quick classic massage. The light is supposed to help with pain relief, etc but I honestly couldn't feel much. It was nice to lie on the table and relax though.

Crio therapy - This involved a localized spray of really cold air (-50 below or something like that) which helps with pain and inflammation. It felt good for a brief moment but really did nothing to prepare me for...

Criosauna - This is truly one of the most unusual treatments I have ever experienced. Imagine wearing nothing but a bathing suit, socks and gloves...then stepping into a circular chamber about the size of your shower. (See picture) In a few seconds a steady stream of frigid air (-150 degrees below zero) begins pumping into the chamber while you march in place to keep from turning into an ice sculpture. You really can't imagine how cold this is! After two extremely long minutes of marching my freezing booty off, I exited the chamber and was instructed to go do cardio in the adjoining gym to warm back up which did not take long. The benefits? To improve your circulation, metabolism and fat burning abilities. It was pretty interesting, but not something I will likely do again.

Vibration massage - This is pretty self explanatory. A therapist uses a vibrating massage device (like Thumper) all over your body to promote relaxation. It feels good but I will never like it as much as the hands of a really skilled or empathic therapist.

Sulfur mask - This was essentially a self serve body treatment. I was given a bowl of a pleasantly aromatic sulfur body mask and told to put it all over my body before immersing myself in the adjacent warm bath for 15 minutes. The mask felt good...warming I guess...on my body and the bath was the perfect temp. When I rinsed off and finished, I headed to the...

Salt cave - This was pretty cool I have to say. Basically the room is set up with soft lighting, relaxing music, comfortable recliners...and lots of salt. Clients use the room for 45 minute sessions during which they can meditate or nap and breath in the benefits of salinic (?) air. I really enjoyed it.

Rafal - my classic massage therapist

Classic massage - This is probably what most people in the US think of as Sports massage. It is quick and vigorous yet specific enough to get to some trigger points and problem areas. I chose to have work done on my legs and feet for the brief 15 minute session. As there is no draping in this area of the spa (see the paper on the table?), I once again took in a deep breath and got on the table in my skivvies alone. Since the massage was on my legs, I did leave my shirt on though. I have a feeling that if I stayed in Europe for a bit longer, I would eventually get over the need for "American-style" draping. Rafal, my therapist had been in practice for 6 years - "not very long" as he said - and did a great job. My tired legs felt better and he was completely professional. I would definitely go back to him even without the draping!

The other services I had - a facial, breast treatment and body wrap - were not unusual or different enough from what I have experienced elsewhere to bore you with the details of them. But I also had a chance to use the pool area which was fabulous. They have different water massage stations set up that really felt marvelous. I've got to find a way to put those in at my house! There were also saunas and jacuzzis which I forgot to try but heard were fantastic.

        A beautiful sunset on the day and my time in Poland

My overall experience at the Malinowy Zdroj was quite peaceful, restful and relaxing...just what I needed after all the travel, preparation and work related to the conference. I really enjoyed the setting and just having the opportunity to kick back for a few days. The next time I am in Poland, I will definitely try to get back there again!