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We get you – running a spa is a hustle and bustle gig.
Between welcoming clients, updating client records, managing staff schedules and inventory, how do you find time to squeeze in marketing in your hectic day-to-day?
Marketing is crucial for growing your spa business, attracting new clients and keeping your bookings full. So, not doing it is just not an option.
The solution lies in spa marketing software✨
Using marketing tools helps you automate time-consuming marketing tasks, build lasting relationships with existing clients and boost your revenue.
And choosing the right spa management software with robust marketing tools not only buffs up your marketing, but also helps you take your client experience up a notch.
In this article, we’ll explore the top seven spa marketing software options for marketing and the essential features to consider when choosing one. Let’s dive in!
What is spa marketing software?
Spa marketing software is a specialized tool designed to help spa and wellness centers streamline their marketing efforts and grow their business.
It includes a range of features and functionalities tailored specifically to your spa business needs. A spa marketing solution has everything you need to promote your spa, increase your bookings, retain clients and get new ones:
📅 Appointment scheduling and reminders
👥 Client management
📧 Marketing campaign automation
📲 Online booking integration
⭐ Online reviews and reputation management
– and more features we’re going to delve into in detail below.
Top features to look for in spa marketing software
Each spa marketing software solution is unique. However, there are some core features that marketing software should have so you can market your spa without breaking a sweat.
Lead management system
A lead management tool is a crucial feature in spa marketing software because it helps you effectively manage potential clients and turn them into paying clients.
Having a centralized lead database integrated into your spa business management software and synced with your marketing tool helps you automate the lead nurture process.
Add a lead form to your website so it’s easy for your clients to get in touch with you. All inquiries go straight to your lead management system so you can respond to them faster and nurture your leads more easily.
Also, when someone submits an inquiry, you get alerted so you can get back to them quickly, which is really important in a crowded market like wellness.
It’s ALL about speed. The likelihood of you getting in touch with a lead and winning them over is 100 times higher within the first five minutes of their inquiry compared to contacting them 30 minutes later, and the chances significantly drop after that.
A lead management system makes it easier for your staff to prioritize follow-up activities and have personalized communication with potential clients, which increases your conversions by 42%.
Email and SMS marketing tools
A built-in email marketing tool in your spa management software allows you to reach clients directly in their inboxes or on their mobile device.
Today, 75% of clients use their smartphones to check their emails. Therefore, look for an email marketing tool that allows you to optimize your email campaigns for mobile.
If you need to make sure your clients read something, send it by SMS. With a 90% open rate, SMS are your surest bet among all communication channels.
Email and SMS campaigns can also be used to automate appointment confirmations and reminders. This helps you reduce no-shows, cancellations and lost revenue, while your front desk staff doesn’t spend hours manually sending reminders to clients.
Appointment booking
If you are not offering online booking, you are missing out on a ton of benefits both for your spa business and clients. For starters, you save time on phone calls, reading and responding to emails or Instagram messages and manually adding appointment details.
Your clients, on the other hand, will love the convenience of being able to book any time and day, not only during working hours.
Online bookings instantly free up time in your spa, which you could invest back in marketing. This way, your marketing tasks get a fair share of time and resources.
Therefore, ensure the spa management system comes with an online booking feature, so both you and clients can enjoy the perks.
Loyalty programs
A loyalty program is a powerful tool that allows you to nurture your existing customers, increase retention, encourage repeat business, build strong relationships, and boost your revenue. As much as 81% of clients say that a loyalty program encourages them to stick to a brand.
Some of the biggest brands have understood the power of loyalty programs and their impact on customer retention – Starbucks, Pret, Lancome, and Birchbox, just to name a few.
With a loyalty feature, you can seamlessly track and manage rewards and campaigns. You have the freedom to customize the incentives for different actions your clients take and automatically convert them into discounts or payment options for treatments.
For example, you could give points when clients buy gift cards or offer one free treatment when clients book packages.
Smart surveys and review
Smart surveys and reviews allow you to get valuable client feedback on their visit and identify areas for improvement to enhance customer experience.
Sending surveys to clients immediately after their spa visit lets you capture feedback while it’s still fresh in the client’s mind. It’s a great way to temperature-check that you’re doing things right.
Spa marketing software allows you to automatically send surveys and review requests via SMS or email after client checkout. You can tailor survey questions to different aspects of the spa experience, such as treatments, staff interactions, cleanliness, ambiance, and overall satisfaction.
You can proudly publish your five-star reviews directly on your website, post them on social media (Facebook and Instagram) and even nudge the client to add it to Google Business. You can track all your reviews from one place and directly respond to comments.
Reporting and analytics
Instead of relying on guesswork or intuition, reports and analytics give you tangible proof that your marketing campaigns are working or if they need improving.
Spa marketing software with comprehensive reporting and analytics allows you to track important metrics to see how effective your marketing efforts are. It also presents them in easily understandable charts and graphs so you can easily see if your efforts are working.
Some important key metrics are:
- Open rate
- Click-through rate
- Conversion rate
- ROI (return on investment)
For example, you get real-time insights if your clients book more when you send a seasonal promotion campaign or an anniversary email. So you can decide what to focus on more.
Security and compliance
Security and compliance are a top priority to look for in spa marketing software. Not everyone needs to have access to client information, as well as marketing campaigns and reports.
First, spa management software should have comprehensive user permission settings, such as role-based permissions, so you can make sure only the right people have access to sensitive client data. This includes personal details, appointment records, and payment data.
Secondly, your spa software should use secure data encryption protocols to safeguard client information and reduce the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.
Thirdly, the system should include features to support you with GDPR and HIPAA compliance.
Also, if your integrated spa software includes payment processing, it should have the highest level of PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
The 7 best spa marketing software in 2024
Now that we’ve covered the essential features to look for in your spa marketing solution, let’s dive straight into the top seven spa marketing software solutions.
1. Pabau
To cut to the chase, Pabau has all the essential spa marketing features we mentioned above. It’s comprehensive enough to meet the needs of a busy salon or spa business, but user-friendly and customizable at the same time.
With its extensive marketing features, it’s one of the rare spa software solutions that gives an equal playground to small businesses as well as large spa and wellness centers.
Pabau’s marketing suite allows you to create professionally looking email campaigns, segment clients according to demographic, behavior and booking history, set up automatic reminders and recalls that will save hours of your time, automate surveys and reviews and more.
We have built-in marketing features on all plans, and Marketing Plus for those who want to take marketing to the next level, so you can choose which one fits your spa the best.
Standard is included in the monthly Pabau subscription, while pricing Plus starts from £66.50 a month.
Key features
- Recalls and reminders automations
- Pre-built or custom-made email templates
- Gift vouchers
- Packages and bundles bookable online
- Loyalty program
- Smart surveys and reviews, including embeddable review widgets
- Lead management
2. Vagaro
As one of the leading spa and salon management software, Vagaro’s magic touch is its online marketplace, website builder and marketing tools.
The marketplace allows clients to find your spa, book directly, and communicate with spas through email or text.
Vagaro’s marketing is a serious contender with any email marketing service provider, with a drag-and-drop email builder, and automated emails for birthdays and recalls. However, you only have 1000 free emails available per month, after which you are charged.
Also, the text and email automation and website builder are charged as add-ons starting at £15 per month each.
Although Vagaro’s marketplace helps clients find you, it also helps them find your competition.
Key features
- Online marketplace
- Email marketing
- Website builder
- Automated text and email campaigns
3. Fresha
Fresha is another popular platform in the beauty and wellness industry. It’s also an online marketplace like Vagaro, featuring standard salon management features like appointment scheduling software, inventory management and POS (point of sale).
Fresha makes it really easy for clients to find your spa with their mobile app, where they can conveniently book appointments. But this means you also compete for clients among the crowd. They charge a 20% commission fee on all new client bookings through their marketplace, so it does come with a bit of a sting in the tail.
Aside from commission charges, Fresha is free to use, and they have decent communication tools such as emails and automated text reminders, with 50 free texts a month.
Key features
- Online marketplace
- Automated emails and texts
- Personalized messages
- Customizable templates
4. Zenoti
Zenoti is a cloud-based spa and salon software with a comprehensive suite of features to run your business efficiently, including advanced marketing features.
Their AI-backed-up marketing predicts open slots and fills in the gaps. Spas can automate marketing campaigns and win back lost clients with targeted emails.
Zenoti also supports integrations with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for streamlined multi-channel communication with clients. Their AI chatbot SmartBot offers 24/7 client support and self-manage bookings.
However, all of their advanced marketing features come as add-ons. On top of that, Zenoti has a mandatory 12-month contract, which online reviews suggest starts at $200 per month.
Key features
- Email and text campaign automation
- AI chatbot with 24/7 client support
- Follow-up reminders
- Centralized lead management
5. Mangomint
Mangomint is a user-friendly booking software for salons and spas. As it’s specifically designed for the beauty and wellness industry, it packs features that meet the unique challenges of businesses in the field, like gift cards, loyalty programs and membership campaigns.
However, they introduced an email marketing feature in 2023, allowing clients to create professionally looking and targeted email campaigns with ready-made templates.
Email marketing in MangoMint is available as an add-on for 1¢ per marketing credit. You need to purchase marketing credits to send and schedule emails. For example, you can buy 5,000 for $50 and send it to 5,000 clients.
They also have memberships and packages. But clients can’t book packages online – only in-person, which is limiting.
Key features
- Built-in email marketing
- Automated messages
- Memberships
6. Phorest
Phorest is a salon management software offering a wide range of features for salon owners to manage their businesses, including an appointment booking system, client management, inventory management and more.
Their comprehensive marketing suite allows users to create email and text campaigns, manage reviews, and create loyalty programs.
Phorest’s rockstar feature is the Ads Manager, which allows you to run Facebook and Instagram ads directly in the system in a simple and user-friendly way. It helps users find new clients, retarget lost ones, and use ready-made ad templates.
However, Phorest’s Ads Manager is only available with their most expensive tier. They also charge for online bookings: between £0.60 and £1.50 for the UK and Ireland, and $1 per booking for the US.
Key features
- Ads Manager
- Easy-to-use email and SMS builder
- Loyalty program
- Automated review requests
7. Mindbody
Mindbody is an online scheduling and management software for fitness, beauty and wellness businesses.
It’s an online marketplace where brands can list their businesses so that potential clients can find and book your services. Their marketing features are built into their marketplace and focus on making your brand more prominent among competitors.
Businesses can list one-time special offers, called intro offers, front-and-center on Mindbody’s marketplace and attract new clients. There’s also a ClassApp where you can place your classes, if you are a fitness brand, or beauty services for clients to book.
Mindbody also has a lead management feature, automated email and text campaigns, an AI-powered messaging platform, and an option to build a branded mobile app.
Their advanced marketing features are not available in all plans or come as add-ons, except for their highest plan.
Key features
- Marketplace promotion
- Branded mobile app
- AI messaging platform
- Client referrals
Pabau is your all-in-one solution for spa management
Spa marketing software is a critical component in any spa business owner’s toolkit. It helps you automate marketing tasks, create targeted marketing campaigns, and improve client engagement, while also providing security and compliance support.
Pabau understands the needs of a busy spa business and provides spa marketing and management features that match. Robust client records, appointment scheduling, built-in forms, inventory management, marketing tools, point of sale, and so much more.
With Pabau, you get an all-in-one spa management software to streamline workflows, nail your marketing and grow your business.🚀
Experience seamless management and powerful marketing with Pabau’s integrated solution. Get started today!
