3 WAYS TO BOOK MORE APPOINTMENTS FOR YOUR SPA

Your website could do a better job bringing in appointments - here's how

I see a lot of websites. I mean a lot of websites. All day I take calls with potential clients and we look at what they are doing right, and what they could do better.

Spa websites tend to be attractive and colorful - and that's a good thing. We all get lots of beautiful images from our vendors to use in our marketing. So spa homepages tend to include some attractive photos.

Where the website loses focus - and money - is in the user experience. Can a customer find what they are looking for easily? Can they understand the key differentiators between your spa and the spa down the street right away?

Here are the top 3 ways you can improve your website experience right now in order to book more appointments.

• Make it easy - In the immortal words of Tom Cruise in Jerry Maquire "HELP ME HELP YOU!"
  
  You need to help your website visitors do business with you. Take a fresh look at the website from the eyes of a brand new visitor. If you have Google Analytics hooked up, take a minute to investigate what information visitors are navigating to most often. Understand what people want when they visit your website. Then, put that information front and center.
  
  In my experience here is what they are most likely looking for:
  • What they are looking for : Make an appointment
    Visitors come with the goal of booking an appointment. If they can do that online, many times they will. Whether or not you have online appointment booking, you can still include an easy to find link that directs them to make an appointment.
    What you need to do : Make the first link in your navigation the 'Make an appointment' link. If you have online booking you can link to that. If you don't, you can create a page telling them how they can book their appointment (email, phone, text message, etc.)
    
    One exception to this rule : during the holidays I make the first link "Gift Certificates" in order to make it super easy for customers to find the gift certificate purchase they are looking for. In this case the second link becomes 'Make an Appointment'.
    
    
  • What they are looking for : Ask a question
    Many times customers have a special situation, concern, or request that they need to talk to you about before booking. First time visitors especially need to speak to a friendly voice before they feel confident in committing their time and dollars. Make it easy for them to find that friendly voice.
    What you need to do : Make sure the phone number is presented in a variety of places. I usually include it at the top and bottom of all pages. I also write it out in the copy when appropriate (ex: Call/text us at (803) 960-5883.) If you have the ability to make it click-able when viewed on a mobile phone do that as well.
    
    
  • What they are looking for : Service menu and pricing
    Customers want to know what to expect before they commit to an appointment. List your services and prices on the website.
    What you need to do : Create a clear, clean, easy to find page that lists your services and prices. Keep this list up to date, and scrub it often. If you don't offer a service anymore be sure to remove it from the website. 
    
    Pro tip : Listing and describing your services will also help you rank higher in Google Local searches for the services you provide.
    
    
• Build trust - Local businesses win new customers on trust. Websites have two powerful trust building tools : photography and customer reviews.
  • Photography : Have a professional photographer come to the spa to do photos of the facility and key staff. NOTHING will build trust faster than seeing the smiling faces of the actual people doing the work. Trust me on this. Customers can smell stock photography from a mile away. Use stock photos sparingly, if at all.
    
    I cannot say it enough. Use real photos of your real facility and your real staff. Get a professional photo for the hero image on the home page. For smaller photos further down in the content area you can sometimes get away with well-taken iPhone photos.
    
    
  • Customer reviews : If a website viewer doesn't know you they want to know that someone like them has tried and loved your service. Have a process in place for ensuring your happy customers leave a review on your Google + or your Facebook page. Update your website regularly with the reviews being left at Google + and Facebook.
    
    
• Tell your story - Did you know that the second most visited page on many websites is the 'About' page? It is on my website.
  
  Why do you think that is? People want to understand you as a business. Who are you? What is your background? What is important to your company? When done right this information will make the sale for you. But here's the thing - you have got to open the kimono. Tell them something that is going to draw them in. Let them in on a little secret.
  
  Try this outline for creating your 'About' page:
  • Start by talking about your passions. We are all tempted to say something like "The Little Dove Spa opened in 2014 when ... blah blah blah." Don't do that. 
    
    Imagine how much more interesting you could make this information just by starting with "We love healing with our hands, and we almost can't believe we get to charge for it." 
  • Give some fun facts about the spa, or about key staff. For examples check out my About page. There will be a quiz after.
  • Sprinkle in a bit of information about the business. But not the boring stuff. Talk about why you exist, what your first year was like, who you serve the most. Talk about the things your ideal customer cares about.

These tips are derived from my years doing websites for small businesses, and specifically from my experience with spas and salons. So, will you do me a favor? Drop me a line if you implement any of the items listed here, and let me know how it goes for you. You can find me at [email protected], on Facebook at Facebook.com/KellyLCoulter or on Twitter @KellyLCoulter.