Your spa's grand opening gives you a chance to create an exciting, customer-service oriented experience. The key is creating a memorable event that results in attendees booking a massage, facial or other soothing service.

Invitations

Send invitations to prospective clients, suppliers, friends and the local media. Extend an invitation to those who can refer clients to you, such as plastic surgeons and concierges at local hotels without spa facilities, suggests public relations expert Katherine Rothman in an article for entrepreneurial resource EvanCarmichael.com. Rothman suggests keeping track of who attends so you can send a personal thank you note to each attendee along with a special offer for a spa service.

Showcase Offerings

Create an interactive event by using the stations and rooms in your spa to showcase what you offer. Ideas for short demos include:

  • Relieving stress with quick massages.
  • Explaining how to use facial lotions and scrubs to rejuvenate skin.
  • Offering mini makeovers.
  • Demonstrating hair and nail services.

Display the products you use in each demo as available for purchase.

Give Gift Bags

Everyone loves a gift bag filled with goodies. Ask your vendors to provide products in exchange for free advertising in your grand opening promotional materials. Invite non-competing businesses, such as hair care product companies and the local bath and bed store, to be a sponsor. Bellacures Nail Salons, a chain of salons located in Southern California, convinced the public relations firms of more than a dozen prominent brands to donate products or services at one of its grand opening events, reports Nails Magazine.

Prep Menu

Develop a printed menu that lists your spa services and hand it out to everyone who comes to your grand opening. Attach an attractive coupon with an expiration date just a few weeks after the event. The coupon can be for a half-day spa package that includes several services, or offer a free skincare product with a massage and facial.

Before the Grand Opening

Your grand opening sets the expectations of potential customers for years to come, so conduct a test run. Prepare by training staff on how to engage with attendees, handle demonstrations and follow treatment procedures. Then, invite a few friends and acquaintances to a small test grand opening, and get their honest feedback so you can resolve any problems before the actual event.