Wellness
4 Ways To Support Your Local Fitness or Wellness Business
Share
Whether it’s your local salon that really nails your gel pedicure every month, or your neighborhood yoga studio you can walk to from your house for a little weekly zen, small businesses can play an important role in our daily lives.
From cultivating a hometown feel for the locals, to putting in the effort to really know their neighbors, studios and salons can do a lot to help others in the community.
But, what can *you* do? Get out and Shop Small for Small Business Saturday®. Founded by our partner, American Express, in 2010 to help bring more customers to local shops, it’s now a well-known shopping tradition celebrating individual communities and supporting many kinds of small businesses. Every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, shoppers come together to Shop Small and share the places they love with the people they love.
So, if you’re obsessed with your local Pilates studio, or recommend your neighborhood hair salon to everyone looking for a new style, here are a few ways you can support your favorite local fitness, wellness, and other small businesses in your area.
Tell your friends and family.
Word of mouth goes a long way. If you love the small Pilates studio down the street from your house, tell your friends about it. That neighborhood spa where you get your favorite deep tissue massage? Text your Mom, sister, or cousin, about it and recommend it for the next time they need a little R&R. Small businesses often rely on the support of loyal customers to keep their doors open, so take the time out of your day to send that quick text, it could mean a lot.
1
Tell your friends and family.
Word of mouth goes a long way. If you love the small Pilates studio down the street from your house, tell your friends about it. That neighborhood spa where you get your favorite deep tissue massage? Text your Mom, sister, or cousin, about it and recommend it for the next time they need a little R&R. Small businesses often rely on the support of loyal customers to keep their doors open, so take the time out of your day to send that quick text, it could mean a lot.
Write a review.
Are you on a first-name basis with your favorite barre instructor at your favorite small barre studio? Write a review for one of their classes! Whether it’s your go-to restorative yoga flow, Monday Pilates, or monthly massage, give your fitness instructor or wellness staff at your local studio a little shoutout for all the hard work they do.
2
Write a review.
Are you on a first-name basis with your favorite barre instructor at your favorite small barre studio? Write a review for one of their classes! Whether it’s your go-to restorative yoga flow, Monday Pilates, or monthly massage, give your fitness instructor or wellness staff at your local studio a little shoutout for all the hard work they do.
Stock up on last-minute gifts.
The holidays are on their way; do you know what to get your loved ones? If you’re stressin’ what to gift your favorite people, just stock up on a few last-minute presents at your local small fitness studio or wellness boutique. Pick up a new mat for the yogi in your life, an extra pair of grip socks for your barre BFF, or even some essential oils at a nearby neighborhood spa after a massage. You’ll get the perfect gift and support your local spot – it’s a win-win.
3
Stock up on last-minute gifts.
The holidays are on their way; do you know what to get your loved ones? If you’re stressin’ what to gift your favorite people, just stock up on a few last-minute presents at your local small fitness studio or wellness boutique. Pick up a new mat for the yogi in your life, an extra pair of grip socks for your barre BFF, or even some essential oils at a nearby neighborhood spa after a massage. You’ll get the perfect gift and support your local spot – it’s a win-win.
Treat yourself.
When you’re sitting in that comfy chair for your monthly pedicure, spring for that extra relaxing spa treatment you always look at, but don’t choose. If you’re more of a fitness lover, spring for that second class during the week, or treat yourself to a healing recovery session like cryotherapy. Stepping up your self-care every once a while is good for the soul, and for business.
This month, don’t forget to Shop Small for Small Business Saturday on November 30th. Whether it’s fitness, wellness, or beauty, support the small businesses you love and celebrate your community!
MindBody is a merchant of American Express as well as acts as a referral agent to payment partners of American Express. AMERICAN EXPRESS IS NOT A SPONSOR OR ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS MARKETING PROGRAM.
4
Treat yourself.
When you’re sitting in that comfy chair for your monthly pedicure, spring for that extra relaxing spa treatment you always look at, but don’t choose. If you’re more of a fitness lover, spring for that second class during the week, or treat yourself to a healing recovery session like cryotherapy. Stepping up your self-care every once a while is good for the soul, and for business.
This month, don’t forget to Shop Small for Small Business Saturday on November 30th. Whether it’s fitness, wellness, or beauty, support the small businesses you love and celebrate your community!
MindBody is a merchant of American Express as well as acts as a referral agent to payment partners of American Express. AMERICAN EXPRESS IS NOT A SPONSOR OR ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS MARKETING PROGRAM.
Beauty
Gratuity Guide: How to Tip a Hair Stylist (and Show You Care)
Share
Tipping. While it can be a taboo topic that no one really wants to talk about publicly, the fact is, it’s a very important one that shouldn’t (and can’t) be avoided. This is all too true, especially now, when it comes to beauty services. Even before, “all of this” happened, there appeared to be some ambiguity about exactly how much to tip, when, what’s a respectable amount, and why. Now that we’ve tried our best at #homebeauty, it’s time to head back to the salons, spas, and other boutique beauty businesses (if you haven’t already). We’re here to guide you through gratuity in the new normal and why tipping a little extra to show your stylists and service providers you care during this tough time is the right thing to do.
To make sure we get you all the right answers, we asked around about it (so you don’t have to). Turns out, our Instagram followers had a lot to say about how to tip your stylists and show them some extra love right now.
Here’s what you think:
You’ve already been tipping more
79% of you said you’ve been tipping more for beauty services recently. We’re all so grateful for our stylists—with split ends, grown-out roots, out-of-control brows, and terrible home-cut bangs to prove it. And now that many of us can return to our salons and spas, we’re appreciating the ones who help us feel beautiful even more right now.
But, how much more?
We got a range of responses to this question. Some said they tip 5% more than they previously did, and many said 25%-35% total! Not only are these stylists actual artists, but they’re providing services we just can’t do ourselves. On top of that, many had to close their doors for several months, many were displaced as their salons shut down for good, and all of them are trying their best to get back to a sense of normalcy and do what they do best—help us look and feel beautiful. So, take this as a guide. Tip what you can but remember how much these wonderful people do for us.
New services are not top priority (yet)
When it comes to trying new services, 69% of you gave it a big fat NO, while 31% remain intrigued. It makes sense that many would stick to their go-tos right now, as salons are just starting to reopen in some areas or may not be open yet at all.
Depending on where you live and your overall health, you might be sticking with the bare minimum for now. But if your city has put in place safe reopening guidelines and measures, and you feel ready to head back out there, you can do so safely at a Mindbody salon. And you may be interested in trying out some new services right now as a way to show your local salons some extra support. If that’s you, browse beauty on the Mindbody app—and filter your categories to find out what’s out there.
Why retail therapy is important
Another way you can support your stylists right now? Shopping. It’s the safest way to show them some love without actually going in for a treatment. Many salons offer pre-payment on the Mindbody app and curbside pickup or a plethora of shipping methods, so you can keep contact to a minimum as much as possible. Plus, they have some pretty great stuff. If you need to invest in a good shampoo—especially because you haven’t gotten your hair done in months—so why not buy it from your stylist? According to our poll, it’s a pretty even split. 55% of you haven’t bought any products yet, while the other 45% have been shopping away. If you’re part of that 55, consider checking out your salon’s product offerings (you might see something you like).
Anything else?
Finally, we asked you all open-endedly how else you’re supporting your stylists right now. We got a lot of great answers. There was a lot of overlap, but we thought you might like to see some of the ones that stood out. So, if we didn’t cover it all so far, we’re about to—because you all are awesome and you did it for us. Here are some of the great ideas you had:
• “Paying in advance!”
• “Being more diligent about scheduling appointments versus letting my hair grow out”
• “Referring friends!”
• “Being flexible” (this is a good one—check out the 5 things your stylist wants you to know before you book)
• “Scheduling my next cut before I leave!”
• “Sharing their photos on Instagram and telling friends!”
So, if you’re a stylist reading this, thank you. We all want to continue showing you support during this time and beyond. And if you’re a regular person like me who really needs her highlights done, just schedule the damn appointment already (if you feel comfortable) or buy some purple shampoo from your favorite salon.
