Reducing expenses can sometimes have the same net affect on your bottom line as selling new hot tubs. Our quiz can help you recognize where you could save money and increase your profits. ------------------------- 1) Am I planning ahead? 1) I have a three-year business plan that I modify continually. 2) I establish a plan on a yearly basis. 3) I can barely keep track of my ...

Wanda Hild and her husband, Jason, got into the hot tub business as a pool service company. "Jason basically started with a truck, a pole and a bucket of chlorine in 1983," Wanda Hild says. In 1995 they opened their first retail pool store and in 1999, to answer the requests of their consumers, they started selling hot tubs. "Our primary sales that first year were really at home and garden shows, ...

You’ve probably heard hundreds of sales pitches in your life. Some immediately captured your interest, while others you tuned out almost as soon as they began. The most effective sales pitches were those that were well prepared and delivered with confidence. And even if you weren’t interested in that product or service, you remembered the pitches that made a positive impression when ...

"We’re not ready yet," is the most common objection from prospective spa consumers according to Ken Noble, an 18-year industry veteran and owner and creator of EZ Pad. Noble, who for years sold hot tubs at fairs and home shows, got so frustrated losing sales to site preparation that he decided to do something about it. So in 1999, Noble started EZ Pad, headquartered in his garage. ...

You do not want this man’s job. Negotiating with the government, corralling manufacturers and dissuading the fears of retailers on a daily basis are not for the faint hearted. Carvin DiGiovanni, technical director at the APSP, has spent the last 19 years passionately deciphering the regulations and laws affecting the hot tub industry. DiGiovanni started his career as a teacher, but soon ...

"In our particular area, we’re very lucky because we’re in a somewhat isolated area. So we’re feeling confident. We’ve been off a bit this year [2008], but not like a lot of companies, so our anticipation is that we’ll hold through next year [2009] and possibly even improve some, that’s our outlook for right now." - Cindi Blechschmidt Owner, Aqua Spas and Pools Gig ...

Okay, store traffic is down and a lot of consumers have slowed or completely stopped buying non-essential products like spas, pool tables and many of the other products you sell. Unless you are ready to throw in the towel and close up shop, it’s time to start finding new ways to drive prospects to your store. According to some estimates, the average consumer is exposed to about 3,000 advertisements ...

If you’ve been in the industry for any amount of time you’ve encountered a cracked or blistered shell. I often refer to industry technicians as the spa Ph.D.s, this being the case I would have to refer to acrylic repair specialists as hot tub oncologists. Learning the ins and outs of shell repair can set you apart from common techs and make you a sought-after specialist. Those ...

Given the choice of dealing with a positive, upbeat employee with a can-do attitude, or dealing with a disgruntled, distracted, uninterested one, which would you choose? No contest. Customers always want the best experience possible; they want it to be easy and pleasant to do business with your company. Enter the real challenge of business: relationship management. Until all of our business is done electronically, ...

Virginia Graeme Baker Act The VGB Act was passed on December 19, 2007 to help reduce entrapments in pools and spas. Enforcement of the act began December 19, 2008 and requires the following: *All drain covers manufactured, imported, distributed, or offered into commerce must conform to the new ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 standard. This requirement applies to suction outlet covers for all spas, including ...

Most hot tub retailers would say they aren’t interested in getting into the used spa business. Rob Carter from Premier Backyard in Tucson, Ariz., would say that as well, but his service and sales team found a way to take used spas and make them work to the advantage of their store and sell new spas. "We’ll take the customer’s spas in on consignment and they’ll buy a new one," ...

When thinking about it what makes spa businesses successful, owners often consider things like providing high-quality products at fair prices, giving excellent customer service and hiring people who are both knowledgeable and friendly. But what about the clothing that employees wear when they come to work? Is it possible that their attire can also have a positive impact on the success and overall ...

Using e-mail as a marketing tool has become more popular over the years because it is an effective way to deliver information and to connect with your customers. E-mail marketing can be used to remind consumers about your services and products through newsletters or updates on new items you are carrying in the store. It can also serve as a form of promotional advertising by offering coupons or detailing upcoming ...

Have you underestimated the importance of analyzing your hot tub business’ website traffic? If you haven’t questioned what your site visitors are looking at or how they got there in the first place, you are missing out on a fountain of valuable information. Finding these answers will help you recognize where to make adjustments and improvements that you haven’t distinguished yet. Therefore, ...

Our name is SpaRetailer. Our mission is to provide valuable information to hot tub retailers. And now we are introducing a section called "Outside the Industry?" It didn’t feel right at first, how would this serve you, a traditional hot tub retailer? But as we explored the idea and carefully watched the market and economy, the need for this special section became clear and you should understand why ...

CUSTOMER CHROMOSOMES . . . . . INFORMATION HIGHWAY In 1998, 87 percent of people researching a hot tub brand or retailer looked for that information in the Yellow Pages. By 2008, only 11 percent turned to the Yellow Pages. Within the span of ten years there was almost a direct reverse in how customers got hot tub related information. Today, 78 percent of potential hot tub buyers look to the Internet ...