The Power of Brand Partnerships in the Beauty Industry
When I first moved to NYC from Upstate NY, I first worked at Equinox, starting out as a Spa Coordinator in SoHo before being promoted to Spa Manager at their Chelsea location. I was eager to move up the ranks quickly, and meet my monthly sales goals (mostly because I had only 3 months of savings and needed to advance quickly.)
Starting out in the beauty business often means managing smaller locations that require a lot of hard work and creative effort to grow your monthly revenue through service and product sales by training your team, clienteling, monthly events, and internal and external outreach.
I remember the first time my location didn't hit its monthly goals. I was forced onto a national call to discuss my outreach efforts.
The problem? I had no clue what "outreach" was.
I knew it involved partnering with like-minded businesses, but I had literally no idea how to start or what to offer.
One evening, a group of us went to the Dream Hotel in Meatpacking for drinks. I brought my business cards and ended up meeting Vaughn Davis, the head hotel concierge. The next day, business was slow—it was raining outside, which inspired me to come up with a promotion to drive hotel guests into the Equinox Spa.
I found Vaughn's business card in my purse and emailed him, proposing a rainy day promotion with Equinox and the Dream Hotel. I offered 15% off spa services for all Dream Hotel guests. Vaughn was interested and immediately set up a meeting for later that week.
I showed up in my best dress, with gift bags and fancy bars of soap (I had literally purchased both from the dollar store as that was all I could afford at the time). We sat in one of the beautiful lounges with two of his colleagues. Vaughn, dressed in a sharp tailored suit, swirled a drink and ice in a highball glass as we discussed partnering.
What I learned was interesting—the Dream Hotel downtown didn’t have either a gym or spa and had been sending clients to one of our competitors. They wanted their VIP clients to have access to the Equinox gym, but Equinox didn't offer day passes.
I proposed that if their hotel guests purchased any spa treatment, they’d automatically get free gym entry. Additionally, for every five referrals they’d send me, I would offer a 30-minute complimentary massage to the team member that sent the referrals.
Vaughn loved these ideas, and we started seeing around 15 new clients per month from the Dream Hotel—a huge win for our small spa! It motivated my team by giving them more business, and it impressed my GM and regional manager, earning their respect and recognition for my initiative.
This experience also taught me valuable lessons about how to form brand partnerships. Here are some tips to help you get started:
Key Tips for Successful Brand Partnerships
Find out their problem and how you can help.
Most people focus on what they want. Instead, understand your partner's goals. Do they need more clients, followers, or sales? Identify their pain points and find ways to address them.
Action Items:
Offer a 30-day discount code for both parties.
Details: Provide a discount for both their and your customers. This can be 10%, 20%, or even 30% off services or products. Co-branded email blasts can increase visibility and engagement from both customer bases.
Why it Works: This creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity, encouraging customers to take advantage of the offer. Promo codes allow you to track the effectiveness of the partnership.
Create a referral program.
Details: Implement a program where employees from the partner brand refer clients to you, earning rewards for every referral. For instance, if someone at their brand refers a certain number of clients, they receive a free service.
Why it Works: Referral programs incentivize partners to actively promote your services. Tracking referrals manually with a Google Doc, Excel sheet, or CRM ensures you can manage and reward referrals effectively.
Partner on a social media giveaway.
Details: Collaborate on a giveaway, offering a prize to followers who engage with both brands. Ask participants to like, follow, and tag friends to enter.
Why it Works: Giveaways increase engagement and visibility for both brands. They attract new followers and potential clients, expanding your reach on social media.
Throw an event.
Details: Host an event at the partner’s location, offering mini complimentary services to their clients. In return, ask for promotion through their social media, email, and text blasts.
Why it Works: Events create opportunities for direct interaction with new potential clients. They also allow you to showcase your expertise and services in a hands-on setting, fostering a deeper connection with attendees.
Potential Partner Brands:
Boutique Fitness Studios: These attract health-conscious clients who are likely interested in complementary beauty and wellness services.
Hotels (especially through concierge): Hotel guests often seek relaxation and pampering, making them ideal candidates for spa treatments.
Boutique Jewelry Stores: Clients interested in high-end jewelry often appreciate luxury beauty treatments.
Acupuncture Clinics: Both services appeal to clients seeking holistic and wellness solutions.
Blowout Bars or Hair Extension Salons: These clients are already invested in their appearance and are likely to be interested in additional beauty services.
Permanent Makeup Artists: Partnering can offer clients a full spectrum of beauty services.
Functional Medicine or Wellness Practices: Clients seeking overall wellness are ideal candidates for additional beauty treatments.
Cosmetic Dental Offices: Clients invested in their smile may also be interested in other aesthetic enhancements.
Private Membership Clubs: These often attract affluent individuals who value exclusive and high-quality services.
I hope these tips will help you navigate your next partnership and give you the confidence to get started. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to form a partnership. Just make sure you’re solving a problem for your partner or delivering them value, and that you are receiving value as well.
Most importantly, have fun! People want to do business with people they like, so be professional, enjoy the process, and go land your first partnership.
