In all honesty, how could you NOT like us?? Over the next few weeks, in honor of all the Spring Spa Week excitement, we’re going to be spontaneously giving away some amazing prizes on Facebook.

How do you enter? For the Grand Prize, a spa getaway for two at The Oaks at Ojai in California, the winner will chosen at random from our Facebook page and announced on April 30th. All you have to do is like us.

For the other 4 prizes, which all serve to get you ready for the season in style, you have to stay tuned to our Facebook page for details over the next few weeks. Whether it’s the luxe M.A.B. Bomb bag by Rebecca Minkoff from her spring/summer ad campaign you’re coveting, a collection of Sir Alistair Rai spring clothing and accessories you desire, a package of colorful Tarina Tarantino jewelry you’re lusting after, or an on-the-go face lift with the NuFACE device you can’t wait to try, these prizes could be yours! You just have to pay attention. See you on the ‘book.

Guest contributor: Shelby Jones, ISPA Public Relations Manager

If getting a friend request from the girl who used to torment you in high school or an update every time some goes to the grocery store isn’t your style, it doesn’t mean you still can’t take advantage of social media. While Facebook and Twitter all have their merits, they aren’t for everyone.  The strictly business social networking site LinkedIn can connect you with colleagues, businesses and even land you a job.

For spas and other businesses LinkedIn can be a very valuable tool for networking and keeping up with your current and prospective customers. Below you’ll find dos and don’ts for using this social media tool.

• There are apps for that (promoting your business).
• Nine no-nos for your business.
• Boost your profile.

Like what you’re clicking? If you’re in the spa industry, we encourage you to become a member of our partner ISPA, the International Spa Association; weekly e-mails with pointers like these are just one small part of the package to help you succeed!

Image via socialmedia.biz

There’s something so deliciously satsifying about round numbers like 10,000 and 25,000. Especially when they correspond to your very own Twitter and Facebook followings on the horizon!

As we race to these huge milestones with you, we’re looking forward to the celebrations most of all:

ON TWITTER: We’re giving away three $50 Spa Gift Cards when we reach 10,000 followers.

To enter, Tweet:

Follow @SPAWEEK, they’re giving away 3 $50 Spa Week Gift Cards at 10,000 followers! RT to enter. http://ow.ly/3FObK

ON FACEBOOK: We’re giving away three $50 Spa Gift Cards when we reach 25,000 likes.

To enter, Write on our wall:

I like Spa Week. No, wait, I LOVE Spa Week! (This is my entry to win a $50 Spa Week Gift Card when this page reaches 25,000)

Winners will be chosen at random from the entries and announced on respective social media platforms. Please contact candace(at)spaweekmedia(dot)com within one week of announcements with your address and phone number to redeem your prize.

Did you know Facebook is the 3rd biggest country in the world, population wise, behind China and India? (From my airplane read – TIME’s Person of The Year 2010, Mark Zuckerberg. Recommended.)

Spas may be ahead of the curve when it comes to inventing new ways make you look and feel amazing, but on the social media front, the industry has got a lot of work to do. This new infographic was recently released by www.eyesandfeet.com, and it provides an interesting look at the landscape of spas and salons on Facebook in different parts of the country. Spas, where do you stand?

As our Spa Week spas know, one of the benefits of the Spa Week program is ample social media support and guidance, from dedicated posts on Facebook, to help getting your Tweets exposed to thousands of people. Scroll down for 4 basic steps to effectively getting started on making your Facebook footprint in 2011.

1. First thing’s first. You want to create a business page, NOT a new profile account. Here is the link to do that. If you’ve already created a profile page, I suggest you switch to a business account immediately, for too many reasons to list here.

2. Make sure you’ve filled out all your vital info, including your phone number, location, hours of operation, and website link on the main page. This may seem obvious, but a lot of spas make the mistake of writing which shopping center or town they are in, but not their state. Also, upload a vivid, attractive picture that also looks good as a thumbnail. A small logo or distant photo of your reception area may seem like the obvious choice, but it’s not always the best for your main photo.

3. Update your status daily. If you don’t have time to think about updating Facebook each day, just take one hour each Sunday night to get all your posts for the week ready. Vary your posts: links to your blog, links to interesting stories on other sites, photos of your spa, inspirational quotes, spa deals, worthy YouTube videos, etc. Use a client like Hootsuite to schedule your posts in advance, and you’ll never have to think about it while you’re mid-facial. (Although you’ll want to make sure to check back at least every 48 hours to respond to any questions.)

4. Offer exclusive deals and do fun giveaways. Let’s be honest. There are millions of pages out there, and if you’re not doing something special, the only Likes you’ll have are your friends, your best clients and your mother. Offer exclusive deals like: 30% off all massages if you call and book by Thursday and tell us you’re a member of our Facebook page! Do a giveaway such as: Tell us why you need a facial on our wall, tomorrow at 6pm we’ll invite one of you in for free!

Who’s ready to dominate this growing nation of endless business opportunity? If you’re part of the Spa Week program, feel free to email me at michelle at spaweekmedia dot com anytime for advice or help on getting your spa noticed online.