Awards can be a very powerful marketing tool, yet many great spas are missing out because of poorly written submissions. Spa judge Samantha Foster has five tips to give your spa’s submission that winning edge
By Samantha Foster | Published in Spa Business 2013 issue 1
Submit images (not picture links) if you can – they make applications stand out
Over the past 10 years I’ve had the privilege of judging several different spa awards internationally. It’s always with a sense of excitement that I receive the nominations. However, the excitement soon turns to dismay, as I turn through page after page of marketing hyperbole and missed opportunity. If your spa is worthy of winning an award, here’s some advice on how to do it justice:
1 Does your spa really fit the criteria for the category? This is important. Don’t apply the shotgun approach of entering a heap of awards in the hope that you’ll win one, as it irritates judges if you waste their time. For example, the destination spa category always fills with resort spas claiming to qualify because they hold yoga classes. Before submitting your application, carefully go through the criteria and make sure you can meet every one.
2 Craft your submission specifically for the award category. The worst thing you can do is cut and paste general blurb from your brochure or website. It demonstrates a lack of care or forethought, so I’m staggered how often it happens. Ask ‘why should I win this award?’ and remember that you don’t need to describe every aspect of your spa – focus only on those that would make you an outstanding recipient.
3 Avoid marketing hype. Judges are industry professionals, not consumers. Your mission is to inform them of your strengths relative to your competitors; not to get them to book a treatment. Explain how your spa meets the criteria and offer tangible proof – often I’ll get to the bottom of a submission having not found one meaningful piece of information.
4 Keep it concise and complete. Respect the judge’s time and keep your submission as concise as you can, while still including all the necessary information. If it’s too long, you’ll quickly lose your reader’s attention. However, don’t go to the other extreme and just include a link to your website, as few will have time to explore it. Make it easy for judges. Use bullet points to summarise key parts that justify your spa’s worthiness to win the award. Focus on competitive advantages – things that you do that are unique or demonstrably better or different compared to others in your category.
5 Include images where possible. If the award organiser permits, attach images – not links – of your spa’s facilities, floor plans or other graphic elements. They will make your submission far more memorable than others.
Applying for awards isn’t difficult. You just need to have a clear understanding of your spa’s strengths and competitive advantages. Judges typically have more than 200 pages of nominations to sift through, so if you put yourself in their shoes before you write you’ll be ahead of the game. Good luck!
* For more marketing advice, this time on how spas can improve their online consumer reviews, see p26.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2013 issue 1
Project update: Floating point
Michel Kreuger, the man behind Amsterdam’s €9m Floating Gardens spa, tells Magali Robathan how the innovative project is shaping up
Everyone's talking about...: Online reviews
Economists have revealed that just half a star difference in online consumer reviews can make or break a business. But are spa operators doing enough to boost their online reputation?
Marketing: Award winning advice
Spa judge Samantha Foster shares her top tips on how to write an award application entry with a winning edge
Interview: Deborah Szekely
The extraordinary Deborah Szekely has spent 73 years in the industry, creating Rancho La Puerta and the Golden Door. Her 90th birthday marked the dawn of a new era, with the launch of lobbying organisation Wellness Warrior. She talks to Liz Terry
Research: Recovery begins
Hotel spas in the US are starting to bounce back from the economic downturn. Andrea Foster from PKF Consulting analyses its 2012 Trends® in the Hotel Spa Industry report
Trends: Watch this space
The Brazilian middle class, millennials and gamification will have a significant impact on the spa industry moving forwards. Health and wellness experts at global foresights firm The Futures Company tell us why and suggest other trends to keep an eye out for
Promotion: company profile: Thalgo
Spa Business talks to Bernard Sirop, managing director of Thalgo, about the evolution of the company and where it is set to go in the future
Spa science: Entering the telo-age
Jay Williams explains the science behind telomere health – DNA structures linked to cellular ageing – and how it can be used in spas
Top team: Botanique Hotel & Spa
The hottest new spa in Brazil is backed by leading entrepreneurs including The Body Shop’s Gordon Roddick and AOL co-founder David Cole. We find out more
Promotional feature : Concept development
Special experiences are created when spa concepts are expressed through great design. Kate Corney talks to WTS president Gary Henkin and business partner Doug Chambers, principal of Blu Spas, about concept and branding
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Awards can be a very powerful marketing tool, yet many great spas are missing out because of poorly written submissions. Spa judge Samantha Foster has five tips to give your spa’s submission that winning edge
By Samantha Foster | Published in Spa Business 2013 issue 1
Submit images (not picture links) if you can – they make applications stand out
Over the past 10 years I’ve had the privilege of judging several different spa awards internationally. It’s always with a sense of excitement that I receive the nominations. However, the excitement soon turns to dismay, as I turn through page after page of marketing hyperbole and missed opportunity. If your spa is worthy of winning an award, here’s some advice on how to do it justice:
1 Does your spa really fit the criteria for the category? This is important. Don’t apply the shotgun approach of entering a heap of awards in the hope that you’ll win one, as it irritates judges if you waste their time. For example, the destination spa category always fills with resort spas claiming to qualify because they hold yoga classes. Before submitting your application, carefully go through the criteria and make sure you can meet every one.
2 Craft your submission specifically for the award category. The worst thing you can do is cut and paste general blurb from your brochure or website. It demonstrates a lack of care or forethought, so I’m staggered how often it happens. Ask ‘why should I win this award?’ and remember that you don’t need to describe every aspect of your spa – focus only on those that would make you an outstanding recipient.
3 Avoid marketing hype. Judges are industry professionals, not consumers. Your mission is to inform them of your strengths relative to your competitors; not to get them to book a treatment. Explain how your spa meets the criteria and offer tangible proof – often I’ll get to the bottom of a submission having not found one meaningful piece of information.
4 Keep it concise and complete. Respect the judge’s time and keep your submission as concise as you can, while still including all the necessary information. If it’s too long, you’ll quickly lose your reader’s attention. However, don’t go to the other extreme and just include a link to your website, as few will have time to explore it. Make it easy for judges. Use bullet points to summarise key parts that justify your spa’s worthiness to win the award. Focus on competitive advantages – things that you do that are unique or demonstrably better or different compared to others in your category.
5 Include images where possible. If the award organiser permits, attach images – not links – of your spa’s facilities, floor plans or other graphic elements. They will make your submission far more memorable than others.
Applying for awards isn’t difficult. You just need to have a clear understanding of your spa’s strengths and competitive advantages. Judges typically have more than 200 pages of nominations to sift through, so if you put yourself in their shoes before you write you’ll be ahead of the game. Good luck!
* For more marketing advice, this time on how spas can improve their online consumer reviews, see p26.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2013 issue 1
Project update: Floating point
Michel Kreuger, the man behind Amsterdam’s €9m Floating Gardens spa, tells Magali Robathan how the innovative project is shaping up
Everyone's talking about...: Online reviews
Economists have revealed that just half a star difference in online consumer reviews can make or break a business. But are spa operators doing enough to boost their online reputation?
Marketing: Award winning advice
Spa judge Samantha Foster shares her top tips on how to write an award application entry with a winning edge
Interview: Deborah Szekely
The extraordinary Deborah Szekely has spent 73 years in the industry, creating Rancho La Puerta and the Golden Door. Her 90th birthday marked the dawn of a new era, with the launch of lobbying organisation Wellness Warrior. She talks to Liz Terry
Research: Recovery begins
Hotel spas in the US are starting to bounce back from the economic downturn. Andrea Foster from PKF Consulting analyses its 2012 Trends® in the Hotel Spa Industry report
Trends: Watch this space
The Brazilian middle class, millennials and gamification will have a significant impact on the spa industry moving forwards. Health and wellness experts at global foresights firm The Futures Company tell us why and suggest other trends to keep an eye out for
Promotion: company profile: Thalgo
Spa Business talks to Bernard Sirop, managing director of Thalgo, about the evolution of the company and where it is set to go in the future
Spa science: Entering the telo-age
Jay Williams explains the science behind telomere health – DNA structures linked to cellular ageing – and how it can be used in spas
Top team: Botanique Hotel & Spa
The hottest new spa in Brazil is backed by leading entrepreneurs including The Body Shop’s Gordon Roddick and AOL co-founder David Cole. We find out more
Promotional feature : Concept development
Special experiences are created when spa concepts are expressed through great design. Kate Corney talks to WTS president Gary Henkin and business partner Doug Chambers, principal of Blu Spas, about concept and branding
Product focus: Amenities - part two
Amenities, which are often overlooked by spa suppliers, can bring in 20 per cent of revenue for a product house. Spa Business get the low-down
Research: Fighting fat
A new type of ‘beige fat’ cell has been found to burn energy rather than store excess calories. Scientists say it could be key to tackling obesity
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
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