Hello, everyone!  I’m Susie Kuse with Spa Copy.

After 13 years in the spa world, I’ve mingled my spa career with my first love, writing. I love writing about spas, spa environments, spa treatments and products, and the spa lifestyle!

But here, as part of the Florida Spa Association’s educational program, I can teach YOU about writing. You can have the most beautiful spa, the best treatments and equipment, and the most amazing therapists. You can relieve stress, boost self-esteem, improve skin, and relieve muscle aches and pains. You can show and teach people to live a healthier, more fulfilling life – and that needs to be expressed.   If you can’t express that to your target audience, NO ONE WILL KNOW.

I can show you how….and can’t wait to share some easy tips that will make your communication reflect the real you. And if you hate writing or feel you don’t do it well, don’t worry. These tips are all easy. It all gets easier from there.

So with that in mind, my first tip for you is this. In the huge whirlpool of humanity we live in, answer the question, “What makes you unique?” How can you use what makes you, YOU, to find the right clients for your business? What niche do you fill? How can you attract the right clients and disqualify the wrong ones?

If you’re thinking that anyone with skin is your client (or anyone with a wallet!), you’re missing a huge opportunity to make yourself stand out from the crowd. It’s kind of funny – everyone wants their spa or product or service to be unique and stand out, but most people think that everyone is their client. Not so!

Step 1: Find Your Strengths

Identify what makes you and your organization special and unique. What skills, talents, characteristics and abilities do you have that can, and should, be used to bless the lives of others? What are your collective strengths?

Recognize that a strength is not just something you’re good at. It’s actually something that makes you feel powerful, and provides more strength to your business.

The collective strengths of you, your company, your brand and your service are what make up your Unique Client Offer, or UCO.

Don’t be shy here. Your UCO will be at the heart of all your communication. You will use it to weave a golden thread throughout everything you write or say about your business. Write down all your strengths, and be as descriptive as possible. If you’re stuck, try using these techniques:

• How would your mother or someone very close to you describe your strengths?
• Visit with 20 business or personal associates via email or phone. Tell them you are defining the uniqueness of your business, and ask them, “What do you think I do better than anyone on the planet? What do you think are my unique skills and abilities?” and write them all down.
• Describe in detail 3 of the most successful moments of your personal life. Define the circumstances, how you handled it, and describe the outcome, including who it benefitted, how it benefitted them and how it made them feel.
• Describe 5-10 situations where a boss, a client, or a co-worker has complimented you. Tell what happened and what led up to it.

Step 2: Summarize Keywords, Phrases, and Big Ideas

Now summarize and organize your answers from Step 1. Look for patterns. Identify keywords. Isolate important phrases. Highlight big ideas that have emotional juice and power.

Next Issue: Build a Word Bank

Next time, we will take a look at your keywords, phrases and big ideas. The beautiful thing is, if you will invest some time, creativity, research and effort just this once with me – I will show you how to develop a word bank that you can repurpose, recycle and reuse over and over again. You will never again sit down with a blank page and not know where to start!

Your words are the building blocks for you to express your uniqueness.

Your words can reflect that you have climbed inside the skin of your clients and understand them at a deep level.

They will show you are sincere and can provide achievable solutions to their most pressing problems. Your clients will see you have the vision and skill to help them reach their dreams and goals.

Finally, your collection of words demonstrates that you are unique. Working with YOU will satisfy the deep emotional need they have to feel special. In fact, you’re giving them bragging rights for being special – and connected to YOU.

Of course, I’ll be here to answer your questions. Feel free to contact me through the FSA or susiekuse@gmail.com. Let’s redefine 2016 to make it your best year yet!