For those unaware, location-based social networks enable users to share where they are by “checking-in” to specific venues including offices, hotels, restaurants, etc. In just the past year, we’ve seen the rise of sites like FourSquare and Gowalla, while giants Facebook and Twitter are beginning to introduce their own services.

So what does this mean for the hospitality industry? It means guests and customers are now your best sales people. Whether they’re sharing with friends, family or co-workers, they’re spreading opinions on your business like wildfire.

How can we support this process? Hotels, restaurants and spas around the world are already rewarding their most loyal FourSquare customers with discounts and special offers. Not only do tactics like this create better brand engagement, but its simplicity is unmatched.

What can location-based social networks do for you? Read the article in its entirety here.

Mother’s Day has always been a high-volume sales day in certain industries. You’ll see spikes in cards, flowers, spa packages – all of the usual items. While most spas see this as a time to consolidate and offer “express treatments”, Brownrigg was surprised to see some businesses push high-priced packages.

And how are these spas enticing buyers? You guessed it – social media.

In particular, the Four Seasons encouraged followers to tweet about the mothers in their lives for a chance to win a 50-minute treatment for the winner and their mom. While this might seem like nothing more than a quick-sell, it’s actually a well thought out plan for the Four Seasons to build relationships and experiment with new approaches to offering services.

Did it work? Only time will tell, since most mothers don’t use their packages right away. However, it proves that relationship building is vital to any company and that its value is not lost , even to the big names of the industry.

To read the article in its entirety, click here.

First off, if your spa has a web site or blog, chances are a web savvy individual can pull up some very interesting facts about your company – many of which you didn’t know where available. It’s all part of the immense transparency created by the web. On the plus side, when you utilize rich content like links, videos and images, search engines recognize it and reward you with increased visibility.

To drive the point home, the author gathered several quotes from a few individuals that know the business. Such as Lee Odden from Top Rank SEO, who said,

“Search is the most efficient and effective way for consumers to discover content. Companies that want to take advantage now of where trends in information publishing, discovery and marketing would do well to ensure their content strategy factors in the value of search as well as social media.”

If you want to make sure you’re getting the greatest amount of exposure or would just like to know what exactly your customers are finding, this is a great little article.

To read it in its entirety, click here.

I decided to take a break from articles and instead bring you a great site I found – futureoflocalmedia.org. This group of individuals hosts monthly mixers focusing on people, technologies and services that are shaping the Future of Local Media (.org) – see what I did there?

Each monthly event focuses on a specific topic within local media space. The event starts with a 30 minute open forum, where people have the opportunity to present an idea to the audience. Following the presentation, a salon series panel, which features industry executives, discusses the future of that month’s topic.

I’m pretty sure there are drink specials and food at the events, depending on the venue. I’ve personally been to an event and I can tell you it’s a great time full of entertainment and insight. If you’re interested in joining the intellectual mayhem, visit the group’s MeetUp.com page here.

Currently, the group hosts its events in and around New York City, but their continued growth makes me wonder if they will eventually branch out into other metropolitan areas.

To visit the group’s web site, click here.

Walsh states the point early, by saying “too often, writers and websites rely on social media technology to simply spread articles across the internet, instead of spending time developing relationships with readers.”

It’s easy to have a one-way conversation with your audience, but social media was never meant to be a monologue. The true power of social media comes in the form of dialogue, allowing companies the key benefit of knowing exactly how their customers feel.

“The real cause for the growth [of salon.com] this year is individual editors and writers being active community members,” Walsh continued, “Technology matters, but voice matters more. Relationships matter. Being a person actually matters.”

These words ring true for even the smallest of business. Anyone can create a Facebook page or Twitter account. But those individuals, who actually respond to comments and use them to better services and products, are the true winners.

Use social media to your advantage. It’s one reason I love the challenges and rewards of my job. Participating with a site like DealOn.com is more than a chance to drive customers to your door; it’s an opportunity to boost your online presence and garner word-of-mouth, which is crucial to growing a business. That’s the true test of social media’s power.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Yes, for those who haven’t heard, Foursquare has named tomorrow the official Foursquare Day or the Global Social Media Holiday. Why tomorrow? Well, if you check your calendar, it’s 4/16 and any math whiz will be quick to point out that 16 equals four squared (see what they did there?).

So what does one do on this illustrious holiday? Foursquare hopes members will use it as an opportunity to check-in at more places than other members to earn special badges. And in case you think this event is limited to the US, I’ll let you know it’s actually being celebrated with various festivities in 100 major cities around the world including Seoul, Budapest, Dublin and Sydney.

Just take a moment to think about that.

If tomorrow is actually a success for FourSquare, it will help persuade many skeptics out there about the true power of social media. So be sure to keep an eye on the Internet tomorrow, because I’m sure this is only the first of many global social media events.

If you want to find out more about the holiday or participate in the festivities, check out its dedicated page here.

“Bella Media has launched this web portal in direct response to the growing effectiveness of Social Media and electronic marketing.”

Not only do networks and portals allow perspective patients to shop around and gain comprehensive knowledge; they also allow doctors to effectively find and reach their target audience. It may seem like I am constantly repeating myself and just throwing example after example out there. But each of these articles provides a key insight into the countless ways a business can enter and utilize social media.

Do you have a success story to share? Let’s hear it! Tell us how social media has helped your business grow.

To read this article in its entirety, click here.

After celebrating its three-year anniversary on March 1, the salon decided to host its first free “Prom Night Expo“. Teens were offered complimentary hair styling and make-up sessions to choose a look that best suited them before the big night. After sending out information through flyers and their Facebook page, appointments filled so quickly, the salon had to cap the event at 70.

The salon even partnered with neighboring business, Angel Bridal, so students could look through dress samples with their new look. Owner Michelle Rodriguez believes that embracing new partnerships and new trends is all part of staying with the times and generating new business. It’s this passion that has allowed Rodriguez to grow her business from six chairs on the first floor to 13 chairs across two floors.

When a company becomes stale, consumers will lose interest. This article is proof positive that innovation and embracing new trends allow businesses to thrive and continuously generate new excitement and new customers. While it doesn’t have to be a Facebook page or a free event; it’s important to know who your customers are and how you can best associate and communicate with them.

To read the entire article, click here.

The businesses claim that Yelp is purposely altering their ratings, based on whether they’ve agreed to advertise with the Internet start-up. Jeremy Stoppelman, Yelp’s Chief Executive fired back, blaming this whole situation on a misunderstanding of the site’s rating system.

To avoid ratings being unfairly inflated by friends and family, while also ensuring they are not negatively impacted by competitors; the company has employed a filtering system to avoid distorted ratings. It is this system Yelp claims is being misconstrued, fueled by the lawyer’s desires to spur litigation.

As a Yelp user, myself, I’ve always wondered how the site combated unfair and untrue reviews. These are the hurdles you run into, when dealing with user-generated content – you have to take the good with the bad. While some users enjoy spreading the truth about businesses they have used; others find humor in spreading falsities, without realizing they are hurting actual people with their actions.

I’m not taking any side on this argument, until new information becomes available. If Yelp is actually taking part in these practices, they should be condemned. However, if this is just a way to make a quick buck, in a down economy; the business owners and lawyers should be ashamed. Innovative approaches like Yelp’s are what the market thrive on.

Read the entire article at the Wall Street Journal by clicking here.

While at first glance, that information may not seem relevant to spa and salon owners, the truth is – there’s a lot to be learned from this scenario. Across the board – hotels, spas, salons – all require some sort of commitment, whether it be a reservation or an appointment. With these industries sharing a very common audience; it’s easy to make the argument that salons and spas should take a page out of the hotel industry’s book.

With the Internet, size doesn’t matter. It’s all about functionality and ease-of-use. Even the smallest of salons can benefit from an online appointment system. Imagine the joy customers will experience if the next time they book a vacation, they can also book an appointment at your spa with the simple click of a mouse.

As the article mentions, “The growth of the Internet channel for the top 30 hotel brands is not an isolated phenomenon. HeBS reported steady increases in direct online channel bookings across its hotel client portfolio, even in a difficult year like 2009.” That’s news we can all benefit from – if we take advantage of what the online channel can offer us all.

To read the article in its entirety, click here.