Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast
Episode #454: Marketing Month Part 2 - Using AI to Solve Real Marketing Problems (Not Just Add More Tools)
Host: Daniela Woerner | Guest: Lucy, Marketing Manager
Date: October 13, 2025
Episode Overview
In this engaging second installment of the “Marketing Month” series, Daniela Woerner and Lucy dive into practical strategies for leveraging AI in spa marketing. The focus is on sidestepping “shiny object syndrome” and instead using artificial intelligence to solve real, business-specific problems—especially around lead generation and website content. The episode is packed with actionable steps for spa owners, centering on understanding where leads come from, how to audit and optimize websites (even for non-writers), and ways to make marketing more efficient and targeted through AI tools.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Laying the Foundation for AI-Driven Marketing
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Importance of Foundation Documents (00:35-01:20)
- Having a well-crafted company bio and ideal client avatar (ICA) are essential for any spa owner looking to integrate AI into marketing. These documents ensure consistency and authenticity in messaging.
- “Those are going to be crucial for getting your marketing to sound just like you so that you're speaking to your ideal client.” – Daniela (00:45)
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Avoiding Shiny Object Syndrome (01:25-02:10)
- The spa industry is prone to chasing “the next big thing,” historically with devices and now with AI tools. Daniela stresses the need to focus on solving real, existing business problems, not just adopting technology for its own sake.
2. Identifying the Real Problems in Your Marketing
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Lead Generation: The Core Challenge (03:05-05:15)
- Most spa owners cite getting enough leads as their primary marketing pain point.
- The frequency of client visits has decreased (clients visit every 6-8 weeks instead of monthly), requiring more new leads to maintain booking rates.
- “Do you have a lead flow problem or do you have a retention problem?” – Daniela (04:05)
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Tracking Where Leads Come From (05:20-08:40)
- Introduction of the “Client Acquisition Cost Tracker” to log where new clients originate (SEO, social, word of mouth, strategic partnerships, or walk-ins).
- Calculating actual spend per channel, including payroll for social media efforts, not just ad spend.
- Actionable Tip:
- “Just have a notebook next to the front desk... One says SEO, one says social, one says word of mouth...” – Daniela (06:00)
3. Using Data to Make Better Marketing Decisions
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Analyzing Acquisition Channels (08:40-09:38)
- Most new clients are coming from Google/SEO, indicating where to focus optimization efforts.
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Weekly Stats to Monitor (08:43)
- “What do you think for you as a marketing manager has been the most important stats to keep an eye on?” – Daniela
- Lucy highlights the importance of monitoring lead quality and the initial messaging new clients receive.
4. Streamlining Content Creation with AI
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Website Updates & Overcoming Barriers (09:40-11:40)
- Many spa owners struggle to find time or confidence to update their websites, particularly with fresh blog content.
- Lucy recommends using AI as a tool to transcribe spoken expertise into SEO-ready blog posts, tailored to the spa’s unique voice and audience.
- “You have to say to yourself that I am an expert on this service and I can use AI as a tool... talk to it like I would talk to a client.” – Lucy (10:45)
- Customizing terminology (clients, guests, patients, spa CEO, etc.) within AI content to reflect your brand persona.
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Practical Tech Recommendation (11:50-12:40)
- Daniela recommends Whisper Flow as an effective tool to transcribe voice notes into text, which can then be used by ChatGPT or similar tools to generate blog posts.
- “Whisper Flow does a phenomenal job... You can just talk to it in your car... then upload that into chat and say, ‘write an SEO optimized blog post with meta descriptions.’” – Daniela (11:52)
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Affordability & Accessibility of AI Tools (13:10)
- Most AI tools are affordable ($10–$20/month) compared to traditional marketing agencies.
5. Action Steps for Listeners
(Summarized at 14:01–17:54)
Daniela’s prescribed weekly action items:
- Track Your Lead Sources (14:57)
- Place a notebook at the front desk with columns for each referral channel; log every new client’s source.
- Review the data monthly to see trends in lead generation.
- Calculate Client Acquisition Cost (15:11)
- Tally total spend per channel (SEO, ads, payroll, etc.), then divide by the number of leads to determine the cost per new client.
- Audit Your Website for SEO (16:20)
- Use ChatGPT or similar to scan your site for optimization tips: keywords, headings, meta descriptions.
- Choose the 10 most common client questions you receive and use AI to generate blog posts for each.
- (Bonus): Develop a high-value lead magnet (like the Growth Factor magazine) to accelerate email list growth.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Why to Use AI Intentionally
“We don't want to incorporate everything that we can with AI just because we can. We want to look at what are we trying to achieve.”
— Daniela (01:27) -
On the Value of a Purposeful Lead Magnet
“We’re giving so much incredibly valuable information away so that we're setting the stage… to build that first impression with our potential clients.”
— Daniela (02:50) -
On Streamlining Content Creation
“When people say that time is a big issue… that’s being solved in real time right now because I'm able to take just five to ten minute transcripts of you talking and turn it into a 1500-word blog post.”
— Lucy (11:37) -
On Making Marketing More Accessible and Affordable
“If before you were spending $2,500 a month on a marketing team… you can do that [with AI] for $20 a month. Right. I mean, it's a whole different thing.”
— Daniela (13:32) -
On The Role of AI
“AI is just the tool that helps you communicate it faster and more consistently.”
— Daniela (17:54)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [00:35] - The importance of foundational business documents before implementing AI
- [03:05] - Identifying your true marketing problem: Is it lead flow or retention?
- [05:25] - How to manually track lead sources
- [08:43] - Lucy discusses lead generation and messaging
- [10:45] - How non-writers can use AI to create blog content
- [11:50] - Quick review of Whisper Flow and using voice-to-text for blog posts
- [14:01] - Recap and action items for listeners
Episode Tone & Closing Thoughts
The conversation is supportive, practical, and empathetic toward spa owners overwhelmed by both technology and the demands of running a business. Daniela and Lucy provide reassurance, actionable advice, and accessible tech solutions, always emphasizing that AI should solve real problems—not become yet another distraction.
“You are an expert at what you do. You have the knowledge. AI is just the tool that helps you communicate it faster and more consistently.”
— Daniela (17:54)