The Enhancement Paradox: Why Demand Is Up But Therapist Confidence Is Down

This week, just ahead of the Holidays, I had the privilege to speak with special guest Michelle Kelthy, Spa Director, The Ritz-Carlton, Naples - taking a deep dive into the psychology of spa enhancements looking at how too remove barriers and prepare the team best for the Holidays. What we uncovered is both fascinating and frustrating: guest demand for enhancements has never been higher, yet therapist willingness to recommend them is at an all-time low.

It's important on an organizational, team and guest level:

Your guests WANT their service and experience enhanced. Your team just don't quite believe it. Let's look at what is getting in the way to healthier profitability and improved guest experience and retention.

The Enhancement Sales Numbers Tell a Compelling Story

In spite of assumptions from the the economy, occupancy and consumer sentiment, when done right- guests aren't just accepting one enhancement – they're opting for two or three add-ons per service. They're choosing facial and eye masks, scalp treatments, aromatherapy upgrades – anything that maximizes the health benefits within their given treatment time.

And here's the kicker: enhancements come with an 80% profit margin. That's not a typo.

Let me break down the math even more simply. If a 10-room spa property adds just one enhancement per day at $30, that's an extra $93,600 annually. One enhancement. Per day. Let's look at what's getting in the way to capture this opportunity and deliver what the guest needs?

Luxury spa with local and resort guests after their team completed the in person recommending session in February 2025, an initial 275% increase.

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June
191	362	527	546	521	497
$4522	$8615	$12515	$12831	$12135	$11795

The Real Problem Isn't Your Menu – It's Your Team's Mindset to Retail Selling

During the webinar, Michelle and I kept coming back to the same issue: therapists feel guilty about recommending enhancements. They're terrified of seeming pushy. They genuinely worry they're taking advantage of guests or making them uncomfortable. So they run out of time. "No time", the biggest commonly heard reason why teams are no retail or enhancement recommendations. I also run out of time when I have to do that something, I don't believe in and don't want to do. After a time it just disappears or drops off.

And here's where it gets complicated – spa directors and managers are so stretched thin that they don't have the bandwidth to address this psychological barrier. You're juggling scheduling, inventory, guest complaints, staff turnover, and trying to hit revenue targets. Adding "therapist confidence coaching" to your plate feels impossible.

But this is costing you real money. When your conversion rate sits below 10%, you're leaving thousands of dollars on the table. And it's not because your therapists don't care – it's because they care too much.

Why Traditional Approaches Keep Failing to Spa Sales Training

I've watched spa after spa try the same tactics:

• Telling staff to "upsell more" (Result: They feel pushy and pressured)

• Installing incentive programs (Result: Mixed results, inconsistent execution)

• Creating new menu items (Result: Initial excitement fades, everyone reverts to baseline)

• Bringing in generic sales training (Result: Doesn't translate to the therapeutic relationship)

These approaches to spa sales training fail because they're missing the fundamental issue: your therapists don't have a system for WHEN or HOW to offer enhancements in a way that feels therapeutic, not transactional.

"It's not pressure, it's not sales...it's enhancing an experience, their way, for them and of course we add in home care advice to continue the good work the service provider started, to continue the benefits at home" Michelle Kelthy, Spa Director, The Ritz-Carlton, Naples

The Solution: My 5-Element Enhancement Success Formula

What Michelle and I introduced, was the framework I use in The Recommending & Up-Selling live, in person workshops - that builds trust and removes the guesswork and guilt:

TRUST + TIMING + VALUE + CONFIDENCE + RELEVANCE

= CONSISTENT ENHANCEMENT SALES

Let's break this down:

Trust is the foundation. Without psychological safety and genuine rapport, nothing else matters. Your therapists need to establish connection first, recommendations second. This is why the pushy "always be closing" approach backfires.

Timing is everything. There are three critical windows for recommendations: during booking (10-15% success rate), upon arrival (20-25% success rate), and during treatment (highest conversion). Each touchpoint requires different language.

Value must be crystal clear. Instead of "Would you like to add hot stones?" try "Hot stones penetrate 3x deeper to finally release that stubborn tension you mentioned." See the difference? You're speaking to outcomes, not features.

Confidence comes from preparation. When your team has practiced responses to common objections and knows exactly how to read guest cues, retail recommendations feel natural instead of forced.

Relevance requires personalization. This is where DISC behavioral insights become powerful. A High-D guest wants quick, results-focused recommendations. A High-I guest responds to social proof and enthusiasm. A High-S guest needs gentle reassurance. A High-C guest wants data and logical explanations.

Real-World Success: What Happens When You Get This Right

I've worked with properties that went from sub-10% enhancement rates to 35-40% conversion within 90 days of implementing this framework. Not because therapists became "better at sales," but because they finally had a psychology-based system that aligned with their values.

One mid-sized luxury spa property I worked with added $117,600 annually in enhancement sales revenue – and their guest satisfaction scores actually INCREASED. Why? Because guests felt genuinely cared for, not sold to.

The Path Forward

Here's what I tell every spa director who's frustrated with enhancement numbers: Your team don't need more pressure. They need more clarity.

They need to understand:

• When to make retail recommendations (and when NOT to)

• How to personalize their approach based on guest behavioral style

• What language removes the "sales" feeling and centers on service

• Why enhancement sales are actually a form of deeper care, not upselling

The opportunity sitting in front of you right now is key to 2026 and beyond. Guests want enhancements. The profit margins are very attractive. Your therapists already have the emotional intelligence and caring nature needed to succeed.

Let's Talk About Your Specific Barriers

Every spa has unique challenges – maybe it's a particular personality on your team, or specific objections that keep coming up, or a culture that's resistant to anything that feels "sales-y."

Team stop Freezing up and become more empowered

I'd love to understand what's specifically blocking your enhancement success and create a customized plan to remove those barriers through empowered, confident therapists who know exactly how to serve guests at a deeper level.

Ready to transform your enhancement numbers without compromising your team's therapeutic integrity?

Start here Book a complimentary strategy session and let's discuss exactly what's keeping your therapists from retail recommendations and enhancement spa sales with confidence.

Watch the live recording here.

Contact: Dr. Michela Henke Cilenti | 314-728-1109 | michelahenkecilenti@gmail.com

About the Author: Dr. Michela Henke-Cilenti has spent 25 years coaching hospitality leaders to build confident, emotionally intelligent teams that deliver exceptional guest experiences while driving sustainable revenue growth. Her Enhancement Success Formula has helped luxury spa properties generate six and seven-figure annual increases in enhancement revenue through retail recommendations. Specific spa sales training, made just for you and your team to truly move the dial on sales and engagement.