Limited-time discounts, bundled packages, or exclusive deals can motivate potential buyers to make a purchase decision sooner rather than later. When customers perceive that they are getting a great deal or saving money, they are more likely to invest in a high-ticket item like a hot tub. Promotions can also attract attention to new products or features, encouraging customers to upgrade or add accessories to their existing setups. 

By always ending a sale or going into a sale you are regularly giving customers a reason to visit the showroom repeatedly. This strategy helps maintain a consistent level of activity and interest, preventing sales slumps and keeping inventory moving. In an industry where customer excitement and emotional engagement are key to making a sale, consistently leveraging promotions can sustain momentum and drive ongoing revenue growth. Southern Leisure Spas & Patio has done a fantastic job at leveraging their sales year-round utilizing email marketing, SEO, social media and more.  

About Southern Leisure Spas & Patio  

Southern Leisure Spas and Patio started as Pool Xpressions in March of 2013. Their initial goal was to provide a simple pool design center and retail setting for pool supplies, chemicals, and a few hot tubs. As they progressed through their first year in business, they found they were selling more hot tubs and BBQ grills and less pool design and supplies. Eventually, Pool Xpressions rebranded and became Southern Leisure Spas and Patio in January of 2015. 

Sales Strategy  

Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer season when many customers are looking to enhance their outdoor living spaces and provides an ideal opportunity to attract shoppers with special promotions and sales events, capitalizing on the increased foot traffic and interest in leisure and relaxation products.  

Cole Taylor, Vice President of Southern Leisure Spa and Patio generously shared some of the dealership’s strategy around how they leverage sales, especially their most recent Memorial Day Sale, when they were one of Bullfrog Spas top selling dealers. According to Cole, May is one of their biggest sales of the year and they make sure leverage the offer Bullfrog Spas provides their dealers, while also adding their own deals on top of this manufacturer offer, including cash discounts, 0% APR or other special financing. To magnify their offerings, Cole and his team have come up with a creative sale they offer throughout almost the entire month of May, and again in October in anticipation of the fall rush, called the Battle of the Brands.  

Southern Leisure Spa and Patio leverages this sale by marketing it as the month when all manufacturers offer their best deals which can be found at their locations, ultimately creating a competitive and exciting atmosphere for customers. As Southern Leisure Spa and Patio has found, an effective approach to leveraging a sale is to coordinate major sales events around holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, when customers are more likely to be in the market for leisure and outdoor products. Here is just a small sample of what the dealership does to advertise their products: 

In addition to seasonal sales, dealerships can employ various other promotional strategies to maintain customer interest and boost revenue. Flash sales, where discounts are available for a very short period, can create a sense of urgency and encourage quick decision-making. While offering bundled packages that include popular accessories like steps, covers, or maintenance kits can add value and make the purchase more attractive. By having a diverse sales strategy and continually offering compelling promotions, businesses can keep their customer base engaged and drive consistent sales growth.

Creating an Advertising and Marketing Machine 

With Cole’s background in marketing, Southern Leisure Spa and Patio has been able to create a round-the-clock marketing machine. The dealership has a list of over 4,000 leads, grown through their own marketing efforts as well as through Smartlead, a lead capture system which Bullfrog Spas offers to all their dealers. They send a newsletter out once a week with specific offers or deals to their entire lead list. According to Cole, “If you do not have an email list and are not sending out weekly emails you are leaving a lot untouched.” Having an email list that sends out news, deals, and other information weekly or even monthly keeps customers engaged and informed about promotions, new products, and exclusive offers. This type of regular communication helps build strong customer relationships, encouraging repeat business and increasing overall sales.  

During their seasonal sales, Southern Leisure Spa and Patio also creates a landing page specific to the sale where individuals can go to request pricing emailed to them and sign up for their newsletter. This Memorial Day Cole put a little more emphasis on this landing page saying, “We really focused on Google Ads and pushed everyone to a landing page on our site that talked about different brands and different offers. We didn’t put a whole lot of pricing on our page, but about halfway down the page we put a form for people to fill out to have our price list emailed to you.” Cole then saw his costs per lead drop dramatically stating, “I saw my costs drop from about $100 per lead to about $38.” He attributes much of the success of their landing page to the fact that people often seek quick access to information without the pressure of direct sales. “People want pricing without human interaction,” said Cole, “so if you give them the opportunity to trade them their contact info for a price sheet, people will act on that.”  

There are other way dealerships can easily gather contact information to begin compiling their list, such as collecting email addresses during in-store visits or events by simply asking customers to provide their contact information for future updates and special offers. Southern Leisure Spa and Patio also keep an iPad inside their stores where people can sign up to receive future offers if they do not purchase today. Additionally, Bullfrog Spas dealers can take advantage of Smartlead to begin building a list, for more details on leveraging Smartlead read our article, Closing More Leads on Smartlead. 

Prepping the Store for a Sale  

Thoroughly prepping a store for a sale is essential as it creates a festive and inviting atmosphere that attracts customers’ attention. This includes putting up banners, balloons, and other eye-catching decorations that promote the sale as well as ensuring that your sales associates are well-prepared and knowledgeable about the promotional offers, products, and how to handle various customer situations. Southern Leisure Spa and Patio not only puts up banners and other decorative items in their stores, but makes sure their entire sales team is well informed and prepared for their sales, especially when they are having their largest sale of the year. According to Cole, “We have a sales meeting every Friday where we go over how to approach certain challenges with the promotion and go over the offer.” Southern Leisure Spa and Patios’ Sales Managers also take a couple hours a week in every one of their stores doing mock sales and role playing with their employees to make sure they are comfortable interacting with customers.  

Additionally, they utilize Telegram to make sure their entire team is informed and connected. “We have a special promotional chat on there where we post all the information. Sales teams also can post images or ask questions if they have a customer who is looking for something another location might have,” says Cole. By creating an engaging and supportive environment, Southern Leisure Spa and Patio maximizes the impact of their sales events, drive foot traffic, increase sales, and foster positive customer experiences that encourage repeat business.  

What can I do today?  

To maximize their sales potential, dealers need to take proactive steps to enhance their marketing and customer engagement strategies. Here are three key actions dealerships can start today to leverage their sales successfully. 

  • Start Building an Email List: This foundational step allows them to maintain direct communication with potential and existing customers, keeping them informed about promotions, new products, and special events. Collect email addresses through in-store sign-ups, website forms, and social media campaigns, often incentivizing participation with exclusive discounts or sales.  
  • Order POP for Your Next Sale: A visually appealing and festive showroom can attract more foot traffic and create a sense of excitement and urgency around the sale. Make sure you are well stocked in Bullfrog Spa themed balloons, banners, teardrop flags, and other decorative items by ordering them through the Dealer Website.  
  • Create a Consistent Sales Training Plan: Implement regular training sessions that cover product knowledge, sales techniques, and customer service skills. For ideas and strategies on how to train your sales team, Bullfrog Spas dealers can refer to the Power Per Square Foot Guide found in the Dealer Media Library which goes through everything from greeting the customer to closing the sale.  

These strategies create a more engaging and effective sales environment, driving foot traffic and fostering customer loyalty. By taking these proactive steps, dealers can not only attract more customers but also improve their store’s overall shopping experience, leading to increased revenue and long-term success. Embracing these practices today will help dealerships stay competitive and thrive in an ever-evolving market.