With Thanksgiving and the holiday season just days away, it's time to make a plan to finish your year strong at your spa or medspa. We've experienced a year of ups and downs, and it has certainly shown us that with planning, tenacity and a lot of patience we can continue to do the work that we love.

Follow my six tips below to finish 2020 on top and start the new year off right with some fun and festive ideas.

1. Customer appreciation is what the holiday season is about.

If this year has taught us anything, it's that you don't have a successful spa business without your clients! Think of this holiday season as a way to give back and give thanks to all the clients who have supported your spa business during this unprecedented year.

Brainstorm with your staff and think of some fun and creative ways you can give back to your clients and community right now. Perhaps you'd like to support a charity or local organization that a few of your clients are involved with. Maybe you'd like to start a collection for a food drive or gifts for the local children's hospital and offer a discount to clients who donate.

You may also want to consider running a customer appreciation holiday sale on select services and products. There are so many fun and engaging ways you can say thank you to your clients and this year it is needed more than ever.

2. Create awesome retail promos.

Make your retail shelves enticing to your clients and promote exciting sales via your email newsletter, website and social media platforms. Maybe you can consider creating an incentive for customers to bundle multiple products via a gift with purchase or a discount.

Arrange some festive displays that show creative gifting options so your clients can one-stop-shop for all their friends and family, right at your spa. Categorize retail offerings by price point so clients can grab gifts and stocking stuffers quickly and easily. Offer a gift-wrapping service or festive holiday gift bags when clients reach a certain spending threshold.

Selling retail is a wonderful way to boost revenue and strengthen your connection to your clients by fulfilling their shopping and skincare needs this holiday season.

3. Supporting local means supporting you.

There is a big push right now to support local, small businesses. Don't forget that that means you! Many customers want to avoid large crowds and big stores and will prefer to shop in their neighborhoods. Think about creating some awesome Black Friday deals that can be ordered online, via phone and curbside pickup.

You can even invite clients to make an appointment to come in and shop at your spa with a special discount or free gift. Create some attractive pre-wrapped gift baskets that clients can pick up as a last-minute gift or hostess present. Offer discounts to neighboring businesses and ask if you can promote your business within theirs and vice versa. Let your clients know how much it means to you that they are supporting your small business and they will reciprocate.

4. Work with your vendors to create irresistible offerings.

As I always say, call your product and equipment vendors and see how they can help! You never know what products, ideas or exciting events they may be able to contribute to your holiday season at the spa.

Sometimes vendors are able to gift products to you that you can pass on to your clients. Other times, they can donate equipment, tools or enhance your retail displays. Maybe you'd like to run a contest for a giveaway that your vendor can provide assets for; the sky is the limit here. Just be sure to ask!

5. Offer free service upgrades to fill your schedule.

Nothing gets your clients coming in the door like a freebie! Freebies can include a complimentary service upgrade, a free product or extra time. The point is: as soon as clients hear "free" they are going to book with you ASAP! You may be thinking that giving things away will hurt your bottom line in some way, but if you do it correctly it really doesn't.

To explain, if you have overstock of a certain chemical peel solution, hand lotion, or a hydrating mask you can add on a free peel treatment, hand massage upgrade or mask without it breaking the bank. Or, if your client is already getting a facial massage or microdermabrasion, you can offer to add on an area or give more time to the treatment. This costs virtually nothing, but it translates to more pampering and greater results for your clients; win-win! Giveaways like these will cost you very little but will be a huge value-add for your clients to entice them to come in for treatments and fill your books!

6. Virtual holiday parties and giveaways.

If you've done holiday parties and events at your spa, in the past, then you know how fun they can be. This year is a little different, but it doesn't mean that you can't host these parties in another way. Many spas are having a ton of success holding virtual happy hours, meetings and parties — so why not organize one, too?

Clients will be thrilled to support you from the comfort of their homes and join in on the fun. Send out invites via email and encourage an RSVP. You can chat about topics in skincare and offer prizes, discounts and giveaways for attendance to your event. Not to mention, clients will be so happy to reconnect with you and your staff in a safe, memorable and engaging way.

Before you know it, this year will be over. Start planning how you will end the year on a high note right now. Consider things you can do to engage in client appreciation, promote retail sales, support local (that's you), collaborate with vendors, offer free upgrades and plan virtual events. These fun and celebratory promotions will boost morale and your revenues so you can finish the year strong!