5 Tips for Hosting a Holiday Hot Tub Party

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

The holidays are once again upon us, with that of course comes parties! As a hot tub owner, you have the perfect place to host a great party, who doesn’t love a relaxing dip in the spa on a cold night, with snow lightly falling, surrounded by family and friends. Here are some tips to ensure you are prepared for the perfect hot tub party this holiday season.

1. Chemical Balance

Make sure all your spa chemicals are in balance several hours prior to usage by the party guests. There would be nothing worse than having a guest become ill or end up with irritated skin due to a chemical imbalance in your spa water.

2. Safety

Make sure the area around the hot tub is safe. That there it is clear of debris and anything that people might trip over and get hurt; also having a durable set of Spa Steps is a great idea. This will allow easier access in and out of the tub for all guests. If you will be having elderly guests or people who may need added assistance in entering or exiting the hot tub a spa handrail may also be a great idea.

3. Comfort

When hot tubing the main goal is to relax, and a key element to relaxation is ensuring comfort. Ensure that your spa pillows are in good condition and offering neck/head support for guests while in the tub. To maximize comfort for more petite guests have a hot tub booster seat available. As seats in many hot tubs seem to be built for people taller in stature, hot tubing can actually be uncomfortable for shorter bathers as it takes effort to keep themselves above the waterline and does not allow for maximum comfort, a booster seat is a great way to eliminate that problem and make sure they are very comfortable.

4. Aromatherapy

Use spa aromatherapy to set the mood, using crystals combined with an elixir will give bathers all the benefits available such as: fragrance, water softeners, skin moisturizers, anti-inflammatory, and a natural remedy for aches and pains. For a Holiday party I would recommend scents such as White Musk Vanilla Jasmine or Eucalyptus Mint.

5. Set The Mood

Any holiday party would be incomplete without music and drinks. So set up your iPod speakers outside and crank up the holiday tunes for your guests to enjoy. With the weather being cold outside have a hot beverage available for guests to enjoy such as hot cocoa, cider, or eggnog. A Smart Bar or Spa Caddy on your spa can come in handy for holding those drinks also.

If you follow the tips outlined here you are on track for making your holiday hot tub party a great success, just remember the key elements of safety and comfort and your guests will have a marvelous time enjoying your spa with you.

Hot Tub Warehouse

Tags: Holiday, Hosting, Party, tips
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Tips to Host the Perfect Winter Spa Party

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Although most of us duck inside to the safety of warm blankets and thick socks at the first sign of cold, winter can be the perfect season for hosting a hot tub party for friends and family! Since we’ve gone over how to prepare your hot tub for winter, hot tub maintenance and selecting a hot tub cover, it’s time to put together the ultimate get together!
To throw a great winter hot tub party, nothing is more important than making sure you have the right party accessories.

Spa Accessories

Drinks: Baby, it’s cold outside! So make sure your guests have something warm to drink to keep them toasty while they soak in the spa. We recommend winter favorites such as hot cocoa and coffee, as well as some holiday classics, like eggnog or toddies. Nowhere to place them? Purchase a removable spa shelf so guests can easily reach their drinks.

Toys: Your family is snowed in and the kid’s school got canceled? Time for a hot tub party! Grab some waterproof playing cards and have some family time playing canasta or go fish.

Relax: Nothing is as relaxing as dipping into a hot spa on a cold day – add an inflatable hot tub pillow to maximize relaxation for your guests, or try to swirl in some soothing spa aromatherapy crystals to enhance the overall experience for everyone.

Safety: Don’t forget that sun damage can occur even in the winter! If you are hosting a daytime spa party, be sure to provide waterproof sunblock for friends and family.

Entertainment: Set up a portable DVD player by the hot tub – either on an attachable spa shelf or a table nearby – and pop in your favorite film for a perfect afternoon. If you’d rather keep things more social and conversational, plug your iPod into a portable stereo on a nearby table to enjoy music while socializing with friends and family.

Prepping for the Party

Scenery: A winter spa party set against a crisp white landscape can relax, soothe, re-energize and completely clear your mind. Soak up the surroundings by making sure any unsightly gardening tools or hoses are kept out of site. If you are hosting guests at night, be sure to switch on any holiday lights outside as well as the hot tub light to really enhance the mood! To keep guests warm once they are out of the tub, you can even build a bonfire (purchase a chiminea or fire pit to ensure safety).

Cover Ups: Avoid discomfort by preparing for your guests ahead of time. Suggest that guests bring a robe for after the hot tub and provide everyone with a warm towel once the hot tub portion of the evening is complete. Be sure to lay out mats by the door to keep water from dripping inside the house. Keep guests safe and healthy by providing a warm retreat from the cold in addition to towels, robes and/or socks.

Indoors: Now that you and your guests have enjoyed the invigorating mix of brisk winter air and hot, soothing water, it’s time to relax in the living room with a glass of brandy for the adults and a movie for the children. Light a fire and enjoy the cozy environment, it’s the ideal way to wrap up a winter spa party!

Hot Tub Warehouse is a supplier of quality, name-brand spa maintenance products and spa parts. As an online resource for the very best solutions for all your hot tub needs, Hot Tub Warehouse offers you the best selection of products.

Hot Tub Warehouse

Tags: Host, Party, Perfect, tips, Winter
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How to Think of Great Ideas for Sales and Marketing

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

business man in a homemade rocket on salt flats
What happens when you hit a creative wall? Or do you ever feel like you are tapped out of ideas, especially when it is crunch time? Some people are idea machines and then, there is the rest of us. We need a little nudge to get our brains moving toward the development of a great sales or marketing campaign, or a better way to approach a situation that is in dire need of something snappy or creative. When that time comes, how do you find inspiration? It can be different for everybody, but here are some things that work for me.

Podcasts/Interviews

I get some of my best ideas while I am listening to podcasts. First of all, what is a podcast? A podcast is a free audio or video that can be subscribed through iTunes and played on your iPod/iPhone, computer, or mp3 device. A podcast can be about any subject and is usually in the form of education, entertainment or interview. There are thousands to choose from in many different interests and niches. These are great for two reasons: they are informative and they are free. I have found what works best for me is to listen to them as I drive to and from work each day, but you can easily incorporate them into your exercise program or leisure time.

For me, a podcast just gets my creative juices flowing. I listen to a lot of podcasts that have to do with sales and marketing. Often times I will be able to expound on an idea that is being discussed or it may send me off in a completely different direction, but the point is, to inspire creative thought and action. It works wonders and I highly suggest that you try it. Here are a few podcasts that I listen to regularly, give them a try. If they are not for you, just type in a quick search in the podcast directory and see what you like.

John Jantsch: Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
Small Business Trends Radio | Small Business Advice
Internet Marketing Podcast

(clicking the above links may open iTunes or ask you to install it)

Books

It takes me forever to read a book. I often start a book and then finish it up to a year later. Why does it take me so long to read it? I take a lot of notes while I am reading and then it begins to ignite ideas that I start working on and before I know it, I have put the book down and began creating something great. Even with all of the technology we have and the classes and workshops that cost us loads of money, a book is a tremendous value. For less than twenty bucks, you are awarded hundreds of pages filled with the author’s life’s work on a particular subject. That information is way more than you are going to get out of a 3-day workshop or seminar. Even if I don’t finish the book, I still got one amazing idea from reading it, which was well worth the measly $20.

Small business books I have read recently and recommend:

Other Advertisements

If I am in need of a effective idea for a sale, sometimes I will look to other companies to see what is working for them. If they had a great sales idea, there is nothing wrong with adapting it to fit my needs or simply “borrowing” it. I will look in department stores or skim through magazine ads or direct mail. It’s a good idea to keep a folder of advertisements that you have received in the mail or torn out of a magazine, so that you can use them as inspiration in the future. I will even do a quick search in Google for keywords or images that may be about a certain topic that I have been kicking around for a sale. Recently, I was looking on iStock.com, for an image for a direct mail piece I was putting together and as a result came up with an entire campaign and a bunch of signage for the store. If you are not familiar with iStock.com, it is an amazing resource for high quality photography, images, illustrations, and videos that are priced very competitively for you to license and use.

Take Action

The last thing I would suggest to inspire that million dollar idea is to simply do something that you love. Just being a part of something that takes you out of your element or provides you with a sense of being can result in creativity and inspiration. For some it may be rock climbing or free running, for others it may be painting or gardening. You just need to get to that place where your mind is set free to think and be inspired. Push yourself a little bit and the ideas will start to flow.

These are all exercises that I use on a regular basis to feed my creativity.

How do you come up with a great idea? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Tags: ideas, marketing, podcast, sales, tips
Posted in Blog, Spa Dealers | 4 Comments »

Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part Three: Filtration and Maintenance

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

This is the third post in the series “The Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa.” In this series we will discuss the most important considerations when choosing the hot tub that is perfect for you. Each day we will cover one of the top five tips with a new post and we encourage you to leave your comments, thoughts or opinions below.

Tip #3: Filtration and Maintenance

Filtration

Most portable hot tubs and spas use a cartridge-type filtration system to ensure clear, sparkling water. In cartridge filter systems, water is drawn in to the center of the filter, catching small particles and debris on the filter’s surface, then the water is pushed back out through the filter back into the spa. When shopping for a hot tub, an important question to ask is, “How many square feet of filtration is offered in this particular spa?” The larger the filter’s surface area, the more debris that is able to be filtered out of the spa water. Some hot tubs will have one large filter, while others may have two or more smaller filters. The filters will need to be cleaned and replaced periodically, so you will want them to be easy to access and remove. Plus, you may want to get an idea of what the cost of replacement will be, especially if you do have to purchase multiple filters at one time.

Another key point of filtration and clean water is the spa’s automatic filtration cycle. The water in a hot tub needs to be filtered several times throughout the day. During a filtration cycle the jets will turn on for a specified amount of time and move water through the filter, as discussed in the previous paragraph. Many spas feature pre-programmed filter cycles or even customizable filter cycles to adapt to bather load and general spa use. This entails programming how many times your spa is filtered as well as how long each filter cycle runs. You can even set the time of day that it runs, so it doesn’t interrupt you when you are sleeping or spending quality time outside near the spa.

A circulation pump is another feature that assists with hot tub filtration. A circulation pump keeps a small amount of water moving throughout the spa’s filter system 24 hours a day. It helps prevent standing water from becoming stale and works in conjunction with the hot tub’s programmable filtration cycles to ensure fresh, clean water. A circulation pump is usually offered in premium spa models and also aids in energy-efficiency, which means a lower monthly bill.

Ozone Treatment

Ozonators are usually included or available as an option for most spas. Ozone has been around for many years and aids a hot tub by assisting with sanitization and reducing the amount of chemical maintenance required. Ozone is often a very misunderstood topic for spa buyers and sometimes even amongst those in the industry, which is why I would like to refer to a recent article from SpaRetailer, titled “Ozone Generators Demystified“:

“Ozone is created when oxygen molecules are split by a high-energy electrical discharge resulting in two individual oxygen atoms. Those individual oxygen atoms unite with remaining oxygen molecules to produce a three-atom molecule of ozone gas. The weak bond holding ozone’s third oxygen atom causes the molecule to be extremely unstable and thus, a very effective oxidizer.

An oxidation reaction occurs upon any collision between an ozone molecule and an inorganic or organic molecule or substance such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and algae, where the oxygen atom held by the weak bond splits off and only oxygen is left behind. So, ozone is actually a gas manufactured by the method described above, created inside a chamber, housed in various styles of containers.

There are two types of ozonators used in hot tubs. One style produces ozone using an ultraviolet light, which oxygen passes through, immediately separating the atoms. The second style produces ozone by a process called Corona Discharge, or CD. This is actually a chamber inside the container that creates little electrical charges to split the atoms. The CD method has an operating life of about five years while the ultraviolet style lasts about one year.”

To read more from this article click here.

Tip: When shopping for a hot tub don’t be afraid to ask, “Does this hot tub have an ozonator? What kind of ozonator is it?”

Spa Care and Weekly Maintenance

Weekly maintenance should only take a few minutes each week and is as easy as testing the water, adding chemicals, and periodically cleaning the filter cartridge. We have outlined an Easy to Follow Spa Care Program and there is much more information found in our Hot Tub Handbook.

If you missed the first part of this series you can find it here:

–>Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part One: Comfort.

–> Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part Two: Therapy

As always, we would love to learn from your thoughts and questions in the comments below…

Tags: filtration, hot tub, hot tub filter, ozonator, ozone, spa, spa care, tips, weekly maintenance
Posted in Blog | 2 Comments »

Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub – Part One: Comfort

Monday, March 15th, 2010

This is the first post in a series called “The Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa.” In this series we will discuss the most important considerations when choosing the hot tub that is perfect for you. Each day we will cover one of the five tips with a new post and we encourage you to leave your comments, thoughts and opinions.

Tip #1 Comfort

Hot tubs have come a long way since the old, round cedar tubs with very few jets and straight-back seating. Today, most models contain seating that is ergonomically shaped to cradle your body and offer a much more comfortable and relaxing spa experience. In most spas, each seat will offer a different type of massage and target different muscles or areas of the body. Things to look out for – are the jets recessed or are they poking into your back? Does the spa offer a barrier-free seating arrangement?

How many people can the spa fit comfortably?

If the spa you are considering is a larger sized tub, another consideration is the size of the footwell. Most of the time it is just two people in the spa, but when you want to have friends over for a relaxing soak, you want to be comfortable and not bumping knees or playing footsie with your next-door neighbor, Tom. The size of the footwell is something you may notice at first, but try to imagine how much room you will have if each seat is occupied; in larger spas, that may be 7 or 8 pairs of feet.

Take it for a test-drive.

When you are shopping for a hot tub you will probably hear this over and over again, it is extremely important to wet test the spa that you are considering to purchase. Sitting in a dry spa may give you some idea of the comfort, but it is a much different experience when it is full of water and you are buoyant. It is much like test-driving a car; you want to make sure it feels good on the road, has the right amount of power, and is comfortable to drive. Most spa dealers will have hot tubs that you can wet test. Some even have private areas or “mood rooms” to allow you take a test soak during normal store operating hours. If not, most dealers will be happy to accommodate potential customers after hours. If they are not willing to allow you to wet test a certain spa or similar model, then you may want to consider looking elsewhere. Most private sellers ought to be able to accommodate a wet test as well, if the spa is in working condition.

A hot tub is a large purchase and you don’t want your first time using it to be the day after it is delivered and then you realize that it is not the perfect fit. At that point, it will be too late and you will be stuck with it.

If this post has been helpful to you, please leave your comments below. We would also love to hear any thoughts or other ideas that we may have missed.

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Click here to read part two of the series.