December's Employee Spotlight shines on Hand & Stone's Advertising Director, Sharon Slotkin! In her spotlight, Sharon talks about her role on the corporate team, some of the responsibilities of her position, and what motivates her to get to work every day.
How long have you been with Hand & Stone?
I’ve been with Hand & Stone for almost 11 years. Previously, I worked for LA Weight Loss for over a decade which was also a franchise brand. I have been in the advertising industry for over 25 years. I saw Hand & Stone was growing like crazy and was looking to expand HSM, our in-house agency, to keep up with the growth. Someone who I worked with at my previous company recommended me for the position and I started shortly after. HSM began with two people on the team overseeing 65 spas. Fast forward to today, there’s nine Account Executives overseeing over 500 locations.
What are some of the main responsibilities you take on with your role?
I am the Advertising Director which means I oversee the account executives on our team. Each Account Executive including me has about 60 spas that we serve on a day-to-day basis. I handle the entire National account, which includes any broadcast advertising we do on a national level. This benefits every spa and brand awareness overall. On top of that I work with our partners that include David’s Bridal, USAT, and any TV exposure (Let’s Make a Deal, Price Is Right, CBS The Talk, etc.).
How do you directly benefit our franchisees?
Being here over a decade, I’ve heard and seen it all. I can help my AE’s with anything they need, which will ultimately help our franchisees. We have trialed and error a lot of advertising strategies. What might help one franchisee may not benefit another, so working with each owner to get that unique, strategic media plan.
What is your favorite part about working for Hand & Stone?
I love that it’s an in-house agency and it’s one client that I get to really know. You know the franchisees on a personal level and have relationships with them and not just the business. I understand that is their livelihood and try to manage their spas with that in mind.
What motivates you to get to work each day?
It’s a great group of people to work with at the corporate office. Everyone here takes their job seriously and really cares for the company but at the same time is fun to be around. If you’re not happy with your day-to-day, it will reflect in your work but luckily that’s not the case here.
Is there anything else you’d like to share that you feel is essential to tell your story?
Seeing this company grow is just an amazing thing to witness. When you asked me to be in the spotlight this month, I sometimes forget that I’ve seen this concept grow from 60 spas to over 500. During this time, I’ve been able to grow the HSM team and the strategies we use. For example, one of our newest strategies is OTT. OTT stands for “over-the-top,” and refers to access to TV content using an internet connection or “streaming.” We have seen great success with this type of marketing and we are just getting started! Just because we’re a small agency, doesn’t mean we don’t keep up with the media trends. When I first started, we were about 60% print advertising, and now we are less than 20%. We realize when it’s time to move to the next best thing!
Last but not least, what’s your favorite service to get at Hand & Stone?
Hydrating Facial, especially for the cold and dry winter months ahead!
