Watkins Wellness: Refining the Brand Story

Watkins Wellness has restructured how its entry-level hot tubs are positioned, bringing the Freeflow line into the Hot Spring brand to create a more unified showroom story for dealers.  

It’s part of a broader effort to simplify how products are presented and sold.

“We had great entry products, but they didn’t fully benefit from the strength of our flagship brand,” says Caitlin Woelfel, director of brand and channel marketing for Watkins Wellness. “This move fixes that.”

Simplifying the selling story

The change is meant to streamline the sales process.

Instead of presenting multiple stand-alone brands, dealers can now guide customers through a single product story — from entry-level to premium — within Hot Spring.

“We’ve eliminated unnecessary complexity and doubled down on what matters: popular sizes and price points, clear positioning and stronger equity behind every product we sell,” Woelfel says. “This isn’t a disruption; it’s a refinement.”

What it means for retailers

For dealers, the biggest shift is in the positioning of entry-level products.

Freeflow’s plug-and-play models have traditionally driven traffic. The Freeflow Collection has been streamlined from 10 models down to five, focusing on the most popular configurations, says Kristin Sedgwick, senior brand manager for Hot Spring Spas. Now, those products sit within the Hot Spring brand, giving retailers a natural way to guide customers through ownership tiers.

Sedgwick adds that placing the Freeflow Collection under the Hot Spring brand increases visibility, bringing more potential customers into dealerships through HotSpring.com and broader brand recognition.

The shift also creates a clearer path for trade-ups, allowing sales teams to move customers within a single brand ecosystem — from entry models to higher-end options with features like saltwater systems or advanced hydrotherapy.

A more cohesive experience

Watkins has manufactured Freeflow Spas since 2011, and while dealers have long recognized the product quality, the separation from Hot Spring sometimes created challenges.

“Freeflow and Hot Spring have always been talking to the same shopper,” Sedgwick says. “From a demographic standpoint, there’s a lot of overlap.”

In the past, Freeflow models were often placed separately in showrooms, sometimes toward the back. Today, Sedgwick says dealers are integrating them directly into the Hot Spring lineup and presenting them as part of a step-up progression.

It also simplifies purchasing, service and support for dealers.

Turning entry buyers into long-term customers

The shift is also about keeping customers in the brand longer.

Entry-level buyers often represent first-time spa owners. With a clearer brand progression, retailers have more opportunities to retain those customers as their needs evolve.

These simplified models also create a lower barrier to entry. Sedgwick notes some models can be positioned with monthly payments under $100, helping start conversations with first-time buyers.

Sedgwick says dealers can use the transition to reconnect with existing Freeflow customers, opening the door to upgrades or trade-ins.

“Now that the Freeflow Collection is part of the Hot Spring family, officially with a logo and all, dealers are embracing that step-up story,” Sedgwick says. “They are showing the full family of products side-by-side or as a cohesive selling progression.”

Sedgwick recommends reinforcing that approach through sales training and role-playing so staff can confidently match customers with the right product tier. 

“There’s no reason a customer should walk out the door without finding something that fits their needs,” she says.

A broader industry shift

The move reflects broader changes in how people shop for hot tubs. 

“Consumers are more informed, and the market is more competitive,” Woelfel says. “The brands that win are the ones that simplify the buying journey and connect products to a bigger lifestyle story.”

So far, retailer feedback has been positive, Sedgwick says, with dealers responding to the streamlined lineup, updated design and improved serviceability.