The aesthetic market continues to grow yearly, and new salons and private practices are constantly opening one after another. Yet, we can also observe how some businesses do not survive a year of operation and close without gaining a client base. 

Such unfortunate events happen because opening the doors for visitors and providing popular treatments isn’t enough. Aesthetic practices need advertising strategies to attract potential customers.

There are hundreds of modern marketing tools, and to choose the optimal ones, you need to answer the main questions for any business: who are you? How do you differ from your competitors? Who are your customers? What do you want to tell them?

Ways to Market an Aesthetic Practice in 2023

Marketing an aesthetic practice can be challenging, but with the right strategies, it can be gratifying. A successful marketing plan can attract new patients and retain existing ones. Here are some effective marketing strategies to help you grow your aesthetic and dermal filler practice:

1. Develop a solid online presence: In today’s digital age, any business, including aesthetic practices, is essential. Create a professional website that is easy to navigate and provides valuable information to your potential patients. Use social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to connect with your target audience and share engaging content about your services.

2. Work with the database – learn to identify and cover the needs of each client; and offer ready-made solutions for different types of clients. An effective aesthetic marketing strategy is based on the following parts:

• Marketing for a new client: Tools, tasks, and KPIs aimed at attracting new people.

• Marketing for undecided clients who are not new but still need to be made permanent. Those who visited your business 1–2 times. They are often overlooked, but this part of TA has its own tools and scripts.

• Marketing for a regular customer. The goal is to keep the client and not transfer them to the lost status.

• Marketing to the lost customer.

3. Offering special promotions and discounts can be an effective way to get new patients and retain existing ones. For example, consider running seasonal promotions or offering referral discounts to encourage patients to spread the word about your practice.

4. Attend industry events, such as conferences and trade shows, to network with other professionals in your field and learn about new techniques and technologies. This will help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and inventions, which can be valuable when marketing your practice.

5. Partnering with other businesses in your community can significantly increase your visibility and attract new patients. For example, consider partnering with local spas, salons, and gyms to offer joint promotions or cross-promote each other’s services.

6. Encourage your patients to leave reviews on your website, Google Maps, and social media pages. Positive reviews help you build trust and credibility with potential patients and provide valuable feedback that can help improve your practice.

7. Email marketing is an effective way to stay in touch with your patients and inform them about your services and promotions. Use an email service provider to create professional-looking newsletters and promotional emails tailored to your patients’ interests.

8. Hosting events and workshops can be a great way to engage with your patients and provide valuable education about your services. For example, consider organizing a skincare workshop, or an open house event to showcase your practice and demonstrate your benefits.

Remember that solely targeting primary customers in the industry will not lead to a successful and profitable business. So continually, before starting any advertising activity, or planning aesthetic marketing concepts aimed at attracting new customers, assess whether you can handle all the calls and inquiries without compromising the quality of customer service.

When choosing new promotion channels, evaluate them according to:

• Compliance with specific marketing tasks;
• Channel capacity;
• To what extent will the contact reach the target audience;
• Does the channel allow for the required number of targeted actions;
• Return on investment (ROMI ratio).

10 Marketing Ideas For Your Aesthetic Business

Some small life hacks will help you distinguish your establishment from the competitors:

1. Practice concept. Think of a unique and unrepeatable concept for your practice: stylish interior, emerging and little-known services, use of cosmetic products that are difficult to find in your city or district.

2. History of the brand. Promote your brand, speak through its history and tell a story. When visitors know what is behind an ordinary aesthetic small business and how many resources it has invested in its creation, they become more loyal.

3. Selfie zone. Set aside a small area for clients to take photos after treatments in your establishment. Put an “Insta-worthy” background with a hashtag or the name of your business, so it will stay visible in the picture and attract attention when visitors post a selfie on their social media accounts. This is a simple and compelling feature of aesthetic brand marketing done by the customers themselves.

4. Inclusivity. In recent years, inclusivity in beauty has become the focus of attention. It has made many brands change their advertising and social messages, update their list of services, etc. To make consumers feel comfortable, focus on providing an individual approach to those who need it (for example, customers with eczema or skin prone to allergic reactions). Also, avoid gender orientation in aesthetic advertising.

5. Rebranding and restyling. This option is for those who think they have already exhausted all advertising opportunities. Blow the dust out of your clinic, revive the strategy, shake up the base, and consider focusing on another TA. Check the niches: if you have a few injectors in your business sitting around, bored, and there is no beauty studio within walking distance – reduce the number of injectors, retrain them, or hire estheticians to provide facials, waxing, and makeup – make money on what is relevant, and in demand. 

6. Service map. Look at your TA portrait, consider who else you want to attract, and create a service map for them. See where your audience goes – to the vegan cafe around the corner, the bookstore, the daycare, or the flower shop? Talk with neighbors, and promote each other.

7. Influence marketing. The power of influence in the beauty industry is much greater than in any other field, so brands should pay attention to who represents their product online. This 100% must be a person who is in harmony with your company’s mission and can sincerely broadcast it to their audience. For your potential patients, the opportunity to see a desired treatment applied to ‘real people’ can instantly lead to scheduling an appointment.

8. Improving user experience is an important trend in the aesthetic market and any niche that can be presented on the Internet. Make interaction with your company as convenient as possible for the client, and it will help you win the competition race.

9. More video content. This format has been popular for several years and works very effectively in the aesthetic industry.

10. Think about how you can mix trends. For example, creating your own video platform can take much time and effort. But collaborations with famous people with a significant presence, for instance, on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, can bring great results.

Conclusion

In conclusion, marketing an aesthetic practice requires a combination of digital and traditional marketing strategies. You can effectively market your practice and attract new patients by developing a stable online presence, running ads, offering special promotions and discounts, etc.

Remember to always focus on providing excellent customer service and high-quality treatments to your patients, as these are the foundations of any successful marketing campaign.

The best advice is to be open to everything new. Follow the trends in promoting beauty businesses, and involve third-party sites, including YouTube, popular websites, and SM accounts on this topic. Such a comprehensive approach and originality will make marketing your practice effective and distinguish your salon from competitors.

FAQ

How do I get customers for aesthetics?

There are several ways to get customers for an aesthetics business:

• Word of mouth: Encourage your existing customers to spread the word about your services to their friends and family. Offer referral discounts or rewards to incentivize them to do so.

• Social media: Create social media profiles for your business to showcase your work, share information about your services, and engage with potential customers. Consider using paid social media advertising to reach a wider audience.

• Local advertising: Place ads in local online groups, newspapers, magazines, and on local radio stations to reach potential customers in your area.

• Participate in local events, for example, health fairs and charity events, to promote your services and connect with potential customers.

• Online marketing: Use search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your site’s visibility in search engine results, and invest in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to drive traffic to your website.

• Direct mail: Send promotional materials to targeted mailing lists, such as people who have recently moved into your area or who have expressed interest in aesthetic services.

Remember to keep your promotional messaging consistent across all marketing channels and prioritize the customer experience.

How to start an aesthetic business?

Starting a new business is always challenging, but with the right aesthetic marketing strategies, you can build your brand and attract new clients. Below are some tips to help you get started with marketing your new aesthetic practice:

• Show originality and creativity when designing the sign. It must be visible, recognizable (so that all letters in the business’s name can be read), and in the style and concept of the establishment. It doesn’t necessarily have to be bright; sometimes, even restrained shades can be noticeable, especially if all the businesses around your place have colorful signs.

• Building a website is crucial for any business in today’s digital world. It should be easy to navigate and visually appealing, with clear information about your services, pricing, and contact information. You can also include before-and-after photos of your work to showcase your expertise.

• Create social media accounts: platforms like Instagram and Facebook are powerful tools for aesthetic marketing. Share photos and videos of your work, post testimonials from satisfied clients, and provide tips on skincare and beauty. Engage with your followers, like and respond to comments and direct messages promptly.

• Offer special promotions for new clients to encourage them to try your services. For example, you can offer a discount on their first appointment, a free consultation, or a package deal for multiple treatments.

• Reach out to local businesses in your community, such as hair salons, spas, and fitness centers, and offer to collaborate on events or cross-promote each other’s services.

• Creating a Google My Business account can help your aesthetic practice appear in local search results. Ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date, and encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews.

• The best marketing strategy is word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied clients. Focus on providing excellent customer service, listening to your client’s needs and concerns, and providing personalized treatment plans.

Marketing your new aesthetic practice requires time, effort, and creativity. However, by implementing these tips, you can establish a strong brand presence and attract new clients.

Set priorities, don’t invest money in everything at once if you are initially short of funds. Instead, choose either a site and contextual advertising or social media and targeted aesthetic ads. The working bundle will depend on your segment, price, and region.