According to the International Medical Spa Association there are over 1,000 open medical spas in the U.S. Jeff Russell, CEO of MedSpa Financing says, “Competition is definitely setting in, and it’s not only direct competition from other medical spas, but indirect competition from businesses that offer the same services. You have salons that offer hair removal, day spas that offer dermal filler injections, and mall outlets that offer microdermabrasion.” If you are going to not only succeed, but thrive in this new environment, you are going to have to be better than your competition. Following these 5 tips will help you get that extra edge you’ll need to stay ahead of the pack.

Are you marketing to the right customer?
First and foremost, you need to look at your current customers and ensure your medspa is operating at capacity. If your IPL room is sitting empty half the day, it may be time to create a marketing campaign specifically designed to increase your hair removal clients. There are many articles written about baby boomers and their perfect fit for the treatments performed in a medical spa, but don’t leave out the Generation X’s and Y’s, they make very good customers as well.

Get to know your neighbors
Do you know all the businesses surrounding yours? You may need to take another walk around the neighborhood, and see what new business building opportunities are available. As you are walking around, ask yourself these questions: Do they compliment my services? Can we help each other increase business by referring customers between us? Specifically look for complimentary businesses that share the same target demographic as you. It may be a women’s fitness center, jewelry store, or a natural foods store. No one has too many customers, and they are most likely small business owners just like you!

Network within your community
Many people associate networking with schmoozing. As a MedSpa owner, you need to always be networking. In its simplest form, it is connecting with people to exchange ideas, information, and resources. Where to network? There are many places from the local chamber of commerce, community groups, industry associations, or you can join a board or peer group. Not only will you gain great ideas to help you with your MedSpa business, but you are sure to get some new clients out of it as well.

Develop your communication skills
As a MedSpa owner, you interact with people everyday: staff, clients, suppliers, and the media. If there is one thing you need to master, it’s your communication skills. You need to be able to clearly articulate your key message consistently. You not only need to be heard, but you also need to actively listen as well. Communication is a two-way street, it includes both speaking clearly and listening closely. To begin, you may want to select a few key messages and take every opportunity to communicate them through personal interactions, newsletters, and your web site.

Recharge regularly
Quite often you are so focused on your customers, you forget about yourself. As a MedSpa owner, you are going to find yourself absolutely drained. How are you going to grow the business? Should I advertise with this magazine? I just don’t have enough time. You need to achieve a balance between the MedSpa and your personal life. They may appear to be inter-related, but you will need to set aside some time for yourself or you will burn out. It may be as easy as attending a Yoga or Pilate’s class at the local gym, or by taking a 30 minute walk every morning in the park. You may even want to visit that new resort spa you just read about. Hiring the right people to work at your MedSpa will greatly assist you in feeling as though you can take the time off.

“As you develop and grow your MedSpa you are going to experience the same growing pains common to any new business, the key is identifying them and responding to them” says Russell. By following these 5 tips, you will see your revenues increase.