There may not be a magic formula for making a new service or product successful in your aesthetic practice, but there is a four-step process Grant Stevens, M.D., shared during his presentation “Marketing a new product or service” at Vegas Cosmetic Surgery 2014.
Dr. Stevens illustrated his point on Saturday using a case study with CoolSculpting in his practice. “I never dreamed I’d have seven machines,” he said. “I’m averaging 80-plus cycles with CoolSculpting per week.” What’s more, 51 percent of his patients are male, he added.
How did he achieve such success with this nonsurgical fat treatment device?
“I’m successful because of marketing,” he said.
In 2010, Dr. Grant’s office performed 201 cycles of CoolSculpting. This year, he’s on track to hit 5,000 to 6,000 cycles. Because the majority (51 percent) of his CoolSculpting patients are men, Dr. Grant is soon opening ManLand at Marina Plastic Surgery, a treatment center designed exclusively for this patient segment, where men are surrounded by attractive staff members, can watch sports on TV and are perfectly comfortable getting the treatments they desire. According to Dr. Stevens, that means “more hair on their heads and less on their back. Men want to treat love handles, the tummy, and ‘moobs.’”
Four marketing stages
1. Introduce the product to your staff, friends and family
This is how to begin accumulating before and after treatment pictures for later marketing efforts.
2. Reach out to your top 100 patients
These are your patient ambassadors, explained Dr. Stevens. They will help you spread the word.
3. Reach out to your current patients
The next logical step in expanding your reach.
4. Reach out to new/prospective patients
The final step in ultimate market opportunity.
First things first. You need to be able to show that the treatment you’re selling works, Dr. Grant explained.
- Internal: Send out an eblast announcement promoting the treatment to those closest to you.
- External: Create a procedure-driven microsite. FreezetheFat.com was designed by Dr. Stevens to promote CoolSculpting.
Next, set the stage for patient awareness and growth.
- Internal: Brand the office with materials provided by the device manufacturer; create a video loop for the office with patient before and after pictures and other relevant promotional information and materials; prep your patient coordinator to talk about these treatment to patients.
- External: Consider local print ads; refine your website/microsite; include patient before and afters, news and upcoming events.
Finally, cast a wide net to patients and prospective patients.
- Internal: Beauty blasts – Treatment promotions
- External: Dr. Stevens used several successful external marketing efforts, including billboards (which was picked up and used by Jerry Seinfeld), ESPN radio (to target men), coffee sleeves, lip balms and airplane banners.
One of the secrets to Dr. Grant’s marketing success? “We let the growth pay for the next step,” he said. “We didn’t start with the billboards.”