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Running a plastic surgery or medical aesthetic practice can be a rewarding experience. You have the power to change people's lives by helping them look and feel their best.
This might even be why you got into medicine to begin with.
But let's be real – it's also a highly competitive industry, and staying ahead of the game can be a challenge.
Staying sane and fulfilled while you are doing it can be even harder.
From marketing advice to management tricks, the deluge of fear-mongering from marketers is at its peak.
We are kind of tired of the “read this or your practice is doomed” approach we see all the time. So we know you are definitely exhausted.
But, here’s the thing, this isn’t like those other articles.
We aren’t going to tell you to sign up for our social media or content services, or even that our SEO programs can work magic for your site.
You’ll hear no mention that you might need a new website with all the bells and whistles.
Instead, we are going to share five intangible qualities and characteristics that, when adopted, will straight up change your practice forever.
You won’t find these intangibles in your annual report. There’s no quantifiable ROI to any of them. And you can’t measure them on a spreadsheet.
But they will give you a leg up on your competition.
Let’s get started.
Vision
Have you ever heard the saying, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there"? This is especially true when it comes to building a successful plastic surgery or medical aesthetic practice.
“Good leaders have vision and inspire others to help them turn vision into reality. Great leaders have vision, share vision, and inspire others to create their own." ― Roy Bennett
You need to have a clear vision of what you want your practice to be, what sets you apart, and where you want to go. And it needs to be clearly conveyed to your entire team. Why?
Because 63% of employees don't trust their leader.
Because 63% of employees don’t understand what their company is trying to do or why.
Because 52% of employees can't recite their organization's vision.
The people around your practice need to know that there is a path forward. A path they can rally behind.
It's no secret that some of the most successful businesses had a vision of what they wanted to be before they achieved success. Apple wanted to create beautifully designed products that were easy to use, and they did just that. Nike wanted to be the go-to brand for athletes, and they achieved that and more.
So, how do you create a clear vision for your practice? First, you need to find a core need that isn't being met in your area or that you can meet better.
This could be a unique approach to patient care, a focus on cutting-edge technology, or a commitment to using only the highest quality products.
63% of employees don't trust their leader.
63% of employees don’t understand what their company is trying to do and why.
52% of employees can't recite their organization's vision.
Once you have a clear idea of what sets your practice apart, you can start to visualize what you want your practice to be. What kind of patient experience do you want to provide? What kind of reputation do you want to have in the industry? How do you want to be remembered by your patients?
Now, we're not saying that you need to be into witchcraft and the healing power of crystals. (Although, hey, we're not judging. Well, most of us aren’t.)
But there is something to be said for the power of manifestation.
We aren’t claiming the universe will provide by sheer virtue of thinking about it, but by visualizing your ideal practice and taking steps to make that vision a reality, you can create a practice that patients will remember and trust.
So, take some time to think about your vision for your practice. Write it down, create a vision board, meditate, create some abstract art about it — whatever works for you.
Just remember: if you don't know where you're going, you'll never get there.
Intention
When it comes to building a successful plastic surgery or medical aesthetic practice, being intentional about every aspect of your business is key.
Every minute you spend building your practice will build a little piece of your practice. This will pay off in the long run, whether it's in the form of loyal patients, dedicated employees, or a strong reputation in the industry.
“One person can inspire a second person to be intentional, and another. Those people can work together. They can become a movement. They can make an impact.”
- John C. Maxwell
So, what does it mean to be intentional? It means being purposeful in your actions and decisions, with a clear understanding of the impact they will have on your practice.
It could mean powering through those blog posts you need to get up for your marketing campaign or giving your team the tools they need to succeed in a new marketing push.
It could mean making sure you are doing everything you can to solicit before and after photos.
Hell, it could even mean sitting down and deciding how you want to roll out social media efforts throughout your team and/or agency.
But being intentional isn't just about the practical aspects of running your practice. It's also about being intentional in the way you show up in the world, both as a business owner and as a member of your community.
By being intentional in the way you treat others and the way you present yourself, you can build a positive reputation and attract patients who share your values.
For example, let's say you're passionate about environmental sustainability. By being intentional in the way you run your practice – from using eco-friendly products to reducing waste – you can attract patients who share your commitment to the environment.
The same is true for anything — believing in certain lifestyles, advocating for a cause, participating in some community — people enjoy someone with a mission.
And even if they aren’t as enthusiastic about it as you, at least it will be a differentiator for your brand and a signal to your audience that your practice is multifaceted and you are a real person, not just a surgeon or medical NPC.
Momentum
In the world of medical aesthetics, building momentum for your practice is essential to success. But what exactly do we mean by momentum? Simply put, momentum is the idea of building on previous efforts to create a stronger presence for your practice every day.
“The momentum of continuous action fuels motivation, while procrastination kills motivation.” – Steve Pavlina
One blog builds into a series, a series builds into a social media campaign, a social media campaign becomes an email campaign, an email campaign leads to a presentation, and then a presentation creates a reputation.
It's about taking small steps each day that add up to big results over time.
It’s not just about speed, either — momentum, real momentum, allows you to push through obstacles and still continue down your original path. Speed can be stopped briefly, but momentum carries through.
When it comes to your digital marketing, momentum is especially important. Digital marketing is a multi-departmental effort that requires collaboration and coordination across multiple teams.
One hiccup anywhere in the process can affect an entire content calendar and multiple other departments relying on the momentum being pushed forward.
This might not seem like a big deal; it definitely isn’t going to cause you to go bankrupt or anything. But it does limit your ability to snowball your practice’s bottom line.
Here are some tips for building momentum in your practice:
- Set clear goals: Without clear goals, it's hard to know where you're going. Set specific, measurable goals for your practice and use them as a guide for your efforts.
- Collaborate across teams: Building momentum in your digital marketing efforts requires collaboration across teams. Ensure that everyone is working towards a common goal and communicating effectively.
- Stay focused: It's easy to get distracted by new trends and shiny objects. Stay focused on your goals and don't get complacent.
Measure your success: Tracking your progress is essential to building momentum. Use data to measure your success and adjust your efforts as needed.
Empathy
Empathy is a crucial component in building a successful practice, but it is not something that many people will bother telling you. Mostly because it can seem a little bold to tell someone that they need to be more aware of other people’s emotions and perspectives.
“You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time.” - M. Scott Peck
Look, we understand the hustle and bustle that happens during the day-to-day operations. We know how easy it can be to start thinking about another patient or the long list of to-dos you have stockpiled.
And we understand that sometimes, you are just going to be busy, and, frankly, unable to dedicate 100% every single moment of every single day.
We aren’t going to try to hit you with any delusions of grandeur. Every single medical professional will have points where they cannot be perfectly present or fully understand or address a patient’s needs.
Unfortunately, while these things happen, you really should be trying your best day in and day out. It’s important because the level of empathy you provide during these interactions can have a direct impact on virtually every actual metric you use to measure your practice's success.
Will it affect your…
Patient conversions? Yes.
Online reputation? Yes.
Digital reach? Yes.
Revenue stream? Yes.
By taking the time to listen to your patients’ concerns, answer their questions, and show that you care, you'll be able to build a relationship of trust and understanding that will make them more likely to choose your practice over the competition.
The same goes for follow-up appointments. It's easy to see them as routine and mundane, but they are actually an excellent opportunity to reinforce the patient's positive experience and ensure their continued satisfaction.
Ultimately, patients who feel heard and understood are more likely to leave positive reviews, refer friends and family, and return for future procedures.
Not to mention, employees who feel valued and supported are more likely to provide excellent customer service, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to a positive work environment and business goals.
Pursuit
The pursuit of new opportunities and challenges is critical to the ongoing success of any plastic surgery or medical aesthetics practice, even when things are going well.
"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." — Mario Andretti
It's easy to become complacent after a successful social media campaign or content series, but that's when you should be pushing even harder to reach new levels of growth and innovation.
The opposite of pursuit is complacency, and complacency can jeopardize the concepts of vision, intention, and momentum that we discussed earlier. If you become too comfortable with the status quo or bask too long in a success, you risk losing sight of your goals.
Instead, you should always be in the pursuit of some new level of growth and innovation that you haven't achieved before.
Branch out and try to reach new patient demographics. Expand your offerings with new (but strategic) medical devices.
Find some way to embed your mission statement and brand into the entire journey that your patients experience, and then encourage those patients to share those stories.
Ultimately, the pursuit of new opportunities and challenges is critical to the long-term success of any plastic surgery or medical aesthetics practice.
By staying focused on pushing for the next level of growth and innovation, you'll be able to achieve consistent growth in whatever area you are exerting.
Remember, complacency is the enemy of progress, so always be in pursuit of something new and exciting.
Need to Brainstorm?
We promised not to try to sell you on anything, but if you are having an existential crisis after reading this article and need someone to bounce ideas with, we got you. As usual, our educators are here to answer any questions you have, anytime, for free. Give us a call at (800) 949-0133 or schedule a one-on-one.