In today’s new normal, it takes a strategic plan to differentiate yourself from the com- petition. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by practicing pull marketing.
Pull marketing is when you position yourself as an expert and the go-to person in your community. Consumers are drawn to your credibility instead of you pushing your message onto them. They seek you out and are willing to pay top dollar for all your treatments and products because they want the very best.
In light of the current economic landscape many medical spas and spas will compete on price. This is a recipe for failure because there will always be someone willing to charge less than you. A better strategy is to become an influencer and improve your positioning so you can compete on expertise instead.
Step 1: Become an Influencer
An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect purchase decisions of others due to his/her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his/her audience. It is a person who has a following in a niche that they are a part of and engage with.
You know famous influencers such as Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Oprah, Jeff Bezos and Kim Kardashian. Influencers usually have certain characteristics like being great communicators, having expertise and being visionaries. The easiest way to become an influencer is to discover other influencers in your community and build relationships with them.
Step 2: Improve Your Branding
To improve your positioning, you will need great branding. Building a name for your company begins with your online presence. Consumers are more likely to find you online before anywhere else. Therefore, your website and social media platforms should portray a professional and attractive image.
Your medical spa/spa should carry consistency in colors, look, feel, etc. Your image should be appealing to your target market. Make sure your website, social media platforms and LinkedIn profile all give the message that you are the expert. And remember, you need to create a brand that will not only attract consumers, but keep them coming back again and again.
Step 3: Create Videos
YouTube is the number two website and the second largest search engine on the planet. Posting your content on this platform will help improve your positioning tremendously. Videos are a great way to show that you are an influencer because you can educate your community about the latest treatments and products you offer. You can also share success stories, case studies and your knowledge. You can keep your audience engaged in the comments.
Most importantly, YouTube makes it easier to be found online. Potential clients will search for informational videos when they have questions, especially about how specific procedures are done. Videos will help you market your medical spa/spa business and show consumers that you truly know what you are doing and are the person and business to choose. They can totally transform your business. And the best part: YouTube is free!
Step 4: Become a Speaker
Speaking is another very powerful way to become an influencer and improve your positioning. You can do Facebook Live events, speak at your own events or join local consumer seminars. Many of our clients host “lunch and learns”, speak at conferences, and conduct interviews of other influencers in their community. There are countless opportunities for you to share your expertise and improve your positioning by public speaking. To start, do some research as to which consumer events are happening in your area. Reach out to those organizers and offer your bio to be a speaker at their event.
Step 5: Get Published
This is the most powerful of these five strategies. When you have 'Author' next to your name, it automatically gives consumers the impression that you are an expert. I can speak from personal experience on this topic. I have published three books and it has made a huge difference in my business. It is something that we teach clients to do.
Once you are a published author, you can use the book to market your business. With a publication, you gain new leads from Amazon and Kindle, get invitations for interviews, attract the media’s attention, gain speaking events and much more. But most importantly, you will be attracting high-paying clients because of your positioning.
Step 6: Become a Celebrity
The entire world is drawn to celebrities. Your goal should start by becoming a local celebrity. Every town has their TV news anchors, radio DJs, doctors, attorneys and so on. These people can become household names in their area.
You can become a celebrity in your field. You just have to start acting like it! Begin practicing all the other steps mentioned in this article. Start rubbing elbows with other celebrities in your community. Offer to help them, build lasting relationships and you too will become a celebrity and begin impacting your community positively. You will not only make a difference in their lives, you will begin attracting high-paying clients.
Improving your positioning and becoming an influencer is the most effective and economical way to attract clients who will pay top dollar for your services and allow you to reach a whole new level of success.
About the Author
Dori Soukup
Ms. Soukup is a global speaker, author, mentor, consultant and the founder and CEO of InSPAration Management, a firm specializing in spa and medispa business development, advanced education and BizTools. Over the past 20 years, Ms. Soukup has contributed to the success of medispa companies worldwide. She is passionate about developing innovative, effective, educational programs and business strategies that lead to exponential growth and profits. Her articles and insights are featured in national and international trade publications, and you can find her book, Spa Business Secrets to Increase Profits, on Amazon.
