Table of Contents
Med spas and healthcare organizations that understand the role of communication and transparency create a culture of trust. While it may seem obvious that patients want to feel respected, informed and engaged in their care, knowing how to engage them can be tricky. Following the tips we’ve compiled here will help you enhance your reputation, grow your business and increase revenue.
9 Ways to Enhance Med Spa Patient Communication and Increase Loyalty
Proactive communication involves engaging patients before they need to seek support. Anticipating their needs improves their experience with your clinic, helps them participate more actively in their health, and increases patient retention.
To put the impact of med spa client retention into perspective, attracting new customers costs around five times more than retaining customers, and the same principle is generally true in healthcare. Here’s how you can improve the patient experience and increase loyalty through proactive communication and transparency.
1. Send Appointment Confirmations and Reminders
Confirmations and reminders help patients remember their appointments, which reduces no-shows for you, provides clarity for patients and prevents frustration for you both. Automated reminders also give patients the opportunity to reschedule or cancel appointments ahead of time and without penalty if they need to. You can send appointment confirmations immediately after a patient schedules, followed by reminders as their appointment approaches. For example, you might send a reminder one week, 48 hours and 24 hours before the scheduled appointment.
2. Send Personalized Follow-Ups Post-Treatment
Clarity after the appointment is important, too. Provide detailed aftercare instructions to support patients during the recovery process or when going forward in their treatment. Try to address any questions they might have after leaving your clinic. For example, patients receiving Botox treatments might ask:
- Can I exercise immediately after treatment?
- How long should I wait to lie down or bend over after treatment?
- When can I resume wearing makeup?
- What side effects should I be on the lookout for?
- Are any skincare products off-limits?
- Can I drink alcohol after treatment?
You can also schedule a follow-up appointment to assess how recovery or treatment is going and answer any questions in person. If a follow-up appointment isn’t necessary, you can still send a personalized email or text asking how the patient is doing and whether they have any concerns. Always remember to emphasize that patients can contact your office at any time.
3. Create a Loyalty Program
Membership programs are great ways to generate recurring revenue and increase loyalty. These programs foster a stronger connection between your patients and your practice by offering exclusive benefits, rewards or services. For example:
- Offer discounts for complementary services, such as chemical peels for individuals already receiving Botox.
- Give members digital or physical punch cards where they get a free service after so many appointments.
- Provide rewards, such as 15% off a service, for milestones like birthdays and holidays.
Loyalty programs allow you to surprise and delight patients and differentiate your clinic from the competition.
4. Send Happy Birthday Messages
There’s nothing quite like receiving a birthday card, especially when you’re not expecting one. Whether you mail them a physical card or go the e-card route, sending patients a message for their birthday shows you value them. Personalize the message with their name, and mention one of their favorite services. You might say, “Wishing you the happiest of birthdays, Sara. We look forward to seeing you in September for your next appointment!” If you wish, you can also include a special birthday reward, like a 10% off any service coupon.
5. Be Clear About Pricing Structures and Payment Options
Your website provides the perfect opportunity to be transparent and clear about pricing and payment options. Include the following:
- Services offered and descriptions of services
- Exact prices or price ranges for each service
- Insurance coverage options
- Buy now, pay later options
- Member pricing
You can also schedule consultations to provide personalized quotes and answer questions about pricing and payments.
6. Provide Detailed Explanations of Procedures and Potential Side Effects
Another important aspect of med spa transparency is helping patients make informed decisions by having upfront conversations about the benefits, potential risks and realistic outcomes of treatment options. Here’s how:
- Include FAQ sections on your website service pages.
- Have downloadable resources on hand that patients can request for more information.
- Schedule initial consultations to prepare patients with all the information they need.
Address concerns professionally and without delay so they feel comfortable and ready to proceed.
7. Communicate Wait Times and Scheduling Changes
In the world of healthcare, last-minute scheduling changes are common. Communicating these changes is an easy way to help keep patients happy. If other appointments are running long or you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, reach out to the patient as quickly as possible using their preferred method of communication.
8. Make Patient Information Easily Accessible
Patients should be able to view details like their treatment plans, past and upcoming appointments, payment information, and medical records. This gives them a more active role in their treatment and keeps them engaged in the process.
9. Use Various Communication Channels
Establish your patients’ ideal form of communication, whether text, email, physical mail or phone call. Reaching patients the way they want to be contacted is an excellent way to increase med spa patient loyalty. For example, calling busy patients who like texts or emails may make them feel like you do not respect their time or preferences.
Leveraging Technology for Stellar Communication
Patient-centric software can help your practice improve its communications. With PatientNow’s patient engagement solution, you can:
- Create membership and loyalty programs and automate them based on procedures, demographics and other criteria.
- Allow patients to book their own appointments online.
- Use artificial intelligence tools to build automated text and email campaigns.
- Simplify online booking and paperwork for both staff and patients.
PatientNow also offers digital marketing software that helps you keep in touch with your patients and boost your reputation. Our platform can help you engage patients via your service pages, blog posts, social media accounts, email and text campaigns, and more.
Take the Next Step: Transform Your Patient Retention Strategy
Aesthetic clinics and med spas that embrace proactive communication and transparency can retain patients, build trust and enjoy long-term growth. PatientNow offers the tools and expertise to help your clinic excel in these areas.
Ready to boost communication and transparency and elevate your patient retention strategy? PatientNow’s all-in-one platform can help your clinic deliver proactive, transparent communications that keep patients coming back. Contact us today for a personalized demo, and see how your unique clinical excellence and our purpose-built tech solutions can keep patients returning with confidence and enthusiasm.
