Med Spa Retention Masterclass w/ Chris Balbi

If you’re ready to implement more efficient & effective marketing strategies for your practice, book your FREE strategy session & marketing plan: https://go.medspamagicmarketing.com/schedule  

The Med Spa Success Strategies podcast is built for med spa and aesthetics practice owners who want to:

• Better market and manage their practices
• Grow revenue and profitability
• Increase their impact on their teams and patients

In this episode, host Ricky Shockley sits down (again) with Chris Balbi, Director of Marketing & Operations at Meesha Aesthetics.

Chris has been a key driver of Meesha’s growth for more than 14 years. He is:

• Facebook Blueprint certified
• Trained under Jonah Berger, one of the leading minds in virality and consumer behavior
• A creative marketer who blends psychology and practical systems to produce real, trackable results

In this conversation, they dive deep into:

• Retention: how to keep patients coming back
• Loyalty programs and community: how to build stickiness beyond price
• AI and automation: where technology helps and where it hurts

And, as Ricky jokes at the beginning, the fact that Chris is a returning guest is already a testament to how good he is at retention:

“Clearly as a return guest I’m the king of retention. I had you retain me.”

He’s not wrong.

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WHY RETENTION MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK

Before jumping into tactics, Chris insists on zooming out:

“It’s 70% harder to get a new patient than it is to retain a current patient.”

Two big truths drive his obsession with retention:

1. It’s easier than we think to keep patients, if we’re intentional.
2. It’s more expensive to constantly acquire new patients than to convert and re-convert existing ones into more services.

He shares a line he picked up from his dad, who spent decades in the car industry:

“Sales sells the first car. Service sells the second car.”

In the med spa world, that translates to:

• Marketing, ads, and social media sell the first visit.
• In-office experience, follow-up, and systems sell the second visit and beyond.

And if you’re running a med spa that relies heavily on recurring services and ongoing maintenance (which most do), your business doesn’t truly grow unless you get great at retention.

STEP 1: BAKE RETENTION INTO THE PRE-VISIT EXPERIENCE

Moving Beyond Simple Confirmation Texts

Retention starts long before the first injection or peel. At Meesha, it begins with pre-appointment text journeys that function more like coaching than simple reminders.

Take lip filler as an example.

Chris has a series of touchpoints leading up to the visit:

Two weeks before the appointment:
“I hope you’re getting excited for your new lips. Just a reminder, now’s a good time to slow down on drinking and/or blood thinners if they’re not medically prescribed. This is going to make your experience better.”

One week before the appointment:
“We’re super excited. If you want to start taking arnica, now’s a good time.”

The day before the appointment:
“Get a good night’s rest. Stay hydrated. New lips are headed your way.”

This sequence does several things at once:

• Reduces complications and side effects
• Reinforces that you’re looking out for the patient’s best experience
• Acts as a reminder without feeling like a sterile reminder text
• Gives patients time to reschedule if needed (which helps fill the book)

Then, the day after lip filler, Chris sends a message that speaks directly to the emotional reality:

“You’re probably panicking because you think your lips are too big. Don’t panic. It’s swelling.”

Some patients may have had their lips done a dozen times. Others are brand new. Regardless, that empathetic check-in positions Meesha as the provider that “holds your hand the entire time,” which is incredibly sticky from a retention standpoint.

Botox vs. Lip Filler: Different Prep, Same Principle

Botox is simpler from a prep perspective, but the same logic applies. A week-out text, even for Botox, can:

• Serve as a gentle reminder
• Give patients a frictionless way to reschedule
• Give the practice time to backfill the calendar

The point isn’t the medium. It’s the pattern:

• Think like a coach
• Anticipate what the patient might think and feel
• Make them feel guided, not processed

STEP 2: USE LOYALTY AND GAMIFICATION TO CREATE FRICTION

AGAINST LEAVING

The Meesha Plus Rewards Program

Inside the practice, Meesha runs Meesha Plus, a patient rewards program powered by RepeatMD.

Every visit earns a check-in that moves the patient closer to rewards. Chris compares it to the way Starbucks or Dunkin’ uses their apps:

• Boosted rewards
• Bonus stars
• Exclusive offers

“They retain you as a client because you can earn boosted rewards on Dunkin’ and bonus stars on Starbucks. Why are we not tapping into that market?”

For Meesha, this is more than a nice-to-have. It’s a retention mechanism that adds small amounts of friction when a patient considers trying a competitor.

Imagine a patient seeing a compelling ad from the med spa down the street. The prices look good. The reviews are strong. They’re tempted.

Then they remember:

• “I already have rewards points at Meesha.”
• “I’ve banked money in my app.”

In a competitive market where the “next best thing” is only a search or swipe away, that small amount of friction often keeps them loyal.

“You can probably get Botox cheaper down the street. But you can’t get the experience down the street.”

STEP 3: ELEVATE THE IN-OFFICE EXPERIENCE

Small Comforts, Big Impact

Meesha’s retention strategy is partly built on a simple realization: in a saturated market where differentiation is hard, small experiential touches add up.

Some examples:

• Stocking the waiting room with coffee, water, and sodas
• Making it easy for patients to skip Starbucks or Dunkin’ and grab something in-office
• Reducing lateness because patients know they don’t need to stop elsewhere

Ricky admits he used to chase the big idea — the single move that would change everything. But in med spas, that’s rarely how it works.

“It’s about being good and putting the little extra into all of these little things in sequence that make a difference.”

Front Desk as Experience Architect, Not Just Check-In

The front desk team is central to that in-office experience, not just a functional necessity.

At Meesha, they are:

• The first human interaction each patient has
• The last human interaction before patients walk out
• A huge opportunity to set the tone, support revenue, and drive retention

We’ll come back to the front desk in detail, but for now, it’s important to understand that Meesha’s front-of-house isn’t a “minimum-wage order-taking” station. It’s a core part of their retention machine.

STEP 4: OFFER MULTIPLE PROVIDER EXPERIENCES AS A BUILT-IN “SECOND CHANCE”

Don’t Make Every Provider Cookie-Cutter

One of Chris’s most insightful retention tactics is intentionally embracing provider diversity.

At Meesha, they have:

• Multiple aestheticians
• Multiple injectors
• A front desk team that knows how to route people well

And they’re open about it with patients.

If a patient doesn’t “vibe” with one provider, they’re encouraged to try another within the same practice before jumping to a competitor.

“If one of my aestheticians was too dark and moody for you and you prefer bright and bubbly, try that. And if the bright and bubbly was too aggressive, find one who’s in the middle.”

The foundation that makes this work:

• All providers share patient charts on a HIPAA-secure system
• Everyone has access to history, preferences, notes, and outcomes

So instead of losing a patient over a 7 out of 10 experience with one provider, Meesha can give them a fresh 10 out of 10 experience with another — without losing them to another med spa.

STEP 5: TAKE FEEDBACK SERIOUSLY — ESPECIALLY FROM “B+” EXPERIENCES

Why 6–9 out of 10 Clients Are the Hardest to Keep

Chris is honest about which patients scare him most:

• 10 out of 10 experiences – great, you know they’re happy.
• 1–4 out of 10 experiences – you know something’s wrong and can fix it or own it.
• 6–9 out of 10 experiences – they’re “fine”… and they quietly drift away.

“My least favorite client is the 6–9 out of 10 client. I love a 10 out of 10 client and I love a 1–4 out of 10 client. Those are the easiest to maintain.”

The problem with middle-of-the-road experiences is that they’re often unspoken. Patients don’t complain; they just don’t come back.

Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers

To surface the truth, Chris avoids generic questions like:

• “How was your visit?”
• “Everything okay today?”

Instead, he uses probing, open-ended questions:

1. “What was the best part of your experience today?”
   • This forces the patient to think and specify something.
     
2. “If there was one thing we could have done better — sky’s the limit — what would it be?”
   • This invites constructive criticism safely.

Then he’s ready with solutions:

• “I wish it were a bit more affordable.”
  • He explains payment plans or memberships.
    
• “I felt rushed.”
  • They talk about visit expectations and scheduling needs.
    
• “It was a little slow.”
  • They note that this patient is a lunchtime appointment type and adjust for speed.

It’s the same principle as improv: don’t ask yes/no questions if you want meaningful responses.

STEP 6: FOCUS ON FIRST-TIMERS AND “WHALE” CLIENTS

Chris divides patients into three main categories:

1. First-timers
   • They get more hand-holding and personal attention.
     
2. “Whale” clients
   • These are patients who spend more than $10,000 per year.
   • They also get extra manual touchpoints.
     
3. Middle-of-the-road regulars
   • They are supported primarily via automated systems.

The goal is to ensure:

• New patients feel welcomed and dazzled.
• High-value patients feel deeply valued.
• No one falls through the cracks.

Automation carries the load for the middle, but manual attention is reserved for those key segments where it moves the needle most.

STEP 7: TURN YOUR FRONT DESK INTO A RETENTION AND REVENUE ENGINE

Reframing the Role

Chris compares how people see flight attendants and how they see the front desk:

• Most people think flight attendants “serve food and drinks.” In reality, they’re there to save your life if something goes wrong.
• Most owners think front desk is just “check-in/check-out.” In reality, they can be the lifeblood of the business.

He even calls them paid billboards.

Example: Two Greeting Scripts

Option A:
“Hi, welcome to Meesha Aesthetics.”

Option B:
“Hi, welcome to Meesha Aesthetics. Are there any packages or rewards that you want to talk about today? I also have our product of the month — do you want to see what it feels like on the back of your hand?”

Option B:

• Opens a conversation.
• Plants seeds about rewards and products.
• Feels like an invitation, not a pitch.

The front desk at Meesha is also:

• Trained on the product of the month.
• Taught who it’s good for — and who it’s not.
• Empowered to sell without overselling.

This is retention too. When patients feel guided and supported from the lobby onward, they’re less likely to shop around.

Honest Conversations About Their Impact

Chris also believes in being candid with the front desk about their role:

“I always say to my front desk, ‘Do you want to have a job next week?’ I’m not threatening to fire you. I’m letting you know — if we don’t book clients and make sales, we have to shut our doors.”

When front desk team members understand that:

• Their efforts directly affect revenue and survival.
• They’re not just “answering phones,” but keeping the doors open.

They show up differently.

Front Desk + Daily Retention Habit

The front desk team also runs a simple, daily retention workflow:

• Log into the EMR.
• Go back two weeks.
• Pull a list of new Botox patients from that date range.
• Send each of them a follow-up text:

“Hey, your Botox should be at full effect. If not, let me know — we can fix it for you.”

This does three things:

1. Shows patients you care about results.
2. Catches any issues early.
3. Nudges happy patients toward rebooking.
   

Because it’s done daily, it never balloons into a huge backlog — it’s typically six or seven patients per day.

STEP 8: POST-APPOINTMENT SYSTEMS THAT EXTEND THE EXPERIENCE

Physical Post-Care and Goodie Bags

After treatments, Meesha sends patients home with physical post-care cards, especially for injectables like Botox. These cards:

• Outline what to do after treatment.
• Live in the patient’s purse, bag, or kitchen drawer.
• Reinforce professionalism and clarity.

When reps provide samples, Chris uses them liberally, especially for new patients, often adding:

• Samples.
• Mini goodie bags.

These small gestures extend the feeling of care past the exit door.

Post-Botox Texts and the 7-Day Check-In

About seven days after Botox, patients receive another text:

“Hey, your Botox should be at full effect. If not, let me know — we can fix it.”

This message:

• Communicates confidence in the treatment.
• Invites feedback.
• Signals that corrections are welcome rather than awkward.

The “New Client Journey” Email Campaign

For brand new patients, Chris has built an email automation called the New Client Journey.

Here’s how it works:

1. A patient comes in for Botox — which Chris calls “the gateway drug.”
2. They’re invited to drop their email to enter a seven-day journey that educates them on other services.
3. Over seven days, they receive seven emails, each featuring a different service:
   
   • Skincare
   • Filler
   • Lasers
   • Other core treatments
     
4. Each email contains a code word.
5. At the end, the seven words form a secret sentence.
6. When the patient uses that sentence, they receive 20% off their next visit.

This campaign is:

• Educational.
• Interactive.
• Incentivized.

It also creates a daily touchpoint for a full week after the first visit — without feeling pushy.

Chris admits it took two full days to set up. But now, it’s automated:

“You build the wall once, and the wall stands still.”

PART 9: COMMUNITY, EVENTS, AND GUERILLA RETENTION

The Meesha Book Club: “The Boyfriend” and Botox

One of Meesha’s most successful engagement campaigns was a community book club.

They chose: “The Boyfriend” by Freida McFadden.

The structure:

• Announced in late August.
• Created a dedicated Instagram account: @meesha_reads.
• Every Friday in September, they posted a discussion question.
• Anyone who answered earned two units of Botox.

Results:

• 222 people purchased the book.
• Around 120 people actively participated each week.
• Four new clients joined specifically because of the book club and free Botox incentive.

But Chris’s main goal wasn’t new patient acquisition:

“The goal really wasn’t for new client acquisition. It was for retention. It was for conversation. It was to create a sense of community.”

In a market where everyone is “selling,” Meesha stands out by educating, engaging, and building community.

Gym Class Sponsorship: Going Beyond the Table

For a gym partnership, Meesha didn’t just set up a table in the lobby like most businesses.

Instead, they:

• Sponsored an entire workout class from 11:30 to 12:30.
• Made the class free to sign up via the gym’s app.
• Watched the class sell out.
• Gained permission from the gym to stay from 7 a.m. onward.

Because of overlapping classes:

• There was a constant flow of people at every hour.
• The lobby often had around 60 people at a time.
• Meesha interacted with several waves of gym-goers.

Outcome:

• 122 people signed up for their giveaway.
• About 100 of them were brand new contacts.
• Chris now has ongoing text threads with many of them.

Again, this is about more than leads. It’s about deepening presence in the community and bringing more people into the retention ecosystem.

Trunk-or-Treat and the “Moisturized Mummy”

For a fall event, Meesha took part in a trunk-or-treat with about 1,500 moms expected.

Their theme: The Moisturized Mummy.

• Staff dressed as moisturized mummies.
• They gave out branded hand sanitizer.
  • A perfect choice for parents constantly dealing with sticky hands.
• Each bottle came with a card:
  “Trick or treatment — your choice. Here’s $25 off a treatment.”

This combines:

• Seasonal fun.
• Smart swag (hand sanitizer is actually useful).
• A simple treatment offer.

And once again, they tied it back into their digital ecosystem.

The Meesha Treatment Quiz via Opeline

At these events (and more broadly), they use QR codes that take people to the Meesha Treatment Quiz, built on Opeline.

How it works:

1. People scan a QR code.
2. They answer five questions that help match them to suitable treatments.
3. To get their results, they must enter their phone number and email.
4. The quiz prompts them to take a selfie.
5. Opeline gives them a “skin age.”

From there, Chris gives them a challenge:

“Get your skin age. Come get a service. Then do the skin age again and see how much younger you are.”

This simple flow:

• Offers value (treatment guidance and skin age insight).
• Captures contact info.
• Encourages repeat visits to see improvement.
• Generates more data for future targeting.

It has become one of Meesha’s biggest referral sources and a powerful retention tool as patients repeatedly retake the quiz to monitor their results.

PART 10: AI AND “VIBE CODING” IN THE MED SPA

ChatGPT As a Non-Technical Builder’s Best Friend

Chris is very transparent:

“I cannot code to save my life. I’ve never built an app or hand-built a website.”

But with ChatGPT, he learned something he calls “vibe coding”:

• You describe, in plain language, what you want built.
• ChatGPT writes the code.
• You implement it in a simple app or website.

One practical example:
His CRM lacked robust retention reporting. He wanted to:

• Upload a list of people who had appointments in specific months.
• Upload a list of people who have appointments in upcoming months.
• Get a list of patients who don’t have future appointments.
• Reach out proactively to that group.

Using ChatGPT and vibe coding, he built the tool he wanted.

“I was able to build that on ChatGPT. I was blown away.”

Building a Custom GPT That Talks Like You

Chris didn’t want his content to sound like everyone else’s AI-generated copy. So he:

1. Built a custom GPT.
2. Uploaded his social media content.
3. Told it: “This is how I talk. I want you to talk like me.”

Now when he uses AI for:

• Social captions.
• Post ideas.
• Scripts and blurbs.

It matches his tone, quirks, and style.

AI for Simple Content Planning

For owners just dabbling in AI, Chris offers a simple starting point:

“Hi, I want five days’ worth of social media content on skin peels. I want an educational post, a giveaway post, and a trivia post. Help me.”

AI can:

• Generate ideas.
• Outline formats.
• Draft captions.

But he emphasizes:

“It’s a really good crutch. It’s not a wheelchair. It won’t do the moving for you, but you can lean on it.”

AI is a supercharged assistant, not a replacement for real strategy and human touch.

PART 11: LOYALTY PROGRAMS, REPEATMD, AND MEMBERSHIPS THAT WORK

RepeatMD Is Not a “Set It and Forget It” Device

Chris sees a common mistake with RepeatMD and similar platforms:

“RepeatMD is not a George Foreman grill. So many people invest and think that they can set it and forget it.”

He reframes it:

• It’s a tool, not an autopilot solution.
• You can’t outsource loyalty to software.
• You must actively lean into it and educate your patients.

Teach Patients to Use the App (Don’t Do It For Them)

One of his biggest operational tips:

“Please stop taking the phone out of your client’s hands.”

Instead of saying, “I’ll just check you in”:

• Walk around the desk.
• Hold the phone in front of the patient.
• Show them where to tap.
• Teach them once.

“Teach a man to fish, he’ll fish for life. If you show them how to use the rewards app, they’ll make use of it.”

This ensures patients:

• Know how the app works.
• Are more likely to actively check in, browse offers, and engage.

App-Exclusive Membership Perks and “Beauty Banks”

To make membership and the app irresistible, Chris uses app-exclusive promos.

Example:

• October promotion: $50 off chemical peels.
• For non-members: They can get $50 off a peel in October.
• For members: They receive a secret code:
  • This code applies $50 off chemical peels in the app.
  • They can buy in October and use the offer in November.

This structure provides:

• More flexibility for members.
• A clear differentiator between members and non-members.

Meesha’s memberships are essentially “beauty banks”:

• Patients commit to a monthly amount (for example, $250/month).
• Funds accrue as a balance in the app.
• When they come in, that banked amount offsets their service cost.

Over the last two years, Meesha has done roughly $3 million through the app. Out of about 5,000 clients, around 500 are on membership.

And crucially:

“Members on average spend 35% more than non-members.”

Why? Chris calls it “girl math mentality.”

Example:

• A patient has banked $750 over a few months.
• Their treatment total today is $800.
• In their mind, they’re not spending $800 — they’re “only” spending $50 out of pocket.

“They think, ‘You know what? Do that extra Botox today.’ Because they’ve got more money to spend.”

Why Membership Adoption Isn’t Higher

Even with great structure, membership adoption rarely becomes the majority of the client base — and Chris understands why:

1. Commitment fear
   • In a world of endless choices, people are wary of locking in.
   • Dating apps are his analogy: “The next best thing is only a swipe away.”
     
2. Economic uncertainty
   • People hesitate to tie up money in memberships, even if it’s their own credit.
   • They worry about needing access to cash for other priorities.
     
3. Subscription fatigue
   • Apps like Truebill constantly remind people how many subscriptions they have.
   • Many consumers are actively trying to reduce recurring payments.

Understanding these psychological barriers helps you design memberships that feel:

• Flexible.
• Beneficial, not predatory.
• Easy to opt into and out of.

PART 12: PROMOTIONS AND DISCOUNTING WITHOUT TRAINING PEOPLE

TO WAIT FOR SALES

Add Value Instead of Slashing Core Prices

Chris is intentional about what he promotes and how he discounts.

He almost never puts promotions directly on:

• Botox.
• GLP-1 medications.
• Certain high-value services like microneedling (at least not often).

Instead, he structures promos to increase value and average spend, not reduce perceived worth.

Examples:

• Not: “$50 off microneedling.”
  • Instead: “$50 off a booster you can add to your microneedling.”
    
• Not: “$50 off BBL laser.”
  • Instead: “$50 off a second area when you book BBL.”

He also avoids overloading the calendar with endless sales:

• Typically one injectable promo.
• One skincare promo.
• That’s it.

This prevents the “everything is always on sale” problem and keeps offers feeling special and strategic.

PART 13: INJECTABLES AS THE GATEWAY DRUG

Ricky raises a common challenge: many med spas want to advertise the big, high-ticket packages — like multi-session microneedling — as their first-touch offer.

Chris agrees this is usually a mistake.

“Botox is the gateway drug.”

Why Botox (or Dysport, etc.) works so well as a gateway:

• Everyone knows what Botox is.
• They already understand the problem (wrinkles).
• They understand the solution (Botox smooths lines).
• They’re further down the awareness funnel.

By contrast, microneedling:

• Is less well understood.
• Requires more education.
• Needs more trust before patients commit to multiple sessions.

Chris sees a pattern:

• Many practices send one microneedling email.
• They sell two packages.
• They decide “it was a dud.”

In reality, they:

• Spoke to the lowest-hanging fruit.
• Never built proper awareness or desire.

PAS: Problem → Agitate → Solution

Chris recommends using the PAS framework:

1. Problem – Introduce the issue.
   • “Are acne scars and fine lines getting to you?”
     
2. Agitate – Deepen the pain and urgency.
   • “Do you feel like they’re getting worse as fall sets in?”
     
3. Solution – Present microneedling as the answer.
   • “We’ve put together a package that can help you…”
     

Lead with the problem, not the solution.

You can’t just drop “three microneedling sessions for $280” out of nowhere, especially to a cold audience. For Botox, you can get away with this because the market has already done the problem and agitate work for you.

Chris suggests:

• Spend several days educating about the problem and treatment.
• Then launch your promotion after a week of “warmup” content.
• You’ll move from selling to two people to selling to six or seven or more.

PART 14: RETENTION RHYTHMS, HOLIDAYS, AND AVOIDING OVER-TEXTING

Holiday Reach-Out Strategy

Around the holiday season, Chris uses his “vibe-coded” retention report to identify patients who:

• Don’t have upcoming appointments.
• Are likely to want to look fresher for events.

He runs this in September and sends a message along the lines of:

“Hey girl, no pressure, but the holidays will fill up. I don’t want you to be stressed. Do you want that appointment now?”

This:

• Feels helpful, not pushy.
• Protects schedules from last-minute chaos.
• Drives retention during a critical revenue window.

Texting Cadence: Less Is More

Chris is careful about text frequency.

“Bed Bath & Beyond drives me nuts. They text me way too much and I don’t want to be that person.”

So outside of visit-specific flows, he keeps bulk texting fairly minimal:

• One text per month, typically tied to the monthly newsletter, via RepeatMD.

This maintains:

• High perceived value of messages.
• Low unsubscribe risk.
• A sense of respect for the patient’s attention.
  

PART 15: SOCIAL MEDIA, ONBOARDING TEXTS, AND WHY YOU SHOULDN’T

OUTSOURCE YOUR SOUL

New Patient Welcome Text: Four Important Links

When someone becomes a new patient at Meesha, they receive a carefully structured text that lays out four key things:

1. Weekly Free Botox Giveaway
   • “We give away free Botox every Tuesday on social media.”
   • Includes links to Instagram and Facebook.
2. $25 Off First Visit
   • If they sign up for Meesha Plus via RepeatMD.
3. Allē Rewards
   • Link to set up or log into Allē, Allergan’s rewards program.
4. Practice Rules
   • Link to Meesha’s practice guidelines and policies.

It’s short, but dense with value. It:

• Incentivizes patients to follow them on social.
• Gets them into the rewards ecosystem.
• Clears expectations upfront.

In-Office Social Proof: The “Smurl Counter”

In their Allentown office, Meesha even has a “Smurl counter” that displays their follower count. It’s subtle reinforcement that:

• This is a brand people follow.
• There’s an active online community.

Chris doesn’t currently have a ton of in-office signage pushing social, but the welcome text and the counter already drive good adoption.

Content Cadence: Theme Days

To avoid random posting and “what should I post today?” paralysis, Chris uses a loose weekly structure:

• More Info Monday – Education and info-dumping.
• Trivia Tuesday – Giveaways tied to trivia or quizzes.
• Wayback Wednesday – Historical or “then vs now” curiosities (like alligator dung once used for facial material versus modern oxy facials).
• Talkback Thursday – Open Q&A and conversation.
• “F the Format” Friday – Anything goes: pop culture, Taylor Swift, Meryl Streep, dogs, “Furry Friday,” “French Fry Friday,” etc.

This mix keeps the brand:

• Informative.
• Fun.
• Relatable.
• Community-driven.

Why You Shouldn’t Fully Outsource Social Media

Chris is adamant about this:

“Another one of those things people try to outsource is their social media. No. Stop.”

At best, a social media agency might:

• Post content you created.
• Help you with scheduling.

At worst, they’ll:

• Post generic, non-personalized content.
• Share repurposed articles and stock photos.
• Make your feed look like every other generic med spa.

But patients go to Instagram and Facebook to see:

• Your space.
• Your team.
• Your actual patients (where appropriate and compliant).
• Your vibe.

Not canned content they could find on Google or Reddit.

His suggestion:

“Instead of paying for an agency, pay one of your front desk millennials or Gen Zers to do it for you.”

Let someone who lives in the social media ecosystem and understands your brand help you tell your story from the inside.

PART 16: WHEN EVERYTHING STARTS TO WORK TOGETHER

At the end of the conversation, Ricky points out that Chris is what he calls a “student of the game.”

• He references frameworks.
• He experiments with events.
• He builds tools with AI.
• He ties everything back to retention, loyalty, and community.

Chris laughs and admits:

“I always forget how much I know until we start talking and then I’m like, damn, I’m really good at my job.”

He also shares that a few years ago, he never would have agreed to do a podcast on newsletter day. But now:

• His systems are well-oiled.
• The newsletter goes out at 10, 11, and 12.
• The follow-up text goes out at 12:12.
• Everything runs smoothly enough that he can step away and share what he’s learned.

RESOURCES AND WHERE TO LEARN MORE FROM CHRIS

Chris is more than just a practitioner. He’s:

• A Key Opinion Leader for Allergan and Galderma.
• A partner and speaker for tools he uses daily, including RepeatMD, Weave, and Opeline.
• A marketer who lives in the trenches of a high-performing med spa.

You can find him at:

Instagram: @botoxbymeesha

He’s also the author of:
“H Marketing Magic: Tis the Season of the Witch”

• Available on Amazon.
• Around 15 chapters.
• Roughly 55 pages.
• A deeper dive into many of the concepts covered here, especially seasonal campaigns and themed marketing.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Retention isn’t one trick or one software. It’s:

• The texts before and after each appointment.
• The way your front desk greets patients.
• The book clubs, trunk-or-treats, and gym events.
• The loyalty program that actually gets used.
• The AI tools that support your vision without replacing your humanity.

Done right, it turns your med spa from just another option in a crowded market into a place patients feel connected to — and keep coming back to, again and again.