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As we look toward 2026, we are introducing updated frameworks to help med spa and aesthetics practice owners market their businesses with maximum efficiency. One of the most critical additions to our strategy this year is a deep dive into the EVA Framework.
While many owners focus heavily on the “Exposure” side of marketing—getting their name in front of as many people as possible—they often struggle during the most pivotal moment of the consumer journey: the Validation Phase.
What is the EVA Framework?
To understand why your marketing may be underperforming, you have to look at how a modern prospect makes a purchase decision. Most people looking for a med spa have already decided they want the service; they just haven’t decided which provider is the right one.
The EVA framework touches on three distinct points of the purchase process:
- E – Exposure: Are people aware that you exist? Are you in their consideration pool through Facebook/Instagram ads, Google search results, or simply driving by your office?
- V – Validation: This is the research phase. Once a prospect knows you exist, they research your business against 2–3 alternatives. They explore your website, your social profiles, and, most importantly, your reputation.
- A – Action/Adoption: The final step where the lead schedules the appointment and becomes a consistent patient.
The Conversion Disparity
We often see a massive disparity in performance between clients. Our top 5% of performers see a lead-to-booked-appointment conversion rate of 18% to 20%. The standard high-end benchmark is usually around 13% to 15%.
However, we also see clients whose conversion rates are abysmal—sitting at 1% to 3% in certain months. As marketers, we know the cost per lead is effective and the offer is competitive, yet people are refusing to move forward. This inefficiency is almost always rooted in the Validation Phase. When people research the med spa, they find something that causes them to hesitate.
How Leads Actually Read Your Reviews
One of the primary tools consumers use to “validate” a med spa is Google reviews. We recently conducted an internal exercise where we asked our team exactly how they research a business. The consensus was eye-opening.
The “Sort by Lowest” Trick
The first instinct for almost every team member was to sort by lowest reviews first. Nobody’s first instinct was to read the five-star reviews because those are “too easy.” Consumers assume positive reviews might be prompted, incentivized, or left by friends.
Instead, they want to know: “If this experience goes bad, what does ‘bad’ look like?” Context and Sensitivity The content of a negative review matters more than the rating itself.
- The “Wait Time” Review: “I had to wait 15 minutes.” Most prospects ignore this because it suggests the provider doesn’t rush their patients.
- The “Botched” Review: “They totally botched my face; my lips were swollen and bruised for six months.”
If your negative reviews directly correlate with the experience a prospect fears most—physical injury or lack of skill—you will lose the booking. People judge you by the “baseline worst” result.
The Mismatched Expertise Problem
A client might have a 4.8-star rating, but if 90% of those reviews are for laser hair removal and the prospect is looking for Botox, they may feel your spa isn’t an “injectables expert.” Consumers frequently search review bars for specific keywords like “Botox” or “Microneedling” to see if others had a good result with the exact service they want.
4 Strategic Takeaways to Win the Validation Phase
1. Adopt a Proactive Mindset
The overall star rating still creates the initial “Phase 1” emotional impression. If you have a 4.7 or lower, you have a review issue. To fix this, you must eliminate friction in the solicitation process.
- Direct Texting: Don’t send an email or make them jump through hoops. Send a text with a direct link.
- The Google “Magic Link”: On your Google Business dashboard, click “Get more reviews.” This provides a link that opens a popup directly on the review field, bypassing the need for the client to click “Write a review.”
- Favor-Based Language: Instead of treating it like market research, use personal language: “It would mean the world to me if you’d leave a detailed review. Online reviews are incredibly important to small businesses like ours.”
- Ask for Detail: Specifically ask for a detailed review. This provides the keywords and context future prospects are looking for.
2. The ROI of “Making It Right” (The Refund Strategy)
Many owners are hesitant to refund “unreasonable” clients because they don’t want to admit wrongdoing. However, you must look at the ROI of a negative review.
If a single bad review causes just five people over the next year to choose a competitor, and the average lifetime value of a client is $5,000, you have just lost **$25,000 in revenue**. Is it worth losing $25,000 to save a $400 or $500 refund?
Your first line of defense should be: “We are sorry it didn’t go well; we’d love to refund your money. These reviews mean a lot to us, would you be open to taking it down?” Most people will agree once the issue is remedied.
3. Mastering the Response Blueprint
You must respond to every review—even positive ones. But for negative ones, remember your audience: You are not writing to the person who left the review; you are writing for every future prospect.
- Be “Too Nice”: Use education, acknowledge their feelings, and explain what you’ve done to fix the situation.
- Show the Effort: Even if you can’t reach a good conclusion, showing that you attempted to remedy the situation multiple times gives prospects peace of mind.
4. Reflection and Introspection
While the default impulse is to assume the reviewer is a “lunatic,” don’t make that your first reflex.
- Internal Audit: Did we drop the ball on communication? Was the pricing misleading in our marketing?
- Filter the Friction: Sometimes negative reviews occur because there was a misunderstanding during the consult. Use this feedback to improve your patient intake and automated workflows so friction is removed before they enter the office.
The One-Week Reputation Challenge
To wrap up, I challenge you to perform this audit this week:
- Go to your Google reviews and sort by lowest.
- Go read your most recent reviews.
- Find your top competitor and read their reviews.
- Ask yourself: “If I were a stranger, which business would I choose?”
If you are a 4.8 and your competitor is a 5.0, you are in a sub-optimal position. To win, you must supplement third-party data (reviews) with first-party personality. By creating intentional video content and building “no-like-trust” deposits through boosted social posts, you can create a direct relationship that outweighs a stranger’s negative review.
As we kick off our 2026 series, remember: Exposure gets you noticed, but Validation gets you booked.
