An open letter to med spa owners (and consultants)
Dear Med Spa Owner,
Over the past year, one issue has come up again and again that I believe deserves an honest conversation.
It’s the role of outside consultants in shaping marketing strategy.
To be clear, many consultants in the med spa space do excellent work. They help improve operations, strengthen team structure, elevate patient experience, and create financial clarity. They play an important role.
But when it comes to marketing strategy, there’s a pattern that needs to be addressed.
Consultants often share strong opinions about what should or shouldn’t be done to grow a practice, especially when it comes to promotional offers or pricing. They’ll say things like:
“Don’t run specials. You’re just attracting the wrong kind of client.”
“You’re a luxury brand. Don’t discount your services.”
“You deserve full-paying clients who value your expertise.”
That messaging is compelling. It sounds empowering and appealing. It tells you what you want to hear. But it’s usually not backed by any performance data, and that’s where things start to fall apart.
These opinions often lack meaningful financial modeling, ROI analysis, or testing. And that can lead to marketing decisions that feel good in theory but don’t perform in practice.
Effective marketing requires clarity about goals, a willingness to understand trade-offs, and strategy rooted in data.
Let’s take a simple example.
You spend $1,000 on ads with an attractive new patient offer. That might bring in 8 clients. If 4 of them stay long-term, your cost per loyal client is $250. Compare that to a brand-focused campaign with no offer that brings in only 2 clients. Even if both stay, your cost per loyal client is now $500.
Now look at revenue. Those 4 retained clients from the offer campaign might each spend $2,500 over 24 months. That’s $10,000 in long-term revenue, plus a little more from the 4 who didn’t return. The 2 clients from the reputation-only campaign might spend more, say $3,500 each. That’s $7,000 total.
Despite the higher average value per client, you still end up with less total revenue and fewer people coming back for continued care.
This is not about pushing discounts. It’s about pursuing performance. Sometimes a full-price or reputation-driven strategy works. But it often does not. The decision should be based on data, not philosophy.
This is also where nuance is usually missing from the conversation.
Running an introductory offer isn’t about lowering your value. It’s about creating an opportunity to prove it. Some of the most respected luxury brands in the world offer free consultations, trial services, or first-time incentives. They understand that people often need to experience the product before they buy in for the long haul.
This tactic is not beneath premium brands. It’s a confident move by brands that know they can deliver. When a customer tries your med spa and has an amazing experience, they are far more likely to become long-term clients who pay full price and refer others.
The problem is that this kind of thinking rarely shows up in the consultant narrative. The data is missing. The nuance is missing. And when marketing is guided by generalizations or idealism instead of real numbers, it usually underperforms.
That is the real frustration. Not that opinions exist, but that they’re presented with such certainty, without being backed by data or shaped by financial reality.
If you’ve ever felt pulled in different directions, or unsure about how to balance your brand positioning with real-world growth, you’re not alone. But clarity starts with understanding the real trade-offs. Every strategy has them. The key is choosing the trade-offs that support your goals, not just your instincts.
If you have a line of customers waiting to schedule your appointments and you’re busier than you can manage, I agree, no need to discount (and that’s a great goal)! But if you’re in growth mode, and actively seeking new customers, this information is critical.
Here’s a video that breaks this down further, with examples of how marketing choices impact volume, ROI, and the long-term strength of your business.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/mYyruzy2H2g?si=7SfMF0ls79r7gh0b
Thanks for reading,
