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Hey med spa owners—let’s zoom out for a second.
The medical aesthetics industry is booming, but it’s not just demand that’s growing. The number of med spas and aesthetic practices is increasing faster than consumer demand in many markets. That means in a lot of cities—especially affluent, densely populated areas—you’re no longer just “riding the wave.” You’re competing for market share.
Your clients have options. If they believe they can get equal or better results elsewhere for a lower price, many of them will at least consider it.
That’s where luxury experience becomes your competitive edge. Not just “nice service,” but a deliberately designed, elevated experience that makes your practice sticky—a place clients feel emotionally attached to and eager to return to.
The good news? None of what we’re about to talk about is rocket science. A lot of owners know they could do these things. Very few actually execute consistently. That’s why execution becomes the variable for success.
Let’s walk through some tangible ways to create a true luxury experience in your med spa.
1. Win the First Few Seconds of the Visit
Those first moments—online and in-person—set the tone for everything.
Your Photos Are a Silent Sales Pitch
Before someone ever walks through your door, they’re judging you based on:
- Your Google Business Profile photos
- Your website imagery
- Your social feeds
If those photos look like they were taken 15–20 years ago in a dated, rundown office, they instantly lower the perceived value of your brand—whether that’s fair or not.
If instead your photos say, “This is a modern, clean, elevated space”, people subconsciously use your aesthetic environment as a proxy for your credibility and reputation. We all do this. It’s a built-in bias: old, tired building in a sketchy area = negative assumptions. Bright, clean, modern environment = trust and confidence.
So ask yourself:
- Do my photos look current?
- Does my space look intentional, modern, and put-together?
- Would a stranger seeing only my pictures assume “high-end” or “budget”?
Create a Signature Scent (and Brand Memory)
One incredibly simple upgrade: a signature scent.
If you have multiple locations, using the same scent in each one builds brand memory. Scent is powerful—it sticks in people’s brains and becomes part of how they recall your practice.
Think about walking into a store you love. For me, it’s the store At Home. I genuinely love the way it smells in there—especially when they start putting out fall décor. It’s hot in Middle Tennessee in the summer, and walking into that store with that cozy, seasonal scent is like an instant dopamine hit.
I noticed it wasn’t just me. My father-in-law walked into At Home with us once and said, “Wow, it smells really good in here,” before he even looked around. That’s brand memory. That’s emotional anchoring.
You can create the same effect:
- Choose a consistent signature scent
- Use it in your lobby and treatment areas
- Make it part of your “luxury experience” story
Greeting by Name (and Taking Hospitality Seriously)
Luxury is often in the details.
My wife and I recently went out for our 9th wedding anniversary. I noted on the reservation that it was our anniversary. From the moment we arrived:
- The front desk said, “Happy anniversary.”
- The waiter’s very first words were, “Happy anniversary.”
- Everyone we interacted with acknowledged it.
They didn’t have to ask why we were there—they already knew.
At the table, I noticed something else: every other table had a single napkin color. Ours had one black and one white. My assumption? They used that as a silent signal so the staff knew which table was celebrating something special.
That’s Unreasonable Hospitality in action—the concept that you go above and beyond to make guests feel known and valued.
How does this translate to your med spa?
- Make sure your front desk can greet people by name as they arrive.
- Note special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or “first visit” and acknowledge them verbally.
- Think about subtle ways—like the napkin example—to signal VIPs or special occasions to your team without the client ever seeing the “system.”
It’s about moving beyond cold, transactional “check-ins” to warm, intentional welcomes.
2. Upgrade Complimentary Snacks & Beverages from “Fine” to “Luxury”
You probably already offer water or basic snacks. But ask yourself honestly: does it feel luxurious?
There’s a huge difference between:
- Bags of Frito-Lay chips and the cheapest bottled water, versus
- Curated, premium snacks and beverages that are thoughtfully selected.
Some ideas to elevate this:
- Offer seasonal feature drinks: a rotating mocktail, infused water, or a fun seasonal beverage people start to look forward to.
- Provide champagne or sparkling options for VIPs or special occasions.
- Swap out bargain water bottles for something that looks and feels premium.
That extra $2–$3 per bottle might be negligible compared to the emotional impact on your client.
You can “check the box” on snacks and drinks cheaply, but you miss the opportunity to make it feel like a luxury experience.
3. Design Personalized Luxury Moments
Luxury is personal.
It’s not just about nice furniture; it’s about how seen and valued your patients feel.
Here are a few ways to personalize:
Handwritten Welcome Cards
For brand new clients, imagine this:
They arrive for their first appointment, check in, and are handed a handwritten welcome card from their provider:
- Introducing themselves
- Welcoming the client to the practice
- Expressing genuine excitement about caring for them
That’s a small act with a big emotional impact—and almost none of your competitors are doing it.
Personalized Product Sample or Welcome Bags
Instead of a generic “everyone gets the same thing” goody bag, you could:
- Create a few variations of welcome bags (by skin type, treatment type, or concern).
- Build an SOP for your staff on how to assemble a customized welcome bag for each new client based on their consultation or treatment.
Now it’s not just, “Here’s some stuff in a bag.”
It’s, “We picked these specifically for you.”
Birthdays & Treatment Anniversaries
Use your CRM to:
- Track birthdays
- Track treatment anniversaries (e.g., “1 year with us,” “1 year since first tox,” etc.)
Then build in “surprise and delight” touches around those dates:
- Handwritten cards
- Small gift or bonus
- Exclusive offer they didn’t expect
This is a play straight out of high-level hospitality. I’m in a group with other agency owners where the leaders, Josh and Yini, are phenomenal at this. At events in Miami, for example, they’ll have welcome gifts and handwritten cards waiting in the hotel rooms for speakers.
That level of thoughtfulness creates loyalty.
4. Make Your Med Spa Look “Magazine Cover” Ready
Your practice is in the business of aesthetics. Your physical space should reflect that.
Treatment Rooms That Feel Intentional
Consider upgrades like:
- Backlit treatment rooms with adjustable lighting so it always feels flattering and calm.
- Clean, curated product displays behind glass instead of cluttered shelves.
- A white-glove cleanliness standard so every room looks like it’s never been used before.
Clients notice if:
- There’s clutter on counters
- Trash cans are visible and overflowing
- Furniture feels mismatched or cheap
High-End Look Without High-End Price Tags
The good news: you don’t have to buy the most expensive piece of furniture to look high-end.
Clients are not flipping chairs over to inspect brand labels. What they do notice is:
- Cohesive color palettes
- Consistent design language
- Minimal clutter
- Fresh, well-maintained decor
Ask yourself honestly:
If someone took a photo of any room in my practice and put it in a magazine about luxury clinics, would it fit in—or stand out in a bad way?
5. Build High-Touch, Boutique-Level Communication
This is one of the most underused opportunities—and one of the biggest differentiators.
A lot of practices are trying to automate everything: confirmations, follow-ups, check-ins. Automation has its place, but you’re in a relationship-based, trust-driven business.
The services are largely commoditized. Your communication and experience are not.
Here are some high-touch ideas:
Handwritten Cards (Again)—But Post-Visit
One provider I spoke with sends handwritten cards two weeks after the first appointment to every new client.
Think about that from a retention standpoint:
- You’re reminding them of their experience.
- You’re reinforcing that you care.
- You’re staying top-of-mind in a deeply personal way.
In a business that lives or dies on retention and “stickiness,” it’s wild how many practices skip this.
Pre-Appointment Welcome Videos
Look ahead at your schedule each day. If you have 2–3 new patients coming in, your provider could:
- Film a quick 30–60 second video:
- “Hey [Name], I’m [Provider]. I just wanted to say I’m excited to meet you later today/tomorrow. We’re going to talk through your goals and make sure you feel really comfortable with everything.”
Send it via text or email.
Almost no one is doing this, and it’s a huge trust-builder before they even step foot in the building.
Post-Treatment Video Summaries
After a treatment, especially for first-timers or more complex plans, your provider can record a short video:
- Recapping what you did today
- Reinforcing what to expect
- Repeating aftercare instructions
This helps reduce confusion, callbacks, and anxiety—and it feels incredibly caring and high-touch.
Genuine Check-Ins (Not Just Automated Messages)
Automated “How are you feeling?” texts have their place—but clients can usually tell when something’s automated.
What if providers had:
- A short daily or weekly list of patients to personally text or call, just checking in?
- A simple script like:
“Hey [Name], this is [Provider] from [Practice]. Just wanted to check in a few days after your treatment and see how you’re feeling and if you have any questions.”
In an age where everyone is trying to replace human touch with AI, being more human than your competitors is a massive advantage.
6. Engineer Surprise-and-Delight Moments
This concept comes again from Unreasonable Hospitality:
What can you do that’s so unexpectedly thoughtful that people feel compelled to share it with others—especially on social media?
Ask yourself:
What could we do for a patient that would be so delightful they’d feel excited to post about it on Instagram?
Examples might include:
- An unannounced upgrade on their birthday
- A customized gift related to something they mentioned in conversation
- A small surprise in the treatment room that ties into their interests or life event
Whatever you choose, don’t leave it to chance:
- Build these into your SOPs
- Define when and how often they happen
- Give your staff permission and structure to identify and create those moments
7. Use VIP & Membership Perks Wisely (Without Alienating Others)
VIP experiences and memberships are an obvious place to “layer luxury”:
- Members-only lounge
- Exclusive member events
- Invitation-only experiences
These can work great—but they come with a risk.
If your non-member clients:
- Spend a lot with you
- Love your practice
- But don’t feel like a membership is right for them…
…you don’t want them to feel like second-class citizens because they don’t have access to the lounge or special perks.
To avoid that:
- Make VIP not only about membership status.
- You could:
- Automatically enroll members in VIP access
- Also invite non-members who:
- Have been with you a certain amount of time, or
- Have spent above a certain threshold
Now VIP feels more like a “top relationship” recognition rather than just a paid tier.
8. The Most Important Factor: Be the Best
All of these ideas are powerful—but they’re additive. They can’t compensate for a weak core.
If your:
- Providers are inexperienced, shaky, or lack confidence
- Front office staff feels awkward, cold, or clumsy
- Clinical outcomes aren’t consistently excellent
…then you can have the signature scent, the champagne, the handwritten cards, the membership lounge—and it still won’t feel like a true luxury experience.
You have to pass the smell test.
That means:
- Hiring and developing elite providers
- Paying people well enough that you can attract and retain top talent
- Training your team so they’re not just following SOPs, but delivering them with warmth, competence, and confidence
If your people and processes are world-class, everything else we’ve covered becomes the bow on top—the finishing touches that make your med spa feel genuinely luxurious and irreplaceable.
Final Thoughts
You’re operating in an increasingly competitive industry where many services are becoming commoditized. The real differentiator is no longer just what you offer—but how you offer it.
Luxury isn’t one big thing. It’s:
- The first impression
- The way your space looks and smells
- The way your team greets and remembers people
- The tiny, thoughtful gestures
- The communication before and after visits
- The feeling people leave with—and the stories they tell afterward
If you start implementing even a few of these ideas consistently, you will stand out. Not because you’re shouting the loudest, but because you’re caring the most—and showing it in tangible ways.
If you have other ways you create luxury experiences in your med spa, I’d genuinely love to hear them—add them to your notes or share them with your team as inspiration.
