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You did it; you decided to open your own medical spa. You have the know-how and the credentials. You have your models booked, your room set up and ready to go, and your inventory ordered — you are so close to really being open for business. Now it’s time to start spreading the word so you can get your first paying clients!
Congratulations on your new med spa!
Launching any new business is exciting yet challenging. Whether starting from scratch or rebranding an existing medical spa, your opening will be the first opportunity to get your name out there and promote yourself and your services.
We know you have questions: How do I get myself in front of people I don’t know? How do I convince them to walk through the door and receive treatment from me? How do I build buzz around my grand opening?
We’ve helped med spas across the country get started and learned a few things about what makes for an impressive launch. Businesses are “shiniest” at launch — so right now is the best time to introduce yourself to that first paying client who will start building word of mouth around you and your spa.
That’s why we created this guide, to help you move towards what we know is a very important day for you and your spa. We’re providing you with a roadmap you can follow leading up to your opening day, a plan that we’ve seen work with our partners who are now up and running.
So, please keep reading for our advice on landing your first clients with an unforgettable opening event. We’ll cover the following:
- Establishing your spa’s online presence and communication tools
- Setting launch goals
- Deciding on a promotional strategy
- Getting the word out about your hot new business
Plus, we we provide a checklist at the end of the guide so you can track your progress towards your med spa launch.
Step 1: Establishing your spa’s online presence with a website
As you know, your website is your online storefront - where potential clients will come and browse to see what you offer and what makes you different. Thankfully, even if you have no coding or design experience, in 2023, it is relatively easy to make a professional-looking website.
You can buy URLs from domain websites like GoDaddy, Google Domains, or NameCheap. You should be able to find a domain for less than $20/per year.
TIP: If your dream URL is taken (or overpriced) try the following:
- Add” “the” or “get” to the front of it
- Add: “medspa,” “aesthetics,” or “clinic” to the end of it
- Make sure your URL is easy to say, understand, and spell
- Avoid URLs that are too long or complicated and very different from your brand name
Once you have your URL, it’s time to decide on which website builder you want to use. We like Squarespace because they have a broad range of templates and are super user-friendly. But there are many other options, such as Wix and Weebly, and they are all basically the same price.
Your website will tell your story and tell people why they should seek your services. Be sure to include the following pages:
- Homepage
- About / Our Story
- Services (Botox / Dysport, Fillers, any other services)
- Before and Afters / Photo Gallery / Results
- Reviews (likely won’t have it at launch)
- Contact
- Links to FB and IG
Step 2: Expand your online reach with social media
A visual medium, social media is a must for any med spa. It’s how potential clients will confirm you are a legitimate business that they should trust with their face!
Get started with social media by setting up pages on the following services:
- Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)
- Optional: TikTok - if you’re already familiar with the platform and enjoy making videos - go for it! Otherwise, this is really not necessary at this stage.
Once you have an account, you can start experimenting with posts.
FYI: Most successful med spa social posts fall into the following buckets:
- Before and Afters - Always make sure you have a signed consent waiver before posting! In the early days, these photos will likely be of friends and family willing to get treatment and model for you.
- Informational - Educate customers on the different treatments you offer, making them more accessible and less intimidating. Try and answer frequently asked questions. Some examples include: When’s the best age to start botox? Is botox painful? How long can I expect my lip filler results to last? Which filler type is best for me? How does Botox work?
- Patient testimonials
- Pictures of you / the space
- Promotions
You shouldn’t let posting on social media take over your life - it’s not where new clients will come from. Trust us!
Step 3: Get your communications tools in place
You have a website and social media, but you’ll need other tools so patients can get a hold of you to book that first treatment.
Since you own your domain, you can set up business emails.
TIP: To keep your inboxes organized, create public-facing emails (info@yourspa.com, bookings@yourspa.com) that you’ll share freely and some private emails (sarah@yourspa.com) you’ll reserve for select customers and vendors.
You’ll also want to take phone calls and texts, but I bet you want to keep your phone number private off of flyers or Instagram posts. Check out Google Voice, RingCentral, or another third-party app that can provide you a new number that gets routed to your phone (at times convenient for you.)
Step 4: Get the word out with a “Grand Opening” event
You have all the components in motion to start shouting about your med spa and receive the replies! Now it’s vital to do something to help boost your business as you open it. It’s time for the “grand opening.”
This type of launch event is a classic med spa marketing strategy that has a natural excitement built into it. It will create word of mouth around your new med spa and is an excellent opportunity to highlight how your treatment services and location are more advanced/newer/better/cheaper than the competition.
TIP: Choose “the day” you’ll open and set it firmly in stone. This is the day you will be advertising, and it’s essential to show that you’re consistent and dependable. Only change your grand opening date in the case of an unavoidable emergency.
The goal for your grand opening should be to get your first:
- 7–10 paying customers
- 5–7 5-star Google reviews
- 20 new Facebook followers
- 20 new Instagram followers
These results are less about earning your first dollar as a med spa owner and more about earning some positive word of mouth. Why’s word of mouth important? 92% of consumers believe friends and family over advertising.
Step 5: Choose a Promotional Strategy
Offering a promotion gives people a reason to come into your spa and can create urgency around your grand opening.
Promos should be designed with specific goals in mind. For example, if you need before/after photos or reviews, you can offer discounted botox/filler to get some more models quickly. But if you already have a handful of good photos and positive reviews, you can focus on the types of promos that will get people in the door and coming back (e.g., buy-one-get-one botox).
The following are excellent options to evaluate.
- People love a deal, and a great launch promo will give customers a reason to try you and your business out. Think simple, straightforward discounts, such as Botox/Dysport/Xeomin for $9 per unit (regularly $12), with a minimum purchase of 20 units, or $550 per syringe of filler (regularly $650) that you could position as “$100 discount on filler.” If your business also offers skincare products, consider creating a special deal on them.
- Put together a goodie bag / a giveaway / a raffle item. But don’t spend much (or any) money on this. Consider raffling a complimentary treatment, a future treatment if the winner brings a friend back, or even samples of your retail skincare line.
- Offer food and drink. If you’re having a one-day event or a party, be sure to provide food and beverages. An example could be a “Bubbles and botox” themed grand opening where all clients receive a glass of champagne with their treatment. Check in with local businesses (cafes, wine shops, bars) to see if they will provide refreshments in exchange for some exposure on your marketing materials or social media.
Don’t be limited to just one of the above tactics if you think there’s value in offering multiple.
IMPORTANT: When it comes to promotional strategies on treatments, limit yourself to one per treatment - too many deals can make your marketing confusing to customers, plus it could give the impression that everything is always discounted.
Step 6: Think about how to Call Clients to Action
A promo is great, but what are the steps to activate it? How will you draw the most interest possible?
If you’re having a launch party, it’s best to have people RSVP. This will make the event feel more exclusive and provide access to contact information for follow-up. Be sure to remind potential attendees via email:
- When they RSVP
- Three days before the event
- One day before.
TIP: Make sure to include all the details and incentives, such as giveaways, discounts, food, and drinks, so that people have a reason to actually show up!
Suppose you’re not hosting an actual party but more of a promo period. In that case, you want to encourage people to book appointments directly with a stated deadline for any deals or discounts you are offering (for example, “Launch Special: Book before XX date and get $100 off syringes and $9/unit Botox! Don’t wait!”) This type of language creates a sense of urgency that motivates people to act to avoid missing the deal.
Also, ensure that confirmation text messages and emails are sent for each appointment, similarly:
- At the time of booking
- Three days before the appointment
- One day before
Step 7: Create the Marketing Materials for Your Opening
You’ve chosen when you’re opening and how you want to draw people in. Now you need to get that information in front of them.
You’ll have to channel your inner artist as you create promotional materials for your launch. Flyer designs, Facebook events, Instagram posts, and email blasts should all be crafted to announce the opening of your med spa. Check out Pinterest for examples and inspiration from other successful launch promos.
TIP: Canva will be your best friend in creating these marketing materials - it’s a free and very easy-to-use graphic design website with lots of great templates you can work from.
You will also need to create content for social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. This can include pictures of the facility and staff, bios of staff members, before/after photos (more below), and videos. These will help build a positive reputation for your med spa and draw in potential customers.
TIP: Words like “Launch Party,” “Grand Opening,” “Launch Special,” and “Giveaways” should be included in your marketing materials as these are great for grabbing attention.
Step 8: Spread the word
It’s time to let your network (and the world) know about your medical spa! Reach out to people and businesses in your area, and feel free to pitch yourself to the local press. Your opening can be a successful launchpad, so it’s the perfect time to start marketing your med spa.
If opting for physical marketing options, you can post business cards and flyers in nearby stores or elsewhere to promote your event or promotional offers during the official launch week. For a more cost-effective option, check out Vistaprint - they often offer coupons for additional discounts!
You should aim for at least 50 messages sent on digital channels (Email/Texts/DMs/Social posts). Send these messages 7–10 days before the launch week period, along with a reminder 3–5 days before the event.
TIP: Make it easy for recipients to help by suggesting specific actions:
- “Come for discounted treatment during our launch week promo period, and post a review if you enjoy the experience (link to your booking calendar).”
- “Tell your friends about us - post on social, email, or just word of mouth.”
- “Like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.” (Include links)
- “Sign up for our newsletter.” (Provide a link; use a free bulk email sender such as Mailchimp, Paperless Post, or Evite.)
To expand your reach, you should post similar announcements on your personal social media pages and in local groups like Patch.com and Nextdoor. Don’t be afraid to join local Facebook or community groups to share.
You can also ask friends to post on your behalf (this can make it less awkward for some folk initially). Here's a sample:
“Feel free to delete this post, but my friend @xx is following her dreams and officially opening her own med spa this week! I couldn’t be prouder! She’s offering some major deals to celebrate - there will be Botox deals, bubbles & bites, and raffles. Don’t miss this!” [include a link to the Facebook event or upload pictures of the flyer].
Step 9: Open your med spa
At this point, you’ve gone above and beyond to launch your med spa and have an impactful opening. Now it’s time to get down to business.
Be well prepared and stocked up for your opening week, get rest (if you can sleep), and take some time to appreciate your new endeavor.
The opening is just the first step in your med spa’s growth. And don’t worry, you will have other moments to “shine” soon enough: when you introduce new treatments, expand your team, upgrade your location...
If you need more help getting your launch ready or building your new med spa business, Moxie is here to help. Let the Moxie team guide you through the launch process so you can get up and running in no time!
Learn More About Moxie and How We Can Help You Open Your Own Med Spa >
[Bonus] Launch Event Checklist
You’ve got this! Here’s a handy checklist to recap everything we just walked through:
- Set up website
- Create social media accounts
- Make business emails
- Get a business phone number for your phone
- Select dates for launch event/week
- Decide on launch promos
- Create a launch goodie bag/raffle/giveaway
- Make marketing materials, including: flyers, Facebook events, social posts, email blast
- Set up RSVP or appointment flow
- Email/text at least 50+ friends and family telling them about your business or event and how they can help
- Post on personal social media
- Reach out to local businesses to introduce yourself and tell them about the event
- Post flyers and business cards or postcards advertising the launch event
- Post on local community boards (Patch, Nextdoor, etc.)
- Post in local Facebook groups
- Post on social and ask friends and family to like and share
- Create a FB event for your launch event/launch week and “boost” it