How to Start and Grow Your Medical Spa 

How to Start and Grow Your Medical Spa : Medical Spas are becoming increasingly important in the medical industry. Many doctors and spa professionals are striving to create their own unique, profitable medical spa businesses.

When you want to start a medical spa project, your money and time need to be involved and managed efficiently. Apart from your money and time, there are other things that you need to do to ensure the growth of your spa. If not implemented correctly from the start, the seemingly smallest of errors can cause major setbacks.

You need to be thorough and strategically execute every step when setting up your medical spa to ensure its success and growth.

How do I start a medical spa business?

The spa industry is huge, and the competition is also huge. There are different variations of a spa.

The major difference between a medical spa and other traditional spas is the supervision of professionals. Medical spas are operated by medical professionals while traditional spas are operated by massage therapists and cosmetologists.

The treatments offered in medical spas are also different from what are offered in traditional spas. Medical spas focus more on healthcare services while traditional spas offer services like massages, facials, pedicures and manicures, etc.

Setting up a medical spa is quite different from setting up a traditional spa. There are certain things that you must pay attention to.

We are going to look at the prerequisites of opening a medical spa.

1. Be Qualified to Open a Medical Spa

A medical spa is not the same as a traditional spa. Medical spas focus on healthcare services.

What qualifications and certifications do you have? Are you qualified to open a medical spa? Do you have the educational qualifications and expertise to open a medical spa?

Are you qualified enough to offer all the treatments that are usually offered at medical spas?

Before opening a medical spa, you need to have all the qualifications and certifications that are expected of a medical therapist or spa owner. You need to have the knowledge and experience of all the treatments that are usually offered at medical spas.

This is very important if you want to open and operate the medical spa by yourself. The quality of services you provide will determine how well your MedSpa will grow.

2. Secure a Solid Concept

Secure a solid concept by deciding on what you will specialize in. You can’t put your hands on everything. Know the areas you’re good at and focus on them. While you focus on particular areas, don’t offer too few services. A common mistake that some MedSpa owners make is not offering enough or offering too little related to their practice. There needs to be a balance. Offer as many services as possible in areas that you specialize in.

3. Create a Business Plan

Whether you are financing the MedSpa project by yourself or looking for investors, you need to create a business plan. Potential investors will first review your business plan before deciding if they are interested in investing their money in your project or not. Even if you’re not looking for investors, it is important to still create a business plan.

You need to create an excellent business plan that can attract investors. Get a professional or consultant to review your business plan and get a visual image of your goal.

Your business plan is the foundation with which your project stands. It acts as a source to refer to during the development of the project to keep you on target. It also serves as a monthly revenue target for which you strive to attain.

4. Hire a Development Team

This is important, particularly if you’re building a new office or developing an old space. You need to hire a development team that will oversee the construction of your facility.

The building is the most expensive, time-consuming part of your project. You need to hire professionals that know more about buildings and constructions such as Architects, Civil engineers, and Surveyors. They need to think ahead and erect a facility that fits all situations and needs.

With a strong development team on board, you can foresee problems in advance and create solutions for those every problem or need. You need to hire an experienced development team that can build a facility that enhances your concept.

5. Find your Ideal Location

Your office location is very important. Your office needs to be located in an area where it is readily accessible. You need to conduct market feasibility and competition analysis before choosing a location. Many factors affect the selection of your location depending on your concept.

Ensure that the zoning laws in your city or town allow for a medical spa. A good way to avoid the hassle of zoning laws is to collect zoning data from other existing medical spas around.

6. Create and Implement your Business Infrastructure

For your spa business to succeed, you need to create a welcoming environment. The most important step of your project is having your business systems in place before bringing in your staff.

If you do not have policies in place, your staff will quickly take advantage of you, and this can negatively affect the reputation of your MedSpa. When clients are not happy with your services or customer relations, they will have negative reviews about your business and this can cause the downfall of your spa. You need to have policies in place that your staff should adhere to.

7. Create a Strong Menu and Choose Appropriate Product Lines

The success of your MedSpa largely depends on the services that you provide. Your MedSpa services should be supported by medical professionals. Doctor’s support of your MedSpa services and products is crucial to your MedSpa’s success.

The difficulty lies in creating a menu of services and products that are marketable. When selecting a skincare range for your medical spa, a good option is purchasing an existing spa skincare line that has been proven effective. There are also many pharmaceutical companies that provide a range of products to suit the medical spa industry. Working with a pharmaceutical company gives you flexibility and in-depth knowledge of what you need to add to your menu.

8. Integrate Both the Medical and Spa Side of your Business

Seamlessly merging of the doctor’s office and the spa is the foundation of a medical spa. There are several approaches you can take to integrate your operations to suit the needs of the public.

One way is to get a group of experts that include both doctors and spa practitioners. The diagnosis of clients are discussed among these practitioners to create a comprehensive treatment menu

Before getting these practitioners, you need to ask yourself a few questions such as;

How does this practitioner complement your practice?

How can you package your services with these treatments?

How are these treatments going to help enhance your practice?

Your ultimate goal is to develop a solid concept that complements your business and will generate income for you.

9. Marketing and Sales Plan

You need to develop a marketing and sales plan in order to acquire clients. A forward-thinking marketing plan takes a proactive approach on how to acquire clients.

The three main steps to marketing spa services are communication, follow-up, and commitment. There are various marketing channels and strategies that you can use to acquire clients. You can hire the services of a marketer to develop a marketing and sales plan for you.

10. List of Equipment Required

There are many different types of equipment you need to get when setting up your medical spa. Spa equipment are the main source through which you can provide various types of treatments and therapies.

Each treatment that medical spa offer requires a specific set of devices. These devices make it possible and easy for you to provide quality services.

Listed below is a checklist of the most essential equipment that you need to get in your medical spa so you can provide the best treatments:

• Spa massage and facial tables
• Multifunctional unites
• Facial steamers and combos
• Carts and Trolleys
• Hot towel cabinets and sterilizers
• Beauty technician stools
• Microdermabrasion machines
• Magnifying lamps
• Intense pulse light and laser
• Electrocardiogram
• Digital imaging
• Ultraviolet sterile cab

11. Check the Legal Requirements

To start a medical spa, there are certain legal requirements that must be followed. Abiding by laws by following these legal requirements allows you to conduct treatments and services in the most legal manner without breaking any rules.

The main legal requirements that you should have for your medical spa in order to be law-abiding are:

• Licenses for all your employees
• Qualified medical professionals
• Expert supervisors
• Intact healthcare system

You need to know the other legal requirements in the specific location that you want to set up your medical spa.

12. What Kind of Staff to Hire?

The kind of staff you hire to work for you is very crucial to the success of your medical spa. The employees that you hire are no less than the ambassadors of your MedSpa. They are the main people who can make and break your MedSpa business.

They are the ones who will be on ground to provide services to clients. You need to hire qualified people who would align with your business vision. Hire people that will work towards fulfilling your business vision with the same zeal as you.

You need to hire qualified, licensed medical professionals. Hire individuals that will help you navigate your business in the right direction. Hire individuals that are self-driven, sincere, hardworking, dedicated, and knowledgeable. Hiring staff with all these qualifications will ensure the success and growth of your MedSpa in the shortest possible time.

Since medical spas also handle some medical conditions of clients, it is crucial that you hire individuals with the right qualifications and knowledge to work in this profession.

Opening a medical spa checklist!

Below is the checklist for the things you need to get when opening a medical spa:

• Electric facial chair
• Hydraulic chairs
• Sterilization unit
• UV light towel warmer
• Magnifying lamp
• Massage and facial tables
• Towels
• Multifunctional unites
• Facial steamers and combos
• Carts and Trolleys
• Hot towel cabinets and sterilizers
• Beauty technician stools
• Microdermabrasion machines
• Magnifying lamps
• Intense pulse light (IPL) Photofacial lasers
• Electrocardiogram
• Digital imaging
• Ultraviolet sterile cab
• Hydrodemabrasion machines
• Microcurrent machines
• RF Facial Machines
• Cryo Facial Machines
• Ultrasonic Cavitation Machines
• Cryo Slimming Machines
• Vacuum Massage Machines

Front desk equipment – The front desk is one of the most important zones in a medical spa. The front desk area should be carefully designed with all the needed equipment.

Things that you should get for the front desk area include:

• Reception desk
• Chairs for receptionists
• Shelving for the products sold in your spa
• Coffee machine for clients
• Cooler
• Waiting area furniture
• Wardrobe
• Brochure and magazine stand

How much profit do med spas make?

According to the AmSpa 2019 Medical Spa State of the Industry Report, the average medical spa makes an average of $1 million per year. Top medical spas make between $4–$5 million per year.

The medical spa global industry was valued at $13.82 billion in 2019. The global industry is moving toward an anticipated value of $47.14 billion by the year 2030.

Is medical spa a good business?

Medical spa business can be very profitable when properly managed and done right. If done correctly and properly manage, a medical spa is a rewarding and lucrative business.

Medical spa is becoming increasingly popular among women and men. Medical spas provide many benefits to people. While many people seek medical spas to improve their appearance, others seek relief from specific health conditions. Medical spas can address symptoms of various health conditions and improve the general well-being of individuals.

How much does it cost to open a med spa?

The cost of opening a medical spa varies depending on the location, the quality of equipment you want to buy, the number and quality of staff you want to hire, and other expenses. You will need to pay some amount of money to get your licenses, insurance and permits.

If your med spa is located in a low-cost area, you will start your medspa at a lower cost than someone whose med spa is located in a high-cost area.

The average start-up costs for medical spas are between $700,000 and $1,000,000. To minimize cost, you can start your medical spa as a small business venture and gradually expand it.

Do you need a license to open a spa?

Yes. You need a license to open a spa.

There are necessary spa license requirements for a spa owner. These include:

1. Cosmetology License

Cosmetology license is the most comprehensive license for a spa owner. It requires a long training time. The spa owner needs to go through cosmetology training that includes all types of beauty treatments like skin, hair, and nails.

The cosmetology licenses are generally given to professionals who graduated from an accredited cosmetology program, an apprenticeship program, or completed cosmetologist classes and courses.

2. General Business Licenses

Besides the cosmetology license, there are other business licenses and permit you’ll also need as a spa owner before you can start.

These licenses and permits include:

• Retail Seller Permit –You may need to get a retail seller permit if you want to sell spa and beauty products.
• Spa business operation license –This is an important business license that you will need to get regardless of the location of your spa.

Professional Staff License Requirements

1. Esthetician License

Estheticians need to be familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions and infections. They should also be familiar with sanitation control procedures and skin histology before they’re allowed to offer their services in a medical lab.

The requirements to get an esthetician license vary depending on the country and specific location. However, the general process is quite similar. To get an esthetician license, you first need to complete an approved program of esthetics through formal schooling, apprenticeship, or master esthetician.

Next, you will need to pass a theory (written) and practical (hands-on) examination to demonstrate the skills and knowledge that you have learned before you will be issued the license.

2. Massage Therapist License

Massage therapy is a system of assessment, evaluation, and manual application techniques which are applied to the body of an individual to make the person feel refreshed and relaxed.

To get a massage therapist license, you must have completed an approved massage program or graduated from a massage school or course.

The major requirements are typically the completion of educational background and passing the examinations. There may be other requirements such as minimum age of permission, background screening or personal legal documents, etc.

Do med spas have to be HIPAA compliant?

Medical spas deal with patient information. Hence, HIPAA laws apply to medical spa practices. Sending or receiving photos or sensitive information of clients is an easy way to fall into HIPAA non-compliance.

HIPAA requires that electronic communications with clients be properly encrypted to ensure privacy and safety of their information. Medical spas need to substantially comply with HIPAA’s requirements.

What certifications do you need to work in a medical spa?

To work in a medical spa, there are certain certifications that you should have. These include:

Cosmetologist Certification

If you want to work in a medical spa as a cosmetologist should complete a certificate or associate’s degree program through a state-approved cosmetology school or courses. You should also pass both the written and practical exams before you can be certified as a cosmetologist.

The majority of cosmetology schools allow students to be awarded a certificate or diploma after completing the program. On average, it takes between 9-15 months to complete a cosmetology diploma or certificate program.

Estheticians Certification

Estheticians are familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions and infection, as well as sanitation control procedures, skin histology, and the integumentary system.

If you want to work in a medical spa as an esthetician, you have to first complete an approved program of esthetics through formal schooling, apprenticeship, or master esthetician.

Next, you have to pass a written and practical examination before you will be awarded a certificate.

Electrologist Certification

Electrologists are professionals that use electricity to perform hair removal services. They permanently stop the growth of hair on various parts of the body, including the arms, legs, face, and back.

To be an Electrologist, you need to undergo training. Electrologists might study the theory of electrolysis and the technology used. You may need to demonstrate the skills and knowledge learned through your training program by passing a written and practical examination.

Manicurist Certification

A manicurist may perform hand, feet, and lower leg massages. They may use gels, acrylics, applying extensions, tips, and wraps. They take care of the fingernails and toenails.

To work as a manicurist, you need to undergo training. You need to complete a training program or apprenticeship, or both and pass an exam.

Massage Therapist Certification

To work in a medical spa as a massage therapist, you must complete an approved massage program or graduate from massage school or course.

You will need to pass a written and practical exam to be awarded a certificate as a massage therapist.

Can a PA own a medical spa?

Only qualified physicians can own and operate medical spas. A physician assistant can’t own a medical spa all alone. A physician assistant can only own minority shares in a medical spa or serve as a minority partner with a physician.

Can nurses own medical spas?

Nurses can’t open and operate a medical spa alone. If you’re a nurse, you cannot open a medical spa by yourself. You must co-own or operate the medical spa with a physician. No medical spa can be opened or operated without a qualified physician.

20 Marketing Channels to Promote and Bring Clients to Your Medical Spa

1. Post your med spa services on Facebook

Facebook is a social media platform with billions of users and has become increasingly beneficial to businesses. You can promote your medical spa on Facebook and acquire lots of clients. Using the Facebook platform, you can reach out to thousands of people and connect with them. Engage with them and market your medspa services to them with the aim of converting them to active clients.

Take advantage of the huge benefits that Facebook has to offer and post your medspa services on your Facebook page. You can also create a medspa business page on Facebook to showcase your medspa services and products to the public. Keep the page active by consistently posting useful content that has the potentials to draw the attention of prospective clients to you.

2. Post your med spa services on Instagram

Instagram is another huge social media platform with billions of users. It has become a very huge marketing channel in recent times. You can post videos and pictures of your med spa services and products on Instagram to showcase them to the public. A lot of people who require the services of a med spa are on Instagram. Post your services on your Instagram page so that your audience can see what you’re offering. Post pictures of services and treatments that you have provided for your other clients so that potential clients can see them.

3. Share on Twitter

Twitter is another social networking platform that you can use as a marketing channel to publicize your med spa to the public. You can tweet about your med spa, post useful content and ask friends to retweet so you can reach out to more people.

4. Blogs

Blogs are great platforms that you can use to reach out to a large number of people. There are a lot of bloggers around that you can connect with to help you market your med spa for a fee. You can also create your own blog site where you can post content about your spa and other useful topics. Optimize your blog site and get huge traffic to reach out to more people. You can add the URL link to your website on your blog site to drive traffic to your website.

5. Paid Ad

Paid Ad is another marketing channel to get your medspa services out to the general public. There are different types of paid ads that you can use to market and publicize your med spa. Examples are Pay-Per-Click, Social media ads, Banner ads, Google Ad, Ad retargeting, and more. You can reach out to a lot of potential clients using these ads.

6. Radio and TV Advertising

This is a traditional medium of advertising your business to the general public that is still effective to date. Make use of radio and TV stations to advertise your business to get more clients and make more sales.

7. Banners and posters

Posting on banners and posters is a traditional marketing channel. By using banners and posters, you can market and advertise your med spa to the public. Get a designer to make a beautiful banner and poster that you can display at strategic places so that people can see. You can display banners and posters both inside and outside your office building.

8. Website

Your website is a major marketing channel that you can use to market your med spa to the public and get new clients. Your website is the number one place where potential clients will visit to know more about you and your medical spa. Your website should contain detailed information about your med spa and the services you offer. Share videos, pictures, and other useful content on your website to capture the attention of potential clients. Your website should be intuitive and properly designed. It should be colorful and display all the med spa services that you’re offering.

9. Sending SMS 

Sending SMS directly to the mobile phones of your contacts is an effective way to promote your medical spa and acquire new clients. You can do this by writing compelling content about your spa and automating an SMS campaign that will automatically send out the content as text messages to all your contacts.

10. Sending emails

Automating an email campaign is another effective way to promote your medical spa. Compile a list of email addresses of prospects and automate an email campaign where emails will be sent to them periodically. Ensure you follow up to keep prospects engaged until they become active clients.

11. Cold calling

Cold calling is another way to promote your medical spa to people on a one-on-one basis and bring in clients. You can hire someone that will be doing the cold calling while you focus on other aspects of the day-to-day running of your medical spa.

12. Make use of business cards

Giving out business cards is another way to promote your medical spa to people. Create business cards with your business name and logo. You can also highlight some of the services you offer on your business card. Through your business card, people can reach out to you using the phone number or email address on your business card.

13. Email signature

You can also promote your medical spa and acquire new clients by using email signature. Appending email signatures to your outgoing emails is a way to create awareness about your medical spa and direct traffic to your website. You can add your contact details, links to your website and social media accounts, the logo of your business, and even a photo of yourself on your email signature to further promote your medical spa and increase your brand identity.

14. Create special events 

Another marketing channel that you can use to promote your medical spa ad acquire new clients is by creating special events. Creating special events brings many people together under one roof. Use the opportunity to talk about your medical spa and highlight the reasons why people should seek medical spa services. The aim of this is to encourage people to patronize your spa.

15. Make use of video conferencing tools

Video conferencing tools have made it possible for you to virtually see and speak with people from any location around the world. Video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, WhatsApp video calls, etc, allows you to virtually see the person you are speaking with. These tools provide you with the opportunity to communicate with other people and see them as you speak.

16. WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a free messaging platform that you can use to send messages to all your contacts and also communicate with them. WhatsApp has become an effective marketing tool in recent times. A lot of businesses now use WhatsApp to market their products and services. You can as well promote your medical spa to all your contacts on WhatsApp

17. Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is another free messaging platform that you can use to promote your medical spa and acquire new clients. Facebook is a very large platform with a lot of users.  Send messages to your Facebook friends about your medical spa and promote the services you offer to them.

18. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a networking platform that you can also you to market your medical spa and acquire new clients. Create a LinkedIn page about your medical spa, connect with people and promote your spa to them. You can also send private messages to your connections and engage them until they become active clients.

19. Partner with influencers

There are a lot of influencers on the internet space right now. Influencers are individuals with large numbers of followers and audience. Most celebrities are also influencers. You can partner with influencers or pay them a particular amount of money so that they can help you promote your medical spa. When you partner with them or pay them, they will promote your medical spa on their various social media platforms. Influencers can help you gain many new clients because a lot of people see them as role models. Most of their followers will do their bidding.

20. Be involved in community services

Involving yourself in community services is a way to meet other people. There are various different community services in your neighborhood that you can get involved in. You will meet many other people as you partake in community services. Use the opportunity to promote your medical spa to them, engage them, and follow up until they become active clients.

What is the target market of a medical spa?

Medical spas provide services, such as Botox injections, microdermabrasion, chemical facial peels, and many other skincare and anti-aging procedures. The target market of medical spas is men and women usually above the age of 35 who wants to improve their skin appearance and look younger.

Most medical spas are frequented by women. Women are the primary audience for medical spa services.

How do you promote your spa on Instagram?

You can promote your spa on Instagram by posting videos, images, and other content about your products and services on your Instagram page. You can take videos of your facility and operations and post them on your Instagram page for your audience to see. You can take “before and after” pictures of clients and post them on your Instagram page so that people can see the results of your services.

Use hashtags to widen your scope of people who see your posts, and get people to repost your posts and comment on them.

Create content consistently and post them on your Instagram page to keep engagement with your audience.