Ask Alex

We have imported Black Friday from the US, where the Friday after Thanksgiving led to manic pre-Christmas shopping, typically stoked by retailer discounts. This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, November 24. But is it worth running promotions for Black Friday in medical aesthetics?

I often see clinics opting to abstain from Black Friday until they notice that the competition is participating, leading to rushed, half-thought-out offers being pushed out. This either costs them money for marketing or doesn’t suit the patient base, as the offers aren’t tailored. So, my first piece of advice would be to commit early and start planning now if you want to drum up some extra business during the Festive season.

If your clinic never usually runs offers, this could be your first opportunity to experiment. Black Friday is a predictable ‘sale’ window and does allow your clinic to run offers without undermining quality. The content you push out to patients (old and new) during the window is still an opportunity to educate first and stay on the right side of ethics. Pre-treatment consultations and cooling-off periods should be standard wherever you run offers.

Black Friday is time-limited, but you can extend it to the last week in November, until December 1. Running one-day/one-weekend-only offers may seem convenient but might limit patients who want to consider options or get paid before committing. A way of getting maximum business on Black Friday itself but keeping the offers running could be offering a 50% discount on a skincare product on Friday before the discount drops to 40%, then 30%, and 20%, across the week. Promotions could also include bundled treatments or free add-ons. Make sure they’re always focused on your target patient. A sense of urgency is what makes Black Friday so lucrative for businesses.

Marketing channels should include your email list and social media. Planning will allow you to create a volume of content that can be shared in the build-up and on the day - some extra social posts and emails are more acceptable during the festive period, so don’t worry you might appear spammy. You need an omni-channel approach to secure the most eyeballs. Teasers and sneak peeks in the build-up will ensure people come back on the day to see what’s available. You’ll also want to make sure your website is set up with your promotions front and centre. You could also collaborate with local influencers (who don’t need millions of followers to be effective) in your Black Friday campaign. In-clinic material, or even simply mentioning it to patients visiting at reception, can also boost interest in the promotion.

Staff preparation, including ensuring the capacity to manage bookings, is also key. You don’t want to create a bad patient experience by leaving long hold times on the phone, not replying to enquiries quickly, or worse, being over capacity when these patients attend the clinic.

To conclude, using the festive period, starting with Black Friday, to run limited time promotions can be very lucrative for your clinic, if you prepare early, communicate clearly, and deliver a brilliant experience for the patient when they attend.

ALEX BUGG

Alex Bugg works for Web Marketing Clinic, a familyrun digital agency, which specialises in medical aesthetics. The business builds websites and delivers marketing campaigns for doctors, nurses, dentists, distributors and brands. Contact her: alex@webmarketingclinic.co.uk or follow her on Instagram: @webmarketingclinic