Looking around me, I see an everyday street scene. Pretty much similar to every other year before. It seems that most people around started to believe that the whole COVID-19 pandemic is something from the past. People are relieved to be out again, to be able to interact with others again.
Two weeks later, and we suddenly have a return of the pandemic with a vengeance. From one day on the other politicians don’t want to do television interviews any more and the blame-game for unpreparedness is starting all over. So, what is the biggest thing that we’ve lost during this small grace period we had? Our naïvety.
We no longer have a lag of experience on what it takes to keep the statistics reasonable. We no longer have a blind believe that it’s only going to be for a short period that we have to stick it through and it will become OK again. My question is what does it mean to me as an aesthetic clinic owner.
The whole collective thinking that kept us going through the first wave was, that in the not too distant future it will return to normal. Now, it becomes clear that it is not going to return to normal. It’s going to stabilize at something that is still unknown. So, how do I prepare myself and my business for this ride ahead?
I want to start with a little lesson that I’ve learned in my life so far. What ever happens, it’s not nearly as bad as the media wants you to believe. We all look up to the media to keep us informed, but it has one big fault. The media is also busy selling something, mostly advertising, and good news does not sell nearly as well as bad news. Therefore, stay informed, but don’t dwell on public opinions. Find a way for yourself to be able to make an objective judgement on how things are going. It doesn’t matter how simple it is, it just has to anchor you in times of uncertainty.
At present my biggest challenge is how do I redefine value? If we’re facing a two-year period where physical contact and close distance to other people are discourage at all cost, what is the real service that I will be delivering to my clients? Does this service consist of one or more components?
The depth and richness of the service we provide to our clients will become more meaning full. If you have focused on treatments only and have not introduced some retailing in your clinic, how will you accommodate the reduced treatments? But, it is not just about selling products. Do you provide your client with something unique? Does the client really has a reason to come to you, or can the supermarket provide the same or even superior value?
What the supermarkets are wonderful with, are options and choice. Unfortunately, a lot of therapists think that it is what they also have to offer. If options and choice are the only things you have to offer your clients, you do not have anything more to offer than the nearest supermarket.
Do you have specialized knowledge that you can apply to reach a decision? Knowledge is worth nothing, applied knowledge is priceless. The one thing that the world needs at this point in time is courageous people who are willing to apply their knowledge to arrive at decisions. As we are more and more flooded by a sea of options and choice the more we have need of firm decisions. When, you have the capability to guide your client in the decision-making process you have more value to offer than most others. The question now is how do you apply this in everyday life?
You start by getting to know your clients and understand their needs and preferences. Only then can you help your client to make a decision that benefit her most. The easier way to introduce this into your clinic is to start with your 20% top clients. The clients responsible for the most net profit in your business. Learn to provide these clients with an true client experience and you may find that this group may be sufficient to carry you through turbulent times.