Turn the Tables on Groupon

Everyone loves a deal, including your potential patients. With that in mind, it's no wonder that Groupon, a site that connects consumers with local businesses and deals, has 49.3 million active users. The platform is also a popular avenue for med spas to promote their services by offering specials and promotions. While it is important that you optimize your med spa's marketing efforts across all channels, adding Groupon into your med spa's marketing strategy can be beneficial - if done correctly. At first glance, Groupon can seem like an easy way to see an influx in new patients. However, due to some of the platform's revenue sharing policies and extreme discounts, it is not necessarily the best channel for revenue. Rather, when it comes to Groupon and your med spa, you should focus on how it can boost your visibility, get new patients in your door, and supplement your other marketing efforts.

Groupon is a great way to increase your med spa's exposure, especially if you are new to the industry or struggling within a saturated market. Because it is one of the channels that many potential patients start on when looking for a provider in their area, it can be a great tool to increase awareness about your business and services. If done strategically, Groupon can supplement your marketing efforts in a big way by increasing patient acquisition and your med spa's visibility. Read on to find out Med Aesthetics Group's best tips on how to integrate the Groupon into your marketing plan - the right way.

The Pros of Using Groupon

Groupon says that "spa and salon services are some of the most requested by Groupon customers." This makes the platform an ideal place to market your services, as your patient demographic is likely already using the site. The two most prominent benefits of using Groupon are 1) the rise in consumers your practice will see and 2) increased visibility for your med spa. While optimizing other channels (like your website) is essential to a long-term marketing strategy for your med spa, seeing high-volume patient acquisition from organic traffic takes time. Platforms like Groupon allow you to get immediate and maximum visibility in your area amongst patients who are already in the market for your services. Another great benefit is that Groupon does a lot of the work for you, as they send out emails to their users in your local area or send notifications to users about specific specials. Furthermore, because Groupon ranks well on Google, it can help you gain immediate visibility when someone is searching for a specific treatment or deal in the area in which you are offering services. Other functions on the site can be beneficial for your med spa as well. Even if you aren't running promotions or deals, potential patients will often look at Groupon to see reviews before choosing a provider. By providing a great experience for the patients you acquire with Groupon, you can boost your online reputation and presence permanently.

The Cons

When used incorrectly, Groupon can actually hurt your business. While the platform can undoubtedly increase how many potential patients notice and walk into your practice, it is not necessarily the best avenue for increasing revenue. The platform is known to take up to 50% of revenue from your sales as a service fee; leaving many med spa owners with little to no revenue from promotions. Ideally, the platform should be used for its ability to boost your business's online presence and new patient retention rate. To accomplish this, be strategic about when you offer promotions and the limits you place on promotions. Deals should be reserved for first-time customers only, while in-house specials can be marketed to your current clientele.

Groupon and Your Med Spa Marketing Plan

To recap, Groupon's primary function in your med spa marketing plan should be to increase patient acquisition. Once you have new patients in your practice, it is then up to you and your staff to provide them with the experience and results that make them want to come back, refer you to others, and start receiving other treatments. You can even capitalize on your new patient's Groupon purchase during their first visit by upselling. For example, if a patient comes in to redeem a BOTOX deal, you may want to discuss other injectable or anti-aging treatments with them. Getting that first visit also allows you to integrate the patient into some of your other marketing channels like your email or text marketing lists. Make sure to limit the number of Groupon deals you offer over time and to post deals when your spa needs an immediate boost in patient numbers. Overall, Groupon should supplement your other marketing efforts. For long-term success, your med spa should be optimizing all channels including your website, pay-per-click search, social media, email and text marketing.

Make the Most of Groupon for your Med Spa

By using Groupon in a strategic way to increase your practice's overall visibility and propel new patient acquisition, you can expect to see a higher patient retention rate, which will result in more revenue and success for your med spa. If you're having trouble developing the ideal Groupon marketing plan, let Med Aesthetics Group help. Our team of aesthetics and digital marketing experts will help you to optimize and run successful campaigns across all channels so that you see the growth you want for your practice. To learn more about developing a strategic marketing plan for your medical spa and how we can help your practice reach its potential, give us a call or book a free demo.