NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES?

Gilly Dickons looks at why 2025 is an ideal time to conduct a comprehensive audit

Whether 2024 has been exceptionally busy or you’re feeling the effects of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, keeping a close eye on your clinic’s performance is crucial. With the help of your CRM system and detailed client records, you can gain valuable insights by reviewing key aspects of your business. Here, we’ll break down some critical areas to assess and explain why they are important for maintaining a healthy, thriving practice.

ASSESSING NEW ENQUIRIES

One of the first areas to review is the number and type of new enquiries your clinic has received over the past year. The aesthetics sector continues to grow despite challenging economic conditions, but are you reaping the benefits of this growth? If you’ve noticed a decline in new enquiries over the last 12 months, it’s time to ask yourself why. New enquiries are the lifeblood of any clinic, and without them, sustaining your business becomes increasingly difficult.

Consider whether any new enquiries have been missed due to being too busy to answer the phone, respond to emails, or engage with social media messages. If this is the case, addressing this gap should be a priority. Hiring additional staff to manage these tasks might seem like an added expense, but the return on investment could be significant if it means capturing and converting more leads into paying clients.

Explore your leads further to assess the success, or failure, of the marketing and enquiry channels you are using to promote your services. Are they working well? How do they compare? Drill down to ensure you get a clear picture, helping to ensure your marketing spend is being targeted as effectively as possible. It’s not ideal to be generating high volumes of poor-quality enquiries - you need to find a balance between quantity and quality.

How are you responding to new enquiries? Are you getting to them promptly? Are enquiries logged then forgotten about or are you following them up? Effective enquiry response needs a consistent approach – how are you performing in this area?

Next, evaluate whether your current treatment portfolio is meeting the demands of these enquiries. Are people asking for procedures that you don’t currently offer? If so, it might be time to consider expanding your range of treatments. Also, take note of the quality of recent enquiries. Are potential patients engaged and ready to book, or do they seem to be shopping around? A shift in the nature of these enquiries could indicate that your clinic needs to adjust its approach to securing bookings.

CONVERTING ENQUIRIES TO BOOKED APPOINTMENTS

After examining the number of enquiries, the next step is to look at how many of these enquiries have been successfully converted into booked appointments and treatments. Compare this data to 2023 to identify any noticeable trends or changes. If you see a drop in your conversion rate it’s a sign that you may need to work harder to stand out from the competition. The aesthetics industry is highly competitive, and attracting new patients requires continuous effort and innovation.

Should it turn out that your conversions have decreased you’ll need a higher volume of new enquiries to maintain your clinic’s revenue. This might involve refining your marketing strategies or enhancing the client experience to encourage more bookings. Alternately is there room to raise your treatment prices to make up some of the deficit? If, on the other hand, your conversion rates are steady or have increased, it’s a positive sign that your efforts are paying off.

MONITORING EXISTING PATIENTS

It’s equally important to monitor the behaviour of your existing patients. Are they booking and attending appointments as regularly as they did in the previous year? If you notice that patients are leaving longer intervals between treatments or purchasing fewer products, it could be a sign that they are either cutting back due to financial pressures or exploring other treatment options.

Understanding why patients might be delaying treatments or reducing their spending is crucial. There are many potential reasons for this, including changes in their personal circumstances, health issues, or simply a preference for another clinic. If you’ve built a good relationship with these patients over time, it’s worth reaching out to them directly in an attempt to re-engage them. A phone call can go a long way in maintaining client loyalty. Ask them if they’d like to book another appointment and have a special offer ready to entice them back if needed. Should they choose not to re-book with you it will still provide you with valuable insight, which in turn may contribute to future planning and decision making.

ANALYSING AVERAGE SPEND PER PATIENT

Another important metric to consider is the average spend per patient. Comparing the 2024 figure to that of 2023 to identify whether your patients are spending more or less than before. A decrease in average spending means you’ll need to attract more patients to achieve the same level of income, which could require additional marketing efforts or adjustments to your pricing strategy.

If you find that the average spend has increased, this could be an opportunity to see fewer patients while maintaining or even increasing your revenue. This extra time could then be used to focus on other areas of your business, such as expanding your treatment offerings or improving the overall client experience.

It’s also important to assess whether patients are spending in the same way year on year. Have they opted for different treatments, or have they purchased more products during their visits in 2024? Understanding shifts in client behaviour can help you tailor your services to better meet their needs and preferences, in turn helping you to stay ahead of the competition.

EVALUATING TREATMENT CHOICES

Finally, take a close look at the treatment choices your patients are making. Are they still interested in the same packages as before, or have their preferences shifted? What about the sale of cosmeceuticals and other products? With the rise of online shopping, many patients might be purchasing their skincare products elsewhere, which could affect your sales. However, this also presents an opportunity for your clinic to position itself as a go-to source for high-quality facial products. By offering expert advice and personalised recommendations, you can encourage patients to purchase their skincare products directly from your clinic, boosting your revenue, and providing more opportunities to engage with your patients.

Your treatment portfolio doesn’t have to include every new trend or fad, some come and go quickly, however, it does need to reflect your expertise and to meet the needs of your valued patients.

IN CONCLUSION

Conducting a thorough audit of your aesthetic business is not just about reflecting on the past but also about preparing for the future. By reviewing key aspects such as new enquiries, client behaviour, average spend, and treatment choices, you can gain valuable insights into the health of your clinic and identify areas for improvement.

Client retention is the cornerstone of a successful clinic. While attracting new patients is important, it’s equally vital to ensure that your existing patients remain loyal. This requires ongoing effort, from maintaining regular communication to continually improving the client experience.

In a competitive and ever-evolving market, staying proactive is essential. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your business strategy will help you stay ahead of the competition and ensure the longterm success of your clinic. Whether it’s enhancing your treatment offerings, refining your marketing approach, or simply re-engaging with past patients, every action you take contributes to the overall health and growth of your business.

GILLY DICKONS

Gilly Dickons is managing director of Aesthetic Response, which provides an expert, award-winning enquiry-handling and diary-management service to UK aesthetic practices.

Dickons’ extensive insight into the aesthetic arena arises from a career spanning over 30 years in client servicing, including client-facing, marketing, and clinic management.