Speaker

Mona Sharif
Incredible Marketing, Lake Forest, CA

Mona Sharif is the CIO at Incredible Marketing, a full-service digital agency for the medical aesthetic industry. Mona's 10+ years of experience in medical-aesthetic digital marketing combined with her M.A. in Demography and Statistical Analysis provides her an expert edge to creating results-driven marketing strategies. When Mona is not helping her clients take over the world, she spends her time hiking, playing tennis, raising her sons, and unplugging from the web.

Abstract

Introduction: In 2019 there were 1,469,752 industry-specific surgical procedures performed, and a whopping sixteen billion dollars plus was spent. The trends going into 2020 showed no signs of slowing down, and then the pandemic changed the trajectory. The pandemic created circumstances most businesses weren’t prepared for. The desire and interest were there, but the uncertainty for the future created spending paralysis, decreasing final sales for many.

So, you want to open a practice? You've got 2500sq ft to work with, and you need to maximize your ROI; what do you do? Investing heavily into devices is a double-edged sword. Peer-reviewed studies back the results, but how do you sell your results when everyone can produce them? Machines have the accuracy, and precision consumers need to feel safe, but altogether remove the artistic individuality that makes your practice unique. Breaking down your business into two distinct parts, you have, what you offer, and what makes you unique, with some treatments/services falling into both categories. Procedures fall into both categories when they achieve the goal of delivering results while building your personal brand. Devices only reach part of the success on their own. Your patients will see results, but how are those different from what they could have received from the next closest competitor? Despite their shortcomings, devices can be profitable assets to your practice if you plan and put forward a strategy with the device in the sidecar and yourself in the driver's seat.

Methods: In this presentation, The Device Economy - Too much of a good thing? We will illustrate the downsides to the recent wave of industry-defining technology and how to build marketing strategies that sell you first and your devices second. Finally, we’ll give you the top 4 things you need to do to avoid finding yourself with an office full of technology and an empty waiting room.

This presentation will explain how to leverage the following four rules of thumb:

  1. You > Device - People want to connect with a person
  2. No Sharing - Avoid content portals - it’s not building your brand
  3. Know your strengths - What makes your experience special? (luxury furniture, live streams of games, complimentary free services, mixed drink bar, etc.)
  4. Profit is not always monetary - Trading services for exposure with influencer marketing

Results: By following and implementing the strategies described, you create a brand built around YOU. When you are the brand's driving force, you make something unique that can strike a chord, and build lasting connections. You bring individuality to the experience that cannot be replicated. As devices become more widely accessible, businesses that once relied strictly on the allure of the device will have to find a new way to differentiate themselves vs. their competitors.

Conclusion: Put yourself in the shoes of a consumer. You know what you want, and now you need to decide where to schedule your consultation. One business has a better price, the other is significantly closer, who books the appointment? If you want to develop a brand that people seek out, be authentic, be unique, be bold, and most importantly, be you first, then share what your business has to offer.

Take Home Message

In this presentation, we will illustrate the downsides to the recent wave of industry-defining technology and how to build marketing strategies that sell you first and your devices second. Finally, we’ll give you the top 4 things you need to do to avoid finding yourself with an office full of technology and an empty waiting room.