As the aesthetic market continues to saturate with more players, there are strategic components that may increase a practice's attractiveness to potential patients. In an exclusive interview with American Health and Beauty, THE Aesthetic Academy founder Michael Moretti discussed tips and tools to successfully market a practice and how to continue to thrive in an expanding market.
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"THE Aesthetic Academy was created as a medical education venue to teach practices how to excel in aesthetic medicine," says Moretti, "We have an online curriculum and we host live events where top experts teach doctors how to be better at the delivery and marketing of medical aesthetic procedures." To date, over 600 students have finished this program, which includes the in-person Continuing Medical Education (CME) educational meetings.
According to Moretti, there are 3 main takeaways from the current program:
- Continual Education For All
Regardless of what position someone has in an aesthetic practice, it is highly important to educate each member of all the current procedures offered. "Essentially everybody in the practice then becomes a sales ambassador to some degree, for procedures offered but a really knowledgeable ambassador, who knows what they're talking about and has creditability with the patient," states Moretti. The importance of continual education in the aesthetic field, in which technology often takes giant leaps, is one of the key components that Moretti stresses. - Learn From Experts
It is very important to keep abreast of what other practices are doing. Are they incorporating social media to reach potential patients? Are they cornering an aesthetic market by offering something unique and different? "Learn what other practices are doing right and what they're doing wrong and make sure you're not making the same mistakes," Moretti points out, "These are the same mistakes that lead to eventual bankruptcies and the shutdown of medical spas." - Be A Good People Manager
Being the head physician and owning an aesthetic practice means you're constantly dealing with people: your staff, patients, and peers. And while the point to practicing medicine is to heal, aesthetic medicine is a completely different ballgame. One of the important points to owning a successful aesthetic practice is to be a good people manager. "Getting the best results out of your staff and your practice depends on how you, as an owner or head physician, manage them," says Moretti, "These are skill sets that doctors don't necessarily have. Even the best surgeons and dermatologists may not have these kinds of people management skills." The ongoing training at THE Aesthetic Academy benefits physicians by teaching them these important skills.
Moretti describes the program as varying from practice management to selling procedures to the science behind procedures. Obviously geared towards a student that is interested in purchasing or running an aesthetic practice, the online program is approximately 40 hours of online courses. According to Moretti, "By the end of the course, students should be fully versed in anything aesthetic, from a knowledge base with a fairly sophisticated understanding on how to market these procedures to patients."
The next in-person program and courses will available at THE Aesthetic Show which will take place at The Aria Resort at City Center in Las Vegas, NV from June 2-5, 2011. The program encompasses more advanced hands-on-training this year so attendees can choose to take half-day on topics such as "Injecting Fillers," "Injecting Modulators," or "Usage of New Energy Devices" that are taught by top experts in the field. Also available will be an extensive exhibit hall displaying new aesthetic devices, drugs, and cosmescueticals - all of which attendees may purchase to furnish an aesthetic practice.
The newest and exciting addition to the program is THE Aesthetic Awards, a black-tie event developed to acknowledge and honor the best clinical outcomes in aesthetic medicine. To be hosted by The Doctors cast member, Dr. Drew Ordon, THE Aesthetic Awards will be held on Saturday, June 4th and will be judged by a panel of expert judges: renowned plastic surgeons, dermatologists and members of the media that cover aesthetics, including American Health and Beauty's Editor in Chief, Keith Veseleny. Any event attendee may submit their entries for Best Before and After Clinical Photos of their patients, along with treatment protocol.
"One of the greatest features of THE Aesthetic Show is that we invite members of all medical specialties to attend," states Moretti, "Anybody who's interested in learning aesthetic medicine or has a practice is welcome to attend, whether they're a seasoned plastic surgeon or a family practice doctor interested in opening an aesthetic practice. They won't be discouraged, there won't be any bias against them and they'll all be learning together sort of on an equal basis."
