Marketing the Recession, are You Crazy?

A recent article in the OC Register, a Southern California online newspaper, talks about one doctor’s advice – to turn to plastic surgery to get a competitive edge for those who are seeking employment. While the idea seems silly at first glance, there might be something here to consider. Looking confident certainly has an effect on how well a person interviews for a job. Admittedly, most folks when unemployed are not going to be able to splurge on cosmetic surgery or anti-aging procedures, but it does raise an interesting point for medspa owners.

Incorporating current events into your marketing message is an excellent way to reach out to your existing patients or clients. Finding a popular story, especially one involving a celebrity, then writing about it is an excellent way to ensure your emails and newsletters get read. In addition, done properly, a well written, controversial article placed on your website that relates to a hot topic current event might just get some serious traffic to your website. There is a whole art form dedicated to this method, called linkbaiting, should you care to learn more, but for the average medspa owners, a linkbaiting strategy is not going to be effective. However, the idea of building on current events is a proven strategy, and the grim economic news can be turned into a positive thing. Perhaps you should consider writing a brief email to your existing patient base informing them of the article. It does cite the fact that 25% of people surveyed said they would reconsider getting Botox if it meant helping them to land a job. That sounds like an excellent hook to me!

If you spend just a little bit if time thinking about this “unemployment/recession” topic as a marketing hook, you’ll find that there are numerous ways to spin it. This will give you something meaningful and relevant to say to your patients, and of course you should encourage them to come in for additional treatments as a personal “counter” to the recession. You could even run a Botox / massage special where they get both packages for one low price. The possibilities are endless , you will have to find a combination that works for you. The idea is to get you thinking like a marketer. Whether you agree with the article or not, it provides food for thought that you can use to your benefit. Happy marketing!

Here’s the link: http://inyourface.freedomblogging.com/2008/10/16/economic-recovery-plan-plastic-surgery/1152/