By Michael Meyer, Content Writer/Editor, American Med Spa Association

This is an unprecedented time in the world, and for medical aesthetic practices, communication is more important than ever before. By now, your practice is probably closed (and if it's not, it should be), but the fact that you don't have traditional types of work to do doesn't mean you are without the means to make a positive impact on your business. For the time being, making sure you remain engaged with your patients is a big part of your job. Here are a few ways to make sure you're sending the right message.

Craft a Statement

It's up to you to let your patients know what's going on with your practice, so it's important that you create a succinct, yet informative statement that provides the information that you're willing to share. This should be posted both on your website and at your practice's physical location. Here's an example of how this statement should read:

"Because we care deeply about the health of our patients and providers, [Your Medical Spa] will be closed until further notice due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Please follow our social media accounts at [social media handles] for the latest information about when our practice will re-open. Be well!"

There are a few reasons why this statement is constructed the way it is.

• It leads with concern over the well-being of all involved. This is a sentiment most people can share.
• It mentions COVID-19 as the reason for the closure. Today, this might seem to go without saying, but don't assume that's the case. If your statement doesn't mention COVID-19, people might think that your practice got shut down by regulators.
• It uses the phrase "until further notice" rather than "indefinitely." While both are technically correct, "indefinitely" has a much more negative connotation because it suggests there's no end in sight.
• The final sentence states that you plan to re-open. This provides people with some level of assurance that you'll continue to be there for them when things get back to normal.

As soon as you find out when your medical spa can re-open, be sure to create a new statement that includes this information.

Head to Social Media

Social media is incredibly important for your marketing efforts during this time. Stay tuned to this blog for a more thorough discussion of social media in the era of COVID-19 in the next few days, but here are a few basic tips you can use during this time and moving forward.

• Stay positive. Everybody's struggling right now, and it's difficult to keep a positive mindset when the world is so unpredictable. But when you're representing your business, you need to project all the positivity you can muster. Make sure your online persona is optimistic and friendly, even if you don't always feel that way yourself.
• No politics. This should go without saying. In 2020 in America, politics are intrinsically confrontational, so they should not be a part of your marketing in any way, shape or form.
• Maintain HIPAA compliance. Remember that you need to respect patient privacy in the same way you would if your medical spa was open. Identifying social media followers as patients can violate these standards, so be mindful when conducting your social media campaign.

Try to Sell

Many people are struggling to make ends meet during this crisis, so it's probably not going to be easy to sell anything right now, but if you have retail products or webinars available, make sure your clients know that this part of the business is still open. Perhaps when people get a bit more comfortable with discretionary spending once again, they'll hopefully be reminded of your offerings.

For the foreseeable future, communicating with your clientele is your job, and you should try to make the best of it. Get to know your clients and potential clients. Make sure they know what you're planning for when the world returns to a semblance of normalcy. Also, be sure to ask for feedback—you might discover there's a product or service you're not offering that could be a moneymaker for you.

This crisis is testing everyone's resolve, but if you treat this as an opportunity, you might find that when you re-open, you're in a better position than ever before to make money.