Learning how to cross-sell and upsell med spa services successfully can increase your practice revenue by tens of thousands of dollars.
That’s because it’s more time and cost-effective to get existing patients to make additional purchases than it is to acquire new patients.
In a survey of 1,500 sales professionals, existing customers made up 72% of company revenue on average, while new customers made up just 28%.
Your existing customers already understand the value you offer.
When you sell them additional complementary products on your med spa service menu through cross-selling or upgrade their original purchase to a more premium product through an upsell, you’re delivering even more value.
The more value they get, the more satisfied and loyal they become.
To cross-sell and upsell med spa services like a pro, take these five actions.
Actively listen to your patients’ concerns and goals
It may seem counterintuitive, but the most important part of upselling and cross-selling effectively is listening rather than speaking.
When patients talk to you about their health and beauty goals, focus on them completely so they feel heard.
Actively listening means dedicating 100% of your attention to your patient, practicing empathy, and aiming to fully understand their challenges and goals without judgment.
To show you are listening, you can give non-verbal cues like nodding or eye contact.
To demonstrate understanding, you can paraphrase the main points and ask open-ended questions like, “Did I get that right?” or “What can I do to help you get there?”
Active listening builds trust, rapport, and connection.
When it comes time to recommend new products and services, they’ll be more likely to say yes because they know you have their best interest at heart.
In addition to these benefits, active listening will help you pick up on signals that your patient is open to hearing your upsell or cross-sell offer.
Educate patients on your med spa service menu
Patients come to see you because you are an expert in your field.
Rather than thinking of upselling and cross-selling as a sales conversation, think of it as your professional advice.
Demonstrate your knowledge of the items on your med spa service menu by explaining their benefits, how they work, and how to get the best results. They’ll appreciate your expert advice and feel confident in your recommendations.
When you want to cross-sell additional products or services, explain how they are complementary to the services they’re already receiving. Point out that these treatments work best when used together. For example, if you’re cross-selling a skin serum for a Botox patient, talk about how the serum speeds recovery.
To upsell patients on a more advanced version of their current treatment, pinpoint the advantages of the premium product over other versions. For example, point out how a medical-grade, deep-action chemical peel is more effective at reducing the appearance of fine lines than a light chemical peel.
You can also upsell a patient on a package for a treatment they’ve come in for a few times by explaining how the package saves them money in the long run.
When you demonstrate your knowledge, you deliver genuine value and inspire trust and confidence.
Patients who are confident in your recommendations will be more satisfied, make more purchases, and spend more money over time.
Limit recommendations to a few options
It may be tempting to try to upsell or cross-sell multiple products at once, but too many choices can be paralyzing to the buyer.
They may get overwhelmed or confused and end up not buying anything.
Psychology studies show that customers are significantly more likely to make a purchase when they are offered fewer options.
Coming up with a few well-targeted suggestions increases patients' likelihood to say yes.
For example, if a patient is purchasing light therapy, try cross-selling your most effective post-treatment skincare product rather than five different ones.
Before suggesting patients try complementary services or upgrade their current treatment, think through whether or not that is the best recommendation for that particular patient.
In aesthetics, like all areas of health and beauty, personalization goes a long way. Use your knowledge of your patient to personalize the choices you offer to meet their specific needs.
You want to show your patient that you understand their concerns and goals and are offering them a complete, tailor-made solution.
Create a sense of urgency
Patients will be more motivated to upgrade or make additional purchases when your offer is only available now.
You can create a sense of urgency by making the offer available for a limited time, offering a limited quantity, or offering an incentive for purchasing now.
For example, you can say something like, "This deal on filler is a great opportunity to get the best value for your money, and it's only valid until the end of the week.”
Creating this urgency taps into the natural FOMO impulse, or, “fear of missing out.”
When experiencing FOMO, patients feel pressure to act quickly and are less likely to drag their feet or negotiate a better deal.
This tactic also boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty because patients feel like you gave them a good deal for their money. Therefore, they’re interested in doing business with you again.
Time it right
The best time to cross-sell or upsell med spa services is whenever it makes the most sense for your patient based on their needs.
For example, if your patient typically comes in for a facial and is complaining about a specific skin concern like fine lines or acne, this is a good time to ask them if they’d like to add on a targeted booster to better address those concerns.
If you bring up the upgrade out of the blue, your patient is more likely to say no. You want to ask when they seem to be in the right state of mind and have sufficient interest.
As you follow the tips in this guide, always make sure you’re putting your patient first.
They’ll feel cared for and satisfied with their experience and want to keep coming back and trying new services for years to come.
