The Road to Med Spa Success with Erasable’s Michael Zanetti
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Michael Zanetti is a military officer turned business strategist with a knack for building high-performing teams, and today he brings this expertise into the medical spa business. At Erasable Med Spa in Tampa, Michael and his team focus on delivering the most comfortable, luxurious, and results-driven patient experience.
Hear his insights on turning reviews into new clients and using feedback to improve services. Find out why Michael isn’t afraid to be an early adopter of new software, what excites him most about the changes happening in the aesthetics industry, and how he and AmSpa are working to educate med spas in Florida (and everywhere!) on practice safety.
Michael and Tyler cover:
How to create an environment where patients feel comfortable
The must-haves for building your med spa, from software to services you offer
Why taking a "slow and steady" approach is key when adopting new technologies
How to future-proof your business and stay ahead of industry trends
The impact of AI on the aesthetics industry
Bridging the gap between social media trends and what’s realistic for patients
Links
Learn more about Erasable Med Spa
Follow Erasable on Instagram @erasablemedspa
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
About Michael Zanetti
Michael Zanetti is a limited partner and strategic advisor to Erasable Medical Spa in Tampa, Florida. After serving in the U.S. Army for 9 years, Michael went on to get his MBA and apply what he learned during his years of service in a practical business environment.
Guest
Michael Zanetti, Limited Partner & Strategic Advisor
Erasable Med Spa
Host
Tyler Terry, Director of Sales, MedSpa
Nextech
Transcript
Announcer (00:06):
You are listening to the Aesthetically Speaking podcast presented by Nextech.
Tyler Terry (00:14):
Hey guys, welcome back to the Aesthetically Speaking Podcast, powered by Nextech. My name is Tyler Terry and I'm your host. Today I have a very special guest. His name is Michael Zanetti. Michael, welcome to the podcast.
Michael Zanetti (00:29):
Hey, great to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me and look forward to having a great chat.
Tyler Terry (00:34):
Well, the first thing to kick us off, I'd like to have you share your background and tell us about you and your practice.
Michael Zanetti (00:44):
Sure, be happy to. So despite the hidden accent, I'm a New York City native and coming from there, I served in the Army for almost nine years. So I was a field artillery officer, served all over the globe, Iraq, Europe, et cetera. And honestly, that gave me a lot of appreciation for the structure and the organizations and how they operate so that you knew how to build high performing teams and you could function in a whole variety of environments and you learn pretty quick that no matter how much you plan, there's always going to be something that comes up that ruins your plan. So it's great to be nimble and adaptable. And so after my army time, I went into the business world, so got an MBA, worked in management consulting and really just tried to take a lot of those lessons learned and apply them in a practical business environment.
(01:38):
And my wife, who was also an army officer and she was on the medical side of the equation, had gotten interested in the aesthetic space about a decade ago and really decided that maybe there's something here, but can you look at this? Because she understood the clinical stuff, but from a business standpoint needed to understand if there was going to be a model that could be self-sustaining. And so I put on my consulting hat and did some market analysis and realized that, yeah, I think there is an opportunity here. Now it's a question of do you want to execute? Do you want to do this? Because it's definitely a lot of work. Don't want to sugarcoat that despite the fact that I think many people enjoy being in the industry because of the types of treatments and services and products that exist. And so as they say, that was the 10 year overnight success story to go from literally one room, one device, one provider, to now moving to a place where we have our own building, we have our operational medical spa side where we treat patients, and then we have our clinical training institute where we bring in instructors from around the globe and provide classes not only on the medical side of aesthetics, but also the business side of it since that really goes hand in hand and it's about marrying up the retail service nature of the business with the medical side of the business.
Tyler Terry (03:01):
Wow, that's incredible. I really appreciate your service and your wife's service to our country. So first and foremost, thank you for your service and again, thank you for being on the podcast on the show today. When I was researching you and your background and your business and double clicking into it, one of the first things I saw was that you have so many five star reviews. It looks like you had 323 Google reviews and a 4.9 rating. I've never seen that. So I've been in the industry for about 12 years. I always looking at reviews and that stood out to me. So I wanted to double click on the importance of reviews and how you got to 323 reviews.
Michael Zanetti (03:46):
Absolutely. I think the biggest takeaway is I believe in measuring everything. And so whether that's internal staff opinions externally to patients, measuring our vendors, measuring how our services are provided and the amount of time that they take. So one of those areas is your net promoter score. What is your NPS? How do you gauge what people think of you? I think we've all had situations where maybe we think we had a great interaction with a patient and the reality is they were underwhelmed or conversely, we thought that they really weren't happy and then they become raving fans. So there's a lot that can be misinterpreted when people are sitting in the office. And so part of making sure that you can get good feedback on how to improve, how to make your product, how to make your service better, is to consistently ask for that information both in person and then also following up electronically because it gives you the opportunity to engage.
(04:42):
It's not just enough to get their feedback, but it's also critical to actually do something with it, good, bad or indifferent, make the time and make the effort to go and connect with that person, whether it's to follow up and say, Hey, how could we have done this better? Or, Hey, I'm really glad that you love this. What else can we do to keep you being happy? That sort of thing. The point is people want to feel heard. They want to feel as if there's a way for them to communicate their message and let you know what their thoughts are. So you take the guesswork out of it, so you measure how people are responding. And then we have an internal process with our staff where that is very much a focal point because we know that if people are happy with what we're doing, we want them to tell that to everybody else.
(05:26):
And the more that they will share that, the more trust and authority we get in the space, in the industry, in our market, that can really set the difference between people choosing you if they've never met you or don't know anything about you and people passing you over. I think that in general is getting feedback is important, but reviews and in particular, I think Google reviews really matter because of what it does to things like SEO search engine optimization and how that parlays over into the Google ecosystem. So listen to your people and then make sure that you're measuring everything and then take action on it.
Tyler Terry (06:05):
So when I was on one of the pages of your website, you talked about three different experiences that you're trying to provide. You want to make patients feel comfortable, you want to provide a luxurious experience and you want to have or provide an effective result. What is the power of those three things?
Michael Zanetti (06:24):
Well, there's no doubt that people come into a med spa experience with a variety of perceptions. What does that mean to them? How do they feel about what's going to happen? And I think part of it is that there isn't a standard necessarily in the industry, and so based on other places people may have gone, they're going to have preconceived notions. So part of this is the education. I think that's the big thing on the front end is we want to educate as much as possible. I don't just mean about the clinical efficacy of certain treatments over others. I mean, what is your experience going to be like from start to finish, whether that's picking up the phone, whether that's going on the website or doing something through messaging or online. And then what happens when you arrive? People are going to invest in themselves when they do something with aesthetics and they want to feel like what they're about to do is going to be in their best interest.
(07:22):
And in many ways they're rewarding themselves. They're treating themselves because they want to invest in how they look and how they feel. So we want every aspect of that experience to be on the same level. It would be really awkward if we had a website that looked like it was from the late 19 hundreds as we were joking about before in the 1990s, and it didn't have the same look and feel as the rest of the brand. The same thing goes for the physical office space, whether that's the amenities you have when you come in, the comfortable seating, the espresso, the bottled water, and then just lighting and the way that things are spaced out. It's not a typical doctor's office because this is not about just rushing to get people in and get them out the door. It's a relationship. You want to have people feel comfortable, feel welcome.
(08:11):
They're coming into your house in a sense, and they're going to tell their story and what they like and what they don't, and you're there to listen to them as much as you are there to provide those services. So just creating that environment where they feel comfortable doing those things is a really, really big part of that whole journey that's there. Now, of course, getting them the result that they want, that's table stakes. That's what everybody ultimately is going for, but as much as that's the goal, you still have to do the other, pardon the football analogy, the blocking and tackling the right way in order to get you to a place where the patient is going to appreciate the result that you've been able to deliver.
Tyler Terry (08:52):
There's so much I want to get to today. So I'm going to go ahead and shift gears a little bit, and I want to double click on the early days of Erasable Med Spa. When you first started, how did you and your wife choose the first product, procedure, service that you're going to offer, and then elaborating on how did you choose the next one and how did you continue to stack on top of that to where it is today?
Michael Zanetti (09:19):
Absolutely. I think one of the big challenges when you get into this industry is how do you spread around your startup costs? Medical spas are a very broad definition of treatments that can be provided. So that could mean injectables to one person, it could need lasers to another, it could mean wellness. And there's a whole spectrum that exists. And in order to make sure that your business is healthy, you don't want to get out over your skis, especially in the early days if you can help it. So when we began the journey, we looked at what were the services that did not have as much competition, and why did they not have as much? And we had settled on laser tattoo removal simply because there were not a number of places that were offering it. There are some barriers to entry, consider it a moat of sorts.
(10:07):
The good equipment to get into the space is not inexpensive, and so it required capital upfront to be able to provide it. The nature of the treatment is such that it's going to be a marathon, not a sprint when it comes to treating people. So you knew that people might take months to get the final result that they're looking for, and the variation of tattoos and Fitzpatrick skin types and the reasons why people are getting rid of them means that there was not a cookie cutter approach. There was not an easy way to model the service and the business and the payments that were going to flow from it to where you could just simply delegate and outsource and make a bunch of offices doing the same thing. So for that reason, it was very fractured and we thought that there was a great opportunity to learn how to run the business well in this vertical that didn't have as much competition so that it would enable us to get our sea legs and then begin to expand beyond that.
(11:09):
So it took a full 12 months for us to get going with that one channel. But people were happy with the service, they were happy with the experience, and it led to the inevitable question of what else do you do? And so we followed that up with, well, what do you want us to do? And that was the process for us to bring things on. So we knew that there was a market for laser tattoo removal, and we knew that the people that were coming were happy and wanted other treatments. So then we started to research what would be the other most logical extensions, and we quickly added on laser hair removal, and then we migrated to injectables partly because the startup costs are lower. And while there is a lot of competition in that space, we had started to establish a brand and a reputation that would allow us to stand out in a very, very crowded market.
(11:58):
So I think measuring how much capital you have to put into the startup costs and then recognizing that that runway has to last you as you build up your patient base is really a key part of it. And then listen to your patients. They're going to tell you what they want, and then you have to do your homework to make sure that you are getting best in breed. You don't want to just simply get something because new. You want to make sure that you're investing in the best technology, the best equipment, so that the service lines you do bring on are going to get the great results because that's what's going to have people talking and we'll have them come back. So slow incremental growth, don't borrow and leverage more than you absolutely have to, and then it will take time, but your foundation will be stronger. And then when curve balls come at you, things like covid, things like hurricanes that we get in Florida and your office has to close for a period of time, you're positioned to weather that much, much better.
Tyler Terry (12:54):
That was 10 years ago. And then obviously you've built it into a success of what it is today, and you continue to build and reiterate and build. If you were starting from scratch today, what would be one service be that you would offer? Would you start the same way or is there a different direction that you would start today knowing what you know?
Michael Zanetti (13:14):
I would still start with laser tattoo removal, candidly, because it still sits in a place where it's not easy to do well. The monetization around it is not obvious, and you have to put in some work into your pricing plans and how it makes sense for both patients and practices. And that barrier to entry because of the startup cost means that in a very crowded marketplace, you can stand out relatively quickly. Now, it doesn't mean that you're not going to have any competition, and it certainly doesn't mean that people are just going to line up at your door, but it does mean that if you're trying to get a footing and get a foundation, I still think it would be a great way to start, provided you're willing to put in the work in terms of customizing how you're going to deliver the service and recognizing that it's going to take some time to get going because of the nature of the process itself.
Tyler Terry (14:04):
So you mentioned Fitzpatrick skin type to the everyday patient who's listening to that. Could you explain what that is?
Michael Zanetti (14:13):
Sure. So the Fitzpatrick skin type really tells you how much melanin is in the skin, and it ranges on a scale from one being the lightest to six being the darkest. And the value in understanding this is making sure that when you're operating lasers and you're using different types of equipment, that you recognize the risk for any type of side effect based on what that skin color might be. Now, in the world of laser tattoo removal specifically, this is where it can be complicated because the laser and the wavelength that it's firing at is looking to be attracted and absorbed by certain colors. And so if a broad distinction between say, skin type or skin tone and the color of the ink, then that's going to work really, really well. But if there's more similarity, it can create a challenge for not damaging the pigment of the skin while doing the same to the ink.
(15:07):
So understanding that range and making sure that you're treating people in a safe manner and picking devices and equipment that can really manage how that energy gets absorbed, that's important. And I think ones and sixes are easy because everybody can readily identify it's when you're in the middle and maybe does that person just have a tan or are they not? And certainly being in a place like Florida where everybody gets sun, whether they want to or not, simply means that you have to be extra careful with it. But for sure, it plays a role in selecting what types of treatments are possible and what realistic outcomes might be.
Tyler Terry (15:42):
So if I was a patient at your practice, could you walk me through what my everyday typical experience would be?
Michael Zanetti (15:50):
Absolutely. I think for many people, the journey begins through social media because either they've heard about us or they see something online, and we produce a lot of content internally, and some of it's educational, some of it's whimsical and entertaining, but all of it creates personalities for our brand. And so people repeatedly will come in and say, I feel like I've known you, like I've met you before, even though they haven't actually set foot in our doors, simply because of the fact that they're connecting with the content that is being produced on our social channels. So that will prompt the initial outreach for an appointment, or sometimes they go to our website and we have different tools on our website to help evaluate a tattoo or to evaluate an aesthetic concern that they might have or a financing need that they might have. And these tools help lead them down the path of saying, okay, this is what I might realistically expect, and then we'll be able to follow up and get them scheduled for an appointment. So we want to make sure that we leave plenty of time when people come in, of course, we're going to remind them about the appointments because everybody's time is valuable, so they'll get text messages or emails, things of that nature, and even a phone call if we haven't heard from them.
Tyler Terry (17:02):
That's
Michael Zanetti (17:02):
Old school. Oh, yeah. Well, it's a very personalized experience.
Tyler Terry (17:07):
I love it.
Michael Zanetti (17:08):
We have a rarity in Tampa, which is we have our own parking lot with ample parking. And so it sounds silly, but in this part of the city it can be a challenge. And there are some businesses that people just don't go to because parking is such a nightmare. So having those spots is definitely value add. Before you arrive, you'll probably get a digital invitation to fill out some intake information, which if you do it in advance, it'll save you a few minutes. If you don't, then you can do it on an iPad in our lobby while you have an espresso. And once that information is captured, then our staff, we have a whole team approach to this, so our medical assistants are going to review it. They'll go over any information if somebody is new with the provider, and then begin the process of taking them to the room, which the rooms are laid out in such a manner that we get to give a tour of the facility as much as we're just taking them where they need to be.
(18:03):
Because part of this is reminding everybody about all the things that we have and that we offer. In the event that you're coming for a treatment, let's say that would be optional for the face, then we'll take you into the photography room so we can get those before photos. We'll use our digital imaging technology, the visia, in order to do a skin analysis, and that's dedicated space for photography. So this way everything is consistent, the lighting is consistent where people stand, the backdrop, all of it, because we don't want there to be any discrepancies with those photos. And then from that point, provider will come in to the treatment room and we have different rooms that are focused on different aspects, whether it's laser, it's body contouring, it's injectable, et cetera, and then the conversation begins and it's really an opportunity to get to know them.
(18:53):
Of course, we have a lot of educational material available because there's tons of noise I think, in the industry about what people should get or what they want or why. And I think one of the important things is helping to bridge the gap between what somebody may have seen or heard on social media with what they're actually looking to get as in terms of a result. And so we'll spend a lot of time on that education component and then making sure that people feel good about what their options are. And then at that point we can lay out these are the recommended courses of action. We'll take a good, better, best approach. Because the big thing to avoid I think, in retail aesthetic medicine is compromising the quality of the outcome simply to try to make a sale or to get somebody to buy something.
(19:42):
The goal is to get them where they need to be. And if the economics don't make sense, you're just better off not treating or not seeing someone and saying, look, let's wait until the finances make sense for this, because doing half a treatment isn't going to do us any good. You're not going to get the result you want. You're going to be unhappy and I'm not going to feel good because I didn't really deliver what I'd hoped to for you. So use that time to lay out that treatment plan. And then from there, just depends on whether or not they're going to get treated that day. If they do, we'll do the treatment when everything is finished, come up to the front. Again, this is a different process and a different flow from when you come into the building. We have a skincare product and an aftercare product area that they can browse in.
(20:24):
Sometimes people will wait there, especially if they're numbing before treatment, things of that nature. And then we'll have our team that'll do the follow-ups with them. We have an app for rewards. We have all the different branded apps that exist. And so people are always checking to see what's in their wallets and what kind of cookies and benefits that they might have, make sure that all those credits are going to be applied, and then we'll make sure that we get 'em signed up for their next appointment. And beyond that, we'll follow up. So depending on the type of treatment, we will have a staggered follow-up window based on if it's been a couple of days or if it's been a couple of weeks. Again, each treatment has its own timeline, but the idea is we want them to know, Hey, we're still thinking about you. We're checking in, and if you got questions, you let us know. Of course they can reach out by text or by phone or email before that if necessary. But the point is that we are following up and making sure that everybody's happy all the way through so that this way there's no surprises and nobody feels as if we just rush them through anything that's the life cycle of a new patient.
Tyler Terry (21:25):
Wow. It's very detailed and there's a lot of thought that's been put into that, and I love that it's curated for the patient. And as I go through your tech stack, from what I've gathered, you're using Nextech, TouchMD, RepeatMD, Invisia. So this is the first time that I've heard a med spa that's using this exact tech stack. And something that I quickly picked up when I first met you was the fact that you are an early adopter, although you are particular on what you adopt, it does feel as if you are willing to be one of the first to try something. And you've been involved in software development in the aesthetic space. Can you tell us some of the things that you've learned as you've adopted technology at the forefront?
Michael Zanetti (22:15):
Well, for sure, sometimes it can not be for the faint of heart because you're going to learn that software development is a never ending process. It never gets built, it's never finished. It always needs to be updated and nurtured. And I think the value in being an early adopter is, well, broadly speaking for any industry, the value is that you're going to get to shape what's coming. And I think that's incredibly important when you're in the med spa world because for the most part, we're small businesses, right? There's most med spas looking at the data are single location, maybe a few providers, that's the general template for a med spa. And so it's difficult to have a voice when you're not a multinational corporation maybe. And so how do you go and say, look, this is what I really need for my world. And I think that part of that is if you are willing to be an early adopter in this space, you can help shape the products that are going to be built for you.
(23:14):
And that's incredibly valuable. Now, the aesthetic world is still in the early innings of the industry growth. And so I think there is going to be a bit of a land rush to try and build more technology that's going to address some of the shortcomings we have. So this is a golden opportunity for people to look at this and say, okay, I'm going to be willing to put in the work to help these products mature and develop into something that I can use. And so I think for us, our journey was all about what are the problems we have in our operational workflow? What does the staff say, boy, I wish if I could wave a magic wand that I could do this. And whatever that might be, it was about researching who could potentially solve for that. And if they couldn't solve for it today, were they willing and equipped to invest in solving for it in the future?
(24:03):
Because they knew that there was a market, that there was going to be demand. And this wasn't just a one-off request by one little old med spa that wanted it, but rather this was going to be a best practice for the industry, and therefore they're going to want to make sure that they could deliver this type of offering, because there was going to be more customers for them if they could produce it. So that's why we've been excited about being an early adopter and really trying to shape some of the narrative around technology and medical aesthetics because it needs it, and this is a golden opportunity for anybody to participate in shaping that.
Tyler Terry (24:39):
So I want to shift gears a little bit, and being that you've been in business for over 10 years, that would definitely put you in the top 10%. I mean, there's less than 10% of practices that have been open that long. As you've looked at this opportunity with AmSpa being the Florida Co-chair, correct me if I'm wrong as I say that, congrats on that by the way. How are you looking at the industry as a whole? What excites you the most about what's happening with this industry?
Michael Zanetti (25:09):
Well, yes. First of all, thank you for that. Appreciate it. I am really excited because this is an industry that is trying to figure out how it should be organized, how it should be structured. Now, part of this is driven by the regulatory environment because this is the practice of medicine. When you have 50 states, that means you have 50 different legislatures and sets of rules, and everybody has their own take on how aesthetic medicine should be structured. And for me in Florida, what's exciting is that we are in a position because of the volume of services that are provided here. I mean, this is one of the biggest states in the country for aesthetic medicine that it's going to allow us to help define the rules of the road. One of my goals personally is I want to really see the industry focus on building what I call good competition.
(26:04):
There are a lot of shortcuts that can be taken because some of the rules and regulations are gray and murky. Candidly, a lot of this was drafted long before the intersection of retail service and medicine came together. So you're dealing with insurance, reimbursable medicine rules and regulations for what really is a retail business that happens to practice medicine. And things just haven't been updated, things haven't been defined. And so in that regard, I'm most excited about the ability to help shape what those rules are going to be so that people that are operating in this space are going to do it in the right way. And what I mean by that is they're not going to fall prey to unscrupulous vendors that are selling them products and devices maybe that are not cleared and regulated, who are going to price themselves appropriately, meaning that they're not going to race to the bottom and become a commodity because they're not taking into account the proper licensing and the structures that are required in order to do things the proper way.
(27:09):
And so for me, that's where I'd like to see the industry go is to help with more of a clearly defined roadmap so that for people that are getting into the industry, they realize these are the things I need to do in order to function and operate properly, as opposed to just, I'm going to start up and see what happens. Because we don't want blowback from bad actors who maybe don't do things the right way. They end up in the news because the news loves to focus on the negative. And in turn, that just hurts all of us. I'm really excited about this opportunity with AmSpa and the state chapter, particularly in Florida, where we can help put some guidelines in place and really help bring what it means to run med spas the right way up to Tallahassee, and to help people that are coming in the industry to understand how they should go about doing their business so that we get good competition and we can feel good about that.
Tyler Terry (28:06):
It's exciting to know that we have people that care enough to take that extra time. I mean, you're busy, but the fact that you're willing to take extra time to benefit others is really honorable in my opinion. And I know that all it takes is one state to not truly understand the industry and what they're regulating to affect everybody. So as you're looking at different products and technologies, are there a couple out there that are catching your eye today? What are you most excited about?
Michael Zanetti (28:39):
Well, I think the world of AI is what everybody talks about, and where I see that impacting things in the immediacy is its role with Google. Google has been synonymous with search, and AI is starting to provide a lot of those answers that people may have Googled in the past. And so what is that going to mean for SEO? What is that going to mean for pay-per-click marketing and advertising if you're going to see a shift because of AI in that space? I think that the advent of some of the different channels for communicating with patients is also going to drive more of a shift. Companies like Weave, which we use for phone and texting, getting that to integrate into your systems so that, again, it's not a manual process, but that rather you're leveraging technology where people who had an appointment on your books that gets closed out are going to automatically get pinged to say, Hey, how was everything?
(29:36):
That's important. The more that you can automate where the automation is done in a way that comes across as authentic and genuine and not very cookie cutter, I think that that's going to add value. Beyond that, I think that the overall space, people are starting to pay attention to it. And the joke about Silicon Valley and Tech is that there's 42 different apps to get food delivered because people making software like to eat, so they're going to build what they know. And I think that you're starting to see more attention given to this space because people spent a lot of time on Zoom, thanks to Covid, and as a result, you had the Zoom boom in this industry where people were looking at their face all day going, Ooh, I didn't realize I looked that old. So you have this, I think, broader awareness and appreciation for aesthetics, which in turn, people in the industry are going, well, what else can we fix here? Because there's a lot that it wasn't all that long ago that people were doing everything on paper. And so now they see the opportunity to invest in different types of tech stacks to make this a more modern space to operate in. And I don't see that slowing down anytime soon.
Tyler Terry (30:44):
Yeah, I agree. So just to shift gears a little bit, things like the election that's coming up and the economy can make patients hesitant with all of their luxury purchases, including med spa services. Can you share anything with us about how you're planning to protect your business through this season?
Michael Zanetti (31:03):
Well, I think some of our patients would argue that getting Botox is not a luxury, but rather
Tyler Terry (31:09):
I would agree.
Michael Zanetti (31:10):
part of their
Tyler Terry (31:10):
It's pretty recession proof. I mean, a lot of people have talked about this industry being recession proof.
Michael Zanetti (31:15):
Well, I definitely think it's one of the last things that would be cut, because it's not just the idea of spending money on and that immediate euphoria that people feel when they go buy something, but it's also how they feel about themselves. They look in the mirror every day. And so if they feel better about themselves, that crosses over into their personal life, their professional life. So I really do believe it is something that people will take a long hard look at before they decide to say, I'm going to cut this out. In addition, we've had the rise of buy now pay later types of plans, which we could have a whole conversation on in and of itself. But financing some of these treatments is definitely a reality for people in the industry. So I don't think that that is necessarily going to be a challenge.
(32:02):
But as far as the election and concern about things like interest rates and the broader economy, what I think practices should do, and this is regardless of the time of year or what's happening, is try to get your people to be as sticky as possible. And for us, we view memberships as a core component to that patient stickiness, that engagement, because when you have someone who is committed to their journey, think of it as joining a gym. You wouldn't go to the gym and expect to lose 20 pounds and have great muscles after visiting once or twice that you're signing up for something that's going to take some time. You're going to have your own work that you got to put in, and even when you're not in the gym, you're going to want to eat right and do things that is going to help you with your workout.
(32:46):
So we look at the aesthetic space and what we offer in a very similar vein, which is we're going to do our part here. You're going to have to do your part when you're at home wearing your sunscreen when you're in Florida, and no matter where you go, you're going to get a little bit of color. Making sure that you are coming in on a consistent basis for the treatments that you need in order to maintain the look that you're going for. And so I think that when you create a membership plan that really incentivizes that loyalty and that sticky behavior, then it becomes a virtuous cycle. People are more likely to follow through on the treatments and the recommendations you're making because they feel as if they're getting a good value from it. And then on the flip side, they end up with better results because they're doing the things that you're recommending and they're coming in as often as they need to. And they're not simply saying, well, here's how much money I have, what can you do for me with this pile of money, as opposed to saying, what do I need to get here? And that I think really helps you to be more recession proof because now you've got people committed to the journey as opposed to just hoping that you get lucky and strike lightning in a bottle where one day they come in and they decide to do a treatment, but then you don't see them ever again.
Tyler Terry (33:59):
Yeah, that's a great point. So I want to end with this question. I saw that you recently led a webinar for Sciton, and I believe it's a two-part webinar, and the next one will be, I think it's the first week of October. I'd love for you to share with us a little bit about that webinar, a little bit about what you love about Sciton.
Michael Zanetti (34:20):
Sure. For me, I think that Sciton as a company is fantastic because they are based in the United States. They're manufacturing and their production is done here. I've had the opportunity to tour their facility and watch their devices get made. There's a lot of customized love that goes into those machines. And so that is a differentiator versus a distributorship model where you're getting something from a third party and hoping that you, you're going to be able to get the support that you need after the fact, but the quality is in the result. You're getting what people expect when they use that equipment. And so you can feel good as a practice or as a provider using it because you know that you're going to get a fantastic result. And so I think for me, supporting that brand or being affiliated with that brand, that's a positive because I don't have to sit there and say, well, they're great, but.
(35:14):
Nope, their technology speaks for itself. Now, specifically with the webinar series, I think like many of the vendors in this industry, people who get into aesthetics typically come from a medical background, and the amount of time spent on business in all types of medical training is virtually zero. And unfortunately, this is a retail business. Yes, you're practicing medicine, but ultimately medical aesthetics is a retail service business. And having that foundation and that recognition of, okay, I really need to have a team in place to run this business, and I use the analogy all the time, that the CEO of Delta Airlines isn't a pilot. The celebrity chefs that you read about, they're not the CEO of their restaurant group. They're focused on what they do best, which is their craft. That expertise is important, that knowledge is critical, but it's really difficult to see patients all day long and then have to spend the night balancing the books in your accounting software, evaluating new software technology, figuring out what your marketing campaign is going to be next month.
(36:18):
There's a lot that goes into the business of aesthetics, and that needs its own staff. It needs its own group of people who are wholly focused on that and not worried about treating patients. And so the folks at Sciton recognize that because part of using their technology the right way is making sure that you have business practices surrounding it, because I can give you the best tool in the world, but if you don't have the rest of the ingredients, how do you price your products? What do you do to get people to come in the door? How do you measure what success looks like? It's going to be really difficult no matter how great your laser might be. And so that was the focal point of the webinar series, and really just trying to answer questions about what are some of these little business nuggets that may get overlooked on a day-to-day basis, and then help be that bridge between the clinical and the business side of the equation.
Tyler Terry (37:12):
Well, it sounds like you're busy running and leading your practice, helping out Sciton, jumping on our podcast, being the co-chair of AmSpa's Florida chapter, so feel very grateful that you took time to share with us today, all of these various pearls. And I actually have even more questions for you, but we'll have to have you back on the show. And I want to thank you again for your time, and most importantly, for your service to our great country, our very beautiful country that we have, and we're very blessed to live in. So for those of you that are listening, if you'd like to follow Michael and his practice and their social handles, those will be in the show notes. But again, Michael, I want to thank you again for your time.
Michael Zanetti (37:53):
Thank you. Always a pleasure to talk. It's exciting times and happy to do it again.
Announcer (38:00):
Thanks for listening to Aesthetically Speaking, the podcast where beauty meets business, presented by Nextech. Follow and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. Links to the resources mentioned on this podcast or available in your show notes. For more information about Nextech, visit nextech.com, or to learn more about TouchMD, go to touchmd.com. Aesthetically Speaking is a production of The Axis, theaxis.io.
