How to Start Your Own Aesthetics Business: The Complete Guide

Get your self-care business off the ground

Aesthetic medicine is one of the fastest-growing verticals in the self-care realm. Data shows that the use of injectables and fillers has risen significantly since 2020. By 2030, Americans could be spending $30 billion annually on cosmetic procedures. This represents an opportunity for aspiring self-care business owners: With such a high demand for services, it’s a great time to open your own aesthetic medicine center.

Of course, starting a business is never that simple. Aesthetic practices have strict licensing requirements. Furthermore, since these procedures are popular, you’ll likely face a lot of competition. To stand out from the pack, you’ll need a comprehensive strategy that includes a business plan, the right technology, and effective self-promotion. Here’s how to start your own aesthetic business and set yourself up for success.

Start with a business plan

The first step in answering the question “How to open an aesthetic clinic” is turning your vision into an actionable plan. Before determining what type of services you’ll offer or your financial projections, you’ll need to do some market research. How is the aesthetics market in your area? What particular niche does your clinic fill? What are your client demographics, and what can you offer that other clinics in the area can’t? What’s the general outlook for businesses in your community?

Once you’re able to explain to investors the why, you can plan out the what. Create a specific list of services you hope to offer, as well as what you’ll need to perform them: equipment, supplies, software (more on that later), and so on. Be sure to include your ideal organizational structure and clearly describe the responsibilities of each role.

You’ll also have to do a little math to figure out your financial situation. First, add up the cost of your business expenses. Those include the supplies mentioned above, as well as rent, insurance, payroll, advertising costs, and so on. Then calculate how much you realistically expect to make. Keep in mind that the average revenue per medspa facility in 2023 was $1.9 million, and the average profit margin was 20%-25% of net sales.

Beyond those basics, your business plan should also include these elements:

• Regulatory compliance and licensing: Because aesthetics clinics perform medical procedures, it’s important to let potential investors know how you plan to comply with HIPAA, OSHA, and state licensing requirements.

• Marketing and sales strategy: How are you going to get the word out when you open your doors? Detail your strategy in your business plan (and read on for some marketing tips).

• Executive summary: Once you’ve organized all of the information for your business plan, summarize those thoughts in a succinct executive summary. This goes at the top of your plan and should be the first thing that potential investors see.

For more advice about crafting a medspa business plan, read Writing an Aesthetic Clinic Business Plan? Follow This Checklist.

Search for technology solutions

After writing a business plan that encompasses the what and why of your aesthetic practice, it’s time to focus on the how. How are you going to manage reservations and client details? What about electronic medical records? Technology is the backbone of any self-care business, but aesthetic medicine is even more demanding, as you need to protect your clients’ medical data. The software you choose will play a large role in whether or not you meet your business goals and deliver a memorable client experience.

There are a lot of options out there. If you’re having trouble narrowing down which aesthetics business software to use, prioritize these features:

• Smart self-booking: Web and mobile self-booking gives clients a frictionless way to make appointments. However, it’s critical that your software not only enables self-booking, but also automatically optimizes your calendar to minimize downtime.

• Seamless payment processing: Leave the clunky POS systems in the 20th century where they belong. Your business software should include native payment processing that allows clients to settle up with their preferred payment methods, whether that’s swiping a card or tapping a phone.

• Customizable reports: In order to understand how your business is performing, especially in those first few months, you’ll need to look at your own internal data. Every business is different, so look for technology solutions that allow you to tailor reports to your needs. For example, the Boulevard platform offers customizable templates that make it easier to drill down into your data and find opportunities for improvement.

While you’re searching for the most comprehensive and intuitive software, keep electronic medical records in mind. Your software needs HIPAA-compliant security to ensure that private medical details stay private. To protect your clinic and your clients from hackers and breaches, look for data encryption features that keep data secure, whether it’s in transit or at rest. Access controls and customizable permissions ensure that only authorized users have access to protected data.

Want to know more about finding the best software for your clinic? Check out The Best Aesthetic Clinic Software: What to Know Before You Buy and How to Find the Best EMR For Aesthetic Practices: 5 Must-Have Features.  

Grow your aesthetics practice with savvy marketing strategies

One of the hardest parts of figuring out how to start your own aesthetics business is self-promotion. You might have the best services and providers in town, but that’s not going to bring in business if no one knows that your clinic exists. Here’s the good news: You don’t have to be a marketing pro to get the word out.

What you do need is a clear brand identity and a strong online presence. Start with a business website that serves as a central hub for contact information, online self-booking, available services, and pricing. You’ll also want to set up a Google Business profile so that locals looking for a medspa can find your clinic in the results. Finally, use social media wisely and take advantage of visual mediums, such as Instagram and TikTok, with younger audiences.

No client wants to feel like they’re just another face in the crowd. When it comes to email marketing, be sure to add a personal touch. You could hand-craft each message yourself, but it’s more efficient to let your software do the work. Look for options with customizable templates and send out birthday messages, notifications for last-minute openings, reminders to book follow-ups, and other promotional opportunities.

Remember: Your job isn’t just to get clients in the door. It’s also to build loyalty so they keep coming back. Reward repeat clients with exclusive offers and membership programs to build long-term loyalty. Returning clients make up 70% of medspa visits, so fostering these relationships is essential to overall success.

For additional marketing and advertising tactics, read the full articles: Aesthetics Marketing: 5 Strategies to Grow Your Business and Become an Aesthetics Advertising Pro With These 5 Strategies.

It’s time to stop asking yourself how to start your own aesthetic business and start taking action. Using the advice in this article, you’ll be able to draft a comprehensive business plan, choose the right software for your aesthetics practice, and begin establishing your medspa as a premier self-care destination.