Why do people stay up all night and stand in line for hours to buy the next iPhone? After all, they can order it online and have it delivered to their home. Or go to the same store the next day with no lines. So why do people stand in line – outside in the cold?

Because they are Raving Fans. Raving fans of Apple.

How does Apple create these Raving Fans? How is Apple able to charge top dollar, offer no discounts, and still have customers standing in line? Apple understands that people don’t buy products, they buy identity – they buy emotion. Apple’s Raving Fans don’t stay up all night for the phone; they stay up all night to be able to tell the story about staying up all night to be one of the first to get the new phone. People will pay top dollar for an identity and for an experience.

Just ask Apple.

Apple has mastered the two key functions of any business: Innovation and Marketing.

The late business sage Peter Drucker stated that, “The business enterprise has two—and only two—key functions: Innovation and Marketing. Innovation and Marketing produce results.”

This applies directly to your aesthetic practice too. If your practice can master these two functions, you will grow your business exponentially.

Master these two functions and create Raving Fans.

Let’s explore.

Innovation
So what is innovation? Innovation is finding the best way to meet your patient’s needs and adding more value to their lives than anyone else, then delivering it in a way that’s beyond their expectations. Give them what they want in a way no one else can.

Innovation does not need to be a new technical breakthrough. In fact, innovation can be something small that simply creates a better way to meet your patient’s needs and create a memorable experience for them with your practice.

Consider for example the use of Golden Ratio Calipers during the patient consult.

Here’s why.

Have you ever been measured by a tailor for a new dress or suit — customized specifically to you? How did that make you feel? Pretty special, right? Because it was “tailored” to you. It yielded an emotional response.

Using Golden Ratio Calipers as an integral part of each patient consult not only helps to determine a potential treatment plan clinically but also creates a positive emotional response from each patient. Explain to each patient the mathematics of beauty. Show them their beauty right before their eyes.  And your unspoken message? “You are the most important patient in my practice and I’m going to provide you with the very best I can offer, customized to your needs.”

That’s innovation – something small but incredibly effective in meeting the needs of the patient and immediately creating complete trust. Generate an emotional response, earn their trust and you’ve created a Raving Fan.

How often should you innovate? Constantly. That’s why is so critical to continue to look for ideas even outside of aesthetic medicine. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Learn from other disciplines and businesses. Incorporate their innovation tailored your practice.

Marketing
The second key function of any successful business is marketing. What is marketing? Marketing is simply getting someone to seek out your service and do business with you. You can be the best injector in town, but if nobody knows about it, your waiting room will be empty.

Here’s another question. Does McDonald’s make the best burger? Does Disneyland have absolutely the best amusement rides? If your answers are no, then how is it possible that both of these companies own their respective markets with inferior products?

The answer is marketing.

Marketing is the “delivery truck” of your innovation. World-class marketing engages your patients in a way that is compelling, interesting and unobtrusive. It’s targeted and specific to the needs of your audience. Marketing isn’t about you – it’s about them. World-class marketing meets your customers’ needs – not yours.

Raving Fans
So what is a Raving Fan? A Raving Fan is someone that is absolutely committed to you – passionate about you and your services, how you make them feel, and how you meet their needs. Raving Fans are “crazy loyal.” They’ll tell everyone they know about you. They’ll defend you to the end, and most importantly, they’ll be the first to forgive you.

Raving Fans will stand in line all night to buy your services – at top dollar!

Today the business of aesthetics runs the risk of becoming a commodity. Aesthetics is fraught with price discounts, Groupons and loyalty programs, etc.; all quick-fix and weak attempts to generate sustainable business.

The answer to creating an extraordinary practice is not discounting. The answer lies in your desire and passion to innovate and market. Meet the needs of your patients in a way that no one else can. Create Raving Fans!

To do this though requires two things: making the decision to change and then developing a plan or blueprint to follow through. Drucker also says, “If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.”

Focus your efforts on creating Raving Fans as Apple does and watch your practice grow to a level of unimaginable success.

Create Something Extraordinary!