Pain in the Marketplace

Patients want to look better, not different. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 39% of women and 22% of men wish that they could change something about their appearance but only 25% of women and 14% of men surveyed said they would consider cosmetic plastic surgery.

Of patients who said they would consider having cosmetic surgery, 68 percent would prefer a subtle change in their appearance, while less than one-quarter (23 percent) would consider an extreme change desirable. This finding, says ASAPS, is consistent with the experience of plastic surgeons, whose patients often stress that they want natural-looking results that will make them look better but not extremely different.

Surgery has been the only alternative: Until the advent of new technology and non-invasive solutions, surgery was the only option.

Women stand, sometimes forever, on the lip of the chasm. The fears of "going under the knife"

Although widely accepted now, surgery had many well know problems that prevent

• Individual physician knowledge and skill
• Cost
• Extended recovery time
• Risk of infection or complication
• Unwanted outcome
• Permanent

(Becouse of the way that the survey was performed we think that the numbe of people who wish they could change something about their appearance is much higher.)

Market Needs:

Interest in Improving Multiple Features
Among Americans who said they would consider cosmetic surgery, 35 percent would change one feature; 26 percent would change two features; 12 percent would change three features; and 9 percent would change more than three features.

Women make their purchasing decisons based on different criteria than men. This is often interpreted by men as women using criteria that is "illogical". It is not. Women just make dicisions differently than men. Where men want "just the facts", women balance a host of other factors in their decision making. Where men conduct business from transaction to transaction, women are looking to find someone they can trust and build a relationship. Women are looking at all sorts of criteria that men overlook; How does the place "feel"? How was I treated? Can I trust them?

Women, without exception, are looking to give thier business to someone who they refer to thier friends as "the best". Women will never recomend a medical provider in any other fashion.

In order to capture "the best" title:

1. Train the entire staff to understand and appreciate their role in marketing and creating customer loyalty.
2. Create a highly visible presence in the community.
3. Brand Surface as the leader in non-invasive cosmetic and anti-aging medical technology.
4. Build a network of businesses and individuals that support and refer clients to Surface.
5. Offer multiple venues of free education. Seminars, consultations, web, etc.
6. Maintain multiple cources of contact for our patients. Thank you notes, newsletter, special offers.
7. Build our corporate and associate programs.
8. Offer giveaways to fundraisers.
9. Use unusual, attention grabbing tactics.