What Successful Cosmetic Clinics Don't Do

Strong cosmetic practices have leadership and teams that are able to manage their behaviors, patient interactions and ways that set them up for business success. Much of what's written is about what to do, but what you don't do is just as important. H

ere's a list of things that strong and profitable cosmetic clinics (and their teams) don't do.

1. They Don't Waste Time Focusing On The Competition.

Successful clinics don't sit around worried about the medical spa that's offering lower prices or spending more on advertising. Instead, they focus on delivering on what's critical for their success; delivering perceived and real value to their patients. They understand that competitors are part of every business environment.

2. They Don't Avoid Change

Great clinics don't coast. They actively look - continually - for the changes they can make that improve their business operations and the value they're delivering to patients. Successful clinics embrace change as a continual business need and an opportunity to improve.

3. They Don't Waste Time & Energy On Things They Can't Control

Successful clinics are all about what they are doing, not bitching and moaning about why they can't win and how the competition down the street isn't fair. Instead, they focus on what they do control and recognize that their success is in their own hands - always.

4. They Don't Try To Please Everyone

Great clinics focus on a few things that they do exceptionally well. They don't try to flail away and capture every patient. They realize that you can only be the best at one or two things, and they focus on delivering exceptional value in those areas.

5. They Don't Fear Taking Calculated Risks

Success isn't given and it doesn't ever follow your business plan. It's survival of the fittest and successful practices embrace the fact that they're going to have to make smart decisions and take some risks. In fact, they know that the biggest risk is not taking any risks.

6. They Don't Dwell On The Past

Successful clinics are forward looking. They're not talking about their past successes or grievances. They're looking forward to what they can improve in the future and they embrace continual improvement.

7. They Don't Make The Same Mistakes Over And Over

Successful cosmetic clinics make (a lot of) mistakes, but they only make those mistakes once. They learn fast and are voracious in rooting out why the mistakes were made and how they can avoid them next time.

8. They Don't Resent Other People's Success

Successful clinics can appreciate other clinic's successes. They know when the're being beaten and are intellectually honest enough to know that there are reasons that the market is rewarding someone else, most often because they're doing something right.

9. They Don't Give Up After Failure

Along with mistakes come failures; a terrible Groupon, a bad hire, a cosmetic laser that is a lemon... Every successful clinic has a long list of failures that they can point to. They can also point to what they did, and kept doing, after every one.

10. They Don't Feel The World Owes Them Anything

Successful clinics don't think that they're owed success, and they certainly don't think that patients owe them anything. Instead, they look for opportunities based on their own work and merits and work to serve patients first.

11. They Don't Expect Immediate Results

Successful clinics know that success is a journey, not a destination, and like every journey it takes time. They don't expect immediate results. Instead, they apply their skills and effort to build the clinic.

12. They Say No More Than They Say Yes

Sales reps, patients, vendors... everyone is asking for yes. Successful clinics learn to say 'no' more than they say yes. It's harder, but it keeps your head in the game and your clinic pointed in the right direction.

13. They Don't Resent Their Patients

Successful clinics don't resent patients who don't want to be upsold or balk at a price. They know that all of their patients contribute to success and that their reputation is not what they want it to be, but what their patients actually think and say about them.