EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS WITH LASER TATTOO REMOVAL Contents Laser tattoo removal, de- Adding Laser spite popular belief, is not Tattoo Removal a niche practice but rather to An Existing a widely applicable service. Business 3 Top Ten Reasons To Add Laser Tattoo Removal 1 Whether you’re a tattoo shop owner, medical spa operator, or physician, ex- panding aesthetic proce- dures can add substantial value to your business. Astanza, the premier laser com- Effectively pany specializing in tattoo re- moval, presents this free guide to Market Laser grow your business. Unlike other Tattoo Removal companies, we’re committed to leaving you with more than just Q-switched laser technology. 7 We intend to teach you how to maximize your investment in laser tattoo removal and grow your business, supported by on-location training, market- ing expertise, and unmatched technical support. Return on Investment in Laser Tattoo Removal 5 In the following pages, we’ll explain why and how you should add laser tattoo removal to your business, quantify benefits of investing in the ser- vice, and delineate marketing tactics to get your business running. Enjoy! Chapter One: Top Ten Reasons to Add Laser Tattoo Removal Tattoo removal continues to grow in popularity, and medical professionals of all back- grounds are starting to add laser tattoo removal to their list of services. Dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and medical spas commonly offer the procedure, but we’ve seen family practices, OB/GYNs, vein specialists, and even ENT practices yield im- pressive profits from the simple addition of a tattoo removal laser within their existing space. But profitability, as we’ll discuss below, isn’t the only rea- son why now is the time to offer this increasingly in-demand procedure. Growing Demand The 21,000 tattoo shops in the U.S. create new potential tattoo removal patients every day, adding to the existing 45 million tattooed Americans. Polls have shown that up to 50% of tattooed people have tattoo regret, and laser tattoo re- moval is the only non-invasive safe and effective solu- tion to treating unwanted ink. Regulations Favor Doctors Some states allow only MDs and DOs to own tattoo re- moval lasers, allowing you to completely control your market. Take your piece of the $10 Billion+ tattoo removal industry. Quick and Non-invasive With some treatments lasting as little as 30 seconds, revenue from laser tattoo removal can easily exceed $800 per hour. No consumable costs or extensive time required. Charge a Premium for Time Patients are willing to pay more for a doctor to perform their tattoo removal treatment and will choose a physician-run clinic over a tattoo shop or spa. Based on average treat- ment cost, you can add $10,000+ profit each month. Cash-Pay, No Insurance Patients, motivated to remove their tattoos, are happy to pay out-of-pocket. As an aes- 1 thetic procedure, tattoo removal cannot Opportunity for Patient be filed with an insurance company and is Crossover completely cash-pay. Your existing patient pool serves as a great place to acquire tattoo removal patients. The Use Existing Staff & Space average tattoo removal patient is a 29 year Most states allow physicians to delegate old woman, cares about their appearance the procedure to mid-level practitioners. and health, and is a prime target to offer Astanza offers training for your existing your other medical or aesthetic services. staff – no new laser technician needed. No need for more space either; the treatment Provide Excellent Results rooms you currently use can serve your Astanza’s advanced laser technology yields tattoo removal patients too. excellent removal results- no downtime or scarring! Patients can see results after the Offer Numbing Injections first treatment and track fading progression Others Can’t until the tattoo is no longer visible. Patient comfort can be optimized with lo- cal anesthetics that only medical practices Affordable to Start can offer. Most standalone tattoo removal Financing for medical professionals is easy, clinics cannot provide top-tier numbing op- so you can get started quickly. Astanza of- tions like lidocaine that sensitive patients fers a range of products from effective en- want. try-level lasers to the world’s premier tattoo removal systems. Despite these reasons behind the rise of laser tattoo removal, however, practices not cur- rently offering aesthetic procedures understandably may still have misgivings. Jumping into the aesthetics field without prior experience is daunting. However, if you effectively market to people actively seeking laser tattoo removal, you’ll surely attract patients and fill your appointment book. Those who would prefer guidance from an experienced marketing team needn’t look farther than Astanza’s Customer Marketing Partnership, which makes marketing efforts as easy as possible for beginners. The Partnership represents our efforts to provide our customers with not just lasers, but also advice and assistance toward achieving long- term success with laser tattoo removal. The Partnership features complimentary website content creation services, online advertisement management, and more useful materials we will discuss in more detail in Chapter 5. 2 Chapter 2: Adding Laser Tattoo Removal to an Existing Practice Tattoo removal is a potentially lucrative business for everyone. If you are a physician with a private practice, the owner of a tattoo shop, or operator of a medical spa and have been seeking an additional service, then laser tattoo removal is the procedure for you. In this chapter, we’ll break down, by practice, the results of adding a tattoo removal laser. Adding Tattoo Removal Staff members may also enjoy picking up an additional skill for their repertoire. for Medical Spas The Logical Extension Fast and Convenient Unlike traditional salons, medical spas Tattoo removal is a quick service, with some can offer both medical and laser proce- treatments as short as 30 seconds. Since dures. Beauty-oriented customers are es- most tattoos need multiple treatments for pecially receptive to procedures that can complete removal, existing patients will re- enhance their skin. Laser tattoo removal, turn for follow-ups, decreasing the need to then, would attract new and returning schedule new patients. Laser tattoo removal patients with tattoo regret. Seeing as the requires little to no down time and has no most common tattoo removal patients are consumable costs, increasing its return on young women in their late 20s, as men- investment. tioned in Chapter 1, tattoo removal cli- entele and customers seeking other aes- Adding Tattoo Removal thetic proceduressignificantly overlap. By offering a variety of services, medical spas for Physicians can even create package deals for patients Credibility requiring more than one service. Expanding a practice with laser tattoo re- moval is a smart choice for many business- Easy to Learn es; however, physicians have an advantage. Most medical spas offer many laser and Patients interested in laser tattoo removal light-based procedures that trained la- are more inclined to seek out medical pro- ser technicians and estheticians perform. fessionals, especially dermatologists, given Having a staff that’s already familiar with their specialty in skincare. Furthermore, treatments similar to laser tattoo removal state regulations for laser procedures favor is a significant advantage. Laser training medical professionals over non-medically would still be needed, but the learning licensed business owners, and a few states curve for staff members would be much allow only physicians to operate tattoo re- shorter due to already established skills. moval lasers. 3 Increase Profits patient pool would consist of dozens, if not Laser tattoo removal is an extremely easy hundreds, of individuals who’d be interest- procedure with no consumable costs and ed in receiving laser tattoo removal, espe- a short treatment time. Adding this service cially from someone with whom they have a can bring significant profit to any practice. trusted patient-provider relationship. Patients are even willing to pay a premium to have their tattoo removed by a licensed Adopting laser tattoo removal is a smart medical professional. Additionally, laser business decision. This in-demand proce- tattoo removal is categorized as a cosmetic dure can add significant profit to any prac- procedure, meaning it is cash-pay and can- tice and help existing clients while reaching not be filed with medical insurance. new ones, all without incurring many addi- tional expenses. Established practices that Existing Resources already have a treatment area, staff, and cli- Unlike new business owners, physicians are ent base are three steps ahead of the game already equipped with all of the resourc- and can easily enter the industry. es necessary to begin laser tattoo removal: a clinic, staff, and clientele. Laser tattoo Astanza has helped a variety of business removal is a noninvasive procedure that owners expand their services with laser is very easy for nurses and staff members tattoo removal. Adding the procedure may to learn, and can be performed in rooms seem intimidating, but with the right tech- currently being used for other treatments. nology, training, and resources, you could The most convenient resource is the exist- easily attract more patients and take advan- ing base of patients available to physicians. tage of a profitable opportunity. Due to the large tattooed population, your 4 Chapter 3: Return on Investment for Laser Tattoo Removal The world of aesthetics and medicine has changed dramatically since the development of lasers. These light based energy systems have generated novel, exciting procedures, including noninvasive skin treatments and laser eye surgery. The advancement of laser technology has greatly benefitted the niche industry of tattoo removal. Tattoo removal lasers have become known as the safest, most effective solution for dealing with unwanted tattoos. A study conducted by The Harris Poll shows that the demand for laser tattoo removal has steadily increased over the past few years (The Har- ris Poll, 2016.) Today, three in ten American adults have at least one tattoo.