Your Coupon Codes Won’t Work: How to Build Loyalty in the Aesthetic Market

Aesthetic brands may view promotional code purchases as a sign of successful marketing, but does attracting price-sensitive customers really build lasting loyalty? What might appear as loyalty could be nothing more than habitual behavior and price-driven decisions. In fact, recent surveys show that 46% of customers of medical spas and aesthetic clinics are likely to switch providers if they find a cheaper offer.¹

The financial impact of dropping retention rates can be substantial. If a cosmetic dermatology business struggles to attract and retain clients, it can lead to reduced revenue, decreased profitability, and even the risk of business failure. According to industry estimates, building a strong client base can account for up to 40% of the overall success and profitability of a cosmetic dermatology practice.²

So, if not coupon codes, what creates long-term customer loyalty? The key lies in building a complete marketing strategy that fosters emotional connections, creates continuous social interactions, offers meaningful rewards, and ensures customer convenience. Combining these elements transforms a transactional relationship into a bond that keeps customers returning for more than just a discount.

Let’s look closer at customer loyalty and how aesthetic brands can combine their elements to enhance bonds with their customers.

WHAT CREATES CUSTOMER LOYALTY NOW?

Most current loyalty programs in aesthetic practices focus on transactional benefits, such as discounts. This transactional approach often leads to customers switching to competitors who offer better deals, as their loyalty is primarily driven by price rather than genuine brand affinity.

Beyond this, there are other reasons why a customer might leave: inconvenience during appointment scheduling and management, limited marketing outreach, and ineffective loyalty programs.

True customer loyalty involves more than just economic transactions; it is a spectrum that integrates both rational and emotional components.³ Rational aspects include things like convenience and rewards, while emotional aspects encompass building continuous connections and social interactions. 

The key to building authentic loyalty is to blend these elements effectively into targeted and personalized marketing strategies. By combining practical incentives with emotional engagement and community-building efforts, brands can create a more comprehensive loyalty experience. This approach not only reduces price sensitivity but also fosters deeper, more resilient connections with customers.

BUILDING EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS

In a Mailchimp survey, 59% of dedicated customers reported purchasing from brands that make them feel valued, indicating they are motivated by drivers like recognition and belonging.⁴ Building these types of emotional connections with customers involves aligning your brand with their values and creating a sense of trust, leading to a deeper, more personal form of loyalty.

One key strategy to achieving trust and belonging is deeply personalizing communications and messaging. By collecting data on customer preferences, behaviors, and purchase history, brands can tailor their messaging and interactions at crucial touchpoints, such as around their customers’ birthdays, before their next appointment, and when leaving the practice. This so-called point-of-touch marketing ensures that each communication feels relevant and personal, reinforcing the customer’s sense of being understood and valued by the brand. This approach not only strengthens emotional bonds but also positions the brand as a trusted partner in the customer’s journey.

Additionally, actively seeking customer feedback not only helps brands improve but also makes customers feel heard and valued, further solidifying their emotional connection and loyalty to the brand. Leveraging social media and online reviews to enhance your online reputation can also attract new clients.

FOSTERING CONTINUOUS SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

Driving social interactions transforms customers into active participants in a community, making them feel valued and included, which strengthens their emotional ties to the brand. By offering exclusive memberships or communities, you can create a sense of belonging that encourages customers to become loyal subscribers or active participants in a consumer network. 

For aesthetic businesses, similar club-like loyalty can be cultivated by using social media groups and special subscription services. These strategies can be used to share exclusive news, offer special discounts, host events, and provide insider tips and tricks, thus creating a vibrant, interactive community that makes customers feel appreciated and connected.

OFFERING MEANINGFUL REWARDS

Tailoring reward programs to reflect customer lifestyles can create a more compelling and enjoyable experience than generalized discounts. By aligning rewards with customers’ specific interests and behaviors, brands ensure that their incentives resonate personally, making the rewards more valuable and motivating.

For example, aesthetic businesses can offer rewards that cater to the unique preferences of their customers, such as personalized aesthetic treatments, exclusive access to new products, or tailored skincare tips. Customers who frequently book facials might earn a free advanced treatment or a discount on premium skincare products. Developing a data-driven marketing strategy to reach and engage your customers with personalized rewards, via both online and offline channels, is crucial.

PRIORITIZING CONVENIENCE IN CUSTOMER JOURNEYS

Prioritizing convenience involves making the customer journey as smooth and effortless as possible. For aesthetic businesses, this means removing obstacles that hinder the customer experience and streamlining processes to enhance accessibility.

IMPROVING CUSTOMER RETENTION FOR RESILIENT BUSINESS GROWTH

Building emotional connections through personalized experiences and aligning with customer values fosters trust and belonging. Creating vibrant communities through social interactions turns customers into active participants, while tailored reward programs make engagement enjoyable and meaningful. Additionally, prioritizing convenience by simplifying the customer journey and offering subscription options ensures that customers receive a seamless and satisfying experience. As a result, you can gain between 12% and 18% more revenue from customers who are members of loyalty programs compared to non-members.⁵

Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond mere discounts and transactions to create a holistic loyalty strategy that combines rational incentives with emotional engagement. This approach fosters a resilient, lasting bond that keeps customers returning, even when competitors offer tempting deals.

1. Jansen L, Leclerc O, Peters N. Here to Stay: An Attractive Future for Medical Aesthetics. McKinsey. Published February 1, 2024. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/life-sciences/our-insights/here-to-stay-an-attractive-future-for-medical-aesthetics

2. Cosmetic Dermatology Business Plan 2025. FinModelsLab. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://finmodelslab.com/products/cosmetic-dermatology-business-plan

3. Rewcroft J. How to Optimize Your Loyalty Program to Win Both Rational and Emotional Loyalty. WhiteLabel-Loyalty.com. Published August 10, 2021. Updated October 3, 2024. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://whitelabel-loyalty.com/blog/loyalty/how-to-optimise-your-loyalty-program-to-win-both-rational-and-emotional-loyalty

4. Customer Loyalty Isn’t Rational… It’s Primal. Intuit Mailchimp. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://mailchimp.com/resources/science-of-loyalty/

5. Paul. Eye-Opening Loyalty Program Statistics You Need To Know. Passkit.com. Published May 22, 2023. Accessed December 17, 2024. https://passkit.com/blog/loyalty-program-statistics/