Journal: dr martin ooi
DR MARTIN OOI
Harley Street-trained Dr Martin Ooi owns
K Aesthetics - a physician-led, eight-room medi-spa offering beauty treatments, non-surgical treatments, and cosmetic surgery referrals, in Kingswood, Surrey, which opened in January.
It employs five therapists (one part-time) and a receptionist, as well as a visiting aromatherapist and acupuncturist. Face and body treatments include those from Décleor, Guinot and Lycon Waxing, along with Jessica for nails and Fake Bake self-tanning.
I took over a successful beauty salon and spent two months renovating the premises to give it an upmarket feel in keeping with the treatments it offers. I then spent three months putting the right staff in place and promoting the medi-spa, emphasising the new non-surgical treatments.
To encourage the salon's existing clients to visit, I sent direct mail inviting them to the launch party to try new treatments. This worked very well in keeping their loyalty and encouraging word-of-mouth recommendations. To keep the business at the fore, I set aside a considerable budget for more "aggressive" advertising in local glossy lifestyle magazines - full-page coloured adverts offering an introductory 10% first beauty treatment discount. I also employed a public relations agent to help create interest - both locally and nationally. The business has been mentioned in
Glamour, Red and OK! and the Sunday Times, and there's a potential TV appearance on a lifestyle channel.Over the next few months I plan to promote Sculptra - an injectable procedure that stimulates the build up of collagen to smooth out lines and wrinkles and restore lost facial volume. It gives amazing results and is something I want to target my older (60+) clients with. I am also reworking the website - although local magazines have worked much better for generating bookings, which I put down to the age of my clients.
As to the future, I will not compete on price; the emphasis is on the quality of the treatments and a nice environment. I am also investigating laser and intense pulsed light hair reduction - but my main aim is to establish the business.
