Med Spa Retention Masterclass with Chris Balbi

Podcast: Med Spa Success Strategies
Host: Ricky Shockley
Guest: Chris Balbi (Director of Marketing & Operations at MESHA Aesthetics)
Date: October 10, 2025

Overview

This episode is a deep dive into retention strategies for med spas, with a strong emphasis on creating outstanding patient experiences, leveraging smart tech (without losing the personal touch), making loyalty programs work, and using AI and automation effectively. Chris Balbi shares actionable insights, clever engagement ideas, and a detailed playbook on how his practice has built loyalty and driven growth—even amid intense competition.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Retention Matters in the Med Spa Industry

• Retention is cheaper and easier:
  "It's 70% harder to get a new patient than it is to retain a current patient. It’s more expensive to get new ones than it is to convert your current ones." – Chris (01:49)
• Service, not just acquisition, is key:
  "Sales sells the first car and service sells the second car... My social media marketing sells the first visit, but then my service in office books the second visit or retains that client." – Chris (01:49)

2. Crafting Retention-Focused Patient Experiences

• Gamified loyalty programs:
  • MESHA Plus, powered by RepeatMD, rewards patients for each visit, mirroring successful coffee loyalty apps.
    "It's a little bit of gamification... they retain you as a client because you can earn boosted rewards or bonus stars." – Chris (02:58)
• Personalized, hands-on communications:
  • Step-by-step text journey before treatments (e.g., lip fillers)—including excitement-building, medical prep, and reassurance post-treatment.
    "It's that extra text message that really seals the deal. And you don’t want to visit anywhere else because they’re not going to hold your hand the entire time." – Chris (04:00)
• Reducing negative friction:
  • Drinks and snacks in the waiting room to encourage punctuality and enhance the visit.
  • Multiprovider experiences—clients are encouraged to try different staff members within the practice if the initial experience isn’t perfect, rather than leaving.
    "Don’t try to make all your injectors cookie cutter because not every client’s cookie cutter." – Chris (07:14)

3. Soliciting and Acting on Feedback

• Asking better questions for real answers:
  • Instead of “How was your visit?” Chris asks, “What was the best part of your experience?” and “If there was one thing we could have done better, what would it have been?”
    "Don’t ask yes or no questions. Ask the questions that provide more detail." – Chris (08:00)

4. Maximizing the Role of the Front Desk

• Front desk = Marketing force:
  • Not just check-in/out, but introducing promotions, memberships, and products.
    "Your front desk is not just there to check you in and check you out. Your front desk could be the bloodline to your med spa... If your front desk is just checking people in and out, you’re wasting resources." – Chris (09:51)
• Incentivize and empower:
  • Be transparent about the importance of their role to the business’s survival and success.
    "If you show them that they have a hand in keeping the doors open and the lights on, they're more likely to work hard for you." – Chris (12:03)

5. Thoughtful Automation and AI: Finding the Balance

• Automation as a tool, not a replacement:
  • Manual touchpoints for high-value or new clients; use automation to fill routine gaps.
  • Feedback and two-way communication are kept “human” for engagement.
    "All these personal one-off touches are what move the needle. Automation doesn’t move the needle as far as a personal touch." – Chris (15:23)
• Examples of AI at work:
  • Vibe coding with ChatGPT to build retention reports and automate tasks beyond his coding skills.
  • Custom GPTs: Training AI to write in his brand’s voice using personal social media content as a reference.
  • AI as a brainstorming tool for promotions and campaigns, but not as a “wheelchair” that does all the work.
    "ChatGPT is my best friend... It's a really good crutch. It's not a wheelchair. It won't do the moving for you, but it's a crutch you can lean on." – Chris (24:56, 25:00)

6. Innovative Community & Retention Initiatives

• Interactive “New Client Journey” drip:
  • 7-day email campaign post-Botox visit, each email highlights a different service with code words forming a secret sentence for a special discount. "Every day in their email, they get a code word. When you get all seven, it makes a sentence. Use that sentence and you save 20%." – Chris (16:47)
• Book club as retention/community-builder:
  • Hosted a themed book club, incentivized participation with free Botox units. "The goal really wasn’t for new client acquisition, it was for retention. It was for conversation. It was to create a sense of community." – Chris (18:25)
• Engaging events and partnerships:
  • Sponsored sold-out gym classes, salon partnerships, “Trunk or Treat” activations with custom swag, and interactive quiz-based lead magnets for retention. "What I challenge people is get your skin age, then come get a service, and then do the skin age again and see how much younger you are." – Chris (21:53)

7. Effective Use of Loyalty/Rewards Tech (RepeatMD)

• Teach, don’t do:
  • Encourage clients to use rewards apps themselves for lasting engagement. "Teach a man to fish, he'll fish for life, right? So if you show them how to use the rewards app, they'll make use out of it, right?" – Chris (26:36)
• Memberships:
  • “Beauty bank” system—clients pay monthly, bank credit, and feel empowered to “upgrade” in-office since money is already spent. "Members on average spend 35% more than non-members. My members have girl math mentality..." – Chris (28:35)

8. Promotions and Discounting Strategies

• Add value without devaluing:
  • Rather than straight discounts, offer add-ons and upgrades. "I'm usually doing my promotions that add to a different… that increase the value, increase the spend." – Chris (31:56)
• Educate and tease before big promos:
  • Don’t just announce; spend days educating and leading up to offers to maximize conversions. "If you did it for four days and on the fifth day you launched your promotion, I bet you would have sold six, maybe seven." – Chris (32:50)

9. Content & Social Media Engagement

• Drip campaigns and touch-points:
  • 7-day welcome emails after first visit, regular “check-ins”, and monthly newsletter texts via RepeatMD.
• Social media blueprint:
  • Info Monday, Trivia Tuesday (giveaways), Way Back Wednesday, Talk Back Thursday, “F the format” Friday—balancing education, engagement, and fun. "People are going to Instagram for images of your office, for your dogs, for your families." – Chris (39:54)
• Agency caution:
  • Outsourcing social media rarely works. Use team members who know your voice and brand. "Instead of paying for an agency, pay one of your front desk millennials or Gen Zers to do it for you." – Chris (39:54)
• Building ecosystem for engagement:
  • Automatic text upon new client registration with four links: social media, rewards, loyalty app, and rules—all designed for onboarding and engagement. "We give away free Botox every Tuesday on social media. Here's Instagram and Facebook..." – Chris (37:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Sales sells the first car and service sells the second car." – Chris (01:49)
• "Don’t ask yes or no questions. Ask the questions that provide more detail." – Chris (08:00)
• "Your front desk could be the bloodline to your med spa." – Chris (09:51)
• "All these personal one-off touches are what move the needle. Automation doesn’t move the needle as far as a personal touch." – Chris (15:23)
• "Teach a man to fish, he'll fish for life, right?" – Chris (26:36)
• "Members spend 35% more than non-members. They have girl math mentality." – Chris (28:35)
• "People are so afraid of a membership because the next best thing could be just one med spa away." – Chris (29:29)
• "You can't outsource loyalty, right? RepeatMD doesn't know your clientele. It's a tool." – Chris (26:07)
• "It's not a wheelchair. It won't do the moving for you, but it's a crutch you can lean on." – Chris (25:00)
• "The goal wasn’t for new client acquisition, it was for retention… to create a sense of community." – Chris (18:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Why Retention Matters: 01:09–02:50
• Loyalty Programs & Gamification: 02:58–03:44
• Text Message Journey / Patient Experience: 03:44–05:25
• Multiprovider Retention Strategy: 06:21–07:14
• Probing for Real Feedback: 07:46–09:00
• Front Desk as a Retention Asset: 09:51–12:03
• Automation vs. Human Touch: 14:32–15:34
• Post-Appointment Drip: 16:47–18:25
• Book Club/Cultural Engagement: 17:34–18:25
• Community Events & Quiz Funnel: 18:58–21:53
• Loyalty App Teaching: 26:07–28:21
• Membership & Beauty Bank Benefits: 28:35–29:29
• Discounts that Add Value: 31:00–31:56
• Social Content Cadence: 38:53–39:34

Final Takeaways

• Retention isn't a single tactic—it's the sum of dozens of small experiences.
• Personal touch and community connection are irreplaceable.
• Leverage automation and AI as assistants, not as replacements.
• Teach and empower your clients and staff to drive engagement and loyalty.
• Your front desk can be your most powerful marketing asset.
• Creativity, consistency, and a sense of fun make your brand memorable and sticky.
• Never underestimate the importance of asking the right questions and acting on real feedback.

Find Chris on Instagram: @botoxbymisha
Get Chris’s Book: Marketing Magic. Tis the Season of the Witch (Amazon, $8)
Show Notes & Links: See episode description and medspamagicmarketing.com

Whether you're a seasoned med spa owner or new to the field, this episode provides a long list of actionable retention strategies and the mindset shifts required to thrive in today's crowded and competitive aesthetics market.