How To Start Your Own Aesthetic Business - The 5 Step Guide
Starting your own aesthetic business is increasing in popularity for many people already working in the medical industry.
As current estimates project the industry ‘to be worth more than £3 billion by the year 2024’, it’s evident why starting your own aesthetic business is a worthwhile venture for aesthetic practitioners.
If you’re interested in starting your own business as an aesthetic practitioner, there are many steps that you’ll need to take.
To start your own aesthetic business, you will need to:
- Gain the relevant qualifications
- Establish your target market
- Decide how much you want to charge
- Set up your business
- Prioritise building brand awareness
1. Gain The Relevant Qualifications
Before you do anything, to start your own business in the aesthetics industry you will need to gain the relevant qualifications.
The qualification you will need to complete before you can become an aesthetic practitioner is a Level 6 from an accredited training provider. From here, you can gain your Level 7 qualification.
To be able to legally administer prescription-only medication, such as Botulinum Toxin, independently, you will need a prescribing licence. Additionally, in order to gain your Level 7 qualification, you will need a prescribing licence.
To obtain your prescribing licence, you will need to take an aesthetics training course or complete a ‘V300 Advanced Certificate in Independent Prescribing’.
Without a prescribing licence, you will not be able to autonomously work with prescription-only medications, which will likely lead to complications further down the line for your business.
This comes down to the fact that without one, you’ll need to hire someone that oversees all of your aesthetics treatments.
To be able to legally administer prescription-only medication, such as Botulinum Toxin, independently, you will need a prescribing licence.
2. Establish Your Target Market
Once you have gained the relevant qualifications to start your own aesthetic business, you can begin to establish your target market.
In short, a target market is ‘the specific group of people you want to reach with your marketing message…who are most likely to buy your products or services’.
When establishing your target market, you need to think of the overall goals for your business. Ask yourself, do you want to make aesthetics accessible to more people, by charging less for treatments? Or do you want to charge premium prices?
The location of where you work will also help you establish your target market. Will you want to run your business from a practice that you rent, or will you work from your own home? Perhaps you want to be a mobile aesthetic practitioner?
Once you have determined the answers to these questions, you will have a better understanding of your target market, from who they are, how you intend to market to them, and how much you’ll charge them.
3. Decide How Much You Want To Charge
Establishing your target market will inform your decision on how much you want to charge your clientele, which is the next step in starting your own aesthetic business.
Considering aesthetic treatments range from £100 to £350 for each treatment depending on the treatment and clinic in question, what you can charge at your aesthetic business can vary significantly.
How much you charge really depends on your circumstances, including how many overheads you have to cover, what aesthetic treatments you offer, as well as your goals for the business. For instance, if you’re renting a room in a clinic, then you’ll need to factor in rent and utilities. If you decide to be mobile, then you’ll need to consider travel costs.
That said, you will want to ensure that you do your market research, and determine what the general consensus is in your area to help you decide a pricing strategy.
Considering aesthetic treatments range from £100 to £350 depending on the treatment and clinic, what you can charge for treatments can vary significantly.
4. Set Up Your Business
Next, you will need to set up your business. In the UK, this will likely mean that you need to register as self-employed.
You will also need to acquire the necessary insurance for your aesthetic business, finding an insurance provider that covers the aesthetics industry.
Alternatively, you can register your aesthetic business as a limited company, but it’s essential that you seek advice and do your research to determine which option works best for your personal circumstances.
It is essential for you to have the appropriate documentation for safe treatments for each of your clients, which should include a comprehensive consenting protocol. This is important as ‘carrying out a treatment or performing a procedure without a patient’s proper consent can actually constitute assault’. You will also need treatment forms, consultation documents, as well as advice on aftercare.
Whether you work from a clinic or are mobile will also determine the equipment that you will need to invest in to be able to run your business.
5. Prioritise Building Brand Awareness
Once you have set up your business, you will need to prioritise building brand awareness.
As a marketing strategy, brand awareness is ‘the measure of how memorable and recognizable a brand is to its target audience’.
Brand awareness can be achieved through marketing tactics such as engaging in online groups and utilising social media campaigns.
The more people that you reach with your aesthetics brand, the more awareness you spread about your business and what you stand for.
As word spreads and you begin gaining reviews, you will slowly but surely become a bigger authority that people trust.
It is essential to have the appropriate documentation for safe treatments for each of your clients, which should include comprehensive consenting protocol.
You Can Clinic is one of the UK's leading providers of aesthetic training courses and pharmaceutical supplies. Over 1000 individuals have progressed through our affordable programmes, which provide comprehensive coverage of all relevant aesthetic procedures. Available from beginner to advanced courses.
Are you interested to train in the aesthetics industry? Check out our articles on Botulinum Toxin, Weight Management, and Eyebrow and Eyelash and Dermaplaning Training Courses.
Written by Jemima, for You Can Clinic.
Published on 18/10/2022
Updated on 27/02/2024
