April 2019

“So, what should you look for to see if your front desk team is killing your spa?”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

March 2019

“Let’s be honest for a moment. We have sorted through more than a thousand resumes in the past month alone. What is out there? Well, it is not pretty, folks!”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

February 2019

“How long does it take to get an appointment to see you or your current team? If the answer is several months, then it may be the correct time to add additional staff, since the prospective or current client may seek the treatment of your competitor, otherwise”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

August 2018

“The workforce has changed considerably in recent decades… Employers consider themselves lucky if an employee stays more than two years and spending a decade or more with an employer is almost non-existent. With all of this transition, what happens when a former employee asks to come back to work?”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

March 2017

“Treat your staff as they want to be treated. A lack of respect often stems from a lack of a proper example. Making your workplace a positive environment is critical. ”

-Jay and Mara Shorr

December 2015

“Make an investment in the staff’s education and the education of the spa by taking employees to an industry conference.”

-Jay and Mara Shorr

February 2018

“Looking to make an investment in your staff’s education, and the education of your practice? Consider taking them to an industry conference. We can almost guarantee they’ll come back motivated and servicing your patients better than ever!”

-Jay and Mara Shorr

June 2017

“Whether a male or female, if the team clashes with itself internally, clients are surely going to see the issues externally, thus the reason to have had key staff members involved in the interview process.”

-Jay and Mara Shorr

November/December 2016

“Your next top candidate must have the ability to not only forecast financial plans, but also have that superb ability to analyze the results, and make immediate adjustments during the year.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

July 2016

” Invest the time to interview prospective candidates on the phone or via Facetime or Skype if they’re out of town, and then in person. Several times. Interview them solo, with your practice administrator and then with other members of your staff. Your team members may see red flags that you don’t.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

June 2016

“An unhappy employee is going to tell others how unhappy they are in their workplace; a happy employee is also going to tell people how happy they are in their workplace.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

May/June 2016

March 2016

“While it’s realistic to ask for a free inital consult to make sure both parties are a fit for one another , you can’t expect to pick a consultants brain unpaid for months.”

– Mara Shorr

January/February 2016

“Adopt a zero tolerance policy for theft. Proof of theft is key. Consider a lie detector test if necessary”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

January 2016

“Credentials the provider. If your practice is known for body sculpting, and the caller is interested in that, let him or her know they’ve come to the right place!”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

June 2015

May 2015

“Budgeting and projecting are two key responsibilities of a savvy practice manager. Any candidate should have experience completing such a prospectus.”

– Jay Shorr

April 2015

“High-level staff members must have more than a basic knowledge of the services you perform and the products you sell to train new-hires and manage patient expectations.”

– Jay Shorr

February 2015

“Once you have made hire, policies and procedures regarding employee conduct on social media should be firmly established.”

– Jay Shorr

March/April 2015

” Include plenty of practicebranded marketing in your reception area, including your custom brochures and photo books of Before and After collections, a television monitor showcasing your services, framed signage promoting your gift cards and e-newsletter promotions, beautifully displayed retail products and more. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

October 2014

“Think pink! Wear pink wrist bracelets and pink-jeweled bows on your lapels. Donate a percentage from the sale of all skin care products sold in the month of October to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation or another meaningful breast cancer charity”

– Jay Shorr

September 2014

“The right prospect will have done research prior to the interview. They should know about the procedures you perform, as well as some basic biographical and background information about you and your practice.”

– Jay Shorr

June 2014

“Your consultant should offer a routine (weekly/monthly/quarterly) billing statement that accounts for all of the time and money spent on your practice’s behalf.”

-Jay Shorr

May 2014

“You need to know that your contractor understands the guidelines, rules, regulations and laws within the beauty, esthetic and cosmetic industries. ”

– Mara Shorr

March/April 2014

“Not all consultants are for you (the client), and not all clients are for the right consultant. ”

– Jay Shorr

November 2013

“Whether that person is an aesthetician, medical assistant, nurse or receptionist, all members of your practice are incredibly important: they represent you, your brand and the manner in which you are perceived by your patients and the public as a whole.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

April 2013

” From poor bedside manner to employee theft and clerical errors in your practice management software, curb the issues before they arise with a few of these simple selection tips.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

February 2019

– Jay and Mara Shorr

January 2019

– Jay and Mara Shorr

July/August 2018

– Jay and Mara Shorr

April 2018

– Jay and Mara Shorr

April 2018

– Jay and Mara Shorr

March 2018

– Jay and Mara Shorr

November/December 2017

– Jay and Mara Shorr

October 2017

– Jay and Mara Shorr

September/October 2017

– Jay and Mara Shorr

September 2017

– Jay and Mara Shorr

October 2016

” Everything is negotiable, including employee contracts, the lease, equipment and more. Don’t fall into the trap of paying sticker price for anything”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

September/October 2016

“It’s all about how you disagree. Listen closely, keep emotions out of it, and always choose a private spot for the discussion.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

July 2016

“Speak with the existing clientele. The only way for professionals to know what clients really want, versus what the professional thinks they want, is to ask”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

June 2016

“Theft plays a large part in diminished profits, as every dollar that walks out of your practice is a pure profit dollar”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

December 2015

“These security enhancements work to reduce fraud and may even prevent grand-scale hacking.”

– Jay Shorr

July/August 2015

“Follow up with your guests afer the event. Send out an email letng them know how much you enjoyed having them at the event, and that you’re extending your specials for that night JUST FOR THEM.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

June 2015

“Remember you want your patients to WANT to come back to you. Providing them with ongoing monthly e-newsletter updates about your specials and services will keep you top of mind.” – Jay and Mara Shorr

May 2015

“You are a spa owner looking to refer clients to a physician and want a physician’s office to refer clients to you. Look for a physician’s office who does not offer the same services as you and vice versa. You want the relationship to be seen as collaboration, not competition. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

November 2014

“Be grateful for the amazing patients who make you smile, tell their friends and family about you, happily comply with your postop instructions, and write you those great notes of appreciation, not to mention stellar online reviews. ”

– Jay Shorr

February 2013

“Avoid the system of keeping items scattered between a notepad, your email system and, my personal favorite, on scrap pieces of paper floating around your desk.”

– Mara Shorr

December 2018

“No patient photos should be published on ANY marketing channels without the patients’ express written consent! Don’t assume your staff has completed this process. Remember, YOU are ultimately the responsible party.”

– Mara Shorr

November/December 2014

“It’s important to know that work related slips, trips, and falls frequently relate to an increased rate of disabling injuries that will impact your practice with your staff not being able to care for patients properly, reduced productivity, extensive amount of time away from your practice, and lastly, expensive injury claims.”

– Jay Shorr

September/October 2014

“Safety is a culture, both personally and professionally. It cannot be thought of as a burden, but rather an added value to your patients and your staff.”

– Jay Shorr

July/August 2014

“Each and every day, your staff and patients walk in and out of your medical facility like a horse with blinders. They all come through the front door expecting to never be in harm’s way in respect to their personal safety. ”

– Jay Shorr

December 2011

“Safety is a must have, not a nice to have. Make safety a part of your mission statement, and follow through.”

– Jay Shorr

October 2011

“Safety culture comes from the top down, never from the bottom up. ”

– Jay Shorr

July 2018

“CAC is uniquely suited for aesthetic professionals looking for a more indepth education in all facets of practice management, which is rarely covered in medical school.”

-Mara Shorr

July/August 2017

“Don’t get caught up in purchasing the new device by the end of a trade show because of a “show special.” Vendors are constantly at a show.”

– Jay Shorr

November 2016

“During the hustle and bustle of the season, do not forget to show the staff how much they are appreciated. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

January 2016

“The best way to prevent a mess is to address these potential road bumps up front and in advance.” – Jay Shorr

November/December 2015

“Your next top candidate must have the ability to not only forecast financial plans, but also have that superb ability to analyze the results, and make immediate adjustments during the year. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

November 2015

“By spending time in your business, you’re building relationships that benefit your business.”

– Mara Shorr

November 2015

“Tie additional compensation to an aggregate of gross or net revenue over a period of time, so it can be classified as a bonus, not comission based on revenue. ”

– Jay Shorr

September/October 2015

“Strengthening your practice’s bottom line: from the structuring of a business plan, to negotiating with vendors, to lowering your credit card processing fees, every item you do matters and keeps you further from the red. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

January/February 2015

“Staffing is one of the highest priorities in your practice. Improper employee selection and training will make or break you.”

– Jay Shorr

April 2014

“Your management team and staffing are critical in this equation, as this may be one of the highest fixed­cost items in your entire business plan.”

– Jay Shorr

April 2014

“Develop a strategy for what is really needed for your inital launch vs. what you want to offer in the long-term.” – Jay Shorr

December 2013

“Define your message to the public – before it goes public”

– Jay Shorr

September/October 2013

“Your communication should include clear, consise and consistent training for each and every level of personnel in your organization”

– Jay Shorr

January/February 2013

” One of the most important elements that will make or break a new business is location.”

– Jay Shorr

Fall 2012

” My head swarn – in our home, work and family lives, we had it all and this just wasn’t possible.”

– Jay Shorr  

Summer 2012

“I’m inviting you to come along with me and my wife on our journey, one we’ve only just begun ourselves.”

– Jay Shorr

July 2018

“Email newsletters are one of the best ways to promote your internal initiatives, in addition to sharing information with your patients.”

– Mara Shorr and Jay A. Shorr

May 2018

“We have a secret: ladies aren’t the only ones receiving cosmetic procedures anymore! Men have become increasingly interested in receiving a variety of treatments to receive a refreshed, less tired appearance.”

– Mara Shorr and Jay A. Shorr

March 2016

“Make it easy for prospective clients to act on the message. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

September 2016

“The world is a diverse place that allows for the enjoyment of cross-cultural interaction. As a result, skin care professionals must be careful when trying to fit their spa’s culture into a sea of sameness…”

– Mara Shorr

May 2016

“Choose a single message, keep it brief and encourage them to click through for more information if your message catches their eye.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

March/April 2016

” There is a major difference between offering a discount or reducing your retail price compared with lowering the offer far below the actual value of your services. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

March 2016

“Professionals looking to market their services to men should begin by retargeting their current services to hold a special, male twist.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

February 2016

“Utilize social media including Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter, to gain additional attention. Hashtags are key here; if you don’t understand how to use them, ask your favorite social media expert.”

– Mara Shorr

January 2016

“Once you’ve gathered the data, the most important thing is to use it! If you see that you’re not getting any phone calls from a particularly expensive marketing spend, it may be time to re-­examine that effort.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

August 2015

“Be customer service driven. There is nothing worse than having glitches in the system and not being able to get in touch with a company representative.”

– Mara Shorr

July 2015

“Information gleamed from tracking numbers will assist you in budgeting and planning for future advertising and marketing campaigns because you want to spend on campaigns that produce measurable results”

– Jay Shorr  

May/June 2015

” Play with subject lines, send dates and times, and link locations to see what works best for you.”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

November/December 2013

“With that knowledge in your possession, marketing to the clients you already have should be your strongest campaign, given that it’s often easier, not to mention cheaper, to do so”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

November 2013

“A referral card is an easy way to track which clients are driving bussiness back to you”

– Mara Shorr

August 2013

“Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you’re doing but nobody else does.”

– Mara Shorr

November 2011

“Email newsletters are one of the best ways to promote your internal initiatives, in addition to sharing information with your patients.”

– Jay Shorr

June 2017

“Social media isn’t “set it and forget it.” You still need to make sure that your team is replying to comments, monitoring discussions, and pulling any pre-scheduled posts that conflict with current events.”

– Jay  and Mara Shorr

April 2017

“Male cosmetic surgery is on the rise, and many practices are quickly learning that men are a whole lot different than women in terms of what services they seek, their attention spans, their pain threshold, and their comfort level in your office or surgical suite.”

– Jay  and Mara Shorr

February 2017

“The secret to that practice’s success is likely that they’re using what works and ditching what doesn’t.”

– Jay  and Mara Shorr

November 2016

“A new piece of equipment can be an incredible moneymaker and investment, but not knowing the items discussed above can start building… you guessed it… your laser graveyard.”

– Jay Shorr

June 2016

“First and foremost, note that we NEVER suggest paying your employees less than they are worth”

– Jay  and Mara Shorr

May/June 2016

“T ime spent working in your practice as opposed to working on your practice will yield a more robust revenue stream, greater job satisfaction, and a better work-life balance, and there are a plethora of tools available today that will help you do just that. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

November 2011

“Ask vendors whether their new systems are compatible with your old system, so that merging data can be a simple process.”

– Jay Shorr

November 2011

“Meaningful use is a set of criteria that the federal government has established to define the terms, conditions, and standards that an electronic health records (EHR) system must have.”

– Jay Shorr

August 2016

“Make a note on your calendar of all contract expiration dates, from leases on equipment, Internet marketing companies, hazardous waste vendors, pre-paid warranties, etc. ”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

January 2016

“Be somewhere your clients will want to come and pay for services out of their own pocket.”

– Mara Shorr 

September 2015

“The patient gave us her husband’s credit card number but she was neither a co-applicant or an authorized user. My defense? I had none.”

– Jay Shorr

August 2015

“Credit Card processors make their money on the rates they charge that are over and above the interchange rate, plus a small fee per transaction.”

– Jay Shorr

March 2015

“Your reputation matters, and it should never be compromised for profit.”

– Jay Shorr

February 2015

“As we start the process of preparing for our annual tax returns for our personal lives and professional businesses, we must always consider every possible opportunity to take advantage of all the legal tax-saving advantages in order to minimize our personal and business tax liability.”

– Jay Shorr

January/February 2015

“The cost of capital and minimizing your accounts recieveable is paramount to your success and profitability in your practice.”

– Jay Shorr

November/December 2014

“To remain a profitable entity, whether a retail operation, manufacturing plant, or a medical practice, the common demoninator is the same: where can you cut your cost, increase your revenue, and maintain additional profitabilty?”

– Jay Shorr  

December 2014

“A great deal of money is left on the table when your spa uses a third party financing company to assist in securing financing for clients.”

– Jay Shorr

October 2014

“Knowing about the conversion cascade is one thing; knowing how to use it effectively is another”

– Jay and Mara Shorr

July 2013

“The field of medicine changes all the time and no one knows what’s next. At least both the physician and patient now have options to choose from, and that’s the beauty of modernized medicine in the United States.”

– Jay Shorr

May/June 2013

“Companies that quote extremely low rates are usually trying to distract you from additional fees, causing you to pay much more in the long run. ”

– Jay Shorr

Summer 2013

“Other services lead to word-of-mouth referrals for new patients. A happy patient is sure to tell his or her friends about the experience; track referrals in your CRM system, and remember to say thank you!”

– Jay Shorr

January 2013

“Because the goal is to build a long-lasting relationship with your suppliers, pick and choose battles in order to have more ammunition for future negotiations.”

– Jay Shorr

September/October 2012

“The first step in a successful negotiation is to make sure that you have your facts in order, that is, you have done your “due diligence.”

– Jay Shorr