Dr. RoweOffering holiday gift cards or certificates for plastic surgery makes sense to New York City plastic surgeon Norman Rowe, M.D.
“Everyone is always looking for a gift that is personal and our gift certificates [are] just that. [It’s] a gift for someone to use [for] themselves to help them feel great about themselves and their appearance,” Dr. Rowe tells Cosmetic Surgery Times.
And offering holiday gift cards increases post-Christmas business at the New York practice. Dr. Rowe says the practice sees and uptick in business from patients wanting to look their best for Christmas, which is when some purchase the gift cards. As a result, his practice experiences an average 28% increase in patients redeeming their cards the week after Christmas. These are existing and new patients, he says.
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Insights for Making It Work
Gift cards aren’t for specific treatments. Rather, people buy them for a certain dollar amount and the person redeeming the card can choose what treatments they’d like, according to Dr. Rowe.
“We do not put any procedures on the gift cards… as many patients may not be a candidate for a specific procedure,” he says. “Depending on what they are a candidate for, patients use the gift cards on the procedures of their choice, be it Botox, fillers, or even applied to surgical procedures.”
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Stephen T. Greenberg, M.D., a plastic surgeon with offices in Manhattan, Long Island, and Boca Raton, Fla., says people can purchase gift certificates from his practices, which can be redeemed for spa services, products or surgical procedures.
“Many people are surprised to learn that gift certificates can be used toward surgical procedures,” Dr. Greenberg says.
The certificates are great gifts, not just for December holidays, but also for holidays throughout the year. They’re especially popular prior to Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and Father's Day, he says.
“Our gift certificates do contain an expiration date of one year from date of purchase. We believe that having an expiration date encourages people to use them on a timely basis,” Dr. Greenberg says.
While some surgeons offer the gift cards online, Dr. Rowe does not. His practice offers the cards only through the office.
“When one buys it, they may leave with the card in a gift bag and deliver it personally, or we send them out to the patient from our office,” he says.
Dr. Greenberg’s practice gift certificates are available for purchase by phone, e-mail request or at any of the doctor’s four office locations.
“We believe it is important, in the cosmetic surgery arena, to be available to answer questions and review costs prior to purchase,” Dr. Greenberg says.
Finally, presentation is everything.
“We have a gift card and beautiful gift bag that states the practice name,” Dr. Rowe says.
