How to Market Plastic Surgery Solutions in China?

China is fast becoming the third largest country in terms of cosmetic surgery, with 6 times the growth of other countries. With more than 7 million operations carried out annually, the country is experiencing a change in the mentalities of its people in the continuous pursuit of perfect beauty.

Cheryl a typical web celebrity

China’s Plastic Surgery: a super growth in just a decade

About Face: China’s Plastic Surgery Market Grows Six Times Faster Than Global Average (via)

The cosmetic surgery market in China represents no less than 400 billion yuan or $63 billion and this market is expected to double to 800 billion in 2019. The number of cosmetic surgeries is only increasing in the country. This practice affects all age groups but there is an increase in operations among young people aged 18 to 25. Men are also becoming an important target, rising from 4% of consumers to 21%.

Market development can be explained for several reasons:

The rise of the Chinese middle class

the improvement of the living conditions of more than 350 million Chinese is one of the reasons for the development of this practice. The increase in their purchasing power allows them to aspire to other standards. (source)

Appearance is a factor of distinction and opportunity in the country. Being beautiful/beautiful means aspiring to a higher social status than the norm. The image of beauty is idealized and returned by advertising.

Social Media Pressure in China

Social media can be seen as a drift from our society. In search of the greatest number of likes, people show up under their best days, Photoshop, and beauty applications, the Chinese spend their time changing their faces to meet the criteria and standards of beauty of the country.

Beauty applications play a decisive role in this media pressure. Indeed, most of these platforms offer individuals the opportunity to modify or say more subtly “improve” their faces. The application, therefore, proposes its own standards of beauty to its users which only inflames the pressure that these individuals can feel comparing the photos before and after modifications.

This quest for beauty is felt more strongly on the social networks that partly influence young people going through surgery to meet these criteria. Moreover, nowadays in China, appearance becomes a criterion for a recruiter’s selection, in an increasingly competitive job market, having an attractive face allows individuals to land an interview more easily.

The influence of Korean culture

South Korean culture is on the rise in China. The Hallyu Wave through Kpop, Korean dramas, and television shows have been a hit in The Middle Kingdom. Cosmetic surgery is commonplace in the country, and entertainment personalities have, for the most part, using the scalpel. Eyes unbridled, jaw in V line, more prominent cheekbones, the standards of beauty Korean have greatly influenced those of China. These same Korean influences are found in the skincare market, where perfect and white skin is a must for any woman wishing to convey a beautiful image of herself. (source)

The competitive intensity of the market threatens the profitability of the industry

In the country, the majority of hospitals for plastic surgery are private. The market is so fragmented that none of them has a market share of more than 5%. The three main hospitals are Rongen, Lidu, and Huahan. This breakdown of competition in the market results in the proportion of bargaining power for individuals with hospitals that is increasingly strong and important.

Two types of customer targets can be observed on the market that is, the 20 to 30 year old whose looks are poor and who want to change one or more parts of their faces. And the more than 40 years who wish to restore sparkle and youth to their face.

Hyaluronic acid injection surgeries are very popular practices in China, as this practice only takes an hour or two and has no injury or cutting, which means rapid recovery for the patient.

This has led to a price war between plastic surgery hospitals and distributors two products that affect the profitability of the industry due to margins being lower and lower.

This competitive intensity leads hospitals to promote their brand to stand out from the competition. In this second part, we will see the means to be applied to commercialize the most effective cosmetic surgery.

Develop your reputation through digital

Chinese People will check your company’s reputation Online… so invest in your online Reputation.

In a country where trust is an important factor in decisions made by individuals. Improving its visibility is a crucial strategic point to put in place to gain fame. The Chinese are consumers who carry out extensive research upstream of any decisions to purchase products or services. As the country is strongly linked to counterfeiting or the poor quality of care and services received, individuals are increasingly suspicious.

Having a strong reputation and reputation will improve the reluctance of some to contact you to know the advantages of your offers.

Three main factors will influence the potential client in his / her final decision:

Word of mouth is an element that usually takes into account by many Chinese in their buying process. The opinion of the entourage is often more important and has a stronger impact than any marketing campaign.

The digital reviews and the opinions on the different digital media were imported very strongly. The recommendations and the crash test that individuals will find on your brand will increase your reputation and your notoriety

Digital campaigns, and having a presence on the different digital channels in Chinese is a crucial points to your development. I invite you to read this article to understand how it works. It is necessary for you to acquire a positive image with regard to the Chinese public to hope to stand out.

The Chinese will usually check your reputation and offer your brand online. So, you need to be on the proper channels to increase your reputation with your target audience and improve your reputation by delivering content that will give you a positive image, and control your reputation.

The equation is quite simple in China: Visibility + Reputation = Lead Generation

Improve your visibility through SEO on Baidu

Needless to say, if you hope to succeed in the Chinese market, transposing your SEO strategy to this market will not help much. The Chinese internet sphere is known to be one of the most closed in the world, in which it will be difficult for you to find your dear Google, Facebook, or Twitter. The Chinese Google on the territory is Baidu, on which more than 70% of Internet searches are carried out there.

At first, you will have to optimize your site so that this one meets the criteria of the market. This means offering Internet users a fully Mandarin site with accurate information about your offers, your company and its history, and its values ​​and philosophy. To improve your visibility regarding SEO hosting your site in China would be ideal.

The importance of SEO lies in your ability to be visible in the early search engine results. This visibility is achieved by redirecting backlinks to your site, creating quality content, and relevant keywords, and hosting your site in China.

Developing its reputation in China seems complex in view of the difference between our digital sphere and that of China. However, this is not impossible. To do this, you need only apprehend the market in its entirety and trust the right people.

About GENTLEMEN Marketing AGENCY

We are a digital marketing agency located in Shanghai. For more information about our offers and about our company do not hesitate to consult our website or to contact one of our experts who will listen to you regarding your project.

2 comments

  • Trinidad Schwanbeck

    It’s nearly impossible to find well-informed people in this particular subject, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks

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