Medical doctors of all kinds have struggled during this pandemic. Most have to deal with the continued exposure to the Coronavirus as they man the frontlines of the entire world’s global defense against the deadly disease. Others whose expertise don’t exactly come in line with emergency services are either out of jobs or are barely scraping by. Why? The public is scared of going to hospitals, let alone meeting with a doctor who might have contracted COVID-19 unknowingly. So they opt not to get treated even though they might need it, just to protect themselves and their loved ones this year.
Instead of wasting away or shutting down his business this 2020, cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Chad Deal from Southern Surgical Arts thought it best to look for a way to adapt to the situation. He didn’t want to close shop for the sake of his career and his employees. He had a substantial following in the local cosmetic industry. But even before suffering a massive blow, Deal had the foresight to look at his options to survive.
“We prepared very hard for the virus. [We] had testing strips early on and took temperatures, had signs up, and even began to anticipate how it was going to change the world,” recounts the doctor. “I was anticipating how it was going to change how we live our lives, how we shop, how we practice medicine.”
As the lockdowns started in March, Deal already had his team ready to deal with the uncertainties. But despite these on-site preparations, Dr. Deal knew that to survive, the company had to focus on their online serviceability. Virtual consultations became their lifeline, and social media was their saving grace.
During this time, people weren’t focused too much on beauty and body repairs. They were more afraid for their overall health and safety. So Dr. Deal pivoted. He shifted gears and worked crazy hours to promote his social media accounts. He wanted to stay ahead of the curve. While most people were unaware of how the pandemic would impact their lives, Deal was frantic and relentless and exhibited intense focus to mitigate the bad effects of the health crisis and use it to his advantage.
Banking on the assumption that most people would stay connected through the use of social media, that’s where Dr. Deal improved his business model. On top of doing 20 consultations a day that caused his voice to become hoarse, Deal managed his social media accounts like an influencer. He produced quality and informative content day in and day out to deliver the best possible service to his followers.
Through his Instagram account (@drhidef.ssa), Dr. Chad Deal was able to expand his company from a local one catering to Tennessee and Georgia clients, to a national one. Through his ability to connect with people through humor, engaging content, and his solid medical background, he grew his Instagram following to almost half a million as of this writing.
Deal believes that Instagram has become his own personal television network where he can put on daily shows that go viral without any commercials. His social media channel ultimately became the best promotional tool that had people flying in from as far as California and New York to visit his facility in Chattanooga for their cosmetics concerns.
True leaders emerge not when they experience continuous wins when times are good. The best ones respond to the worst times and manage to come out victorious. This can summarize Dr. Chad Deal’s pandemic experience. He was able to launch his business to greater heights, despite the limitations brought about by the global health crisis. With only 50 employees under his wing, Deal posted a record-breaking $9.5 million in gross sales for 2020 alone. This is a 50% increase from his pre-pandemic revenue. He also hired six new surgeons this year, to help with their growing business. And from the looks of it, Dr. Deal’s rise to the top has only just begun.
To find out more about Dr. Chad Deal, you may visit his website at southernsurgicalarts.com or check his Instagram, @drhidef.ssa
