GIVE YOUR RECEPTIONIST THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO CONVERT MORE COSMETIC PATIENTS.
more cosmetic patients
You lose more patients and cosmetic gains every day and you don’t even know it because it’s so subtle.
What I mean is that your staff may not be doing anything overtly wrong; however, what they are doing is not getting you closer to a YES.
There’s a saying that “small hinges open big doors” and that’s as true in the aesthetics industry as anywhere.
In this case, the little hinges are the words your staff do NOT say to help you move to the next step in the patient process.
Strategy scripts spoken at the right time with the right voice inflection make the difference between “I have to think about it” and “Yeah, I’m ready to go!”
Let’s break this down so you can see where the right scripts would make a big difference.
TURN THE CALL INTO AN APPOINTMENT
more cosmetic patients
It doesn’t matter how cool and high-tech your website is if your receptionist can’t turn a call into an appointment. What matters is that they make the appointment in a strategic way that encourages the caller to book a consultation.
It is quite common for the receptionist to be courteous but allow the caller to control the call and that is never a good idea. The way to control a call is with your own questions, so a good mantra for your staff to remember is “Ask a question with a question” so that when the caller asks, “Does X?” and you don’t because you use technology And, your receptionist says,
“Yes Karen, Dr. Smith did a lot of research on the various fat reduction technologies and while he found X to be good, he found Y to be even better. He can explain the differences and show you the results during your consultation. I see that we have an opening this Thursday at 4:00 pm, or would an appointment in the morning be more convenient for you?”
ANSWER THE PRICE QUESTION STRATEGICALLY FOR MORE COSMETIC PATIENTS
more cosmetic patients
Or what happens when the caller asks the dreaded question, “How much is it?” .
Ask your receptionist to first pitch you as the best option with logical reasons, and then answer the pricing question strategically like this:
“Well Connie, Dr. Smith would have to see you to determine exactly what needs to be done and quote you an exact fee. But here’s an idea of what you can expect. The fee would include your surgical fees, operating room costs, anesthesiologist’s fees, necessary lab work, and post-op garments. That could range from $5,500 to $8,000 or start at $120 per month if you use our easy payment plan option. How about that?”
gold,
“I can tell you that we are price competitive with the ‘other’ board certified plastic surgeons in the area.”
Or, at the very least, have your staff pre-frame it as the best option BEFORE the price is given:
“Sara, just to give you a little more information about Dr. Smith, he has performed over 3,500 of these procedures and has even trained other surgeons so you are in great hands. Fees start at $4,500 and vary depending on many factors. “Let’s go ahead and schedule a time for you to meet with Dr. Smith so he can give you more details. I have an opening this week Thursday at 2pm or would next week be a better fit for you?”
AVOID NO SHOWS
more cosmetic patients
The main reason you don’t show up is that the potential new patient doesn’t know you, so you don’t feel any personal obligation to show up for your appointment.
Charging a consultation fee helps a lot. However, the approach taken in presenting it gives rise to very different responses. There can be no confusion about money at any point during the patient process, so here is a sample script to make it clear:
consultation price
“Karen, let me walk you through our process. Your consultation includes an initial consultation with Peggy, our patient care coordinator. She will learn about your concerns and tell you more about the procedure and Dr. Smith. Dr. Smith will then examine you and he will speak with you personally about your concerns and solutions…then he will return to Peggy to go over any other questions you may have, at which time she will discuss financing options with you as well as potential procedure/treatment dates. .
Now the entire consultation process takes 45 to 60 minutes and costs $150. By the way, the $150 goes towards the procedure when you book within 30 days. Shall I pick you up on a certain day and time or just give you our next available appointment?”
However, if you hesitate to charge a consultation fee because your competitors don’t, you can come up with a hybrid script like this:
reservation fee
“Okay, Karen, everything is ready for Tuesday at 3 p.m. you need to change your appointment. Would you like to use your VISA, Master Card or AMX card?
TURN MORE COSMETIC PATIENTS INTO CONSULTATIONS
more cosmetic patients
After working with patient coordinators for over 20 years, this is the #1 reason they don’t convert more aesthetic patients. THEY DO NOT ASK FOR A DECISION!! They present the facts very politely and then conclude by saying something like, “Okay, I’m sure you need time to think about this, so feel free to call me with any questions that arise.”
NO!!! The coordinator must have the confidence to ask for a decision right now, face to face, because that could be the push the cosmetic patient needed to make a decision. Many patients are not confident in their own decision-making abilities, so they turn to the coordinator as their aesthetic consultant to help them decide. And you don’t have to be pushy. Here are strategic ways to lead the prospective patient to a decision:
“Connie, since you want to look amazing for the holidays, we need to get you on the calendar. Do you have a date in mind or should I tell you the next one available?”
“Sara, did you want to go ahead with the 0% Interest Free Easy Payment Plan I showed you or just use your own credit card?”
The easiest way to implement the conversion tips above is to have your staff write them down on index cards and review them every day until they become second nature because it’s not just WHAT you say but HOW you say it.
The more conversational and loving you sound using hyphens, the more query conversions you’ll enjoy!
Need help with staff training? Schedule a free 30 minute strategy call with me to discuss the best plan for your practice!
Visit my website http://www.catherinemaley.com for more details.