Archive for December, 2009
Don’t Mess With Price-Buyers
Posted by: | CommentsYou have probably felt the pressure to lower your prices during these tough times – I know I have – but you want to re-think that strategy.
The pure price-buyer is thinking about only one thing and that is “How can I squeeze every discount and freebie out of this practice before I say yes?” They will haggle and spend your staff’s time going back and forth so by the time they are done, nobody is happy except the frugal patient. They are perfectly content knowing you didn’t make a profit off of them and now they’ll tell their other penny-pitching friends to visit and do the same. Is that what you want? I don’t think so.
In case you’re not convinced, here are other reasons to let these thrifty patients go (especially to your competitors):
- - They take up all your time: they will beat you up on price and then want to think about it so they can beat you up some more later. Now they are wasting your time and money.
- - They do all the complaining because they learned long ago the squeaky wheel gets the oil so now they are unpleasant as well as cheap.
- - They drive off your good customers because they bring negativity to your office and infect you and your staff so you are not at your best for your best patients.
- - If they came for price, they will leave for price so do you really want to work with this fickle consumer?
A much better strategy is to see less patients but spend more time and energy on your most loyal, affluent patients who understand you get what you pay for. They want top quality service from someone they know, like and trust and price is not their ultimate deciding factor.
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
New FTC Endorsement and Testimonial Guidelines
Posted by: | CommentsIn case you haven’t heard yet, the FTC issued new guidelines regarding the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. The result of these new guidelines change the entire landscape of testimonial-based marketing (of which I am a big fan of for aesthetic marketing).
The gist of it is that if you use a patient testimonial to show off the results from your product or service, the ad should clearly and conspicuously disclose the generally expected performance or result of your product or service that others can expect. However, if you advertise “Experience Testimonials” that are simply complimentary to you and show that your patients are happy with the products and services you provide, then the FTC guidelines have no impact. So you can use experience testimonials in the same ways you have been using them.
I am not giving you legal advice. I am simply saying if you are using patient testimonials in your external promotional efforts to showcase your products and services, be sure they depict what other patients could generally expect from the same. Then run it by your attorney to be on the safe side.
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
Back to Aesthetic Marketing Basics
Posted by: | CommentsWhen you first started out, what did you do to grow your practice?
I’ll bet you read books on business and or marketing since you learned nothing about that in medicine school. You probably talked to other colleagues as much as you could to learn what they were doing or did to grow a patient database quickly so you could do the same. You most likely networked like crazy in your community and offered to speak to groups who could potentially become aesthetic patients for you.
And, when you did have patients come to you for aesthetic enhancement, I’ll bet you treated each patient with kit gloves by giving them your undivided attention, the friendliest service and the best result possible so they would return and bring their friends with them.
So, do you still do those same things that made you successful to begin with?
If not, why not?
During these crazy economic times, now is the perfect time to get back to the basics that made you successful. Reconnect with your patients who know you well and tell them you want more patients just like them. Get their input on what you could do to attract more patients to your practice. I guarantee they have lots of good ideas as well as contacts.
It’s human nature to help someone you like when you are asked so start talking to your patients to get things moving. They want you to succeed!
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
Why Do You Practice Aesthetic Medicine?
Posted by: | CommentsAt this point, you might be questioning your decision to get into aesthetics. If you’re like other aesthetic practices, you’re probably down 30-70% and don’t see an end in sight.
So, are you ready for a pep talk?
You know you don’t like where managed care is going and you are sure that it’s not going to get better so you were smart to look for other revenue streams. You know you want to practice medicine your way and not have your relationships with your patients dictated to by the government. You now the paperwork nightmare was killing you and draining your staff.
And, on the more positive side, you most likely want to help those patients who have the need and the financial wherewithal to afford aesthetic enhancement so they look good and feel great – thanks to your skill and expertise.
We all know this sluggish economy is not going to stay like this forever but, for now, circle your wagons and reconnect with your current patients. They may need to dig deeper to justify your services so help them with:
- new and improved technology
- patient events
- education on what’s new in the world of aesthetic enhancement
- offer themed, limited-time only offers with tight expiration dates
Reach out and communicate with your patients so they come back now and later. This will give you added enthusiasm for aesthetic medicine and help you stay open to opportunities available all around you.
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
Why Aesthetic Patients Say No
Posted by: | CommentsFrankly, there are really only three reasons why aesthetic patients say no to you:
#1: They want aesthetic rejuvenation but reject your proposed way of getting it
#2: It could be price or they don’t have the ability to pay
#3: Distrust: They want rejuvenation, they accept your way of getting it but they don’t believe in you
This last one, distrust, is at least 25% of your lost consultations. The good news is you can do much to improve that percentage.
You really are in the trust business and through effective communications before, during and after the patient experience, you can greatly increase trust. Here are strategies to help:
- -Mail your patient information packet ahead of time. Fill it up with your PR pieces, pro-bono work, Meet the Doctor, procedure FAQ’s, patient photos/testimonials and a handwritten note from you
- -Have your prospective patient watch your personal, introductory video from you welcoming them to your practice
- -Allow time for them to peruse your patient photo/testimonial books, patient education videos and get a tour of your office
- -Do skin analysis and computer imaging so the patient can “see” her concerns very clearly
- -Listen to the patient’s wants, needs, fears and expectations. Have a conversation rather than a presentation
- -Follow up with a personal handwritten note or telephone call telling the patient you look forward to getting to know them better
The more professionalism, patient interaction and interest you show for the patient, the more likely they are to choose you over all the others.
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
Address ALL of Your Aesthetic Patient’s Needs
Posted by: | CommentsSo many of my surgeon clients only see patients as surgical prospects. So, they spend tons of time, money and effort going after one surgery and continually looking for new patients for more 1-surgery prospects.
What a waste! An aesthetic patient who wants to look good and feel good is interested in all sorts of aesthetic enhancement – not just one surgery one time. And, I know for a fact (and from personal experience) that if you correct something that bothers an aesthetic patient, they will most likely move on to the next concern they have.
Aesthetic patients have endless needs and time is on your side. If they want to look and feel good today, they will continue to want to look and feel good tomorrow, next week, next year and year after year. They don’t just stop wanting aesthetic enhancement so if they disappear from your practice, you should know they most likely went to your competitor who was staying in touch with them, educating them and giving them compelling reasons to visit.
Please rethink the average value of one surgical patient because the surgical procedure was only the tip of the iceberg.
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
A Google Ad That Attracts Patients
Posted by: | CommentsA Pay-Per-Click advertising campaign can cost you thousands of dollars without attracting one new patient to you – yikes! Since you only have 15 words to work with, you must be strategic and consider your audience and what they want.
Before you spend another dime, look up your PPC ad and be sure it contains (or doesn’t contain) the following:
Do NOT waste the first line on your name. Instead, replace it with a compelling headline instead such as: Weekend Facelift or Look Younger Without Surgery or No Downtime Liposuction.
For the second line, use emotion and benefits the patient is after such as, “Free Report: What You Should You About X Procedure” or “Lose Your Wrinkles and Look 10 Years Younger Without Surgery”
Now add your URL so they click on it to learn more. I promise you will get more click-throughs when you give your prospective patients something interesting to click on.
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
The Aesthetic Physician as an Artist
Posted by: | CommentsAs a surgeon you are trained to perform very rigorous procedures with ease and focus. But you are not only a doctor, you are an artist. You are given a ‘canvas’ and commissioned for a job based on previous work, trust, and skill (just like Michelangelo). The patient is your topic, your canvas, and your commissioner.
Listen to the patient to be successful. Understand their vision, their concerns, and their emotional ties to this physical change. When you listen and create the desired look, you also create a loyal fan who will recommend you to others.
To read more on the surgeon as artist, go Here.
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For more Free tips and videos, visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com. Catherine Maley, MBA is Author of Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients Are Saying and her firm offers everything you need to succeed in aesthetic medicine. You can call Catherine at (877) 339-8833 or email her at info@CosmeticImageMarketing.com.
