Author Archive
Actions Speak Louder than Words
Posted by: | CommentsWhenever I consult with physicians, they inevitably tell me, “I just want to make my patients happy.” Then I ask them what they are doing to make them happy. I’m told they give them a good result, their staff calls to follow up if they had surgery, they send out email blasts periodically and that’s about it.
But let me ask you this: Would you have your staff call your spouse to see how they’re doing? You wouldn’t? Why not? Because it’s impersonal, right? You have a relationship with your spouse and you need to keep in touch personally.
Same thing with your big-ticket patients. If you want them to return and refer, they have to feel cared for and cared about. If you go the extra mile, that builds mounds of patient loyalty because they’ll remember and tell their friends how caring you are. Take a minute to:
- Make the initial post-op call to check in on your surgical patient
- Send birthday and holiday wishes to your patients
- Write a thank you note to your patient who referred their friend
- Stop by to say hello when your patient is in with your aesthetician
Show you care, because actions really do speak louder than words.
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Lessons from My Accountant on How NOT To Run a Service Business
Posted by: | CommentsI pay this guy $375/hour to do my taxes every year. I have been loyal, never bother him during the year, bring all my organized receipts every year, paid him big time the one time I was audited and the guy totally takes me for granted. He doesn’t return my calls until I’ve called at least 2 or 3 times. Then he says he’ll do something and then doesn’t and I have to request it yet again. On top of that, he has filed extensions on my taxes the past 2 years because he didn’t get around to it.
What does this cost him? The door is now open for any other financial professional to take my business away. And it has cost him dearly in referrals he will never see from my friends and family because I don’t have anything great to say about him.
How about you? Are you treating your profitable aesthetic patients like my accountant treats me or are you giving them great service and staying in touch so they only think of you when they’re ready for your professional services?
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Feel-Good Marketing Works
Posted by: | CommentsAlmost every plastic surgery website I visit talks about how caring and compassionate the doctor is and how their main concern is for the patient.
Yet, patients tell me about how they were treated curtly, the doctor didn’t listen to them, they felt rushed, their questions weren’t answered and on and on.
Use that to your advantage. Answer your phones better than your competitors do. Treat your visiting patients better than your competitors do. Devise built-in “touch points” to reach out to your patients throughout the year in a feel-good, thoughtful way.
You’ll stand out big time from your competitors and make a huge impression on your patients who will return and refer.
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Your Preferred Aesthetic Patient
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s what I know for sure (since I am this type of patient and I have many friends who feel the same way):
Your preferred aesthetic patient wants a trusting relationship with a skilled, experienced, professional surgeon who cares about her and gives her what she wants: confidence in her looks and how she feels about herself.
This preferred patient is searching for her own “go-to” aesthetic physician who will keep her looking and feeling great throughout the years. If you think about it, she has endless needs so she’ll designate you, or someone else, to be her Go-To Aesthetic Physician. If you ignore her, she’ll wander around to a host of your competitors to keep her looking good with Botox, fillers, lasers and surgery.
I promise you, if you took good care of her, gave her a nice experience and good result, AND kept in touch with her so she knew you cared, you would see all or most of her aesthetic budget– and not just the little bit you see now.
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Let’s Make a Deal
Posted by: | CommentsDo you ever feel like you’re playing “Let’s Make a Deal” with aesthetic patients?
Thanks to popular coupon discount sites, today’s aesthetic patients are quickly becoming price shoppers. They’ve come to expect getting a deal just to get to know you. That trend is here to stay for the foreseeable future, so how are you going to deal with it?
The problem with the discount tactic is that a prospective patient who comes to you for price will leave you for price, so it’s nearly impossible to build a loyal following with this approach.
You probably think you’ll convert these frugal friends into loyal patients but most likely, they’re after a deal and will just clog up your phones and your schedule… and NOT convert.
A better long-term strategy (not short-term tactic) is to build a practice database of loyal patients who know how great you are, trust that you are the best, are glad to pay a fair price for your skills and expertise, and who rave about you to their friends.
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Consult with a Stranger vs. A Current Patient
Posted by: | CommentsHow different is the mood and feel of your surgical consultation with a referred or current patient versus a total stranger coming to you from the internet or from advertising?
Don’t you feel like you’re working harder to bond with them and “sell yourself,” because you know you’re being judged, since they don’t know you from Adam?
One of my surgeons said to me after two of those new-patient consultations he’s ready for a nap, because he’s exerted so much energy.
On the other hand, how smooth and relaxed is it when you’re consulting with either a current patient who’s ready for more or the friend they referred to you? Isn’t it a nicer two-way conversation with no pressure when you two are talking, the patient is open and looking at you, smiling and nodding yes? And aren’t your conversions better as well?
That’s how it should always be…
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Where Do Your Aesthetic Patients Comes From?
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s a quick exercise that puts aesthetic marketing in perspective. Open your surgery schedule and look at the last 30 – 100 surgeries you performed and ask yourself this:
Where did those surgical patients come from?
Did they come from your Website?
From your printed ad?
From another patient who referred them?
From a current patient who’s ready for more?
The last survey I did with my physicians they told me that, without fail, at least 70% of the surgeries they performed came from current patients and their referrals.
Then I have to ask, why wouldn’t you, in turn, spend 70% of your resources on your current patients who return and refer?
Don’t you think you’d get a better return?
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Are Aesthetic Patients Thinking Commodity?
Posted by: | CommentsSkilled, educated, and experienced surgeons all over the nation call me almost every day complaining about today’s aesthetic patients.
They tell me the majority of patients they are attracting to their practice through Internet and advertising efforts are ridiculous.
Most of these “looky-loo patients” are price shoppers who haven’t got a clue about the education and training that goes into the good result they expect. They don’t know the difference between a skilled surgeon who’s had years of experience and a weekend-trained physician with good marketing and a charming personality. And worst of all? These patients want a fantastic result and great service, yet they don’t want to pay for it!
These types of patients believe aesthetic medicine is a commodity and they actually think anyone who calls themselves “Dr.” can make them look better. Really?
This is a dangerous trend in consumerism for the aesthetic market because most of the time, you really do get what you pay for.
There is a better way to attract aesthetic patients who appreciate and will pay for your expertise.
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Stop Selling Plastic Surgery!
Posted by: | CommentsLet me ask you a question. How different is your consultation when it’s with a patient who already knows you or a prospective patient referred to you, versus the complete stranger that shows up in your office from the Internet?
Isn’t it a completely difference experience for you? When it’s a stranger, don’t you feel as if you’re “performing” and selling yourself because you know darn well you’re probably one of several consultations they’re going to – so you have to be at your best and SELL yourself. Don’t you hate that?
On the other hand, isn’t it great when your current patient already knows, likes, and trusts you? Or when the prospective patient comes so highly recommended from their girlfriend who they gushed about how great you are is already pre-sold on you?
Just recently I was speaking at a medical meeting and one of the physicians told me after two or three of those consultations with strangers, he feels drained.
My response is STOP SELLING!
Let your patients do it for you. Keep in touch with them, give them a consistent result every time, and they’ll attract new patients for you.
Video Marketing
Posted by: | CommentsHere is a marketing effort that more plastic surgeons need to embrace: it’s Video Marketing. Prospective patients are much more likely to respond to someone they “feel” as if they know – even before you meet. It’s the fastest, easiest, cheapest way to become a celebrity to those who matter – prospective patients interested in aesthetics!
As a side benefit, this effort will also improve your SEO, traffic, website ranking, referrals, and fame.
You want your prospective patients to see your face, look into your eyes, and feel your emotion when you deliver the video message – it builds a connection. By the way, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be a model (actually, that would work against you). The prospective patient, especially the female patient, is looking for someone with character, integrity, compassion and confidence they can provide the good result she’s looking for.
How do you make videos? You can use any HD video camera, Flip video camera, or even your iPhone to film your 2-4 minute video. Just talk about one procedure or concept at a time (keep it simple). Add it to your Website and upload it to YouTube.
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For a free download of Catherine’s book, Visit www.YourAestheticPracticeBook.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
