Archive for Aesthetic Patients
Do You Want More Aesthetic Patients or Profits?
Posted by: | CommentsYour aesthetic patients want to go to you because they know, like and trust you. They get a consistent experience every time, a consistent result, and a relationship with you and your staff that keeps them coming back for more and bringing their friends with them.
In the New Economy, the point is not to see how big you can grow your database. It’s to cost-effectively and creatively attract your preferred patients to your practice and then nurture those relationships so you grow your practice organically from within rather than from random, expensive, external efforts.
Tip: It’s not a contest to grow your database with anybody and everybody – It’s all about quality of the patient and NOT quantity
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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.
Attract New Patients by Networking
Posted by: | CommentsWhen you align with another business owner and they introduce you to their patients or customers as their aesthetic expert, you get instant credibility with a whole new group of prospective patients who already trust you through your association with someone else they already trust.
However, before you approach others, be sure to prepare an answer to the question they will be asking themselves which is, “What’s in it for me if I share my clients with you?” Be sure you set this up as a win-win relationship because this can be a double-edged sword. Your alliances can sing your praises or cut you to the quick if they feel like they were used by you so be sure they get as much from this alliance as you do.
Tip: Set up a win-win relationship with your strategic alliances so they introduce their high-value clients to 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.
Reactivate Your Lost Patients
Posted by: | CommentsAfter your current patients, the next group of aesthetic patients to concentrate on are those lost patients you haven’t seen in over a year.
The good news is that while it takes 10 times the effort to gain a new aesthetic patient, it can take much less to win back a patient who already knows you. It’s well worth the effort to develop a campaign to win back your long lost patients – no matter why they left you in the first place.
Some reasons your aesthetic patient left your practice:
- - Perhaps the patient was having a bad day when they visited you and couldn’t connect with your staff.
- - Perhaps your staff was having a bad day and scared them off.
- - Perhaps you made them wait too long.
- - Perhaps they saw dust and clutter in your office and were turned off.
- - Perhaps they went to your price-discounting competitor and want to return to you but are too embarrassed.
Well, you are never going to know unless you reach out to them….
It costs a small fortune to acquire a new aesthetic patient – but it costs next to nothing to keep them. The financial beauty of this relationship-based practice is to dramatically decrease your marketing and advertising costs since you are nurturing your patients and growing organically with their word-of-mouth referrals.
Winning back these lost patients will take extra effort. If they left you because they didn’t feel they were treated special, you’ll want to put in extra effort to make them feel wanted. Personalize your communications to them to get the point across how much they are valued by you.
Tip: Aesthetic medicine is all about the relationship the patient “feels” they have with you and how they “feel” when they are in touch with you – either on the telephone or in person.
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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.
Use the Right Media and Time to Communicate
Posted by: | CommentsHave you ever spent a lot of money on mass advertising like newspapers, magazines, radio and TV and not been happy with your results? There was and is an art to it but that’s quickly becoming mute since media is dramatically changing.
Aesthetic patients no longer flock to their local newspaper, their local news station and their favorite radio station for news. Thanks to media fragmentation, your aesthetic patients now have hundreds and thousands of choices where to go for information.
How in the world can you reach new patients when they are EVERYWHERE – and Nowhere?
They jump from website to website, TV to cable, radio to satellite, magazines to etc. You do not have enough time, money and patience to be everywhere these patients are so you must be much more strategic in today’s divisive media world.
Direct Mail Makes a Come-Back
Direct Mail is fast becoming the cheaper way to communicate with your patients in a personal way that will get a better response than an impersonal ad or a mention in a magazine.
For the price of an envelope and stamp, you can get your patient’s undivided attention (for at least 5 seconds) when she is rifling through her pile of mail. You simply cannot get that kind of 1-on-1 attention anywhere else.
Hot Button Times to Communicate with Aesthetic Patients
There are certain times of the year your aesthetic patients will most want to hear from you. They are most likely to want to do something special for themselves during these times so use these as opportunities to reach out in a personal way to help them celebrate.
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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.
Communicate With Your Aesthetic Patients
Posted by: | CommentsYou thought you had a good relationship and now you realize you haven’t seen them in over a year – What happened?
The #1 reason patients leave your practice is not because of a bad result.
And, it’s probably not because they didn’t like you and your staff.
…..It’s because of your indifference.
They are being ignored by you so they don’t feel compelled to return. And, they still wanted aesthetic services so they drifted off to your competitors.
Did you know you lose 10% of your patient database with every month that goes by without you staying in touch?
They did not stop wanting aesthetic services….
They just stopped wanting aesthetic services from you…..
How Many Thousands of Dollars Do You Lose Each Year
By Ignoring Your Aesthetic Patients?
Make your patients feel your concern for them and their welfare by keeping in touch with them and reaching out to them regularly.
I promise you – they want to hear from you as long as you are educating them and giving them compelling reasons to return.
You most likely have a database full of prospective patients who came in for a consultation but didn’t book, who came in a couple of times and then wandered off and then those you haven’t seen in months or years.
I guarantee you – they did not stop wanting to look good.
They just went somewhere else where they weren’t ignored and were treated better and made to feel special.
Tip: It’s always faster, cheaper and easier to reconnect with patients who have visited you before than it is to attract total strangers to your practice.
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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.
Understand the Decision-Making Process of an Aesthetic Patient
Posted by: | CommentsThe aesthetic patient is more confused than ever. They have many choices and are overwhelmed with the amount of information available today.
Know how difficult this process can be for your patients. This consultation with you is probably awkward and uncomfortable for them. They want to change something about their appearance that makes them feel insecure or unsure of themselves. They hope fixing, repairing, or enhancing it will make them feel better and more confident. They feel vulnerable and are looking to you for help.
That said, it’s important to note that patients also want to avoid making a bad decision. They do not want to regret their choice. A major part of your job is to reassure them they are in the right place for the right procedure and they will be happy with the result.
Note: If a patient is afraid, uncertain or confused,
they will opt to do nothing.
Aesthetic Patients Want to Experience Before Buying
You are in a tough position when it comes to promoting your intangible aesthetic services. You don’t have a product your patient can hold, touch and feel. You don’t have a product she can use all of her senses for to see, feel, hear, taste and touch to then determine its value to her.
With an intangible service such as aesthetic enhancement, she can’t “see” the quality of your materials or the effort that went into the details of producing the finished piece; which is the result she gets.
Since the aesthetic patient can’t see the excellence of your expertise and cannot touch or feel the superiority and knowledge that will go into the aesthetic service you provide her, you are at a disadvantage.
Give her as much as possible to touch and feel and use as social proof such as photos, testimonials, your credentials, celebrity, your office, your shoes, your greeting, your staff and any other detailed detective work she can experience to give her clues to help her determine you are the right physician for her to give her what she wants.
How Decisions Are Reached
The decision-making process is an entire subject on its own; however, here are some basics to consider:
- Decisions are quickly reached by emotion and then justified with logic.
- People act on prejudices, habits and past experience much more than on knowledge.
- It takes a patient a split second to make a decision but getting ready to make that decision can take a long time.
The point here is to address your patient’s emotional motivators for wanting enhancement but also equip them with the logical reasons why you are the perfect choice so they can easily relay that back to their family and friends if they are challenged.
The prospective patient is doing a cost/benefit analysis in their heads to decide if what you are offering them is worth the time, money and effort and if the benefits will outweigh the risk. Help them see and feel what you offer is more than worth it.
Tip: Aesthetic patients buy what they want – NOT what they need.
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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.
Target Higher-Value Patients
Posted by: | CommentsNot everyone will be able to afford your aesthetic services like before so it’s a good strategy to focus on those patients who are least likely to be affected by changes in the economy and last affected by changes in the economy.
So, one of your strategies should be to target your older, more mature patients who are more affluent versus your younger patients. That’s just obvious because your mature patients have more concerns such as wrinkles, crepe skin, sagging body parts and sun damage. They are also more likely to have the financial wherewithal to afford your services.
The affluent, mature patient will appreciate the quality of service you provide. They will notice, applaud and react favorably to your commitment to them and to being better than your competitors.
But remember, these higher-value patients want to be respected, they expect competence, and they want no hassle and no tension from their service providers. They can afford and are willing to pay for the best information, the best products, the highest level of competence and the best professional service available.
And, they too, are affected by social pressures. Many of these high-end patients are experiencing new phases in their lives such as:
- New job or job layoff
- New marriage or suddenly single
- Upcoming life events, etc.
The point is there are millions of Americans, especially 76 million Baby Boomers, who will do what they need to in order to enjoy a full, active life while looking and feeling good doing it.
By the way, this group of people will see the biggest transference of wealth in history in way of inheritance.
Tip: Identify who your high-end (mature and affluent) patients are and then focus 80% of your efforts on them.
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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.
Aesthetic Patient’s Feelings About Their Experience with You
Posted by: | CommentsYou have (or had) patients who feel they were not treated right by your receptionist, a staff person or you. It could have been something benign such as your receptionist did not acknowledge the patient when they first walked in the door and it could be something more serious such as they believe they got a mediocre or bad result and have lost trust in you.
On the one hand, aesthetic patients have elephant memories. They may be prone to holding grudges if they are treated badly in your practice or if they “perceive” they were treated badly.
Frankly, your patient’s perception is your reality so you have to deal with their emotions. Please remember this:
Aesthetic patients won’t remember what you told them.
Aesthetic patients won’t remember what you showed them.
Aesthetic patients will remember how you made them feel.
On the other hand, patients can be quick to forgive IF they feel you value them and want to make them happy. That could mean you simply reconnect with them or it may mean you show significant remorse so they know you understand how they feel.
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth It
Obviously, the best thing you can do is to avoid bad feelings with your patients so you don’t lose them. You want to have the friendliest and most informative receptionist answering your telephones. You want to employ staff that bonds quickly with the patients and knows how to direct the patient to a decision to choose you over your competitors. You personally want to connect with the patient so they like, trust and believe in your recommendations.
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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.
