Archive for Aesthetic Patients
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.
Who Gets Plastic Surgery and Why
Posted by: | CommentsI recently read an article that includes statistics on who gets plastic surgery, and why. It is a great reminder that the aesthetic practice is not just selling a procedure, they are selling hope for a better feeling future. Patients want to feel better about themselves, they want to look in the mirror and no longer dislike a part of what they see. They believe revising, rejuvenating or renovating something that bothers them about their appearance will make them feel better and increase self-esteem. So, in essence, they are buying hope from aesthetic physicians. Hope they will get the result they want and hope they will feel better. To learn more about the aesthetic patient, read my book…
If you would like to read the full article, Who Gets Plastic Surgery and Why, click 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.
Remember the rule in marketing – it’s not what did it cost – it’s what did it bring you in terms of new patients, revenues and credibility/name recognition with those who already know you?
With that said, you gotta look at your ad design. If it’s all about you and your services – don’t count on your phone ringing. If it’s all about the patient and their interests and you give them a reason to want to learn more – it should more than pay for itself. By the way, breaking even on an ad is successful IF you and your staff do everything you can to keep that new patient coming back and referring their friends.
Another advantage that is often overlooked when advertising in print is the “long legs” effect of your ad. It can be framed and hanged in your office so your patients and prospective patients see it and are impressed. It can be turned into a press release and uploaded to PR websites to increase your SEO rankings. It can be turned into a personality piece that is added to your patient information packets for added credibility and it can be uploaded to your website. Print is permanent so use it strategically to keep it alive.
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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 Success Strategy #7: Create Systems to Execute the Successful Strategies and Repeat
Posted by: | CommentsThe top aesthetic practices know something that others don’t.
They realize it’s not one email.
It’s not one newsletter.
It’s not one event.
The secret is to set up systems so you are regularly attracting new patients to your practice, keeping them coming back for more and more often and taking care of them so well they refer others.
The financially successful aesthetic physicians do what needs to be done consistently to keep their name in front of their patients so they return again and again and bring their friends.
Their on-going efforts and attention to patient attraction – retention – referrals keeps their schedule filled with cash-paying patients.
Need more tips, tactics, strategies and resources to drive patients to your practice? Please watch my free videos by filling out the form to the right, now.
Thank You, and I encourage you to leave any comments or questions below.
Article by Catherine Maley, MBA, Author, Your Aesthetic Practice and President, Cosmetic Image Marketing
New Success Strategy #4: Increase Revenues Per Patient
Posted by: | CommentsYou are leaving money on the table if your patients don’t realize everything you offer.
I guarantee if they don’t buy from you, they will from someone else.
Have strategies in place so you never hear, “I didn’t know you did that” and they had it done by your competitor.
Value of Just One Patient
I conducted a case study where I went back through a plastic surgeon’s practice records and followed one of their favorite patients. I was able to piece together her history with this practice for almost 10 years.
What I found was that this one patient not only was worth $40,000 in minimally-invasive as well as surgical procedures, but she was worth more than an additional $90,000 in terms of referrals from her friends, family members, coworkers, the woman’s business group she belonged to and her hair stylist. And, I’m not even including all of their referrals.
It’s imperative you have a system in place to attract referrals……
Need more tips, tactics, strategies and resources to drive patients to your practice? Please watch my free videos by filling out the form to the right, now.
Thank You, and I encourage you to leave any comments or questions below.
Article by Catherine Maley, MBA, Author, Your Aesthetic Practice and President, Cosmetic Image Marketing
