Archive for Business Growth
Price Plaques
Posted by: | CommentsI
visited a world-renowned plastic surgeon that didn’t play the price game with his aesthetic patients. He caters to the affluent patient who cares more about his skills and expertise than getting a great deal.
He displays these plaques so visiting patients see them as they walk in. They help set the tone for pricing.
One says:
It is unwise to pay too much,
But it is worse to pay too little
When you pay too much,
You lose money – that is all
When you pay too little
You sometimes lose everything
Because the thing you bought
Was incapable of doing the thing
It was bought to do
The common law of business balance
Prohibits paying a little and
Getting a lot – it cannot be done
If you deal with the lowest bidder,
It is well to add something
For the risk you run,
And if you do that
You will have enough to pay
For something better
- John Ruskin
The other plaque says:
There is hardly anything in the world
That some man can’t make a little
Worse and well a little cheaper,
And the people who consider price
Only are this man’s lawful prey
- John Ruskin
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For a Free Marketing Checklist, Visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Are You Catering to Silly Sally or Serious Sara?
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Silly Sally is that ridiculous Groupon aesthetic patient who wants the world for nothing. She responds to price only and then complains when she doesn’t get the service and results she is demanding. And, since she came for price, she leaves you for price.
Serious Sara, on the other hand, is the more affluent patient who cares more about service and results and is willing to pay a fair price for your skills and experience. She most likely found you through her girlfriend because she turns to her friends and family for possible solutions rather than fumbling around on the Internet for a deal.
I will take 1 Serious Sara over 5 Silly Sallys any day!
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For a Free Marketing Checklist, Visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Is Botox a Commodity?
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In my recent travels to AZ, I ran across this sign for Walk-In Botox at a medi-spa right off the main street.
This is what you’re competing with nowadays. On the one hand, this seems tacky, doesn’t it? On the other hand, from the patient perspective, this is really convenient and easy IF they get a good result.
Botox does have a tendency to fit into the “impulse” category if the Patient has been doing it for awhile and like their results. However, it can be a nightmare if they inject too much or it gives you a droopy eye or it doesn’t take well and you have to go back and do it again (so much for time-savings and convenience).
If you don’t want to play this game, be sure your patients know the pitfalls of “Mall Botox”. They might just get what they pay for and that’s not usually what they wanted.
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For a Free Marketing Checklist, Visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Are You Opened For Business?
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My stove was acting up and I received a postcard from an appliance store in my area so it was the perfect time for me to look into replacing it. However, what should have taken me about 1 hour to do has drawn out to a 2-month project.
I first went to the website on the postcard and had trouble navigating so I called the 800# they listed and I had to call twice because I was told to leave a message and nobody called me back. When I did get through, I was transferred but the call got dropped. So I decided to visit instead. I drove over on a Sunday because I’m super busy during the week and Sunday was the only day I had available and, sure enough, they’re closed on Sunday!
I’ve never tried so hard to give a company money and I hope you’re easier to do business with than they’ve been.
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For a Free Marketing Checklist, Visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Office Manager’s Comments about the Receptionist
Posted by: | CommentsMy last Webinar entitled, “Initial Consult to Close” talked about how important the first call into your aesthetic practice is and here are follow-up comments I received from an astute office manager at a busy practice:
“I really just wish we could lock doctors down and let them understand how important the front desk position is for usually the lowest in pay – the most in pressure.
I love our front desk and that position has always been a treasure of mine in the past and even more now as I am new in this office. They are the first to arrive ( outside of me …LOL )– last to leave – last to take a lunch if someone else is not running on time – are responsible for the schedule – however don’t hear many times the good part – or never heard when working hard to fill in gaps – the first to hear the stress when a doctor isn’t busy … responsible for all paper work – a computer system that many doctors and care providers don’t even log on to … AND THEY are always suppose to have a smile as well … it’s a lot to expect when the position is your lifeline … staff need to know that they are supported and respected NOT just a receptionist … when they are out … my JOBS go by the way side … I need her – to do my job or mine suffers as well – the doctors need her to support them … and the patients deserve a calm friendly non-stress greeting.
I don’t always agree with stressing secret shoppers – as they seem to call right when the office has 6 people checking in and out – they have no back up – the fax is not working – the printer is jammed – you have a person who has just found out they have skin cancer and their deductible is $5,000 and it is their 90 year old father with Alzheimer’s or their 17 year old son and half of his lip will be taken off and his senior year he won’t be able to play his favorite sport. The first person you should be taking care of is the person in front of you and the person TESTING you has no idea what else is going on around the person they are asking all the questions and looking for the perfect answer.
Ok I will step off my soap box … I understand how important that job is and how long it takes ( dollars & hours ) to train that position. I don’t want to replace I want to train correctly and encourage growth. It’s hard to be at the front desk – hear other staff laughing and talking with the doctor or each other and feeling like you are not a part.”
This office manager really gets it and I applaud her for caring so much about her plastic surgeon and the practice’s success.
For a Free Marketing Checklist, Visit www.CosmeticImageMarketing.com or call Catherine at (877) 339-8833. Her firm specializes in creative patient attraction – conversion – retention strategies to drive aesthetic profits.
Catherine Interviewed During AACS Conference
Posted by: | CommentsI gave several talks at the recent AACS Annual Meeting in Las Vegas and a reporter asked to interview me about who a “preferred patient” is and how to encourage them to return and refer. Enjoy!
Golden Handcuffs for Your Best Patients
Posted by: | Comments2012 is going to be a challenging year for aesthetics thanks to lingering recession, Groupons, heavy competition, less Internet traffic due to the sheer number of competitors and fickle aesthetic patients who show little to no loyalty.
It is VITAL you corral your best aesthetic patients so they don’t wander off. It’s also cheaper than spending a fortune finding new patients. It’s also more fun to work with patients who know, like and trust you than total strangers who are apprehensive.
A great solution is the VIP Club Card. It builds “silent golden handcuffs” around your best patients who return often and refer their friends. These high-quality patients love feeling special and getting preferential treatment so use that to your advantage. Give them a unique VIP Club Card with perks and they’ll help you succeed in 2012.
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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 You a One-Hit Wonder?
Posted by: | CommentsIf you spend all of your time, money and effort getting a new patient to say yes to you and then never see them again after their procedure, you are doing them, you and your pocketbook a disservice.
The patient liked and trusted you enough to say yes. The hard part is done. The least you could do is reciprocate by staying in touch, following up and seeing how they are. You can do some of that with post-op follow up appointments. It shows you care and gives you more opportunity to bond with the patient.
However, there’s a group of patients who won’t bother with follow-up appointments. They’re happy and don’t feel the need. That’s the group you want to reach out to throughout the year and give them other reasons to visit you.
An aesthetic patient has endless needs so it’s almost guaranteed if they had an issue with their looks, there’s a really good chance another issue has their attention.
Keep in touch to keep them coming back again and again.
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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.
Guarantee Surgery – Wha-Wha-WHAT???
Posted by: | CommentsThere’s a pretty good chance you don’t guarantee your surgeries so please hear me out.
Consumers in general are skeptical. Patients are even more so since they want to know they’ll get a good result and they won’t have buyer’s remorse. They don’t know whom to trust and often have a tough decision to make between several practices. So how can you stand out?
Offer something your competitors don’t and watch your conversions grow. Offer a guarantee they will be happy with their result or you’ll throw in a revision for up to one year. However, put parameters around it. They must adhere to your directions, show up for their appointments and agree to communicate.
You probably do this anyway if a patient is unhappy so offer it up front to take away their fear of making a mistake by going with you versus someone else. And it tells your prospective patient you’re confident in your ability and that builds their trust in you.
So even if 1 out of 100 take advantage of it and you lose a little money, you’ll get 10x more conversions and 10x more profits by offering something unique. Try it!
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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.
