Cosmetic patients today have a lot of choices in service providers as well as technical solutions to their problems, so they often go on several consultations before deciding how to move forward.
While you may see that as unnecessary since you are as qualified (or more so) as your competitors, prospective patients do not.
They want to do their due diligence since this is a big decision for them to make since it will affect them physically, emotionally, and monetarily.
Top Tips to Win Over Cosmetic Patients to Increase Procedures
Actually, these are oftentimes your best patients since they are not deciding by price alone. They are taking in all sorts of other factors above and beyond price.
That’s where you can shine and beat out your competitors.
Because here’s the secret to positioning yourself as the best choice for preferred cosmetic patients….address their emotional, personal and logical needs. When done right, you are checking all of their boxes in their decision-making process.
Here’s what I mean….
Emotional Needs
Prospective cosmetic patients are looking for that surgeon/staff/practice that makes them FEEL comfortable moving forward.
They feel comfortable when you have built rapport with them, so they feel a connection to you.
Actually rapport-building is one of the most important skills you can develop to be successful today in aesthetic medicine because this entire industry is built on feelings.
Cosmetic patients are unhappy with their appearance and that makes them feel “less than” and dissatisfied. They believe they will feel a lot more confident and sure of themselves when they look better.
But they also feel hesitation and fear. Fear of spending the money, fear of pain and fear of regret if they end up unhappy with their results.
That’s a lot of emotions to deal with so building rapport helps them open up to you, share their feelings and that’s when you can help them navigate through this journey.
So here are 3 simple ways to build rapport with cosmetic patients:
Touch
Be sure to shake hands with your patients, perhaps touch them appropriately when examining them, then touch them on the shoulder on the way out so they feel connected to you. The rule is to keep it above the elbow.
Commonalities
We like people who are like us so search for commonalities. Look on the patient in-take forms and comment on the patient who referred them, the neighborhood they live in or their occupation. You will learn so much. Perhaps your kids go to the same school, or they are a social media influencer. You never know.
Mirroring
Mimic the patient’s body language, as well as their tone and speed of voice. If they talk fast, you talk fast. If they talk loud, you talk loud. If they are shy, meek and quiet, you tone things down. Also, sit eye level with patients so you are not towering over them. You want them comfortable, not intimidated.
If the above is done correctly, patients will feel understood, heard and respected. They will feel that connection to you because you understand them, their needs, wants and fears.
Personal Needs
It’s fine to speak in generalities at the beginning; but now that you and the patient are better acquainted, it’s time to be specific about this particular patient’s desires and how you can help them get what they want.
You do that by listening. Ask an open-ending question like, “What can I help you with? “ and then be quiet and let them tell you.
That sounds easy enough, but it’s so tempting to interrupt because you know better. But that’s not the point. The patient who feels heard first, will then be more open to hear you.
And, the more the patient can visualize their OWN specific results, the better.
Start by showing the prospective patient social proof of other patients. That would include:
- Before/after photos on an iPad the patient can scroll through
- Videos explaining procedural FAQs
- Video testimonials from other happy patients
Now add in computer imaging. Patients love computer imaging. They can see for themselves how they will look and that gives them more confidence and courage to move forward.
You may resist the time and expense that goes into this technology and fear this will come back to haunt you, but that’s typically not the case.
Once you see it as a helpful converting tool and embrace it, so will your prospective patients and your conversions will increase.
Another powerful strategy is to look the patient in the eye and reassure them by saying,
“Sara, you are the perfect candidate for this procedure.”
The patient will feel they are in good hands, that you are confident they will be happy with the result and that you have the experience and self-assurance to give them what they want.
That transference of confidence is what encourages the patient to move forward.
Logical Needs
You’ve covered the prospective patient’s emotional and personal needs so now logical needs must be addressed.
There’s a saying that is very true and it goes like this:
“We make decisions emotionally and then back them up logically.”
Isn’t that the truth? Think of all the times you bought something because it made you feel a certain way, but then you had to justify spending the money to someone else or even to yourself.
The same thing happens with cosmetic patients.
This patient has already chosen you emotionally because you have built up trust and a connection with them, so they are ready to partner with you.
However, there’s a good chance the patient needs to justify why they chose you to their friends and family who may be giving them flack.
Don’t leave this to chance. Give your patients logical proof why you are the best choice, so they are equipped to defend their decision.
Develop brag pieces to position you as the BEST CHOICE. Examples would include:
- Board Certified and explain what they means
- # years in practice
- # surgeries performed
- # reviews
- Zero lawsuits
- Awards, accolades from 3rd parties
- Pro-bono work
- PR and working with well-known patients and so on
Do you now see how you want to address the emotional, personal and logical needs of prospective patients so they choose you over your competitors?
Please get together with your team and talk about how you can better tap into these patient needs to increase your conversions and decrease hearing the dreaded, “I need to think about it”.
