Mistake #3: Assuming Your Patients Will Refer
Let’s consider the value of just one of your patients.
Every one of your patients has, on average, 150-250 people in their circle of influence.
That includes family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, hair stylists, gym buddies, etc.
Can you image if every one of your current patients referred only one of them to you? That would double
your patient database and, hopefully, revenues very quickly!
So how to you get referrals? You set up systems that happen automatically as part of your processes.
For example….
Patient Photos
Give your patients their photos!
That means you have a process in place where you are actually taking photos every time and making them
available to your patients. I guarantee they want them because I asked them in my book and I learned that:
- 82% wanted their before/after photos
- 76% would have shown them to others, if only they were made available to them.

But, it’s all in the presentation. At their post-op appointment when they are the happiest with you and the
most excited about their result, hand them a handwritten note card with their photos enclosed that says,
“Thank you for your trust” and be sure your name, telephone number and website address are clearly visible.
By the way, this is not just for surgical procedures. I recommend using this same process for your injectable
procedures as well.
Gift Cards
Be sure to offer gift cards and gift certificates and make a big deal of it. So many of you offer them but it’s a
big secret in your practice. How do you change that?
Simple. Using your own customized gift bags and tissue, set up a gorgeous display at checkout with an eye-
catching sign that says “NEED A QUICK GIFT?”
It’s the timing that’s so important because they are standing there at check-out with their wallet out, credit
card in hand and yes, they may need a quick gift.
Not only does that increase their order size for the day, it introduces a new patient to your practice.
Patient Testimonials/Videos
In today’s world, trust is harder to come by than ever before. The aesthetic patient is trying to figure out if
you are the right choice for them, so they need your help, but how?
The answer is to offer proof. The more proof you can provide to the patient who’s considering your services,
the more likely they are to move forward.
I think we all know it’s so much better when a patient tells a prospective patient how great you are than when
you tell them how great you are, so set up a process for that as well.
Whenever a patient is happy with you and gushing about their result – ask them for a testimonial right then
and there. You can have them write it out a note card or, better yet, have an iPad handy and let them tell their
story straight from the heart. Then be sure to add these to your testimonial books, run them on your website
and use as social media posts.
Thank Them!

And, by all means, thank them for supporting you! Everybody wants to feel appreciated when they do something nice and your patients are no different.
You don’t want to assume your patients know you appreciate their referrals; set up a system that acknowledges their efforts and make a big deal out of it, because behavior that is rewarded is repeated.
Send them a handwritten note, call them personally, and thank them again the next time you see them. You may even want to send them a small gift and or give them a little extra Botox
at their next appointment.
Mistake #4: Only Working IN Your Practice and Not ON Your Practice
In today’s crazy competitive world, it’s more important than ever to get the fundamentals right.

That means setting up predictable systems to attract the right patients to your practice, convert the callers to appointments, convert the consultations to paid procedures, collect more testimonials and increase word-of-mouth referrals.
Just like in sports, it’s getting good at the fundamentals that wins the game – not the one fancy move – isn’t that right?
So please meet with your staff regularly to hone their skills and your processes for that constant, never-ending improvement in each area of your practice.
This is what builds your credibility, your reputation and your revenues.
Mistake #5: No Plan in Place
As they say, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
It costs you too much to acquire a new cosmetic patient to be sloppy about it. Here’s what I mean…
The top cosmetic practices realize it’s not one email.
It’s not one newsletter.
It’s not one event.
The secret is to regularly keep your name in front of your current as well as new cosmetic patients so they
choose you over all the others when they are ready for cosmetic enhancement.
Because circumstances change, life changes and people change, that means those who said NO before were
really saying NOT YET OR NOT NOW, so when they are ready, they’re going to the surgeon they are most
likely familiar with and hopefully that’s you.
But how do you stay in front of prospective patients?
Annual Marketing Plan
Put a plan in place with an action date and a staff person who is accountable for seeing to it that it gets done.
You have protocols set up for everything else in your practice so do one more for the process of promoting
your cosmetic services. Here’s an example:
January
- Theme – New Year – New You
- Email to Entire Patient List with Jan Specials (Karen)
- Social Media Posts – 3x per week (Sandy)
- Add B/A Photos and Testimonials to Website (Ken)
- VIP Cards Sent to Best Patients to Use This Year (Sophia)
- Coolscuplting In-House Event (Karen)
Now each practice team member owns their part of the practice promotion so they are focused on practice-
building and not just their day-to-day tasks.
Once you fix the mistakes plastic surgeons make, you will see your practice run more smoothly and isn’t that
what you want?
If you could use some help fine tuning your practice to run on all cylinders, let’s talk about consulting so I can show
you how other successful practices are set up to succeed.
We can talk about where you are now, where you want to be and the road blocks in your way.
Click Here to schedule now.