Back in the 70’s, McDonalds noticed that a lot of their customers bought a hamburger and nothing else. So, they tested a strategy to consistently offer add-on menu items to every customer with the simple iconic question, “Do you want fries with that?”
There’s no fancy pitch or gimmick, just a humble suggestion.
How to upsell in your practice and double your profits
Amazon also uses this add-on strategy brilliantly to create a 30% increase in revenues by simply suggesting other products their customers might like as an add-on to their current purchase. Using a simple statement, “People who bought this…also bought this…”
This one marketing tool has been worth billions of dollars to McDonalds and Amazon and you can use the same concept in your own cosmetic practice.
Focus on making life easier for your patients. What else can you offer them to save time, money, downtime, and hassle?
Here’s the thing…. once a patient is in a buying mood and has said yes to you once, it’s much easier for them to say yes again.
How to Upsell Surgical Procedures in a Professional Way
Give your prospective patient a choice of 3 scenarios and position them as “Good, Better, Best”. For example…
Tummy Tuck, Tummy Tuck + Breast Aug, Tummy Tuck with Breast Aug & Lift
However, this can be tricky so know your audience. If they will be overwhelmed by too much choice or resistant, for example, to the breast work since they told you they only want a tummy tuck, skip this strategy and try this instead….
Suggest to your prospective patients that doing both surgeries at the same time saves them X amount of money since you offer a multiple procedure discount, and they eliminate going through the downtime again.
Now that they have already agreed to a surgical procedure, make simple suggestions they can add-on to their experience such as:
- Lymphatic massage specially-priced package with a neighboring alliance
- Overnight nursing care for only X dollars more
- Cooling mask for face or body parts for additional comfort
- Additional scar cream, soothing cooling packs, garments…anything to help them recover faster with less discomfort
Upselling Non-Surgical Treatments: Checkout is Checking In
Checkout is a crucial point in your patients’ experience and not to be taken lightly. It makes the difference between a raving patient and one that disappears forever, never to be seen or heard from again.
It starts with a friendly team member at your checkout desk that greets the patient with a smile and asks how their visit was today…then listens!
If the patient mentions any negative feedback at all, your staff should acknowledge, apologize and do something to correct it. This helps prevent the patient going online to complain.
This can also turn the disappointed patient into a friendly ally because she sees you care.
Otherwise, if all is well, your checkout staff goes through the 4 Rs of Checkout listed below:
Return
“When can we see you again?”
Always do all you can to book their next appointment now, while they are standing in front of you. This psychologically keeps them focused on you versus checking out your competitors.
Dentists have done this for decades and you can do the same with a simple question such as…
“Karen, let’s get you set up now for your next visit since we book up quickly. Does this same day/time [June 10th] work for you?”
If they say they have to check their schedule, you say,
“Sure, let’s do this to save you time…. I’ll reserve this time for you now and send you reminders in case you need to reschedule. How’s that?”
Another approach is more direct but effective and goes like this:
“Karen, we offer a 10% discount when you book your next appointment now, would you like the same day/time next month?”
Retail
Many of the non-surgical treatments are so popular because they are quick fixes for busy people. However, they can also leave you red, swollen and bruised.
It’s the perfect opportunity to suggest they try your cover up makeup, your cooling masks and other products that help them get back to their busy lives.
Of course, bundled products are the best value for your bottom line and your patient’s results.
For example, they can buy just the cooling lotion to help after a laser treatment, or they can upgrade to the “Complete Laser Post-Op Pack” to include the cooling lotion, soothing cleanser and cover up makeup, for only X dollars more.
Refer
The best NEW patients come from your current patients who have raved about you and done all the hard work singing your praises, so do more to make referrals happen more often.
Simple in-house signage at your checkout counter works because the patient is handing over their credit card so it’s easy for her to slip a couple referral cards into her wallet to pass along to her friends. This leaves a nice paper trail so you can thank them when their friends do visit.
“Need a Quick Gift?” showing off your gift cards also becomes a great upsell for the busy patient looking for a unique present for their sister, mom, friend, etc.
It’s also a nice touch to include a $50 credit on their account for their next visit to thank them for referring and/or buying a gift card.
Review
The next best thing to a referral is an online review. Now hundreds of other prospective patients see how great you are, but don’t leave it to chance.
When you have a happy patient at checkout gushing about their results, get that in writing!
Have a simple postcard with instructions on how to write an online review.
You can include a Starbucks gift card as a thank you for them taking the time to do it, or have them do it from their phone while they are still in your practice and give them a choice of a free skincare product they would love to try.
Conclusion
Learning how to upsell or bundle or whatever you else you create can seriously increase your revenues and patient satisfaction in a fun way.
Get your team together, have them read this and brainstorm which strategies work best in your practice and then execute and watch profits soar!
5 Top Money Makers
in Your Cosmetic Practice.
