Cosmetic Patients Need This to Convert…

It can be a mine field trying to understand the whims and preferences of prospective?cosmetic patients?during their consultation with you.

How many times have you thought you had a great visit with them, only to find out they left, never to be heard from again??

Since it behooves you to better understand cosmetic patients if you want to convert a lot more consultations, this should help…..

PATIENT PERCEPTIONS VARY

Perceptions vary greatly from one patient to another because they come to you with their own expectations, prior experiences, and beliefs.?

In my book,?Your Aesthetic Practice/What Your Patients are Saying, patients, I interviewed were all over the map when it came to their perceptions. For example:

1. Some patients buy on price, some on your Instagram account and
2. some on referrals from their friends;
3. While some patients thought an aesthetically gorgeous office indicated pride and success; others thought it was over the top and intimidating.
4. ?While some patients felt like they found the right practice and physician for them, others felt out of place and uncomfortable and on and on.?

How the heck are you supposed to know what they’re thinking? You ask questions and let me tell you.?

Before you jump in, be curious with open-ended questions such as:

• What is it exactly you are looking for??
• Why is this important to you??
• Why is now the right time?
• Since you have been on other consults, what can I tell you
• that you don’t already know?

PATIENT FEELINGS ARE EVERYTHING!

As those surveyed were probed further to understand why they choose one practice over another, one consistent response kept coming up:?

They?felt?a connection with the surgeon and the staff.

They?felt?comfortable there. Their gut told them this is a safe place.?

They?felt?confident they will get the result they want and be happy with their result.?

The aesthetic patient wants to feel understood, heard, and special. When patients spend their own money and time on elective cosmetic enhancement, they want to be treated respectfully, professionally, and kindly by every person they encounter in the practice so please slow down and connect with them with eye contact, a smile, and with focus on them.?

PATIENTS WANT CUSTOMIZED SOLUTIONS

Today’s aesthetic patients are not interested in a cookie-cutter approach. Thanks to the Internet and social media, they have strong feelings and preferences they want to be met.

They want a tailor-made solution for their own personal concerns.?They want to feel like you completely understand their unique situation and you have the perfect solution for them.

Tips to help include hearing them by repeating back what they are saying are their concerns and showing them results to expect. You can draw it out, use video editing apps on their photos, or personalized computer imaging.

PATIENTS NEED SOCIAL PROOF

Prospective patients need more social proof than ever before to trust your recommendations and move forward.?Here are proven strategies to help:

• User Generated Content
• Your social media content needs to be so interesting and engaging, that your followers link, comment, and share your posts and now you’re seen as popular.
• Online Reviews
• The more, the merrier and they don’t all have to be 5 stars. It looks way more authentic when you have hundreds of reviews at a score of 4.8 then 8 at a score
• of 5. Even 5-star hotels have scores of 4.6!
• Subtle Bragging?
• PR, photos with celebrities, you at charitable events, your fancy car, luxury travel, etc. to show you do and have great things because you are successful.
• Before/After Photos
• Nothing gets more clicks, likes and comments than showing off your work and your results.?
• That includes your patients’ testimonial selfies showing off their results because
• it’s the most transparent and authentic social proof you can get.?

WOW PATIENT EXPERIENCE

It’s vital for the emotionally charged aesthetic patient to have an excellent experience every single time they connect with your office.?

A WOW patient experience starts with the first contact they have with your office to book a consultation, whether they called, filled out your phone, or direct messaged you on social media. Then what?

Did they get a friendly response back in return??

Was your staff friendly, courteous, and professional throughout the patient’s journey?

Are your processes so smooth, patients?feel?your competence?

The flow of your practice running like a well-oiled machine with friendly, professional staff is what patients are buying. It gives them the confidence they are in good hands and will be well taken care of.

CONCLUSION

Please carve out time with your team to work on your practice from the patient’s point of view. They are all that matters to your success.?

Because when you get this right, you don’t have to worry about having a steady stream of patients…they are built into your successful practice organically.