Communication Strategies to Help You Convert More New Calls & Consults in Your Aesthetic Practice

Tips to help you and your staff handle objections during the sales conversation so you can turn more new callers into appointments, and more new patient consults into paid procedures.

According to the late Zig Ziglar,

"Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.

As a practice owner, provider, or front office coordinator, you've most likely heard some of these objections from potential patients in the past. But how do you handle them? Do you just say "okay" and hope for better luck with the next phone call or new patient consult - or do you look for sales communication strategies that will allow you to address these obstacles head-on?

Today I'm offering a few thoughts to help you handle these types of objections so that you can convert more new calls and consults into paying patients and procedures.

NO NEED

Keep in mind that patients don’t always know they need what you have, or they may be unaware a solution exists for their complaint.

This is where a comprehensive consultation can be extremely valuable. Following a process that allows you to ask questions and learn how a patient is currently addressing particular issues naturally takes the conversation beyond initial concerns and opens the door to discussing longer-term goals.

NO MONEY

While certainly there are people who don’t have the financial means to buy aesthetic treatments and cosmetic procedures, many will use this reply because they THINK they can't afford you, or, they don't yet see the value.

In your marketing and sales conversations educate on the benefits and show potential patients how they can afford your products and services with financing options and/or smaller packages that work with their budget.

NO HURRY /NO DESIRE

The “no hurry” and “no desire” objections can be combined into a single response. Maybe a new patient lead is in the research phase, or she is only beginning to assess her options. In this case, you need to craft your approach for whatever stage of the buying process that's she’s in.

Remember, no one likes to be sold, but everyone likes to buy. You don't want to rush the process, but you can help guide her to the next stage. For example, if a potential patient is not ready to schedule a consultation during the initial phone call, simply "bookend" the call by asking if you can follow up with her in a few days to see if she has additional questions. And don't be afraid to create a sense of urgency by mentioning specials/ limited-time offers to encourage a patient to take action.

NO TRUST

This is where your marketing needs to do the heavy lifting. You can build trust through marketing if your messaging is genuine and value-focused. Patients want transparency and information they can use, not a hard-core sales pitch.

Use your blog to continually educate your audience and provide answers that patients are looking for. Make valuable content the priority.

Social media is a fabulous resource to establish yourself as a thought leader and to directly connect with potential patients who are talking about the types of products, treatments, and procedures you provide. Use your expertise to show, tell and teach!

For every obstacle, there’s a way to handle it to increase your chances of turning a call or consultation into a new aesthetic patient. Pay close attention to what someone is REALLY saying during the objection and then find ways that make it impossible for her not to say yes!

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Connie Kurczewski is the founder of Elevated Practice Consulting, a sales communication and aesthetic practice management firm specializing in front office staff training and business development. Schedule a 30-minute get-acquainted call here.