Posted on June 10, 2021 in General
The Importance of Seeing Beyond the “No”
While a good number of patients say yes to a given procedure after their consultation, not all of them do. But if a patient tells you “No” after a consultation, it doesn’t outrightly mean the no is final. A “No” from a potential patient could imply they are unsure or still thinking about it.
The truth is, surgery isn’t a right off the bat decision. There’s a lot to consider that makes your prospects ‘not now’ buyers. So, how can you nurture these leads? This is where you need to market your services and stay in touch with your leads, building relationships with them until they’re finally ready to schedule. However, most practices don’t know how to follow up after a consultation, hence their low conversions.
It’s definitely easier to direct your attention to patients who’ve said yes to their surgery than the ones who’ve informed you they don’t want to proceed with theirs. Besides, a lot of practices think calling, texting, or emailing prospects every so often might make them look too pushy or even nagging.
Yet, a look at practices that have high conversions shows that they achieve their success through deliberate, consistent, and strategic marketing efforts. They understand all too well that follow-up, even after an initial “no,” gradually builds strong connections with patients. It’s these relationships that encourage patients to finally move forward with their surgery.
Why Did Your Patient Not Schedule?
Surgery is a big deal. And there are all kinds of reasons why your potential patients opted not to book:
- Maybe it has a lot to do with the cost
- The reality of surgery finally hit them, and they got scared
- Perhaps it’s a risky procedure
- The downtime is a bit too long for them
There are so many things that could make your lead say no after a consult, some not necessarily related to your practice or the surgery. Fortunately, you can employ several marketing tactics to change their minds and convince them to book.
Following Up After the Consultation
Instead of waiting for your prospect to call back or only focusing on the patients who’ve decided to get the procedure, you can proactively go after your prospective patients by keeping the conversation going.
Here’s how:
- Send Out Educational Information
A strong follow-up plan can motivate your leads to eventually come for the procedure. So, keep your potential patients engaged by emailing them monthly and quarterly newsletters full of educational content about specific procedures they’re interested in. You can also text them.
This will help boost their confidence in getting the surgery they were previously reluctant about. Remember not to flood your prospects’ mailboxes. You want to market your procedures in an authentic and organic way.
- Offer Financing Options
If the reason your prospect declined surgery was due to cost, you could call them back with offers that will aid them in offsetting the fee. For instance, if you’ve partnered with a finance company, you can introduce your patient to the firm. That way, if the prospective patient is willing and was looking for a way to cover the cost of the procedure, then problem solved.
- Email A Checklist
Suppose your potential patient says they’re still in the decision-making process and are going for a couple more consults. That shouldn’t put you off. Rather, take it as an opportunity to call them and let them know you thought of a checklist that could actually enable them to benefit from their ongoing consultations.
Request them to go through it and let you know if it assisted them. Then, email your prospect a list of questions to ask during a consultation for the particular procedure they’re interested in.
Here, put your best foot forward by filling the checklist with questions that put you ahead of the competition. For example, you have successfully performed the intricate procedure for a certain number of patients. You can also include surgeons in your area of practice usually seek your opinion and anything else that makes you stand out. Also, add patient testimonials.
Every Leads Counts
As long as you have qualified leads, you stand a chance to convert them into actual patients. Although trying to convince leads who’ve already said “No” to schedule for a procedure might seem like a tall order, it’s very possible. All you need are these best-in-class marketing techniques and MDprospects in your corner. MDprospects works closely with the leading players in the marketing industry. They can also assist you in attracting a steady stream of high-converting leads. To find out how, please schedule a demo today.
