Episode Details

📅 Schedule your free 30-min strategy call with Catherine

⚙️ Restart your practice in 7 days

⬇️⬇️⬇️

Welcome to "Beauty and the Biz", where we talk about the business and marketing side of plastic surgery and "selling the invisible".

I'm your host, Catherine Maley, author of "Your aesthetic practice - What your patients are saying", and consultant to plastic surgeons to get them more patients and profits. ​

Today's podcast is called, "Selling the Invisible", and I'll discuss ways on how to sell the invisible, non-tangible services that you offer.

As a plastic surgeon, you're in a tough position when it comes to promoting the and selling the invisible.

Your surgical services are intangible. Prospective patients can't "see, touch, feel" your product so that makes it difficult for them to decipher the quality of work they are paying for.

That's a big reason it's so difficult for them to decide on you versus your competitors. There's nothing tangible for them to compare and thus, you're selling the invisible to them.

Cosmetic patients also have to get past the fear of uncertainty and regret. Let's face it – once they have a cosmetic surgical procedure performed, it cannot be undone or returned.

So, why wouldn't a cosmetic patient choose you over others?

The reality is cosmetic patients choose you for so much more than just your medical degrees.

SO, HERE ARE 4 KEY ELEMENTS NEEDED TO PROMOTE COSMETIC SURGERY PROCEDURES and they all start with "P":

PRODUCT

Because your cosmetic services are invisible and do not provide prospective patients with visual clues about function, performance and benefits, you have to be creative.

The way to win over your competitors is to help patients understand what the procedure entails and its value to them. Painting a picture for them so that you're not selling the invisible, but selling them the "envisionable".

You win over patients by educating them. For example, the procedure description should clearly state:

• What the procedure is – as in what problems it addresses and how you uniquely solve those problems.
• Why the procedure is important – by explaining what noticeable improvements it makes
• The Benefits of the procedure – such as you'll look good and feel great and the
• Deliverables are what the patient can expect in terms of the journey before, during and after.

There is much technology available today to help you illustrate your services and educate these consumers so they are better able to make a decision by "envisioning the invisible", so I highly recommend using it.

PERSONALITY

Like it or not, thanks to the transparency of the Internet and social media, this has become a personality contest.

Prospective patients want to know you as a surgeon but also as a person. They bond with you by feeling as if they know you through your photos and videos online.

They want to see you as a multi-faceted individual. Not just a surgeon, but also as a Dad, spouse, speaker, gardener, cook and whatever else you're willing to share so the prospective patients feels comfortable enough to book the consultation.

BTW, your personality IS your differentiator since nobody else is like you, so I highly recommend using it.

PROCESSes

Professionally trained staff and well-defined processes ensure that your services are provided in a consistent manner.

And, consistent service tells the patient you are a quality practice they can count on to give them predictable service in a specific way for a great result.

A practice following consistent procedural protocols that runs smoothly is perceived as a sign of quality and cannot be taken lightly.

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

This la