As a leading sales trainer in the aesthetic field, one of the most common issues I come across is how to ethically incorporate a sales strategy into a medical practice. After all, you can’t spell aesthetics without ethics.
Ethics is also written into the Hippocratic Oath: “I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.”
But how do we build sales teams that prioritize warmth, sympathy and understanding, while still increasing revenue and patient satisfaction? The answer: Put the patient first.
Develop a Patient-Centric Sales Ethos
As patient care coordinator for Samuel Hahn, MD, of the Maryland Center for Facial Plastic Surgery (Cockeysville, Md.), Annette Luskin recognizes the importance of sales in providing a valuable service for patients. “Ethical selling in a medical setting means fully understanding your patients so you can provide them with the information needed to make an educated decision,” she noted. “It is our role to present professional opinions and knowledge to our patients in an honest, open way.”
Sales is being of service. So, when we focus on understanding the patient first and then offer knowledge in an open, honest way, we create a sales strategy that prioritizes patient outcomes, and a sales ethos our team can confidently stand behind.
Integrate Sales into the Entire Process
While conducting mystery shops, I have observed the following scenario: The receptionist asks a great question, and the patient shares a wealth of information including why they chose the practice and what they hope to gain. But the information isn’t shared between the team, and after
being asked the same question at different stages, the patient feels like they are being funneled towards a sales pitch.
A better solution: Train everyone to work together as a coordinated sales team, sharing and building upon information. When we get everyone on the same page, we not only create a better sales strategy; we create a seamless process for the patient that leverages information to offer better-informed solutions.
Celebrate Conversions
To best serve our clientele, we must find a way to track success, while keeping the team motivated towards hitting sales goals.
One of the first things to consider is the number of inquiries, versus the number of consultations booked. Then track (and celebrate) how many consultations turn into booked treatments. These conversion rates help you see how the practice is performing.
If we frame every successful conversion as being of service, we can celebrate victories. Personally, I still remember my first ‘dinner for two’ sales award nearly 30 years ago, for serving a customer above and beyond.
Investing in an Ethical Sales Ethos Pays Dividends
Developing an ethical sales ethos within a medical practice takes a coordinated, team-wide effort. When we develop a patient-centric sales ethos, get the whole team involved and track and celebrate conversions, we create a practice that helps our patients grow as individuals, while also growing revenue in a way that our staff can stand behind.
About the Author
Chris Stock
Chris is a global leader in sales development who helps aesthetic practices convert leads into patients by providing world-class ethical sales training and coaching. He has translated world-class sales training to be specific to aesthetic practices. In doing so, he delivers transformational results and grows the practices he works with. Chris can be reached at: [email protected]
