Elective Surgery Conversion Rates in an Imperfect World We don’t live in a perfect world. You probably already know that. That’s why successful practices spend money on advertising and marketing: Online advertising (pay-per-click, social media, etc.) Radio spots (traditional or online) Television spots Print advertising However, if your own marketing efforts are random and sporadic – not backed by a solid plan to drive traffic to your doors – you may be struggling to find the right formula for success. And that can be a costly struggle. Think your practice doesn’t use – or need – marketing? Advertising and marketing comes in many different forms – not just paid advertising. For example, the sign in front of your office can draw patients in or drive them away. Your business cards are a tangible marketing tool: the more professional they look, the more confidence patients will have in your practice. And your website is your virtual storefront: it’s a direct reflection of your practice. So even if you don’t advertise, you DO have marketing out there. Now take a look at your consultation to surgery ratio. Don’t know it? Think back to the last five consultations that came through your office. How many of them actually booked a surgery? If your consultation to surgery ratio is less than 75%, you are letting revenue and profit walk right out your door. The effectiveness of highly successful coordinator does not depend on how well they sell, but rather how well they educate the prospective patient. Yes, we said educate. Why educate? Well, the short answer is that people have fears. We call these fears “hot button” issues because they are the biggest issue for that person, and usually the main roadblock between them and having surgery. You’ve probably heard them all: “Can I lose my eyesight?” “Could I come out worse than I am right now?” “What if it doesn’t work?” The fastest way to overcome these fears is by answering them. Once you have hit all of the person’s “hot button” issues, or issues that are really important to the prospect, then the decision to have surgery comes down to three ingredients: money, authority, and need. Treat the consultation as an interview. The prospective patient needs to have time to ask questions, be educated on your practice and the procedure, and consider scheduling. All of this should be done prior to the intial exam. And yes, we said PRIOR. If you properly address all the prospects questions and concerns before the exam, they are closer to scheduling surgery. All of your team members (phone and office) should know how to address each of those concerns that your prospective patients have. Training is often necessary. Even if you have the most skilled staff members, you should periodically be role playing to ensure they CAN answer those questions. Need to increase your conversions? Contact us to learn about our training programs.