Australasian Dentist Issue 93

CATEGORY AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST 67 LINICAL 2. Before and after gallery – Treatment outcomes need to be natural, look cohesive and look comparable. Elizabeth can spot changes in lighting, makeup and little details 3. Care – This type of patient will evaluate your communication style, time and consenting process. She will interact with the injector, asking questions about complications, experience and aftercare. Elizabeth wants exclusivity – no rushing, no churning, no cheap shortcuts. 4. Results – This type of patient does not want to have any complications. She wants to trust her face to you, but she needs some time to make this assessment. 5. Trust – Elizabeth sees you already as a dental patient, and trusts in you, your staff, and your expertise. She will question the injectable treatments you propose, but she does this to be sure that you understand the procedure yourself, and are confident in it, so that she may have confidence in you. She trusts you with her teeth, but she needs to trust you with her face. It might take a while to get Elizabeth there, but you are many steps ahead of the cheap cosmetic clinic. Elizabeth is in demand You don’t want Lisa. You want Elizabeth. Once Elizabeth starts researching cosmetic injectable treatments, she will want a reputable practitioner that makes her feel special, that she can trust and continue care over the longterm, and someone who has experience. Elizabeth might not fully appreciate your talent and experience yet, but she trusts the brand and the message that the brand conveys – polished, trustworthy, reliable experiences, professional. All the little attributes that make you better than a cheaper clinic may not be fully processed – but the fact you’re a doctor, dentist or nurse will be the reassuring factor that gives Elizabeth confidence she’ll be in safe hands. She knows now she needs to see someone qualified and trustworthy – she might not acknowledge exactly what that means but your pricing indicates to you that you have experience that she is willing to pay for. The fact you’re ‘expensive’ is reassuring for Elizabeth, Elizabeth thinks: ‘She must be good.’ Indeed Elizabeth won’t consider it expensive, even if you’re concerned it is, Elizabeth will process it as value. Elizabeth believes that higher priced items and services, are generally better quality and more reliable. Higher fees convey your experience, time that you will take, and your training. What about Lisa? Lisa doesn’t care about any of that. She hasn’t looked into it that much, it hasn’t occurred to her that not all clinics are equal, Lisa just wants her lips and she wants them now and for as little money as possible so she books the first person she sees in her area offering cheap lip fillers. She literally doesn’t care who does it, or where she goes. Price is really the only consideration. Don’t be embarrassed about your fees Your fees reflect you and the quality care that you offer. You have spent time and endless education getting to this point, you’ve completed a degree, worked long hours, had years of training and learning. You have invested in your clinical space, your website, your equipment, your products. Your patients aren’t just paying for 1m of filler or 50 units of Botox. They’re paying for your knowledge, experience and skills. They’re paying for your time and effort and your commitment to safety and only acting in their best interests. They are paying for the brand that you have created and the way you make them feel. They know that you care, and that is important to them. They’re paying for your care, your accountability and your responsibility. They are paying to see you and you alone. They don’t want just any injector, they want you. They’re paying because you’re good at what you do – don’t be too humble to recognise this. You worked for this and continue to work for this. Be proud that your patient sought you out, because of you. Forget the Lisas There are enough Elizabeths for you to run a business with. Forget the Lisas . Let them go to the beauty salon next door. You’re not losing them because you never wanted Lisa in the first place. That is not the brand that you emit. That is not your vibe. Lisa will never be your people. Chanel doesn’t get worried that some people buy a handbag from Kmart. Kmart will never be Chanel, and Chanel knows it. They know they can charge more because their customers get a product that is exclusive, high quality and a better service with guarantees and a commitment to quality. Chanel does not mess around for being high priced when compared to Kmart, or any other brand. They are Chanel. You know when you buy Chanel, that you are buying design, style that doesn’t date and that will stand the test of time. Kmart knows that it is fast fashion, and relies on turnover to survive. You want patients who respect you for what you’re charging. And they will. There are enough of them. Even if they think ‘Ooof, that seems like a lot of money’ it’s not because you’re too expensive, it’s because they recognise they have to pay good money for good work. Quite frankly, there’s enough Elizabeths who won’t give it a second thought – they will find a way to get treatment from you because they trust the brand! Don’t waste your time comparing It’s easy to convince yourself you’re business is going to fall apart when you know people are going to the cheaper competitor. Perhaps you’ve even lost a few patients to cheaper clinics? Sometimes even an Elizabeth might leave to try a cheap clinic to save money. But they will come back because no one will look after them like you and the way you make them feel. Don’t focus on patients that are no longer yours. Focus on the Elizabeths you have. It’s worth remembering that other practitioners are thinking about you too – even the cheap clinics. They might be wishing that they could chargemore to be successful like you. The cheaper clinics might be wondering why you get so many patients, why you’re able to charge what you do, how they can be as good as you. They might feel envious about your perceived success. It’s pointless to compare.