In the finale of his mini series on the Invisalign buying cycle, Bhavin Bhatt discusses how to get your patients to commit to treatment.
We have successfully drawn people into consideration, opening them up for a conversation, then leading them to consultation.
Next, we need to smoothly land them into the last step of the process: commitment.
Nailing the commitment step is not as easy as the previous three steps. This is because, on this one, your patient needs to make an actual payment and commit to the aligner treatment procedure.
Start with a pre-commitment
Before a patient commits to the aligner treatment, they might have one or several concerns in their mind.
These concerns may sound strange and obvious sometimes, but they could be things that stop your prospective patients from making the commitment.
For example, many people are hesitant to get aligners because they may be worried about what they can eat or drink.
On the other hand, some people also have concerns about their speech being affected.
As the dentist, we need to understand these concerns in order to address them with empathy and clarity.
The best way is to explain how they could overcome these problems.
It is also crucial for us to convince them that any discomfort patients may feel during the treatment is minor.
In addition, this discomfort will settle down and focus on the end result – the beauty of their new smile!
Deal the brokerage
Brokerage refers to how to make it easy and affordable for your patients to deal with a commitment.
The key to a successful brokerage is to make the payment process as slick and straightforward as possible.
Too many options and suggestions only complicate things. Avoid the paradox of choices when offering the payment method.
It is best not to provide them with plenty of choices of permutations. As a a result, it will only make your clients confused and waste their time in frustration.
Therefore, we suggest offering only three types of payment: cash, card and financing.
For an even more efficient process, convince your clients to pay upfront in cash.
Maybe offer them free whitening if they choose to pay cash right on that day. I have found this strategy works well on people looking for a deal. Around 80% of my clients prefer to pay upfront when they know they are getting tooth whitening included.
And yes, the whole payment process should be smooth and easy so patients do not get frustrated or change their minds.
Mitigate the buyer’s remorse
Having patients pay for the commitment is not enough.
Be aware of patients who tend to regret their decisions and consider getting their money back.
To mitigate such problems, you need an efficient administrative department.
Here is what I suggest based on what I always do…
Get your contracts in digital paperwork so you can email the copy to each client instantly after the signing.
Attach three videos to the email to make them feel assured about their decisions.
These are the different videos should contain:
- An explanation of the treatment process so your client knows what to anticipate and prepare
- A summary of all that you have talked about – just in case your prospective clients need other people to agree on their aligner treatment plan
- A testimonial compilation to show how wonderful it feels to have their teeth treated with aligners, so your prospective clients get even more excited about it.
Some patients might be eager and impatient to get their aligner treatment started so that they are willing to make the commitment as quickly as possible.
On the other hand, some may have concerns and doubts that you need to resolve efficiently.
Either way, you need to cater to their needs so the whole process feels assuring and comfortable for them.
The end result is to give them all the information they need, explain all the options they have, make the payment process simple and easy, and reassure your patient that they have made the right decision in choosing you for their treatment.
Bhavin is running a Business Bootcamp competition. Find out more here.
Catch up on the rest of the Four Cs mini-series from Bhavin:
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