Ep.119: Handling Objections - a podcast by Catherine Maley, MBA

from 2021-09-23T04:13:28

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Handling Objections Podcast

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

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.

You know how frustrating it is when you, as the surgeon, spend endless hours in consultations with would-be patients and you are sure they are a yes, so you pass them back to your patient coordinator who discusses your fees and surgical dates, but then you find out later, they didn’t book after all.

How frustrating is that? When you ask your coordinator what happened, they often tell you the prospective patient has to think about it or talk to their husband.

But is that true? In my decades of experience in sales, I have found that 1st objection is not the real objection. It’s the one they give you that gets them off the hook so they can go back to procrastinating since it’s a big decision to make.

But a true professional who is confident asks questions to get to the real issue because you need to discover their real objection since that’s the only way they are going to move forward.

Here’s the secret…look at objections as clues. It’s the patient letting you know whether or not you’re moving towards their YES or away from it.

They are actually guiding you so be grateful. Because if they didn’t have any objections, they are not even considering what you are offering them.

Your coordinator should welcome objections and you both should prepare responses ahead of time, while you’re relaxed– not while in the heat of the moment when the patient is sitting in front of you and emotions are high.

The first thing you want to do when an objection comes up is to STAY CALM and ask questions to get to the real objection.

Here are 6 strategies to help:

1. Always Agree

This may be counterintuitive but always, always, always agree with the patient and let them know they are right and you understand. No matter what they say. If you agree with someone, it immediately dissolves their resistance. Now that they know you heard them, they will be more open and receptive to a different point of view.

2. Prepare proof to dispel objections

Thanks to the sheer volume of contradictory information online, your patients may have some wacky thinking going on that needs to be addressed.

So, rather than telling them they’re wrong, use your other patients to counter the objections.

For example:

Create a list of common objections you hear often.
Now collect patient videos and written testimonials addressing those same objections.
Then have your prospective patients watch the videos from your other patients who had the same concern they did, but they moved forward and are go grateful they did because they love their result.

3. Your Own Story

It’s so much more powerful when your coordinator can relay their own story and experience with a patient who wants the same.

It’s also a huge shortcut to handling objections when your coordinator become the patient’s aesthetic advisor because the patients can see with their own eyes your excellent work and they want the same.

4. Be Curious

Did you know a majority of cosmetic patients love to procrastinate and hate making big decisions? Most likely, they have been thinking about this for years and are looking to you for guidance and a little prodding to help them make a decision so feel them out by asking more questions.

However, you must ask and then LISTEN to their answers. Silent pauses are needed here. If you give the prospective patient the space and time to think, maybe they won’t need to go home and think about it.

5. Price vs Value

Price will most often be the main sticking point as an objection so prepare for it by remembering this:

Nobody buys the price. They buy a solution to their problem. They are doing a cost- benefit analysis in their head to determine if what you charge is worth the time, money and hassle to get the result they want.

Your job is to help them make sense of the price because you offer so much value such as great results, 5-Star Service, and a Quality Patient Experience.

The point is there is always more to consider than just price so make a big deal out of the extra value you provide that helps put your pricing in perspective.

BTW, prospective patients will often balk at your fees BUT is that really an objection or just a complaint? Oftentimes, they do get sticker shock but they are not objecting. They just need a minute to process so be sure you laid out your value ahead of time and give them lots of creative ways to pay for it.

6. Use an Objection Cheat Sheet

80% of the objections you hear will be the same so prepare your responses now to eliminate “winging it” in front of the patient. Here is a list to get you started:

“[I agree or you’re right or

Objection	Your Response
It’s too much.	I understand Karen, these procedures are not cheap but they do last a long time. Most of our patients say it’s too much AND they love their results so much, they wish they had done it sooner.” BTW, we offer affordable pay plans. Are you interested?
I’m not sure it’s worth the time & money.	“Sara, I can tell you, I had it done and I couldn’t be happier.”
I need to think about it.	“Let me ask you Sara, on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being you are absolutely certain and ready to go, and 1 being you wouldn’t move forward no matter what, where do you stand?” “What would make it a 10?”
I’m going to think about it.	“I understand Sara and I’ve helped so many other patients think about it, I’d like to help you too. What exactly do you want to think about?”
I have to talk to my husband	“You’re right Sara, you should definitely run this by your husband and out of curiosity, What if he says No? or What would he say no to?” This is a great question because the patient will tell you what their husband will object to, which is usually what THEY object to.

So, do you see now that whatever the objection is, just ask more questions because objections are nothing to fear when you are prepared ahead of time to address them and move on to the decision.

If your coordinator could use my help, please have them join my converting club for coordinators to learn how to professionally and confidently convert your consults.

Details are at www.convertconsultations.com

Everyone that wraps it up for this session. Please subscribe to Beauty and the Biz, so you don't miss any other episodes. And if you've got any questions or feedback for me, you can certainly leave them on my website at www.CatherineMaley.com, or you can always DM me on Instagram @CatherineMaleyMBA. Thanks so much and we'll talk again soon.

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