It can be tough to decide whether to charge patients consultation fees in today's aesthetic services industry. Here are the pros and cons to consider.
March 12, 2020
TEL: (888) 907-0115
Venus Concept is a leader in the global medical and aesthetic device market, pairing best-in-class technology with the first and only true subscription model in the industry.
The first consultation with a new patient is key to making the best impression and converting prospective patients into paying ones. As medical aesthetic professionals, patient comfort should be a main focus; some vulnerability during consults on the part of patients is to be expected. For the most successful consultation, avoid these three common mistakes medical aesthetic doctors make that could cost your clinic a new patient.
Prospective patients typically research a lot of clinics and doctors. Booking their first consultation is often a result of them placing trust in you and your clinic’s online reputation. Depending on the size and type of practice, the practical method may be to have the aesthetics consult conducted by a treatment coordinator or aesthetician.
While it might be necessary to have another staff member take on the majority of the consult, not offering the patient the opportunity to directly meet their treatment provider is a big mistake. Patients get a lot out of these face-to-face meetings—it’s reassuring to actually connect with the person that they’re putting trust in during their treatment, and it can go a long way towards enhancing the overall patient experience. Always make time to include a little one-on-one time meeting between the prospective patient and their treatment provider.
In this consultation, the patient will reveal what they personally dislike about their appearance. They will feel exposed, vulnerable, nervous, or anxious. They may stress about being ridiculed or made to feel worse about their self-perceptions; they may stress that the provider’s skills and expertise may be inadequate, or that they face the potential for a bad outcome.
This isn’t the time to impose any views regarding perceived beauty standards. Your attitude and understanding will have a huge impact on the patient’s ultimate decision, so listen well and ensure patients feel they can be open, comfortable, and honest without being judged or misunderstood. View the consultation from the patient’s perspective, and calm their concerns first and foremost.
Everything said and done during the initial consultation contributes to the conversion process. Improvisation is a big mistake here. A clear and defined procedure for aesthetic consultations is required to ensure the best outcomes.
While there is no “right” way to structure a consultation, consider how your clinic and treatment providers are marketed, and sculpt the consultation structure around your patient persona. Be intentional and professional. Define how these interactions will proceed, ensure all staff are aware of the standard procedure, and follow your established process for each consultation. If the process seems to be failing to meet your conversion goals, tweak the process and test new ideas, always keeping the patient’s comfort and best interests in mind. An hour-long consultation may be expected, depending on the treatments offered and the patient’s concerns. For this reason, some clinics will charge a consultation fee to ensure they are reimbursed for their time, and that the consultation isn’t rushed.
Integrating these essential practice enhancement techniques will help you avoid common missteps and maximize your patient conversion rate.
To discover more tips on how to build patient trust and boost conversions, download our invaluable eBook, “Mastering the Art of the Aesthetic Consult.”
For more information call: (888) 907-0115 // info@venusconcept.com // 235 Yorkland Blvd., Suite 900, Toronto, ON, M2J 4Y8 Canada
REGULATORY CLEARANCES [ More ]
Venus Bliss™ is cleared by the FDA and licensed by Health Canada for non-invasive lipolysis of the abdomen and flanks in individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or less, with the diode laser applicators. The (MP)2 applicator is cleared by the FDA for temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite, and licensed by Health Canada for temporary increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, and temporary cellulite reduction. Venus Bliss™ has CE Mark as a non-invasive medical aesthetic device enabling a comprehensive approach leading to body contouring, addressing fat reduction, skin tightening, circumference reduction, and cellulite reduction.
Venus Versa™ is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and has CE Mark as a multi-application device intended to be used in aesthetic and cosmetic procedures. The SR515 and SR580 applicators are cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and have CE Mark for the treatment of benign pigmented epidermal and cutaneous lesions and treatment of benign cutaneous vascular lesions. The HR650/HR650XL and HR690/HR690XL applicators are cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and have CE Mark for the removal of unwanted hair and to effect stable long-term or permanent hair reduction for Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The AC Dual applicator is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and has CE Mark for the treatment of acne vulgaris. The DiamondPolar™ and OctiPolar™ applicators on the Venus Versa™ system are cleared by the FDA for non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides on females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The DiamondPolar™ applicator is licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides on females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The OctiPolar™ applicator on the Venus Versa™ system is licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for temporary body contouring via skin tightening, circumferential reduction, and cellulite reduction. The NanoFractional RF™ (Viva) applicator is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada, and has CE Mark for dermatological procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin.
ARTAS iX™ is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark with indication for use for harvesting hair follicles from the scalp in men diagnosed with androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) who have black or brown straight hair. ARTAS iX™ is intended to assist physicians in identifying and extracting hair follicular units from the scalp during hair transplantation; creating recipient sites; and implanting harvested hair follicles.
NeoGraft® is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark with indication for use in suction-assisted follicular extraction and re-implantation. NeoGraft® is an auto-graft system and can be used on both male and female patients.
Venus Legacy™ is cleared by the FDA for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides in females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV with the OctiPolar™ and DiamondPolar™ applicators, and temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite with the 4D Body (LB2) and 4D Face (LF2) applicators. It is licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for the temporary increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, temporary cellulite reduction, and temporary wrinkle reduction.
Venus Velocity™ is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for hair removal, permanent hair reduction (defined as the long-term stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing when measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after the completion of a treatment regimen), and the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae for all Fitzpatrick skin types.
Venus Fiore™ received regulatory approval in Israel for aesthetic and functional treatment of the vagina, labia and mons pubis. Venus Fiore™ is available for sale in India, Hong Kong, and other selected Asian countries.
The Venus Viva™ MD is cleared by the FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for the use in dermatological procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin using the Viva™/Viva™ MD applicator, and the non-invasive treatment, reduction in the appearance of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides for females in Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV with the DiamondPolar™ applicator.
The Venus Viva™ MD is cleared by the FDA for the use in dermatological procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin, and the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides for females in Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV with the DiamondPolar™ applicator.
Venus Epileve™ is cleared by FDA, licensed by Health Canada and has CE Mark for hair removal, permanent hair reduction (defined as the long-term stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing when measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after the completion of a treatment regimen), and the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae for all Fitzpatrick skin types. Venus Epileve™ is also CE-Marked for hirsutism.
Venus Freeze Plus™ is cleared by the FDA for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides in females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. It is licensed by Health Canada for temporary skin tightening, and temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite on the abdomen and flanks, using the DiamondPolar™ and OctiPolar™ applicators. The DiamondPolar™ applicator on Venus Freeze Plus™ has CE Mark for the non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides, and the increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, and cellulite reduction with the OctiPolar™ applicator.
Venus Heal™ is licensed by Health Canada and can be used for the treatment of both acute and chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system, such as muscle spasms, back pain, and soft tissue injuries, and results in effects such as pain relief, myorelaxation, increase of local blood circulation, and edema reduction. In the U.S., Venus Heal™ is cleared by the FDA for the relief of minor muscle aches and pain, relief of muscle spasm, and temporary improvement of local blood circulation. These indications enable the treatment of certain soft tissue injuries and conditions.
Venus Glow™ is cleared by the FDA as a Class I motorized dermabrasion device. It provides a dermal rejuvenation treatment that works to open up and deep-clean pores. Venus Concept is the exclusive distributor for Venus Glow™.
Venus Skin™ is a skin care line of various lotions and creams intended to improve different aspects of skin appearance, skin serums, and skin nourishment solutions.
Copyright 2023 Venus Concept. All rights reserved.
You are entering our website. For other countries/regions and language options, please click the SELECT A DIFFERENT REGION button below.
SELECT A DIFFERENT REGIONAre you looking to get a treatment? Please visit our patient website to learn more.
Click HereBe aware of schemes involving fraudulent job postings.
Read More