One of the most important parts of running a practice is building trust. Patients become comfortable when they understand how the technology works, as well as the benefits of undergoing a treatment. They also want to make sure their private information is protected. Patients should always understand the safety and security measures that your clinic implements.
Selling safety to your patients, particularly those still sitting on the fence, should be a standard part of your business operations. Highlight regulatory compliances, train all staff for safety, develop a positive safety rapport, and limit data exposure to earn and maintain trust.
Show Regulatory Compliance
Numerous health and occupational programs operated through government and industry associations provide certifications and authorizations to show that the technology and treatments are safe. Obtaining these regulatory clearances from government and industry organizations provides an expert opinion from a neutral third party with nothing to gain from the transaction between patient and practice.
As an authority on the side of consumer health and safety, approval from Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signals trust in medical technology and procedures for specific purposes. Industry organizations, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or the American National Standards Institute, focus on the safety of the technology itself rather than the results of a procedure. Electronic medical devices that your practice utilizes should also be certified by these engineering and manufacturing authorities.
When selling safety, especially for medical and cosmetic procedures, it’s always a good idea to make sure your patient understands that all procedures and equipment within the office meet common standards of risk reduction.
Explain the Safety Features
New medical and cosmetic equipment can be intimidating for patients, especially when a potential patient has difficulty wrapping their head around advanced scientific concepts. Keep your explanations as short as possible. You don’t need to explain the concept of how lasers work, but you do need to explain that the machine is set up to prevent the laser from becoming too powerful.
As well as expanding on the different safety features built into the procedure and technology, don’t hesitate to prove that you and your staff have been trained to become experts on how to use the machinery safely and effectively.
Link Quality with Proven Safety
When selling safety, some of your patients will respond well to regulatory approval, industry certification, and explanation of the benefits in layman’s terms. Others may like and understand the safety features and benefits, but they won’t develop the trust necessary to buy into the concept.
Sometimes, the final part of earning trust involves proof that the equipment provides high-quality service on a consistent basis. Stats that show the number of successful procedures without incident may convince a patient that the machine is indeed safe and well-constructed.
Offer a Safety Token
Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the top salesperson in the world, Joe Girard shared one of his secrets to decades of sales success: offer a personal token. This sales method revolves around the idea of “balancing” the relationship between a salesperson and their patients, turning an adversarial conversation into a discussion of mutual benefit.
As you talk about the safety benefits of the procedures and equipment used by your practice, offer a token item that hints at safety. For example, if your practice involves cosmetic skin procedures, a great safety token to offer might be a travel-size container of sunscreen, promoting the idea of skin safety. A free safety token should be provided earlier in the sales process to avoid coming across as a disingenuous way to close a deal based on safety.
Ensure Information Security
Well-publicized hacks of giant companies and large government organizations have dominated headlines for the past couple of years. This gives you an opportunity to put your patients’ minds at ease by assuring them that their personal information, including medical and financial data, will remain secure with your office.
When collecting information about patients, express the fact that you only collect data necessary to provide service for patients, reducing the amount of data exposed to potential malfeasance. Follow through on IT safety promises by maintaining security software, encrypting everything and backing up vital data in case of a technological disaster. Asking patients for personal, financial, and medical data for a second time is a surefire way to erode trust in your practice’s ability to operate safely.
Train All Staff
Every single member of your staff should be trained to perform their duties as safely as possible, whether the staff member is a technician, receptionist, or IT specialist. Mention to prospective patients that all staff members are trained to contribute to the safety of the entire office.
Choose a Company That Makes Safety a Priority
When choosing the right equipment, you have lots of questions and you rely on the answers you get to make your purchasing decision. So let’s talk about it.
Our executives have been at the forefront of innovative medical aesthetic technologies for more than 15 years. We offer a unique, low-risk subscription business model, which includes ongoing marketing and clinic enhancement services to ensure a strong return on investment from the start.
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