Closing the Sale!
The Elephant in the Room – Poor Sales Numbers!
We’ve been Digital Marketing experts since 2009 and even before that, we were advertising offline. In our experience, we could easily deliver the leads.
However, some clients never thrive and it was always a bit of a mystery. In the example of a single client, they would spend on Google Ads and they would generate approx. 30-40 leads a month. This could be for Inivisalign or Implants, etc.
However, when we would follow up with the clients, they would still complain about the advertising.
We deliver the name, the phone number & explain that the patient wanted invisible braces but still, they would report that the advertising didn’t do its job.
40 leads, genuine interest but it never worked for them. So naturally, they would blame Google, or blame us, or blame the patients, etc.
The truth?
Dental nurses or practitioners are not trained sales experts.
Sales is not necessarily their skill & they may not be comfortable doing it.
Nothing is worse than giving highly fresh & qualified leads to someone who is not good at selling.
It’s a poison for the business. Over a few years, it would have cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The Numbers.
So, here’s the deal. Let’s start with the basics.
- 100 Website visits should give you 10 Leads
- 10 Leads should give you 3 meetings.
- 3 Meetings should give you
- 1 new patient.
That’s the typical rule in a sales scenario. This is what is taught in the boot camps of most marketing agencies and sales jobs. Regardless of what you’re selling, the management will always have a basic expectation and the 100, 10, 3, 1 rule is a simple formula to follow.
Let’s break this down a little:
100 Website Visits – The Marketing
This is usually done via the marketing activity. This can be via Google Ads which is easily the strongest & most reliable advertising there is, because it’s based on Search. It could also be via social media ads such as Facebook & Instagram which also have a breath-taxingly large reach and can help get you in front of your desired audience.
If you have any questions about the basic advertising service, then call us and we will help guide you through it.
10 Leads – Book The Appointment!!!!
Ok, you’ve done the marketing and you now are starting to see the leads come through.
The most crucial thing you need to do is contact every single lead immediately.
If you don’t, your competition will and you may have lost 1st mover advantage. You need to call, connect with the patient, listen to their requirements and demonstrate understanding. Then, you need to make them feel comfortable enough to book the appointment.
3 Consultations – 1 new patient
Here is where the magic happens. You make the patient feel safe in the environment, that they can trust you and your team, you let them see that you have their interests at heart and you demonstrate sincerity.
You then show take the information you have (this could be the scan & previous history) and you present your solution. You explain in detail why they need this treatment & why it will take so many visits or how long the timeframe is.
You present the costs and a sensible cost plan, if required. You make it affordable for them and ensure that your prices are competitive for your level of service.
3 Consultations should give you 1 new patient.
100, 10, 3 & 1.
A word of warning:
If you are not hitting these numbers, then you need to take fast action to remedy the situation. If you don’t, your practice will bleed opportunity and you will not grow as fast as you deserve to. You may even begin to blame the marketing but if the leads are coming in, then they need to be closed.
We have seen situations where Practice Directors have had to replace entire teams due to complacency and unmotivated Directors. It’s not easy and it’s not immediate but if the team is trained on conversion & works to set goals, then the leads should convert into patients and the practice will grow.
We want you to succeed. We want to help you get there & grow in accordance to your own growth plans. We are delighted to be a part of your plans and this little blog piece has been a difficult one for many to confront but the truth is that if you are prepared to work through the pain, put the right team members in place and then follow through meticulously, you will exceed your sales targets!
We will celebrate with you!