Picture this. Your front desk receives a phone call from someone who is interested in LASIK. Your receptionist happily answers their questions about the surgery, provides them with information about costs and financing options, and then sends them on their way.
But there’s a problem. They didn’t get the patient’s contact information. And they didn’t set up a consultation.
Phone calls like this happen all the time. If you don’t have a concrete plan for how to respond to prospective patients, some are bound to slip through the cracks.
How can you avoid losing these patients?
Our experts at Sightpath Creative recommend using a script (or a series of guidelines) to direct your staff members through each phone call. This way, you’re unlikely to finish a phone call without gathering the necessary patient information.
If they’re not interested in scheduling a consultation, you’ll have an opportunity to check in with them later. If they are interested in scheduling a consultation, you’ll have a way to stay in contact with them.
Information you should collect from each phone call includes:
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Name
Asking a prospect for their name is a simple, natural way to personalize the call. It can also help you recognize them if they make an appointment at a later date.
Phone number
Acquiring their phone number is just as important as acquiring their name. If your prospect chooses not to make an appointment, you can follow-up with them with a lead-nurturing process.
Email address
Much like a phone number, an email address allows you to stay in touch with a prospect if they elect not to pursue surgery. Email addresses are a little trickier to get ahold of, but they can be a valuable asset to your practice.
How they heard about the practice
We’ve already written a blog about why this is important. Check it out!
What day they would like to come in for their LASIK consultation
The goal should be to schedule the prospect for a LASIK consultation before they hang up
Once the phone call is complete, you should have enough information to follow-up with the prospect. No more lost patients!
But the phone call is just the beginning
Some people research medical procedures for weeks or months before finally booking an appointment. Because of this, your practice should have a concrete plan for how to follow-up with your prospects and keep your practice top of mind.
For instance:
- What happens if a prospect schedules a consultation but doesn’t show up?
- What if the prospect doesn’t book a consultation on the initial phone call?
- What if they say they’re going to call back later, but never do?
- If they do come in for a consultation, what happens after that?
When it comes to converting prospects into patients, you can’t wait days or weeks. In this day and age, people lose interest quickly. Having a consistent, lead-nurturing process is key.
Do you have a lead-nurturing process? Or staff scripting?
Sightpath Creative offers our customers comprehensive scripting, lead-nurturing email campaigns, LASIK marketing materials, and much, much more. Ophthalmic marketing has never been easier.