Question
What are some strategies for converting sales opportunities into patients?
Answer
To maximize the impact of every contact you make and every lead you receive, avoid the following five common pitfalls:
Not involving the front office staff enough
Often times the front office staff are not properly trained or are underutilized. If they are not made part of the selling team, they may not know how to effectively handle potential patient leads.
Failing to adhere to a selling system
Hearing centers where clinicians follow a systematic process for selling to patients achieve the highest profitability. A defined and controlled protocol for assessment, counseling, delivery and orientation provides a framework for consistent quality and best results.
Ignoring the "low hanging fruit"
Sales opportunities abound through patient and professional advocates who can be optimal allies for helping grow the practice. However, these opportunities or "low hanging fruit" can be easily missed. Pay special attention to existing fitted and satisfied patients, existing tested patients who are good hearing aid candidates but have not yet purchased devices, and referrals from professional practitioners.
Reactive marketing
It is not uncommon to simply respond to a competitor's ad selection, timing, method and message, rather than executing a marketing plan specific to your practice's focus and purpose. Instead of marketing reactively, market proactively! Define yourself as a business, determine your target audience and know your numbers (i.e., break even sales volume vs. ideal sales volume).
Not keeping score
How do we get to where we want to go if we don't know where we're starting from? To effectively track results:
- Know where your business comes from
- Know where to place new or increased focus
- Anticipate marketing opportunities
Brad Romney is a Business Consultant & Marketing Specialist with GN ReSound. He partners strategically with key customers to help them streamline clinic processes and create effective consumer marketing campaigns that generate profitable growth. He is also responsible for training Audiologists and Hearing Instrument Specialists on consultative selling. He is a graduate of the University of Utah with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Marketing. Mr. Romney is widely recognized for record sales achievement while representing communication companies for 15 years.
Greg Stafford is a Professional Business Consult with ReSound, specializing in partnering with strategic accounts across the country to help them increase their overall profitability within their hearing aid departments. He accomplishes this through professional staff development, strategic marketing plans and overall synergy practice development. He has a B.S. from Troy State University in AL. Mr. Stafford has over 8 years of hearing healthcare experience where he has been a top performer as a Regional Sales Manager, Field Sales Trainer and Regional Director. Prior to the hearing healthcare industry he worked in the Medical Supply industry for Physicians Sales and Service a top provider of medical supplies to private practices and hospitals. He also has worked for Corporate Express a world leader in business to business procurement management and corporate office supplies. He has a combined 17 years of Business Management skills experience and currently resides in Birmingham Alabama with his wife and son.
Learn more about ReSound at www.gnresound.com or on the ReSound web channel