First impressions are lasting.
Great news! A new patient just walked in. You offer the services they want, and everything seems to be going well. To your surprise, the patient walks out, never to be heard from again. What went wrong? At some point, your practice likely made a bad first impression.
A patient’s first visit sets up their expectations for the care they will receive at your practice. Consciously or unconsciously, every time we walk into a new environment, we evaluate every aspect of our experience to make a judgment about whether this is a place we can trust. If you can create a positive, lasting first impression and gain your patients’ trust, you can convert new patients into loyal patients who will keep coming back. Today, we’ll be looking at a few crucial areas you can work on to make sure you give first-time patients the best possible first impression at your office.
Creating a Warm and Welcoming Atmosphere
Your potential patients are evaluating your practice from their very first point of contact. Whether that’s your website, a phone call, an email, or a conversation with your front office staff, every aspect of that first interaction matters. Online, patients can be put off by the way your website looks, by slow load times, or by not being able to find the information they need quickly and easily. During a conversation, tone of voice, being put on hold, and the information provided can all impact a patient’s first impression. Make sure your staff are trained in handling first calls and are polite and professional while being friendly and welcoming as well.
Likewise, your office decor and layout create a strong first impression. From smells to ambient noises, every aspect of your office should be curated to create a welcoming, calming environment that patients can enjoy. You may think the quality of your care and the services you provide speak for themselves, but remember that your patients will be spending time evaluating your office before they even make it into the consultation room. As an Aesthetics provider, the aesthetics of your office should reflect the care and skill you put into enhancing your patients’ appearances.
Educating First-Timers
New patients may come in having done extensive research and knowing just what they want, or they may have little knowledge about what services they want. No matter how much your patients know, it’s up to you to help them understand what your practice offers. Providing clear, honest, and upfront information is an important part of building trust from the very first visit. Being vague about services and pricing is a surefire way to chase patients away. While you can provide this information during an appointment, you may also want to have flyers or posters with some of your more common services available in your office or on your website so patients can learn more about their options on their own. From there, you can answer any questions they have during their appointment and provide additional guidance on better options.
Another way to build trust with your new patients is to offer free first consultations so that they have nothing to lose while evaluating whether your practice is the right fit for them. Free consultations also show that you are confident that patients will be satisfied with your services and level of care and will come back for a paid appointment. You may also want to consider offering discounted introductory packages with some of your more popular services to encourage patients to schedule their first treatment with you.
Follow-up and Continuous Engagement
Finally, after a patient’s first visit, it’s essential that you follow up with them to let them know that you care about them and their well-being. You can do this by sending a quick thank you note or email to thank them for choosing you for their first visit and sharing relevant information about other services that are available. As most of your treatments likely require follow-up visits and some aftercare, send your new patients friendly reminders encouraging them to schedule another visit and share educational information about how they can maintain the results of their treatment.
