When practices are speaking with prospective patients about a procedure, many want to avoid a critical topic – price. But the truth is, communicating your price is just as important as communicating the services that your practice offers. In fact, they go hand in hand. The key is to understand when to talk about price and how. When discussed properly, you’ll see the topic of price really is an opportunity to drive more appointments.
1. Shift Your Perspective
The first thing to keep in mind is to stop thinking about price as something you need to avoid. Instead, you can feel confident you are providing a prospective patient all of the information needed to make a decision that’s right for them. It also shows the patient you are transparent in your offering, which can help build trust. We recommend providing a simple explanation of your pricing structure so it’s easy for them to understand. Using a tone that’s informative and inviting can make them feel safe to ask more questions.
2. Don’t Stop at Numbers
Another mistake we often see in our free practice assessments, is something like this:
Patient: “How much does the procedure cost?”
Staff member: $10,000.
… And that’s it.
That response puts the ball back in the patient’s court. But the patient is the one who doesn’t know what they don’t know.
It can leave them with even more questions. Why $10,000? Is that low or high? Is that based on a flat rate or is that customized to my needs?
Can you sense the overwhelm?
OptiCall recommends having a clear strategy and phone script for discussing what your practice charges and why. You also don’t have to say anything specific! It’s ok to provide a range of prices, just be prepared to justify that range. Example: “Our prices start at $1500 and can go up to $2500 based on the technology that is best suited for you. Providing a range in pricing can help them get an idea, but then encourage them to book a consultation for a customized quote that’s tailored to their needs.You can also mention different options for assistance like special offers, financing, and payment plans.
3. Demonstrate Value
Always keep in mind patients may not know what questions to ask, so they tend to make the conversation about price over much more important things like experience, technology, etc. It’s your job to enlighten them about the value of the procedure and of course life changing benefits – something you almost can’t put a price on. Provide them with a clear explanation of both the cost and the value upfront, so you then have the freedom to discuss the real issues that concern them, like their goals and outcomes.
The truth is the vast majority of patients don’t want the cheapest provider – they just want the best results and experience. If you charge more than your competition, there’s probably a good reason for that. Tell people why, so they understand the value they get for your services.
5. Stay in Touch
When they first contact you (web or phone) and are trying to determine if the cost is financially feasible. This is often the time when they are researching all options. If a potential patient looks at your pricing and rules him or herself out it’s ok. It can take time for someone to feel like they have gathered the information and made the right decision. So when a prospect seems to lose interest when talking about price, we recommend you offer to email them information on pricing they can keep on hand. This allows you to capture a piece of critical information – their email address – to be able to follow-up right away and stay in touch via email over time. Most often, after they’ve finished researching and are ready to move forward, you’ll be top of mind.
Now’s the time for you to change the conversation, and start treating price like what it really is: an extremely powerful and beneficial educational decision-making tool.