introduction to sales

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Introduction To Sales

Grace Rizza Identity Dental Marketing

+Identity Dental Marketing

Spend time and effort to get the phone to ring

Noticed that most of the teams we work with are nice people, but almost all teams lack sales training

+Tip for you

Phone recording helps because you can hear how your team is improving and how new patient calls are handled and what new patients are calling and asking.

Hear how hard it is up front

+Introduction

NamePositionWhat you want to get from today

+The Value of a New Patient

$5,000-$10,000Job SecurityHelping people

+Some Basics

TrackingNew Patients ScheduledNew Patient SeenNew Patient LeadsProductionCollection

+What does tracking tell us?

Where new patients come from

How many new patient calls we received vs. scheduled

This gives us a closing rate

+What else to track

Pending treatment vs. Accepted treatment

Allows for follow upShows us how we’re doing in case presentation

+Tracking means finding how patients heard of youWhen is the best time to ask a patient how they’ve heard about you?

+Why we’re here today

What does it mean to be a sales person?

Who in the dental team is a salesperson?

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How is dental sales different than most sales jobs?

+Team Sales Means

Follow up systems in placeCarry batonCommunication about patient insight, treatment & more

+What sales is NOT

LyingMisleadingOverpromising

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What’s the most important factor in being successful at sales?

+How to not believe what you’re selling in the dental office?Think the dentist is recommending unnecessary dentistry

Don’t know anything about dentistry

Other ways?

+Sales Tip Assumptive Tone

Talk to the patient as if assuming they will want to schedule an appointment with you.

+Reasons why we talk fast

1. We’re in Chicago2. We’re busy, busy, busy at the front desk.

3. We’re nervous about not messing up

+Sales is a transfer of emotionBe confident on the phone about your services in order for others to believe what you are saying.

If you are unsure, they will be unsure.

If you are nervous.. You guessed it!

+This is where scripting and role play can helpIf you find you get stumped with certain questions from patients, practice OUT LOUD with someone you work with a short script on how to answer difficult questions.

+If you feel like you’re being “sold”…If you feel like you’re being sold, the person “selling” isn’t that great at his job.

Conversation should flow naturally.

You should lead the conversation instead of chasing it.

+Greeting

Your greeting matters. It is your first chance to be liked

Consider tone, pitch & words used

+Example of excellent greeting

Thank you for calling Amazing Dental Center, this is Grace speaking, how may I help you?

(note that I ask a question to lead the conversation)

+Example of chasing a call

How do you answer a caller who asks, “What do you charge for a cleaning?”

Need a volunteer to be the patient

+If there’s only one thing you learn today, this is most important. With this skill alone, you can increase sales.

ASK QUESTIONS.Example & ExerciseNeed a volunteer

+Flow of your conversation

ListenAnswer /Acknowledge ASK

+What should you say when someone calls and asks,What do you charge for a cleaning?

+Example of how to do this

Thank you for calling Amazing Dental, this is Grace, how may I help you?

What do you charge for a cleaning?

+continued

Can I ask who’s calling please?This is James. Hi James, I understand you are looking to come in for a cleaning? Have you been here before?

+continued

No. I just want to know what a cleaning costs.

James, our prices are very competitive and our doctors are excellent. Do you have insurance that you’d be utilizing for your visit?

+continued

No, that’s why I’m trying to find out how much a cleaning is.

Well James, since you are a new patient, I can offer you our new patient special, which covers an exam and X-Rays for only $69. At that time, we’d be able to determine which kind of cleaning you’d need. If you only needed a simple cleaning, we could include your cleaning that day as well.

+New Patient Special

Give your team a weapon to stop shoppers and get them in your office.

Many times, these patients will need more dentistry than a cleaning.

+Loss Leader

Ink Cartridge/PrinterIt’s only a loss if it isn’t a leaderSuccess depends on the whole team’s ability to sell and convert patient to a loyal regular patient

+But these patients don’t have moneyThis brings me to my second major tip. DO NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS

+Why people price shop?

They are nervousThey don’t know dentists are different from one another

They don’t know what else to askLooking for an excuse not to goFEAR

+More Difficult Questions

Do you accept my insurance?

Yes and we will help to maximize your benefits.

+Where are you located?

How do you answer this question?

+A little tip

This does not mean we are answering a question with a question.

1. Listen2. Answer/Acknowledge3. ASK

+Always be selling

Always be selling. Dress appropriatelyConsider your attitudeAlways be nice and likeableAsk others how you soundRecord yourself on the phoneBe confident, yet concerned

+Always be selling - Referral

Learn when and how to ask for referrals

Best timeafter a compliment is givenAfter you’ve built rapport

+How to ask

Memorize a script for this“Thank you Kathy, I’m so glad you enjoy coming here. We are always looking for more patients like you, so if you know of anyone, please feel free to pass along our card.”

+Why people hate salespeople

1. They aren’t good and feel as if they are being pushy

2. Sales people aren’t connecting and seem phony

3. Sales people sometimes sell bad products/services

+Why we LOVE salespeople

They sell us something that changes our lives for the better

They educate us and are trustworthy

We like them

+Not selling a thing, you are selling yourselfTone of voiceAbility to listen and acknowledge

Let the person talkTransfer positive emotion

+Unique Challenges for Dental teamTeam Sales : Multiple people need to carry the torchOne person may drop it and ruin it for everyone

Systems, like follow up book are important

Notes in patient accounts are very important

+Follow-Up Book

Keep a binder that tracks patients that leave the office without an appointment

Also track who cancels and says they will call to reschedule

If too much time passes, they become inactive and don’t return

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BREAK/QUESTIONS

+Treatment Planning & Case PresentationIf you got this far, your team has now passed you the baton.

The team has got the sales process rolling

Don’t drop it

+What not to do

DON’T present a treatment plan to a patient while he is in the dental chair.

The chair puts patients in a vulnerable state.

Best: sit next to the patient, this initiates collaboration

+What not to do

DON’T bring up financial options unless the patient expresses a concern about the price/cost

+What not to do

DON’T talk more than you listen.

+What not to do

DON’T present objections or bring up concerns if the patient doesn’t

+Things to do:

Show photosIntraoral PhotosSimilar before and afters to show improvement and your abilities

Be prepared

+Things to do

Schedule separate treatment planning appointmentYou need time to build rapportYou need time to get patient talking & presenting you with objections

You need time to build value in your services

Schedule at LEAST 30 minutes for treatment presentation

+Tip for schedule treatment appointmentInvite a spouse to be at the meeting. This will help your odds of the sale because both decision makers will hear the advantages of receiving treatment from you

+How to Present Treatment

Invest a little more time in organizing your plan in plain English

Unless it’s only a couple small procedures, do NOT present the way the computer prints the plan

+Why not?

Dental jargon annoys patientsPatients don’t need to see what they cannot understand

Explain why you recommend treatment

Explain options

+Example part 1-available for download

+Example part 2

+Example part 3

+ How to present

Present in a folder with images, and next step options and brochure

Consider a tooth chart that shows the number of the tooth with marked decay

Reference Smile Survey from 1st visit

+Components of presentation folderTooth ChartFill in where Treatment isNeeded-Color code

+Smile Survey

Finds out the patient’s perceived needs

Determine if there’s an interest for cosmetic procedures (elective portion of treatment plan)

+Smile Survey Questions

Is there anything about your smile you’d like to change?

(Questions will depend on the services you offer)

+Components of Folder

Easy to Read Treatment planBreak down by emergency, urgency, elective (E,U,E)

PhotosFAQ Sheet

+Components of Folder

FeesInsurance portion/Patient portion

+Components of Folder – Marketing MaterialsBrochure – explains high quality dental materials

Work guaranteeDoctor credentialsPatient testimonials

+Your comfort is our main concernInclude a sheet that reminds the patient of all of the measures you take to make sure he/he is comfortable

Include info on:Nitrous, sedation, numbing protocol

+IMPORTANT

Learn the dental curse words:

http://identitydental.com/dental-curse-words/

+Dental Curse Words

 1.    Drill – Instead say: “remove decay”

 2.    Probe/Probing – Instead say:  “evaluate gums” or “complete examination”

 3.    Inject/Injection/Shot – Instead say: “provide anesthesia” or “numb”

+Dental Curse Words

4. Procedure – Instead say: “Treatment” or “Care”

 5.    Pain/Hurt – Instead say: “Discomfort”

 6.    Rot/Rotted Out – Instead say: “Infected Area”

+Dental Curse Words

 7.    Needle – Instead say: “numb” 8.    Pull the tooth – Instead say:

“Remove” 9.    Incision – Instead say: “treat” (They

often don’t want that many details.) 10.  Technical Jargon – such as

“abutment”. Instead say, “neighboring tooth/teeth” Using jargon confuses and frustrates the patient.

+Treatment Presentation

Show all services being recommended, time to complete & pricing

Show the patients insurance benefits & explain how you will help them maximize their benefits

+Case Presentation

Organize treatments by most important

Emergency, Urgency, ElectiveExplain what will happen if these services are not received

+EmergencyEmergency- Broken- Infected- Decayed- Urgency of situation needs to be stressed to the patient- Doctor Driven Urgency- Hygienist should always have discussed Mandatory treatment with patients.

+UrgencyUrgency- "Watches"- Old amalgams that could be improved- Questionable margins- Gray areas- Missing teeth- Sealants- Nightguards- Larger old fillingsAnything that might prevent a future problem by fixing it now

+Elective/Cosmetic

Cosmetic- Anything to improve appearance of their smile- Veneers- Replacing discolored anterior fillings- Whitening- ZOOM- Replace older looking crowns

+ASK QUESTIONS

“How are we doing so far?”“What are your plans for your smile?”

+LISTEN

If a patient wants to tell you his horror story of his past dentist who hurt him, LISTEN. This will help you sell him and help him get the treatment he needs.

+Horror Story 1

“My last dentist did treatment and I wasn’t fully numb! It was horrifying and I’ve been afraid ever since.”

You say:We have a test to make sure you are

numb. Some people are more sensitive, but I will be sure you are completely numb before we start any treatment. Does that sound good?

+Horror Story 2

“My last dentist told me services would be covered and then nothing was covered and I didn’t like that he wasn’t honest.”

+What you can say:

I’m sorry to hear that happened to you. It’s unfortunate that you had a bad experience like that. Before we start any treatment, we’ll contact your insurance and get an estimate. Does this sound good?

+EARN TRUST

Taking time to listen to your patient’s concerns will build trust. It’s up to you to make the time for these conversations.

+Sales Tip

Build in a guarantee for your work

Explain that dental work isn’t the same from every dentist

Consider materials & labs & durability

+Why patients price shop

They think all dentists are the same.

Why do they think this?

+Dental offices lack branding

Imagine if every restaurant had a fork for a logo and the only signage said “RESTAURANT”

You’d have no way to tell their differences

Consider defining your brand with a logo & strategic business name

+How to build value in your servicesA simple flyer or brochure can explain:Not all dentists are the sameWe use high quality, durable materials whereas some offices outsource to cheapest materials

+Create FAQ’s Sheet

Topics should reflect services listedEach sheet should answer questions about one service

When you treatment plan someone for implants, provide an implant FAQ sheet in his/her treatment folder

+Benefits of FAQ Sheet

Show patient that you are an expert in particular services (build trust in your skills)

Answer questions from patient or patient’s spouse that may come up later

+Sample FAQ’s Sheet

+Due Diligence or Dumb Move?

Patients may leave your office and say “ I want to think about it”

They may then call other dentists for quotes and 2nd & 3rd opinions

+Real Reasons Patients Don’t ScheduleThey don't believe they need the treatment.

We have done a poor job of discovering what it is they want

No one has explained the consequences of non-treatment

We have not overcome the objections

+Try this strategy from phone skillsListen, Acknowledge/Answer, ASK

+What about when they ask…

How long will this take to complete?

Will my insurance cover this?

Will it hurt?

+PLAN it out!

When you sit down with a patient to discuss a treatment plan, you must have a plan and have your background information already done.

Hiring someone for treatment planning and financial arrangements can drastically increase your sales.

+Make an incentive

If you have someone in the office that is in charge of presenting treatment, give them a reward or incentive for increase in case acceptance

Make sure she believes in what she is selling 100%

+What sales is not

Sales is not charity.Some doctors get too comfortable with giveaways

There is a benefit to having another person in charge of presenting treatment

+The work starts when you hear “no”

or “not right now”,

or “I have to think about it.”

+What are objections?

You aren’t allowed to bring up objections.

BUT, you want to get them to bring them up.

If someone says, “ok, let’s move forward.” STOP TALKING & BOOK THEIR APPOINTMENT!

+NEVER EVER EVER

Place any kind of blame on the patient for his condition

(important for hygiene dept)

No. 1 Reason people buy something from you….

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They like you!

+ QUESTIONS FOR GRACEDownload this presentation at:www.identitydental.com/ttw2013

(available after today)

-SMILE SURVEYS-BROCHURES & FLYERS-MARKETING-TEAM TRAINING PROGRAMS

+Free Office Consultation

Thank you for joining us! Free 1 hour office consultation for you.