Jerry, I'm sinking money into marketing clear braces…and it's not working

Not too long ago, I long-time client sent me a note. He was frustrated with his office’s performance on selling clear braces to his pts. No one was accepting treatment.

Without being IN the office, I can only make a few suggestions that relate to the “process” and how pts are handled that inquire about this orthodontic tx or about any treatment.

Here’s the conversation:

Jerry,

I am Frustrated with [clear brace’s co.]. I have had over the past year+ :

– A [clear brace co.] sign in the front of my multi-occupant professional building in one of the most affluent cities in Michigan for over a year. This building has a great deal of traffic from another tenant, a “spa.” There are eight other tenants who generate traffic.

– A [clear braces] video on the front page of my websites

– My hygienists present our [clear braces] capability to each and every hygiene patient, with demo models

– A yellow sticky on local newspapers (a total of 30,000) circulation with a $500 off offer

– Posters all over both my offices

– Postcards for all our recall cards

– Statement stuffers with a personal note

The results of our marketing efforts over the past year:

NOTHING !

Here’s my reply:

Something is amiss.

How’s your pricing on it? By that I mean, what is the regular fee?

Suggestion: Record each person that is “selling/presenting” this.

Review the recordings yourself.

Therein, you’ll most likely find the culprit.

Sit with your staff that does the presenting and do a training on how you want it done.

It should be simple. It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Start working that side of it. All the banners, ads, etc. won’t change a thing if your team is not cohesive and believable in their approach.

Just a few thoughts.

P.S. It might be that the sale is being overcomplicated with the models, explanations, etc.

You can take this very same approach with other procedures you want to do more of in your office. If you want to do more implants, present the options to more patients. It’s simple math AND, your sales presentation/pitch, has to be top-notch.

The best dentists and staff practice selling. They practice with scripts, how to overcome objections (which is really just answering questions that are unanswered in the pt’s mind, right?), and they heavily emphasize the benefits.

One of my private clients and ClearPath Society Members has worked his clear braces segment of his practice very, very hard the last 12 to 18 months. It’s paid off. He has a dedicated operatory and a dedicated EFODA who can SELL ortho treatment and they focus on it.

If you want to improve, you know the old saying, you have to measure what you’re doing now, set goals, make changes and adjustments until you’re successful. You don’t become a #1 provider for Invisalign or ClearCorrect overnight.

It takes training, effort, more training, more practice and a LOT of case presentations where real money is on the line.

Now, go for it!