Part 2: There’s a Methodology for Talking to Patients About Nanofat

Posted February 15, 2024 in Uncategorized | 6 minute read

3-Part Marketing and Practice Development Series

In writing this blog, I had to reflect on all the times I sat in a physician’s office for any medical appointment and how those experiences compare to medical visits today in 2024.

There’s an oldie song by Willie Nelson, Funny How Time Slips Away; this seemed like an appropriate way to start this conversation, as it was only a few years ago (30, to be exact) that most doctors were men. Women’s health was primarily thought to be either emotional or vaginal. You could expect a pat on the head, with a parting comment, “Now don’t worry your pretty little head about this, meaning, “I’m the doctor, and I have it handled.” Funny how things have changed.

As fashion magazines featured cosmetic surgery of the stars and plastic surgery became more mainstream, patients began to request procedures rather than to be advised about them. Today, there are more women physicians than men in almost all specialties.

The point of this historical perspective is everything about the doctor-patient relationship has changed. It is now common for a patient to come to your office requesting a specific procedure, specific injectables, the brand of the skin care product, and the technique they would like you to use.

The most successful practices I work with have been able to adjust their thinking about interacting with this new breed of patient and still maintain a sense of power and respect regarding the patient’s best interest and their role in fulfilling it.

One crucial point is that many of these patients do not think they are being disrespectful to your training or position. They think of themselves as a consumer and not as a patient. If you were their cardiologist or urologist, you would find a more traditional doctor-patient role, as your life might depend on it. This is not generally so with breast implants or facial fillers.

The patient’s inner dialogue might sound like this, “I put myself in your hands to sculpt my body or reverse the signs of aging from my face. In this role, I am choosing to pay a high price for how I look. But this scenario has a caveat: I am now a customer and not a patient.

Customers act very differently than patients do.

I can take my credit card anywhere I want, and if I don’t like how I am treated, how your office looks, or how your staff talks to me, I’ll go somewhere else. This is customer behavior, and all these details determine if I will select you as my doctor.

Talk Track “Methodology”

You have a fair number of patients coming to you for three or more years getting neuromodulators and facial fillers. If they are frequent flyers, they spend around $10,000 or more a year and see you or your nurse injector on average 2 to 3 times a year. If your practice is in Beverly Hills, it might be more like $20K.

The News Drives Your Patients

The news is beginning to talk about filler fatigue and showing stars getting their filler removed. If it hasn’t started already, it’s only a matter of time before this conversation happens in your office. The news has also taken Ozempic to a new weight loss Cult level, and many more people will search for body sculpting and facelifts.

Since you’re reading a Tulip Blog, I will assume you are using Tulip cannulas!

But you might not be familiar with the Tulip Gold Kits for office-based procedures. No OR is needed, no anesthesia is required, and there is little patient discomfort and almost immediate patient response. This procedure generates revenue of around $6,000 with an out-of-pocket cost to the practice around $500.

It’s the Miracle of Your Own Fat

We knew you would need a brochure that describes how all this works. However, these brochures will not jump off the counter and into the patient’s hand; someone must bring it into the conversation and present the opportunity to the patient. In most cases, physicians and their support teams are not great salespeople, nor should they be. However, everyone can become an educator.

Here Are 5 Simple Ways to Talk to Patients:

Ask Questions: How are they doing with their current routine? Are they happy with what you’ve been doing for them? Ask if they’ve thought about trying anything new or heard about it. Make it conversational.

The conversation might sound like this: “Jane, we’ve discussed using some of the latest skin-tightening devices and laser resurfacing. Is this still something you want to learn about? Then Just Listen!

“Something new we’ve been doing for our patients is “fat grafting” and replacing their facial fillers. I bring this up because you’ve been using fillers for a long time, and now that I am witnessing the benefits of using a patient’s natural fat, I’m seeing some impressive long-term results. One of the big bonuses is the regenerative properties that come from using your own fat tissue (also known as fat stem cells). I’m personally very excited about the science. Does this sound like something you’d like to learn more about?”
- One of the big bonuses is the regenerative properties that come from using your own fat tissue (also known as fat stem cells).” I’m personally very excited about the science. Does this sound like something you’d like to learn more about?”
“Here’s a brochure that explains the process; let me know what you think and if you’d like to know more. You might enjoy taking a little fat from one area of your body and putting it somewhere else where you will enjoy having it”. Make this conversation fun, not serious, and not too scientific. Let the brochure do the heavy lifting.

This procedure is so simple we can do it right in the office in about 90 minutes. If you’d like to consider this, we can look at the schedule and see where there is an opening. Then, let them know you or your office will follow up with them to provide more information if they are open to this.

You do not need to sell patients on anything.

You need to ask many questions and educate patients about what is new and what will be beneficial. Patients generally sell themselves.