Chapter 12: How Proper Lead Follow-Up Can Double Your New Patient Bookings

By John Nesbit, CEO The Customer Factory

If you've tried paid advertising to generate new patient leads before without much success, the problem likely wasn't bad leads - it was how your practice followed up on those leads. With a strategic follow-up process in place, the same leads that previously fell through the cracks can drive double bookings.

I recently consulted with a chiropractor who was frustrated that multiple marketing companies had failed to deliver quality leads. However, when I examined his process, I realized the issue wasn't the leads themselves. Here were the problems:

  • No single staff member was dedicated to working new leads. Whoever randomly got to it first would follow-up.
  • Leads were contacted within 1-2 days, sometimes longer. This time lag drastically reduces conversion rates.
  • Little effort was made to schedule non-responsive leads or no shows. They were simply written off.
  • No scripts or training were provided on properly qualifying and booking leads.

Without a structured lead follow-up process, even great leads go to waste. So here are some best practices to maximize lead conversion:

Assign Responsibility to One Person

Give a single staff member ownership over all new lead follow-up during their shift. This ensures leads get immediate attention from someone motivated to convert them into appointments.

Contact Leads ASAP

Speed is critical. Contact leads within 5 minutes when possible. The quicker you reach out, the higher the chances of scheduling. Allowing hours to pass greatly reduces conversions.

Persist With Unresponsive Leads

Just because a lead doesn't reply right away doesn't make them a bad lead. Follow-up multiple times via phone, email, and text over several days before giving up. The most reluctant leads sometimes convert at higher rates once engaged.

Incentivize Your Staff

Consider offering a small bonus (like $5) to staff for each lead that books and shows up. This motivates scheduling staff to go the extra mile to get new patients in the door.

Provide Scripts and Roleplay

Train staff on how to properly qualify, educate, and schedule leads. Write out scripts and practice roleplaying to polish their skills at addressing common questions and overcoming objections.

Work Leads After Hours

Have staff bring leads home on evenings and weekends to contact. This allows you to connect faster with late night web searches and weekend appointment requests.

With the right follow-up process, those old "bad leads" suddenly transform into booked appointments. Don't leave it to chance - put these lead conversion best practices in place to double your new patients overnight through paid advertising.

Conclusion

By optimizing your lead follow-up process, you can dramatically increase your new patient conversion rates and get far greater return from your marketing spend. Don' forget can't wait any longer - put these strategies into action for the health of your practice. Implement a rapid response system, leverage persistence, train your team, and use incentives wisely.

When top-quality leads and a high-performance follow-up process unite, you'll be enjoying the benefits of a steady stream of new patients excited for your life-changing health care treatments. Schedule a Discovery call with us today to discuss optimizing your marketing and conversions.



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