$pa Marketing: 8 Steps for Crushing the Consult

Feb 2nd, 2022

Wouldn’t you love to be “the chosen one?” You know, that certain esthetician with whom everyone wants to book an appointment? Well, you can be! But as prospective clients are making buying decisions, it’s very important for you, the service provider, to care for them in just the right way. Let’s dive in to crushing the consult!

Getting Started

I know of a celebrity dentist in Scottsdale, Arizona who has mastered an 8-step treatment room consult for his high dollar signature smile makeover. He has earned an excellent reputation as the dentist to some very famous people and sports teams. We can all learn from him! Here are the steps he takes:

Set The Intention: Start by really listening to the client’s goals and concerns. Prepare a plan that is well-informed and addresses those goals and concerns; this will help build your client’s confidence in you. Taking high-definition photos of your client’s skin and projecting them on a screen can help both of you further discuss desired areas of improvement.
Introduce Management: Ask the client what they would like to change about their skin and/or appearance; again, really listen to them. Assure the client that you can help them, then ask if they’d like a bottled water. When you return with the water, if possible, bring in a “hotshot” during the consult. This might be the owner of your business or some other expert in the field who will back up what you are saying. The owner/expert should be someone with a warm personality who knows how to instantly put clients at ease.
Tell A Story: Now is the time for you and/or the owner/expert to share a success story about another client. For example, if your client tells you she has always felt very self-conscious about her acne scars, you can describe a similar client who got spectacular results with your treatments. Back up your story with before and after photos.
Get Personal: Decisions in our business are indeed very personal, which is why at this point, you should switch gears; ask your prospective client something about themselves. Do they have family? Pets? Do they enjoy what they do for work? This indicates that you don’t see the prospective client as “just a client” but also, someone with whom you would like to share a friendship.
State Price: Price is almost always a sensitive topic, especially when trying to sell big-ticket items or package deals. But now that the prospective client has built some trust and confidence in you, it’s the perfect time to discuss it. You might offer a slight discount on your typical price, letting them know that you’re offering them a special deal.
Check For A Close: Closing the deal is all about timing. If you’ve been a patient and careful listener, you’ll probably get a gut feeling when it’s time to close. Don’t rush it and at the same time, don’t delay it with extra chatter or details; both of these things will turn-off your client. You might say something like, “You mentioned your daughter’s wedding in a few months; why don’t we go ahead and start your first treatment today so that we can be sure to help you meet your skin care goals in time for that?” But … what if your client still voices some objections?
Simplify Objections: Typically, objections come in one of four categories: money, time, stalling, or the product itself. If the objection, for example, is time, the celebrity dentist I mentioned reassures patients that all of his dental work (molds, forms, etc.) is done in-house rather than being sent to a lab, and therefore, can be completed in a much shorter amount of time than his competitors. He simplifies the objection so he can control the response to them. Perhaps for you, as a skin care provider, you have a superior product or piece of equipment that gets results in half the time of similar products or equipment. Communicate whatever it is that makes you stand apart from the competition.
Close The Deal: Crushing the consult involves adapting your technique when necessary and correctly controlling outcomes. The key here is to practice and rehearse the consult over and over until it becomes second nature for you. These are not skills most people are born with; they must be developed with practice. And don’t forget, once you’ve closed the deal, take a moment to enjoy your success.