So, You Wanna Be a Highly Productive Injector?

With many new injectors coming into the aesthetic marketplace each year, the med spa and aesthetics worlds have almost fully embraced facial injectables. In fact, these injectables remain the most widely offered treatment category in aesthetics.¹ Because facial injectables are also a top revenue generator for aesthetic practices, injectors and practice owners see the tremendous upside to capturing this already large and growing segment.

Thus, a common question from new injectors is, “How do I become a repeat injector?” What strategies do these top-producing injectors tend to employ with their patients? Here is what we have learned from them:

DISCUSS ON-LABEL DOSING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONSULTATION

Before discussing any specific patient needs, top injectors explain what the FDA-indicated and typical uses are for the products and procedures they plan to offer a patient. This gives them the proper credentialing and sets the table for why a certain treatment might be appropriate. For example, mention all the body areas that your laser hair treatment covers and the typical number of treatments. Then start the patient assessment. This lays the groundwork for a full correction or on-label treatment. Allow the full FDA indication to credential your full correction assessment. It is also an easy and professional way to introduce the patient to new areas of treatment.

OFFER 2 TO 3 TREATMENT OPTIONS DURING THE CONSULTATION

Some of the biggest complaints from injectors are that patients are too hesitant to try new procedures, products, and services in a new area, or they balk at the overall higher cost of a full-correction treatment. A tactic to consider may be for both the patient and provider to discuss a handful of options and how they can work within the budget, settling on the correct course of action afterward. Oftentimes, patients will receive the same treatments visit after visit, never hearing about other options or new products. Offering the patient options may seem less “sales-y” and allow the patient to be part of the treatment plan discussion, giving them more confidence that the treatments are appropriate. One simple way for the provider to discuss this is presenting “good, better, and best” options. For instance, if a patient routinely receives toxin treatments only, offer them a few other options in addition, like filler or skin care. As a provider, the patient usually wants to hear what you think, so provide them with your professional opinion about what you see.

RECOMMEND SKIN CARE AT EVERY PATIENT VISIT

Another complaint we hear from providers is that no matter how much toxin or filler a patient is treated with, skin quality is still a major concern and can affect the overall aesthetic look in a significant way. However, if a patient sees you on a consistent basis, they may already value your insight, allowing you to offer skin care recommendations they can trust. Our top injectors overwhelmingly recommend some type of skincare plan at each appointment, even if it’s a brief discussion as they are walking to check-out. They do not just refer patients to the aesthetician or practice skincare expert, but rather have three or four go-to products they might recommend to many of their patients based on seasonality or skin type. Spring and summer? Here’s my favorite sunscreen. Winter? Here’s my favorite moisturizer with hyaluronic acid. Most patients have a skincare routine, but is it appropriate for them? Is it high-quality skin care? Is it a product recommended by a friend that they purchased at the local pharmacy? Or is it a professional recommendation from a medical provider?

DISCUSS THE TREATMENT PLAN AND BOOK THE NEXT VISIT BEFORE THE PATIENT LEAVES

Nearly every highly productive injector does this effectively. Retaining a patient is a better business strategy than trying to solely recruit new patients to your aesthetic practice. You can retain patients by not only rebooking them, but ensuring the providers are discussing the next treatment at each visit. Patients want to hear that you have a plan for them. Discuss what you are doing on the current visit and what you will provide over the next several months.

EMBRACE YOUR PRICING

When speaking to aesthetic providers, I will ask if they have any flexibility on the pricing they offer to patients. And 99% of the time, they will say no. For that reason, I recommend to my providers that they love the pricing they offer at their practices. There’s much research that shows patients will tend to pay higher prices if they receive good value. Be able to credential your pricing and your packages: Why do you charge what you charge? If you can back up why your prices are what they are, you are ahead of the game.

By following the tips utilized by the best and most productive injectors, you can create a better experience for yourself and your patients. You can build trust, loyalty, and satisfaction and increase your productivity and profitability as a provider. You can also showcase your expertise, professionalism, and passion for aesthetics. Remember, you are not just providing a service, you are establishing a lifelong relationship.

Disclosure: Pete Yakimovich is a management consultant with the Allergan Practice Consulting Group of Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company.

1. American Med Spa Association. North America Facial Injectable Market to be Worth US$5.8 Billion by 2024. Accessed October 3, 2023. https://americanmedspa.org/news/north-america-facial-injectable-market-to-be-worth-us-5-8-billion-by-2024