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Selling Shoppers by Jeffrey Behan

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It amazes me that there is a strong current of thought running through the orthodontic profession that basically says the non-referred patient isn’t a quality prospect. Some thought leaders would even have you spend less time in the consult with this type of patient. While they correctly identify the fact that these prospects are less likely to start treatment, they wrongly believe that it’s because the patient lacks the motivation to pay for treatment or, worse, simply can’t afford treatment based on everything from a credit check to a gut feeling.

There is no question that referred patients are easier to sell on treatment. After all, someone they trust, whether their dentist, a family member or a friend, has recommended that they look into treatment and has already pre-sold them on the idea that you are a good choice. Non-referred patients are less committed to the idea of treatment, but that does not mean they lack sufficient desire to straighten their teeth. It just means they need to be convinced that improving their smile will change their life.

Identifying whether you’re dealing with a referred patient or a consumer has always been important, but not for the reasons you might think. It’s not so you can pre-determine which leads are good and which are bad. In fact, I believe that precasting an adult prospect as a less-qualified lead can be counter-productive to your success because it gives you and, more importantly, your sales team, a ready-made excuse for not getting them to start. A credit check can be very helpful in determining what type of payment options to offer, but don’t ever let a low credit score psych you out before you start. Patients’ ability to pay for treatment is tied to the depth of their belief that it will change their life more than to their disposable income. That’s why low and high socio-economic households alike find a way to buy cars, flat-screen televisions, the occasional dinner out and more. The key to success is in uncovering and satisfying their deeply felt need to address something about their smile.

Above is a brief comparison between a consumer and a referred patient.

Do you see your practice as a sales organization? I remember when I got my first sales job my business card said simply, “Sales.” A year or so later my title changed to “Account Manager” and within two years I was a “Marketing Consultant.” Keep in mind that I never changed jobs. This was just part of a trend in the marketplace to try to elevate the perception of a quality sales approach because of the negative perceptions created by telemarketers, usedcar salesmen and the like. In spite of the grand shift in my title, my role never changed. Fortunately for me, my company invested in significant training that enabled me to truly be consultative in my approach and, ultimately, was the foundation for the need-based treatment coordinator (TC) training materials I’ve developed for the orthodontic profession.

In his book, Integrity Selling for the 21st Century, Ron Willingham defines sales as a mutual exchange of value – something we do for and with people, not to them. It’s about developing trust and rapport, understanding their needs and then satisfying those needs in a way that honors the sales person (treatment coordinator), the company (your practice) and the prospect. What a cool job description. Unfortunately most sales gurus focus on tactics and buzz-terms like “the psychology of the buyer” but sales success has more to do with the perceptions and beliefs of the salesperson than it does with the buyer. In other words, strategies and tactics are important but when it comes to successfully turning consumers into orthodontic patients, understanding how you and your TC feel and think is actually more important. It’s the psychology of the seller, not the buyer that makes the biggest difference.

In a sales organization, if someone is interested enough in what a business offers to call and inquire they do a back flip and run through the halls rejoicing. If the consumer actually agrees to spend an hour of his or her time meeting with a representative for a consultation, that’s even better. This is how we ought to feel in the orthodontic profession. Why? Because the greatest opportunity for growth isn’t in taking market share away from your peers, it’s in reaching your local share of the 23 million American adults who, according to a 2011 survey conducted by Millennium Research Group, say they are interested in straightening their teeth.

In sales performance parlance, we talk about Emotional Quotient, or EQ, because it has a lot to do with sales success. A person with a high EQ has the inner-discipline to do what is necessary to succeed, letting negative emotions and other success killers roll off their back like water off a duck’s derriere – even if he or she has to embrace new behaviors that are out of his or her comfort zone. This quality is one of the most important attributes for a treatment coordinator. It’s different than being a “people person” or having “the gift of gab.” He or she has to be a good communicator, and that means getting people to open up, listening, understanding, empathizing and being able to connect the dots between what the prospective patient feels and how treatment from your practice will satisfy the felt needs. When this is done well, the price of treatment becomes a less significant hurdle to overcome.

I’m going to share some keys to success in converting consumers (shoppers) into patients, but before I do I’d like to ask you to take a moment to think about your own attitudes and feelings about selling and about dealing with non-referred patients. Are you and your TC excited every time people inquire about treatment? Do you have systems in place to help you take the time necessary to really connect and uncover their motivations? Are you able to connect the dots between the treatment and results you provide with their job, social and family life or do you mostly just talk about teeth? Do you do 80 percent of the talking and only 20 percent of the listening during your new patient consult? The answers to those questions are important because the attitude you bring into the consultation sets the tone for the entire interaction. In many cases, we are our own worst enemy.

Now that we’ve scratched the surface of the psychological factors impacting your ability to succeed with non-referred patients, we can explore the strategies and tactics that will help you capitalize on your share of the ginormous opportunity to treat self-motivated adults. It starts by switching from presentation to interaction.

Shift from Presentation to Interaction
I’ve participated in hundreds of orthodontic new patient consultations and most of them fit what I call the “sit and spit” model. You know what I mean. After a few minutes of small talk the treatment coordinator shifts into presentation mode sharing everything you could ever want to know about your treatment options, what it’s like to be in treatment, how great the doctor is, etc. She sits… and spits. This approach works well with the referred patients who fit the profile I described, but it often misses with self-referred patients, not because they lack the motivation to start treatment, but because they need you to help them see their own motivation and then see how orthodontic treatment will change their life.

Uncover and Satisfy Needs
Don’t tell self-motivated patients what they need and how you’re going to do it. Ask them what they want – and learn to listen for what I call, “key phrases.” Any time you hear “I need,” “I want,” “I don’t want…” you’re hearing a felt need and those needs are closely tied to the prospective patient’s motivation. When you hear a key phrase you need to stop, listen and then ask for more detail.

Only when you feel you understand what led them to your office today should you offer a solution. For example, when you hear, “I had braces as a kid and I don’t want them again” you will instinctively start talking about how orthodontic technology has improved and how the experience is much more comfortable today or something along those lines. Instead, recognize that you’ve just heard the key phrase, “I don’t want braces” and before you offer the solution you need to ask some questions. Maybe he or she is interested in clear aligners, maybe he or she is hoping for more comfort or is concerned about what he or she can and cannot eat. Ask what he or she remembers about treatment before and what prompted him or her to come and see you now. Ask what he or she is looking for – and then satisfy his or her needs.

Probing, Listening and Linking
I’ve developed an in-office sales training program for orthodontics and have determined that the key skills needed to succeed with consumers are probing, listening and linking. Probing is asking questions. Sometimes it feels like small talk, but if you listen well and learn how to link properly you’ll find that talking to prospects about their jobs, families and hobbies can quickly connect you with their true motivation for seeking information about treatment. Listening is something we all know how to do, but listening for key phrases like those described makes all the difference. Moreover, getting the prospective patient to actually speak those key phrases through effective probing is the consultative selling approach. Linking is the process of connecting the dots between his or her felt needs and orthodontic treatment.

Closing the Deal
The most successful close begins with a summary of the needs they’ve expressed and you’ve satisfied. This is different than a summary of the treatment steps and approach. If you find it’s time to close the deal and you can’t recall three or more key phrases the prospective patient expressed – and how you are going to address them – then chances are you sat… and spat… rather than taking the needs-based, consultative approach. The patient might have awareness of sufficient desire to start treatment with you, but it’s a lot easier to say “no” to a presentation than it is to someone who truly understands you; someone who has heard you and addressed your deeply felt motivations.
Author Bio
Jeffrey Behan is president and founder of VisionTrust Communications, a firm specializing in development and implementation of marketing communications for print, broadcast and the Internet. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Behan has more than 25 years of experience in marketing, strategic planning, customer relationship development, product and business development, market research, brand development, advertising, public relations and audio/video production. He can be reached at jbehan@visiontrust.com or 719-531-7527.
Orthotown Magazine
September 2025
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