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Time: The Most Precious Commodity. Can You Afford to Ignore It?

In the world of orthodontics, understanding and effectively selling time can be your secret weapon to closing more cases and turbocharging your practice growth. Ready to delve into this fascinating three-part series? Together, we’ll unravel the psychology behind the art of selling time and how you can masterfully apply it in your orthodontic consultations.

The Alpha and Omega of Purchases: Solving Problems

People buy anything at all for one simple yet profound reason – to solve a problem. Whether it’s buying a stick of deodorant to combat body odor, opting for braces to align teeth, or splurging on a luxury handbag to upgrade personal style, purchases are made to bridge gaps and fulfill desires.
As an orthodontist, you offer a solution to crooked smiles and misaligned teeth. Patients approach you with a problem, and you present them with the treatment plan. But having the perfect solution doesn’t always translate to an immediate ‘yes’. Have you ever stopped to wonder why?

The Four Pillars of Persuasion: Clarity Points for Closing

When discussing a potential treatment plan with your patient, there are four clarity points that can guide you to a ‘yes’:
  1. Time – Balancing the perceived value of time against money
  2. Money – Unraveling the financial commitment and flexible payment options
  3. Decision Maker – Ensuring the key decision-makers are part of the conversation
  4. Knowledge – Ensuring the patient fully comprehends what they are investing in
Among these pillars, time often plays the most influential yet underestimated role in orthodontic sales. Let’s uncover why time is such a game-changer.

Time: The Invisible Hand Guiding Buying Decisions

Every buying decision is a delicate dance between the time investment and the monetary cost at a subconscious level. People are willing to pay more to save time. Consider this – you could whip up a salad at home for $5 or have one delivered for $15. That extra $10 seems worth it when you factor in the time saved in preparing and cleaning up.
This is why companies like Amazon, Uber Eats, and Instacart have found immense success – they sell the convenience of time. In orthodontics, time influences various aspects such as the number of office visits, length of appointments, treatment duration, and wait time between booking and appointments. It’s time we shift our focus from purely clinical aspects like materials and technology to how treatment will impact the patient’s time.

Mastering the Art of Selling Time in Orthodontic Consultations

Here are some strategies to weave the element of time into your orthodontic consultations:
  • Prompt appointment scheduling: Swift follow-ups and scheduling near-term appointments show your regard for the patient’s time, building trust and creating enthusiasm.
  • Offer immediate starts: This saves the patient an extra visit. A statement like “Most patients prefer not having to come back just to get started. How about we begin today?” can make a world of difference.
  • Minimize visits: Demonstrate how your treatment plan reduces appointments through advanced technology like clear aligners or indirect bonding.
  • Emphasize on time savings: Don’t just stick to clinical details. Point out how your approach will save them hours or days compared to other options.
  • Link payment plans to time: Present payment plans as a means to save months or years of treatment time now, as opposed to waiting to accumulate funds for full payment.
  • Adopt time-focused language: Words like “convenient” and “faster” are compelling. Ask questions like “How can I make this process more time-efficient for you?”
Time is the silent factor that patients consider when making orthodontic decisions. They seek treatment that delivers results in the quickest and most convenient manner. By consciously integrating time-focused messaging into your consultations, you can boost case acceptance rates and propel your practice growth.