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With rising interest rates and the cost of living crisis beginning to impact pet owners around Australia, veterinary practices are seeing a marked increase in pricing shopping, deferment of recommended treatments, and sadly in some cases, euthanasia.
Of course, it’s not feasible to price match competing quotes without compromising your standards of care or devaluing your team’s work, but here are a few ways that you can get more appointments without breaking the budget.
Overdue reminders are your low-hanging fruit! These patients already visit your practice and your clients are generally happy to hear from you. Show them that you care and that you are thinking of their pets—even when they are not visiting your practice.
When reception is quiet, get your team to make a few calls to clients with overdue services including:
A quick phone call is also the perfect way to follow up on dental estimates, as this gives clients the opportunity to ask questions. You can counter price objections by offering payment plans, or stay in touch by booking a free dental check in 3 months’ time.
Get your industry reps involved and ask them if they will donate products or provide discounts for an in-clinic promotion.
Promote your offer via:
Get into the habit of asking clients to pre-book their next vaccination or dental scale and polish when they settle their account after a visit.
Puppy and kitten parents should be offered a desexing appointment when their pet is 6 months of age.
Leverage your client database and send a monthly newsletter with pet healthcare tips and advice, accompanied by a strong Call to Action to encourage bookings.
Vet Pay, Zip Pay, Deferit and Gap Only are just a few of the payment plans on offer for veterinary clients. We just have to remember to keep mentioning them!
Unfortunately, the recession is hitting everybody hard, including pet families, but we can mitigate the impact on our veterinary business by working with our existing tools and resources, and putting them to good use during the quiet times.
Do you have a success story or ideas to help generate more bookings for your practice? I’d love to hear them!
This post was first published on the Waggy Dog Blog: 5 Low-Cost Ways to Fill Your Schedule
Donna has over 15 years of sales and marketing experience in the veterinary and pet care sectors. As a previous wholesale rep in the veterinary industry, she understands the challenges faced by veterinarians wanting to not only attract new customers in a highly competitive market but to keep them coming back. She has also recruited, trained and coached teams in the corporate, retail, fundraising and veterinary sectors for over 30 years. Her knowledge of veterinary practice marketing and the local landscape enables her to deliver successful marketing strategies and content that keep pet owners engaged and loyal to your practice. Donna’s mission is to help veterinarians grow their practices and to facilitate easy access to quality, affordable health care for pet owners.
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