One of the reasons I’ve built a worldview that includes price transparency is because I recognized early on that everyone wants to know cost ahead of time.  So why make it difficult for them. No one likes sticker shock. But there’s another benefit of price transparency.

By knowing the cost ahead of time, the hope is the patient will feel less of an urge to ask for a discount or a special. In other words, “this is the price, be prepared when you come in.” However, as we all know, it doesn’t always work out that way. In this Amazon world, discounts and specials are just a way of life. If left unchecked, discounting and specials can lead to a race to the bottom where everyone is undercutting their competitors. This potentially leads to the cheapening of a brand.

Which is why bargaining, an even more insidious cousin of discounting and promotions, takes things a bit too far. If you have to choose between the two, discounts vs bargaining, discounting is the lesser evil. If we embrace discounts and promotions in certain circumstances using certain techniques, we can “build a fence” around the potential for bargaining so that it never gets to that point.

Bargaining in a bazaar may be in the natural order of things in that setting, but it has no role in healthcare. Even for medically unnecessary aesthetic procedures.

How to use discounts and specials the “right” way

Having a set program or programs to allow for discounting can be an effective way to draw patients in. And at the same time, avoid cheapening the brand.

In our practice, we offer discounts and specials in three different formats. While they all provide a discount to the patient, there’s an equally important benefit to the practice, in addition to greater patient volume. In each format description below, take special note of the additional benefits that show how discounting and specials can serve a greater purpose.

Online purchases

On our website, we allow patients to purchase non-surgical services (neuromodulators like BOTOX®/Xeomin and fillers) and skin care products online.  And when these purchases are made online, a nominal discount is included.

Even before we realized the benefits of contactless payments during the pandemic, online purchasing is just plain more convenient. Convenient for the patient and the practice. Consider a patient that purchases skin care online. Tax, shipping and a discount are already  included. This saves the patient from having to come in unnecessarily but it also encourages the patient to continue taking the path of least resistance. Why seek out another practice when the patient can get the products (or prescription creams) they want delivered to their door with just a few clicks!

For injectables like Botox or fillers, the patient of course still needs to come in for treatment. But similar to buying a movie ticket online, there’s no need to stop at the front desk/ticket booth to make a payment. The transaction already occured online. More importantly, there’s the added benefit of privacy for the patients by not having to check out on the way out the door.

On an equally practical note, how do practices that run specials keep up with all of the deals swirling around all the time? Have you ever sent out or received an email from an aesthetic physician’s office? There’s a ton of specials listed! How does the front office staff track the current specials and not accidentally discount the wrong item for the wrong amount? With online-only discounts, they’ll always pay the correct amount. In our practice, whenever a patient purchases online, a voucher is automatically generated that clarifies the amount paid and the amount of product or Injectible they’re eligible to redeem.

We’re fans of online purchasing. Here are some of the benefits:

1. contactless payments
2. enhance privacy by avoiding front desk checkout
3. reduce lost revenue from inaccurate discounting

Subscriptions and Memberships

This specials format includes recurring payments that either cover the entire cost of the service in question (subscriptions) or give the consumer access to additional discounts in the future (memberships).

For subscriptions, payments are structured so that a monthly payment covers the entire cost of a discounted quarterly treatment, such as Botox. Therefore, when the patient comes in for their treatment every three months, they pay nothing out of pocket during that visit. Psychologically, if the patient feels like the treatment cost nothing at the time of their office visit, they’re open to purchasing another service. Thus leading to greater, unexpected revenue.

Memberships involve lower monthly payments that don’t cover the cost of any service. But they do offer the availability of VIP (discounted) services. Similar to subscriptions, patients may rationalize additional purchases because of the savings.

While a one-time online purchase described above has the benefit of capturing the patient, it doesn’t incur loyalty the way subscriptions and memberships do. With recurring payments and repeat traffic, this is the easiest way to build a long-term patient-doctor relationship.

Consider subscriptions and memberships to realize these benefits:

1. loyalty
2. recurring revenue
3. increased revenue from the purchase of non-subscription items while in the office

Day of consult discounts

Consider this scenario that takes place in most offices: A patient puts down a deposit to hold their place for a larger procedure. Then, 2-3 weeks prior to the procedure, the balance is due. Capturing the balance is never as easy as one would hope.

Often times, the office staff must go to great lengths to track down the patient to collect those remaining funds. Multiple phone calls, patients not calling back, endless games. And even if it doesn’t require multiple phone calls, it still requires at least one, potentially avoidable phone call.

Why do physicians’ practices put themselves in this time-consuming position? Wasting so many hours following up with the patient, trying to collect prior to the procedure? Not to mention the angst of wondering if the patient can pay the balance in advance of the operation. Or the frustration of postponing the procedure because they can’t. Which in turn leads to awkward conversations, hurt feelings, miscommunication and potentially a bad online review.

Wouldn’t it be great if the patient would book and pay in full at the time of the consultation? That would have the benefit of less wasted time trying to track down the patient and your office staff wouldn’t feel like a bounty hunter! With the right incentive, it’s possible.

At the time the patient schedules the consultation over the phone, we let them know the probable cost of their procedure. This is based on the information they provide regarding their concerns. We let them know that if they come in prepared to pay that amount in full at the time of consultation, they’ll receive a discount ($1000 for a procedure greater than $10,000 or $500 for a procedure less than $10,000).

This discount is a great benefit for the patient but clearly, there’s also a huge benefit to the practice. We gain increased productivity not chasing patients for the balance of their procedure. With a combination of price transparency prior to the consultation and incentivizing the patient with a discount, 72% of patients that booked surgery at the time of their consult paid in full, including procedures costing $22,000!

Benefit to the practice:

1. improved cash flow with full payment up front
2. incentivize only the most serious patients to come in for consultation
3. avoid wasted time on tracking down patients for the remainder of their balance

Summary

Bottom line, don’t discount without a purpose! By linking discounts and specials to  specific goals, other benefits will reveal themselves. These include 1) improving cash flow, 2) incurring loyalty, 3) increasing productivity (reducing time wasted), 4) avoiding confusion in regards to which specials are being offered and 5) having enough hard-wired options for discounting that a reasonable patient knows the practice’s disposition on price, and never has the opportunity or urge to resort to bargaining.

Let your competitors race to the bottom while you stay above the fray!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Discounts and specials? Sure. Bargaining? Absolutely not. first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

A substitute to specials

The purpose of specials is to generate interest in services at a time when business is expected to slow down. This in turn will keep revenue flowing. So rather than intermittent sales and promotions to keep cash flow from bottoming out, motivate consumers in a way that requires a commitment from them in the long run.

What do I mean? Let’s demonstrate by example. In our office, we have two ways of offering consumers a “special” without running specials. These offerings are an exchange of benefits between provider and consumer. A typical one-off special incurs no loyalty. The doctor offers a special, the consumer takes advantage of it and the former patient has no reason to darken the doorway of the practice until another deal is run.

Generating commitment from a patient

So we offer a benefit for prospective surgical and non-surgical patients that also benefits the office. First, the non-surgical patients. Instead of providing a special that incurs no long-term commitment, we utilize a subscription system to maintain recurring revenue for non-surgical services. With a subscription or membership, the differences explained here, the consumer receives discounted benefits but only with a monthly ongoing financial commitment.

For surgical patients, we utilize a similar game plan.  As discussed here, most offices allow patients to book a surgical procedure by only leaving a deposit. But this requires the office staff to follow-up two weeks prior to surgery and attempt to collect the balance. Collecting the remaining balance is never as easy as expected. It usually ends up with additional awkward conversations about cost, prolonged games of phone tag and potential postponement of procedures.

To minimize this, we give patients a discount on the surgical procedure if they book and pay in full at the time of consultation. 72% of our patients now book and pay in full at the time of consultation. They’re incentivized to do this because 1) they know cost ahead of time and 2) can get their finances in order by the time they come in for a consultation and 3) they receive a discount for doing so. The consumer receives the benefit of a discount on their procedure and we receive the benefit of reducing the amount of time spent trying to collect a balance. What could your office staff do if they could shift 72% of their time from one frustrating task to a more productive one?!

Using these techniques builds a financially loyal patient base that offers reciprocal benefits for both patient and practice.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Don’t offer specials. Offer commitment instead! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Botox LIVE Event!

Dr. Kaplan will be on hand to give a short presentation on Botox and fillers. Greg, the host of 99.7Now Big Bay Mornings will be the emcee for the evening. He’ll be taking questions for Dr. Kaplan from the audience. And after your questions are answered, Dr. Kaplan will perform live injections on one of his patients (sorry, attendees, you won’t be getting treated that night)!

However, attendees will receive $50 towards treatment of Xeomin (competitor to Botox) when you come into the office to smooth away lines on the forehead, the “11’s” or crow’s feet.

Space is very limited so RSVP by texting or calling us at 415-923-3005 or DM us @realdrbae on IG.

We hope to see you there!

The post Botox LIVE demo with Dr. Kaplan, Caviar Co and 99.7! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Best Surgical Body Shaping Enhancement at THE Aesthetic Show 2019

As you can see in the video below, Dr. Kaplan performed a Mommy Makeover on a patient with amazing results. In fact, award winning results! She had a breast augmentation and lift as well as a tummy tuck.

Even though it’s a scary sounding operation, the patient when home the same day as surgery. She was a very compliant, active patient who recovered well.

There are many variations on the mommy makeover. No two patients are alike. Some need a breast lift alone, or implants alone, or implants and a lift. This all depends on how droopy the breast are and how much breast tissue the patient already has.

If they have a large amount of breast tissue, then they may only need a lift. The type of lift depends on how droopy the breast are. Minimal droop, an implant may be enough. More droop may need a donut lift, a lollipop lift or an anchor lift. Implants also help with improving breast projection even if the patient already has adequate breast tissue. This patient had a breast lift and augmentation. Check out the results below.

Video of award winning results!

To check prices on a mommy makeover or other procedures from Dr. Kaplan, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan wins award at THE Aesthetic Show 2019 [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

The BuildMyBod Health Concierge Experience

This experience encompasses all of the e-commerce capabilities of the BuildMyBod platform. After consumers check pricing, they can purchase non-surgical services through the BuyNow or Promos feature. Taking it to a new level is the Subscription system. This allows the consumer to purchase a Membership or a Package.

A Membership is a monthly fee the consumer pays that gives them access to discounts on multiple products and services. Our founder/CEO, Dr. Jonathan Kaplan created the Bae Club to be the vehicle for his practice’s Subscription system.

For those of you not aware, Dr. Kaplan goes by Dr. Bae on social media! As silly as it sounds, this online persona has taken on a life of its own. He’s still the same person regardless, but being Dr. Bae in the Bay Area just made sense on Snapchat and Instagram​. Spelling it B-a-e rather than B-a-y is simply a play on words. But enough about that!

Here’s an example of the Membership and Package subscriptions that Dr. Kaplan created through the Bae Club. These can be a model for other providers considering a Subscription system for their practice.

The Bae Club Injectables and SkinCare Membership:

• Up to 20% off Botox/Xeomin, fillers, Latisse and Obagi skin care products.
• Get treated, or purchase, as much and as often as you like and always get up to 20% off.
• All you do is pay a low monthly membership fee (automatically charged to a card on file).
• Purchase must be made online by clicking the button below. Can not purchase in office.

Purchase your Membership HERE!

The Bae Club Wrinkle Reducer Package: 

• Come in the office every three months, get 20 units of Botox/Xeomin and walk right out of the office!
• Instead of paying a lump fee for treatments at each appointment, you pay a little each month with an automated charge to your card on file.
• You’re getting the treatments anyway but instead of paying the full amount every three months, you pay a monthly fee that covers your cost for the year – but at a 15% discount!
• Purchase must be made online by clicking the button below. Can not purchase in office.

Purchase this Package HERE!

The video below explains the benefits to both the provider and the consumer. If you’re a provider, click here to request an account and join the BuildMyBod network. If you’re a consumer, click here to check pricing and potentially purchase services from Dr. Kaplan.

Video overview of the BuildMyBod Health Concierge Experience

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Announcing the new BuildMyBod Health Concierge Experience! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

If you could have brunch with anyone in the world, who would it be?! Dr. Kaplan’s wife, Kelsey – @kelseykaplanfashion on Instagram – would want it to be the entire Kardashian family .

But if Dr. and Mrs. Kaplan, aka Dr. and Mrs. Bae, crossed your mind, it’s your lucky day! (In case you’re confused, Dr. Bae is just Dr. Kaplan’s social media name! It’s Dr. Bae because he’s in the ‘Bay’ area but spelled ‘Bae’ because that’s lingo for your significant other! )

For a chance to win brunch with Dr. Kaplan, @realdrbae, his wife and FIVE of your friends , at the most talked about bakery and bistro in San Francisco @lemaraisbakery, follow the instructions below. Brunch with the Baes will be served on Saturday, January 19th at 11 am. The winner will be contacted with exact address and details.

Here’s what you do:

1. Go to this photo on Dr. Bae’s Instagram page (aka Dr. Kaplan) and like it
2. Be sure and Follow @kelseykaplanfashion, @realdrbae and @lemaraisbakery
3. In the comments, tag up to 5 of your friends you would invite to brunch
4. *** For extra entries, like our last 3 pics on @realdrbae

Contest ends at midnight PST on 1/10/19, the lucky winner will be announced 1/12/19. Fingers crossed!!

This contest is not associated with Instagram. Entrants must be 18 years of age and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. No purchase necessary. Travel expenses not included.

The winner will be picked from a pool of entrants that followed all of the instructions perfectly. Questions? DM Dr. Kaplan’s office through his Instagram account.

UPDATE: We chose the winner! Check out the video from that stupendous day below!

Brunch with the Baes VIDEO

Thanks to @lastmanmedia for the video!
 

The post Brunch with the Baes! [video] first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

Later haters!

In the past, getting botulinum toxin (ie Botox), was considered taboo. Women were embarrassed for friends and family to know they were getting treatments to minimize wrinkles.

Fast forward to today. Not only are women not as concerned if everyone knows they are finding ways to reduce their wrinkles, more men are entering the fray! As this new campaign shows, no one should be embarrassed about feeling better about themselves.

So while most empowerment rhetoric refers to getting involved politically to determine your  own destiny, the Later Haters campaign wants women (and men) to feel comfortable doing what gives them more self confidence.

Follow XEOMIN® on Instagram here. And to check pricing on wrinkle reducing treatments like XEOMIN® from Dr. Kaplan, click here.

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Later haters! The latest XEOMIN® Campaign first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

So here’s the dealio! PHPS and Dr. Bae (Dr. Kaplan) are hanging out with Jest Jewels at 1869 Union Street on August 4th and 5th (that’s THIS WEEKEND) during an Apple Pay event.

If you purchase something from Dr. Kaplan, Jest Jewels or the other merchants on Union St during those 2 days, then you get 20% off when using Apple Pay!

This is what you need to do:

• -Plan on shopping on Union St. on August 4th and 5th from 11am to 6pm
• -Come visit Dr. Kaplan inside of Jest Jewels at 1869 Union St.
• -Get 20% off Botox/Xeomin when purchasing with Apple Pay
• -No appointment necessary…just walk in!

Pay for the appropriate amount of Botox/Xeomin with Apple Pay on August 4th or 5th and schedule your treatment with Dr. Bae another day!

Our office is located at 2100 Webster St., Suite 429. Don’t forget. You MUST pay with Apple Pay. Your cash is worthless!

Questions? Call us at 415-923-3005.

The post Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery participating in Apple Pay event first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

There are many myths surrounding cosmetic surgery. Everyone used to think it was only for rich people. Then Congress considered a tax on cosmetic surgery, only to realize it would mostly affect middle class women. That’s not the group you want to tax during an election year! And many consider cosmetic surgery taboo. That it shouldn’t be discussed in public. Social media is changing that!

Cosmetic surgery taboo? Not anymore

While not everyone wants their cosmetic surgery broadcast on social media, many patients don’t mind. Regardless of whether their face is obscured, patients are more open to paying it forward and educating the next person considering a cosmetic procedure.

An even more blatant example of shaking off the taboo assumptions about cosmetic surgery, patients are posting their very un-anonymous results on social media! The photo above was posted by the patient to show his before (on the right) and after (on the left) results.

As in the example below, patients not only describe their procedure, they also name their surgeon! Patients are making big decisions when it comes to surgery. They often discuss their decision-making process with the online community. And when they’re happy with that decision, they want to share it with everyone. This in turn encourages the next person to take their own steps to improve their self-confidence and overall well being.

Would you share your results online?

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Is cosmetic surgery taboo? Not anymore! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

With the advent of Instagram and the widespread sharing of before and after photos by doctors to an ever-increasing audience, the consumer needs to be wary. All is not what it seems. Sharing before and after photos isn’t new. For years doctors have shared their photo gallery on their own website. But that’s not the same as sharing photos on social media.

For one, there wasn’t a “crowdsourcing” of consumer “photo” knowledge prior to social media. What I mean is that consumers couldn’t leave comments under the photos on a doctor’s website. On Instagram, once consumers view an exhaustive number of before and after photos and educate themselves, they know a bogus photo when they see it. And they’re happy to share their knowledge in the comments on social media.

With this new-found knowledge, consumers, and even doctors themselves, are calling doctors out for disingenuous photos. The following will serve as a tutorial for the doctor on what not to do…and for the consumer – when you see something, say something!

How to spot bogus before and after photos: Lighting

A change in lighting from the before to the after photo is the oldest trick in the book. Or adding makeup and a new hairdo to the after photo can serve as confounding variables. In other words, do they look better because of the procedure or because of lighting and camera tricks.

A perfect example is demonstrated below by Dr. Christian Subbio of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. In the rotating images below, he reveals the secret to his non-invasive makeover. Light! Even as a seasoned plastic surgeon taking before and after photos for years, I’m still amazed how much the lighting and position of the head can affect perceived results.

How to spot bogus before and after photos: the Angle

I’ll admit I’m guilty of posting an immediate ‘after’ photo of a patient on the operating room table on Snapchat or Instagram Stories. My rationale is that while broadcasting the procedure in a quasi-live manner on social media, it would leave the consumer wanting if we didn’t show the patient immediately after surgery.

Of course it would be more accurate to show the patient in the same position as the preop photo. But all preop photos show the patient in a standing position, regardless of whether we’re talking about a facelift, breast aug or tummy tuck. At the end of the operation, with an anesthetized patient, we can’t very well stand the patient up. Remember Weekend at Bernie’s?!

So while I recognize this is comparing apples to oranges (standing before and laying down after vs standing before and standing after), the audience watching the procedure would be aggravated if we showed nothing. So we leave it to the viewer to judge for themselves, knowing full well that the preop is standing and the immediate postop is laying down. You can hear my opinion further articulated in the video below.

That said, this is different than an intentional trick used by some doctors. As illustrated below by our friend Dr. Subbio, the patient’s position on the bed is manipulated further than just comparing standing “befores” and laying “afters.”

What about tummy tuck scars?

Before plastic surgeons get too self-righteous about what is and is not appropriate, they should consider one technique we’re all guilty of. Ever notice how most before and after tummy tuck photos have the underwear covering the patient’s incision? Sure it would be more honest to show the patient’s incision, as I’ve done before. But after the thousandth viewer asks why the patient has a scar, it’s easier to get on the same playing field as other surgeons and just cover the incision. It’s disingenuous in my opinion to act as though the patient doesn’t have a scar after a tummy tuck. But it’s better than taking the high road, showing the scar, and never doing another tummy tuck because patients think you’re a hack!

What other examples of bogus before and after photos have you seen? What’s your opinion on this subject?

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post What makes before and after photos bogus?! first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.

The Medical Spa Show

The conference is sponsored by the American Med Spa Association and according to their website:

“AmSpa provides legal, compliance, and business resources for medical spas and medical aesthetic practices.

AmSpa members have access to legal summaries of the regulations in their state, and are eligible for an AmSpa-exclusive medical spa insurance package. Members also gain savings on training events, tools that teach medical spa legal and business best-practices, and much more!”

So whether you’re working at a med spa or thinking of starting one, the conference will benefit you. Also, the practice management and procedures discussed will be beneficial to anyone in an aesthetic practice.

Dr. Kaplan will discuss how one of the best ways to generate leads through your website is price transparency. Consumers researching a doctor’s website are eventually going to want to know the cost.

With a “Get A Quote Now” call-to-action button on the home page of your website, you can capture all of those visitors wanting to know price. But don’t just list the prices in a static menu. That’s the equivalent to giving the milk away for free. With the BuildMyBod Health platform, consumers can check pricing and doctors can capture contact info for follow up. When it comes to healthcare, there’s no better customer service than a doctor’s office assisting you through your journey!

Click here for the original blog post written by Dr. Kaplan for BuildMyBod.

The post Dr. Kaplan speaking at The Medical Spa Show first appeared on Plastic Surgeon San Francisco | Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery.