Why is closing the consultation appointment itself a sale, even when the consultation is free?
Because the caller is committing time, attention, and emotional energy to a specific date and time, and that commitment requires actual selling on the part of the team member. Marketing and the practice website have done preliminary work to pre-sell the appointment, but the close itself requires a competent team member to seal the commitment. Without that close, the call ends with vague intent and the caller never returns. The complimentary consultation makes the close easier because the price-objection is removed from the booking conversation. Even so, the team member must direct the caller to a specific time slot, confirm the slot is acceptable, and lock it in. Practices that have trained team members further can sell consultations that carry a fee, including substantial diagnostic visits, over the phone. The deeper the training, the higher the price tier the team can close. The consultation close is a real sale. Treat it accordingly in training, scripts, and tracking.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.