Sales professionals often speak about the need to demonstrate or create urgency – a sense that an action or a transaction must be completed sooner rather than later in order to maximize the benefit offered.

But creating a sense of urgency is more difficult than it sounds.

For starters, most customers can spot phony intentions a mile away. There’s a reason why popular culture mocks used car salesmen. A salesman or saleswoman who tries too hard is obvious.

The key is to create a sense of urgency that doesn’t sound manufactured – even if it is. While false countdown clocks to a specific deal or a deadline to redeem a special service aren’t terribly offensive, most customers – or dental patients – still know them for what they are: a gimmick.

With that in mind here are some tips to consider when striving to create genuine urgency:

• Help your patients appreciate the need for your service – This means getting them to see the big picture. If a patient is on the fence regarding dental implants and are edentulous, impress upon them about the risks of bone loss and how the longer they wait for a procedure the more complicated (and costly) it is likely to become.
• Listen more, talk less – it’s been said that we have one mouth and two ears in the proper proportions. Use them effectively. As much as your staff is trying to promote the services your dental practice provides, it’s vital that your team listens – really listens– to what patients have to say. The more you learn about their specific needs, the better you can craft a message that feels genuine and persuasive.
• Speed counts – While it’s important to listen to your patients, one of the ways you can create urgency is quickening the flow of conversation. Be a high energy, upbeat problem solver and try to offer timely solutions to patient concerns. Be careful here. It’s important to correctly gauge how receptive your patient is and not to come across as too intense. But with the right patient, demonstrating adeptness and offering solutions makes patients feel less inclined to wait for a procedure. Urgency created!
• Keep the conversation going – Under ideal circumstances you’d like to create urgency in the moment. But for every patient you do convince on the spot you’ll have dozens more who want to hold out a little longer for any suggested procedures. Don’t dismay the delay! This is your opportunity to keep the conversation going. Be careful not to pester. Inform patients of new deals, new offers, and new treatments – anything that gives you a legitimate reason to follow up with that patient.
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