How to Nurture Unqualified Leads - Digital Limelight Media

Digital marketing can seem like a mad dash for an email list. Between pop ups and newsletter sign ups, gaining an individual’s name, phone number, and email address can go a long way for your business or practice. But not every lead is ready to sign over their life story to you right away. When limited information or situational factors stop a lead from converting the question becomes, how do you deal with unqualified leads? 

With over a decade of experience in the digital marketing space for medical practices, Digital Limelight Media can help convert unresponsive leads to active voices advocating for your brand. 

What is a Lead?

The term ‘lead’ can take many different forms depending on the industry you are in. Broadly, the combination of information, intent, and interest from your clientele creates a lead. When it comes to digital marketing and for many brands online today, in its simplest form, a lead can be the name and contact information of an individual interested in your product or service. 

How Does Digital Limelight Media Define a Lead?

A common stumbling ground with gathering lead information is that people often require too much or too little information from their patients. Ask for too little and you’ll have gaps in the best way to contact a client. Alternatively, asking for too much information often turns people away and a lead is lost. 

Because of this, here at Digital Limelight Media, we categorize a lead as someone who has filled out a form with their First Name, Last Name, Email, and Phone Number. This keeps the form approachable and simple enough for the user, while also creating a foundation of information for your practice to build off of as the relationship with a lead progresses.

What Makes an Unqualified Lead?

Qualified leads are highly motivated, responsive, and move through the purchase funnel at a quick, average, (or sometimes even) a slow pace. The main focus is that they are moving, while unqualified leads may fall out of the funnel or hit a roadblock and stop moving down the funnel. 

There are many reasons a lead may be seen as unqualified. Some include:

• Unresponsiveness – A lead may provide contact information but ghost you when it comes to follow through. These can be particularly difficult leads to nurture as the individual is making an active choice to disregard contact with your office.

• Financial Situation- High demand surgical procedures often run at a higher price point. This may cause some leads to reconsider scheduling a surgery after an initial consultation.

• Insurance- In tandem with the financial situation, many cosmetic procedures are not covered by medical insurance. This is a common tripping point causing leads to fall off.

• Availability- When it comes to surgeries, there is often an extensive timeline to consider. Between consultations, pre-op and post-op appointments, and recovery, a patient has to be prepared to take some time off work and rest. If a lead is not prepared for this reality, they may be categorized as unqualified.

• Location- If a lead comes in from across the country, travel may be an issue.

• Underaged- Cosmetic procedures have gained popularity with a younger demographic over the past 10 years. Plastic surgery is more widely accepted and discussed causing the demand to skew to a younger age range. The difficulty comes in when a minimum age is required for a particular procedure.

• Health Concerns- A patient may have their schedule cleared and payment ready for a procedure but health issues get in the way. For instance, a high BMI or a patient who is a regular smoker can disqualify them from procedure eligibility.

What to do About Unqualified Leads

The wide range of issues detailed above can create a mix of tricky situations preventing a lead from converting to a patient. So what can you do about unqualified leads? 

It is important to enter conversations with an unqualified lead from a standpoint of meeting the patient where they are. Dive into the roadblock they are experiencing and learn what their concerns are. Take every opportunity with a lead to give them resources and a call to action that encourages another touchpoint with your office. For example: 

• If finances and insurance are an issue, direct the lead to your site’s financing page and provide the number of someone they can discuss financing with at your office. If they are sensitive to pricing, add them to the special offers email list so they are alerted when their favorite procedures are offered at a lower price point.
  
• Redirection can be a helpful tool in a situation with an unqualified lead. If medical history or age disqualifies a patient from a particular surgery of interest, take this as a time to educate them on other procedures that can achieve a similar effect. If BMI is an issue, aid the patient in a plan to prepare them for surgery down the road. A retargeting email campaign can be helpful in educating a customer in these instances.
  
• If procedure timelines are of concern, Digital Limelight Media offers a HIPPA compliant virtual consultation feature to streamline the consultation process and reach patients who may be in a more distant area. 

The Bottom Line

A lead is only as unqualified as you label them. Connecting with a lead on their level and understanding what their roadblocks are allows you both to uncover their needs and provide a solution. This also builds a trusting and mutually beneficial relationship which converts leads to patients and advocates of your brand. 

Unsure of Where to Start?

If you’re struggling with unresponsive or unqualified leads, Digital Limelight Media has the experience and tools to help. With offerings to help you connect with your patients and manage your CRM more efficiently, give us a call today or fill out our online contact form. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!