The best way to evaluate results at body contouring follow ups

Kay: 00:01

The best way to evaluate results at body contouring follow ups 

Do you get excited when you see a follow-up visit on your schedule?  Don’t be afraid to tell the truth.  Chances are you feel a little apprehension hoping it goes well.  Most providers do.  But there is a way to feel confident when you’re evaluating results, and to know that it’s going to be a positive visit.  Maybe you have some doubts about that?  Well you won’t after listening to today’s episode.  Because we have the definitive body contouring follow-up visit checklist.  We developed it and perfected it over our years of practice and we’re sharing it with you today.  So stay tuned if you want a step by step guide to deliver the perfect follow up visit every time. 

[intro music]

Shannon: 00:54

You’re listening to The Body Contouring Academy’s Proven Profits Podcast 

where you’ll learn simple actionable strategies from real world successful body contouring professionals to help you generate more revenue, realize the profits you want and create the life you desire. 

Hi I’m Shannon and I’m Kay and we’re your hosts of The Proven Profits Podcast

Kay: 01:29

Hi there, body contouring professionals.  Kay here.  A big thank you for being here too from both Shannon and I.

We knew we needed to do a podcast episode covering follow up visits immediately upon receiving an email from a student.  She was concerned about a patient who came to a follow up appointment which was scheduled two months after her last fat reduction treatment.  And at the follow up visit, her patient could not see any fat reduction.  She could see no results.  Now what would you have done if you were in her shoes?  

How do you evaluate results in your practice?  

Truth is, body contouring follow-up visits are not easy. 

In fact, the basis for whether a patient is satisfied or not satisfied starts way before that first follow-up appointment. We’re talking about expectations for certain results.  

Some factors that form your patients expectations start as far back as when your patient was barely learning about you.

That’s why it’s critical to cover several key components - many of which should be in a specific order - at your follow up visits. 

Our Follow-up checklist does just that.  We encourage you to use the system in this checklist, because when you do,  your life will be easier, your patients will be happier and your business will be much more successful.

So let’s dive in. Body Contouring Follow-Up Checklist to evaluate results 

Step 1

I. Set Realistic Expectations from the beginning

An absolute prerequisite to a successful follow-up visit and a happy client

Remember how we said that satisfaction at a follow up visit goes way back?

That’s because

Every client comes to see you with preset expectations 

Some may be realistic while others are unrealistic 

Why do they form expectations before they even talk to you?

Think about your ads, your competitors ads, your website, competitor’s websites, what friends tell them…you and your business may have had little to nothing to do with these claims or promises from the treatments 

So 

You must set realistic, or “the right,” expectations from the beginning, i.e. consultation 

And reinforce realistic expectations at every encounter, i.e. visits, phone calls, emails

Because…What happens if your client has unrealistic expectations all the way to follow-up?  

This is really bad!  Because she may not be satisfied at follow-up regardless of how great you think her results are.  Her expectations could have been so unrealistic, so over the top.  And now at the follow-up visit, you have a problem.  So be proactive and prevent that.

II. The Follow-Up Visit 

Successful follow-up visits create happy clients who refer, review and repeat 

So speaking of the follow-up visits, when should you see your patient for them?

When should you set body contouring follow-up appointments?

You should schedule follow-ups at these three vital times.

Pre-treatment 

Midway through the initial treatment series, i.e. after 3 of 6 treatments or after 5 of 10 treatments, etc.

End of initial treatment series

The Pre-treatment visit

Perform this visit immediately prior to the first treatment of your series.

Your pre-treatment visit forms the very basis of all of the followup visits thereafter.  It’s very important you spend time and effort on each of these components.  We see far too many providers wanting to rush through it and get to the treatment - and their patients do too.  But instead you should educate your patient about the importance of these measures and take your time doing them.  

So at Pre-Treatment you should 

Prepare a written Treatment Plan Agreement

Your pre-treatment visit should include 

A record of your agreed upon treatment plan, i.e. the treatment area and the number of initial treatments in the series with the understanding that more may be needed

Obtain your client’s signature on the treatment plan reflecting her agreement with the treatment plan

Document Acknowledgement of Responsibilities

Your pre-treatment visit should include 

Your client’s signature on a copy of your Post-Treatment Instructions verifying her understanding of her responsibilities throughout the treatment series

Log the Baseline Data

Your pre-treatment visit should include this baseline data 

Measurements

Photos

Weight

That’s the Pre-Treatment Visit, which we include b/c it’s the very foundation of all the rest of your follow-up visits.

Next…The Midway visit 

We recommend a ‘midway visit’ to track progress and provide you with 

the opportunity to intervene for best results. 

First, Document Midway Progress Data

Measurements

Photos

Weight 

While you are assembling and comparing the measurements and photos, ask your client to complete a Follow-Up Visit Questionnaire (which we discuss next). 

Compare pretreatment to this midway visit.  What do you think of the progress from the photos and measurements?  Is it what you’d like or expect to see at midway through the treatment series?  

Then the Questionnaire which you’ll use when you sit down with your patient, 

Questionnaire and Interview 

Create a questionnaire with objective questions

Was the client compliant with your post-treatment instructions? (list the instructions separately for individual answers), i.e. water intake, 30 minutes of daily exercise, sleep quality and amount, etc.

Include subjective questions on the questionnaire

Is she seeing progress towards her desired results?

Is she happy with her progress?  

If not, what does she want to see or what did she expect to see?

Next, Review the completed Questionnaire with your patient 

Quickly review the questionnaire before you meet with your client with your mind on questions like these

Did your client comply with treatment instructions?

Is your client satisfied?

Will you need to address your client’s subjective opinions?

So the Final step, Have a conversation with your client about the findings and take one of these two actions…

Continue with your treatment plan if

Your client complied with instructions, is seeing progress, and the photos & measurements show progress.  Celebrate with your client!  No intervention needed. 

Consider adding lymphatic booster treatments and re-educate about lifestyle adjustments, and continue with your treatment plan if  

Your client had problems complying with the post-treatment instructions and/or her progress is slow.

or Progress is slow…even if your client complied with the post-treatment instructions.

or There is progress but your client would like to see more or expects to see more.

Let’s talk just a bit about sluggish lymphatic drainage 

Slow lymphatic drainage masks results

It can take some clients up to twelve weeks or more for their lymphatic system to eliminate the fat, toxins and excess fluids left behind from the fat reduction treatment.  When this happens, fat reduction that has taken place cannot be seen and the client feels discouraged.  

The solution to this problem is incorporating a lymphatic booster treatment into your protocol.  

You know this is a stickler for us.  Do you incorporate lymphatic boosters in your fat reduction protocols?

If you do that’s great.  If you don’t, We recommend one of these two super-effective lymphatic booster treatments 

Whole Body Vibration Therapy

Pressotherapy

They are both great but There are significant differences between the two, so listen up and we’ll give you the highlights of each so you can decide which one is best for your business.

Whole Body Vibration Therapy

Whole Body Vibration Therapy (aka Vibration Therapy) utilizes passive exercise to cause intense, but comfortable, muscle contractions that increase both blood circulation and lymphatic circulation.

You do not need to block out your treatment room for a Whole Body Vibration Therapy session.  It’s what we refer to as a ‘set it and exit treatment.’   We talked about set and exit treatments in our June 14 podcast, Body Contouring Treatments that are secret multitasking moneymakers.  We’ll leave a link to it in our show notes in case you missed it.  

If you think vibration therapy might be right for your business, then take a look at our WBVT cert course !

We’ll leave a link to the course details in our show notes.  

And then there’s Pressotherapy

Pressotherapy (aka intermittent compression therapy and lymphatic drainage therapy) utilizes pneumatic compression technology to increase both the flow of the blood circulatory system and the lymphatic circulatory system.   

A Pressotherapy treatment requires an hour block of your treatment room and an hour commitment from your client, but it can also be a ‘set it and exit treatment.’

Think this treatment might be a good fit in your business?

We’ll leave a link to our online Pressotherapy Certification Course in the show notes too!

So we’ve made it to the final visit.  

BUT Before we get into the details, Shannon has a quick message for us.

Shannon: 17:31

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Each course is complete with an explanation of technologies, method of action, step by step treatment protocols, downloadable forms and more.

After completing each course you’ll have the knowledge to deliver desired results and generate maximum revenue. 

Become a body contouring expert! Visit bodycontouringacademy.com click on Certification Courses from the menu and discover the courses that can transform your business today!

Kay: 18:36

So the final visit.  We call it the final visit but you’ll find out that the final visit is not always the last follow up visit.  

The Final visit

It’s the follow-up visit done at the end of the initial series or at the end of an additional series of treatments.  And it’s often not a true “Final” follow-up visit because the client decides to continue treating.

The steps in the Final visit closely track the steps you took at the Midway visit. 

First, Document Final Data

Measurements

Photos

Weight 

While you’re assembling the measurements and photos, ask your client to complete the Follow-Up Visit Questionnaire.  

Compare the three sets of photos and measurements: Pre-treatment, Midway and Final.

What do you think of the results shown in the photos and measurements?  

Are the results what you would expect?  

Then, Questionnaire and Interview 

Ask your client to complete your questionnaire objective questions

Was the client compliant with your post-treatment instructions? (list the instructions separately for individual answers), i.e. water intake, 30 minutes of daily exercise, sleep quality and amount, etc.

For this visit, the subjective questions are a little different 

Has she achieved her desired results? 

If not, what does she want to see or expect to see? 

Would she like to undergo more treatments for continued improvement?  

Next, Review the completed Questionnaire before you meet with your patient

Quickly review the questionnaire and form your opinion

Compare the responses to those from the Midway visit

Did your client comply with treatment instructions?

Is your client satisfied?

Do you think she would benefit from more treatments?

Final step,Have a conversation with your client about your findings and you’ll choose from one of these three options…

Celebrate with your client if…

 Your client has achieved her desired results!  Ask her to share her good news in a video testimonial or a positive review.  

Celebrate with your client if…

Your client achieved great results but wants more!  Amend your treatment plan to include more treatments.  We recommend adding treatments in a small series of three treatments unless of course you see a need for more or less depending on your patient..  Evaluate after each series of three or what you have suggested to determine the need for more treatments.

Encourage your client to add or continue with lymphatic booster treatments, and re-educate about lifestyle adjustments and bring the client back in 2 weeks for reevaluation if

Your client had problems complying with the post-treatment instructions and/or her progress is slow.

 Progress is slow.  She has complied with instructions but you feel that her lymphatic system needs more time.  

Unfortunately, most of our clients have lymphatic systems that need help from our lymphatic booster treatments.  Have you recommended these treatments?  Has she complied?  Will she comply?

Which brings us to Troubleshooting 

And specifically troubleshooting for seeing little to no results at the final visit.

All of the above options give you directions for seeing some results.  

But…if you see little to no results at the Final visit, here are the possible reasons:

Lymphatic System

Her lymphatic system needs more time

Schedule a Final visit 16 weeks after the date of the final treatment in the series 

Reinforce post-treatment instructions

Encourage lymphatic booster treatments 

And allow adequate time for sluggish lymphatic drainage

Lifestyle and Compliance

Her lifestyle is such that you don’t know if she’ll ever see results, i.e. weight gain, not following instructions, chronic illness, etc.

Lifestyle re-education and appointment for a Final visit 16 weeks after the date of the final treatment in the series 

 

Technology

*You think it’s possible that the particular technology just did not work for her.  She’s followed all of your instructions and has even done lymphatic booster treatments.

Consider offering treatments with a different technology.  

We would still wait until 16 weeks post last treatment just to give her body time

If you move forward with this option, we recommend discounting the different technology/additional treatment series.

*Pro Tip:  Re: Technology.  In our twenty plus years of experience with non-invasive body contouring treatments, we have observed very rare instances when the technology just didn’t seem to work for a patient.  How do you know when that is the case?  Make sure she fits into this set of facts:  Your patient is not overweight, did not gain weight, it was obvious she led a healthy lifestyle throughout the treatment series, and she underwent lymphatic booster treatments.  

Conclusion: Use this body contouring follow-up checklist to achieve success!

Follow-up visits can be the most challenging appointments in your business…but follow-ups should also be the most rewarding. 

By following this body contouring follow-up checklist (step by step), you are more likely to 

build a big and lasting body contouring business

earn the reputation as a body contouring expert and 

maximize your profits.

So implement this follow up checklist today! Until next time, Beautiful Wishes

[music]

Shannon: 27:59

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