They're not just going to know: Educating your patients about your services

Often times when my clients think about marketing, they focus most on attracting new patients. Obviously, this is an important goal but there is another, often overlooked, marketing opportunity within your practice: Telling your patients everthing that you do and increasing your patients' utilization of your care.

Many doctors I've worked with believe that their patients already know everything there is to know about their practice. Let me tell you, in reality, your service offerings may be something that your patients know least about.


How do you tell your patients about additional services?


Take one minute at each visit to relay a short story message about something you offer. Make it easy to relate to, like a dentist might say, "I had the wife of a patient come in yesterday and she said "please do something with my husband's teeth. They are so brown, I'm sick of looking at him." This opens an opportunity for you to talk with your patient about an offering that they may not have tried in your practice.

My favorite tool for educating patients and igniting treatment requests is a practice newsletter. You can create one as an e-zine or a mailing - both are great. The added benefit of a mailing is that the newsletter can be a referral tool. It can be left on a coffee table (where it can be seen), or given away and shared. If you need help getting started with a newsletter, email me: sarah@focus-evolve-succeed.com or visit www.npressnewsletter.com. I've spent a lot of time researching and testing the best way to use this tool and I am happy to send you a sample.

Why do you need a good headshot?


I'm getting some professional photos taken this week for my own marketing materials. After talking with my photographer and friends, I've realized this process isn't as simple as I imagined. There is a lot to think about to ensure you are putting your best face forward.

Getting a quality head shot is important as it immediately tells prospective patients a lot about you. Here are some tips I've compiled for looking your best and conveying the correct message in your marketing:

1. If you don't want baggy eyes, get a good night's sleep before your shoot.
2. Complementary or contrast colors are great clothing choices. For example, someone with lighter hair should have darker tops or suits, someone with darker hair should choose lighter colors. (Bring several outfits and try to avoid "busy" patterns)
3. Good lighting makes a HUGE difference. I like natural light myself but your photographer will be able to understand what lighting conditions are best for you.
4. Makeup look completely different on camera. Hiring a professional stylist is well worth the investment to make sure everything looks right. (It's fun to be pampered - even for a moment!)

The best tip I can give is to be comfortable and authentic . Create a setting that you can feel at ease in and your emotions will resonate with your prospects.

If you have photographer resources you'd like to share with our members, email sarah@focus-evolve-succeed.com and I'll be sure to post them and include them in our monthly coaching materials.

Take time to connect with your patient

There are many times in patient care when it is important to connect emotionally with your patients. Typically, these times are at the start, the middle, and the end of the appointment. Yes, it seems so obvious but many times practioners are so busy that the emotional connection is ignored in part in all appointments. Talk about missed opportunity! It's one of those things like, "I know I need to do this, I just forgot..." The cool thing is, if you remember to do it, and take your time, it costs you nothing and often leads to a very profitable result!

Just yesterday, I was observing a cosmetic derm practice and the doctor was seeing a new patient. In the initial interview, the new patient stated what she wanted, (brown spots removed from her cheeks and less tired looking eyes), and said, "I would have gone to my dermatologist for this, but he's always so busy." (Alarm bells sounding off in head because patient has told us exactly how to make her happy) The doctor then spent an extra 25 minutes discussing the patients goals and treatment options. The patient described the way her skin made her feel and why she was uncomfortable. She told the doctor about her daughter's upcoming wedding and he wish to look younger in the wedding pictures. When the consultation was done, the patient ended up scheduling for $5500 more treatment that what the initial treatment plan outlined.

Do you think that would have happened if the doctor rushed the consult and didn't connect with patient?

If you want to increase your case size, the likelihood or a referral, and your satisfaction, do the following:

Spend time creating a relationship with the patient. Ask her about her family, her work, or her life in general. If appropriate, disclose a bit about yourself. This establishes trust and trust leads to case acceptance.

Make eye contact and practice active listening. Tell her what you will be doing and answer any questions and ask permission to start treatment.

Speak to the benefits of treatment and the advantages of how you provide the care. Don't be too technical or serious. Just connect emotionally with your patient.

If you start taking more time, your patient satisfaction will go up. Happy patients = referring patients. Get started today!

Photos, Photos, Everywhere.

Have you ever looked through a magazine, seen a picture, and suddenly, you find that you've gotta have it? Maybe you've been walking by a billboard with models and thought, "I wish I looked like that".

That is exactly the experience and response that we want to create with your patients! Pictures are excellent triggers to remind people of what they want out of life, and using them in your practice is a great way to get patients excited about their treatment.

I've been in a physical therapy program for several months recovering from an ACL reconstruction. (I tore it during a bad slip in a dodge ball game, but thankfully, am now back to normalcy and running everyday.) In my physical therapy center, each wall is lined with giant, glossy photos of former patients doing their favorite activities. There are cyclists, ballerinas, lacrosse players, you name it. Each of them is signed by the patient with a nice thank you note to the physical therapists at the center.

When I was first diagnosed, looking at these pictures made me feel pretty grumpy. I was still very injured and had just learned it would be 6 months before I could think about participating in my normal activities. I didn't want to think about the active life I was putting on hold.

A week after my surgery, I was back to looking at the photos and a thought popped into my head - "soon that will be me." I looked at the photos nearly everyday for 6 months, and each time, I felt that I was getting stronger and mirroring the healthy people in the pictures. When I felt bummed about my crutches, I'd think about the picture of the recovered skier ripping it up on the slopes. When my friends went to play basketball and I stayed at home, I'd think of the image of the soccer player racing past an opponent. What I've come to realize is that those pictures gave me the inspiration to work hard everyday at my own recovery. Those strangers on the wall motivated me to follow through with my treatment.

How can you harness the power of photos for your own practice to get your patients excited about working with you?

Pictures of your happy patients should line your walls, your reception area, and clinical operatories. Depending on your practice, before and after photos can be a great way to showcase your best work. In venous disease treatment for example, when people see the difference between a leg covered in varicose veins, and a leg that is smooth and beautiful, they will be much more receptive to treatment options. A nice comparison album makes a great addition to any reception area and makes it much easier to sell your services.

I like to include captions with the photos. In dentistry, you could show a porcelain veneer case with the caption, "Porcelain veneers - done in 2 visits." That would impress almost anyone.

My team can help you create an excellent before and after book that works very well. Call 206-419-5407 and we can get started today!