We hear it all the time: Transparency and being genuine (the real you)… two huge keys in building lasting relationships with your clients and patients.
Will the real employer please stand up
But, are you a Dr Jekyll and Mr/Ms Hyde when it comes to your employees? Do they sometime say or think…”Will the REAL (Employer Name) please stand up?
Let me share an incident that happened awhile back with my husband in the office of his ophthalmologist.
Jack had asked his nurse a question and the nurse had relayed the question to the doctor (in another room). The doctor got very belligerent and loud to the nurse stating she wasn’t suppose to be asking him any questions, he was the doctor not her, going on to say she didn’t even need to know the answer, and really proceeded to further reprimand her…in front of another patient AND loud enough Jack and other patients heard him!!
What you see is not always what you get
When the doctor came back in…all smiles and ready to proceed, Jack proceeded to let the doctor know how rude he was to treat and talk to his employee that way. Jack went on to say he was the patient, he had asked the question and had a right to know the answer, and that she had asked him based on his request.
Dr’s attitude it seems was very nice, friendly, and out going to patients, but as it turned out, extremely offensive and even belligerent to his employees. Now we knew why we had seen so much turnover in that office. (Note: Hubby left that doctor/practice right after that)
A friend of mine, who is a social media specialist, recently had a similar issue ( and the reason for this post) with her employer who’s very well know in the social media world and who also preaches the importance of “transparency and being genuine” for building relationships but doesn’t seem to show that side to the employees.
Making an employee look bad to make you look good – doesn’t work
Unfortunately being talked down to and loudly in front of patients and/or other team members is a scene that’s repeated by employers to their employees all to often throughout the day. Yet employers preach “being transparent and genuine” and “building relationships” with the clients and patients.
What about with your employees…your “team” members? Where would you be or how far could you get without them?? Sure over time, they come and they go…but you have to have them, so why aren’t you striving as hard to be as transparent and genuine and to build a LASTING relationship with your team players – who keep your practice running in tip top shape while making you look good – and are also the reason many of your clients/patients return?
You may be their employer, but at lunch, after hours, and especially after they’ve left your employment…they are on their smart phones talking. What are they saying… is it something you’d like to see posted on your Facebook page? Is it something you’d be proud of …that would make a great review? Or is it something you’d be trying to delete or have removed?
Bad or negative talk about a practice/employer from an employee is just as bad if not worse than you receiving a negative review on a social platform from a client/patient.
Fishbowl lives, just like celebrities
In today’s world of social networking online, like celebrities, we’re in a fishbowl…Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram…to name a few have brought us from behind the scenes into full view 24/7.
You can have all types of policies in place, but in today’s social world, negative is as quick as 1, 2, 3! 1) Out the door 2) Type the text/tweet/Facebook post, and 3) Hit send! It’s there for everyone to see…in seconds!!
Negative travels fast and with all the social platforms, it travels faster than the speed of light!
Solution: Remember to treat your employee/team members with as high regard as you would a very valued client/patient. You have a lot riding on it…including your reputation!
Your simple action step: Take the necessary steps to eleminate your “split-personality” This week spend some time paying close attention to yourself: How you react, how you reply, how you represent your team to your clients/patients, the positive and certainly the negative. What steps do you need to take to be at “one” with yourself and to your team?
Have you found this to be true in some practices you’ve worked in and what did you do in response? You can type your answer in below (no names please) I’d love to hear from you!
“Marketing??? I don’t have time to market my business/practice ….I don’t even like to market.”
“Marketing is too much like selling and let me tell you…I am NOT a sales person!”
“I don’t need social media for my business. It’s only used by teens and kids. Business don’t really use it, and besides… it’s just a fad!”
Sound familiar? Many self employed small business owners find marketing their business a struggle mostly due to having a limited budget and a negative mindset about marketing, therefore they become their own worst enemy.
Well, let’s just get this out of the way, right now so we can move forward. Repeat after me… You are not a Sales Person… You are a Business Developer! I’ll hold on while you repeat that…
Sales and marketing is not about being pushy, in fact today’s consumers are in control and they won’t be pushed.
The old style traditional “push” marketing doesn’t work in today’s marketplace. Why? Because old type static ads don’t tell your viewers anything about you or who you really are. Are you even someone they want to do business with?
In today’s marketing, social media and online marketing allows you to be real to your viewers. By creating high-value, high-content compelling messages, you become a magnet and begin to “pull” or actually draw your audience to you.
Connect with your viewers
Today’s consumers want to connect with you. They want to know who you are and that you’re real.
Are you the same on all your social platforms? Do you do what you say you’re going to do? Do you stand behind your products and services? Do you make them feel like you know them? Do you make them feel important?
Social media allows you to do what’s never been done before in traditional marketing. It allows you to connect…in real time…with your audience. You can now do for very little what it used to cost thousands of dollars to do….connect (face to face) with your audience. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Communicate with your viewers
Then they want to actually communicate with you. Ask you questions and make comments, and they expect you to reply. Social Media makes all this happen and in real time.
One of the worst things in social media and online marketing is to put up your social platforms and viewers start connecting, asking you questions, and they get no answers. No one is there to even acknowledge them let alone to reply with an answer.
One of the biggest benefits to your social media platforms when you are connected to your audience, is you can begin communicating. Asking and answering questions, sharing tips and strategies, and linking back to your information that brings high value to your market to motivate them to take further action such as joining your mailing list or even possibly working with you.
Be Consistent with your viewers
This brings me to my last point: Viewers want consistency. They want to know you’re going to be there when they come to your social platform and you’ll have up to date information, you’ll comment and reply…you’re there for them.
Once you’ve developed that relationship…you’ve connected, you and your viewers are communicating, and they know you are consistently there for them, sharing valuable information, listening, replying, and showing you care (you’ve drawn them to you), when you are sharing your products and services…who do you think they’re going to want to work with and /or purchase from? You.
The difference Social Media and Online Marketing make
Using social media, you have the amazing opportunity to speak directly with your perspective new clients and be responsive to them by answering their questions and/or responding to their questions and comments…joining in on the conversations.
Through your high value content and social media strategies and platforms, you have an ongoing representative marketing your practice, 24/7, creating credibility for you and your practice, gaining their trust and building profitable relationships.
You see the difference…you’re someone they’ve come to know and trust! People connect and buy based on solutions. You’ve shown them you not only have their solution, you ARE their solution.
Combined with your high value content and compelling marketing messages, social media and online marketing make attracting new clients just that simple! This trust is not something that should be taken lightly or abused.
Bottom Line
If you believe in what you do, you owe it to your market to connect with them, to communicate with them, to be consistently there for them and to let them know that what you offer can help solve their problem. To not do this is a disservice to your market.
Your Simple Action Step: Change your marketing from traditional “push” marketing to today’s “pull” marketing and draw your clients to you. On your Facebook Business page and on Twitter start focusing on making connections and establishing long –term relationships with your audience. Make it real, connect, comment….even show some personality (be you)…, be there consistently, and watch your audience grow!
Do you need help attracting new clients? http://ow.ly/kiTnN
What questions do you have about social media, online marketing and client attraction? Just ask below…
Wow, times and things can really change as we go through this thing called life!
As a lot of you know, in the golden years of our lives due to an allergic reaction to his blood pressure medication hubby has kidney disease (dialysis patient) and has limited vision as well. Both have brought about many changes and adjustments.
One of the biggest adjustments is to his limited vision. He’s able to drive during the day, but just around the neighborhood area that he’s very familiar with. Handyman projects, inside and outside, that he was so good about are still doable…but with some help from me. This is where the fun begins!
Livvie the handywoman – NOT
I’m not a handywoman and I’m definitely not a yard person…my artificial flowers…die!! Yes, you heard me correctly…my artificial flowers DIE!
We looked pretty funny
You can imagine how funny we looked recently outside just trying to do something simple…hooking the garden hose to the outside spigot!!
The spigot is down low to the ground and hubby was having difficulty seeing the end of the spigot to get the hose started.
So…I’m out there saying “more to the right”, “move it over to the left”, “not so far back”, “bring it up”….you get the picture.
Why didn’t I hook up the hose
You might be asking why I didn’t just hook the hose up?? Simple, I could see it, but I couldn’t get it started. Hubby could get it started but couldn’t see it! So together we made a team. His muscle and my eyes and in no time…the hose was connected! Sounds simple, right?
Reminds me of business
Isn’t this a lot like your business? There are some things you’re masterful at and other things, you just “don’t get”? Try as you may, and you’ve tried, you don’t “get it”!
Well, relax! You aren’t expected to “get” everything …or to be a Jack of all trades. But you are expected to know when you need to get help…an extra set of hands, another set of eyes for helping you be more productive. Or put another way, someone else to help you get more clients/patients….or someone to show you how to market more effectively…whatever help needed for increasing your income!
As hubby and I continue along this time in our journey, it’s become easier and easier to see where we need to “team up and laser focus” for the desired “end result”.
As your journey continues
As you continue along the journey of building your practice/business, you’ll find it becomes easier and easier to see where you need to “team up and laser focus” for reaching your goals of getting more clients/patients and marketing more effectively for the desired “end result” of increasing your income!
Your Simple Action Step: Take a look at what you’ve tried or what you’re doing that’s not bringing the results you need. Maybe it’s even given you the “3:00 am sleepless toss and turn”. Determine just one item you can “team up and laser focus” for getting back on track to building your practice and increasing your income.
What kind of “team” experiences have you had. Just scroll down to Reply and share your thought. I’d love to hear from YOU!
You’ve completed your exam, you’ve reviewed your findings with the patient, and now it’s time to follow up with a treatment strategy for scheduling as you’re dismissing the patient.
What you do next is critical to the growth of your practice!
Working with many dentists in the business [...]
You’ve completed your exam, you’ve reviewed your findings with the patient, and now it’s time to follow up with a treatment strategy for scheduling as you’re dismissing the patient.
What you do next is critical to the growth of your practice!
Working with many dentists in the business office of a dental practice for over 30 years and add to that the recent experience I’ve had with some other offices has made me very conscious of the importance of having a “treatment strategy”.
Several years back, I was in the office of a chiropractor (Dr A) just starting his practice. He had one front desk person and one assistant. By the time he sold his practice 5 years later (moved out of state), he had 2 Associates, several assistants, three people in the front desk area, two massage therapists, an office manager, and a reception area packed full of patients at any given time of the day or week!
We continued with the chiropractor (Dr B) who purchased the practice and watched as the practice that had been so meticulously built, went down to the chiropractor answering the phone himself and working the desk, no employees, and being the only person in the reception area at our appointment time…all in about a two year period!
What happened? What would make a practice go from being so highly successful to just barely making ends meet?
Dr A exemplified having and working your treatment strategy. He was very personable but not overly so. He was friendly but all about working the business. His main concern was your health and well being, his second concern was getting you back in for needed treatment….key word….needed.
The entire time he was doing your adjustments, he would be talking about your treatment, your progress, etc. As he completed your adjustments and was getting ready to walk you out, his words were, “We need to see you back in two days” (or a week) or what ever was needed. OR he’d say, “See you Wednesday”!
There was no question…the doctor had said you needed to come back, so much so that he EXPECTED to see you…. “in two days” OR on “Wednesday”. He placed a sense of urgency there…you need this! That simple!
Dr B was a prime example of what NOT to do. Very little was mentioned about your treatment or progress during your adjustments. Upon completing your adjustments and walking you out his words were “If you have a problem, give me a call”. OR “Give me a call if you need to see me”. I might have a “problem” and need him, nothing on his part to warrant me making another appointment. No urgency…I don’t necessarily need this.
About 6 months ago we changed chiropractors. This one, Dr C, is more like Dr A. I’ve listened as he talks to other patients about their treatment and progress and what’s needed. Then as he walks you up to the front desk, guess what??? He says… “See you on Wednesday” or “See you in two days”….whatever is needed…he let’s you know he EXPECTS to see you at that time. It’s needed for your treatment to get better!
His is a small practice, but always patients already there, coming in, or going out when we get there. He has a “treatment strategy” and it’s working!
I’ve worked for dentists who could sell ice to Eskimos and dentists who could not sell a blanket to someone standing outside in the freezing cold!! I’m not talking about overkill here, simply needed treatment.
You know this is true….you’ve witnessed this for yourself. You’re more than likely going to schedule the appointment that you’re told, by the doctor that you need, rather than just leaving it up to you.
I’ve seen it first hand over and over in dentistry and in other professions…it is all in your presentation and your follow up strategy.
Notice I said “your” presentation and “your” follow up. Your Hygienist, Assistants, or Treatment coordinators – front desk appointment schedulers have their part to do, but it’s ultimately you, the doctor, the patient is looking to hear that the work needs to be done and how soon. It’s up to you to place the sense of urgency and follow through.
If your practice isn’t growing or you’ve seen a decrease in treatment acceptance, listen to yourself, role play, better yet… record your treatment presentations and see if your follow up strategy is an area you may need to work on.
I’d love to hear your views on this topic, scroll to Reply below and type in your comments.
Connect with Me
