Previously, we discussed the key to clarity when it comes to new patient retention for your practice. Patients drop out of care when things start to get UNCLEAR and as soon as things get wonky – they are gone. Your goal is to create greater clarity to secure your patient retention.
I identified 7 key Mechanisms in your practice – I call them the Big 7 “PITFALLS” to your Patient Retention.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a 7 series post where we share the “usual suspects” of pitfalls you can easily make. The goal is to help you see clearly where these may live in your practice, so that you can keep your ideal patients and do your best work.
Today begins this series with #1 – Product Confusion. You’re selling one thing and they are buying another. This situation is classically known as the accidental “bait and switch”. This very common and disastrous dynamic starts at the very beginning, within the first several days.
Now this is NOT typically a “tactic” that Chiropractors use to get people to start care. But in reality if we don’t make a deliberate effort to create a real and accurate understanding of the objectives of our care, the case is doomed. Why? Because if don’t, people will fill in the blanks and that breads misconceptions or unrealistic expectations. We MUST set clear EXPECTATIONS around their care experience.
The process becomes excruciating for both the doctor and the patient. This is a leading cause of patient drop-out. Once again it starts with confusion, then moves to frustration and lastly, disappointment.
Every New Patient presents with their own set of “wants”. They’ve come to see you for “their reason”.
The majority of patients will walk into your office with their own ideas around their problems, their needs – and what role chiropractic may play in meeting their needs.
Right then and there is the time to broaden their understanding. Most likely they have chiropractic in a very limited container. Your job is to broaden that container and to put chiropractic into a larger, wider and more appropriate container.
This is not an “OR” conversation. It’s an “AND” conversation.
Let’s face it – they probably want you to help them with a symptom or condition. That’s great and you should welcome it! Help them understand that you would love to help them with that concern AND show them what else is possible for them.
Talk to them and show them that they can get healthy again and stay healthy.
Help them understand that it is is possible for them and that you’re here to help them achieve it. If they want to get their health back (which they do) this is your chance to show them that it is possible and that you know exactly how they can do it. The fact is they do want to get their health back, because what they are saying overtly is that they want their life back.
And as you know, they can resolve their current concerns – their health crisis AND they can get their life back – and more!
Remember: Your Retention is a reflection of your Clarity. Clarity in what you do, why you do it AND how you do this thing called Chiropractic.
Make it CRYSTAL CLEAR.
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