It’s no secret that many veterinarians are struggling to attract and retain clients. The recent studies and data clearly point out that fact. If you struggle to convey the importance of preventative health measures, or present treatment plans to your clients, here’s a tip or two that might shift the odds in your favor.
I’m a big fan of the Harvard Business Review. Today, I had an “aha” moment while reading the blog post “Rehearsing Your Strategic Story,” which appeared in the Harvard Business Review’s Daily Alert. (You’ll find the link to that article at the bottom of this page.) So why did I find this article intriguing or applicable to veterinarians? Well, here’s one comment in the article from a senior partner in an architectural firm, which caught my attention: “I have never really thought about my client this way before, and it was alarming how many assumptions I had to cross off my list.”
Here’s how this blog post piqued my interest. It inspired me to pose these questions, and to share my perspective on how preparation and awareness before meeting with a client can lead to a positive outcome for you, the client and the pet.
- What, if anything, do you know or think about your client before entering the exam/consult room?
- What techniques do you have for identifying what a client needs to feel, in order to act on your message?
- Do you enter the exam room with the intent to present the information, or is your intent to inform and influence?
Rest assured, I’m NOT advocating manipulation techniques here, what I am advocating is AWARENESS. Before you enter the exam room to consult with a client, can you list (on paper or in your head,) only facts―not opinions or assumptions, about the client/decision maker? Do you view each of these facts in terms of the action you want that person to take?
For example, if this is a fairly new client/decision maker, he or she is probably going to need something very different from you, before accepting a major recommendation, then a client who has been with your practice for several years. Having the basic facts about the client in front of you, and understanding their needs in relation to your presentation, may make the difference between acceptance or rejection.
In her article, Theresa Norton states, “Simply put it is an equation: Facts relating to the character as supplied in the text of the play + what the character is literally doing in the scene you are rehearsing = what motivates the character in that scene.”
Translation―Simply put it is an equation: Facts relating to the client, as supplied in the information gathered in the registration process (new client) or based on your knowledge and understanding (not assumptions) of existing clients = what motivates the client to take action in a specific situation.
