Three Things To Include In Your Customer Development Process
It’s important for a cash based chiropractor to understand that when a new client contacts your office, they are essentially strangers. You don’t know anything about them and their problems. They don’t know anything about you and your clinic. It’s going to be tough for new patients to commit to a care plan with someone they hardly know.
Which is why it’s so important for your clinic to have a customer development strategy. A strategic set of emails, phone calls, free in-person consultations that increase the likelihood that a patient agrees to your out-of-network services. The goal of your customer development process it to build a bridge with new patients so they feel comfortable and confident in picking you as their provider.
Free Information
Many new patients won’t be ready to book with you right away. But they most likely will feel comfortable getting some free, helpful imformation. Starting the doctor-client relationship by providing a free download (followed up with informational emails) allows you to demonstrate your knowledge to start to build comfort and authority in your services.
Free 15-20 Minute Phone Call
The next step is to talk to this potential new client on the phone. The first phone call allows you to confirm that this person will be a good fit in your clinic. It also allows you to ask the right questions to better understand how this person’s pain is impacting their life and emotions. If a patient feels like you really UNDERSTAND their problems they will be more likely to say yest to a treatment plan with you.
Free Discovery Visit
The DIscovery Visit is a free, in-person consultation that allows the patient the opportunity to meet the doctor, see the clinic, and make sure all their questions are answered. At the end of the discovery visit is when you first introduce the exam, which would be the first time any sort of money is discussed. By the time you introduce the exam, they have heard from you 7-8 times. This drastically increases the likelihood that they come in for an exam.
While starting out as strangers, a well designed customer devlopment strategy allows you to build comfort, trust and confidence BEFORE patients step into your office. Including these 3 things into your new patient customer development strategy will drastically improve your success as a cash based chiropractor.