The Power of Word of Mouth
by William D. Esteb
It's no secret that positive word-of-mouth advertising is the most powerful marketing tool any business or office can employ. It is the most effective for the very reason it is the most difficult to control. Or is it?
In countless seminars and in-office consultations the common lament I hear is, "I get great results with my patients but they don't tell anyone." How come? Why is it so seemingly difficult to get patients, even those you work miracles with, to tell others about their chiropractic experiences? In other words, how can you proactively generate positive word of mouth about your practice?
What patients think and say about your office is the result of their experiences in your office. And it's not just whether they start feeling better. They compare their impressions of your office, how they feel about your procedures, staff, etc., with the experiences they've had with other types of health care providers. There are hundreds of occasions in your office when patients form an opinion or develop a perception about their experience. These are called "moments of truth." Every interaction they have with your office, from the parking lot to the dismissal process, is being consciously or unconsciously evaluated. Patients are continually comparing their hopes and expectations with the realities they experience in your office.
We all know that when expectations are not met and patients have an unhappy experience in the office it creates negative word of mouth about the practice. "He's a great doctor, but you have to wait a long time." or "She's a great doctor, but they can't seem to get my billing straight."
At the other end of the spectrum, when expectations are exceeded and the service patients receive in your office is extraordinary, positive word of mouth is generated. It's what we all strive for, regardless of whether we sell widgets, serve Italian food, or provide chiropractic care. Positive word of mouth results in a constant flow of referrals and a business that continues to grow and prosper, even in challenging economic times.
Between these two extremes is the vast wasteland experienced by many patients. When a patient or customer enters a business with a certain set of expectations and these expectations or needs are fulfilled and nothing out of the ordinary happens, no word of mouth is generated. It's like the experience we have purchasing gasoline at a self-service station. We want gasoline, we pump it, we pay for it, and we leave. Because we got exactly what we came for and nothing particularly good or bad happened during our experience, neither positive or negative word of mouth about the gas station was created. With this type of neutral gas station experience, we are not compelled to trumpet the virtues of this gas station to friends or family. In fact, we are easily swayed by someone who says outstanding things about a different gas station. Perhaps it is the lack of extraordinary experiences in your office that makes it easy for skeptics to talk your patients out of following through with your recommendations. Providing relief isn't extraordinary. It's expected.
What are some of the expectations your patients have when they enter your office? Most patients expect to fill out some paperwork, be examined, receive some type of treatment, and have their ache, pain, or other health complaint relieved. Sadly, that's about all that happens in all too many offices. You've simply delivered on the expectations patients had about chiropractic when they decided to try your office. Simply relieving their health complaints will not generate positive word of mouth! What will?
First, recognize that romancing and enhancing the moments of truth your patients experience in your office will take some additional energy and attention to detail. In fact, some of these suggestions may make you feel uncomfortable because of a self-limiting barrier. Here are a few observations I've heard from patients in focus groups about doctors who have inspired ample positive word of mouth about themselves and their practices:
Explain everything in advance. Doctors and staff become accustomed to how the office functions, the office procedures, and even the frightening sounds of the adjusting table drop piece. New patients enter your office quite apprehensive, having heard stories about chiropractic doctors. Patients appreciate having everything explained in advance. Organized patient education procedures can pay big dividends by relaxing patients and making them less apprehensive.
No waiting. While medical doctors can make their patients wait 45 minutes or an hour, since chiropractic care requires many office visits, waiting time is especially important. High volume offices have learned from Disney that even in a long line, if it's constantly moving, there is a sense of progress that can defuse complaints about the wait. Do you keep your patients moving?
Greeted by name. Happily, it's often the easiest human interactions that score so highly in the minds of your patients. Hearing our own name is still the sweetest sound.
First adjustment phone call. Calling the patient at home the evening of their first adjustment has been mentioned in many focus groups. Patients are quite surprised and impressed by this kind of concern. In fact, many doctors take this opportunity to ask five or six questions about the patient's first visit perceptions of the office. This feedback mechanism provides ideas for constant improvement. (Maybe that's why these offices always have plenty of new patients.)
Doctor's home phone number. While emergencies are rare, the act of offering a home phone number (not just the recorder at the office), demonstrates a level of concern unmatched by other health care practitioners. "Here, let me write my home phone number on the back of my card just in case there's an emergency..." Although it may be used by only the occasional patient, the gesture will register high in the patient's mind.
Children's toys. Children of chiropractic patients are often greeted by worn out, hand-me-down toys your kids no longer want and dog-eared copies of Highlights For Children. Get rid of the toys with broken or missing pieces and go on a field trip to Toys R Us. Every six months or so, invest in some quality toys. While a Ninja Turtle or two may occasionally walk off, you will be entertaining your youngest chiropractic advocates and sending a powerful message to patients worth considerably more than a couple of $3.95 action figures.
Birthday cards. Yes, a simple birthday card can make a difference. As we get older and the number of candles increase, the recognition we receive once a year often dwindles. A thoughtful birthday reminder (maybe include a free visit?) is easy to do and can make a bigger impact on a person's life than you think.
These are just a handful of the things patients from various offices have told me in focus group situations. Some are quite simple. Others are more ambitious. In every case, the office has systematized the effort so it happens every time with every patient. Sometimes the payoff comes quickly. Yet more than likely, the effort may not be rewarded until months or years later when one of your patients finally has an occasion to mention your name and vouch for you and your profession.
For some, it will always be easier to throw money at a TV station, get lost in a sea of gray newspaper type, or do a mall show. Yet, if you want to employ positive word of mouth from your patients to build your practice, you must exceed their expectations. You must go beyond the ordinary and romance and enhance every moment of truth the patient encounters in your office. Creating situations in which positive word of mouth can be generated takes extra effort.
Maybe that's why it is so rare and so valuable.
Buy the book
A Patient's Point of View
Originally published in 1992
240 Pages
US $19.95
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