What a crazy year it has been! So why are some clinics growing while others are withering away? The middle class of chiropractic is dwindling. Doctors are either making it or not. The world has changed, but many chiropractors have not. Chiropractic is more than a philosophy, art, and science. Chiropractic is a science first, now driven by research and technology.
The basics of our philosophy are important, but we must always remember, as Dr. Jim Parker said, “This is a business.” We provide our clients with a monthly boot camp that is more like a one-day MBA. We teach business and review trends. As the former president of a profitable public company that included the weight-loss company Nutrisystem, my job was to stay ahead of change and stay profitable.
This is not intended to be a pep rally, like so many others. To succeed today, doctors need content, change, commitment, and learning. Remember, “The road to success is always under construction.” Our goal is to help you be a better doctor and change the paradigm of back care in our country. Imagine if we can reduce the amount of surgeries and medications prescribed for back pain. The good news is that we can with technology.
In the course of the week, you may receive some objections from patients. Remember, no one bats 1000%, but our Concierge Coaches' doctors are hall-of-famers because they follow our simple rules for success.
• There are obstacles with sales of any kind; there are no sales without objections.
•Let us teach you how to overcome objections.
•Objections indicate interest.
•Objections are signposts that lead you toward closing the sale.
•If there were no objections, there would be no interest. If there is no interest, there will be no sale.
So bring on the objections, and let’s learn from them.
Use a Testimonial
As you already know, one of the most powerful ways to eliminate objections is to present testimonials from satisfied patients (use your HIPAA release). That is why our website is filled with them. They are honest comments from honest people who were helped and whose life was changed because of spinal decompression. Many of these people also shared some type of objection with us at one time.
Interpret It as a Question
In addition to testimonials, another way to deal with an objection is to interpret it as a question. Treat it as a request for more information. Recognize that an objection is a natural response to any offer when there is some risk involved.
When a patient says, “It costs too much,” you can respond by saying, “That’s a good question. Why does it cost more than you expected to pay?” Then you answer the question.
Give a Good Reason
Another way to deal with an objection is to treat it as if the patient is asking you for a reason to eliminate the objection.
If the patient says, “I can’t afford it,” then imagine that the customer is really saying, “Show me how I can justify spending this amount of money.”
Now show them the value by painting the picture of how their life is currently and how it could be. “What is it worth to play golf again? To play with your children again? What would you pay to feel 10 years younger? To have your life back?”
Make It Easy to Object
Above all, make it easy to object. Most patients do not want to get into an argument or debate about your product or service. They want to trust and believe in you and your practice. They also want to know you believe and for your confidence to show them the way.
Many will be reluctant to object for fear that you may become upset or adamant. For this reason, you must make it easy for the patient to object by responding in a cheerful, friendly, constructive way.
Listen Carefully
When you get an objection, hear it out completely. Don’t assume that you know what the patient is going to say. Often patients will begin with an objection you’ve already heard, but they will add their particular concern or problem.
Be patient. Practice your listening skills. Pause before replying. Question for clarification. Be calm, be honest, and give your heart when you answer. Patients object to challenge your faith, so stand up to the challenge.
Objection versus Condition
Determine whether the patient’s response is an objection or a condition. An objection is something that you can answer — a problem for which there is a solution. It is an obstacle that can be removed on the way to making the sale.
Be patient. Practice your listening skills. Pause before replying...
A condition is a genuine reason for not going ahead. If a person has no money, that condition renders buying impossible unless you can find a way to solve the condition. Many doctors finance many cases themselves.
We are in the healing business, so find the cause of the objection or condition and treat the cause.
Remember, Welcome Objections
Objections are often a standard and predictable part of any sales conversation. Remember that your patients live in the same economic world you do, which is full of selling.
In this economy, they have become accustomed to object, and that is okay. We’ve all had previous experiences with products and services that were disappointing. We do not want to have those bad experiences again. Your job is to be patient, polite, and positive while asking good questions and listening intently to the answers.
If you are courteous, sincere, and persistent, patients eventually will tell you why they might be hesitant and give you an opportunity to answer their questions. That provides the opportunity to gain a new patient.
Remember that you worked hard to become a doctor, and at great cost both mentally and economically. Now is your chance to be the best you can be. Imagine a world without unnecessary back surgery. Now educate the world. Remember that we are a team at Concierge Coaches, and this team is here to help you succeed. We can change the world, but we must do so one patient at a time.
Dr. Eric Kaplan and Dr. Perry Bard, are business partners of over 32 years. They have developed Disc Centers of America & Concierge Coaches, now in the eleventh year, as well as the first and largest Certification Program for Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression. Currently, they have over 150 clinics using their Disc Centers of America brand and lead ongoing success training events throughout the years. For more information on coaching, spinal decompression, or seminars, visit www.thechiroevent.com or www.decompressioncertified.org, or call the Chiropractic Q&A Hotline at 888-990-9660.
