This question came in from one of my coaching group members, yesterday:
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“Paul, curious to know where your ‘ask for permission’ principle to your business originated from.
I LOVE it and want to dive a bit deeper into understanding the psych behind the technique. Can you talk more about it and point me in the direction of a resource? Many thanks”!
– Matt DeBole, Agile Physical Therapy, Palo Alto, CA.
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Am I okay to give you the answer???
(Thanks!)
So here goes…
…(why I’m a huge fan of the “asking your patient for permission” for EVERYTHING concept).
The primary reason is that the old fashioned way of the “Doctor is God” way of thinking, is now, just about, absolutely DEAD!
Other than your Grandparents – or people aged 70+ – there’s not that many people who enjoy being told what to do – by anyone!
(My 3 year old son “Harry” REALLY doesn’t like it 😉 )
The problem is that many health care professionals have failed to recognize this massive shift in human behaviour…
The internet, Google and things like Facebook in particular – have given YOUR consumer a voice that can be heard…
They have an opinion…
…and most importantly of all, they have a “CHOICE”!
And the moment we start to “tell”…
…we are talking to them in a way that doesn’t respect how they live the rest of their lives…
If we “ASK”, we build confidence, TRUST and we EMPOWER our patients…
All of that means they feel safe and if they feel safe they make more confident decisions.
Now, of course, we’re going to ask in such a way that leads the person to the point where we KNOW they need to be…
How do we know where they need to be?
Through ASKING the right questions on our websites, at the initial phone call and in the Eval.
(And then LISTENING).
The problem is, so many PT’s hide behind their “qualifications” and STILL live the way it was 10-15-20 years ago where people USED to respect people like you and I who told them what to do…
The white cloak or shirt and tie with a clip board in arm worked in the 70’s and 80’s – even the 90’s perhaps…
…but not in 2016.
Getting patients to comply and agree so that they FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR PRESCRIPTION starts with YOU asking for permission for everything:
“Am I okay to tell you how else we might be able to help you?”…
…”Am I okay to make a recommendation of care?”
…”Am I okay to put my hand on your leg?…”
…Knock, knock: “Am I okay to enter the room?…”
…Ring, Ring: “am I okay to ANSWER THE PHONE” (…if your receptionist is talking to a patient in reception…)
…”Am I okay to go ahead to charge your card for your contribution to todays session”…
And so it goes on…
The more that you “ask” for permission, the more successful you’ll be…
A resource to look up to learn more about this?
Try this book: “UCLA: A Prescription For Excellence” (By Dr.Joseph Michelli)…
(When you’ve read it, be sure to get in touch and let me know how it impacted you).
Anyhow…
Have a great day 😉
Sincerely,
Paul Gough
P.S Which of the following did you miss??
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Round up of last weeks top content:
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– Accelerator Method: Accelerator Method – 24/7 Inquiries From Your Website (…this article reveals why most PT websites are failing – be sure to show it to your webmaster 😉 )
– Podcast: Episode 006 with Dr.Jarod Carter, the “Larry King” of PT Podcasts talks about the challenges he’s facing as he grows from solo-practitioner to business owner with staff… click to download and listen to it while you run, walk, drive or fly!
– YouTube Show: Episode 025 – Why No One Wants To Pay For Physical Therapy Anymore (…it’s true, and this video explains what they will pay for instead!!)…click here to watch it then Subscribe on Youtube!
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For more PT Business Education like this:
- Violating Social Norms and Outdated Levels of Thinking - 22nd October 2020
- MORE from LESS: The Go To Strategy During A Financial Downturn (Like here in 2020) - 15th October 2020
- How To Confidently Sell Your Physical Therapy Services - 29th April 2020
- Telehealth: What Does The Future of PT Look Like? - 17th April 2020
- How To Get More Buy-In From Patients - 16th April 2020
- Telehealth: Have You Already Done It Without Realizing? - 16th April 2020
- Telehealth: What Is the Most Important Thing You Can Sell Right Now? - 15th April 2020
- Telehealth: Is A Marketing Funnel Needed Right Now? - 14th April 2020
- Telehealth: What Happens To Discovery Visits? - 13th April 2020
- Telehealth: How Will I Compete With “Big Box” Insurance Companies? - 10th April 2020