Week 6 of PT Business Growth School is here and I can’t believe it’s our final class…
This week we have PT Industry Superstar ‘Jerry Durham’ back in the room for Part 2 of the Module titled “The New Patient Journey Experience”…
In Part 1 we mapped out the ENTIRE journey, step by step, that your patients experience with you to ensure we rise above the industry ‘norm’, and give them MORE than they were expecting – an experience they won’t forget.
This week we showed our students solutions to some common problems that most PT businesses face…
… things like “drop-offs”, “no-shows” and “resistance to care plans” (because of co-pay).
Our students now all agree that these things ARE NOT happening ONLY because they don’t want to pay (for PT)… No, it’s more often than not because they don’t see the TRUE VALUE in what we do.
Would you pay for something you don’t see the VALUE in or how it’ll help your life?…
(Neither will they!)
Part 2 of The New Patient Journey Experience solves AAAAAAALLLLL of these problems, and helps make the “co-pay”, or “OON” issues a thing of the past.
ENROLL HERE: NOTE, if you’r interested in starting this Class – we have opened up REGISTRATION for a limited period of time – click here to go to the ENROLMENT PAGE and join in the class.
So with that said, lets get into the “10” greatest highlights from the final week of PT Business Growth School, Week 6…
KEY TAKEAWAYS
#1 The First Consultation
Now that your potential new patient has made a decision that YOU are the PT clinic that’s able to solve their problems, and that you’re the place that finally ‘gets them”…
The NEXT thing you want to do is drive up that perception of VALUE of what you’re doing.
Why it’s so important to do that?
When you ask them the right questions (that you need them to hear their own answers to)… they will reveal their ‘wants’ and ‘hopes’ to you, AGAIN.
(We’ve already done this at the first phone call – but we need to do it again!)
This means they get reminded of what they are REALLY paying for – to get quality time back to play with their Grandkids, to hike that mountain they’ve always wanted to with their partner, to wake up without aches and pains in the morning so they can drive to work…
Present the VALUE, and you’ll confirm they made the best decision by choosing you over every other option they’ve got!
Next, let’s take a look at how to get it started…
#2 Start The Consultation, In The WAITING Room
This is huge – and sets the tone for the rest of the relationship the minute they step through the front door…
We want the very first consultation to begin in the “waiting room”.
Ideally there should be a conversation going on in the reception between the receptionist and patient (..and even the Therapist should be invited to join in!)
There’s nothing worse than having a patient walk into the waiting room to be presented with an out of date magazine and newspapers full of bad news…
ENGAGE with them from the moment they walk through your door, then continue THAT conversation in the TREATMENT ROOM and they’ll feel very comfortable right away (…again, confirming they’ve made the right decision coming to see you).
Remember: “People FIRST, Patient Second”
#3 It’s All About The Questions You Ask
Now the patient is in the treatment room it’s important to ask the VAQ;s – the ‘Value Alignment Questions’.
What does that mean?
It means we’re going to make it certain to the patient that WE truly understand what they are REALLY going through and exactly what they want to achieve.
It’s not about what the INSURANCE costs – or your EMR – it’s about what the patient wants you to know the answers to – what’s important to them!
Continue to ask the same questions that reveal answers that they WANT YOU TO KNOW about, things like:
“What is it stopping you from doing that
you REALLY wish you could?”
And you’ll ensure they know that you’re 100% clear on what they want to achieve as a result of having PT.
#4 Stopping “Drop-Offs” At Your Practice…
There’s a few questions you need to ask – and this is one question:
“What’s your current understanding of what a PT can do to help you solve this?” (…Back pain getting in the way of a good nights sleep).
You may be 100% certain in what you’re about to do.
You may be 190% certain in the effectiveness you’re proposing.
BUT if this person has a completely different understanding or expectation of what it is you’re going to do for them in the treatment room – you are going to lose them.
Because if they’re expecting hands-on treatment, and you know they need exercises instead – you’re going to run into problems very, very quickly if you don’t have that conversation with them about WHY!
A failure to do this means they get confused – if they get confused, they drop off!
Which is why it all comes down to this:
“Success in business comes down to one thing – communication.”
#5 How To Get Buy-In
Contrary to what most PT’s do – do not proceed with treatment before asking for “permission”.
After your OBJECTIVE ask them to take a seat – and have a conversation with them about IF THEY WANT YOU TO PROCEED.
Do NOT cash the cheque until they’ve signed it!
Because if you don’t (ask), you are not giving them a chance to commit and ASK QUESTIONS they need answers to before you begin.
We want them to ask ANY questions they have, to get any possible objections out of the way – so any objections don’t come up later that night, or a few days later.
Important: Do not take for granted that just because they are in the treatment room with you – that you have a patient.
#6 Escort The Patient To The Desk
This is crucial.
I’ve been in clinics where I’ve seen a patient come to the end of a treatment session, and then have to walk to the front desk – alone.
Mistake.
Big mistake.
If you allow your patients to walk out of the treatment room alone – that’s when they are able to think up an excuse to DROP OFF or back down from what they agreed with the therapist.
Allowing this to happen gives that person “25” seconds to work out an objection to the treatment plan you’ve just given them.
Think about it…
The receptionist will have no idea of what has just gone on inside the treatment room – and if you allow your patient to walk there alone to book their sessions in, there’s a chance that the agreed plan won’t go ahead.
Don’t leave how many sessions your patient is agreeing to with the therapist in the hands of your Receptionist.
Pharmacists don’t decide on the volume of the medicine… the REAL experts do (the doctors)
Have your Therapist go WITH THEM to the front desk and book it all out.
#7 Don’t Let Patients Become “Lost Sheep”
In an ideal world we would love patients to schedule out ALL of their visits – and then attend.
But we all know – it doesn’t always work out that way and some will ‘drop-off’ (…and then these people become ‘lost sheep’).
Now, we can’t always STOP this from happening, but we can limit it.
How? We go down every avenue we can to STOP ‘drop-offs’ from happening.
If they call to cancel their appointment…
Get them to reconsider.
If they say ‘no’
See if you can MOVE it.
And if they still say no…
Get to the root-cause of WHY (they want to drop off).
If you just accept their cancellation and let them slip away, you’ll likely lose them forever and miss out on helping them make the best decision.
Next, what if they do drop off, or don’t show up at all?!…
#8 Follow-up With Drop-offs
This is the one thing that doesn’t cross the minds of most PT business owners…
They think once someone’s cancelled, or doesn’t show it’s game over.
Well it will be game-over if you don’t follow-up!
Follow-up with these people who don’t go ahead with agreed treatment plans and have real conversations about the problem.
OR it’ll keep on happening.
#9 The Biggest Area Of Opportunity With Drop-offs
Is by keeping IN TOUCH.
(With an email follow-up system and the telephone).
I said it above – if we fail to keep in touch, we’ve lost them forever.
The FORTUNE is in the FOLLOW UP – is another one of my favourite sayings!
Most people will think they can get their problem solved elsewhere.
And some will!
…But many won’t!
And many will never think to get back in touch with you in fear of looking ‘silly’.
You likely know I’m BIG on having systems in place – and this one email follow-up system will address that you know why they might have gone elsewhere, but that you also know they won’t get what they NEED by going elsewhere!
This will get them back onto schedule, and quick!
That’s ‘drop-offs’ and ‘no-shows’ covered, but what happens when a patient comes to the end of their treatment plan?
#10 The Final Phase Of The Patient Journey
This is something that I like to call:
“The Graduation” process.
When the initial care plan is over, most clinics will let that person walk out hoping that they might just come back again if they get a bad back, or a sore ankle…
But what we want to really be doing is this – keep in touch!
At least via email.
This is where having systems in place is gold.
At the Paul Gough Physio Rooms we have an automated sequence of emails that gets sent to that patient that engages them with content from blogs, connects them on Social Media and talks to them about other products and services…
These emails also allow us to get feedback and 5 star testimonials and reviews (perfect for helping others make better decisions about coming to see you!)…
On average most people will come back for further treatment, and buy additional products and services!
It’s all about being in front of people, to ultimately help them make better decisions – and that should be you!
Okay! There’s your final digest of week 6 of PT Business Growth school…
By now I’m sure you realize these last 6 weeks have been all about creating REAL Systems.
PT Business Growth School is essentially me lifting the hood on three of the WORLD’S most successful Physical Therapy Businesses… and exactly how to automate and systemize EVERYTHING in your business, so that it grows without you!
The GOOD NEWS IS that for a short period of time you can ENROLL in the class starting TODAY.
…Each week we’ll unlock a new module for you and you can join in the Group and ask your questions as they arise.
Go here for more information:
OR, if you’d like to wait and take part with us in the LIVE action next time it comes around (we don’t know when), here’s what to do next…
OR, if you’re brand new to my PT Business Education Material:
- 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
