Why It’s Wrong To Assume Patients Know What They Want From PT.

by · 26th June 2015

5/5 - (1 vote)

“Success in PT is about giving people what they want”…

That’s what one (awesome) PT told me this week during a strategy call.

Would you agree?
.
.
.
.

Maybe?

I didn’t.

Not one bit.

See, I’m 110% convinced that most patients have no clue what so ever why they’re coming for therapy.

(Hence why so many are so difficult to keep on schedule!)

And I say this in my own clinic, to my own staff, that it’s the job of the therapist to clearly determine the “why”.

Sure, they’ll tell you it’s for back pain etc etc, but it’s much more than that.

Way more.

Let me explain it like this:

You walk into a TV store at your local shopping mall… and you’re ADAMANT that you want a 42”, Sony Plasma TV…

And that your budget is $1000.

Now what will happen is that MOST sales people, will sell it to you.

Why wouldn’t they?

You told them that’s what you want.

But, what if the sales person stopped to ask you just a couple of questions BEFORE the purchase…

Just to make REAL sure that you’re going to get what you really NEED!…

(Not just what you currently think you want!).

Questions like:

* “Do your kids like to play video games, Sir?”

* “Do you like to watch action movies and have the volume up loud?”

Or,

* “Do you love to watch baseball and NFL… and is watching it in the clearest possible picture, really important to you?”…

And once he has the answers to those questions…

It’s then HIS job… as the expert on selling TV’s.. to ETHICALLY tell the customer that the purchase he’s about to make, isn’t the one he needs.

Even, tell the customer that he’d be much better off ordering the panasonic TV with surround sound and HD, that is $400 more expensive…

But if he did, he would leave the shop a LOT happier – even though he paid MORE!…

The point?

As therapists we ASSUME that what patients want, is what they tell us.

The problem is, they have no idea what we can REALLY do for them.

Just like the guy in this story wanting a new tv…

…he would have no clue that there is a specialist TV for his needs – or given any though to what his REAL needs are – as the average consumer assumes they’re all the same.

(How most people see PT).

Yet when it’s pointed out that more specialist options exist – ones to suit is CORE desires and based on a TRUE understanding of the customer – the more he is happy to PAY.

The relevance to you and your team?…

Learn how to ask the RIGHT questions.

Spend an extra minute really trying to GET the people you serve at their core level.

Then offer *specialist* PT solutions to your now emotionally charged patients.

Figure out how… and you’ll kiss good bye to problems called “copay” and “deductibles”.

Want to know how you do it?…

Easy.

Get some one to teach you more Powerful “Prescription Strategies”…

I’m waiting here, to teach you:

– Yes! I Want To Boost My PT Income Without Finding More Patients ! >

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Paul Gough.

About Paul Gough

PAUL GOUGH is one of the top Marketing and Business Coaches in the physical therapy industry and his Systems are helping clinic owners all across America run more profitable clinics. He is a published Author, Newspaper Columnist and before his stunning success in business was hired by top professional soccer teams. HIS SUCCESS STORY is one that inspires many pt's around the world - at the age of 26 Paul QUIT a high profile job in professional soccer to begin his own clinic. He had NO money, NO business or marketing skills and NO experience - and yet now owns and runs 4 pt clinics and has a proven track record of growing a physical therapy business from 0 - $2m in record time.
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