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USE COMMUNICATION TOOLS TO BUILD TRUST IN PATIENTS BETWEEN EXAMS

AS WE’VE all heard, people do business with companies they trust. It’s difficult to establish a trusted relationship in one exam encounter. By staying connected with patients between exams, you can continue to educate them on the value of your products and services. As you build trust and familiarity with your brand, patients are more likely to return more often, spend more money, and refer more people.

Here are a few ways to stay connected (and market) to your patients between exams.

USE VIDEO TO HUMANIZE YOUR BRAND

The “human touch” can be a tremendous competitive advantage over competitors and yet it’s lacking in many brick-and-mortar businesses that use generic newsletters, websites with stock photos, etc.

How can you appear more human and authentic? Video is a great way to humanize your brand. Hire a local videographer to record and edit several short videos on various topics, such as contact lens wear. Gain wide exposure for your videos by posting on multiple channels (practice website, Youtube, social media, etc). When patients repeatedly see and hear you discussing solutions to various eye problems, they will view you as a trusted authority — someone they would recommend to others.

USE TESTIMONIALS AS SOCIAL PROOF

Use testimonials as social proof, the psychological phenomenon in which people assume the actions of others reflect correct behavior for a given situation. In Robert Cialdini’s classic book on persuasion, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Harper Business, 2006),” the author identifies social proof as a key principle of influence. People feel a sense of “safety in numbers.” We’re more likely to eat at a restaurant if it’s busy or go to a movie that several friends have recommended.

Leverage social proof in your practice by collecting testimonials and posting them on your website, encourage online reviews from happy patients, and record video testimonials. A caveat: Make sure you always get written permission before posting any identifying information.

SURVEYS SHOW YOU CARE

Patient surveys communicate that you care about the patient’s experience and that you are open to suggestions for improvement. They are also a chance to rectify a negative patient experience. Many patients will not tell you if they had a bad experience. They will, however, tell other people. Reach out to patients with concern and a willingness to do whatever it takes to fix the problem.

Most consumers do not inherently want to spread negativity; they just want someone to listen and empathize. If your practice does not provide a platform to do this, they will find other outlets to voice their dissatisfaction.

EDUCATE THROUGH EMAIL

Not every first-time patient will opt for the premium progressives, retinal screenings or specialty contact lenses. Consumers are hesitant to part with their money without fully understanding the benefits. Continue to educate patients between exams with a monthly or quarterly newsletter. Many electronic recall systems offer this functionality.

KEEP BUILDING

Build trust and credibility at the initial exam, and then continue to educate between exams. The more knowledgeable patients are, the more likely they are to see the value in your recommendations. OM

STEVE VARGO, O.D., M.B.A. serves as Prima Eye Group’s vice president of Optometric Consulting. A published author and speaker with more than 15 years clinical experience, he is now a full-time consultant advising O.D.s in all areas of practice management and optometric office operations. To comment on this article, visit tinyurl.com/OMcomment.