BUSINESS

  MARKETING

BUILD TRUST

WHEN PATIENTS TRUST YOU, SELLING DOESN’T ENTER THEIR MINDS

STEVE VARGO, O.D., M.B.A.

BEFORE HE passed away, one of my favorite patients was my grandfather. When I was in optometry school, he would frequently tell me about problems he was having with his vision, but it wasn’t until I was licensed to practice that I could actually help him.

The dynamics are a little different when your patient is a close family member. The biggest difference may be that he or she has complete trust in your recommendations. Through the years I’ve learned that “trust” is the biggest factor in overcoming the stigma of selling.

Let’s acknowledge that many patients do not trust us as much as we think. They may trust our clinical expertise, but do they fully trust our recommendation for premium lenses and that second pair of glasses? Has a friend ever called you after an eye exam he had somewhere else and asked, “Do I really need all this?”

Here are three ways to build trust with your patients:

1 ASK QUESTIONS

Trust develops through time, but it begins with a conversation. Start by asking questions. Get the patient to open up about any vision problems he is having. Asking the right questions, such as “Are you experiencing any problems with your vision,” (and listening more than talking) helps build trust. This is because it communicates concern and empathy — two critical components of trust.

2 PUT THEIR NEEDS FIRST

Is your practice culture driven by sales and the bottom line or by a genuine desire to improve your patients’ lives? Many practices put the needs and interests of the practice first. I’ll argue that practices that put the needs of the patient first (yes, even the patients who show up late) will experience sales well beyond the former — along with greater loyalty and more referrals. Why? It’s hard to trust an organization that puts its needs before yours.

3 STAY IN TOUCH POST-SALE

Despite our best efforts, we can’t make everybody happy. Many patients resist paying higher fees for risk of disappointment. This is where many businesses lose trust. Have you ever had a company court your business only to have them not return your calls after the sale? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to make the patient happy and earn his or her trust, even if it costs you money? Consider this: What if the patient was your grandfather?

HAVE A FAMILY MENTALITY

You, as an optometrist, and your staff spend a significant part of the day trying to persuade others to take an action you desire, whether it’s compliance with eye drops or buying prescription sunglasses. This is selling. If you want to sell in a way that doesn’t feel like selling (and also drives word-of-mouth referrals), you must treat all your patients as if they were your grandfather — and then imagine that your grandfather has 20,000 twitter followers. These three tips enable you to accomplish this. OM

DR. VARGO 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.