How to get more patients saying yes to your treatment plans

If you are not convincing and you are not speaking the language of the person who you are communicating to, they probably will not buy into your ideas. This article is not going to give you a 180-change in your way of thinking; however only a small change in your thinking can enable you to become more successful in generating more business and giving the patient what they want.

Many studies have been done to find out what makes a successful dentist. Here is a simple exercise to do. Think about a consultation with a patient, then write down all the skills, attributes and attitudes that you need to possess for it to be a success?  Are there skills such as good communication and listening skills, and the ability to build empathy with the patient? On the attitudes side, are there things like positivity and enthusiasm? Have you also got product knowledge? On occasions, when I have a discussion with a dentist, the technical skills are often left out. Although important and vital, technical skills of doing the job, only usually account for about 10-15% of a person’s success. Without good communication skills, the ability to build empathy and be able to gain patient commitment, you might never be able to put your technical ability into practice.

Definition of ethical sales

A dictionary definition will tell you that it is to exchange goods and services for money or kind to convince of value.

There is nothing in the definition that states that it is about pushing people or forcing people into decisions. Let us look at another key word here - the word ‘value’. I think value is about finding out what true value is to the other person in their context, or in other words their situation. So what about changing your mindset from one of selling, or pushing to:  

• Building rapport with your patient
• Finding out what the patient thinks is value (wants and needs)
• You showing them how you can satisfy them
• When he believes you can, that person will probably buy

It really isn’t about selling. It is about being the provider of significant value. To do this effectively, you have to follow just a few simple common sense steps.

Change your mindset

So think about how you can change your mind set. Look inside yourself and ask what is stopping you. If you think you provide significant value to patients then why not give more patients the opportunity to have more of the services that you provide.

You are doing them and you an injustice if you don’t. Pay attention to what you are saying to yourself such as can’t, or won’t and change to can and will.  Change your mindset to the fact that “I provide significant value everyday to patients” and read some of the letters that you receive from happy patients.

Without your ability to communicate well and listen emphatically, patients will not get what they need and in most case, want. It is something to be proud of, when done right, both parties benefit.

Ashley Latter is world renowned Business Coach. He has personally delivered over 24,000 hours of Communication Training to the Dental Industry all over the world, more than anyone else on the planet. He is the author of three books; his most famous is Don’t wait for the Tooth Fair. He is going to be delivering his one Day Ethical Sales & Communication Programme in Holland on the 13 ^th January 2017. For more information please visit www.decommunicatiecoach.com.