30 Apr How To Make a Powerful First Impression That Keeps New Patients Coming Back
A lot of health professionals think that once a new patient is booked into their office, the hard work is done.
But getting a new patient into your office is only the beginning.
What’s more important is what happens when they get there.
When a new patient walks into your office for the first time, they’re looking for reassurance that they made the right choice in choosing your practice.
And they’re also looking for any red flags that your practice isn’t the right choice.
That is why it’s so important to make the right first impression.
Making the right first impression can mean the difference between building a thriving practice — one that generates plenty of repeat business and referrals — or struggling to get patients back for a second appointment.
You only have one opportunity to show your new patients that your practice is the right fit for them — so you have to make sure the impression you make is the right one.
Throw the Right Kind of Party
Have you ever been to a party where everyone is excited to see you?
When you walk in, you immediately feel at ease. The energy is great, you’re having fun, and you’re happy you decided to stop by.
On the flip side, have you ever been to a party where you didn’t feel so welcome?
Where no one says hello or seems interested in what you have to say, and the energy just feels… dead?
Which party would you rather go to?
It’s the same thing in your office. If your patient is immediately greeted with a warm welcome and made to feel at ease and at home, it will make a positive first impression.
And if they’re not?
Then their impression will be not-so-positive.
But it goes beyond that.
When you start off on the wrong foot by having a dull, unwelcoming environment in your office, it immediately puts your patient on the defensive. They form a negative image of you and your practice.
And because they have a negative image of you and your practice, they’ll be far less compliant with the rest of your process.
They won't follow directions.
They will be guarded during their appointment.
They won't take your recommendations — and they won't get the results they’re looking for.
And because of that, they won't talk positively about you — and they won't refer new business.
So, in a nutshell, a negative experience hinders your practice’s growth.
But on the flip side, think about what would happen with your patients if they had a positive experience from the start.
They’d form a positive image of you and your practice.
They’d be much more inclined to follow your process, be open during their appointment, and follow your recommendations.
They’ll feel better, they’ll get better results, and they’ll sing your praises to anyone who will listen — which will drive new referral business to your practice.
So, when it comes down to it, it’s all about the first impression. Make a good first impression, and you’ll have a happy patient who refers new business. Make a bad first impression, and you’ll likely never see that patient again.
Put Your Patients At Ease From The Moment The Walk Through The Door
The key to creating a positive experience for your patients is to put them at ease the moment they walk through the door.
And the key to putting them at ease?
Consistency.
You don’t want to leave those first precious minutes a new patient walks into your practice to chance.
You want to greet them with a proven system that you know will put them in the right frame of mind for a successful visit—and that’s why you need a script.
Your patients should have a consistent experience at your practice no matter which team member they interact with—and the only way to guarantee that consistency is to get everyone on the same page.
Having your entire staff greet each patient with a well-thought-out response that ensures a positive patient experience ensures that every patient has a great first impression of your practice—no matter who’s sitting at the desk when they walk in.
Your scripted introduction doesn’t have to be anything fancy—it just has to get the job done. Welcome each patient, offer them a tea or coffee, walk them through the paperwork, and let them know a practitioner will be with them momentarily. And don’t forget to smile!
It’s that simple.
But if your team does this introduction without fail for every single patient who walks through the doors, it’s going to create a consistently positive patient experience—and that patient experience will drive repeat business and referrals.
Don’t Forget the Handover
First impressions are important—but they’re not necessarily immediate.
Your patients are still forming their impression of your practice long after they check-in and complete their paperwork. In fact, they’re forming the impression straight through the moment they walk out the door.
Which is why the handover is so important.
The handover, which is when you pass your patient back to your front of office staff following your consultation, is crucial.
It’s the part of the visit that finalizes your patient’s first impression and determines what they do after they leave your practice.
Think of the handover as a baton relay.
Your front of office staff passed you the baton when you did your consultation. Now, it’s your turn to pass it back.
But it doesn’t matter how well you ran your portion of the race—if the handoff is sloppy, you’re not going to reach the finish line. Dropping the baton at this crucial point will show cracks in your leadership—and as a result, your patient won’t follow your recommendations or refer new business.
Which is why if you want to drive repeat business and referrals, you need a system that allows you to stay in control and guide the interaction towards your desired outcome.
And that system? It’s a simple two steps.
Step one: Once your patient has agreed to follow your recommendation after your consultation, tell your front of office staff what your patient needs directly in front of them.
Step two: Have your front of office staff build on that momentum and repeat back what you recommended to your patient directly in front of them, reinforcing your message and transitioning into the booking.
It’s that simple.
If you follow those two steps every time, you’ll give your patients that impression that you have your practice together; that you’re organized and working together as a team—and that confidence will inspire them to follow your recommendations and refer new patients.
Here’s the moral of the story — no matter what you do, your new patients will form an impression of your practice the second they walk through the doors.
And if you want to truly help your patients while dramatically increasing your repeat-and-referral business, you need to make sure that impression is a positive one.
If you want some extra help in ensuring your practice is making the best first impression possible well, that’s where this resource comes in.
This is my go to resource for installing a step by step system that separates you from the crowd, gets your new patient excited about working with you and turns them into a raving fan that refers.
It’s called the New Patient Experience Maximiser.
It’s a proven system to create an amazing new patient experience that stimulates a flood of referrals and dramatically increases patient retention (without having to spend a cent on marketing).
Click on the link below and it will take you directly to where you can get your hands on the New Patient Experience Maximiser step-by-step training.
I think the New Patient Experience Maximiser could be such a game changer for your practice that I’m even running a special offer at the moment.
You can now get your hands on this training at the lowest ever cost.
At the crazy price of $7 you can’t afford not to take advantage of the explosive tactical training.
If you take up my offer on this exclusive promotion we'll walk you through the entire new patience experience – from the initial phone call, to the welcoming at the practice, right up to what to say before, during and after the appointment as well as the vital follow up sequence that only the top 1% of practices have installed in their businesses.
Click below to buy the the New Patient Experience Maximiser now.
