Making small changes to the way you interact with prospects can sometimes have a huge effect on your bottom line. There's one question that not everyone asks—but it can make a huge difference in your closing ratio and how you interact with potential clients.
A while back, I was asked to speak at a chiropractors' conference. Talk about a group of people who work hard to get where they're at!
Typically chiropractors go to college for four or five years and get a bachelor's degree. Then they go to chiropractic school, typically for three more years, to get their Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. And at that point, they can go open up a practice if they choose.
At this conference I spoke to a group of about 60 chiropractors, specifically about communication. They wanted to get better at interacting with patients and potential patients.
Some of these chiropractors had been in business for just a couple years. Others had been open for 25 or more years. As they were sharing, it jumped out to me that they might not be asking new patients a very important question.
I stopped them and asked, "How many of you ask new patients if they've ever seen a chiropractor before?"
Not a single hand in the audience went up. I continued, "What do you think would happen if you asked that question before you did anything else?
Immediately, they started sharing stories, a couple of which stuck with me.
One chiropractor had worked with a patient for 6 months before discovering they'd worked with a chiropractor for years before moving.
I asked, "Would knowing that have made it easier to have that initial conversation?"
"Oh, definitely!" he responded.
Another person shared an awkward situation. A friend had sent him a referral. But the patient ended up being extremely uncomfortable. The chiropractor finally figured out that this patient had never seen a chiropractor before, and it was way different than what he'd expected.
I share all the time with clients that the changes they need to make to get better are not huge. It could be be as simple as one question.
What would happen if you started asking people if they've worked with someone in your industry before? Could that make a difference in how you interact with them? Could it change the number of sales you close, because you can make your prospects more comfortable?
Crandall is the Principal of Sandler in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He works with business owners and motivated individuals to create and implement Professional Development Strategies to foster the growth of individuals, teams, and organizations.
