Enthusiasm Doesn’t Always Translate to Commitment
Remember when you were speaking in front of a group of people about Chiropractic and there was a person in the front row that was enthusiastically nodding along with you, smiling and agreeing with your concepts? This person stood out in contrast to the majority of those in attendance, who faces gave away their indifference.
In the back of your mind you think to yourself, 'this will be the first person to sign up and become a new patient. She is going to be a great practice member.' You almost forget about her, instead focusing your attention on some of the others in the room, because she was already with you. You're reassured once again as the talk ends and this person rushes up to thank you and say how great your presentation was. Your confidence is at an all time high when you ask if she is ready to sign up. That's when she hits you with it: she said she doesn’t need a DC. What’s going on here?
This frustrating encounter is one that many of us have experienced through the years. The moral of the story that we must always remember is that enthusiasm is often short-lived and looks can sure be deceiving. Some people adopt this personality trait when listening to people speak as a defense mechanism to protect them from being singled out or asked to participate. It’s a subtle form of politeness. While they may like your presentation, they have no intention of becoming a patient. They really look like they are enjoying what you are saying, but they are not going to take any action. It's the ultimate tease.
On the other hand, a person in the back row who looked like they were barely awake may be the first to make and keep an appointment. How can this be?
For many DCs this scenario is just too overwhelming and embarrassing so they stop holding community workshops, inside or outside of their offices. Instead of mastering this almost forgotten art of making powerful impressions with people, they resort to not educating their patients and let them continue to make uninformed decisions.
Did you know that enthusiasm often covers or veils a person’s disinterest in what you’re saying? It's a front that they keep up until you're out of their personal space and they are able to politely ‘opt out', never to be heard from again. Think about all the people you’ve seen at screenings or other public events who have made the appointments and then never showed up.
In this day of sound bites and attention spans measured in the nanoseconds, powerful communication skills separate DCs more than most will own up to. Having guided nearly 1,000 DCs throughout my career, I can promise you that there is simply no substitute for perfect communication skills. You can have 2 DCs on the same street, in the same town, and one earns 3, 5, 10x that of the other, simply because they are a better communicator. Like all skills, great communication skills are learned and developed. You’ll see their effect with every consultation, exam, and recommendation you perform. Denying this ability is an invisible handicap that plagues many DCs throughout their careers.
If you are a great DC and your practice is just not measuring up to your talents and abilities, we need to speak! Stop wracking your brain for an answer to your practice woes! You’re not missing anything! You just need help developing what’s already in there!
