So I have this Kleenex box on my desk … not any ordinary one but rather it has pink and black and grey leopard spots on 2 sides and black and white zippers on the other two.
Why do I tell you that? Answer: Because it is way more upscale and jazzy than the boring ones and it makes a statement … fun, funky, upbeat. And it says something (in a very small way) about my office and who we are.
What if a patient or client walked into a frumpy, dumpy, boring looking office? Would he feel like telling his friends all about it and how they should go there? There is a thing called “judging a book by its cover” and this applies equally well to practices, from the front to the back.
If the practice owner doesn’t care enough to make the appearance of his or her practice wonderful for the sake of his or her patients or clients (and for the staff who work there), what else don’t they care that much about. Apathy about appearance can translate into apathy about technology and precision and can send a negative message to your patients or clients..
This doesn’t mean a huge amount of money needs to be spent on renovations or anything like that. Paint, wallpaper, changes of artwork on the walls, new floor coverings, jazzy Kleenex boxes … just improve items that will freshen up the look of the practice and inspire your patients or clients to want to refer others to you. They must be kind of proud of your office. They likely do not know if you are an amazing doctor but they sure can judge you by your appearance.
Part of the impact of your practice on your clientele is how well groomed and dressed you and your team are as well. A casual look for a healthcare provider is generally not very impressive and you will go down a notch on the referral likelihood if a client is not impressed. Good haircuts, make up well done (for women), well-shaven (for men), snazzy uniforms in the practice’s colours with nice logos and name tags … all show orderliness and care to your clientele.
Don’t underestimate the power of first impressions on your patients or clients and how this will determine the number of referrals to your practice.
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