How many times have you sat across from someone and told them why they need chiropractic?

Probably too many times to count. And how does that typically go for you?

You end up spending a lot of time giving people information they don’t really want to know… and then they don’t commit to the treatment.

Look, this is bad for everyone involved. It’s bad for the patient because they keep delaying treatment that could improve their lives. It’s bad for you and your business because you end up making less money.

I’ve got good news. There’s a much more effective approach to closing.

You need to let patients do more of the work. They will close themselves.

Let Patients Figure Things Out on Their Own

As a chiropractor, I totally understand why you want to tell people about how you can change their lives. You have all of this knowledge and experience. More than anything, you want to help.

But talking a lot doesn’t really convince potential patients that you can help them. If that doesn’t work — and you know it doesn’t because I guarantee you’ve seen it fail in your own practice — we should try something different.

That’s why we’re going to let patients figure it out on their own.

I don’t mean that we’re going to ignore people who need our help. These are people who’ve come to your practice. They know they have a problem, and they want your expertise.

And we’re going to let them talk until they reveal the full extent of the problem and realize how much they need chiropractic.

Here’s a common scenario. Someone comes to my office and says, “My neck has been hurting for a week.”

I doubt that’s the full story. Not many people will schedule an appointment after a week of neck pain.

So, I let them talk.

“I guess it really started when I got my new job. Wow, that job isn’t even new anymore. I started working there five years ago. That’s when I first noticed that my neck hurt. It’s been getting a lot worse lately, though.”

Do you see what just happened there?

The patient started off with what sounded like a small issue. Because I let them talk, though, they figured out that it was a much bigger problem than they realized.

I didn’t do much of anything other than listen.

Now, you’re sitting across from someone who understands that they have a long-term problem, and they want you to help them as soon as possible.

That’s how you let interested visitors convert themselves into clients.

OK, So You Might Need to Talk a Little… But Skillfully

The patient is going to discover how much they need chiropractic… but you’ll need to talk a little. You can’t just sit there and stare at them. If “don’t be creepy” isn’t a top rule in chiropractic and life in general, we need to get on that.

We’re not going to blather on, though.

We’re going to ask skilled questions that guide the patient toward meaningful answers.

Let’s go back to the conversation above. A patient comes in and complains about neck pain. They discover that they’ve had this problem for a lot longer than they thought. At this point, a lot of people will become your patients because they understand the severity of the issue. Not everyone will close, though.

That’s when you can nudge them along with a question like, “What have you done to get this problem corrected, but hasn’t corrected it yet?”

They’ll probably give you a long list. They’ve tried stretching. They’ve tried acupuncture, heating pads, ice baths, massages.

You’ve asked one simple — but important — question. Now, watch them reach the conclusion.

“Hold on! I’ve tried all of these things… but I’m here now with the same pain. That acupuncturist was a quack! That massage therapist just made the pain worse!”

Do you see what happened? By asking one skilled question, you got this person to acknowledge reality and come much closer to becoming your patient.

Your Patients Are Smart People

I want you to trust your patients to make good decisions. They’re smart people who have come to you because they know they have problems you can solve.

A lot of us don’t let patients come to conclusions on their own because we don’t trust them.

I want you to hold on to that thought. Now, ask yourself… if you don’t trust them, then why should they trust you?

Every relationship involves collaboration. I’m telling you right now that if you start the doctor-patient relationship by letting the patient make decisions, both of you will benefit.

Of course, you do need to guide them. You’re the professional, after all.

That’s why you have to learn to ask skilled questions.

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