You might not think of it this way, but most of the people who schedule consultations with you… In reality, they’re coming to interview you. They’re coming to your chiropractic practice so they can decide whether they want to become your patient.

Knowing this, it makes sense to think about how you can “nail the interview.”

Here’s the thing: What matters most to you or any chiropractic CEO might not matter at all to them.

Sorry, But People Don’t Care About Your Accolades

If you were writing a resume, you would absolutely want to include as many of your achievements as possible. You’ve been practicing chiropractic for X number of years. You’re certified in Gonstead. Some organization gave you its most prestigious award in 2023.

Interviews aren’t like writing a resume, though.

If you list your accolades, you’re just going to bore people. Look, most of them won’t even know what you’re talking about. They don’t have chiropractic training, so they’re not impressed by the things that might impress other experts in the field.

The next time you sit down with a prospect, I want you to remember that they couldn’t care less about your experience, your technique, or your expertise.

So, what do they care about?

They care about sitting across from you and expressing what they truly want, need, or desire. If you show that you’re really listening, man, that’s the secret sauce to closing sales.

It’s true in all areas of sales, too. This isn’t just for chiropractic CEOs. If you can nail this, you can sell just about anything that benefits the buyer.

It’s going to be hard for a lot of you — and damn hard for some of you — to resist listing your achievements. I’ve struggled with it. I still struggle with it even after all these years. After all, it’s a normal impulse. That’s why so many sales professionals… they just aren’t very good at their jobs.

Since this is such a struggle for most people, I like to break it down into a super simple rule:

The prospect should do about 80% of the talking. You should do about 20% of the talking.

If you get pretty close to those percentages, you’re moving in the right direction. Of course, what you say matters. So let’s look at that aspect of the conversation.

Ask Very Skilled Questions

Here’s the thing: You need to ask skilled questions that prompt your patients to give you useful information.

Learning how to ask skilled, insightful questions is an ability you can improve over time. Right now, let’s stick to the basics.

Most importantly, avoid yes/no questions. The answers won’t tell you much, and they don’t fit into the flow of an enjoyable conversation. Instead, ask open-ended questions that will really get them talking.

Can you tell me about the very first time you noticed that pain in your back?

Could you describe some of the ways you’ve tried to resolve this problem before?

These are the types of questions that reveal a lot about the problem while — and this is just as important — letting that person move closer to becoming your patient.

Now, STFU and Listen

Asking the right question only matters when you give someone time to respond.

We’re not running speed trials here. We’re giving people time to think about their experiences and describe them in meaningful ways. That takes time.

You might feel uncomfortable sitting quietly while you wait for someone to gather their thoughts. Get used to that feeling. It’s part of the process. If you never hear any silence, you’re talking way too much.

Be Someone Patients Respect and Like

There’s a final thing we need to cover. The fact of the matter is that consumers don’t want to hire professionals who seem really stiff. The average person wants a chiropractor who seems like someone they would enjoy spending time with.

Here’s the part that confuses some chiropractic CEOs, though. You need the patient to respect you. After you’ve listened to their concerns and prescribed a treatment plan, they should trust your opinion. In fact, they should be ready to become patients. Right then and there. If someone leaves my practice before scheduling another appointment, I ask myself why they don’t respect me as a doctor.

If they respected me and my opinion, they would want to pay for my services.

Don’t worry too much about being liked. If you can solve someone’s problem, that person will like you. That’s just the byproduct of being good at your job.

Sales Training Really Matters in Chiropractic Business

I know this is a lot of information to take in at once. Go to our YouTube channel and check out the skits in this video. You’ll see some brilliant acting on my part, and you’ll get to see this advice in action.

And, of course, it’s always a good idea to sign up for our MasterClass so our team can give you personalized feedback. Nothing comes close to the MasterClass. It will literally change your life. I see it happen all the time.