Mervyn Druian delves into how passion-centred practices can build solid relationships with your patients.
In private dentistry, relationship building is crucial for success. It involves establishing and nurturing connections with patients, colleagues and other organisations. Remember, patients don’t care how much you know, rather how much you care.
Building strong relationships helps foster trust, collaboration and loyalty, which can lead to long-term partnerships and personal business growth.
Building relationships takes time and effort, but the benefits are invaluable in creating a supportive and thriving personal and business environment.
It’s good to talk
Another pointer to remember is it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.
Surround yourself with like-minded people – people who can educate you, people who can support you, people that want to grow with you.
Talk to as many people as you can, wherever you can. You can learn a lot from everyone and there is always someone who will know more than you.
Expand your network by attending industry events, joining professional organisations and connecting with like-minded individuals. Building a diverse network can lead to valuable opportunities and collaborations.
Remember:
- Be honest, reliable and transparent in all your interactions
- Be proactive in following up and delivering your commitments. Consistency and reliability go a long way in building trust and maintaining relationships
- Say thank you often.
Passion is worth billions. It attracts patients, and even more clearly, it helps keep those patients for life.
In my experience, to win devoted patients, you have to sacrifice, add knowledge and add value.
Dr Omer K Reed once said: ‘The more you give, the more you get back, and the more you teach, the more you learn’.
When it comes to adding value, look for ways to provide value beyond your treatments and services. Share your knowledge, offer support and be a resource to others. Building a reputation as a helpful and valuable resource strengthens relationships.
Relationship building: effective strategies
- Active mindful listening
- Clear communication
- Delivering on promises
- Going the extra mile to meet the needs and expectations of others.
Nurturing relationships
Be clear in your communication with patients coming in for care. Speak your patient’s language.
To build strong relationships it’s key to personalise interactions. Take the time to understand the needs and preferences of your patient. Then you’ll be able to tailor your approach and provide personalised solutions to hold strong connections.
Your relationship with your patients can be deepened with:
- The assurance of continuing professional education of the entire dental team
- Ensuring the practice is pleasant and uplifting
- Tip top cleanliness and infection control of the practice
- Care that provides relief from pain and fear
- Managing the practice so appointments run on time
- Procedures of lasting quality.
If your self-belief is not strong enough to evoke and emote your passion, then others will not catch it, nor be convinced or persuaded that your idea, product or way is best for them.
Someone will decide if they like you or not within the first few minutes that you talk to them. The more you talk about and ask about them, the more they will like you.
Your friendliness, combined with your passion and the conviction of your self-belief, will allow your presentation to be positively received.
What happens to you is not as important as to how you react to what happens to you.
Finally, another quote from Dr Reed: ‘Do the right thing, at the right time, in the right place, with the right people, for the right reasons’.
Mervyn will be speaking at the North of England Dentistry Show on 8 March in Manchester. For more details and to register for free, click here.
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