Reader D. asks: “What are your most successful tips for closing the appointment on time with verbose patients?” For those of you with “talk-heavy” consultative practices, a talkative client (or a series of them) can either throw a busy schedule completely off-kilter, or turn a not-so-busy schedule into a day of chatter that you don’t […]
…would you do anything differently? We tend to tackle “firsts” with a special kind of energy. We give more to them. We immerse, offer up more of ourselves. And then something happens. First becomes usual, and our energy shifts, ever so slightly. It’s normal – after all, you only get one first. It’s a distinct […]
Sometimes, clients just appear on your mental radar. They pop into your mind out of the blue, and you think, “Gee. I wonder what happened to so-and-so?” They might have been in active treatment, but have since dropped off, or recovered from a condition and haven’t been back since. Whatever the reason, it happens, and […]
Getting new clients takes time, energy and sometimes money. For all that investment, it’s a shame when they don’t come back. We’ve had a lot of faces through our practice doors over the years, and while we do our best to keep them engaged, we don’t retain everyone. As a result, we’ve got our share […]
Most businesses wouldn’t even consider firing a customer. But sometimes it’s the smartest thing you can do. -The Bootstrapper’s Bible, by Seth Godin Unless you’re blessed with Mother Theresa-esque patience, I’ll bet there have been days where you’ve been pushed to the edge of reason by one of your clients. Rude behavior, seemingly un-resolvable or […]
When you start your holistic practice, it seems like any patient is a great patient – money’s tight and every face that comes through the door is another chance to pay the rent. Over time, though, it becomes critical to cherry-pick the best of the best. Here are a few characteristics of great patients for […]
The allopathic community has a set precedent for reaching a “practice capacity”. Many MD’s will reach a designated number of patient files, and then no longer accept new patients, particularly in regions where health care is publicly funded. Since most CAM practices run on a private sector business model, my suggestion is that you never […]
“I have some clients who miss appointments without calling. It’s very frustrating. Should I be charging them a fee?” This one has no clear answer. Ask around, and you’ll get different opinions. Compared with more mainstream medicine, my guess is CAM professionals are less likely to charge for no shows, simply because lack of insurance […]
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