Ask Questions to Close the Sale!

Adding value to your patients experience is the key to ringing up sales these days. Customers want to feel they are getting the most bang for their buck before parting with their hard earned cash. The product and service knowledge your staff have is a valuable asset your business that can provide is free of charge! Educating clients as a trusted adviser works in concert with providing the right service and products to meet patients' needs.


Sample Questions to Ask Clients
* What is your current biggest health or mobility challenges?

*What results are you trying to achieve?

* What products or treatments have you used in the past?

* What did you like and what didn't you like about those products?

These answers will clue you in on services and retail product recommendations to meet the patients desired goals in a non-pushy but value-adding atmosphere.

Tips for Maximizing These Conversations

* Train staff to get the customers talking by engaging in relationship building discussions.

* Listen and truly hear what the patient is (or isn't saying) can also help understand their expectations.

* Avoid stereotypes and preconceived notions of what the patient needs and be open to what they want.

Understanding the patient's needs, wishes, and pain points will drive better recommendations that meet the clients expectations. By giving customers what they want and solving there concerns, you will build trust with that patient and, in turn, sell more services and retail products!

Please share any additional questions that work well for your customer consultations. We all need to maximize every selling opportunity!

5 Tips for Retail Success

Many medical businesses have launched into the world retail. Simply putting up shelves, adding some product, and opening the doors won't drive the sales. Merchandising, display, promotions and a little retail know-how can set you up for success.

Eye Level is Buy Level 
Keep your products in easy access. Especially for the home health sector, many customers aren't mobile and if they can't reach a product they aren't likely to purchase it. Take tips from grocery stores and big box retailers by putting the items you wish to feature at customers' normal eye level. Other tactics are merchandising smallest to biggest putting lighter items at the top and heavier items at the bottom. This makes it easier to reach and less likely heavy items might fall.

Fully Stock
Keep shelves and racks full of products. There is a false belief that full shelves may look like items aren't selling, but actually studies have shown full shelves sell more. When displays are picked over it is less inviting to customers. Keep them full of product, neat and organized.

Talk it Up
Use signage and self-talkers to call attention to products. Signage can be informative to direct shoppers to the items of interest. Shelf-talkers can call out special offers, gift with purchase, or product benefits. Avoid hard to read fancy fonts or cluttering with too many signs.

Window Display
Create an eye-catching visual that draws customers in. Potential customers have a no-pressure area where they view your product offering in a beautiful display. Don't be afraid to use bold colors and some signage, especially if you have special promotion, but remember less is more. This isn't something to set it and forget it. Be creative and keep refreshing the display every month so that each time a customer visits it looks new and inviting.

Reception and Checkout Area
If you are offering services and retail, position your retail away from your reception area.  Ideally clients should walk through the retail areas to your reception. This offers the opportunity to browse. Don't keep products behind your desks areas. Customers love to touch, feel, and explore items. Remove all roadblocks to making a purchase.

With a bit of focus and attention to detail, your retail can be flying off the shelves! Have additional tips that worked for your business? Please share in the comment section below.

The Coupon Craze

There are new extreme coupon TV reality shows and an explosion of discount limited time coupon programs, such as Groupon. Consumers are jumping on the coupon band wagon. Take advantage of this growing tend by incorporating coupons into your marketing plans to grow your medical retail business.

Quantity verus Quality?

The old adage - "It is not how many people you know, but who you know" can ring true in these days of how many friends, followers, fans do you have?! Growing your social media connections can be an excellent goal for your business, but don't forget to develop a few close professional community relationships too. In these relationships - quality wins out over quantity.


Relationships To Build
High profile positions that touch many people in your community are ideal relationships to pursue. Real estate agents, bankers, healthcare workers, hospital administrators, community directors - basically people that work with a large portion of your neighbors who can be potential patients and customers.

Where to Network
Chamber of Commerce groups are an excellent place to meet other business professionals looking to network. Groups such as Lions, Knights of Columbus, or community volunteer and charity groups are additional options. Join and get involved. Attend meetings and participate in sub committees and events. This will allow you to interact with other members to get to know new people and start building relationships.

Promotion Ideas
These professional relationships can help you co-market each other. When your real estate friend closes with a new buyer in your area, have her give them a goodie bag that includes a special discount offer from your business. Host a community event at your location. This allows your patients to meet and greet with your professional friends who can offer special discounts such as setting up a new banking account with your banker connection or or free hearing test with your friend that has a hearing clinic. You can also promote each other in your newsletters or email offers. Brainstorm fun promotions with your new friends that spur interest and hopefully new customers for all of you.

Quality business relationships can do wonders for your business. Challenge yourself to go out and cultivate professional friendships. As your friendships blossom so will the creative ideas to market both of your businesses!

Customer Data is Golden

Did you know you have a gold mine inside your business? Your patient information is your business's gold. Instead of always chasing new customers, marketing to the customers you already have builds customer loyalty and provides a higher return on your market dollars. Here are some quick tips to mine for your own gold!

Collect Customer Info
Encourage new clients to fill out client info cards. Data collected should include mailing address, email, and phone/cell numbers. Ask questions regarding the type of products and services they interested in. This data will be instrumental in creating effective marketing campaigns. Make sure this data is captured in your internal client database such as your software system or your own spreadsheet.

Data Marketing
Putting the data into action is the fun part! Sorting your client lists by customer types such as male or female, serviced used, equipment rental clients, retail products purchased - the possibilities are endless. From there you can target postcard campaigns, email blasts, or special promotions relevant to what interests those customers. Bulk campaigns to your whole list can be used for general newsletters or overall promotions.

Loyalty Programs
Using your customer data in loyalty programs can also increase sales. Offering special VIP stats for long time clients with a discount or free products creates excitement and makes your customers feel valued. By capturing your customer's first service date, you can send anniversary cards with a thank you message and special discount. Feature long term clients in your newsletters or hold a VIP event with a gift bag with small goodies and discount offers. Celebrating and appreciating their business does wonders for loyalty.

Referrals
Once you have loyal customers who love your brand and services, ask for referrals. Offer a special incentive for the client who refers as well as the potential new client. Have your current customer pass you the referrals contact data and send an postcard with an intro offer. Once that referral becomes an client, employ all the steps above.

Your clients are your best asset. Mine your data well and watch your profits grow!

Going Green can Save Money!

These day all businesses are trying to stretch every dollar, but did you know that going green can save you money? Many people associate higher price tags when think about about going green, but there are many small ways to be more earth friendly and reduce your costs!



Turn it off
Create a kill-the-vampire campaign in your location. Encourage employees to turn off lights, computers, and office equipment (anything that sucks energy) when they leave for the day. Install power timers that automatically cut the power to things like copiers and printers at a certain time of the day. Turn down the thermostat during non business hours.

Save the Gas
Many of your healthcare businesses offer home delivery or home services. These big vehicles use a lot of gas. Maximize your fuel by using eco-driving tips. Drive smoothly at a low RPM in the highest possible gear. Anticipate traffic to avoid continually breaking and revving. Keep tires properly inflated for maximum MPGs.

Eco Replacements
Eventually equipment fails and needs replacement. Invest in more energy efficient options such as energy star rated appliances or hybrid delivery vans. The initial investment might be more but these replacements will pay for themselves quicker with the energy savings you will gain.

Recyclable Packaging
Use recycled paper shopping bags and set up a bag recycling area in your store. Tout your green efforts with an in store green policy. Share in company newsletters and at local industry events.

Small savings add up quickly! What is your business doing to be more green? Please share your tips below!

Setting Goals and Sticking To Them!

Soon the holiday decorations will be put away and the new year will be upon us. Many of us will start diving into our resolutions with a passionate cry that this year I will stick with my goals! Wait didn’t we say that last year….and the year before that… and the year before that. You get my point. Sticking to new goals is a challenge. Here are some ways to set appropriate goals and successfully accomplish them!


Define the Goals
- Create a clear definition of what your goal is.
- Be clear on the “why” of the goal which is your motivation.
- If you have more than one goal, group them into categories
- Tackling too many goals is a recipe for failure. Stick to a few key goals.

The Road Map
- A critial step is defining the how-to with monthly, daily, weekly steps.
- Put each step on a calendar to keep it top of mind and direct a clear path.

Celebrate the Wins
- Encouragement along the way keeps you engaged to accomplish your goals.
- Changing isn’t all or nothing. Celebrate victories with small rewards.

Evaluation – Practice not Perfection
- Put check-ins on the calendar to review progress
- Reviewing will drive more meaning to the goal and redirect efforts if needed.
- Each quarter ask questions such as - is the goal still relevant, how would you grade your progress, can you do other things to improve?

Example Goals
- Business Goal:
Define - grow retail sales by 5%
Motivation - a more profitable business
Map - create monthly retail sales promotion with help of sales team
Evaluation - monthly review of sales results,what worked what didn't
Celebration - quarterly catered lunch, bonus at year end if achieve goal

- Health Goal:
Define - Reach my goal weight of 150 lbs
Motivation - a healthier me to be active and live longer
Map - sign up and calendar an exercise class and attend 3 days a week
Evaluation - monthly weigh in and review of efforts
Celebration - quarterly get new shoes, year end a full spa day

Remember that life is about the journey. You will learn, you will fall, and you will grow– with focused intention, a plan, and self awareness you can stick with those goals and make them happen!