| Effective communication is the key to success with | | | | destination for the next 3 HOURS, I realized there |
| any business no matter what your actual business is. | | | | was a gentle back massager built right into the chair |
| Even if you're a dreaded... [dum dum dum]... dentist! | | | | itself. Nice touch. |
| (gasp!). | | | | As I sat down I asked for, ok insisted on, nitrous |
| Last week I went to the dentist to get the old silver | | | | oxide, aka "laughing gas," a treatment I tried at a |
| fillings replaced in two of my molars. When I first | | | | former dentist's office and LOVED. It doesn't make |
| heard about the dental work that had to be done, | | | | you laugh, it makes you relax, something I admittedly |
| truth be told, I was scared. You see, I had a bad | | | | and obviously needed a bit of help with. It was clear |
| dentist experience when I was about 6 years old and | | | | to me nitrous isn't standard for all of their patients, |
| honestly, although the fear is irrational and I know | | | | but as I shared my story of childhood terror with the |
| modern dentistry has come a long way in more than | | | | doctor, she immediately (and thankfully!) instructed |
| 30 years, those old memories are still there when the | | | | the assistant to fire up the machine. |
| sounds of the drill come on and I'm on that chair in | | | | Each step of the way, she was empathetic and |
| such a vulnerable position. | | | | shared with me what was happening next. And that |
| But this is work that simply had to be done. Those | | | | nitrous oxide was niiiice. |
| old silver fillings aren't meant to last forever and I | | | | In case you missed the lessons along the way, here |
| could be in a whole mess of pain, not to mention | | | | is what you can learn to effectively communicate |
| extremely inconvenienced, if they were to suddenly | | | | with clients in your business: |
| break while I was eating - or worse-out of town at a | | | | |
| speaking event. | | | | 1. Make it familiar for your clients: My dentist used |
| Despite my childhood fears, my adult rational side | | | | popular music to do that. When people experience |
| won out and last Thursday at 3:00 PM I found myself | | | | the familiar with any of their senses, they are |
| in the dentist chair. In fact I was so nervous about it | | | | immediately put at ease. |
| I tweeted much of the early experience on Twitter | | | | 2. Scheduling matters: Make appointments at a time |
| and got a heap of sympathy from dozens of people | | | | when you know you'll be right on schedule and honor |
| around the world. If I was going to be in pain, at | | | | those commitments. Canceling, running excessively |
| least I knew I wasn't alone and I had prayers and | | | | late, and rescheduling are marks of someone who |
| positive energy coming my way! | | | | hasn't mastered the art of timing. If need be hire a |
| Add to all that fear and trepidation I was | | | | great virtual assistant to keep your schedule. |
| experiencing, the doctor is pretty much a stranger, | | | | 3. Make it comfortable: When your clients feel a |
| since I recently had to switch for insurance reasons. | | | | sense of comfort, as I did with the chair massager, |
| Still what happened next made the experience SO | | | | they will begin to get a feeling of trust for you. That |
| much better for me and it contains some important | | | | will keep them coming back time and again. |
| lessons for all of us in business. | | | | 4. Listen empathetically: Pay attention to your clients' |
| First, as I arrived at the office, I noticed they had | | | | needs and wants and even if it's something beyond |
| the same radio station on as I did in my car. It's a | | | | your "normal" offerings, if the request in your |
| popular station locally and rather than the awful, | | | | capacity to handle, then by all means over-deliver. |
| incessant musak at some doctor's offices I was | | | | Also instruct your staff or team, if you have any, to |
| listening to the real artists singing the real songs | | | | be empathetic and warm as well. |
| people can identify with. | | | | 5. Explain the process: People are often at ease, |
| Next, I didn't have to wait long at all, just long | | | | even in a stressful situation, when they know what is |
| enough to quickly browse through a couple of | | | | coming next. The process of what you do and how |
| current magazines for the latest celebrity gossip and | | | | you work with clients may be second nature to you, |
| a receipt or two. | | | | but for your client, this could be all new. Share with |
| When it was my turn to head back the dental | | | | them the steps and tell them what comes next and |
| assistant greeted me warmly and with a smile. And | | | | what, if anything they need to do to get the best |
| as I sat down into the dentist's chair, my final | | | | results for themselves. |
