We only get one chance to make a great first impression, from the moment we have our first interaction with our clients, we should show professionalism, confidence, positivity and warmth.
First contact may not be in person, it may be on the phone or via email. Its professional to answer the phone using the business name, “Good morning, thanks for calling Best Mind Therapy, how can I help you” is far better than a vague “hello” on the end of the phone, it shows we are a business and we are ready and waiting to help. Having a business number is a best practice, as there is no confusion as to why the phone ringing is actually ringing.
Any email correspondence needs to be clear and concise, miss spelt words and bad grammar are very off putting and the use of a spell check is vital, for most of us mere mortals. An @businessname.co.uk email address looks better than a generic @gmail.com one. Using email signatures is also good practice. Responding to emails quickly is also important and it shows we are giving the clients our fullest attention and take their situation seriously and it’s important to us.
Our practice rooms must also be appropriate for our profession. They should feel safe, comfortable and not be a distraction or a terrible mess. This is somewhere that we expect our clients to relax, so we should make them so. Comfortable chairs or couches with neatly folded blankets available, not in noisy areas (although this cannot always be avoided), not be too cold or too hot, clean, tidy and professional. They should be laid out in a relaxed way, with no desks or barriers between therapist and client, informal, relaxed, but maintaining professionalism.
Our websites are often the first contact that we have with our customers, making sure they are updated with new information, news, blogs regularly, displays we are serious about our profession. The theme of the site too should portray the practice, it should give hope, show empathy and be professional.
The way we dress is important, I prefer smart casual, but could be varied when dealing with particular clients, with older clients, they may like to see me wearing a tie and a jacket, the younger generations seem to favour open neck shirts. What we don’t want is for the client to actually remember what we are wearing, but to focus on themselves.
Our reputation is going to encourage clients to refer us to family and friends, we are going to need as much good press and positive comments as we can get. Leaving our existing clients with the view that we were professional, friendly, happy, kind, efficient, understanding and all the other positive attributes is vital, so we must be at our best at all times.
