May 2007

The 'WOW' experience

by Dr. Dennis Nikitow

Have you ever been so impressed with a product, service or overall experience that you think "WOW, this is great?" "I've got to have (or do) this?" That's the 'WOW' experience.

The 'WOW' experience elicits an emotion of excitement, enthusiasm, and passion. It puts you in present time focus, increases your sensory acuity, and indelibly places a file in your mind with a neon sign around it, so you can remember the thought or experience vividly.

Imagine being able to ignite this 'WOW' experience in your patients and the people you meet. What would they think of you, your clinic, and their experience? Would your conversions, retention and referrals go up? You bet they would.

The 'WOW' experience is triggered by several different things. As I reveal these to you, put yourself in your patients' position or remember a time you were having a product or service presented to you. What were you thinking? How did you feel? How were you influenced? Mastering these will help you 'WOW' your patients and improve your practice.

The 'WOW' triggers

1. The first trigger is your level of passion, enthusiasm, and excitement. Remember, people buy you and these three emotions before they buy your product or service. Your excitement should come from your genuine desire and ability to help someone through chiropractic. It's an honor, a privilege, and an opportunity to help someone else. People naturally get excited when you do. They become more attentive and want to participate because they want to experience the same feeling you are exhibiting. People want to be around "up" people, not people who appear down or monotone.

2. The next trigger is your level of interest. If you're really interested in doing a great job for your patients you will be focused on them, their problem, and what you need to do to help them.

Doctors fail at spinal screenings, lectures, ROF conversions, etc. when they're focused on themselves, or worried if patients are going to buy what they're being told. This is why a doctor will give a less than succinct explanation. He or she will ramble on trying to convince the person by being interesting rather than interested.

Patients pick up on your level of interest. Look them in the eyes, pay attention and focus on your purpose of helping them understand the principles of chiropractic and where their subluxations are and how they are affecting their health potential. Treat them like you were treating yourself or your family.

3. Next are your knowledge, and your ability to share it. Chiropractic provides you with a great opportunity to share a unique concept with people who know nothing about it. As you share the relationship between nerve interference and body function and then show medical research and testimonials to support this concept, patients get a 'WOW' experience.

When you share your knowledge of concepts always connect the knowledge with application. This will help patients see how it applies to their life and condition. FHP is a great example because so many people have it, including kids. Explain how it's brought about by repetitive forward head motions (using computers, wearing backpacks, driving, and with traumas like whiplash). Show how this posturing relates to abnormal c‑curves and cervical subluxations, causing eventual headaches, fatigue, neck and arm pain, etc.

4. The last trigger is your certainty. You must have certainty in your communication. It must be systematic, and delivered with confidence. You can't even have a hint of doubt in your beliefs in the chiropractic principles. Even if chiropractic is not effective in correcting a certain condition, it's always effective in improving the body's potential. You must be certain about that.

When you answer questions or solve problems you must do it with certainty. It's okay to not know every answer, but patients must see you're certain that there has to be an answer, and you will be persistent in helping them find it. Persistence and perseverance are traits of certainty. People attract to those traits, because they already posses them and like being around others who exhibit them, or they inherently need those traits in their life.

No one really likes quitting or being quit on. If patients perceive doubt instead of certainty in the doctor, they will lose confidence and certainty in the doctor and the approach. Subconsciously, they feel like the doctor will eventually quit on them, which lowers their level of security.

When you see stories of people enduring hardship, persisting, persevering, trying their hardest and not giving up, you appreciate it and say "WOW." When you exhibit these characteristics as a doctor, you don't have to have all the answers. Your certainty about chiropractic and its ability to improve everyone's health potential, coupled with your desire to help and serve from the heart will give people the 'WOW' experience.

(To learn about the Certainty System, Certainty Practice Products and Dr. Dennis Nikitow's upcoming seminar schedule, call 800‑544‑3884. Outside the US, 303‑721‑6202.)