Two-for-one: Drs. Marty Becker and Nancy Soares talk about client satisfaction

“Start with the heart and move to the head.” That's Dr. Marty Becker's motto for gaining clients' confidence and admiration.

The award-winning author, lecturer, and educator, shared his tried-and-true secrets to “making every client feel like they're No. 1” in front of a packed room at CVC Kansas City last year. (For this year's CVC Kansas City, click here.)

His top tip: Start each client conversation on the right side of your brain, which is your emotional center. “You want to make an emotional connection right off the bat,” Dr. Becker says. You can do this by warmly greeting clients and taking a personal interest in their lives. For example, he told the audience about one practice that not only looked ahead at the day's appointments to see clients' and pets' names, but also included individual notes, such as the pets' favorite places to be scratched or which schools the clients' children attended. “You must create a friendly connection in the first 10 seconds of an appointment,” he says. “And it can be as easy as a smile, a nod, or an eyebrow flash.”

Dr. Becker's favorite icebreaker and client connector: Ask clients the origins of their pets' names. Then, be sure to use the pet's name often. A definite no-no when starting a conversation: Asking clients, “How can I help you?” Instead, ask them why they're in today, Dr. Becker says.

In a related video, Dr. Nancy Soares explains that tips like that-focusing on client satisfaction and service-should be your focus right now.