Is your staff a 'missionary' for the practice?

Why is it that a fat chance is a much smaller chance than a slim chance? Huh?

Words, especially in English or the close approximation of that languagethat most of us use every day, can turn us on or off, by their inflectionor context.

A particular word that needs to be discussed now is "marketing."

This column is not now, nor ever was an advocate of that part of marketingalternatively known as "advertising."

Internal marketing

This column, today, is about internal marketing, which is vital to yourpractice. Marketing, for these purposes, can be defined as moving neededveterinary services from the practice to the pet needing those servicesby way of the pet owner's heightened awareness of their pet's needs.

Practice owners need to be concerned that every member of the practicestaff can contribute to the practice's marketing efforts. Practices withpoor internal marketing just will not grow.

A successful marketing plan starts with your infrastructure. That includesyour building, signage, reception area, front desk, your exam rooms andevery member of your staff.

People wonder about the economic health of practices with a buildingneeding painting, a fading or poorly lit sign, an old- fashioned dingy receptionarea or exam rooms and especially about unkempt staff.

Dingy staff

Many practices also have staff that are fading, dingy and need paintingas well. The least you can do is insist they wrap what nature dealt themin uniforms that bespeak competence. Ideally that is navy blue tops andnon-Levi bottoms. Navy blue is the color of competence.

The importance of your staff here cannot be overemphasized! Unfortunately,in too many veterinary facilities, staff creativity is not being invitedor fully used. Often the staff is not even given an opportunity to participate.Involved staff members are motivated to use the creative juices inherentin each of us when our interest is aroused.

Involve them in staff meetings, brainstorming sessions, practice andpatient evaluations, get them to have a voice in your quarterly newsletter(You do send a newsletter I hope!) and above all, use active staff trainingvideos (Animal Care Training, 800-357-3182).

Worth the effort

Use educational videos to bring your staff on board as to the why, thewhat, and the how of your goals and the part each must play in its implementation.Yes! All of this takes time and effort, but once started and backed by continuousplanning and follow-through, the process will pay off handsomely.

Begin at the beginning. When hiring new staff members, include your marketingactivities (dentistry and pre-emptive lab testing as examples) in your discussionof their duties and hospital policies. Impress them with the importanceof their involvement and participation in the pet's access to optimum health.

Make marketing a permanent part of the agenda of every staff meeting.Discuss using the telephone and newsletters to make the marketing pointsto your clients. Discuss the importance of practice and staff appearancein the esteem that your client has for the practice.

Discuss effective listening techniques, handling complaints, patientquestionnaires and exam room pre-exams by the techs.

Brainstorm once a year

At least once a year, hold a brainstorming session on marketing witheveryone in attendance. Keep the session informal and invite all to participate/contribute.No idea should be shot down. Encourage wild creativity. It can be refinedlater.

It is a sad fact that many of you do not have staff meetings or at leastnot often enough. As a result, communication between the veterinarian andhis/her staff falls short of effective. Staff meetings are essential tothe smooth running of every practice.

There are three kinds of staff meetings; three opportunities for staffand management interaction.

One is time set aside early in the morning to review what patients willbe coming in and why, as well as the status of currently hospitalized pets.Ideally this should be held 20 minutes before the first appointment of theday.

Another is a weekly review of matters important to the practice.

A third would be a quarterly two- to three- hour brainstorming sessionfor everyone in the hospital... with pay. Just close the front door forhalf a day. Yes, you can do that! If you have never done brainstorming,ask your Chamber of Commerce for someone experienced in doing these. Theyactually are fun when done right!

Freely discuss your marketing strategies for health care issues. Youwill be surprised at the creative input, enthusiasm and involvement as youshow your staff how they can be veterinary medical missionaries for yourpractice. A happy enthusiastic and well-informed staff can perform miraclesof marketing when they feel they are essential parts of the team.

These people will adapt their telephone demeanor to project warmth, enthusiasm,maturity, competence and an attitude of caring. The same attitude shouldprevail at the front desk and throughout the visit. Using people skillswith clients is definitely missionary activity and no one can do it betterthan educated and motivated staff missionaries. This activity can overflowthe practice into speaking engagements at civic groups, schools and churches.

Two sides, same coin

Always remember that success and effective marketing are two sides ofthe same coin and it originates inside your office with you, the leader.Never forget that your practice's destiny rests with a leader who can lookpast the short range and who understands what is good for the staff canalso be good for the practice.