30/04/2025
Communicating effectively with clients is more than just asking questions and providing information.
We have to connect with them.
Clients are often anxious when they visit. They might be worried about their ageing pet, be fearful of a new diagnosis, or just stressed out from battling to catch their cat or travel with their dog that hates the car.
Putting a client at ease when you begin your consultation is so important.
A bit of chit-chat, or small talk before you begin to examine the patient helps you to build rapport, or connect with your client, and eases you into more meaningful discussions.
A simple "Good morning! How are you today?" gets the conversation started.
The British love to talk about the weather, so you could say something like "You made it just in time before the rain came!"
And of course, don't forget about the patient - the reason you are all there! "Oh, Barney looks happy to see me today!" Or "Oh dear, Barney doesn't look too pleased to be here."
Because clients love it when you involve their pet in the conversation. This is how you create comfort and build trust.
Remember to keep this going throughout the consultation.
"Put Barney on the table, please." 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 "𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦", 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵.
"Could you put Barney on the table, please?" 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦.
"Will Barney mind being on the table for his examination?" 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
People remember conversations and how you made them feel. Your choice of words can make a difference.
How do you start your consultations? Tell me in the comments or DM me.
