As business owners we will always need to re-act to what comes our way.
Adopting a pro-active approach can reduce the amount we need to re-act to in some circumstances. Below are a few areas to consider being more pro-active in.
Are you re-active or pro-active in your planning?
Most of our clients started working with us because they decided to be pro-active instead of re-active.
Many practices plod along, grow organically and ‘do alright’ by being re-active. We have seen a definite, positive difference when practitioners take a pro-active approach.
To be pro-active in your planning we recommend you put pen to paper and map out:
- What you personally want in the future in all areas of your life
- A three to five-year plan for your practice
- The key things to focus on for the next 12 months
Are you re-active or pro-active in your marketing?
We have occasionally come across marketeers who have re-trained as practitioners. We have yet to come across practitioners who chose their vocation because they wanted to do marketing!
Many therapists are therefore re-active in their approach to marketing. This could be being re-active to a quiet period and doing a flurry of marketing. It could be being re-active to an invitation to part with your money for an advert in a glossy publication.
To avoid the common feast and famine cycle of new patients we recommend being pro-active in your marketing by:
- Planning ahead for 6 – 12 months
- Choosing a few strategies and doing them really well instead of spreading yourself too thin
- Make sure you get your message right – what are patients really buying?
Are you re-active or pro-active in managing your staff and associates?
One of the greatest challenges in running a successful practice is getting the results you desire through other people.
Often the very nature of the practice makes it difficult to be pro-active. When the practice owner is at the clinic they are often seeing patients back-to-back. Associates often work on the days that the principal does not.
In order to retain your team members and achieve the results you desire we recommend that you are pro-active in managing your staff and associates by:
- Communicating expectations very clearly through job descriptions, documented procedures and ‘behaviour’ contracts
- Having regular team meetings and 1-2-1s
- Catch people doing things right (Managers all too often only notice when things go wrong!)
How can we help you to be more pro-active? If you need help in any of the above areas get in touch with us now! Have a look below at our courses coming up too, be pro-active and book a space.
How can we help you? Email us