In our last post, we talked about how initiating and growing relationships is critical to the success of your practice. I also introduced you to my friend Bob Kodzis, a nationally acclaimed writer, marketer, and president of Flight of Ideas who contributed to my new book It’s Personal: The Art of Building Your Practice. Bob has developed what he calls The Relationship Continuum©:
I think this is a powerful visual that conveys how relationships evolve:
Awareness — They know something about you but have not formed an opinion yet.
Familiarity — They take the step to learn more about you.
Image — They learn even more, begin to form opinions and approach a decision point.
Preference — They make a choice.
Utilization — They give you a try.
Advocacy — These people voluntarily promote your practice, talking about you and referring friends, family and co-workers.
As we get to the time of year where we reflect and begin to plan for the year ahead, I encourage you to think about strengthening your relationships with patients, referring physicians and your community, and what each member of your team can do differently to build more advocates for your practice.