Retail products
Good for your patients and your practice
By Steve Keller

Many doctors of chiropractic shudder at making any “sales” efforts in their practice. “I am a doctor, not a salesperson,” the thinking goes.

But that mindset doesn’t help anyone, including the patients who come to the practice to get or stay healthy. If products are available that can enhance a patient’s life and health, and the doctor does not make those options known, who benefits? No one.

Quality products benefit your chiropractic patients. The two most obvious reasons are the health benefits for your patient and the additional revenue that your office will realize. Both are important, but one without the other just doesn’t work.

A product must provide positive results for the patient, but if you don’t make a fair profit on the sale, then the endeavor will fail. Making a fair profit is the basis of the free market. So don’t feel guilty about making money.

Research indicates that consumers purchase billions of dollars in healthcare-related products. You are doing your patients a disservice by not offering products you endorse and you are doing your practice a disservice by limiting your income.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS

Which products should you offer?

• Choose products you know and trust. Look through industry magazines for new product ideas. Ask people you trust in the industry which companies and products they recommend.

• Try the products. Ask your family, friends, and especially your employees to try them out and get their feedback. Your employees will also be selling the products so they need to be convinced of the benefits.

For example: Give your employees some pillows and see which ones they prefer — and why. When your staff is asked about pillows, they will do an excellent job of recommending the one they use and know how it works for them. The same reasoning applies to other products.

• Offer products you use in the office. Products such as topical analgesics, hot and cold packs, herbal packs, exercise balls, trigger-point tools, and soft-tissue massage balls can all be used in the office. Because patients are familiar with their benefits, the products are a soft sell.

• Keep an open mind. You don’t have to limit products to items traditionally associated with chiropractic. Things such as body butters, aromatherapy, relaxation music, workout DVDs, and massage oils — any product that will have a positive effect on your patients’ quality of life — would be great additions to your retail offerings.

• Pick specialty items. Don’t try to compete with Wal-Mart. Select products that are not sold in retail stores. You have a unique perspective; use your position to steer patients to products you believe in.

Even if you do want some products your patients could find in a retail store, don’t let that stop you from offering other popular items. It is a great convenience for your patients to pick up an ice pack or an exercise ball while they are at your office. Patient compliance will be much better if they can take the product home with them right away and get started.

TIPS ON SELLING PRODUCTS

Products don’t jump off the shelf by themselves. Here are some tips on helping patients purchase from you:

• Make products visible and attractive. Display the products in your waiting room or another high-traffic area. Make it easy for your patients to shop while they wait.

The products need to be displayed in a neat, attractive manner. Many manufacturers offer eye-catching displays for their products. Anything from freestanding floor displays to small countertop displays are available.

• Display literature. Use decorative wood shelves to place smaller products or product literature. Consider replacing an end table or an extra waiting room chair with a product display.

Displaying available product, product literature, or informative wall charts in treatment rooms will increase the chances for your patient to be exposed to those available products.

• Put products in high-traffic areas. Make sure your product area is well lit and in a high traffic-area. It looks nice to add fabric or flowers to your retail display — just make sure the additions do not detract from the true focus, the products. Make sure any accessories blend in with the room colors and textures and do not stand out and grab all of the attention.

• Train your staff. Everyone in the office should be able to explain the features and benefits of the products you offer. The better you can explain the features of the products and how they actually benefit the patient, the more you solidify your position as their trusted healthcare professional.

• Give out samples. Product sampling is a great way to sell products. If you believe in a product and you know it works, there is no better way to sell it than to give your patients a sample. Analgesics, lotions, and similar items are often sold in this manner. Place a countertop display with literature and samples and you’ll find that almost all patients will take one or two as they leave.

Bottom line: Retailing products in your office will add to your bottom line and benefit your patients as well. Offering products you know and trust simply makes sense for everyone.

SIDEBAR:
The dos and don’ts of retailing

Steve Keller is vice president of sales at Scrip Chiropractic Supplies, Inc. (www.scrip-inc.com). He can be contacted at 800-747-3488 or by e-mail at skeller@scrip-inc.com.