Stop Selling Technology, Start Selling a Future

Hey there and welcome back. I'm Dr. Vince Leone, executive producer and co-host of the Practice Builders Podcast. With my partner in crime, Dr. Kyle Pankinen, we deliver proven strategies to help you grow fast, specialize with confidence, and build profitable staff-run practices. Let's go ahead and dive into today's episode now.

All right, doctors, welcome to the Practice Builders Podcast. I'm your host today, Dr. Kyle Pankinen, and this is going to be a good topic. I think that will resonate with a lot of you doctors. It's it's a little bit of a variation. I've touched a little bit on this topic before, but I think it's going to be a little different take on it, and it's going to be something that this is a big one because we need to connect with our patients in ways that's meaningful to them. And I think a lot of times we as doctors aren't connecting as well as we could or should, especially when we're offering cash-based services like what we teach at Specialized Practice and through our Practice Builder podcast. So we're gonna title today's talk, Stop Selling Technology and Start Presenting or start selling a future. So stop selling technology, start selling a future. And as this unwinds here and we go through this, I think this will really make sense to you what I'm going to present. So really the overriding theme is is how to present decompression, laser, and shockwave in terms of outcomes. Instead of procedures. So this might sound like a goofy statement, what I'm going to say next, but no patient comes in basically wanting a machine. You know, they don't come in and say, I want decompression, or I want shockwave, or I want laser. I mean, I've had a handful over the years, especially with our laser, said, I want that laser thing that you did. with my neighbor. They don't say that. They usually, when they come in, they're thinking in terms of the condition or the problem that is causing in their life. Okay? So I think that nobody wakes up in the morning just saying, I want spinal decompression therapy. Nobody says that. Well, I I really hope I can spend $4,000 on a treatment program today. Nobody has— says, I want Class IV laser. They don't have that on their bucket list, or they're not dreaming of getting shockwave technology. Kind of some goofy things, some analogies, but it's the truth, okay? They want what those technologies might allow them to do, Okay. They want to get out of bed in the morning without thinking about their back, or they want to sit through their kid's basketball game, or they want to play 18 holes of golf again. They want to maybe pick up their grandkids. They want to take the trip with their spouse that their spouse has been asking them to take. So that's the fundamental difference, docs, between Selling a procedure such as shockwave and selling a future. So it's an important distinction to make. So if you're one of those doctors that you're struggling with case acceptance in a cash-based service practice, this may be one of the most important distinctions that you can just learn.

Okay.

So because as doctors, we're fascinated with technology. I mean, I think what laser and shockwave and decompression can do is fascinating. I love the science behind it. I love the fact that decompression can create negative intradiscal pressure, that it can, by doing that, it can reduce bulges and herniations, that it can increase disc height. I love it when studies say that it decreases pressure within the disc to -190 millimeters of mercury. That stuff, that gets my juices flowing. I love photobiomodulation and the effects that laser has on human physiology and tissue and increasing cellular energy production and so forth like that. And you know the the acoustic waves from stem wave and the effects that that has on body tissue. I mean, that stuff to a doctor that's fascinating. To a patient, they don't care. That's the bottom line. They don't care. They don't understand. They don't. And ninety some percent of patients really don't want to understand. Once in a while, you get a patient that really wants to. quiz you about the technology and how it actually works, but that's fairly rare and they don't wanna know. And most of them, they don't need to know. The problem occurs when we spend time during the consultation educating patients about stuff like that. I mean, it can be a very small part, but don't waste your time on the technology part a whole lot, docs, other than just— You know, some people ask me, how does the laser work? It reduces your pain, it reduces your inflammation, it stimulates healing. But I don't get into photobiomodulation or shockwave transduction and things like that. So it's gonna stimulate healing, it's gonna break up adhesions, scar tissue, things like that, okay? Think about a typical decompression consultation. You know, you pull out a picture of the decompression table and we have these videos that show what it does and it pulls it apart and reduces the disc. Okay? That's useful information, no doubt. And I'm not saying don't include that, but it shouldn't be a starting point. The starting point should be, what has this problem taken away from you? That's a completely different conversation. That's what the patient really wants to address, what it has taken away from them. So you need to, with each patient that you're doing consults with, exams on, so forth, you need to find their why. If we could get this problem Significantly better, what would that allow you to do that you can't comfortably do right now? Then stop talking. Let them think about that a little bit, because maybe, maybe they haven't completely thought that through. Maybe they have and they will just spit out an answer right away. I cannot sleep. I cannot work. I cannot play with my grandkids. I can't stand very long. I can't— I want to go on this vacation. It's coming up. Okay, but let them really think about that for a while. Their answer might surprise you, and they might initially tell you, well, their chief complaint, 8 out of 10 low back pain, that's what I'm here for and stuff. But that's not really why they're sitting in your office. After asking a few questions, you discover things like, maybe my daughter is getting married in 6 months and I'm worried I won't be able to walk her down the aisle. Now you're getting somewhere. You're connecting their pain to something in their life, something that their pain is taking from them or could Potentially take from them. Now we know what we are treating. We are not just treating that 8 out of 10 pain. We are trying to help dad walk his daughter down the aisle. Another patient might tell you, I have stopped golfing with my friends. For me, it would be I cannot fish anymore. That is what would be most important for me. Or my wife and I used to travel, but I can't sit on an airplane anymore. Or I can't get on the floor and play with my grandchildren. Take note of those things. Put it even in your, your EHR in the subjective part and maybe have it bolded or underlined so that you can refer back to that.

Okay.

So these goals, they become part of the treatment conversation. So on subsequent visits as they're coming in, you get them— say you got them going on a decompression or a laser or shockwave program. That's something you're going to visit with them from time to time. So I always set 2 major goals with patients. If they come in with pain, especially chronic pain, my goal is always, Mrs. Jones, we're gonna try to reduce your pain by 50% or more. And then the other goal is whatever it is they tell you, whatever it is they tell you in their life that their pain is taking away, Or they're worried it is gonna take away. That's how you connect with them. You set the realistic expectation of the 50% or greater relief. And then your other goal is we're gonna try to get you so that you can do X, Y, or Z again, or to prevent this pain from taking away whatever they have identified. If you do those things, Doc— You will really connect with them. So we've, like I said, we've touched on a little bit of this before, but I'm just approaching it from a little different angle. And because this is so important to have breakthroughs in case acceptance. So the other bridge is you're— what you're going to do next is you're going to connect the technology To the outcome. So instead of saying, well, we're gonna do 24 decompression sessions, which that is the protocol for some cases, try something like this. Based upon your history, exam, and imaging findings, I believe that this disc and nerve irritation are the major reasons you're having difficulty.

Mm-hmm.

Fill in the blank. Whatever it is they've identified that you've identified. In other words, you're identifying their problem is here. This is what is causing you to have problems with whatever it is they've identified. So our goal with decompression is to address the mechanical component so that we can work on getting you comfortable enough to travel, to sit, to play with grandkids, to go on vacation, to do your work, to get a good night rest, all those things. Notice the difference. The technology is still discussed, but it's connected to something the patient values. And that's, that's really where the rubber meets the road. So For instance, with laser, do not lead with our lasers, Class 4 deep tissue robotic laser with 50 watts of power. Instead, one of the things slowing you down right now is the amount of irritated tissue in this area, this inflamed tissue. We are going to use laser As part of your treatment to support tissue recovery, to get that inflammation down with the goal of getting you moving and exercising comfortably again. With shockwave, don't lead with the machine creates acoustic waves. Instead, you've had this tendon problem for many months. And healing appears to have stalled. Shockwave is one tool that we use for certain chronic tendon conditions as a part of a broader rehab plan. Our goal is to make you heal, you feel better, to heal better more than just for a few days.

Okay.

Okay, we want to get you back to doing whatever it is, walking 3 miles without thinking about your foot pain, as an example. So technology becomes the bridge to get them to where they want to go. The patient's goal is the destination. Okay, so that's why it's so important in your consult, your history, whatever, that you really take that 30 seconds to a minute to really hone down and identify what is this condition taking from them or potentially taking. Okay, so let's look at different levels of communication, kind of from least to best. Okay, level 1 would be selling Visits. Oh, you, you need 24 visits. Well, that's a weak presentation. The patient, you know, starts calculating cost per visit, time per visit, how many days they'll miss work. That's pretty weak. And then they start, well, can I get it done in 10 visits? Or I'll buy— how about I'll buy 12 visits? Not a good approach at all, Doc. Okay. One other way they do it, some doctors level— the next level up is selling technology. Well, you need spinal decompression because you have an L5-S1 disc protrusion. That's a little better. It's a little more specific. There's some clinical reasoning behind the recommendation. But you're still focused primarily on, you know, what we're doing, okay? The technology. The best level here would be selling the outcome.

Hey there, it's Dr. Vince. And if you're getting value from this episode, please make sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. And if you know another doc who's ready to grow their practice, share this with them. It might be exactly what Thank you in advance. And now back to the show.

Your goal is to get back to golfing, as an example, without having to quit after 9 holes. Based upon your history, exam, and MRI, I think this disc is an important contributor to why you can't do that right now. Here's the treatment strategy I recommend And why? See the difference there, docs? Now everything connects— the problem, the treatment, and the goal. That's the conversation that I want my team and you doctors and myself to be having with these patients. So we need to stop giving patients a menu. And that's a common strategy, a common mistake in offices with multi-therapy practices. They present sometimes things as separate purchases. We have decompression, we have laser, we offer shockwave. Now the patient feels like they're what? They can pick from a menu. I'll have a little of this. And a little of that. Which one do I buy? Instead, create clinical programs built around problems and outcomes. So we've touched about on this a little bit in the past too. So a lumbar disc patient, they might receive decompression, maybe some chiropractic. Class for a laser, stabilization exercises, home recommendations, orthotics as a protocol program. But the patient isn't buying five or six products; they're enrolling in a disc recovery program, a spinal decompression program with multiple. component parts that all work together to produce an outcome and get the patients towards the goal that they are wanting to achieve. So you create these programs for all kinds of various conditions. So a disc recovery program, a plantar fasciitis or heel pain recovery program. That plan might include shockwave and rehabilitation and custom orthotics. We're not selling 3 or 4 things. We're solving one problem with a comprehensive program. So that's what you need to really think about when we're putting— when patients come in with some kind of pain is what program can I build around the technology that I have to produce the best possible outcome for this particular case. So this, when you do this, this approach gives you a better chance to have case acceptance without pressuring the patient, okay? It changes how we think about sales. Some chiropractors hate the word sale.

I do.

I don't really like it myself. They associate it with manipulation, but ethical case acceptance really shouldn't require manipulation. Your job is to present things to the patient and that they understand at least 4 basic things. Number 1, what really is wrong? 2, how it is affecting their life? 3, what reasonable treatment options you have? Okay. And 4, why are you recommending this particular plan? Then the patients just simply make an informed decision. You are just, you are offering them what you have for their particular condition in order to produce the outcome that both you and that patient have agreed upon. Okay? You do not need an artificial urgency. You do not need scare tactics. You do not need to scare people saying, your spine is a train wreck. Your spine is destroyed. Do not scare people like that. Okay, in fact, those types of approaches really undermine long-term trust. Your greatest advantage is just to— is clarity and certainty about what you know, while being equally clear about maybe what you don't know in some instances. So train your team on this too, because for instance, in my office, I have my CAs are the ones that do most of the subjective updates, histories, and so forth. So I train them to ask questions like this: What is your pain taking away from me? What is your pain most affecting? What is your goal? Things like that. Your your staff that's answering the phone, they need this type of training too. So imagine. A patient, a prospective patient calls and asks, "How much does decompression cost?" Is that one of the very first questions they ask? Yeah, many times it is. If all they do is just quote a price, you've reduced that service to just a commodity. Okay? Instead, your team needs to understand that people calling about technology are usually calling because they have a. Problem that they haven't been able to solve. So the conversation becomes, I'd be happy to explain how our process works, but before I do, tell me a little bit about what's going on. That's where they then get to their problem, but then you get to how is this affecting you the most? Okay. So now you're having a conversation with the patient. You're not just talking about the machine, the technology, the cost. And that applies throughout the office. Your testimonials should say also things like— do you collect testimonials from patients, videos, and/or You put things on your social media or your Facebook for your client, it shouldn't say things like decompression was great or laser was great or shockwave. The most powerful stories are the ones that say, I haven't played golf in 2 years, but last month I golfed 3 rounds on vacation. Or, That type of thing is what stimulates interest in patients. And your marketing should, with testimonials, should be transformation stories are huge. How, what they couldn't do before and now what they can do. So your website should have testimonials like that. Your Facebook ads, those can be— some Facebook ads along that lines can be good. Your emails that you send out to patients, videos that you create. So it's a picture of showing people living their lives to a higher capacity than what they were before. That is a game changer when it comes to approach. So you're not just selling technology, docs. Not that there can't be some value in that, but you're selling transformation. Okay? So here's the challenge I'd give every doctor listening. Tomorrow, when you sit down with a new patient, Don't begin by asking yourself, how am I going to get this patient to accept decompression? Ask instead, what does this patient want their life back for? Okay. What is this taking away from them? How is it most impacting their life? Then determine whether you can reasonably help them. If you can show them the problem through your exam, your potentially your imaging, explain your reasoning of how you think you can help them, and then show them the path, the program that you have, and then connect that path to the future they've told you they want. Because people aren't buying spinal decompression, they're not buying laser. They're not buying shockwave. They're buying the possibility of getting something back that their pain has taken away. In other words, they're buying an outcome. So, and your technology just happens to be the bridge or the way that they can get to the desired destination or The outcome. So stop selling laser, stop selling shockwave, stop selling your decompression machine, and start showing patients the future you're working together to help them reach. So that's how you build a practice around outcomes instead of procedures. And that's how you turn this expensive technology into something far more valuable, a solution patients actually understand. So I hope that resonated with you. Again, I have touched in different episodes on parts of this before, but I just wanted to put it together a little more clear presentation for you. But I think if you just make those Those little shifts in your case histories, your consults, whatever, that, that will— you'll connect so much better with patients, and then your case acceptance rate will go up. Because these technologies we have available to us nowadays, docs, it's fascinating. And of course, never forget the power of the chiropractic adjustment. I know we We talk about laser and shockwave and decompression and things of that nature. And those are wonderful technologies, but chiropractic is an amazing, amazing, amazing health procedure as well and can really produce some impressive healing responses. And the beauty of all this, we're helping people without drugs. Yeah. Without surgery, America is the most drugged nation on the planet. Legal drugs? Not even close. America represents about four percent of the world's population, and we consume somewhere close to seventy percent of the world's prescription drugs. We don't need more drugs. If if that was the solution. We'd be the healthiest nation. We'd have the least amount of pain of any nation. We don't need more injections. We do more of them than any nation. We don't need more spine surgeries. America does more spine surgeries than any nation on the planet. Number one reason is we have more spine surgeons. So people are looking for an alternative, docs. They're looking to what we have. They're looking to non-drug, non-surgical, conservative healthcare solutions. And with the technology that we have available to us today, man, we have so much that we can offer, so much that we can offer this world to alleviate Human suffering, and that is a very high and a very noble and worthy cause. Because when you help somebody with their physical suffering, you're also impacting their spiritual, emotional health as well. And treating physical pain might be sometimes the difference between life and death. Because chronic physical pain many times leads to depression and hopelessness, and that's a bad place to be. So don't just think, oh, I reduced that patient's pain from an 8 to a 4. No, in many ways you've maybe given them their life back because now they have hope. Now they can do that thing. that they couldn't do before. And now instead of being in depression, their life is full of hope and joy and activity and doing the things that bring them joy. So that very well right there might save a life. So think big picture like that, docs, of what we're actually doing. when we're signing on or bringing patients into a case acceptance and changing their life. And, you know, these protocols that we teach, you know, 80 to 90% plus of patients that do these are getting very significant improvement. So it's not like it's 20% success rate. You know, these are high rate of percent success.

Yeah.

in getting their pain 50% or more reduced and getting that goal that they want back, getting that achieved. So, uh, like, share, uh, tell a colleague about the Practice Builders Podcast. Let's keep this growing. And, uh, thank you for listening to today's episode. Dr. Pankin and signing off. Have a wonderful day.

Hey, it's Dr. Vince again, and hope you enjoyed that episode. And if you're ready to grow your practice fast with high value decompression patients, then the Decompression Accelerator could be a phenomenal option for you. This is our 90-day sprint to help you scale with proven systems, staff-driven protocols, and full marketing support, and it's all guaranteed. Spots are limited. Head to www.decompressionaccelerator.com to learn more.