Empathy marketing is a whole-hearted new world in business — that of feeling your ideal patient long before you ever have a treatment conversation with them. Empathy marketing is founded in the notion that — when we actively consider our patients on a deep level, when we “know” them emotionally, and when we can identify with and understand their situations — we are better able to anticipate their needs so we can serve them more fully. When we serve them more fully, we are fulfilling our purpose, and our business/career is more likely to be prosperous.
Empathy marketing is not just good customer service — the Nordstrom touch or whatever the marketing platitude of the month. It operates on a deeper level that is visceral. So those who are served by an empathic professional feel deeply moved and changed by the experience. So they’re not just happy about how well they are taken care of, or how shiny and white their teeth look. Instead, they feel that this practice has something special about it. They notice the passionate commitment to the larger cause of health and well-being of the person, not only the smile.
What Empathy Marketing is Not
Empathy Marketing is not a “color by number” system for getting new patients. It is not a workbook you can buy or a CE you attend so you can fool your patients into saying yes to treatment. Instead, it’s a brave call for you to begin the empathy work with yourself. Yes, you.
Why? Because in order for you to fully feel into your patients, you must start with taking-stock of yourself. Your ability to stand firm in your own truth, wisdom, and self-esteem builds your capacity to be vulnerable with your team, employees and/or clients or patients. And that vulnerability — the real, vulnerable sharing of your heart — that’s where the marketing gold is. It’s the simple sharing from person to person, rather than from provider to patient, or social media to your inbox, that creates the empathy marketing connection. And that is a connection that cannot be faked.
In an upcoming Director’s Message, I will share "5 Keys to Increase Your Empathy."
Kristine A. Hodsdon RDH, MSEC
Director, RDH eVillage
References
- "Vulnerability: The Secret to Close Relationships." Web. 08 Dec. 2014.
- "Director's Message: Resonating with the feelings of others to ..."
Kristine A. Hodsdon, RDH, MSEC, is an international speaker and executive coach who creates breakthroughs with her clients on purpose and prosperity. Her website is www.kristineahodsdon.com, and is also a trainer with Pride Institute. She can be reached at [email protected].
