When audiologists approach me about improving their treatment acceptance rate, one of the first things they want is better scripting.

Makes sense, right?

After all, if you say all the right things, surely it will make patients want to work with you...

And to a certain extent they're not wrong. You can absolutely shoot yourself in the foot by using ineffective scripting and communication techniques.

But what if I were to tell you that there's a significantly more important element in the success of your consultations?

Wouldn't you want to spend your time focusing on the area that has the biggest impact?

When words and delivery disagree

Albert Mehrabian’s often-cited percentages concern the communication of feelings and attitudes, especially when messages conflict. They do not describe all communication or mean that words contribute only 7% of a patient consultation. Read Mehrabian’s explanation.

The practical lesson: pay attention to whether your words, tone, and expression convey the same message. Clear language and attentive delivery both matter.

Nail Your Non-Verbals

Maybe you're thinking that you do a good job with your non-verbals.

You might believe that you come across confidently, and that your body language reinforces patient trust.

(Or maybe you're pretty sure this isn't a strength for you)

Here's the bad news:

There's only one way to find out.

You need to record yourself.

Could be in a role-play scenario.

Or you could get a waiver from patients to record your sessions for training purposes (consult your healthcare attorney to make sure you're on the right side of HIPAA).

Now review the tape.

  • Was your vocal tone confident, clear, and appropriate for the context?
  • Did you maintain an open, attentive posture?
  • Did you maintain eye contact in a way that was respectful and engaging?
  • Did your facial expressions align with the patient's message and show attentiveness?
  • Is your appearance professional and well-groomed?
  • Did you follow best practice scripting and spoken communication principles?

This can feel overwhelming, but it's actually simple:

Focus on improving one thing at a time.

Small changes add up.

I've been working with one of my clients on confidently transitioning into presenting treatment solutions.

She told me, "All I did was focus on projecting confidence through my voice, and every patient I've talked to since has said yes!".

Building effective communication skills takes time and practice.

If you make this a weekly exercise for you and your team, you'll experience incredible growth and improvement in a relatively short amount of time.