Creating meaningful connections with your clients from the very first interaction is crucial for maximising the positive impact you can have on their health journey. Building strong rapport helps clients feel comfortable, confident, and understood. When they trust you and your team, extracting emotional reasons for prioritising their health becomes much easier. Here are two top strategies for you and your front desk team to refine this month.
1. The Power of a Warm Welcome
This might seem like common sense, but it’s surprising how often we fall short when it comes to making an impactful first impression. This begins with your front desk team. Have you communicated the importance of a warm, professional greeting? Have they received the training to deliver that consistent, welcoming experience that reflects your practice’s values?
Each clinic operates uniquely, but the importance of making clients feel at home cannot be overstated. For some clients, walking into your practice might feel intimidating, especially if they’re in pain or uncertain about what to expect. A genuine connection right from the start can help them relax and trust the process.
Rapport-Building Tips for Your Team
- A Big, Warm Smile (even behind a mask – clients can feel your positive energy).
- Confident, Pleasant Handshake (when appropriate and safe to do so).
- Engaging Eye Contact to show attentiveness and sincerity.
- Small Talk tailored to their comfort level (keeping it professional, especially during early visits).
Example Greeting for a CA (Chiropractic Assistant):
“Hi! You must be Joseph! (Warm smile, eye contact, handshake). I’m Elizabeth—so nice to meet you! Did you find us okay? Thanks for coming in a bit early to fill out these forms before Dr. Sarah sees you. She’s amazing—she looks after me personally, so if you have any questions at all, feel free to ask me, okay?” (Guide the client to a welcoming, non-intimidating area of the waiting room).
This level of attentiveness not only helps build trust but sets the tone for a positive client experience.
2. Helping Your Clients S.E.E (Significant Emotional Experience)
Once your clients have been warmly welcomed and brought into the adjustment area, it’s your turn as the chiropractor to deepen that connection. Here’s where we help them S.E.E the importance of care—not through eyewear, but through their emotional lens.
The acronym S.E.E stands for Significant Emotional Experience. When you help clients tap into the deeper emotional reasons behind their health concerns, you empower them to commit fully to their care plan. Clients who truly understand why they need care are far more likely to follow through and achieve transformative results.
Understanding Common Client Emotions
Every client walks through your door with an emotional reason driving their visit. It’s often tied to one of these core emotions:
- Fear: Worrying about the long-term impact of their pain or symptoms.
- Guilt: Feeling they’ve neglected their health or let their condition affect loved ones.
- Joy: Eager anticipation of feeling better and living fully again.
- Anger: Frustration at how their condition has disrupted their life.
- Sadness: Grieving the loss of mobility, energy, or the ability to do what they love.
- Interest: Curiosity sparked by a recommendation or learning about chiropractic care.
For instance, consider the builder fearful of losing income due to back pain, the mother battling guilt over migraines impacting her parenting, or the teenager intrigued by viral TikTok videos about chiropractic adjustments.
Extracting Emotional Reasons
To help clients uncover and connect with their emotional motivations, ask open-ended questions that invite reflection. Here are some examples:
- “Why is this important to you right now?”
- “Tell me about a time this pain stopped you from doing something you love.”
- “What would you be able to do if this pain were gone?”
- “How does this affect your quality of life?”
- “When do you notice it impacts you the most?”
- “Why is this a 9 out of 10 in importance for you to address?”
The Key to Commitment
When clients can articulate the emotional impact of their health challenges, they’re more likely to see the value of your care. By helping them S.E.E the possibilities that open up when they commit to their health, you pave the way for a stronger, more motivated client relationship—and ultimately, a better quality of life for them.
Final Thoughts
Building rapport and helping your clients S.E.E aren’t just techniques—they’re the foundation of a successful, client-centered practice. A warm greeting and a genuine connection can transform a nervous first-time visitor into a lifelong advocate for their own health—and your care.
Encourage your team to refine their greetings and practice asking insightful questions to uncover each client’s emotional motivations. Together, you can create an environment where clients feel seen, valued, and inspired to take charge of their well-being.
Love and Light,
Ry
