Texting as a Decision Tool
In both my books and in past Tip of the Week posts I have provided a number of ways to enhance your practice’s ability to deal with the fact that you frequently do not have both decision-makers present for your initial consultation. While I do not necessarily agree that job responsibilities preclude this from happening, finding the time to attend the consultation is often enough of an inconvenience to prevent it.
Since time is of the essence with the non-attending spouse, here is a highly effective way to get a decision made, on the spot, without the need for both parents to be present: after fees are presented to the attending spouse, the TC should suggest that the visitor take a picture of the fee sheet just presented and text it to their partner.
If the visitor likes your practice – in other words, you have managed the initial consultation properly – and therefore wants to move forward, this will frequently result in the texting of the pricing information directly to the person responsible for releasing the funds. Once that information is received by the other party, they have the ability to make a decision, and this often closes the deal.
Those of you who have had me into your practice know how adamant I am about the layout and look of your fee presentation sheet. Here is yet another important reason for this to be properly designed. Key attributes of an effective fee sheet for texting purposes would certainly include:
- A single page
- Type that is large enough to be easily read – at least size 14
- Broken up text with proper spacing
- Boxed payment options with clear, easily read numbers
- A clean, spacious look devoid of fine print and other non-essential minutia
Obviously, when doing this, the TC should recommend to the visitor that they text the document to their spouse and then follow up the text transmission with a phone call. This should always be suggested, because even if the visitor declines the suggestion, they will recognize the merit of it and will not mind it being offered in the least.
Frequently this recommendation will result in a “yes” before the meeting has been concluded.
