We love signs.
But, there can be too much of a good thing.
Is your practice guilty of trying to solve every problem with a sign? From where you sit, can you see more than two?
We have been seeing practices become a shantytown of signs that say things like:
- Stop here
- No cell phones
- No food or drink
This can feel overwhelming, unwelcoming and even threatening to your patients! It can feel negative and leave a bad taste in their mouth.
Remember, you are building a relationship. And a negative vibe (via bossy signs) won’t build the kind of rapport you want.
Consider relationship expert, John Gottman’s “magic ratio”:
The difference between happy and unhappy couples is the balance between positive and negative interactions during conflict. There is a very specific ratio that makes love last. That “magic ratio” is 5 to 1. This means that for every negative interaction during conflict, a stable and happy marriage has five (or more) positive interactions.
Do you have at least 5 positive signs to balance out each negative one?
When it comes to signage for employees and patients in your practice, we think cheerful design goes a long way in softening the message.
Here are 6 tips to have more positive — and fewer — signs at your medical practice:
- Put a positive spin on your message
- Add some personality
- Create a cohesive look
- Make sure your signs are pretty
- Address it human to human
- Say nice things, too!
- Please enjoy some water while you wait.
- Join us on social media.
- Thank you for visiting us. Be well!
We suggest walking into your practice and looking around objectively — from a new patient’s perspective. Does your signage feel welcoming and helpful? Or oppressive and excessive?