The Power of Excellent Client Communication with Trine Bradshaw

We spoke with Trine, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and the owner of Breast For Baby, in Gilbert AZ. Motherhood put her on the path of lactation and birth work, although her kids are now teens.

Trine works with new parents and their babies who need help with feeding. She helps with all things infant feeding-related: direct breast/chest feeding, pumping, bottle feeding, supplementing, and introducing solids. Trine also assesses structural issues that may cause difficulties for infants, and address milk supply issues in the feeding parent. Breast For Baby is a comprehensive feeding clinic, so all feeding choices are welcome. As an inclusive provider, Trine welcomes and celebrates all family structures to her clinic.

Let’s jump into our chat with Trine to learn more about how effective communication with clients can improve client relationships and quickly grow your business through referrals!

Why is excellent client communication important to you?

My clients are in a very vulnerable phase of their lives, simultaneously dealing with their own physical healing, hormonal upheaval, and sleep deprivation while taking care of a new infant. Clear and easy communication is what they need! I can talk to a client for an hour or two, but if I do not write it all down, they cannot possibly retain all the information and suggestions I give them. It is so important for success that they can reach out to me for clarification or reminders.

What strategies do you use to communicate effectively with your clients? How have you seen these impact their experience and outcomes?

I write a clear care plan for my clients while they are in my office. We go through it in person before they leave my office, and then they have access to the care plan directly in the Better App. I make sure every client has the app downloaded by the time they leave my office, and that they know how to use the basics of it. Having the care plan at their fingertips, with live links to educational videos, and my personalized suggestions makes it all so easy. I make it very clear to them that I expect them to reach out, ask questions, and give me updates in the chat function. I also frequently will take pictures during our visits, and they are great reminders when we can go back and see progress week over week.

How has using the Practice Better platform helped you elevate communication with your clients?

Having the chat function in an actual app is a game-changer. My clients keep the app on their phones long after I finish my work with them. It is not unusual for my clients to send me random pictures, or basic baby feeding-related questions several months after we finish working together.

You had incredible success last year working with close to 400 families! What do you think drove this business growth?

I have grown my business very fast over the last few years. I believe that easy communication with my clients is one of the most important driving factors in that growth. I do not solicit public reviews, but I get really great ones and the ability to communicate with me is one of the things I see repeated there.

What advice would you give to other practitioners looking to elevate their communication with clients, in order to improve engagement and outcomes?

1. People may not remember what you tell them, but they will remember how you made them feel!
2. Be relatable and personable. Clients will not reach out to you if they do not connect with you.
3. Be relatable and personable. Clients will not write you a glowing review if they do not connect with you.
4. Be relatable and personable. Clients will not refer friends and family to you if they do not connect with you.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Trine!

You can learn more about Trine by visiting her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

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