written on March 03, 2011 by Nikki Evans
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Recently, I accompanied a friend to her post-surgery doctor appointment. We exited the elevator, turned toward the check-in desk and saw a sign, directly ahead.
Providing
confidentiality for all
our patients is a
top priority.
_______
Please remain here
until you are called
to the front desk.
Thank you
I took a quick look at the sign then walked around it, making my way to the check-in desk. My friend, having been there before, called me back and told me we were to wait to be called. Since I had to stand near the sign, I took a better look at what it said.
Obviously, I had missed the most important part—instructions at the bottom to stay put. I did see the words at the top, which I remembered being blah…confidentiality…blah, blah.
As soon as the sign had been placed there years before, the women at the front desk agreed the top and bottom messages should be switched for people to understand what to do. Now, just as they predicted, most first-time visitors do exactly what I did.
Here’s what the sign creators didn’t seem to realize. Most people don’t care what the medical center’s top priority is. But they probably do care if their personal information were to be broadcast to others in the check-in area. In the end, most wouldn’t mind respecting others’ needs for privacy….if asked to do so in a way that made sense to them.
The lesson: In order to capture readers’ attention in email marketing, on websites, brochures and signs, we should mention others first, then ourselves.
So, what about revising the medical office sign by removing the barrier-like line between messages and putting the part about you first and us later? Here’s one suggestion:
WAIT HERE
…until you are called
to the front desk.
Please help us
maintain
confidentiality for
all our patients.
Copyright © 2011 Nikki Evans, Spotlight Writing