The veterinary world runs on communication

Ask ten veterinary professionals what it means to communicate value and you may get ten different answers. Some will talk about justifying fees. Others will mention explaining the clinical rationale. A few will say it means helping clients understand what they’re paying for.

Those things do matter, but they don’t quite capture what communicating value is to us.

Communicating value isn’t really about the fee at all. It’s about helping a client understand why something is worth doing and what it will change - for their animal, and for them. That’s a subtly (but importantly) different thing.

A quick note: With the CMA's final report now confirming that price transparency will be a legal requirement for practices., the temptation is to focus only on making fees clearer. That’s necessary, but it isn’t sufficient. Transparency about price, without clarity about value, leaves clients with a number they can’t interpret.

Value isn’t a fact. It’s a feeling.

This is the first and most important thing to understand. You cannot tell a client that your service offers good value. You can only give them the context they need to feel whether it’s of value to them.

Think about it from a client’s perspective. They arrive at the practice already holding a set of expectations, worries and assumptions. When a recommendation is made, their brain isn’t running a logical cost-benefit calculation - it’s making a rapid, largely instinctive judgement based on what they’ve been told, how it’s been said, and how it makes them feel.

This is why two people can recommend exactly the same procedure at exactly the same price and produce completely different reactions. One client walks away feeling the investment is obvious; the other walks away uncertain and a little resentful. The clinical recommendation was identical, but the communication of value was not.

So what does communicating value actually involve?

When we work with veterinary teams on this, a few consistent patterns emerge - things that distinguish conversations where value lands clearly from those where it doesn’t.

The problem is framed before the solution is offered

Clients don’t care about procedures or line items on an estimate. They care about their animals (and in the case of commercial animal owners, their business too). This sounds obvious, but it shapes everything about how value should be communicated.

A canine dental is not only valuable because it removes pain sources and improves long-term systemic health. To the client it may be valuable simply because it removes the smelly breath that gets in the way of cuddles on the sofa. 

In equine practice, a worm count isn’t only valuable because it helps manage parasiticide resistance. The client may find more value in not having to give their beloved horse unnecessary medications and preventing spend on medications they don’t need.

In a farm context, a herd health visit isn’t valuable because it’s included in the plan. It’s valuable because the farmer gets ahead of problems before they become expensive ones, having an opportunity to ask questions and creating a business built on good welfare with fewer unexpected (expensive) hiccups. 

The clinical rationale and the client’s reason for caring are not always the same thing. Value communication means bridging that gap, and it starts with making sure the client understands the problem before they hear the solution.

Outcomes matter more than features

There’s a tendency in veterinary communication to describe what a service involves rather than what it achieves. This distinction is so key.

Clients aren’t buying a procedure. They’re buying a result - comfort, reassurance, a better quality of life for their animal, the confidence that they’re doing the right thing. When a recommendation is framed around outcomes, it becomes much easier for a client to connect with the value.

It’s also worth being honest about what’s at stake if the recommendation isn’t followed. Not in a way that feels pressurising - but loss is a real part of value. A client who understands what they might be protecting against is better placed to make a genuine decision than one who only hears the upside.

The price lands after the value, not before it

Behavioural science is clear on this: when price is communicated before value, the client’s brain gets stuck on the number. They’re stuck processing “do I want to spend that money?” rather than “is this the right thing for my animal?”

Flip the order and the dynamic changes completely. Compare these two approaches:

“We’re looking at up to £1200 for the dental. His teeth are causing him real discomfort - can you see that the build-up is starting to affect the gum line? Getting it sorted now will protect the teeth that are still in good shape."

Versus:

"His teeth are causing him real discomfort - can you see that the build-up is starting to affect the gum line? Getting it sorted now will protect the teeth that are still in good shape. We're looking at up to £1,200 for that.”

In the first version, the client is unlikely to really hear much that comes after “£1,200”. The second version costs the same. But the client is much more likely to have heard why it’s important, and so their decision is more likely to be based on a weigh up of value versus cost.

Delivery matters here too. Phrases like “I know it’s expensive, but…” or “Are you ready for the painful bit…” are well intentioned but they prime the client to feel that the cost is uncomfortable. The clinician has effectively pre-objected on the client’s behalf. Confident, calm delivery of fees at the right time, and without apology will help avoid the fee getting in the way of value landing well.

What gets in the way?

Most of the barriers to good value communication are about habits and confidence rather than knowledge:

- Teams rushing the value conversation because they’re under time pressure 

- Teams who have had a difficult reaction to a fee in the past and unconsciously brace for another one

- Teams who assume the client can’t or won’t afford it, so they subconsciously soften the recommendation

None of these habits are intentional. But they’re worth examining, because they consistently get in the way of clients making the decisions that are right for their animals.

The bottom line

Communicating value isn’t a soft skill – it’s an essential communication skill, without which no clinical expertise will land. Like all communication skills, it can be practised, refined and made consistent across a whole team.

When it’s done well, clients feel informed, confident, and they feel that the team genuinely has their animal’s interests at heart - because the way the recommendation was explained made that clear.

That’s what value communication actually means.

At InsideMinds, we take veterinary teams through a structured, step-by-step approach to value-led conversations - covering everything from how to frame a problem clearly, through to presenting options and handling price with confidence. If you’d like to explore how our workshops and training could help your team, get in touch.

In veterinary practice, we often focus on what we recommend – vaccinations, parasite control, diagnostics. But how much time do most of us spend thinking about the impact of how we frame those recommendations?

Two statements can contain exactly the same clinical information, yet land very differently with a client.

“Vaccines protect your pet.”

Vs.

“Without vaccines, your pet is at risk of serious diseases.”

Both are true, but they trigger slightly different responses in the brain.

Understanding the impact that message framing has can help veterinary teams guide better decisions and improve uptake of recommendations.

Small shifts really can create big impacts.

Our brains don’t process information neutrally

Humans like to think we make decisions logically. In reality, the brain uses shortcuts to interpret information quickly.

One of those shortcuts relates to framing – whether information is presented in terms of gains or potential losses.

Research shows that people often tend to be more motivated to avoid losses than to pursue equivalent gains, a phenomenon known as loss aversion.¹

In healthcare communication, framing has also been shown to influence how people respond to medical advice - but not always in the same way.

Broadly speaking:

• Loss-framed messages (highlighting risks or what could go wrong) tend to be more effective for behaviours like screening or disease detection, where the potential problem feels real and immediate 
• Gain-framed messages (highlighting benefits) tend to work well for everyday preventive behaviours, like improving diet or increasing exercise²^,³ 

One way to think about this is:

When a risk feels real and tangible, making that risk visible can strengthen motivation.
When a behaviour is about maintaining health over time, emphasising the benefits often lands better.

Of course, these aren’t rigid rules. Context matters - including the client, the situation, and how the information is delivered.

But the key takeaway is simple:

The frame we choose shapes what the client notices, and what they act on.

Why this matters in veterinary practice

In veterinary conversations, we’re often dealing with preventive care that also carries meaningful risk if missed – like vaccinations.

That means relying on a single frame can sometimes limit how clearly the message lands.

Let’s go back to the example we just highlighted:

“Vaccines protect your pet.”

Vs.

“Without vaccines, your pet is at risk of serious diseases.”

Both are valid. But they highlight different aspects of the same decision.

In many cases, the most effective approach is to combine frames – helping clients understand both the benefit of acting and the risk of not acting.

This helps clients fully appreciate what’s at stake, so they can understand not just what the intervention does, but also why it matters.

Should we frame things deliberately?

Framing is simply about communicating the full meaning of a recommendation clearly and in a way the brain can easily process.

In practice, that often means:

• Linking the recommendation to something the client values 
• Making risks visible, not just benefits 
• Explaining the why, not just the what 

When we do that well, clients are better equipped to make informed decisions.

A small shift with a big impact

Veterinary teams already give great advice.

Often the difference between average uptake and strong uptake isn’t the science behind the recommendation. It’s how it’s explained – the way it’s framed.

A small shift in wording can help clients see not just what an intervention will do, but also the problem it helps avoid and why that matters for their animal.

Those small moments take seconds, but across hundreds of conversations, they shape better outcomes for animals, clients and practices alike.

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If you’d like to find out more about how we can help your team use small shifts to create big impacts, get in touch.

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References

1. Kahneman D, Tversky A. Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk. Econometrica. 1979. 
2. Gallagher KM, Updegraff JA. Health message framing effects on attitudes, intentions, and behaviour: a meta-analytic review. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2012. 

O’Keefe DJ, Jensen JD. The relative persuasiveness of gain-framed and loss-framed messages for encouraging disease prevention behaviours. Journal of Health Communication. 2007.

In practice, this means the quality of communication needs to be consistent, even under pressure – and this is where structure can make all the difference.

Structure reduces cognitive load‍

Client experience in veterinary practice is shaped in small moments - short conversations, brief explanations, and quick decisions made under pressure.

And in those moments, clients are constantly interpreting what they see and hear:

Do I feel listened to?

Do I understand what’s happening? 

Do I feel confident in the recommendation?
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The challenge is that these moments rarely happen when teams have plenty of time. Phones are ringing, consults are running late and there is a queue forming at the front desk….add to that the fact that clinicians and reception teams are trying to think, reassure and explain, all at once and it’s easy to see how things can get tricky.
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In those conditions, communication becomes harder to deliver consistently. Even highly experienced teams can find that conversations vary from one interaction to the next.

That variability matters more than we often realise.

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Why consistency matters more than perfection

Clients don’t see the hundred conversations that go well, they simply experience the one they’re in. And from that single interaction they begin to form a judgement about the practice, usually relying heavily on thinking shortcuts to help them interpret situations quickly and instinctively. 

When clients feel listened to and the communication feels good to them, the judgement is much more likely to be positive: these people know what they’re doing.

When the interaction feels rushed or if clarity is poor, the judgement can quickly shift the other way.

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Veterinary professionals already carry significant cognitive load during client conversations.

They are assessing clinical information, interpreting client concerns, managing time pressure and making treatment decisions. Adding communication into that mix can feel like one task too many.

Structured communication helps because it reduces the amount of thinking required in the moment.

Instead of improvising every conversation, teams can rely on a simple flow for the conversation. In human healthcare, structured communication tools such as consultation frameworks have been shown to improve clarity, reduce omissions and support better care.

Structure doesn’t mean following a script or making every conversation formulaic or perfect. It’s simply about making sure that key parts of a communication are included consistently. 

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Clients want to feel guided

One of the most common frustrations clients experience is uncertainty.

What is happening?
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What should they do next?
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Is this the right decision?

How much will it cost?
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Behavioural science tells us that when people feel uncertain, decision-making becomes harder and stress increases. In veterinary settings this can lead to hesitation, delayed decisions or declining recommended care.

Clear communication structure helps reduce that uncertainty because when a conversation feels logical and covers all of the client’s key needs things start to feel clearer and easier to process.

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The hidden power of predictable conversations

Clients rarely notice when a conversation is structured well. But they do notice how it feels – and good, logical structure feels very good.

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Structure supports teams too

Communication frameworks are sometimes misunderstood as scripts or rigid processes. In reality, the opposite is true.

When teams have a shared structure, conversations become easier to navigate. Team members know how to guide interactions without feeling they must remember everything in the moment.

It also helps teams support each other. When everyone works within a similar approach, it becomes easier to coach, reflect and improve communication skills across the practice.

Instead of relying on “natural communicators”, the whole team develops confidence.

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Trust grows in the small moments

Veterinary medicine is built on expertise but trust is built in communications.

Those moments matter because they shape how clients experience the care you provide, helping to build trust through consistently good experiences.

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References

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Silverman, J., Kurtz, S., & Draper, J. (2013). Skills for Communicating with Patients (3rd ed.). Radcliffe Publishing.
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgement under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. Science, 185(4157), 1124–1131.
World Health Organization (2009). Communication during patient hand-overs.

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At InsideMinds, we help veterinary practices communicate better, turn more conversations into action and create engaged, loyal clients. 

Get in touch to learn more.