2nd of 3 BIG ways to adapt to this economic climate...

Today, the 2nd of 3 BIG ways to adapt to this economic climate.

Yesterday I covered the first of these brilliant strategies,
"sell (or offer) something different". The concepts were
first presented to me by marketing and business building icon
Dan Kennedy. If you remember, I mentioned that, with regard to
growing your business, what may have worked well in the boom of
2003-2008 is likely either significantly less effective or
completely ineffective now. Bottom line is you've got to do
things differently to propel your business forward when things
are tougher.

Here's Strategy #2: "Sell to someone DIFFERENT"

This idea can be broken down a few ways. First, let's look at
the obvious thought of finding more new patients. But let's
also take it a step further and find new patients in NEW places.

To paraphrase Captain Kirk (loosely): "to go where you've never
gone before." What have you done and where have you gone to find
your current pool of patients? OK, now ask yourself where ELSE
you can go to find more new patients?

If you've marketed to certain areas of town, try new areas.
For your unique niche services, you can certainly test the
expansion of your marketing reach. Proximity to the dentist is
NOT as important to most people as it used to be...they just
want to be in the right office with the right dentist and team.

If you belong to local civic groups or organizations, join new
ones. Reach out to new groups of people and establish new
connections. Those new circles of associations, if nurtured,
will bear fruit in the form of new patients.

If you've focused on getting referrals from your patients, have
you considered getting referrals from other businesses? Other
professionals? Other physicians? Granted, this takes time and
effort...but hey, I never said it would all be laid out for you
on a silver platter! And EFFORT is what will be the difference
between those practices that excel and those that struggle in
this economic climate. You gotta go get it!

What are the characteristics of your "ideal" patients? You need
to know the answer to this. Grab 30-50 charts of your best
patients and look for similarities in them all. Then ask
yourself where people like that are...and go there.

Stemming off yesterday's post...when you offer new services, you
open yourself up to an entirely new patient pool. These too
are "someone different".

Using the information and clues above, compile a list of potential
new sources of more new patients. Then do what it takes to
attract and convert them into your practice. Enjoy!

All my best,
Chris

PS: Here's a clue for Monday: the 3rd strategy involves the HOW!

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance