40 Ideas In 40 Days...#18-24. This one's long, but worth it!
Before I start, I'd like to send belated Mother's Day wishes to
all the moms in your life! Yesterday I spent time on the phone
with my own mom, who lives halfway around the world in South Africa. We speak pretty frequently despite our 6 hour time difference. I also spoke to "Bestemor", my 93 year old Norwegian grandmother. She's quite frail now, and clearly has limited time ahead. Each time I speak with them I appreciate them that much more.
Then of course there's my lovely wife Elizabeth. One of my gifts
to her this Mother's Day was letting her SLEEP IN! I piled Reid,
Kenan, and Olivia into the car in their pajamas and Crocs, and we
all went to the store at 7:30am. There the kids did a great job
picking out all Mommy's flowers and Mother's Day cards...plus of
course some cookies to go with them. After breakfast, church, and
brunch, we all had a great day just playing. Hope you did too.
OK, let's get down to biz. Today I'm going to blow right through the halfway point in my commitment to you to share 40 Ideas In 40 Days. I want to help as many dentists as possible, so PLEASE FORWARD this message to any dentists whom you feel would like to be included.
I've been getting amazing feedback from many docs regarding the
sampling of verbal skills I shared with you last time. Because of
that, I'm including more today, along with an extra important tip
as Idea #20.
Idea #18 (May 6): "Sounds like you're looking for a new dentist...
am I right?" This the first part of my "magic bullet" method for
converting callers into new patients.
Every phone call you get from a POTENTIAL new patient is an
opportunity that can either be capitalized upon...or botched. All
too often I see it botched, and the new patient lost. This is
of course a very complex topic with more to cover than in this
message, but let me cement a major point for you
There is ONE (and only one) thing that EVERY potential new patient wants when they call your office. It is: A DENTIST. No matter what their other concerns are, they all want to find a dentist that's right for them. The above verbal skill is how we zoom in on that fact, and then move toward what's most important to them.
Yes, it sounds almost too obvious. But it's extremely effective because of its simplicity. We frequently get complimented on how we handle the initial phone call, which is the main reason why many of our patients choose our practice. This method that I developed after much trial and error has doubled our conversion rate since
we started using it about three years ago. Double the new patients from the same number of calls...not bad. Imagine when you increase the number of calls!
Idea #19 (May 7): "What level of health would you like to achieve?"
This is a variation on the old "how long would you like to keep
your teeth" question. Almost every time the answer is something
like: "I want to be as healthy as possible, of course."
This question is best asked early in the conversation with a new
patient. Their answer will instantly position them in terms of
their dental goals. Then as you go through the exam process,you'll
find problems that are inconsistent with the patient's STATED
goals, in that they deviate from optimal health.
When patients realize that their current dental conditions are
not moving in the direction that they just TOLD you they want,
they'll be more likely to take notice and do something about it.
Idea #20 (May 8): This is the halfway point, so I'm going to break rhythm and share a HUGE idea with you that will hopefully liberate you somewhat, as you move through this series.
You DON'T have to use ALL these ideas! Especially not all at once!
Here's the deal. I do want you to benefit from each and every one
of the concepts I share with you. However, I know that not all
ideas will resonate with you. Who cares...you've got 40...and it
only takes ONE killer idea to literally transform your practice!
Every once in a while I'll get a cancellation request from one of
my Dental Insiders Alliance members. With rare exception, the
reason is always the same: "It's TOO MUCH information, and I can't
possibly implement ALL the ideas I'm getting from you." Not smart. By cutting off the supply, they're missing out on the next ideas, and the next, each of which could make the biggest difference.
Once again, WHO CARES? Use the ones you want...use the ones you can. Push yourself and your team to use more, and BENEFIT from it!
Idea #21 (May 9): Tell 'em what's in GREAT condition too!
Let's face it, we're all trained to seek and find all that is WRONG
with our patients' oral conditions. "Problem List" we call it.
We tell them about how many cavities they have, the cracks, the
perio, the this and the that. It's all bad news. But rarely do I
hear dentists or team members spending any time focusing on what's going well inside their patients' mouths.
I'm not talking about the generic "everything looks fine", nor am I recommending that we sugar coat anything to make it seem better. But I am saying that it's important to acknowledge where there is good health, when appropriate.
For most patients, especially younger healthy adults, it'll instill
confidence that they do actually have some healthy teeth. More
importantly it'll serve as a good CONTRAST with the conditions
that are not healthy and need improvement!
Idea #22 (May 10): "It may not last the rest of your life...but
it has the best chance." This is a great little retort that I/we
use frequently when recommending our best treatment option. It's not a surprise that patients want to know how long their dentistry will last. After all, they're making a significant investment.
The above statement cuts through the fact that even the best dentistry doesn't last forever. You MUST bring this up. On the other hand, it positions your recommendation as the BEST one for your patient, and that all other options have less value.
Idea #23 (May 11): "I have NO IDEA how dentistry elsewhere could be so CHEAP." Now, this is not for the faint of heart. But it is perhaps the most powerful positioning statement you can make about your dentistry when being challenged about your fees!
I'd never recommend that you speak negatively about another dentist or dental office. In fact I've carefully worded the above verbal skill so as not to do so. However, if your fees are above average as they SHOULD be, you'll no doubt get asked why your fees are higher than Dr. So-and-so's fees.
This is all about SPIN. Instead of defending your fees by talking
about materials, lab fees, etc...move in the other direction.
Discuss all the benefits that you'd have to TAKE AWAY by cutting
your costs, and therefore your fees. You could use CHEAPER labs,
right? CHEAPER materials? CHEAPER equipment? CHEAPER facilities? CHEAPER (less skilled) employees? Get it?
By the time the patient realizes all that would be taken away in
the interest of cheaper fees, there's no way they would want that!
Also, you've just made them realize that quality is VARIABLE in
dentistry, and that some offices (yours!) are better than others.
Idea #24 (May 12): "It's a HEALTHY investment." You've got
to get your patients thinking in terms of investment, not expense.
This takes effort, and appropriate language.
"Cost" and "Expense" are present tense terms, while "investment"
is focused on the future. Patients need to realize that it's not
just about how much they're investing now, in TODAY'S dollars.
It's about how much they'll invest over a 20-year period or longer.
Plus, by using "healthy" you take advantage of the double meaning
of the word. Healthy does mean "big", as in a lot of money. It
also means "healthy", as in not UNhealthy. Don't underestimate
the importance of this, as it once again remonds patients of their
choices.
Well, we're finally wrapped up for this week.
Whew! That was a biggie...but I'm confident that if you put this
stuff to use, you'll immediately see the difference in terms of
higher conversions among your patients.
All my best,
Chris
PS: Give me some FEEDBACK...and share your successes with me!
I want to know that you're implementing, and succeeding. Simply
reply to this address with your comments.
PPS: Don't forget to FORWARD this message to other dentists, with
instructions to go to www.DentalInsiders.com so they can sign up
for this same series. You don't want them depending on you for
the forwards all the time, do you?
PPPS: Want more, at a higher level? Just go over to my "test drive"
page and sign up for 2 months free Preferred Membership in Dental Insiders Alliance. You'll get $2173.00 in free bonuses too:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive
May 12, 2008
May 5, 2008
40 Ideas In 40 Days…#11-17
Hola...Bueno Cinco de Mayo! Don't worry, that's about all
the Spanish I know. Don't even know if that was accurate.
But you get the point.
Let's jump back into "40 Ideas In 40 Days". I'm giving you
SEVEN ideas today. Ideas #1-5 were powerful general principles,
while the most recent #6-10 should've gotten you to think about
examining your practice, and looking for things that you want
to add (or maybe take away) to make it better.
Here I'm going to focus on bulletproof VERBAL SKILLS, and how you can use them to communicate more effectively with your patients. Apply these strategies immediately and enjoy the benefits!
Idea #11 (Apr 29) - "I can help you!" This is the way I prefer my team (or myself!) to end our greeting when answering the phone. It's best said emphasizing the "I", as if someone walked into the room and asked, "Who can help me?" Then you say, "I can help you!" We've actually gotten referrals from patients who referenced
our greeting.
This variation on "How can I help you?" may seem minor, but it
has major effects. You turn a question into a statement, and
then exude confidence by proclaiming that you can help the caller
without even knowing the question or request. Also, it's unique,
upbeat, and always gets a great response from patients. They
enjoy and appreciate the fact that we KNOW we can help.
What if you can't help? Well, you ALWAYS can. Even if you don't
know an answer or don't provide a requested service, you can still
find someone that does, or make an appropriate referral. In either
case you still helped the caller, and they'll thank you for it.
Idea #12 (Apr 30) - "Please tell me about your dental health." I've found this simple request to be THE best way for me or my team to open the dental conversation with a new patient. As you can tell it's a wide open statement, and it allows them to go in whichever direction they want. Emergency...cosmetic goals...bad past experience...whatever...they'll start with what's most important to them.
I've found this approach to be much more effective than the
"inquisition" of 20 or more questions about every dental topic
under the sun. You'll let the patient "drive" the conversation
instead of moving through a canned list of questions. Very
comfortable for even a nervous patient.
By discovering what's most important to your patients right off the bat, you immediately make the conversation ALL ABOUT THEM. It also gets them talking, while "yes/no" questions don't.
Idea #13 (May 1) - "What else? What else? What else?" This is
our follow up to "Tell me about your dental health". And it's a
CRITICAL piece of the puzzle. All too often we cut off the
conversation with a patient just before they are about to reveal
something big. "What else" prevents that...as long as you keep
asking it!
That's the key. Do NOT quit asking "What else" until the patient
is completely finished. Over and over and over, until they
literally run out of stuff to talk about. Then you'll have
your problem list pretty much made up for you by the patient.
Sure, there will be things they don't bring up that are important. But at least you made a concerted effort to hear EVERYTHING that the patient wanted to share.
Idea #14 (May 2) - DON'T SAY: "Are you having any problems?"
This must be the absolute WORST question in dentistry. Yeah,
I know...we were all taught to ask it...it seems like a good
question...it shows our concern...blah blah blah.
But also consider the fact that many patients don't THINK they
have any problems. So they say "No" when asked. Then what do
you, the doctor, do? Of course, you look in there and find a
whole mouthful of problems! Now you've got a conflict.
The patients just said no problems, but you see problems, and
you've got to prove that the patient is WRONG. Not good. If
you want to avoid this pitfall, you can't ask a question that
can potentially make patients wrong. So what do you ask?
Idea #15 (May 3) - DO SAY: "Have you noticed any changes?" This
is a flat out, KICK BUTT question that I developed after several
years of frustration with the previous question. I was trying to
figure out a way to learn the patient's perspective without
having to challenge what they just said. This fits the bill
beautifully.
By asking if they NOTICED any changes (since their last visit to us or any other dentist), you get them off the hook for not NOTICING any changes that likely took place. This solidifies our purpose as "the dentist" to find things they DIDN'T notice. Also, it doesn't make the patient wrong when we find something they had
no idea about.
Patients get much less defensive about their problem list when
we approach it in this manner. No more headbutting stubborn
patients who think eveything's OK. They now realize that many
problems are undetectable to them, and they take ownership of
their problems much more easily!
Idea #16 (May 4): DON'T SAY: "What we normally do is..." PLEASE
never say that again. There aren't many phrases that are less
personal than that one. It puts all your patients into a "box"
together, and does nothing to make them feel special, or to
recognize the uniqueness of their situation.
This phrase it at it's worst when the patient requests something
that's outside of your normal protocols...even just a bit. My
advice is to GIVE a little, and be flexible. Even if the patient's
situation calls for your exact "usual" protocols, you must avoid
making it sound as if the patient is "no one special".
Idea #17 (May 5): DO SAY: "For YOUR situation the BEST thing we
should do is..." (can be varied, but don't lose individuality!)
This is the antidote to the previous phrase. It focuses only on
the patient, and let's them know (or believe) that we are
considering their case individually, as if our only patient. We
do that anyway, so why not solidify that fact with our words?
Instead of your patients feeling like you are trying to fit them
into your systems, they'll see that you are fitting your systems
around them. The difference in perception is HUGE!
Again, situations that call for no deviation in normal systems
should still be addressed that way. Patients don't care about
"what we normally do"...they want only what's best for them. So
there's no need to do anything but present the best solutions
for them and them alone. You'll find less resistance to your
recommendations in a number of patients, just by altering the
way you present them.
OK...that'll wrap it up for this time. Remember that these ideas are just a small sample of what my Dental Insiders Alliance members receive on a monthly basis. Of course my regular members receive much more in depth information, but this should give you a taste of my style if you're not a member.
Plus, I'm not finished yet. We're only on #17, and we've got 23
to go! So be on the lookout for my next "40 Ideas In 40 Days"
message, to be sent at the end of this week. Adios amigo!
All my best,
Chris
Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
No membership fees for 2 months at:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive
the Spanish I know. Don't even know if that was accurate.
But you get the point.
Let's jump back into "40 Ideas In 40 Days". I'm giving you
SEVEN ideas today. Ideas #1-5 were powerful general principles,
while the most recent #6-10 should've gotten you to think about
examining your practice, and looking for things that you want
to add (or maybe take away) to make it better.
Here I'm going to focus on bulletproof VERBAL SKILLS, and how you can use them to communicate more effectively with your patients. Apply these strategies immediately and enjoy the benefits!
Idea #11 (Apr 29) - "I can help you!" This is the way I prefer my team (or myself!) to end our greeting when answering the phone. It's best said emphasizing the "I", as if someone walked into the room and asked, "Who can help me?" Then you say, "I can help you!" We've actually gotten referrals from patients who referenced
our greeting.
This variation on "How can I help you?" may seem minor, but it
has major effects. You turn a question into a statement, and
then exude confidence by proclaiming that you can help the caller
without even knowing the question or request. Also, it's unique,
upbeat, and always gets a great response from patients. They
enjoy and appreciate the fact that we KNOW we can help.
What if you can't help? Well, you ALWAYS can. Even if you don't
know an answer or don't provide a requested service, you can still
find someone that does, or make an appropriate referral. In either
case you still helped the caller, and they'll thank you for it.
Idea #12 (Apr 30) - "Please tell me about your dental health." I've found this simple request to be THE best way for me or my team to open the dental conversation with a new patient. As you can tell it's a wide open statement, and it allows them to go in whichever direction they want. Emergency...cosmetic goals...bad past experience...whatever...they'll start with what's most important to them.
I've found this approach to be much more effective than the
"inquisition" of 20 or more questions about every dental topic
under the sun. You'll let the patient "drive" the conversation
instead of moving through a canned list of questions. Very
comfortable for even a nervous patient.
By discovering what's most important to your patients right off the bat, you immediately make the conversation ALL ABOUT THEM. It also gets them talking, while "yes/no" questions don't.
Idea #13 (May 1) - "What else? What else? What else?" This is
our follow up to "Tell me about your dental health". And it's a
CRITICAL piece of the puzzle. All too often we cut off the
conversation with a patient just before they are about to reveal
something big. "What else" prevents that...as long as you keep
asking it!
That's the key. Do NOT quit asking "What else" until the patient
is completely finished. Over and over and over, until they
literally run out of stuff to talk about. Then you'll have
your problem list pretty much made up for you by the patient.
Sure, there will be things they don't bring up that are important. But at least you made a concerted effort to hear EVERYTHING that the patient wanted to share.
Idea #14 (May 2) - DON'T SAY: "Are you having any problems?"
This must be the absolute WORST question in dentistry. Yeah,
I know...we were all taught to ask it...it seems like a good
question...it shows our concern...blah blah blah.
But also consider the fact that many patients don't THINK they
have any problems. So they say "No" when asked. Then what do
you, the doctor, do? Of course, you look in there and find a
whole mouthful of problems! Now you've got a conflict.
The patients just said no problems, but you see problems, and
you've got to prove that the patient is WRONG. Not good. If
you want to avoid this pitfall, you can't ask a question that
can potentially make patients wrong. So what do you ask?
Idea #15 (May 3) - DO SAY: "Have you noticed any changes?" This
is a flat out, KICK BUTT question that I developed after several
years of frustration with the previous question. I was trying to
figure out a way to learn the patient's perspective without
having to challenge what they just said. This fits the bill
beautifully.
By asking if they NOTICED any changes (since their last visit to us or any other dentist), you get them off the hook for not NOTICING any changes that likely took place. This solidifies our purpose as "the dentist" to find things they DIDN'T notice. Also, it doesn't make the patient wrong when we find something they had
no idea about.
Patients get much less defensive about their problem list when
we approach it in this manner. No more headbutting stubborn
patients who think eveything's OK. They now realize that many
problems are undetectable to them, and they take ownership of
their problems much more easily!
Idea #16 (May 4): DON'T SAY: "What we normally do is..." PLEASE
never say that again. There aren't many phrases that are less
personal than that one. It puts all your patients into a "box"
together, and does nothing to make them feel special, or to
recognize the uniqueness of their situation.
This phrase it at it's worst when the patient requests something
that's outside of your normal protocols...even just a bit. My
advice is to GIVE a little, and be flexible. Even if the patient's
situation calls for your exact "usual" protocols, you must avoid
making it sound as if the patient is "no one special".
Idea #17 (May 5): DO SAY: "For YOUR situation the BEST thing we
should do is..." (can be varied, but don't lose individuality!)
This is the antidote to the previous phrase. It focuses only on
the patient, and let's them know (or believe) that we are
considering their case individually, as if our only patient. We
do that anyway, so why not solidify that fact with our words?
Instead of your patients feeling like you are trying to fit them
into your systems, they'll see that you are fitting your systems
around them. The difference in perception is HUGE!
Again, situations that call for no deviation in normal systems
should still be addressed that way. Patients don't care about
"what we normally do"...they want only what's best for them. So
there's no need to do anything but present the best solutions
for them and them alone. You'll find less resistance to your
recommendations in a number of patients, just by altering the
way you present them.
OK...that'll wrap it up for this time. Remember that these ideas are just a small sample of what my Dental Insiders Alliance members receive on a monthly basis. Of course my regular members receive much more in depth information, but this should give you a taste of my style if you're not a member.
Plus, I'm not finished yet. We're only on #17, and we've got 23
to go! So be on the lookout for my next "40 Ideas In 40 Days"
message, to be sent at the end of this week. Adios amigo!
All my best,
Chris
Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
No membership fees for 2 months at:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive
Apr 28, 2008
Here’s More Of “40 Ideas In 40 Days”!
I hope you had a great weekend. This past Friday night we had my
"Second Annual 39th Birthday Party" to celebrate my April 19 B'day. It was a blast, with friends and family, including some who flew in from L.A. to be there. After the party a few of us couples went out for a little while longer...but not that much longer. I can't stay out too late these days, especially with three little ones
counting on me the next day!
40 Ideas In 40 Days...Ideas #6-10. Remember that I'm sharing 40
ideas that will help boost your practice over the next 40 days.
Put these together and over the next month and a half you should
notice some significant positive changes in your practice!
(Please FORWARD this message to any dentists who may be
interested in this information. Have them join this free E-Alert Network at www.DentalInsiders.com. Thanks!)
OK, let's jump right in.
Idea #6 (Apr 24) Look OUTSIDE of dentistry.
This one's HUGE! I recently invited dentists to participate in a
teleseminar on how to "Be THE Expert Dentist On Your Own TV Show". My guest is a very successful chiropractor, Dr. Jeff Hockings, whom I admire for reasons you'll discover on the call. (If you haven't yet registered, you can at www.DentalInsiders.com/tvteleseminar.)
Jeff's been using 30-minute TV interview shows for 11 years to build 4 massively successful chiropractic pratices, 3 of which he has sold successively for huge profits.
Well, one bonehead dentist responded to my invitation publically
with a vile, ridiculous general indictment of all chiropractors
as quacks. I didn't give him the dignity of a direct response.
But regardless of his feelings about chiropractors, he missed the
biggest point. Here it is.
If a professionally produced TV show works for a chiropractor, it'll
very likely work for DENTISTS! I don't have to see a dentist doing
a show...I'll adapt what's working for Dr. Hockings, and apply it
to my industry.
The same concept applies to just about any business concept. You
should be on the lookout for what's working not only in dentistry,
but OUTSIDE the profession as well. Chances are you'll find MORE
good stuff that's applicable to your practice from elsewhere. All
it takes is alertness and some ingenuity.
Idea #7 (Apr 25): Visit 10 dental practices this year.
Don't forget to look INSIDE the profession as well. Each year I
try to visit several dentists that I haven't visited before. When
coaching dentists in their offices all around the U.S., I find that
I ALWAYS learn something there that I can apply in my own practice. And I 've been in a BUNCH of practices.
But you don't have to travel coast to coast to get the same benefit.
Start locally. Give a few colleagues a call and offer to meet them
at their office, then take them to lunch. Show up early and ask
for a TOUR of their office. You'll build new and strengthen existing
relationships with your local doctors, and you'll no doubt learn
something in the process. Just keep your eyes and ears WIDE OPEN!
Idea #8 (Apr 26): Visit your OWN practice. Invite non-patients too. Once per year minimally, you should make a point to walk in the FRONT door of your own office, and just look around. Sit in a few different chairs in the reception room for a few minutes. What do you see? What do you not see? Surprised?
Then walk through your office as a patient would. Enter each treatment room from reception and sit in the dental chair. LEAN BACK and LOOK UP. Go to the patient restroom(s). Check everything out with a critical eye.
This is how your patients see your office. I guarantee you'll find NUMEROUS things that you'll want to change and improve instantly. Have a non-patient friend (an honest one) do the exact same thing. Your team too. Then fix what's not right and feel more confident knowing that you're taking better care of your office. It'll take better care of you!
Idea #9 (Apr 27): Dress up the restrooms.
Studies have shown that people most often rate a place of business
in direct correlation to how they perceive the restrooms! Not
the treatment rooms, believe it or not. The restrooms.
This is one of the most neglected rooms in many businesses, and
dental offices are no exception. Aside from your reception area,
your restrooms are the most critical rooms in your practice to
make as nice and clean as possible. Scented nicely too.
A couple quick tips: First, add several hygiene items for your
patients to use in the restroom. Free toothbrushes, mouthrinse,
floss are givens. But also add some perks, like hand lotion,
wet face wipes, feminine products (in a closed container), air
neutralizer, q-tips...maybe even some mini-lipsticks. Lastly, DON'T SKIMP on the TP...Charmin Ultra, baby!
Your patients will appreciate the fine touches in your restrooms,
and that satisfaction will carry over into other areas of your
practice.
Idea #10 (Apr 28): Ditch the magazines...and broadcast radio & TV. One of my biggest pet peeves when I visit other dental practices is the proliferation of magazines and other irrelevant types of media, like local radio or CNN Headline News. BIG mistakes, all.
Magazines, radio and TV all have ADS for other stuff that your
patients may want to buy...INSTEAD of dentistry. Out of date
magazines get trashed, and insinuate an out of date practice. Local
radio is 99% stupid, and is littered with ads, sometimes for other
dentists! And broadcast TV is simply dumbed down, and the commonly displayed news networks report nothing but BAD news. Depressing... and not what you want your patients experiencing in your office.
Should you have PURELY dental information in your reception room? You surely can, as long as it's interesting. Start with information about the most desirable procedures you offer. Then include nice leather bound albums of before and after pictures of YOUR work. My most popular reads are our testimonial albums (3), each stuffed with emotional testimonials from happy patients. Any articles or other press you've received in the past should definitely be prominently displayed. Finally, extra copies of your monthly patient newsletter should be easy to find in your reception area.
How about NON-dental material? OK, I'll cave in...but be very
careful here. I limit my non-dental material to "dollar books"
and cookbooks. I go to Barnes & Noble every few months and raid
the "dollar" table, picking out big books with lots of pictures.
They can be about any topic, except travel destinations or cars
or other expensive stuff. You'd be surprised what you can find,
including recipe books as well. Never more than a buck or two.
These books will satisfy the patients who don't want to read
anything dental. In fact, one side benefit is that whenever a
patient expresses interest in a book, we just GIVE it to them.
They LOVE it, and they'll remember it when it's time to refer!
Well, that wraps up this edition of "40 Ideas In 40 Days".
Be on the lookout later in the week for my next installment.
Enjoy and prosper!
All my best,
Chris
Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
PS: $2173 Worth of FREE Resources Plus
2 Months FREE Preferred Membership at:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive
Go there now!
"Second Annual 39th Birthday Party" to celebrate my April 19 B'day. It was a blast, with friends and family, including some who flew in from L.A. to be there. After the party a few of us couples went out for a little while longer...but not that much longer. I can't stay out too late these days, especially with three little ones
counting on me the next day!
40 Ideas In 40 Days...Ideas #6-10. Remember that I'm sharing 40
ideas that will help boost your practice over the next 40 days.
Put these together and over the next month and a half you should
notice some significant positive changes in your practice!
(Please FORWARD this message to any dentists who may be
interested in this information. Have them join this free E-Alert Network at www.DentalInsiders.com. Thanks!)
OK, let's jump right in.
Idea #6 (Apr 24) Look OUTSIDE of dentistry.
This one's HUGE! I recently invited dentists to participate in a
teleseminar on how to "Be THE Expert Dentist On Your Own TV Show". My guest is a very successful chiropractor, Dr. Jeff Hockings, whom I admire for reasons you'll discover on the call. (If you haven't yet registered, you can at www.DentalInsiders.com/tvteleseminar.)
Jeff's been using 30-minute TV interview shows for 11 years to build 4 massively successful chiropractic pratices, 3 of which he has sold successively for huge profits.
Well, one bonehead dentist responded to my invitation publically
with a vile, ridiculous general indictment of all chiropractors
as quacks. I didn't give him the dignity of a direct response.
But regardless of his feelings about chiropractors, he missed the
biggest point. Here it is.
If a professionally produced TV show works for a chiropractor, it'll
very likely work for DENTISTS! I don't have to see a dentist doing
a show...I'll adapt what's working for Dr. Hockings, and apply it
to my industry.
The same concept applies to just about any business concept. You
should be on the lookout for what's working not only in dentistry,
but OUTSIDE the profession as well. Chances are you'll find MORE
good stuff that's applicable to your practice from elsewhere. All
it takes is alertness and some ingenuity.
Idea #7 (Apr 25): Visit 10 dental practices this year.
Don't forget to look INSIDE the profession as well. Each year I
try to visit several dentists that I haven't visited before. When
coaching dentists in their offices all around the U.S., I find that
I ALWAYS learn something there that I can apply in my own practice. And I 've been in a BUNCH of practices.
But you don't have to travel coast to coast to get the same benefit.
Start locally. Give a few colleagues a call and offer to meet them
at their office, then take them to lunch. Show up early and ask
for a TOUR of their office. You'll build new and strengthen existing
relationships with your local doctors, and you'll no doubt learn
something in the process. Just keep your eyes and ears WIDE OPEN!
Idea #8 (Apr 26): Visit your OWN practice. Invite non-patients too. Once per year minimally, you should make a point to walk in the FRONT door of your own office, and just look around. Sit in a few different chairs in the reception room for a few minutes. What do you see? What do you not see? Surprised?
Then walk through your office as a patient would. Enter each treatment room from reception and sit in the dental chair. LEAN BACK and LOOK UP. Go to the patient restroom(s). Check everything out with a critical eye.
This is how your patients see your office. I guarantee you'll find NUMEROUS things that you'll want to change and improve instantly. Have a non-patient friend (an honest one) do the exact same thing. Your team too. Then fix what's not right and feel more confident knowing that you're taking better care of your office. It'll take better care of you!
Idea #9 (Apr 27): Dress up the restrooms.
Studies have shown that people most often rate a place of business
in direct correlation to how they perceive the restrooms! Not
the treatment rooms, believe it or not. The restrooms.
This is one of the most neglected rooms in many businesses, and
dental offices are no exception. Aside from your reception area,
your restrooms are the most critical rooms in your practice to
make as nice and clean as possible. Scented nicely too.
A couple quick tips: First, add several hygiene items for your
patients to use in the restroom. Free toothbrushes, mouthrinse,
floss are givens. But also add some perks, like hand lotion,
wet face wipes, feminine products (in a closed container), air
neutralizer, q-tips...maybe even some mini-lipsticks. Lastly, DON'T SKIMP on the TP...Charmin Ultra, baby!
Your patients will appreciate the fine touches in your restrooms,
and that satisfaction will carry over into other areas of your
practice.
Idea #10 (Apr 28): Ditch the magazines...and broadcast radio & TV. One of my biggest pet peeves when I visit other dental practices is the proliferation of magazines and other irrelevant types of media, like local radio or CNN Headline News. BIG mistakes, all.
Magazines, radio and TV all have ADS for other stuff that your
patients may want to buy...INSTEAD of dentistry. Out of date
magazines get trashed, and insinuate an out of date practice. Local
radio is 99% stupid, and is littered with ads, sometimes for other
dentists! And broadcast TV is simply dumbed down, and the commonly displayed news networks report nothing but BAD news. Depressing... and not what you want your patients experiencing in your office.
Should you have PURELY dental information in your reception room? You surely can, as long as it's interesting. Start with information about the most desirable procedures you offer. Then include nice leather bound albums of before and after pictures of YOUR work. My most popular reads are our testimonial albums (3), each stuffed with emotional testimonials from happy patients. Any articles or other press you've received in the past should definitely be prominently displayed. Finally, extra copies of your monthly patient newsletter should be easy to find in your reception area.
How about NON-dental material? OK, I'll cave in...but be very
careful here. I limit my non-dental material to "dollar books"
and cookbooks. I go to Barnes & Noble every few months and raid
the "dollar" table, picking out big books with lots of pictures.
They can be about any topic, except travel destinations or cars
or other expensive stuff. You'd be surprised what you can find,
including recipe books as well. Never more than a buck or two.
These books will satisfy the patients who don't want to read
anything dental. In fact, one side benefit is that whenever a
patient expresses interest in a book, we just GIVE it to them.
They LOVE it, and they'll remember it when it's time to refer!
Well, that wraps up this edition of "40 Ideas In 40 Days".
Be on the lookout later in the week for my next installment.
Enjoy and prosper!
All my best,
Chris
Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
PS: $2173 Worth of FREE Resources Plus
2 Months FREE Preferred Membership at:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive
Go there now!
“TV Teleseminar” Tomorrow Night…A Few Slots Left
If you haven't already, you need to register for tomorrow night's
Dental Insiders Alliance "Executive Insider" Teleseminar. This
month the title is:
Be THE Expert Dentist On Your Own TV Show
If you are NOT a DIA member, you can register here:
www.DentalInsiders.com/tvteleseminar (follow all instructions)
I've reserved 200 lines for this call, and I already have over
164 reigistered. I'm not sure exactly how many, because my
DIA members are automatically registered. I have 164
NEW registrants that are not members, so you can see
that this call will likely fill up today.
My special expert guest this month is Dr. Jeff Hockings, founder
of "Leading Experts" and "Phenomenal Health". Dr. Hockings
has successfully been using 30-minute TV interview shows for 11
years to build recognition and expert status in his AFFLUENT
community of Palm Springs, CA. If you think TV advertising
must be cheesy or hokey, or too expensive to do right, think again.
Dr. Hockings will reveal how he has cornered his local market
using television...and how you can too. You can star in your own
30-minute television show, interviewed by a professional CBS
news anchorwoman. This is NOT a fluke...it is the real deal. I'm
actually scheduled to film THREE shows this summer, for use
here in Charlotte, NC.
With the US economy being a little shaky, and the nation uncertain
over who the next President will be (don't EVEN get me started on
that), savvy dentists recognize that they need to "step out" and
differentiate themselves from the pack in order to thrive. Television is perhaps the most impactful way to do so, if done properly. Dr. Hockings will share with us how to do just that.
Again, here's the link to register:
www.DentalInsiders.com/tvteleseminar (read all instructions)
"See" you then!
All my best,
Chris
Dental Insiders Alliance "Executive Insider" Teleseminar. This
month the title is:
Be THE Expert Dentist On Your Own TV Show
If you are NOT a DIA member, you can register here:
www.DentalInsiders.com/tvteleseminar (follow all instructions)
I've reserved 200 lines for this call, and I already have over
164 reigistered. I'm not sure exactly how many, because my
DIA members are automatically registered. I have 164
NEW registrants that are not members, so you can see
that this call will likely fill up today.
My special expert guest this month is Dr. Jeff Hockings, founder
of "Leading Experts" and "Phenomenal Health". Dr. Hockings
has successfully been using 30-minute TV interview shows for 11
years to build recognition and expert status in his AFFLUENT
community of Palm Springs, CA. If you think TV advertising
must be cheesy or hokey, or too expensive to do right, think again.
Dr. Hockings will reveal how he has cornered his local market
using television...and how you can too. You can star in your own
30-minute television show, interviewed by a professional CBS
news anchorwoman. This is NOT a fluke...it is the real deal. I'm
actually scheduled to film THREE shows this summer, for use
here in Charlotte, NC.
With the US economy being a little shaky, and the nation uncertain
over who the next President will be (don't EVEN get me started on
that), savvy dentists recognize that they need to "step out" and
differentiate themselves from the pack in order to thrive. Television is perhaps the most impactful way to do so, if done properly. Dr. Hockings will share with us how to do just that.
Again, here's the link to register:
www.DentalInsiders.com/tvteleseminar (read all instructions)
"See" you then!
All my best,
Chris
Apr 23, 2008
Get 40 Ideas In 40 Days…#2-5
If you remember, I sent you a message on my 40th birthday
(Saturday, Apr 19). In it I proclaimed that I would share
with you 40 great ideas for your practice in 40 days, as a
way to celebrate my 40th birthday with you. Also, I started
by giving you Idea #1: "Do The Opposite". Today I'll give
you Ideas #2 through #5, since today is Wednesday. Then I'll
continue at a clip of about 2 messages per week, each containing
the proper number of New Ideas in succession. Cool, huh?
[NOTE: Please do me a favor and FORWARD this message to your
dentist colleagues, with this link for them to sign up for future
messages from me: www.DentalInsiders.com. If they have a pulse
they'll immediately recognize the value in this message...and
they'll want to be in on the rest. Thanks!]
Idea #2 (Apr 20): Be SPECIFIC. This one's HUGE, and I myself got a lesson in this very idea yesterday. Remember the "40th Birthday" message you got last? Well, I asked my virtual assistant to send the message to my entire list. That may not seem to be a problem, BUT...I didn't specify that I meant my entire list of DENTISTS!
You see, recently I had my PATIENT list uploaded into my CRM
(client relationship management) software, so I can use it to
send them messages like I send you messages. I'm sure you can
guess what happened. That "40th Birthday" message was also sent
to ALL of my PATIENTS. OOPS! All because I wasn't specific.
At first I was worried that some of my patients might be a little
disturbed to see this type of a message, especially since it
contained content about "tactics and strategies" and "building
your practice". But the feedback from the few that commented
about it was actually GOOD!
Aside from a little ribbing I got from a patient who also owns
a successful business (he "gets it"), several patients mentioned
that they didn't know I coached other dentists...and they thought
it was GREAT. They were actually impressed that "their dentist"
teaches other dentists how to build their practices. WHEW!
This brings me to Idea #3 (Apr 21): Don't ASSUME without PROOF.
In this case I assumed that the reaction from my patients would
be negative, when in fact it has been overwhelmingly positive.
Now, there may be some patients who didn't like what they saw,
and they either haven't or won't mention it to me. But I'm certain
now....based on the positive feedback...that my error will have
little to no negative implications.
How many times have you assumed something about a patient that turned out to NOT be true? Me, too many times to count. Have you ever had a patient whom you thought would be a great patient, but he never completed any treatment? How about someone whom you were "sure" would be a complete deadbeat, but she paid IN FULL for ideal treatment and completed it all in a flash? We've all had both happen.
Bottom line is that it's DEADLY to make assumptions about anything without facts and proof to back them up. Doing so influences your handling of certain situations...and thus your outcomes. More often than not you'll end up with egg on your face if you base your actions on unsubstantiated assumptions.
Idea #4 (Apr 22): ASK for what you want! This one SEEMS obvious, but I see so many situations where it isn't practiced. Part of the reason may be Idea #3...you assume that your patients know what they are supposed to do. Problem is, they don't.
Ask if your patients understand the nature of their dental problems, and that they'll get worse if not treated. Ask if they are ready to begin correcting them NOW. Ask for the payment BEFORE the treatment is started. And...ASK for their REFERRALS!
Over 80% of your patients have NEVER referred others to your
practice...because you've never ASKED them! Many think you're
too busy...others think you don't need them, want them, or just
don't care. Still more don't even think about it, because you
didn't ASK them. God is right: "Ask and ye shall receive."
Idea #5 (Apr 23): Happiness Attracts Money. And vice versa.
Not long ago my wife Elizabeth and I spent a rare night away from
home, just by ourselves. It was a great little break from the
wonderful craziness that is our home with 3 kids under 5 years old.
We went to brunch at a great local restaurant...but the only problem was that the waitress was a 100% DOWNER. From the moment she approached our table, she made it clear that she was unhappy, and that we shouldn't be. So we got up and reseated ourselves in another section. I refuse to associate with unhappy people. They suck the life out of you.
So we sat in Jenny's section. Man, was she a TREAT! Upbeat,
friendly, just an all-around happy person. Jenny smiled the
entire time we were there, and it was clearly genuine. She made
our brunch experience very enjoyable. You think she got a big
tip? Yep...I left her $20 on $43! No, I usually don't tip almost
50%...but Jenny earned it simply by being a good, happy server.
Like it or not, doc, YOU control the mood in your office. If you
set a happy tone, chances are the team will follow suit. Show up
cranky, chances are the team will follow suit. Either scenario
will have a positive or negative impact on your patients' experiences in your practice, respectively. This in turn will impact their decisions, including those involving money.
All happy people want a happy environment. With so much negativity out there, it sometimes requires work to keep your office mood upbeat. But in the end it's worth it, because you'll attract more patients...and their friends...and they'll invest in you!
Stay tuned for more. In the meantime, share these ideas with your
team, and ACT on them!
All my best,
Chris
Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
PS: $2173 Worth of FREE Resources Plus
2 Months FREE Preferred Membership at:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive
o there now!
(Saturday, Apr 19). In it I proclaimed that I would share
with you 40 great ideas for your practice in 40 days, as a
way to celebrate my 40th birthday with you. Also, I started
by giving you Idea #1: "Do The Opposite". Today I'll give
you Ideas #2 through #5, since today is Wednesday. Then I'll
continue at a clip of about 2 messages per week, each containing
the proper number of New Ideas in succession. Cool, huh?
[NOTE: Please do me a favor and FORWARD this message to your
dentist colleagues, with this link for them to sign up for future
messages from me: www.DentalInsiders.com. If they have a pulse
they'll immediately recognize the value in this message...and
they'll want to be in on the rest. Thanks!]
Idea #2 (Apr 20): Be SPECIFIC. This one's HUGE, and I myself got a lesson in this very idea yesterday. Remember the "40th Birthday" message you got last? Well, I asked my virtual assistant to send the message to my entire list. That may not seem to be a problem, BUT...I didn't specify that I meant my entire list of DENTISTS!
You see, recently I had my PATIENT list uploaded into my CRM
(client relationship management) software, so I can use it to
send them messages like I send you messages. I'm sure you can
guess what happened. That "40th Birthday" message was also sent
to ALL of my PATIENTS. OOPS! All because I wasn't specific.
At first I was worried that some of my patients might be a little
disturbed to see this type of a message, especially since it
contained content about "tactics and strategies" and "building
your practice". But the feedback from the few that commented
about it was actually GOOD!
Aside from a little ribbing I got from a patient who also owns
a successful business (he "gets it"), several patients mentioned
that they didn't know I coached other dentists...and they thought
it was GREAT. They were actually impressed that "their dentist"
teaches other dentists how to build their practices. WHEW!
This brings me to Idea #3 (Apr 21): Don't ASSUME without PROOF.
In this case I assumed that the reaction from my patients would
be negative, when in fact it has been overwhelmingly positive.
Now, there may be some patients who didn't like what they saw,
and they either haven't or won't mention it to me. But I'm certain
now....based on the positive feedback...that my error will have
little to no negative implications.
How many times have you assumed something about a patient that turned out to NOT be true? Me, too many times to count. Have you ever had a patient whom you thought would be a great patient, but he never completed any treatment? How about someone whom you were "sure" would be a complete deadbeat, but she paid IN FULL for ideal treatment and completed it all in a flash? We've all had both happen.
Bottom line is that it's DEADLY to make assumptions about anything without facts and proof to back them up. Doing so influences your handling of certain situations...and thus your outcomes. More often than not you'll end up with egg on your face if you base your actions on unsubstantiated assumptions.
Idea #4 (Apr 22): ASK for what you want! This one SEEMS obvious, but I see so many situations where it isn't practiced. Part of the reason may be Idea #3...you assume that your patients know what they are supposed to do. Problem is, they don't.
Ask if your patients understand the nature of their dental problems, and that they'll get worse if not treated. Ask if they are ready to begin correcting them NOW. Ask for the payment BEFORE the treatment is started. And...ASK for their REFERRALS!
Over 80% of your patients have NEVER referred others to your
practice...because you've never ASKED them! Many think you're
too busy...others think you don't need them, want them, or just
don't care. Still more don't even think about it, because you
didn't ASK them. God is right: "Ask and ye shall receive."
Idea #5 (Apr 23): Happiness Attracts Money. And vice versa.
Not long ago my wife Elizabeth and I spent a rare night away from
home, just by ourselves. It was a great little break from the
wonderful craziness that is our home with 3 kids under 5 years old.
We went to brunch at a great local restaurant...but the only problem was that the waitress was a 100% DOWNER. From the moment she approached our table, she made it clear that she was unhappy, and that we shouldn't be. So we got up and reseated ourselves in another section. I refuse to associate with unhappy people. They suck the life out of you.
So we sat in Jenny's section. Man, was she a TREAT! Upbeat,
friendly, just an all-around happy person. Jenny smiled the
entire time we were there, and it was clearly genuine. She made
our brunch experience very enjoyable. You think she got a big
tip? Yep...I left her $20 on $43! No, I usually don't tip almost
50%...but Jenny earned it simply by being a good, happy server.
Like it or not, doc, YOU control the mood in your office. If you
set a happy tone, chances are the team will follow suit. Show up
cranky, chances are the team will follow suit. Either scenario
will have a positive or negative impact on your patients' experiences in your practice, respectively. This in turn will impact their decisions, including those involving money.
All happy people want a happy environment. With so much negativity out there, it sometimes requires work to keep your office mood upbeat. But in the end it's worth it, because you'll attract more patients...and their friends...and they'll invest in you!
Stay tuned for more. In the meantime, share these ideas with your
team, and ACT on them!
All my best,
Chris
Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
PS: $2173 Worth of FREE Resources Plus
2 Months FREE Preferred Membership at:
www.DentalInsiders.com/testdrive
o there now!
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