Answers to 2 great questions

Within just a short time of shooting out yesterday's E-Alert, several savvy doctors went straight to the link (www.thereferralmovie.com/fordentists) and checked out the Send Out Cards system. Very smart. If you haven't done this yet, you need to!

I also got 2 great questions from subscribers, and I wanted to share them with you because they're both instructive in more ways than one. Question #1 is addressed in this message...question #2 will be covered tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled.

Question #1- Dear Chris,
Very interesting, I was wondering if you can show the percentages of discount based on the dentistry performed. It'll give me a better idea of how to work my future promotion.
Thanks,
Dr. Joe Simaie

Great question...better reason for the question! Dr. Simaie sounds like he's ready to IMPLEMENT my idea now. I'm guessing that he would apply a similar promotion to an upcoming "reason why" date or event, and not wait till next year. That's a mini lesson itself.

My answer has a couple parts, and is instructional too. First, the savings in this promotion are:
$50 off $500-$999; $100 off $1000-$1499;
$150 off $1500-$1999; $200 off $2000 or more

So, the most I'm giving away is 10%, down to about 5%. Guess what...I routinely give away up to 8% for those patients who pay in full one week in advance! So, I'm not giving up much more than normal, and in some cases less.

When the savings from the promotion is less than the savings acquired by paying in full one week in advance, we always offer the higher savings. Another "victory" for the patients.

[By the way, my fees are POSITIONED high enough that I can afford to offer savings like this to my patients. Everyone loves a sale. When you put your fees on sale, you stimulate more "YES's" from your patients.]

Here are the bigger lessons. First, a promotion like this will act as the TRIGGER that causes a patient to act on a decision to move forward. The results are greater when patients are aware of their problems, and have been presented the solutions. This is the "nudge" that pushes them to call us.

Second, some patients prefer to pay only their portion of the total fee, and have their insurance pay us the difference (you MUST estimate low, low, low benefits from insurance). When they see how much they can save, they often SWITCH to prepaying us in full, one week early. Cool.

Lastly, the fact that I've reached out to them with a tangible, compelling offer TIED TO a reason for contacting them is something that BUILDS A RELATIONSHIP with them. Remember that I thanked them for choosing us to be their dental office in a 4th of July card. Even for those who don't respond, I've "touched" them, and they'll remember me for it.

OK, that should get you going! Stay tuned for tomorrow's message, when I answer question #2...which is VERY important.

All my best,
Chris

PS: Here's the link once again for Send Out Cards info:
www.TheReferralMovie.com/fordentists