This Blog Has Moved

Hello,

This blog has moved to www.DentalInsiders.com/diablog. All past, present and future blog posts will be at the new address.

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
www.DentalInsiders.com

3rd of 3 BIG ways to adapt to this economic climate...

Hey,

Thought I'd say "hey" this time. I hope you had a great weekend.

Today I'm going to cover the third of three phenomenal pieces of
advice from marketing and business building legend Dan Kennedy.
This series is designed to help you weather the current economic
conditions with confidence at the very least, and generate a
truckload of more moolah.

Just as I did with Strategy #1 (sell something different) and
Strategy #2 (sell to someone different), I'll directly tie-in
Dan's suggestions with how you can apply them to the business of
dentistry, and more specifically your practice. (If you missed
the last two messages, go to www.DentalInsiders.com/diablog
to find them so you can get caught up.)

Remember, what worked well "then" with regard to "successful sales"
in your practice most likely is either working less, or not at
all "now". Spending is down, and people are being much more cautious
with their discretionary income. To achieve better results than
you got last year, you're gonna have to make some changes...but
you're a nimble small business. You've got a great team to help
you carry out the necessary steps, so go for it!

Strategy #3: "Sell DIFFERENTLY"

This concept is a "big whammy", because it forces you to rethink
your current systems and processes, looking for ways to improve
and grow.

How exactly do your "sales systems" work? What's working and
what's not working? Where are the holes that allow patients to
slip through the cracks?

How can you alter your processes to increase your conversion
rates...from prospect to new patient...from new patient to
fully committed, long-term referring patient...from "not right
now" to "when can we start"? That's what I'm talking about.

Example #1: Although I do a fair amount of external marketing,
it's not all done the way you may think. For the past year I've
had a part-time "Public Relations Coordinator", who is actually
also a patient. She visits the offices of many physicians,
professionals, and other small businesses here in Charlotte.

Her goal of course is to drive more referrals to my practice
through the development of stronger relationships with these
other businesses. By identifying how we can help their patients
and clients, we've become a "trusted resource" for many of them.
As a reciprocal gesture, we also look for opportunities to refer
TO them as well.

We're "selling" the practice to these businesses differently
than we have before, and differently than anyone else!

Example #2: Several months ago I was noticing that more of my
patients were commenting that they "can't afford to" move
forward with treatment (at this time). In most practices, and
during most times, there could be a whole host of reasons why...
and very few actually have anything to do with money! But
although we're certainly not immune to problems in our treatment
acceptance protocols, I really felt that "affordability" was
the true issue here (for obvious reasons).

So I had my team simply alter the ORDER of financial options
they present to each patient. Instead of presenting the whole
fee first, they began with the lowest possible monthly payment
(Springstone, Chase Health Advance, DocPay, etc). Then they
presented higher payment amounts for shorter terms, and
ultimately the entire case fee, with prepayment savings of course.

The result: an almost immediate increase in acceptance by our
patients! Once they understood that they could make affordable
payments, they were more open to the full fee, and even payment
in full in advance. The gradual "step up" in payment options
has been working better for us lately than opening the financial
arrangements with the full fee and going down from there.

Again, what can you do DIFFERENTLY to get better results? This
is perhaps the most difficult strategy to implement, because
it requires accurate, objective, unemotional thinking and analysis
of your practice systems. However, when you do arrive at the
right changes, they can make a BIG difference!

All my best,
Chris

PS: Dental Insiders Alliance Members, please NOTE: your NEW
copy of Dental Insider Secrets newsletter is now posted at the
member's website for your convenience! You'll be getting the
physical copy mailed to you within about 10 days, but you can
download and print it now if you wish. Enjoy!

PPS: If you're not a DIA member, but you'd like to "kick the
tires" a bit, you should take advantage of my "Patient Attraction
Collection" offer, which includes a bunch of great content on CD's
as well as 2 ~FREE~ months of Preferred Membership. This offer
is being pulled within a couple weeks, so you may want to jump
on this now. Go to www.DentalInsiders.com/patientattraction
for all the details!

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
www.DentalInsiders.com

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

1st of 3 BIG ways to adapt to this economic climate...

I hope your new year / new decade is getting off to a good start.
I'm fired up for 2010...and I'm excited to help you grow your
practice like never before!

Regarding what it takes to get you the results you want in your
practice, one thing's for sure today: what WAS working "then" is
either not working AS WELL "now"...or not AT ALL. Although macro
economic conditions do not necessarily dictate our individual
"micro" economic outcomes (i.e. your practice), they do dictate
that you employ NEW strategies to overcome the challenges and
seize the opportunities that they create.

Yes, I did say "opportunities"! Look back through history and
you'll see countless examples of amazing, once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities borne out of horrific economic corrections. It's
a natural phenomenon that you can take advantage of if you're
nimble and adaptive...and if you're willing to do things
differently.

Ahh, there's the key! Doing things differently. Today I'll begin
to review some excellent advice that I must attribute to one
of my most referred-to marketing mentors: Dan Kennedy. As you
may know, Dan is legendary in the marketing and business building
world. He's also a genius when it comes to REINVENTING businesses
for whatever reasons. This economic downturn is as good a reason
as any.

A while back Dan gave an excellent summary of 3 brilliant adaptive
strategies for growing ANY business during challenging times.
Today, Friday and Monday I'm going to share all three, and of
course relate them directly to dentistry.

Strategy #1: "Sell something DIFFERENT." (Don't worry about the
word 'sell'...you can change it to 'offer' if it makes you
feel better.)

This one's pretty easy to grasp, but boy is it powerful! As
dentists, our "products" are our services and procedures...and
a little actual product too. Let's explore the ways we can
"sell something different" in our practices.

- Add new procedures that you haven't normally done. Many
smart dentists are gravitating to learning and practicing
new procedures. Think of all the things you typically refer
out to specialists that you could likely provide in your own
office. It could be a long list...worth a LOT of revenue!

Not doing root canals? Placing implants? How about Invisalign
AND 6 Month Smiles? Sleep apnea treatment with oral appliances...
sedation dentistry...dentures? What else can you think of?

Sure, many of these require focused training and have a learning
curve. Better get on the on-ramp now, before it's too late!
You'll certainly find that your patients PREFER to come to you
in most cases...and you'll enjoy the big bump in your numbers.

- Look for new adjunct services that you can also add. Perio
Protect, Cari Free, and Arestin are good examples, as are adult
fluoride, home care products, etc.

- Do you have an extra unused operatory? I'll bet you could get
a massage therapist to lease it out...and when he/she's not
busy, your patients can get a special treat in the way of a
free mini-massage.

- Better yet, the most valuable usage of an extra op is to have a
specialist in your office for a 1/2 to full day per week, or more
if needed. Pick one that does procedures you don't think you'll
be doing (for me it's perio surgery), and split the revenues.
You're providing the facility and the patients...the specialist
is providing the expertise and the labor. Tons of ways to work
this out, and it's a complete win-win-win.

"Selling something different" allows you to increase your
productivity without necessarily increasing your patient base.
When you add services and procedures to your mix, your average
lifetime patient value increases, because there's more you
can do for them!

What are YOU going to "sell" that's different this year?

All my best,
Chris

PS: On Friday I'll discuss Strategy #2: Selling to different
people!

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Video: We've been Elfed! Merry Christmas!

My whole family was "ELFED" last night, and we made a Christmas
video for you. That's my wife Elizabeth, and my sons Reid (blond)
and Kenan (brown), along with Olivia and myself, dancin' up a
storm! You've gotta check it out here:

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/wXn5nUEp9022arUZ

Merry Christmas to you if it's your holiday, like it is ours.

If you just finished your Hanukkah celebration, I hope it was
special.

Whatever your religion, my family and I wish you all the best
this holiday season!

All my best,
Chris

PS: The white stuff around Kenan's mouth is ice cream...we just
can't keep him away from the sweets! At least he brushes great!

The Healthcare Debate and Your Practice...

I hope your holiday season is going well, and that you're finishing
out 2009 strong! We're actually "done" for the year, as we finished
our last working day of 2009 yesterday. After some last minute
Christmas preparations, Christmas Eve and Day with the family, and
then the UNC Tar Heels bowl game on Saturday, we're all going to the
beach for a week of relaxation, golf, and recharging!

Today I thought I'd share with you my thoughts on the raging debate
we're having here in the U.S. regarding healthcare reform legislation.
I'm NOT going to "soapbox" my political opinions...rather, I'm going
to discuss how what's going on in Washington is currently related to
your dental practice.

NOT MUCH.

That's it.

What's my point? Well, it's pretty simple. Other than calling
and faxing your political representatives like crazy, mobilizing
other people to do so too, and possibly even organizing like minded
people to express your views (all GREAT ideas)...there's not much
else you can do about what's taking place in Congress and the White
House. You SHOULD be involved, because it is extremely important.

However, your PRACTICE needs to operate and function successfully
regardless of this healthcare debate, or anything else for that
matter. And the BIG idea is that it's largely INDEPENDENT of all
that. Simply put...you've gotta run your business anyway, no
matter what...and the LESS time or energy that is spent IN your
practice discussing or worrying about healthcare legislation, the
MORE productive you will likely be!

When it comes to your practice, it's "YOUR economy" that matters,
not "THE economy". Sure, times are tough, and people are worried
about what the future will hold. It's easy to get "sucked into"
conversations with patients, team members, and other doctors about
all the negative stuff out there today.

Don't do it! Change the subject. Focus on your patients' families
and friends. Find the GOOD news and talk about it. Focus on your
patients' DENTAL issues...that's what they're there for! It's
YOUR responsibility to keep your team and patients focused on
what's important for their dental health, now.

When you can avoid the negative and accentuate the positive, you'll
give your patients a much better experience...especially now.
We've actually had patients comment that it's "REFRESHING" to
come to our office, because we're happy and we make them happy.

Is your office "refreshing"? If so, great! If not, it certainly
can be, starting NOW!

All my best,
Chris

PS: Dental Insiders Alliance members: Don't miss the TWO teleseminar
audio recordings we did this month! You'll be getting an email
very soon that includes links to both recordings. You'll be able
to listen immediately, or download the MP3 and put on your iPod.

PPS: DIA NON-members: I'm pulling my "Patient Attraction Collection"
offer off the shelf on December 31. This will be your last
opportunity to receive so many resources free as part of your
introductory package. The link below has all the details.

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
www.DentalInsiders.com/patientattraction

Did I say 7...make that 11 appointments!

Here's a quick update on my most recent 3-step internal marketing
campaign, during which I used 2 emails and one voice broadcast to
my patients in an effort to pack my December schedule and close
out the year strong. (Check out my last message for all the
details to get caught up.)

During the past two days we've filled FOUR more appointments,
making for a total of ELEVEN filled from this campaign! This
is a carry-over from last week's campaign, as I've sent no
additional messages since then. We didn't have that many
openings, but we shifted a few things around to accommodate
these four patients.

Total value of these 4 new appointments: $4422.00. Added to the
original $7468.00 value of the previous 7 appointments already
scheduled, we've now achieved a grand total of $11,890.00
worth of dental treatment generated from just $148.00 invested.
OK, even if you count the DemandForce $299.00 monthly fee,
my total investment in this campaign is $447.00. That's a
2660% return. Twenty-six point six TIMES my investment. Whoa!

Two appointments were scheduled out of hygiene for patients
who specifically brought up the offer, and they knew they needed
treatment from the previous visit. They both had insurance
benefits to use...one had FLEX money available too.

The other two were calls generated from the campaign. One patient
scheduled perio therapy, while the other scheduled a quadrant of
composites. Pretty cool, huh?

Again, I'm sharing this with you to MOTIVATE you to reach out
to your patients on occasion with unique promotions when you
anticipate the need to add revenues to your practice. The myth
that "discounting your dentistry" somehow cheapens it is 100%
FALSE. The bottom line is that people LOVE to save money...
especially now. And there will be patients who appreciate the
opportunity to save on the dentistry that they need.

If you're worried about giving away too much, worry not. If
your schedule is at least 70% full, chances are you're already
going to cover your fixed overhead...so your margins on this
added revenue are much higher. In other words, you'll still
profit handsomely from this strategy.

Do you think it's too late to do this yourself? Think not!
Just do it (if you need to). Today is December 10th, and
your practice likely has 6 to 10 working days left this month.
So there's still time to make things happen.

Here's a cool idea that still has "legs". Consider a "12 Days
of Christmas" offer, during which you can offer 12% savings
off your fees when patients prepay for treatment. You can
even begin the offer today or Friday, and have a team member
volunteer to answer a cell phone over the weekend. Your office
phone number is forwarded to the cell phone, and your team
member can carry schedules with her/him and fill slots as
calls come in. Of course you'll want to pay your team member
for her efforts. I'd recommend a base of $75 plus $10 per
appointment scheduled AND KEPT.

Use a sequence similar to the one I used, mix it with the best
offer you can craft, and enjoy the calls and added revenues!

Also, if you end up doing this or something similar, please
email me with your results. I'd love to report your success
derived from the implementation of these concepts. Thanks in
advance...I really appreciate your interest and involvement.

All my best,
Chris

PS: Next Wednesday I'm hosting a teleseminar for DIA members titled:
"5 Voice Broadcast Strategies For Your Practice"
This teleseminar is a free benefit for Dental Insiders Alliance
members...but non-members can also attend for a small fee.
Keep your eyes peeled for the official invitation soon.

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

How to fill 7 December appointments (and counting) FAST!

How goes it? Good I hope. We just got back from a weekend in
the North Carolina mountains...beautiful Sapphire, NC...near
Cashiers and Highlands. For those not familiar, we were down
"in the corner" of the state.

We had a bunch of family staying in a huge cabin on the grounds
of Camp Merrie-Wood, where my wife Elizabeth used to go when she
was a little girl. We went to the Highlands Christmas Parade,
played football with the boys in the cold, enjoyed seeing the
first snow of the season...and the kids got a visit from Santa
himself at the cabin. You shoulda seen their faces!

OK...let's get down to business. Recently I've gotten a couple
of requests from Dental Insiders Alliance members who need to
fill some openings in their schedule as 2009 draws to a close.
Here I'll share with you how I not only JAMMED my December
schedule, but also built a "waiting list" of patients eager
to schedule before year end.

If you've previously communicated with your patients that
have insurance and/or FLEX plans about using their benefits
before the end of 2009, you've got a bit of a head start. You
planted the seed for the procrastinators whom you can still
reach. If not, don't worry. It's not too late to pack 'em in.

First, you'll want to consider what it's going to take to get
the number of patients you need to DROP whatever they're doing
and call your office to schedule. During the holidays that's a
BIG task, as most people have A LOT going on. Keep that in mind
as you consider offering an incentive for them to call you now.

As you know, you already have two good incentives built in:
dental insurance and FLEX benefits that expire on December 31st.
Even then, for most patients that's not enough...they'd rather
just wait. For best conversion results (in my opinion) you've
got to offer more during the holidays, especially in the current
economic climate, if you want people to take action.

Here's what I did. I had 3 openings for treatment and 2 hygiene
openings to fill for December, but I wanted more patients than
that to respond so I could have a "waiting list" to help fill
any potential cancellations that occur too.

Step 1: I sent an email to all patients who had been in my
practice within the last FIVE years! Since this is essentially
"free" for me (no additional cost), I included all but those
who were labeled "inactive" by their request. My obvious goal
was to attract a patient or two who hadn't been in for a while,
and the end of the year is one of the best times to do just that!
(Note: I have about 85-90% of my patients' email addresses. If
you're not collecting them, you NEED to be.)

In the email I made a phenomenal offer: $50 Off PER $500 worth of
dentistry started before our last day of December 22nd. So if
a patient schedules $2000, they'll save $200. Not too shabby.
I also LISTED the exact dates and times of the appointments that
were available at that time, with the footnote that they could
vanish at any time as patients called to schedule.

My "REASON WHY" stemmed from the consecutive business days of
"Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday". I decided to declare last
Tuesday as "Tooth-Day Tuesday"! Patients had to call by the end
of the week, but they could save as long as their appointment is
in December.

Step 2: I created a VOICE BROADCAST and sent it to the same list
(including those without email addresses) the next day. In the
message I referred to the email from the day before, and I also
explained the offers. Thanking your patients for being your
patients is a great way to start these messages, by the way.
It's also a good extra reason for the offer. This call went out
on Wednesday, using IfByPhone (www.IfByPhone.com). Cost: $148.00.
It's best to keep these at one minute or less.

Step 3: I sent a follow-up email on Thursday, repeating the offer
and mentioning that we were almost out of appointments in 2009...
which was true. Otherwise the message was essentially the same.

Here's what happened.

The first email generated DOZENS of calls! Within one hour we had
filled 3 of the 5 appointments, and we also started to build our
waiting list of patients who requested different dates and times.
Other callers simply inquired about their treatment needs but
didn't schedule...at least they got one step closer! Still other
callers who were no longer patients allowed us to "scrub" their
names off my active patient list, so I won't waste their or my
time in the future by contacting them.

The voice broadcast served to fill the remaining two slots...
AND two more that opened because of >24-hour cancellations! Two
patients that got the email called to reschedule their appointments,
which allowed us to schedule two more callers. Otherwise the
original appointments would've possibly been canceled later,
making it more difficult to fill them.

7 appointments worth $7468.00 filled with an email and a $148
voice broadcast!

On Thursday the second email generated more calls from patients
requesting appointments. Please do not overlook the importance
of a follow-up message! Since we had no slots left, we added
their names to our waiting list, which we'll turn to when we
have a cancellation.

This "VIP Short Call" list will be MUCH more effective than
our regular patient list, since these are patients who are actively
seeking an appointment this month. Although we had no cancellations
on Monday, I expect we'll still add a few more appointments from
that list in December, as patients rearrange their holiday plans.

Of course this isn't the only way to skin this cat. Your exact
processes may vary, as will your "mileage". But I hope you gain
something from this anecdote. Namely, that it's OK to "prod"
and also "incentivize" your patients on occasion to take action.
In fact it's not just OK...it's PROFITABLE too!

All my best,
Chris

PS: On an unrelated note...if you missed the opportunity to send
your patients their Thanksgiving card and you still want to send
them a holiday card, I'd recommend a "Happy New Year" card instead
of Christmas/Hannukah/etc. cards. That way your card won't get
lost in the deluge of other cards hitting mailboxes in December.
Schedule for a delivery date of about January 10th.

The brief videos linked below outline the exact process I use to
send real cards to my patients (family and friends too) without
going to the store or licking stamps. Even though they use a
Christmas card as their example, I use this online system for ALL
of my postcards and greeting cards. It's fast, simple, and VERY
economical. First, click the first link...then the second!

Here's the first video showing how to send at least 100 cards
in under 5 minutes:
http://www.soccoach.com/sendcards

Next, this video shows you how you can get the same system:
https://www.sendoutcards.com/24057

(NOTE: Either 'Wholesale" or "Entrepreneur" is the way to go!)

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Happy Thanksgiving Wishes!

Today's message is simple:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

From my family to yours, I want to take a moment to
THANK YOU for your interest and involvement in Dental
Insiders Alliance, either as a coaching client, member,
or free subscriber to this E-Alert list.

My wife Elizabeth just finished getting everything set up
for our family feast, and I was just thinking how blessed
we are to be together with Reid (6), Kenan (4 1/2) and Olivia
(2 1/2), plus many of our relatives.

I'm also blessed to have you in my "family of dentists"...
and team members too!

Sharing philosophies, information, concepts and ideas is
a passion of mine, and I'm fortunate to know that so many
dentist/entrepreneurs (you are both you know!) are a part
of my professional life.

As you spend time with the ones you love, please know that
you are appreciated here!

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Thursday Webinar: New Internal Marketing Technologies Explored!

Dental Insiders Alliance Presents:
Your November "Executive Insider" Webinar:

Join me, Dr. Chris Bowman, as I welcome my guest, Joanne Costantini
of Brican America. We're going to discuss several of the latest
INTERNAL marketing technologies available to dentists today...and
how to utilize them in your practice for maximum results and returns.

Title: New Internal Marketing Technologies
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Time: 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM EST

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/138202066

Without question, your new and existing patients are your most
valuable and influenceable "prospects"! They've already chosen
you as their dentist, and they're the most receptive audience to
your marketing messages.

However...they are almost always completely UNAWARE of all the
great things you can do for them. Carefully created and executed
internal marketing messages can inform your patients of what's
available in your practice. Moreover, these messages can also
motivate patients to ask about and move forward with treatment
that can get them healthier and enhance their lives.

In today's high-tech world, the absolute BEST way to communicate
with your patients is through a multimedia approach. During this
webinar Joanne and I will explore IN-office solutions that inform
your patients about your practice while also entertaining them.
Best of all, you can LEVERAGE this technology in multiple ways
both inside and outside the office...both internally and externally!

Bottom line: more patients interested in more treatment options.

Don't be left behind the technology curve...register below and
learn the latest developments in internal practice marketing
strategies.

Title: New Internal Marketing Technologies
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Time: 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM EST

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/138202066

After registering you will receive a confirmation email
containing information about joining the Webinar.

We'll "see" you then!

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Webinar: New Internal Marketing Technologies Explored!

Dental Insiders Alliance Presents:
Your November "Executive Insider" Webinar:

Join me, Dr. Chris Bowman, as I welcome my guest, Joanne Costantini
of Brican America. We're going to discuss several of the latest
INTERNAL marketing technologies available to dentists today...and
how to utilize them in your practice for maximum results and returns.

Title: New Internal Marketing Technologies
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Time: 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM EST

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/138202066

Without question, your new and existing patients are your most
valuable and influenceable "prospects"! They've already chosen
you as their dentist, and they're the most receptive audience to
your marketing messages.

However...they are almost always completely UNAWARE of all the
great things you can do for them. Carefully created and executed
internal marketing messages can inform your patients of what's
available in your practice. Moreover, these messages can also
motivate patients to ask about and move forward with treatment
that can get them healthier and enhance their lives.

In today's high-tech world, the absolute BEST way to communicate
with your patients is through a multimedia approach. During this
webinar Joanne and I will explore IN-office solutions that inform
your patients about your practice while also entertaining them.
Best of all, you can LEVERAGE this technology in multiple ways
both inside and outside the office...both internally and externally!

Bottom line: more patients interested in more treatment options.

Don't be left behind the technology curve...register below and
learn the latest developments in internal practice marketing
strategies.

Title: New Internal Marketing Technologies
Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Time: 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM EST

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/138202066

After registering you will receive a confirmation email
containing information about joining the Webinar.

We'll "see" you then!

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Thanksgiving Card Campaign Webinar Info...

In case you missed it, we had a fantastic webinar on Friday
afternoon, during which I covered the steps involved in
setting up your very own Thanksgiving Card campaign for your
patients within about 1-2 hours.

This week I'll be posting the webinar video so you can see
it again if you were there...or for the first time if you missed
it. In the meantime, I didn't want you to miss out on joining
the same online resource I use for sending these great cards
to my patients.

The company is Send Out Cards, and you can learn more about them
AND actually send yourself a real card by going here:

www.SendOutCards.com/24057
(signing up through my referral will get you a copy of
the exact Thanksgiving card I'm using this year...as well
as a few other cards I've created in the past)

As you'll see, you can send not only postcards, but also greeting
cards with envelopes, as well as tri-fold mailings that allow
you to include more informaion in your mailing.

Better yet are the facts that you can send physical cards to one
or more patients without leaving your desk (I hate shopping for
cards)...and that you can even send automated CAMPAIGNS of cards
to one or more patients. You can actually schedule a "send date"
in the future! I do this all the time for our birthday cards
for patients.

Go ahead and check out the website now, while it's on your mind.
You could literally have your entire Thanksgiving card campaign
READY by the end of today! Here's the link once more:

www.SendOutCards.com/24057

All my best,
Chris

PS: I've created a GIFT ACCOUNT which allows you to send one
card to anyone you want, including yourself. And when joining,
be sure to choose either the "Wholesale" option, or the
"Entrepreneur" option for the most savings on card prices.
Do NOT choose "Retail"...too much per card at that level.

PPS: Even if you have zero interest in SendOutCards as a business,
you should still be using the service routinely. I'm finding
SOC to be one of the best ways to inexpensively stay in touch
with my patients using direct mail. Don't miss out on this.

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
www.SendOutCards.com/24057

Are you joining me tomorrow?

Just one last quick reminder for tomorrow's free webinar:

How To Send Your Own Thanksgiving Card Campaign Fast!

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/482210218

The Thanksgiving card campaign is always one of my most lucrative
promotions each year. This is the perfect time of year to thank
your patients for choosing you to be their dentist...and offer
them unique incentives to complete the dentistry they need or
want now.

In the past, managing campaigns like this required days of effort
and attention, plus dealing with incompetent printers and mailing
houses. Now you can get the whole thing done fast from A to Z
without leaving your desk. Your patients will get their attractive
Thanksgiving cards within days, and your phone will start ringing
with patients eager to schedule their appointments!

Don't let this Thanksgiving come and go without taking advantage
of the massive opportunity that comes with leveraging it for the
benefit of your patients' health and your bottom line! Register
below and join us on Friday. We'll see you then.

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/482210218

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

How to start your Thanksgiving card campaign now!

On Monday I mentioned that I would share with you all the details
of my annual Thanksgiving card campaign. Don't look now but it's
sneaking up on you fast...only 3 weeks away! No worries though,
it's not too late IF you act now.

[If you're in a hurry, scroll down to the link and click to
register for my free webinar this Friday. If you can't make
it, register anyway and you'll get access to the recording.]

Many doctors have expressed interest in sending a Thanksgiving
card campaign to their patients. This is VERY smart. Your cards
will be first to arrive, before all the other holiday cards your
patients get. The uniqueness of the Thanksgiving card beats out
the typical Christmas or Hanukkah cards. Plus, if your card
arrives just before Thanksgiving day, it won't be lost in the
clutter of the December mail.

The Thanksgiving holiday is universal in the U.S. It doesn't depend
on a particular religion. And the message of "thanks" provides a
fantastic "reason why" to make a great OFFER for your patients,
in addition to being a genuine gesture of appreciation.

Using my favorite web-based card sending software, you can pick
out the card you like, write your message in "handwriting" inside,
and send it to your patients on a selected date...all within
TWO HOURS! This includes the time it takes to upload your patient
database to their server.

Your Thanksgiving cards will be delivered and in their hands just
a few days after pulling the trigger. Better yet, if you make
a compelling offer, you'll be getting phone calls from your patients
who want to take advantage of the offer! All within a few days.

On this Friday at 1:00pm EST, I'll be hosting a very brief webinar
(30-45 minutes) that will show you exactly how I'm sending my
Thanksgiving card promotion to my patients...and how you can do
the exact same thing for your patients. You must REGISTER to have
access to this webinar. Details below.

I'll review the entire process from start to finish, including
which offers have driven the best response through the years.
I'll also show you how you can LEVERAGE this mailing to multiply
your Return On Investment (ROI)!

How To Send Your Own Thanksgiving Card Campaign
Date & Time: Friday, Nov. 6th at 1:00pm EST
(12:00pm CST; 11:00am MST; 10:00am PST)

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=5SAHJ&m=1gtMbFm_g_hxOT&b=u8FzP6U1s8egz.AEeopfug

We'll see you then.

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Mixing your messages for fun and profit!

We'll get down to business in a minute, but first:

I hope you had a great Halloween weekend. We had a blast with
our kids of course, as our neighborhood got together for our
annual Halloween "blocks party", with parents and kids all
donning costumes.

Reid (6) was Commander Fox from Star Wars, Kenan (4 1/2)was good
ole Batman, and Olivia (2 1/2) was Princess Ariel in a tutu. If
you're wondering about me, I wore a pig nose and big black wings.
Any guesses? Yes, I was...

The Swine FLEW! My wife Elizabeth was my "Earth Angel" with her
white wings and halo, to round out the family costumes.

OK...now let's get to our topic today:

Mixing Your Messages For Fun & Profit

Last time I took a bit of detour from my original path on this
thread to emphasize how important it is to INCLUDE all of your
patients on your "patient list", except for the ones who have
specifically opted out and have left your practice. How else
will overdue patients return unless you stay in touch??

Today I'm going to discuss MIXING your messages for best results.
The intent is to KEEP EVERYONE INTERESTED in you and your practice,
and not allow them to get bored. Being boring is "sin #1"...as
soon as that happens, you'll find your messages being ignored by
your patients.

As I've said before, the foundation upon which all communications
with your patients should be built is your MONTHLY MAILED patient
newsletter. Yes, a physical paper newsletter delivered by the
mailman. If executed consistently, this will represent 12 of
your minimum 24 contacts per year with your patients.

Although I can't give you all the details about what to include
in your newsletters today, I will give you a few important tips.
First, make it less than 50% "dental"...include personal stories
like I just did above! Add some FUN content unrelated to dentistry.
Highlight selected patients to profile...they make great indirect
testimonials. And don't forget to include INSERTS to encourage
referrals and offers on specific procedures.

You can easily get another 12-24 contacts per year through your
EMAILED communications with your patients. I suggest you email
your patient list 1-2 times monthly with shorter bursts of
info. One article per message...don't get complicated. I know
my messages tend to be longer than normal, but I'm emailing
my industry peers with strategic information. Your messages
should be considered as half information, half ENTERTAINMENT!

Occasionally you can even mix your mailed messages using
postcards, greeting cards, letters, etc. December is a great
month to send an abbreviated "newsletter", for example. This
year I'm doing an 8 1/2 x 11 two-sided card stock mailing,
just to keep it interesting. With all the holiday mail, be
sure to send something different so it'll be noticed, but avoid
the "same as everyone else" holiday cards.

That said, one fantastic way to differentiate your practice is
to send a holiday card for an unusual occasion when people
don't usually get cards. I've been sending Thanksgiving cards
to my patients for several years, and they love it! We also
include an offer, and we tie it in with our "End of Year Insurance
Letter", which we send in mid to late September.

[Very soon I'll be sending another message about this. If you
want to send a Thanksgiving card with special offer to your
patients, stay tuned this week for details!]

Another one of my favorite communication techniques is the
"voice blast". This is a really cool method that should only
be used 3-6 times per year. A voice blast allows you to "call"
everyone on your list at the same time using a service provider,
and all those that answer will receive your prerecorded message
as if your were speaking to them live. These are great for
special events, promotions, or even a surprise "thank you".
Without a doubt, your patients will be blown away!

Now I know there's a chance you may think this is "way too much".
Well, the only reason you may feel that way is because you've
probably been doing a lot LESS of this than you should!

I'm telling you that if you don't get in touch and STAY in touch
at least 24 times per year with your patients, you'll LOSE more
of them than you normally would. No question.

Heck, even if you just do HALF of what I've outlined here, you'll
be so far ahead of other dentists in your area. But don't let
that keep you from going "all the way" and taking FULL advantage
of the absolute BEST practice builder there is:

Continuous, Consistent Communication!

All my best,
Chris

PS: Don't forget...this week I'll give you the opportunity to
JOIN ME and send your own patients a very unique and effective
Thanksgiving Card promotion. Don't miss it!

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
www.DentalInsiders.com/patientattraction

Let's talk about that patient list for a minute...

Last time I shared with you the vital importance of developing
and maintaining a strong relationship with your own patient list.
As I said then, this list is BY FAR your most valuable asset...
and it needs to be nurtured as if it were.

To clarify, your "patient list" consists of the names and ALL
contact information of your existing patients. The names alone
are worthless without the means to contact them routinely via
several different avenues. Home, work and cell phone numbers,
email address, and snail mail address are the minimum you'll
need. If you're missing any of these, get them now.

I was going to discuss how best to "mix your messages" for maximum
effectiveness, but I'm going to save that for Monday. In its
place today I want to bust a BIG MYTH that many doctors buy into,
and how it can wreck the results you COULD get from the concept
of Continuous Consistent Contact. That myth is the belief that:

"ONLY patients who have been in your office within the last 2
years or so" should be considered as your 'existing' patients."

I want to emphasize that I said "existing" patients. To me
that means ALL patients that have NOT specifically left your
practice, or have NOT asked to no longer receive messages from you.
I need to discuss this for a moment, because it's very important.

Don't listen to any so-called experts who tell you to "deactivate"
patients that haven't been in for 24 months or whatever they say.
Bluntly, that's a bunch of C-R-A-P. Keep them ON your list until
they "opt out", period. If you haven't been staying in touch,
why do you think they ain't comin' in?!?!

Most of these patients have NOT gone to another dentist...they
just haven't been back to see you. It's easy to sit and wonder,
"what did we do wrong?" But it's usually something in the
patient's life that has kept them away, whether it be a legitimate
reason or their own procrastination.

As Walter Hailey used to say: "It's not that they don't think very
much of you...it's just that they don't think of you very much!"

Problem is, since you never contacted them, they FORGOT about you,
or they thought YOU didn't want them to come back! Many even think
that you're MAD at them, and they're embarrassed that they've been
away for so long. So they go somewhere else, because it's easier
for them to start over than to face you. Twisted, but true.

Imagine if you had kept in touch with mailed newsletters, timely
emailed messages, and more. These patients would feel CONNECTED
to you and your practice, even if they haven't been in a dental
chair for a few years.

What if, in your communications, you reached out to overdue
patients with a "no guilt zone" message, welcoming them back with
open arms? You'd still be their "obvious choice"...and when
they're finally ready to return to a dentist, they'll return to
YOU!

More importantly, many of these overdue patients would never have
gone overdue. When you stay in touch, you stay "top of mind",
and you develop a sense of reciprocity in your patients that
compels many of them to be better patients and stick to their
recall schedules.

Want the BEST part? Here it is. Your good patients will become
GREAT patients for the same reasons. They'll DO MORE DENTISTRY!
They'll REFER more, especially if they are invited frequently to
refer. And your greatest patients...well, there will just be
more of them. Would that be OK with you?

Please don't worry about the perceived costs of maintaining
your relationships with your patients by staying in touch.
If done properly, any money invested in Continuous, Consistent
Communication with them will come back many times over!

So...keep your list stocked with your more regular patients AND
all those patients that haven't been so regular. Give them ALL
the opportunity to remain in your family of patients. If you've
neglected your patient list, get started today at cultivating
them.

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
www.DentalInsiders.com/patientattraction

PS: Next time...my recipe for the best "message mix"!

Your absolute most valuable asset...and....

OK, it's Monday..."time to make the donuts!"

Your Absolute Most Valuable Asset...and...
What To Do With It!

Lately I've gotten an increasing number of messages from dentists
around the US and Canada, asking me what THE most effective thing
is that they can do to close out 2009 strong. No doubt, many
dentists are suffering poor growth, or even a decline in business
this year. They want answers...they NEED answers. How about you?

Well, first I'll answer the above question by emphasizing that
there is NO ONE THING that will catapult your practice to new
levels this year...or any year. Sustained, consistent growth comes
from implementation of a MULTITUDE of actions and initiatives.
That's the only way to build true momentum. The last thing you
want is only one way to acquire new patients, for example. If that
source ever goes dry, to put it bluntly you're hosed.

Nevertheless, you may want to know where to START. OK, I'll give
you my best recommendation, right now. Start with your most
valuable asset:

- your own PATIENT LIST.

Without question, your most valuable asset in your practice is
your patient list, and the relationship you have with that list
will largely determine how successful you'll be, and how much
you can expect to grow your practice in ANY economic climate.

Sure, new patients are critical to practice growth. You always
need a flow of new patients, and I always advocate constant
marketing for new patients. However, while most dentists tend
to focus solely on acquiring new patients, they neglect the
massive opportunity that exists within their own patient family.
They already know you, and they'll typically be more receptive
to your messages...IF you send them!

Just like a farmer tends to the crops, you must care for and
cultivate your patient list for best results. If you do this
your "harvest" will always be strong!

There is NO group that you have more influence over than your
list of patients...that is, IF you are STAYING IN TOUCH with them
consistently over time. Every month you do not contact your
patients you LOSE 10% of your influence with them...and they
begin to forget who you are!

I recommend keeping in touch with your patients a MINIMUM of
twice per month, through various methods. Yes, that's 24 times
per year. And recall cards and statements don't count!

How, you ask? I've found the best way to stay connected with your
patients is with a combination of mailed monthly newsletters and
emailed newsletters. You need BOTH...don't rely only on email
to get your message across. In fact, the physical, mailed
newsletter should be the cornerstone of your communications
with your patients!

One BIG point: Any promotions or offers you make to your patients
will be MUCH more effective if you've been keeping in touch with
them over time! They must be "trained" to receive your messages,
and the only way to do that is to SEND them messages consistently.

In a couple of days I'll continue this thread with advice about
the best MIX of communications to use...that it, how to weave
your non-promotional messages with any offers you make. Stay tuned!

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance
www/DentalInsiders.com/patientattraction

How the $1 Consultation increases your show rate!

It's getting a little chilly down here in Charlotte (or "up" here
if you're south of us)...this is perhaps my favorite time of year.
No more stifling 90+ degree days with raging humidity, just shirt
sleeves days and cool crisp nights.

Speaking of "chilly", that can be the mood in your office when
your promising "Free Consultation" patient no shows for his or
her first visit in your office. You attract interested prospects
with your marketing, they call and schedule their free consultation,
and you're all excited to discuss their interests and be THE
solution for them. They even sound excited and "ready to go" on
the phone!

Then they don't show up.

No call, no notice...no patient.

You double check the schedule...walk up to the front...ask the
team what happened, and of course they're dumbfounded and frustrated
too. Yes, they called to confirm. Yes, the new patient even
called back and said "yes I'll be there." But still no patient.

There aren't many things that grate on me more than missed
appointments with little or no notice. It's the biggest disrespect
of someone else's time I can think of, and in this case that
"someone else" is US.

Well, I'll start by saying that there is most certainly NO one
way to eliminate all missed appointments...not even close. But
there are things we can do to help minimize the number of no shows
that we experience from new patients. Recently I've tapped into
a KILLER strategy for reducing missed consultation appointments
from new patients, and I'm going to share it with you right here,
right now.

Charge $1 when they schedule.

Yep, simply ask the caller for their credit card number so you
can schedule their $1 Consultation. Then charge the $1 fee right
then, while on the phone. This does two things:

1- You get their credit card number, which is an extra level of
commitment that you didn't have before. This is critically
important, because you can mention that your normal consultation
fee is $120 (or whatever you wish), and this amount will not
be charged unless they miss their appointment without prior
notice...in our office that's at least one of OUR business days.

2- You train them to prepay for your services. Even though it's
just $1, the concept is more powerful than the dollar value.

While I call this the "$1 Consultation", you could still advertise
"Free" as well. Here's how.

Charge the $1 to secure their appointment time, then REFUND that
amount when they arrive. This strategy works in many businesses,
so why not dentistry? In fact, you can charge whatever amount
you want and refund it upon arrival, and it's still "free"! But
you'll get the least resistance with $1.00.

Market research has shown that the word "FREE" is one of the most
powerful words in marketing. The "$1" offer is strong too, and
worth testing vs. "free" in your market. Whichever you choose,
you'll feel more confident scheduling your new patient consults
when they are secured with a credit card.

All my best,
Chris

PS: If you're worried about resistance to this protocol, think
about how many patients scheduled consultations in your office,
then they just didn't show up. If a patient's not willing to
commit $1 to be at your office, chances are they're not serious
about the appointment. Do everything you can to build value
in the appointment, but if they refuse to share their credit
card info, let them go. I've always said:

"If they schedule for free, they can cancel for free!"

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

CORRECTION...Webinar is TONIGHT!! Register Now...

Sorry for the error...here's the first part of the
previous message:

Join us for a Webinar on September 29:
How To Add Short Term Ortho To Your Practice NOW!
- an interview with Dr. Ryan Swain

In this September Dental Insiders Alliance Webinar, I'm pleased to
welcome my special guest, Dr. Ryan Swain, founder of 6 Month Smiles
Adult Cosmetic Braces. Dr. Swain is a true leader in the field of
"Short Term Ortho" treatment, and his training courses are filling
up consistently around the country. This treatment modality is
emerging fast, and you do not want to be behind this curve.

Having recently attended his course myself, I can confidently
say that it was one of the best...if not THE best...CE experiences
of my career. That's why I've invited Dr. Swain to share his
perspective on Short Term Ortho with us.

Title: How To Add Short Term Ortho To Your Practice NOW!
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM EDT
(8:00PM CDT; 7:00PM MDT; 6:00PM PDT)

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/522255523

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Your 6 Month Smiles Webinar is tomorrow! Register Now...

Join us for a Webinar on September 29:
How To Add Short Term Ortho To Your Practice NOW!
- an interview with Dr. Ryan Swain

In this September Dental Insiders Alliance Webinar, I'm pleased to
welcome my special guest, Dr. Ryan Swain, founder of 6 Month Smiles
Adult Cosmetic Braces. Dr. Swain is a true leader in the field of
"Short Term Ortho" treatment, and his training courses are filling
up consistently around the country. This treatment modality is
emerging fast, and you do not want to be behind this curve.

Having recently attended his course myself, I can confidently
say that it was one of the best...if not THE best...CE experiences
of my career. That's why I've invited Dr. Swain to share his
perspective on Short Term Ortho with us.

Title: How To Add Short Term Ortho To Your Practice NOW!
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM EDT
(8:00PM CDT; 7:00PM MDT; 6:00PM PDT)

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/522255523

After registering you will receive a confirmation email
containing information about joining the Webinar.

Here's some of what you'll learn from Dr. Swain:

- The difference between 6 Month Smiles "Short Term Ortho" (STO)
and more traditional, comprehensive orthodontics.

- Current and emerging market trends for potential STO patients...
why MILLIONS of adults are candidates.

- The advantages...and disadvantages...of STO treatment.

- What types of cases are best for STO methods...and what types of
cases should be avoided.

- How much training is required to get started with your first
cases (this will SHOCK you).

- Why the STO method is extremely profitable, and popular!

- The absolute EASIEST way to bond orthodontic brackets.

- How you can be using ALL tooth-colored materials (wires too)
in your STO cases.

- How to initiate a 6 Month Smiles conversation with your patients.

- 5 BIG tips for marketing 6 Month Smiles quickly in your area.

...and much much MORE.

We'll "see" you then!

All my best,
Chris

Dr. Chris Bowman
Dental Insiders Alliance

Title: How To Add Short Term Ortho To Your Practice NOW!
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM EDT
(8:00PM CDT; 7:00PM MDT; 6:00PM PDT)

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the Webinar.

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/522255523