Grow The Line That
Leads to Your Practice

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Consider these typical for many people pre-appointment misgivings:
I should be going back to my old dentist -- he wasn't great, but I knew him. Why am I changing?... I should have gone to Mary Lou's dentist -- she says she's good... I have too many things to do today -- I'll just cancel my appointment... I hate going to the dentist, I'll just skip going to that new guy.

Now imagine this: Your new patient may have had these same doubts, but receives your colorful, professional New Patient Kit the day after your call. Here's a brochure -- an appointment card -- even a welcome letter -- plus a complimentary copy of your newsletter. Effectively, each piece responds to a different unasked question, building confidence and commitment on the spot!

How the components work together

The Welcome Letter is a conversational greeting between you and your new patient -- the equivalent of eye contact and a handshake.

The Welcome Brochure introduces you and your team. It outlines your clinical credibility, maps your location, lists your services. And, most important, answers the unasked questions: Will you understand my fears? Can you protect me from AIDs? How would you handle an emergency?

The Appointment Card confirms date and time -- subconsciously strengthening resolve to keep the appointment.

Your Practice Newsletter demonstrates your commitment to informative communication with every patient.

Suzanne Boswell of The Mystery Patient Company has interviewed hundreds of typical dental patients to find out what they like (and don't) about your profession. Her key discovery: They all have reservations -- and questions they're too embarrassed to ask.

The Welcome Brochure answers them for you automatically -- before the very first appointment! The way is paved, and that tenuous connection between you and the first-timer grows to a positive commitment.

What's thinner than dental floss -- and infinitely more fragile? It's the imaginary thread of desire that motivates any new patient to book an appointment and see you. Virtually every thought or emotion conspires to break that thread! Watch out!

Your brochure can do more harm than good if it's overloaded with copy, printed on flimsy paper, or copy machine duplicated -- anything that implies less than professionalism.

What to watch for

Paper: Use a substantial feeling, prime paper stock -- at least 80# cover weight
Inks: Print in at least two inks. (Two colors increase eye tracking by 13%.)
Topics to address: Welcome statement, location, infection control, fear, dental emergencies, and services.
Uses: Reception room, handouts, new patient kit.
Avoid: Office hours, staff or associate names, prices, fees, technical jargon.

Years ago, when I was searching for what I wanted to do with my life, I saw a sign that read: Bloom Where You're Planted. Suddenly, the path was clear. I told myself, stop looking for the impossible. Instead, take advantage of who I am and what I have, right now.

Although this analogy may be a stretch, it's somewhat the same with dental practices I advise. It's important for us to know where each practice is currently "planted" so we can help them take advantage of their present situation -- and "bloom."

While every practice is unique, I've found four pretty inclusive groupings. I call them Coasting, In Transition, Stressed, and Start-up.

If your practice is experiencing difficulties -- downturn in the income stream, for example -- you need to review your current position and determine the marketing strategies that make sense for you here and now.

For example, Start-up practices need people walking through the door, right now! Almost all of a Start-up's investment should be targeted to external marketing: motivating strangers to come into this new practice, make another appointment, and then refer their friends.

The Start-up marketing budget will be "balanced" at about 85% external and 15% internal marketing diversification.

By contrast, an In Transition or Stressed practice will probably have a budget of between 5 and 7 percent of gross collections and balanced more toward 50% internal and 50% external marketing strategies and tools.

Where's your practice today?

Before you spend a dime on practice marketing, take a hard look at where you are today -- and where you're likely to be tomorrow. Remember that the stage you're in can change. This year you may be Stressed. Next year, Coasting.

I'm always reluctant to give hard-and-fast rules on marketing needs for any stage of practice. Situations vary so widely, a personal practice review by Hycomb (followed by a customized marketing recommendation) is far superior to generalities.

However, typically, Start-up practices require visibility (direct mail, advertising), demographics and psychographics to understand the nature of potential patients in the practice's area of influence. In-transition practices need a way of reaching and motivating a group of identifiable patients (former patients of a retiring dentist, say, or all the current patients if the office is moving). Still -- regardless of practice stage -- every dental practice needs one key ingredient: a marketing plan (and the willingness to stick with it).

Raising the Dead

I recently got a call from an office manager complaining about the patients they were losing to an HMO. She was so irate she decided to purge all the defectors from the database! Unfortunately, at that moment she also cost her dentist the chance to reach a valuable sector of the population: patients who left the practice and, with the right marketing, may return.

Gone, Not forgotten

Inactive files (people who haven't had an appointment in more than 18 months) can be a gold mine -- not database deadwood! And a well-thought-out internal direct mail campaign can reactivate them. Many dentists feel inactives have forgotten about them. In reality it's the opposite: Without communication patients feel the dentist has forgotten them.

What to expect

Don't expect much to come of a single mass-mailed letter. A cost-effective campaign consists of two to three mailings (three to six weeks apart) or, depending on the size of your list, a campaign of mailings plus telephone follow up calls. Not only does repetition build credibility, it's more likely to catch a patient whose dental need has developed since the previous letter. If your inactive patient list is old, expect 25% - 35% of the first mailing to be returned, stamped "moved" or "deceased." Therefore, your second wave will be smaller, more focused, more cost-effective. The third wave should be even smaller. There's no need to target patients already returning to your practice!

Typical Marketing Budgets
Where does your practice fit?

Coasting 3%
Coasting practices are established, doing well. They have good visibility in their communities, a steady new patient flow.

In Transition 5%-7%
In Transition practices are varied. But change is in the near future. They may be expanding, moving to new offices, or hiring new associates. Or the opposite: one key partner may be about to retire as others seek to retain old patients and fill the gap.

Stressed 5.7%
Stressed practices are experiencing a flattening of patient flow, for whatever reason. Sometimes they're faced with the town's major business leaving town and taking patients along with it. Stress can result from the sudden appearance of heavy advertising by a competitor.

Start-up $$
Start-up dental offices are those that have to hit the ground running because they have no patients. Here's the most difficult challenge of all, because start-ups need the greatest investment of marketing dollars at a time when they often have the least.

 

Your Team--Your Greatest Asset
(Does this sound familiar?)

By Melinda Spitek

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You've just been blown away by your second personnel crisis in a month. Last week, your hygienist Jenny dropped bomb #1: She's quitting because her husband got a great job 90 miles away. Now Mary, your longtime office manager, wants out. Worse, she's going to another dentist on the other side of town. Why me? you're probably thinking. How does a hard-working professional even manage to locate dedicated team members? And then, what's the trick to holding onto them? Would you be interested in a reliable, proven way of keeping valuable office help? A way that doesn't include raising wages or incentive bonuses or anything out of your own pocket?
It's called valuation. And it doesn't come from your pocket. It comes from your heart. Naturally, you must pay a competitive salary and provide competitive benefits to retain good employees. But what most workers are looking for is something money can't buy. They want to feel that their eight hours is making a difference. And that the boss recognizes -- indeed, appreciates -- their work.
It may seem odd to suggest that working your team harder can make them more loyal -- but it's true! Of course, it depends on what you're asking them to do. And its predicated on your appreciation of the extra effort. Involving your staff in your practice marketing plan isn't just cost effective, it enhances the team's sense of it's collective value. Each team player can have individual responsibility in your marketing plan. Your clinical assistant can handle all the press releases, the hygienist can be in charge of your quarterly communications mailing and your administrator can track and report results at team meetings.
If you want to keep both your sanity and a smooth running practice you need to keep all the parts running smoothly. Every human has a basic need not only to be paid -- but to be valued. Reward with value and appreciation your greatest asset -- your team.

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Do You Offer Employees:

Medical Benefits
Free Dentistry
Retirement Plan
Opportunity to Grow
Job Description
Morning Meetings
Consistent Policy
Respect