Archive for November, 2009
The Blessed Dental Staff Meeting
Posted by: | Comments
Part 1 of 2
Several years ago Mike and I were discussing staff meetings and he suggested to me that if possible he would take the staff to lunch weekly. At the time I thought that it would be too often, and my attempt at weekly was not received as I anticipated. I am writing here to share my experience with this pearl of an idea with you as to the untold benefits that it can bring you and your practice.
After trying for weekly I asked my receptionist to schedule it as often as possible. Four years later we are now consistently doing this twice a month. We go to breakfast or lunch with each meal having a different advantage. We allow an hour for breakfast and one and a half hours for lunch. Lunch needs more time as we may not consistently be able to leave on time due to patient treatment.
Breakfast has distinct advantages over lunch that are important. We have our staff huddle for the day before we leave the office for this meal to be ready for the day. The major advantage of this meal time is that for the most part no member of the staff has had to receive any stress from a patient. This is a very important fact. The breakfast meeting allows for exchange that is not tainted with patient stress and their behavior. The breakfast time allows for personal exchange that is most important. These meals do not have an agenda related to business. For the most part we do not talk business as this is a time for socializing.
Occasionally, I will bring issues that affect our team dynamics. Whenever you have group dynamics, you will have friction. It is inevitable that this occurs, and it is the handling of this problem that is important to your practice. You may have considerable different ages with your staff, and the problems at home do differ with age. Some of your staff may have teenagers at home, and some may have adult children who have left the nest only to return with their children and different stresses. It is good to become a supportive, interactive group with a concern for the mental and physical health of each member of the staff. The breakfast meeting facilitates this interaction if it is laced with honesty from each member. This is the essence of handling interpersonal friction. Life is hard and it is suffering as the first great truth of Buddha states to his followers. Keeping this fact in mind with the group dynamic is invaluable.
Sharing must be honest for this meeting to be of help to your group, and it may take some time before everyone feels safe to be honest. You will have to allow time for this process to happen, and it will. Do not try to force this issue; it will only make things worse and stress staff members.
See Part 2 Coming Soon!
As A Dentist, How Can I Utilize PR, Advertising And Marketing In My Practice?
Posted by: | CommentsPart 3 of 3
Internal Printed Pieces, Brochures and Direct Mail Pieces, Internet
Your new logo should go on every internal and external piece that you print: forms, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, labels, postcards, appointment cards, etc. This is now your trademark. It becomes associated with your practice. What does the IBM, Apple or Chevrolet logo look like? What color is it? Name and trademark association. Believe me, it works.
Once you have that great looking logo design that reflects your practice and practice philosophy, it’s time to consider advertising with traditional direct mail pieces and brochures to promote your business. Whatever you decide on, depending on your circumstance, seek professional advice to discern your target audience. It won’t do you any good to print $3,000 worth of brochures for mailing if you don’t know where those brochures are going and what you can expect once they get there. Target your audience! What are your demographics? Who are the people you wish to have respond to your practice? This is a time when you should evaluate and re-evaluate your policies and systems. Are you wanting new business? Or, are you interested in promoting a special cosmetic or hygiene service? Sit down first with your team, map out a plan and consult with a professional marketing person or firm who can help you meet your needs.
There are other forms of advertising that a dentist and team can offer to help establish a practice as well as develop a relationship with existing patients. Some offices give toothbrushes and dental floss to promote goodwill and good dental health. Others send out informational letters, newsletters and brochures to keep patients current on the practice as well as informing patients of new dental procedures, office changes and additions. All can be used at different times or in conjunction with one another to enhance the practice.
The internet appears to be a big part of the future. Register your domain name, have a professional set up a website for you. It is more of an informational service now, but it’s still advertising. Your prospective patient may wish to get a “feel” for your office and what services you provide, how you and team look, where you are located, even just to find your phone number. All important to have that online initially. Later, as you become more savvy with what the internet can provide, you can start looking at marketing opportunities.
And just one more thing. Don’t make your website complicated. Please! Listen to me on this one. Display your phone number ,address and e-mail address on the home page prominently and a link for directions to your office (either through Mapquest or some other service). Place it close to the top of your page where everyone visiting your site can see it in the window when it first opens up without having to scroll down to find it. Have it large enough for older people to read. Don’t have so much fancy flash and other movement going on that people get distracted and can’t remember why they are visiting your site. And don’t bury information. A website should be user-friendly and easy to navigate through in a logical manner. Don’t redirect people to other areas on your site unless it is absolutely clear that is what you’re doing and please don’t re-direct them to someone else’s site for a specialty service. You just lost them if you do. Always, always have them contact you for information.
I’ve just touched on many of the ways in which you can enhance and promote your practice. Let me conclude with this old advertising adage. “A business that never advertises, eventually advertises that ‘Going-out-of-business’ sale.”
My best to all of you.
I hope you’ll look at our upcoming marketing section on our main site: www.SchusterCenter.com. In the future we plan to offer an ONLINE class on dental marketing. Stay tuned!
“As A Dentist, How Can I Utilize PR, Advertising And Marketing In My Practice?”
Posted by: | CommentsPart 2 of 3
What literature are you putting in front of your patients?
As a professional graphic designer, I just have to say to you that I have never understood why a dentist, accountant, lawyer, doctor, or any other business person would want to create their own graphics on a computer just because they can. After all, I don’t extract my own teeth just because I can. In other words, you’re not trained in graphic design, you’re not a professional artist, and it takes a lot of time and education in the art field to acquire the knowledge to “know” how to brand a business.
It just doesn’t make sense for you to take time away from what you do best to put on a “graphic designer hat” and create your own logo and artwork for your practice. Frankly, it always looks like you did it because “canned” computer art is just that. It looks like everyone else’s.
My advice to you is to pay a professional. Nothing against printers, they are great people, but printers are, for the most part, interested in printing and not in design. Make sure you find a professional designer to do your work or a printer who has an in-house professional designer or affiliated with one. You don’t have to spend a fortune but you may spend more than you think. Don’t skimp here. Spend enough to create a quality design that is clever, means something to you and professional. After all, if you want to produce quality dentistry, don’t you want to “look” like that’s exactly what you do?
Once you have a working relationship with a graphic designer you can trust that designer to handle most all of your printing/internet needs. Set an amount within your budget for design, printing and internet. Work with a marketing firm or person to help you identify where you want to market your services and how to go about it. You need to develop a comprehensive budget of what costs will be involved in advertising, marketing and PR projects. Don’t be stingy, “the more you tell the more you sell,” “the more informed the more forewarned.”
Emily Post, Where Are You?
Let’s remember Emily Post and re-acquaint ourselves with “manners”. There is nothing in the world like a “thank you” note or e-mail to help your image. Try to always send some kind of thank you acknowledgment to a new patient after a visit – note or e-mail. I know it’s time consuming but an e-mail to every patient after a visit is a terrific internal public relations move. You can even add a follow-up or reminder, i.e., “Mrs. Smith, thank you so much for placing your confidence in me and my team for your dental needs. We sincerely appreciate your business and look forward to a wonderful professional relationship with you.” Or, “So good to see you again, Mrs. Smith. We’re glad you scheduled the follow-up appointment for… I’ll have Susan, our office manager, call you as a courtesy reminder as your appointment nears. Sincerely, Dr. John.”
Later, as you develop a more personal relationship, your notes can become shorter, “Judy, nice to see you again. Thanks for coming in.” Or, you can add a personal note that tells Judy you are aware of her needs, “Hi, Judy, Keri told me you’re doing great on your dental hygiene. Keep up the good work.”
And don’t forget to ask for that referral! “Judy, if you know of someone who would benefit from our quality dentistry, would you please give them my name and perhaps my website or e-mail so we can answer any of their questions. We always appreciate referrals. It’s the best acknowledgement of our good work that we can ever receive.”
And guess what else you’re doing? You’re developing an e-mail list for future announcements about your practice!
Send a greeting card or an e-greeting card if you have e-mail addresses during the holidays. It’s nice to drop a preprinted birthday greeting postcard in the mail and general greeting cards for special events like a birth of a child, graduation, etc. Send a reminder postcard or place a reminder phone call for upcoming appointments. If you have a practice for children send Valentine’s Day cards, Halloween cards, Back-to-School, Thanksgiving, anything that reminds your patients that “you care and you’re there” for the family. Don’t groan. There our automated e-mail programs that will help you do all of the above. You just add the “special touch” to the e-card.
Keep your name and practice out in the community. Do not operate in stealth mode. “To operate in stealth, does not create wealth.”
(Part 3 of 3 on Internal Marketing coming soon!)
For more information click here.
As A Dentist, How Can I Utilize PR, Advertising and Marketing in My Practice?
Posted by: | CommentsPart 1 of 3
Ever ask the above titled question to yourself? I bet you have. Especially since advertising and marketing have become such a key component for professionals over the past few years.
I have run my own business with 7 employees and a business partner for many years. For health reasons, my business partner retired a few years ago and I am now the sole proprietor. Also, 11 years ago, I accepted a part time position with one of my clients. You guessed it, The Schuster Center. I still maintain my office but at a much slower pace specializing in logo design work and other print related design. Rather than the fast paced, push the work out mode we all get trapped in, I choose now with whom I wish to work. Sound anything like Dr. Schuster’s philosophy?
I hope this gives you a bit of a background into my business experience since 1981.
I’d like to write about what you can do to promote your own business. And I will admit that I do use all of those “advertising” terms like “promote”, “target audience”, “satisfied customer”, “direct mail”, “demographics”, etc.
The Obvious Is Not Always So Obvious
First, and foremost, your practice is a business. It must be run like a business, including hiring a qualified team to represent your business. Remember, the first person who speaks with or meets and greets your patients sets the tone for the entire experience. Grumpy Gwendolyn is not going to impress your patient or give him or her confidence in your practice. Happy Helen or Perky Penelope is probably a better solution to that close encounters of the first kind.
So, just who is your salesperson for your business? Why, it’s you! You are the person in charge of creating an atmosphere that creates the image you want to represent. That image is all about you – in the people (team) you hire, the decor of the dental office, the books and magazines on the tables, brochures and literature that you publish about your practice, the mission statement on the wall. (You do have one hanging there, don’t you?) – all reflect your professionalism and attitude toward your dental practice and business and the patients you serve.
There are some things that money cannot buy. And that’s goodwill and word of mouth advertising. There “ain’t” nothing like a “satisfied” customer spreading the word!
Is it true that a patient can have a “good” dental experience? Of course it is. And guess what that’s called, PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING and ADVERTISING. Yep, it’s all part of that picture. From the very first patient experience – that first phone conversation to the initial office visit; hygienist; dentist; right down to billing procedures – all are part of, and should be considered advertising, public relations and marketing and treated as such.
President Truman had a plaque on his desk in the oval office that said, “The Buck Stops Here.” And, believe me, as a small business owner, I know who’s responsibility it is to pick up the pieces when something doesn’t go right in the workplace. And that’s me (as the owner). It’s my money, my time, and my reputation on the line! And, it’s the same for you. For me, “my word is my bond.” If I say I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it. It has served me well.
So let’s look at the ways that you can improve your vision and “advertise” your business with you at the helm.
- Know that you set the tone of the entire office team and patient experience. Who you are is what you create.
- Know that you are the final answer to any problem within the practice. Make sure you’re not the “problem” but rather the “solution”.
- Hire value-minded people. Those who have the same goals and vision for your practice you have.
- Your practice decor should reflect your vision and forward thinking model. Mission Statement on the wall for all to read.
- The receptionist should be one of the most important people in your patients’ initial experience within your office. That includes over the telephone.
- Recognize your limitations. Hire those people who can compliment or enhance qualities that you might lack or need to improve. In other words, if you are a more laid back type of person, it might be in your interest to hire a person who has a more outgoing personality. And, visa-versa.
(Part 2 of 3 on Internal Marketing coming soon!)
Part 2: Level I, II, III and IV Dental Practices
Posted by: | CommentsWhat kind of a dentist do you want to be?
Results of Level I Practice:
• Busy, busy, busy – focus is on production
• High stress environment
• Patients expect little and get little
• Patients get today’s problems treated with little or no thought of the future.
• Staff or team are not engaged and involved: have a TIGF, or ‘thank God its Friday outlook’.
• There is little or no fun or fulfillment at work.
• Piecemeal, patchwork, large fixed facility with many ops and many staff people.
• Many staff conflicts
• Doctors aren’t on the same page.
• Commodity and low fees.
• Patients and dentists locked into ‘plans, PPO’s and totally insurance based.
Results of Level II Practice:
• Similar to Level I with money and production and doing things to people as the focus.
• Staff bonus systems on ‘up selling’ or ‘manipulation’ sales techniques’
• Production and money driven.
• Patients buy what insurance will pay and little more.
• Focus is on bigger ticket items such as:
— Implants
— Cosmetic dentistry
— Surgery
— Crown and bridge
• High production, high pressure, lots of stress.
• Limited treatment planning
Results of Level III Practice:
• Slower pace.
• Fewer patients, far greater treatment per patient
• Far deeper and more significant relationships
• Treating the whole mouth and patient.
• Far greater patient involvement and participation.
• Patients not dependent on insurance.
• May have to pace treatment, but accept the optimum care and willingly pay for it.
• Comprehensive Co-Discovery, Co-Diagnosis, Co-Treatment Planning and Co-Delivery of the treatment.
• High internal rate of referral.
• Works with specialists and coordinates treatment.
• Medium to high gross income with high Net Profit, High Fulfillment, and High Sense of Purpose.
Almost all of us begin as Level I dentists, migrate to Level II thinking and if we learn, develop as human beings, feel free to express our values, and learn how to Control Money, Time and Organize all the Strategies and Systems, Communicate openly and honestly, then we can evolve and develop into Level III dentists.
Level III requires a commitment to learn, grow and evolve. It requires technical competency, management competency, leadership competency, communication and yes, sales competency.
A Level III and Level IV dentist is a lifetime commitment to truth, learning and development. As a Level III and IV dentist myself, I can tell you that I still love what I do. I still love meeting patients, working with patients and feel like I am still getting better.
A true Level III and IV dentist never wants to quit. The question is why would you want to stop doing something you love to do. Level III and IV dentists can stop working, but practice dentistry for fulfillment.
Results of Level IV Practice:
• All of the results of a Level III dentist plus…
• Leadership – community involvement.
• Mentorship – the willingness to help other dentists.
• Dedicated Professional – continued higher learning and dedication.
• Student of life – mental, emotional and philosophical progression.
I realize that the masses of dentists are Level I and II and it will always be this way, but this is YOUR LIFE and YOUR PRACTICE. Don’t sell yourself short. You only have ONE LIFE TO LIVE.
I’m always happy to talk with you. If you want to get a hold of me please call the office at 480-941-9393 to ask Mary to make us an appointment to speak by phone.
