It has been over two decades since I sat down with a consultant from Scottsdale, Arizona, and discussed why my practice had so many patients. We spent almost 3 hours discussing why almost every patient we saw said yes to our treatment plans, showed up for every appointment, and referred everyone they knew. As we went back and forth on the “why” of these benchmarks, it became apparent that there was something that most doctors never think about yet will always drive the foundation of success in a consumer driven business. While we mainly talked about my practice, this consultant was quick to add that almost every successful practice he had seen in his career had this same “something”.
While location, demographics, competition, clinical skill, great communication, and timing all are necessary in a great practice, we both agreed there was something else. Something that each of us should strive for. It was in this back-and-forth conversation that we arrived at a word, or condition, that we thought simply described that “secret sauce”. It was the word VALIDITY. After all these years it still sounds strange to voice the word and use it to describe a little discussed fact about success in a dental practice.
I looked up the definition of valid or validity and it seems to fall short of the importance I want to attach to its use in a dental setting. The dictionary defined it as having a sound basis in logic or fact; reasonable or cogent, the quality of being logically or factually sound. To me, it goes far beyond this simple definition. Imagine if there were a system or strategy that almost guaranteed that a patient would comply with your treatment presentation, and they were always excited about referring their friends to your practice. They would go above and beyond the average patient to become a raving fan. Wouldn’t if be great if everyone you met wanted to become and stay your patient.
Robert Cialdini wrote an excellent book entitled Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. One of the major principles he discusses is “scarcity”. We all have seen that small restaurant with 5 tables and a line around the block. There is something that intrigues people about scarcity. Something about the perception of scarcity heightens value more than anything else. When everyone goes to the “it” practice, this scarcity phenomenon becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as more and more people want, no, need to get into your office. You become that doctor that everyone desires to go to. The bad news is that becoming the one, the only, the best in the minds and hearts of people in your area, is the quintessential definition of “VALIDITY”.
Stay with me a little longer. The benefits of pursuing this idea of being in short supply and being perceived as in demand are almost endless. We averaged 17 new patients a day in my two locations in McKinney, Texas. With these kinds of numbers, driven by validity, you develop an attitude of abundance. It doesn’t really matter if one patient says no to your case presentation, there are 16 more coming in today and it will be the same tomorrow. It’s almost like you never have to sell anything to anyone. You are perceived as in demand, and patients literally begin saying “YES” to anything. They don’t want to miss out on the validity of your office culture. They don’t argue and you don’t have to sell them anything. We literally never worried about selling. Our culture was serving our patients, helping them to want what they needed, and making sure we could help them fit their dentistry into their budget. No stress, no pressure, no selling. Just a frank discussion of their situation and needs that quickly jumped to yes. We never had a patient coordinator. We never needed one. We arrived at a consensus in the treatment room and the only thing the front desk team had to do was figure out a way to help them afford the investment and schedule the appointment. They never had to answer questions about treatment. Never had to convince them of the need and “close” the sale with a patient coordinator. Things are different when you have validity on your side. I had the attitude that I cared only about each patient and what they needed. It was never about money. I cared about wanting them as patients forever. Each patient was treated as I would treat a close friend. I never really cared if they said yes, and people understood that. When a patient realizes that a lot of people want you and you couldn’t care less, that’s when the patient starts caring about his/her own health.
As I remember this conversation with this consultant, who had visited and observed in my office several times, he mentioned over and over that “we never pushed our patients to buy our treatment plans”. He explained that we had a power created by this validity in case presentation and every aspect of the office. So “validity” is what you are looking for.
It was interesting, because this interview and what he learned from our office became a set of seminars and articles. I want to quote him, word for word, from the last sentence of his article about our conversation. He closed with this statement, and it is the essence of what I am trying to say in regard to the concept of “validity”. “The doctors who I work with, who are at the very top of the production heap in this country, have a fraction of the stress of the doctors at the bottom. Now some of you are thinking, “Well, I didn’t want to have a big practice because I didn’t want all the stress.” That’s how you have been thinking. You see, you have so many patients a day and you work thirty-two hours a week, and so you imagine if you were to double the number of patients, well, it would mean doubling the days in the week, and you just want to work so much. It doesn’t work that way. The practices that are at a far higher level than yours, actually have a fraction of the stress that you have. The reason? Many of them have harnessed this validity concept and they’re not selling, they’re not pushing. Whereas you are selling and pushing, and it wears you out. The confrontation of your practice literally wears you out. And when there’s a lot of confrontation, pretty soon you’re burning out staff, you are burning out yourself. So, validity is what you’ve been looking for. This will ultimately result in you needing less time with the patient. I know that this may sound far-fetched, but I honestly believe it will actually result in you getting better healing results with the patient from the patient’s point of view”.
A simple concept that each of you have seen in dentistry and every other business that depends on consumers to choose them to buy services and products from. My hope is that you are now aware of the concept. Next time we will delve into it a little deeper.
Michael Abernathy DDS
972.523.4660 cell
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