I just finished another 4 month “180 Degree Dental Journey” last week. The last meeting was mainly about marketing with an emphasis on marketing in non-traditional ways. One of the things we have encouraged our clients to consider over the last 10 years was something we call the “Smile Frame”. You just go to Wal-Mart and buy a ...
Read MoreA title that sounds pretty self-serving don’t you think? It is and it isn’t. Over 34 years of practice I have spent a little over $100,000 per year to educate my staff and myself through consultants and classes. While some were great and others not so great, I would have to say that I got my money’s worth out of even the worst ...
Read MoreNo one would want to project a “my way or the highway” attitude with any consumer driven business, but in Dentistry more offices than not are doing just that. Let’s take just one aspect of our daily routine and dissect where we might be dropping the ball. Consider the new patient who calls in and wants to have their teeth cleaned. In ...
Read MoreI was speaking with a dentist that we all know, who has one of those “Institutes” for clinical and cosmetic services. It seems that while he was a wonderful clinician, and gifted speaker, he had never been able to produce or save enough to ever consider himself successful in the “business of Dentistry”. He would never be able retire, ...
Read MoreThe lawyers squirmed uncomfortably in their seats. They were being asked to do something that took them a billion miles outside their comfort zone. Someone was actually asking them to destroy their business. This law firm has just run head-first into 180 degree thinking. So what’s 180 degree thinking? Let’s drop all logic for ...
Read MoreAllow me to distill the benefits of a Purpose Driven Practice into four short thoughts. When I was young, I loved to play with a magnifying glass. On a sunny day you could focus the lens on a piece of tissue paper and it would magically erupt in flames. However, it would only work if you would move the magnifying glass ...
Read MoreEvery practice goes thru a cycle of growth, plateau, slow down, and sell out. The time varies from doctor to doctor. The trick is to stimulate growth while preserving core (purpose). In looking at more than a thousand practices, I’ve seen a definite trend. Every practice will hit a plateau at a certain dollar amount per month (often ...
Read MoreDoctor leadership is often either the last skill to be developed or it is completely ignored. Dentistry, by its very nature, has created systems to attract academics to its ranks. Not those who are actually skilled at business or especially adept at dealing with people or even good with their hands. We had to make the grades to enter Dental ...
Read MoreTo say the least, you should be well informed and prepared for questions/comments from your patients. For many years patients have already been reluctant to accept x-rays. That will almost certainly get worse now. Arguing with your patients will accomplish little of a positive nature. Just stick with the facts. If you at least view the ...
Read MoreLet me share some real-life customer service experiences with you. Wow! Have these salesperson experiences ever happened to you? Experience 1 This past weekend, we went to a big box store to buy an iPod. The salesman, without being asked, continually insisted he doesn’t work on commission and was so aggressive that he had our heads ...
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