Items for the Take-Home Persuasion Kit
In last week’s post, I made the point that the packet of information that leaves with your non-committing visitor for their non-attending spouse is the most important set of documents that leave your practice, because these materials must convince the absentee spouse that the value of what you provide is worth the investment. As previously […]
The Rocky Horror Practice Show
Recently a client staff person asked me an interesting question: What is the worst thing a practice can do when it comes to attracting new patients? That’s an easy one. I googled the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show for this article and found this quote: “I would like, if I may, to take you […]
Reaching Out to the Non-Attending Spouse
One idea that I’ve been asked my opinion on several times by doctors is the feasibility of recording a video presentation for the non-attending spouse, copying this to a disk, and sending the disk home with the take-home materials for the non-attending parent to review. That sounds like a good idea in theory, but in practice […]
Making Room for Dessert
I had dinner this past week with a client doctor in south Florida; the restaurant we visited was a unique concept; everything on the menu was excellent – and all entrees were 475 calories or less. Another impressive factor: the selling skills of the staff, which were put to good use at the end of […]
Tips for Winning Shopper Cases
In order to provision a July 4th party this past summer, a friend and I decided that we would utilize the services of one of the many barbecue establishments in our local area. Here in the Carolinas, our world-renowned product is pulled pork, usually served on a bun with cole slaw. In this part of […]
How Effective Marketing Works
This past week, several doctors contacted me with an interest in my services; all had been previously familiar with me from different marketing sources that I utilize, including this platform, but had not, until now, requested information. What prompted them to get in touch with me –the ‘trigger’ – was an additional, independent event – […]
Why Both Parents Don’t Attend Consultations
As we all know, the most frequent obstacle to having a new patient start treatment is the absence of one of the parents at the initial consultation; the almost universal response of the attending one at the end of the visit is “I need to talk to my spouse”. While work obligations are certainly a […]
Competing Against Non-Orthodontic Providers
As we all know, recent developments in technology have created opportunities for non-orthodontic practitioners, usually GPs, to compete with you for treatment cases. This week’s post offers some suggestions on how to succeed in this new environment. When dealing with a prospective patient being offered treatment options from a GP, it is important to remember […]
The Statistics of Lost Cases
I had an interesting discussion with a client practice last week that seems to validate a point I previously made about the relationship between financing terms and case acceptance. This practice has an office manager who maintains meticulous records when it comes to case acceptance rates. They also utilize a credit scoring system, popular within […]
When, and How, to Present Contracts
Most of you think of closing new business as the act of signing a contract, and that’s understandable. The real estate business even refers to the transfer of property as taking place “at closing”. However, ‘closing’ really isn’t signing paperwork. Making the decision to move forward with a purchase, and then formally committing the agreement […]