Marketing starts on the telephone.

Guess what?  Voice mail is a killer – regardless of how it is rationalized.  Nothing makes less sense in a progressive practice than to simply allow the phone to go to the ‘machine’.  Most people won’t leave a message – and most of the messages sound like an invitation to a migraine festival.  They frequently threaten to charge you for cancelled appointments if you do not speak to a receptionist ‘in person’ during business hours.  Think about the logic here.  Most of your good loyal patients do not miss or cancel their appointments, yet the message that 100% of your patient base are receiving is a ‘dunning notice’ designed for the 10% of patients you would actually rather do without.  How fair is that?

Begin with the telephone – it will make or break your practice.

Answer it promptly, preferably with a ‘real live’ person.  The economics of a warm courteous voice as opposed to a machine are without question. The reality is that 62% of calls to a dental practice are not answered, and these same prospects just keep on dialing until they get someone who will actually speak to them. The receptionists who do this well are politely persistent in getting the caller to share their identity – which is part of a significant decision making process on the part of the caller. As for the messages threatening their wallet for missing an appointment – you would do better to delete those. Get rid of troublesome charts – but don’t insult your great patients for the actions of a few.

Office ambiance is key – and it needn’t be absurdly expensive. A coat of paint – updating the pictures on the wall – and a fresh look to the reading material goes a long way. One of our start-up practices had quotes for $450,000 to spruce up his first office. He chose to refinish the existing cabinets, buy new equipment only when it was absolutely necessary, and to bring a friend in to help with drywall and hardwood floors. His reno bill?  A total of $32,000. This was a few months before the financial crunch. He never looked back, and his fresh cut flowers (a promotional joint venture with a local florist) get rave reviews from everyone.

If a patient hears it – sees it – or feels it — this is all internal marketing. And, it is by far the least expensive way to grow any practice.