Robert M. Pick, DDS, MS, FACD, FICD

The best way to keep patients coming back is to make your patient experience so good they'll want to tell everyone they know to use your services!

Word-of-mouth marketing is the most powerful and beneficial type of advertising or marketing that you could have for your dental business, for the very simple reason that what others say about you is so much more believable than what you could ever say about yourself!  One of the most successful companies on earth knows this and knows this well, and that company is Disney. 

When Walt Disney got going on the original Disneyland in 1955 in Anaheim California, when it was still basically a wasteland, Walt Disney himself wrote a marketing principle that was taught to everybody involved with Disney from the top down. It simply said this: “The way to be very successful in marketing is to do what you do so well that people can’t resist telling others about you.”

Focusing on the above paragraph for a second, you and your team need to be asking how can we do what it is that we do in our practice so well, that our patients can’t resist telling others about us!?  You have all heard it before - but it is implementing the wow factor in all that you do.  Are all of your team members having a great day?  Did you run a powerful, successful and correct 

? One where all team members including yourself, come away psyched, pumped, and ready to rock and roll!  Further, do you have the right people answering the phones? Make sure your team greets your patients when they come through the door with a big hello, saying the patient’s name, and with a big smile on their face. They should also add, “we are so happy to see you; I hope you are having a super day!” You get the idea.  Interestingly enough, even though we all know this, very few practitioners take the time to hire the right team members, develop those team members, and put all of this into action. This type of wow factor needs to continue throughout the remaining process of the patient’s time in your practice. How are they brought to the treatment room, how are they treated during treatment, 

These wow factors throughout the process should be at such a high level that it is better than any wow factor in any other doctor’s office that the patient has ever been to. Taking it a step further, you want to have the experience technically better than any other place the patient has ever been to. Take into consideration everything you can do for the patient and make sure their visit goes as smooth as possible, leaving no doubt that they were given the best care possible.

When this is accomplished you want the patient to be thinking, 

I want to tell somebody about this amazing experience that I had today

.  You also want to be able to have that patient have something in hand to give others about your dental practice/business, in addition to their verbal description of your wow factors. 

After you ask the right patient or you get an amazing compliment, be prepared to give them a Referral Brochure. This is a 3.5" x 6" trifold color brochure. You therefore have 6 sides to put awesome information on - such as your logo, your brand, tag line(s), your services, your web site, great pictures, a map, your telephone number, about you and your team, hours of operation, your why, etc., etc. - you get the idea. So much more!  I use and teach the following verbal skill (being aware that you may have to modify to the situation): “Jennifer, to begin I am so excited to get the compliment that you just gave about my hygienist Stephanie. As you know, we do not advertise per se, and because of that, I would like to give you this brochure that tells others about our practice.  When you come across someone that you think fits our practice, would you please give this to them!?  And Jennifer, wait until you see what happens when you make that first referral! I want you to know again you made my day, Stephanie’s day, and my team’s day! You rock!” 

Asking for referrals and the wow factors is also internal marketing, which is the best marketing in my opinion, and that of others as well. For the most part it also costs you very little and it can have a huge ROI (return on investment).  This is also something we are not taught in dental school and it is something that must be learned on our own once we get into practice. It is part of the business practice management plethora of marketing events.  Marketing falls for the most part into internal and external marketing.  As mentioned, it is in the internal folder of procedures and so effective.  It is old school so to speak, and all successful dental CEO’s will tell you it works.

It works in all professions that rely on referrals, period. One of the biggest mistakes that dental practices/businesses make is they simply don’t ask!  There is also a misconception that you cannot ask until the case is completed.  As an example, if the patient tells you it was the easiest extraction they ever had, they had no pain, and what a great experience, that is the time to ask - even though you may only be halfway done with the case.  Finally, don’t forget, we are in a wonderful world of social media.  There is no reason that next time you do a Facebook or Instagram live that you can’t simply state that: “We love our patients, my entire team and I will always deliver the best patient experience possible with the best treatment, and no pain.  Finally, we love referrals, so please don’t forget to tell your friends about us. They will not be disappointed!”

I personally see so many dental offices spend tons of dollars on external marketing (billboards, TV ads, print ads, social media advertising, etc.) and not that those cannot give you a ROI, but totally forget about internal marketing with asking for referrals at the top of their list. It is also no different than how I see so many offices miss the boat on asking for Google Reviews, which in turn can help with referrals.   

When focusing on asking for referrals, it is also important to ask the RIGHT patients for referrals as like will usually refer like. At your Morning Huddle as you look at your schedule and who your patients are, target the right ones that you should ask.  As your hygienist(s) go through their schedule target good patients to ask and do the same for the doctor(s) schedule.  Also, if you get a compliment from a patient during the day (again it can be a patient complimenting the hygienist(s) or a patient complimenting you, your administrative team, etc.), that is an immediate target/patient to ask for not only a referral but for a 5-star Google review!  You all know the phrase, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get!”

Some will find scripting how you ask for referrals easier than others, as this is just a fact that we are all different with different 

. With this the asking and scripting should be rehearsed and worked out at your own version of PBR's, The Pick Business-Team-Building Retreats.  A biannual practice/business retreat where you pretend you are a Fortune 500 business. Set aside time to practice how you want your team to ask for referrals and then video record it, so each and every one can see what they look like and how they can improve. Even the ones that think they have it down will be surprised how they can improve after seeing a video of themselves going through the scenario.

Also, when you do get a referral from a patient, don’t forget to personally thank that patient.  I personally write a handwritten thank you note on a Thank You card with your office name, custom designed logo, and not only signed by you, but signed by all of your team members.  Depending on the referral, include a gift card, such as from Amazon, and conclude or give a P.S. by saying: “Wait until you see what happens when you refer the next patient to us!”  On that next patient(s) referral increase the value of the Amazon card, a dinner at a great restaurant, etc., etc. - depending on the number of referrals that patient brings back for you.

You will not be disappointed with this program of asking for referrals. It must come from delivering the most amazing wow factors to your patients that your competition and others are simply not doing.  It will be an amazing ROI that lasts a lifetime!

For more expert practice management tips, read on 

Dr. Pick is the CEO of his own consulting and coaching firm, The Pick Group, LLC., He can be reached at 773-402-8933 or by e-mail at 

.  He is also in private practice in Aurora, Illinois.

Articles

Asking for referrals is so important and one of the best ways to get new patients that pay to stay and then, refer more! It doesnâ€™t get any better than that, and hereâ€™s how you can make it happen.

Are You Asking for Referrals?

Why are email signatures so important? Because every time you send out an email you are promoting your practice or brand.

Email branding and one’s email signature has become one of my recent and biggest pet peeves, and has been added to my Management Lecture on “Powerful Secrets to a Super Successful Dental Business: New Patients, Growth and Wealth Creation!”

Email branding and email signatures done correctly, is something I see missing from so many professions, not just dentistry. It is one of the first things people notice about your emails and hence your business and brand. As you will see a great email set-up can help with branding and help make a great first impression. Studies have shown that close to 70 percent of consumers believe a company branded email is more credible than a business using a free or generic email account such as @yahoo.com, @aol.com, @gmail.com, etc. 

Which examples seem more professional to you?

The emails on the left are not as professional or branded as the ones on the right, which include the doctor’s name with the branded name of the practice.

A branded email is all about building credibility and your brand. Further, it is the impression your business or practice is promoting to the outside world. It can be a competitive marketplace and branding, especially email branding, can ultimately be how one practice does better than another.

Here are 6 reasons why you should brand your email and have a great email signature, along with some very important dos and don’ts!

One, right off the bat, it gives a great first impression. A branded email shows that your practice is established and professional in nature. A generic email (such as drtodd@yahoo.com), oftentimes can project inexperienced or a poorly branded practice or business.

Two, a branded email and great signature promote brand awareness and this may be the best reason of all. Every time you send out an email you are promoting your practice or brand. Your brand is so important and it is oftentimes something most dental businesses never take the time to establish. If you have not established your Brand (what you and your team do better than anyone else and any other practice/dental business), it should be done at your next office teambuilding retreat (an upcoming article!), or as soon as possible. This will build credibility, trust, and a sense of security about your business.

Three, your email signature is very important. It is a great way to showcase your professionalism and grab some extra attention! By having a great signature, patients or whomever is reading the email can click a link to your website, your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, orYouTube sites, and find out more about you and your practice helping with practice growth. It further helps build your social media presence and following.

Four, here are some good dos and don’ts regarding your email signature. First off, there should be 3 to 6 lines of text. This should include your name, address, telephone number and a link to your practice’s website. Below that can be links via icons to any of your social media accounts including: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You do not want to list too many as that can be overkill. But the above are probably the most important.

Please do not put your email address in your signature. All one has to do is hit “reply” and they will respond to your email and can see where it came from. There should also be your practice logo (very important), and depending, even a picture of you. Always try to use the JPEG format over PNGs.  Further, always try to use only one or two font sizes in your email signature. Too many font sizes can overwhelm your signature and actually make it difficult and distracting to read. There should always be responsive design, so your signature and images are adjusted whether they are opened on a computer or on a smart phone. Depending where this is read, some countries have specific legal requirements that all business communications must meet. Check with your attorney to see if the country were your business is located has specific laws governing email signatures. Finally, please use the same email signature template for everyone in your practice. This creates for consistency and again wonderful professionalism and great branding.

Five, generic email addresses may convey that your business is new, or believe it or not, not highly professional. A branded email and great email signature can helps convey a more Fortune 500 image. Also, within your business or practice you should be set up multiple email addresses for different segments of the practice. For example, if your practice is named “Westend Smiles,” then there could be 

 and each person that works for you should also have a branded email. If your Office Manager is Gail, she should be 

. If one of your hygienists is named Jill, she should be 

. Your assistants, admin team, or any other person working for you should have a branded email. Those emails should also be included on the respective business cards for those individuals. Keeping in in line with the above, if you are doctor Smith, you would be possibly 

Six, through the wonderful technology we have today, branded emails and signatures can be set up with minimal effort through a domain name provider or web hosting company, usually for free or at a reasonably low cost. You should check with your website developer and host to make sure this happens. Your email address should be specific to your URL and hence specific to your dental business.

Keep in mind that there are companies out there that have email signature templates that make the process very easy to follow. Here are a few examples: www.wisestamp.com, 

. YouTube is also a great resource. Keep in mind all of the big players in the email game (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.), will allow you to send and receive emails from any domain.

In summary if you are not branding your email with a great email signature, make it a priority to do so, as it just might increase the number of new patients you get per month.

Any emails used as an example in this article are for purposes of the article and meant to illustrate the points above only, and are in no way copied from anyone’s email.

Dr. Pick is the CEO of his own consulting and coaching firm, The Pick Group, LLC., He can be reached at 773-402-8933 or by email at 

. He is also in private practice in Aurora, Illinois. 

Email signatures and email branding may be the first exposure a potential client has to your practice. Here we offer some simple tips and tricks to get the most out of your email branding and make a great first impression.

How a Great Email Signature Can Help Promote Your Practice

		Review your goals and the methods to achieve them.

		One of the many facets of running your practice, and running your life is the creation and achievement of goals. It doesn't matter if these goals are big, small or off the charts — if the proper methodology and work necessary is employed, goals can be achieved. Achieving goals is a super thrill, and once you discover how to make goals achievable, you then want to do it again and again.

		With this article being focused on goal achievement for your practice, I feel the best place to set goals is at a biannual, away from the office, business teambuilding retreat that my team and I affectionately call the “PBR!” — for The Pick Business Retreat. The PBR itself will be a future article, but in summation, it's where you take the time with no office distractions to complete everything from developing your office mission, vision and culture statements, to understanding how to get new patients through the door, personality profiling (DISC) 

 for a 99% case acceptance rate, the amazing Golden Circle of 

you do what you do, social media, and much more.

		There are also teambuilding exercises, you look at your KPI’s, your production, a business SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), and a STEW (satisfy the customer, team, extra mile, and the wow factor in all that you do), your collection, and most importantly, your goals!  

		Now that you get a brief idea of what the PBR! is, let’s get back to the business of goal achievement.  

		To begin on your business retreat agenda, set the correct time aside for goals. You as the CEO are the team leader, but it is so important to go around the room with all of those in attendance to also hear what their goals would be from their perspective, and what their goals would be if they were running the practice functioning as the CEO. 

		In my opinion I feel by involving the team, you empower them, they are made to feel important, they are made to feel as if they are an integral part of your team, and with that, they will work harder and faster to help you achieve your goals.

		There are 9 steps in order to create and achieve your goals:

		Step 1: To Begin You Must Create The Goal. As an example, you want to increase your gross production by 20% over the next year — that becomes your goal. Also to some extent, make sure the goal is reasonable and not so far out of the solar system that no matter what is done, it's just not achievable. 

		It is always important to set big goals but you have to be reasonable. In other words, if you are a solo practitioner, with 5 employees, and you are producing $850,000.00 a year (gross production), to say you want to produce 4 million the next year, is pretty much a non-obtainable goal. However, a 20% increase is much more achievable than the 4 million. If you are able to increase by 20%, you then have the ability to jump your practice from a gross production of $850,000.00 to a gross production of $1,020.000.00. Not bad!

		Step 2: Figure Out The Method To Achieve The Goal. The reason most goals are never achieved, is because the method to achieve the goal is never figured out. This takes time, planning, analytical and cerebral thought — it takes a team and of course the right methodology. So as per the example used, if you want to increase your total production number by 20%, how are you going to achieve it, what is the method? 

		As an example, you may want to state, starting the next practice day where applicable, all fees will be increased by 10% and you are going to look more closely at when FMX’s are due and then take them accordingly. The need for the FMX will be reported on in the morning huddles. You may also begin to focus more on comprehensive dentistry and spending where applicable, more quality time educating patients to quality, comprehensive, dentistry needed.   

		Finally, you may focus on an increase of new patients through the door. These examples will all lead to an increase in production — and hence giving you the method to achieve the goal!

		Step 3: Set A Time Frame. Again, analytically think out the timeframe needed to make this happen. It will not occur overnight, but you also do not want to set a goal for something that will take 3 years to achieve. This is something that hopefully can be achievable in a 1-year timeframe, therefore set the goal for 12 months. Write this down and make sure the entire team knows this. 

		Step 4: Remove Roadblocks. Roadblocks come in many forms both internal and external. Believe it or not, it has been well proven that fear and self-doubt can be major obstacles to success. You must also begin by looking at yourself. Is there anything in your personality, abilities, temperament, habits, education, etc., that could be holding you back? Always look to increase your knowledge and skill to help overcome any of this. Habits are also so important and will be a topic for another article.

		Further, preventing someone from moving forward can occur especially if the goal is not realized, if there is embarrassment, fear of failure, or rejection. If you do not move, push, and have great tenacity, you will never get your goals. Even if for some reason, you shoot for 20% and only achieve 18.5%, big deal. You still improved by 18.5% and you landed at $1,007,250.00. And at the next business retreat, you start the process all over again. Other roadblocks can be certain team members that are not fully on board.  This is why a business retreat is so important to put everybody on the same page and get them highly motivated. 

		Step 5: Measure Progress. As you want to make sure you are achieving the above goal, the progress needs to be measured on a timely basis. As an example, each month look at your combined totals on your daily production and collection sheets. You want to look at your monthly production versus your monthly production of the year prior and the month before. Your daily Morning Huddle Sheet (as I call it), should have many things including how many new patients you have received, each individual providers production and collection, the prior year’s numbers, projected numbers, next available blocks (new patient exam, crown and bridge time, scaling and root planning, etc.). 

		Step 6: Review Your Goals Daily. At every morning huddle, your goal and methods to achieve the goal, regarding this production increase, must be mentioned and reviewed.

  Also, you yourself must personally review not only this goal but your other goals, and of course the method to achieve the goals each day, as this is important. 

		You also must believe deeply in your goal, that nothing can stop you. You want these goals deeply locked into your subconscious mind so they take on a power of their own.  Another trick in goal setting is to write down your goals, even if you have already accomplished them. Therefore, instead of writing down I want to be a $1 million plus practice, I am a $1 million practice! 

		Finally, the first thing in the morning, and the last thing in the evening, when there are hopefully no disturbances, review your goals and the methods to achieve them.

		Step 7: Visualize Your Goals and Think Big: Visualize your goals and imagine them as if they have been achieved in the future. As an example, if you have an amazing practice day where you were over the daily goal, hygiene was over its daily goal, all recommended treatment was scheduled, all FMX’s due were taken, a record number of new patients called and scheduled, and several patients excepted comprehensive treatment that you proposed, you want to remember this day — place it in your conscious and subconscious brain, and remember it often. The more frequent this memory and visualization occurs with vividness, accuracy and intensity, the more it will occur as a reality, period.

		Always think big and never think small. I always state, shoot for a different solar system and if you land on Mars that is quite okay. You have to think big in order to achieve your goals. It's one of the cornerstones of maximum success. 

		Another action that can help with visualization are vision boards. Vision boards can be done personally, or what I recommend, is that they are done by all team members at one of your biannual “PBRs!” In brief, vision boards are tools which are used to effectively clarify, and maintain extreme focus on specific goals that either you or your practice has. 

		The vision board displays multiple images (oftentimes cut out from magazines or articles), that represent what you want to be and most importantly those particular goals.  That vision board can therefore be looked at frequently as another reminder of the goals.  As an example, my latest vision board, is hung inside my personal office closet door, so each morning I see it when I open the door to hang my coat up, and grab one of my lab coats for the day.

		Step 8: Create Good Habits Along The Way: The one and only Brian Tracy has an amazing quote on habits and it goes like this, “Good habits are hard to form but easy to live with, bad habits are easy to form but tough to live with.” And if you think about that quote, it is so very true.

		It is said that habits oftentimes take a minimum of 21 days to begin to form. Habits take hard work, daily repetition, eagle sharp focus and the drive to create and achieve the habit daily. Also discover your triggers and obstacles, get help from a mentor if you need to, and as per the above, devise the plan to achieve the habit. Once the habit is there, and it's a good habit, it will be repeated automatically and take you to new levels. 

		Step 9: Celebrate When the Goal is Achieved!  This for sure is the most fun step in goal achievement. When your team is involved and they helped to achieve the goal, I think it's important to celebrate. The celebration is up to you — but it can involve taking your team out for dinner, catering in a lunch from their favorite restaurant, a bonus. When you do celebrate, it excites the team, and motivates them work hard toward the next goal.

		In conclusion, if you set your goals, create the method to achieve the goals, and follow steps 1 through 9. As a reinforcement of your goals, at every morning huddle, the 5 to 6 most important goals should be read aloud so everybody knows them and it is subliminally engrained into everyone’s brain. 

			Pick, R.M. “Do You DISC? Strategies for Different Personalities in Your Practice.” Dentist’s Money Digest. September 26, 2017.

			Pick, R.M. “Dental Practice Success Starts with the Morning Huddle.” Dentist’s Money Digest. March 13, 2017

		Dr. Pick is the CEO of his own consulting and coaching firm, The Pick Group, LLC., He can be reached at 773-402-8933 or by e-mail at 

.  He is also in private practice in Aurora, Illinois.  

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Dr. Robert Pick uses the DISC personality profile to make his practice run smoothly.

When understood and used correctly, the DISC personality profile system it is one of the most powerful and useful secrets to a super successful practice. It is also one of the top three management entities regarding practice development, growth, patient education and case acceptance rate. In conjunction with the preclinical interview and proper patient education, your case acceptance rate should see an exponential increase. 

There are four basic personality profile types: D, I, S and C. You will also discover most people have a primary personality type and a secondary personality type. The two put together defines that particular individual. Understanding DISC allows you to glean the needs and priorities of the people around your team and your patients, streamline your communication and circumvent conflict.

Drivers are usually focused on immediate results, insist on immediate action and often challenge the status quo. They are bottom line individuals, fast-paced, inpatient, businesslike, they have my-way-or-the-highway attitude and are straightforward.

They are also risk takers, they make quick decisions, are goal oriented, and they like to see control and appear cool and competitive. The biggest fear of the driver personality type is being taken advantage of. Other Drivers very quickly share their priorities, but can often butt heads from time to time. Different styles can find the D approach blunt, intimidating or insensitive.

 Classic D personality types are CEOs, banking executives, army generals, Presidents, and those who are impatient and watching the clock.

 Examples of pure driver personalities are President Donald Trump or Simon Cowell from American Idol. 

 Maximize appointment time, be quick and to the point, be on time, be efficient, and give them the what, when, how and why. 

The I type loves enthusiasm, collaboration, excitement, and quick action. They are optimistic, expressive, animated, energetic, love to tell stories, are enthusiastic and often ignore details. You can also expect expressives to be spontaneous, undisciplined with time, risk-takers and strong in their opinions and actions. Their biggest fear is social rejection and being ignored. Other I types will find their energy exciting, even if they are sometimes too optimistic. Different personality styles may find I’s sloppy or reckless at times. 

 Classic I personality types are entertainers, salespeople, artists and marketing directors.

 Examples of the I personality type are Jim Carrey (just watch his facial expressions) or Dolly Parton. 

Strategies for Expressive in Your Practice:

 Be exciting, use small talk, and use show and tell. You want to increase the I’s status and improve their appearance.

The S type loves to support people, maintain stability, and enjoys collaboration. S types are warm and friendly, slower paced, avoids risks, can be emotional, and are slow decision makers. Routine is the S’s best friend, and change their worst enemy. They are relationship-oriented, great listeners and share personal feelings and emotions. Their biggest fear is loss of stability. Other S types appreciate their patience and easy-going nature. Different personality styles may see the S style as over accommodating or indecisive.

: Classic S personality types are clergy, counselors, therapists, and HR managers.

 The Pope — he is warm, relaxed, amiable and soft. 

Strategies for Amiables in Your Practice:

 Project warmth, be relaxed and speak softer. Because the S type is a slow decision-maker and hates change, you may need a second consult at times.

The C type focuses on accuracy, likes to challenge ideas with logic, and seeks stability to ensure consistent outcomes. Though they may appear unemotional, they are just really focused on details, facts, and data. For this reason, they are also very organized. The C type is the slowest decision-maker of all the personalities, they will ask specific questions, and will have often a “show-me” attitude. The biggest fear of the C personality type is criticism of their work or being wrong. Other analyticals will love getting things right, even if it means being bogged down with analysis. Other personality types may find the C type’s cautious and analytical pace dry and draining.

 Classic C personality types are accountants, engineers, software developers, math teachers, and financial planners.

 Bill Gates, Mr. Spock, or Einstein all have very little expression and are quite analytical. 

Strategies for Analyticals in Your Practice

: Be on time, be precise and use a very systematic approach showing all of the details. Also, be prepared with lots of written material.

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