Practices often come to me for advice on how to increase case acceptance. Increasing case acceptance is not just about using closing techniques; it happens through a combination of systems, processes and people. But what really ensures practice success is delivering an outstanding patient journey, one that not only meets but exceeds a patient’s expectations.
More recently, my customers want support on how to prepare their practices for the challenging times ahead and ultimately increase patient starts. In this article, I will be sharing the key points that will help you do just that.
Let me start with a gentle reminder that the patient’s journey can make or break the success of your practice. A successful patient journey begins long before the patient crosses your threshold. It starts even before they pick up the phone.
Does their journey ever end? The most successful practices maintain continuous positive engagement to create long-lasting relationships with their patients.
Look After Your Patients First
Your patients are valued customers. They have invested money and trust in your brand. They want reassurance more now than ever before. It costs more to attract new customers than to retain the ones you already have.
There are wonderful opportunities that lie within your patients: routine patients, patients on review, patients who have not made contact for a while and new patients who haven’t visited the practice yet.
As a principal or associate, you must not be invisible to patients. It is not the sole responsibility of your staff to communicate with them. Have you considered using personal video messages to reach out to your patients?
Lay aside your clinical expertise for a moment and think of yourself as a business owner. Think about how you, as a consumer, would like to be treated during this unusual time. Which brands give you confidence? What messages do they provide that allow you to trust and remember them? Look afresh at your patient journey and make a list of changes that will enhance the experience.
This vital step will not only increase your existing patients’ trust but also support the immediate need to increase your treatment starts.
Here are my suggestions for your priority to-do list:
- Define which groups of patients you need to contact and in which order. Besides those who had appointments cancelled during lockdown, you may want to reach patients with pending treatment starts, patients who are considering treatment, new patients and pending patients who may be ready to commit.
- Plan how you will make contact and what the key messages will be.
- Decide what the desired outcome will be, for example, a virtual consultation or a face-to-face consultation.
- Ensure there is an accurate tracking system in place so that no one gets lost in the system.
It’s not going to be easy, and it will take determination, patience and teamwork. Be creative on how you use your staff and resources. The results will be worth the investment.
Flourish Through Online Opportunities
Marketing is the art of providing the appropriate message to your target audience and the techniques you employ to position your brand correctly in their minds. Current pandemic circumstances have highlighted the need for a robust online presence.
Let us use these unprecedented times as a vehicle for change, steering us towards digital opportunities that we may have underestimated previously. Dental practices, like many businesses, know the importance of a digital footprint, but now online marketing is essential for survival and growth.
There are three immediate objectives to consider when assessing your digital brand: how to drive awareness, how to drive brand consideration and how to drive intention to buy. Importantly, your brand must build trust to reassure your patients.
As part of your priority to-do list, answer the following questions:
- What are you trying to achieve in the short-term and long-term?
- What are the key messages you want people to know about?
- How are you going to deliver these messages?
Practices that have considered their messaging carefully will be remembered when we finally get back to some normality. Sam Taylor Head of Commercial Marketing at Direct Line says, “Brands that have a relationship with people will be in a different place than brands that don’t; therefore be a brand you trust and one you want a relationship with.”
If you need a helping hand getting started or more personalised advice for your specialist practice, contact me to arrange a complimentary call.
