In direct respose advertising, there are 4 things (Acronym AIDA) you should consider both when putting a piece together, or planning your method for handling the response. I'll take you through these 4 steps, and cover both the design, and response considerations...
A = Attention
Design: This is the first thing you need to get when someone looks at your direct response piece. THis is why the Headline and USP are so important to your practice. IT will grab the correct prospects attention, and make them respond...or move onto the next step.
Response: Some prospects will respond just because your piece grabs their attention. What this means is your team will have to explain much of the piece to them. The offer, your office, and really work at selling the appointment. This makes it important to have everyone on your team know the marketing piece.
I = Interest
Design: After you have their attention, you need to build a connection with the prospect. Use benefits in your copy to build interest in your practice and why the prospect should respond. This is where you can include testimonials and credentials (years in service).
Response: If someone responds after their interest has been gained, your team may have to answer a few specific questions to sell the appointment. They want your services, but are not yet sure if your office is the right fit. This makes it important for your team to know all the specifics about your practice, and the proceedures.
D = Decision
Design: You really need to make an offer, and have a deadline. This will help to speed the prospects decision to take advantage of your services. The offer and deadline are the nail in the coffin of the decision making, and serve to lead into the final phase of response.
Response: If a person responds at the decision stage, they may be sold, but unsure. They will need to be keyed in on the deadline of the offer, and the exclusivity as well. This person wants your services, but is hesitant to make a commitment. This makes it important to have a team that is not afraid to ASK for the appointment, and close the deal.
A = Action
Design: TELL THE PROSPECT WHAT TO DO. If you want them to call, tell them. If you want them to email, tell them. Don't simply print a phone number, and hope they figure it out. Tell the prospect what they need to do.
Response: These are the respondents everyone loves. They respond and are already sold, and need no questions answered. At this point it is important for your team to create a bond with the prospect making sure they are tied into the practice. Always collect name, address, and phone number from EVERY prospect whether or not they appoint. It helps ensure the bond with your patients.
As you can see above, there are many differnt ways for someone to respond to your advertisement. Also note that only one way requires no sales skill from your staff. 3 out of 4 ways require your team to know more than just how to answer a phone.
Take these into consideration when mailing a postcard, advertising on the web, or producing a letter, and ALSO, when hiring staff. IF you need help, or have any questions, as always, give us a call at 1-800-311-1390.
Have a profitable day!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
The Key To A Referral Program
For most doctors, when I say referral program, their first thought is of a patient newsletter. Now, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging that a newsletter is a great (and essential) part of building patient loyalty and referrals, but it is by no means a comprehensive part of your referral "program."
To get to where I am going with this, let's first define the word "program":
program (n): a system of projects or services intended to meet a need
In this instance, your need is referrals, and lots of them. Let's face it, without patients, there is no practice. And in the case of referrals, it is very often the place where you find your best and most loyal patients.
But now let's move to the first part "a system of products or services." The key word in this case is system. Once again, we define system as: "A functionally related group of elements." In other words, the elements all combine to create one thing...more referrals for your practice.
There are many of these elements and below I have put together a list of these pieces that should all be included in your comprehensive referral program:
Referral rewards (gift cards, gift certificates, complimentary services)
Staff referrals
Professional relationships (not only with other doctors, but why not with your real estate agent, insurance broker, and your health club trainer)
A patient newsletter
In-office signage
YOU
Patient Communication
This is far from a comprehensive list of services, but all of these are included in a referral PROGRAM.
Example CUTCO Knives: A popular job among college students in the summer, their program is based solely on referrals. At the end of the sales presentation, whether the customer buys or not, the sales person lays a sheet out in front of the buyer with 10 blank lines on it and says "I am sure you know of some other people that would be interested in hearing about the knives you saw today. If you would be so kind as to write down their name and phone number, I would appreciate it."
Usually, the customer will give 2 or 3 leads (or more) to the sales person who then calls each and makes an appointment with them. Leading to more customers, and more sales.
The above example may not translate directly into your dental practice, but it shows the power of a PROGRAM. Cutco has it laid out, scripted, and developed that there is no way the customer could not provide a referral.
The same applies to your practice...How developed is your referral program? Do you send a newsletter every now and then, and hope the patient is getting asked by one of your staff? Or does your monthly newsletter go out like clockwork, and your referral wording is such that every patient gets asked for a referral at every appointment by a specific member of your staff.
Action to take: Sit down some afternoon and put your referral PROGRAM down on paper. Figure out all the details down to whose responsibility it is to ask for the referral at the appointment and when the patient gets his/her reward (right away is best). Also figure out how to communicate your PROGRAM to your patients (newsletter, in-office signage, staff). Then, the biggest key is to implement the program, and SUPERVISE the implementation. And of course, watch your referrals grow.
Then you will truly have "a system of projects or services intended to meet a need."
Have a profitable week!!!
To get to where I am going with this, let's first define the word "program":
program (n): a system of projects or services intended to meet a need
In this instance, your need is referrals, and lots of them. Let's face it, without patients, there is no practice. And in the case of referrals, it is very often the place where you find your best and most loyal patients.
But now let's move to the first part "a system of products or services." The key word in this case is system. Once again, we define system as: "A functionally related group of elements." In other words, the elements all combine to create one thing...more referrals for your practice.
There are many of these elements and below I have put together a list of these pieces that should all be included in your comprehensive referral program:
Referral rewards (gift cards, gift certificates, complimentary services)
Staff referrals
Professional relationships (not only with other doctors, but why not with your real estate agent, insurance broker, and your health club trainer)
A patient newsletter
In-office signage
YOU
Patient Communication
This is far from a comprehensive list of services, but all of these are included in a referral PROGRAM.
Example CUTCO Knives: A popular job among college students in the summer, their program is based solely on referrals. At the end of the sales presentation, whether the customer buys or not, the sales person lays a sheet out in front of the buyer with 10 blank lines on it and says "I am sure you know of some other people that would be interested in hearing about the knives you saw today. If you would be so kind as to write down their name and phone number, I would appreciate it."
Usually, the customer will give 2 or 3 leads (or more) to the sales person who then calls each and makes an appointment with them. Leading to more customers, and more sales.
The above example may not translate directly into your dental practice, but it shows the power of a PROGRAM. Cutco has it laid out, scripted, and developed that there is no way the customer could not provide a referral.
The same applies to your practice...How developed is your referral program? Do you send a newsletter every now and then, and hope the patient is getting asked by one of your staff? Or does your monthly newsletter go out like clockwork, and your referral wording is such that every patient gets asked for a referral at every appointment by a specific member of your staff.
Action to take: Sit down some afternoon and put your referral PROGRAM down on paper. Figure out all the details down to whose responsibility it is to ask for the referral at the appointment and when the patient gets his/her reward (right away is best). Also figure out how to communicate your PROGRAM to your patients (newsletter, in-office signage, staff). Then, the biggest key is to implement the program, and SUPERVISE the implementation. And of course, watch your referrals grow.
Then you will truly have "a system of projects or services intended to meet a need."
Have a profitable week!!!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Are the inmates running the asylum?
It disappoints me a little that I even have to write a blog with the following content. In the past 4 years, I have seen dentistry as one of the industries making the most strides in its marketing and overall brand management.
But a call last week really reversed my outlook and made me realize that there are still some doctors out there that allow their staff to dictate how the business is run, and it is costing them dearly.
A "front office" member from a new dental client of ours called and expressed her discomfort with a part of the new client agreement we review with each doctor that uses our service. Basically, the line said "You agree to keep a log of all incoming new patient call activity..."
The front office member in question explained that she did not have the time to collect the callers name, address, and phone number over the phone, and that she waits until they come into the office. It would really "cramp" her schedule to have to collect and spend that time with every new caller that is interested in the doctors services.
Let me state that again... It would really "cramp" HER schedule to have to collect and spend that time with every new caller that is interested in the doctors services.
Im sorry, but is dentistry not about the patients anymore? Is it so wrong to spend a little time explaining your offerings to a new lead in order to make them a patient?
There is no doubt in my mind, if asked, the doctor would say how they care so much for their patients and they would do anything to make them comfortable and healthy...
Like make an appointment reminder phone call, or even mail the new patient forms to the patient so they don't have to sit in the office and fill them out, or even call a no-show. I bet this doctor leads the city in no-show first appointments.
The worst part about this whole scenario is that the doctor has no idea what is going on, and exactly how much money he is losing. He has let the FO designate his practice style, and in doing so is losing money hand over fist.
Its not a matter of micro-managing, but a matter of just managing. Put some standard operating proceedures in place, and stick to them. Keep your front office staff accountable for their actions, and make them aware of the vision you have for the business. That is part of owning a business.
As for the dentist, make sure to collect the NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AND SOURCE of every call into your office from a new lead whether they schedule or not. You would pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a list of people interested in your services, so take advantage of the ones who come to you (after all, you pay people like me to drive call to your office). Ask for the appointment, and if they do not appoint, or no-show, you have a backup plan, and a name of a person you know is interested in making their mouth healthy.
Have a profitable week!
But a call last week really reversed my outlook and made me realize that there are still some doctors out there that allow their staff to dictate how the business is run, and it is costing them dearly.
A "front office" member from a new dental client of ours called and expressed her discomfort with a part of the new client agreement we review with each doctor that uses our service. Basically, the line said "You agree to keep a log of all incoming new patient call activity..."
The front office member in question explained that she did not have the time to collect the callers name, address, and phone number over the phone, and that she waits until they come into the office. It would really "cramp" her schedule to have to collect and spend that time with every new caller that is interested in the doctors services.
Let me state that again... It would really "cramp" HER schedule to have to collect and spend that time with every new caller that is interested in the doctors services.
Im sorry, but is dentistry not about the patients anymore? Is it so wrong to spend a little time explaining your offerings to a new lead in order to make them a patient?
There is no doubt in my mind, if asked, the doctor would say how they care so much for their patients and they would do anything to make them comfortable and healthy...
Like make an appointment reminder phone call, or even mail the new patient forms to the patient so they don't have to sit in the office and fill them out, or even call a no-show. I bet this doctor leads the city in no-show first appointments.
The worst part about this whole scenario is that the doctor has no idea what is going on, and exactly how much money he is losing. He has let the FO designate his practice style, and in doing so is losing money hand over fist.
Its not a matter of micro-managing, but a matter of just managing. Put some standard operating proceedures in place, and stick to them. Keep your front office staff accountable for their actions, and make them aware of the vision you have for the business. That is part of owning a business.
As for the dentist, make sure to collect the NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AND SOURCE of every call into your office from a new lead whether they schedule or not. You would pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a list of people interested in your services, so take advantage of the ones who come to you (after all, you pay people like me to drive call to your office). Ask for the appointment, and if they do not appoint, or no-show, you have a backup plan, and a name of a person you know is interested in making their mouth healthy.
Have a profitable week!
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