Your Circle Of Influence

In pursuing our yearly goals as well as our marketing goals, sometimes we try to effect things that we have no control over.

Each person has a “Circle Of Influence” that measures who and what s/he can control. The further from the center you get, the less control you have.


The Circle Of Influence Let’s take your practice for instance. I have put together a figure to the right that shows your “Circle of Influence.”

You are the center. You can sway your staff very easily because you sign their paychecks, and they work for you.

Your patients aren’t quite as easy to persuade as your staff because they do have other options when it comes to dental care. They do have a relationship with you, however, and this keeps them quite receptive. If this relationship is developed correctly (newsletter), the receptiveness grows.

On the outside of the circle you have the public. They are very difficult to convince and motivate by you. They have no relationship with you, and know of 50 other people in the community just like you, one of which they may already have a relationship with.

What does this have to do with marketing? It definitely shows us where to focus energy. If the center of the circle (you) is not solid, there can be waves throughout. If your staff is not solid it can affect your patients. If your patients don’t feel connected they can affect the public.

Also notice what’s not in your circle…other practices. You do not have hardly any influence at all over them, nor should they have any influence over you.

Make sure you focus on your circle of influence and keep it round.

Have a profitable week!