When people think of the idea of marketing products, they envision street people with clipboards, uninteresting questionnaires that land on their doormat, as well as the glossy advertisements that appear on the television, magazines, billboards such as search engine listings, etc. (the list continues to grow). This all seems to be a bit detached from the typical environment of an average dental practice, but is that really the case? The actions all aim to market a certain kind of item (or services), and we’re too.
As part of the dental group, we need to be aware of the nature of what we are selling, the reason we offer it, and who we are providing it to? The dental practice we work in is an enterprise (that term we hate to use) and can be described as an easy equation.
Product Revenue – Costs = Profit
That is, we must earn enough income so that we are able to pay our operating expenses (everything including wages, materials like gas, electricity, and so on) and leave with enough money to invest into the practice to ensure its long-term survival and growth. If we fail to generate enough money, either by being able to sell enough products and services, the practice will not be able to survive.
Making sure that a practice grows or retains its income is the job of Marketing. In particular, it’s about ensuring that the product is in good shape.
But let’s be clear. We don’t sell physical items like apples at grocery stores. We’re an office for dental patients. We are using our resources (skills, tools, equipment, materials, etc.) for profit. The product we offer is the result of that process.
It is possible to break our product into three parts and this way we can begin to think about ways to enhance the quality of our product. Then we can start the first steps towards effectively marketing our practice.
Beginning with the primary demand for your product, do you understand what drives your patients (your customers) to be attracted to your business? It could be due to many motives…
* Pain – aaagggghhh!!! Help me – Help me
* For cosmetic motives e.g., an improved smile
* Restoration e.g., replace or fill in the holes the teeth
* Preventive i.e., making sure there are no holes in the first place
* A tremendous old gossip since their cat died just now
* There’s no other dentist within 50 miles.
* They are looking for a Quality Dental Experience?
(Tip Don’t believe that you you are aware of what your patients would like and ask them).
When you are aware of what your customer’s needs are, it is then possible to ensure that the physical aspects of your product meet the needs of your customers.
The Physical Product aspect in practice could be divided into two areas of focus:
1. The quality of treatment
Do the fillings last? Are the crowns attractive? Do the new dentures look good, or do they appear like the unlegitimate child of Austin Powers? Do the teeth whitening procedures result in white, bright teeth. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dental practices that don’t think about their products here and don’t think about…
2. The environmental quality
Does it feel welcoming, pleasant contemporary, and fresh, or are there damaged posters from the end of the Jurassic Period stuck to stained wallpapers with sticky tape that has turned yellow? Are your clients seated in the waiting area and relaxed with stimulating reading material? Or are they in the waiting room and listening to the high-pitched sound of the drill while breathing in the smell of plant algae and mouthwash that has escaped from the dirty fish tank that is in the corner?
Check out your dental dentist’s office and ask yourself, “Would you want to come here? Would you feel relaxed and maybe consider coming again in the near future for some cosmetic teeth whitening?” or are you contemplating, “Oh no – it’s just another trip to the dentist!”
We also have the Augmented Product or the intangible aspects that make up your dentist’s practice, such as the standard of your service. It has a warm and friendly receptionist that smiles and greets each time a patient comes through the door. It has a dentist who is willing to talk with patients at the clinic instead of playing a dental version of the hokey-cokey. It has a team that will work together to help one another as well as their patients. This is among the most effective ways to transform an ordinary practice into a truly great one.
Then take a moment to ask yourself, “How good is our product? “What can I do to help improve it?” “How can I help start positively marketing our product?”
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