Chris Barrow’s Blog

Dear Coach

I have “read the books” and understand that the very best way to add better quality patients to my dental practice is to ask my existing patients to recommend others to come and visit with us.

We do certainly have new patients join through recommendation each year but this is sporadic and not a system.

As a professional who has limited marketing experience and an aversion to the “hard sell” I wonder if you have any thoughts on how best to approach this.

Dear Dentist

I recall that, in the early 80’s, I was trained as a financial advisor and expected to engage my clients in a conversation at the conclusion of each business transaction – along the lines of:

“Are you happy with the recommendations I have made and the advice given?”

“Yes”

“Then would you mind supplying me with the names of three members of your family, friends or colleagues that would benefit form similar advice?”

And you know? I hated having to ask in that way – it seemed cheeky and intrusive, even though others prospered by asking.

So I had to come up with a different approach – one that suited my style.

Over time, I did learn to ask a “smoother” version of that question but I also realised that encouraging recommendations was a gradual process, rather than a gladiatorial confrontation after the point of sale.

So I am going suggest a letter that you can issue after completion of a significant course of treatment – but I want to set the letter in the context of a stream of “gentle nudges” that, as a patient, I would experience as a member of your practice:

* On your web site there is a paragraph that reads “many of our new patients come to us via recommendation and we encourage you to tell your friends if you are happy with our clinical skill and customer service”;

* Same paragraph in the Welcome Pack that you issue, not only to all new patients who join the practice but, when the Welcome Pack is first produced, to all existing patients at their next check-up;

* Same paragraph in the patient newsletter that you issue at least three times a year (don’t you?);

* Same paragraph in the e-mail newsletter that you send to your “A/B” grade patients (don’t you);

And then at the end of a course of treatment you issue a standard letter:

Dear Patient

Having completed your latest course of treatment we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing us to provide your dental care. We hope you are delighted with the service and the treatment received.

As part of our ongoing commitment to improvement, we welcome any comments or feedback you may have on our service. We enclose a short questionnaire which, if you could complete and return in the SAE, would help us greatly.

Also included in this pack is a spare copy of our Welcome Pack, a “menu” of the treatments we offer and a copy of our latest practice newsletter. We hope you will find them informative and interesting. If you would like more any more information about any treatments detailed then X, a member of our dental team, is available to give personal assistance.

Our practice grows with the referrals we receive from our existing patients. Please pass on the enclosed referral cards to anyone who you feel would like our approach to dental care.

Finally, we have a collection of testimonial letters available to read in our waiting room. If you could write a few words about your own experiences at this practice, then this would be greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely,

The Dental Team

And enclosed with the letter is a copy of your “referral card” – a business card which goes beyond the norm, detailing your main products and services, including your photo, practice livery, contact details and a brief summary of your business mission.

You might like to see some real live examples of dental referral cards – go to www.thedentalbusinessschool.com and register for our free, weekly e-newsletter then you will be given access to our resource area.