The struggle

Nothing is new:

1. Keep your operating costs per surgery per day below £700, preferably below £600. If it’s over £700, you are going to struggle.

2. Keep your associates on no more than 45%. More than that and you will struggle.

3. Keep your associates grossing over £1500 per day, preferably over £2000 per day. Below this you will struggle.

4. Deliver 160 days of surgery yourself every year. Below this you will struggle.

5. Use TCOs to eliminate poor salespeople amongst your clinicians. If you don’t, you will struggle.

6. Invest 5% of gross in effective marketing. Below this you will struggle. By “effective” I mean first, word of mouth, second, web and social media, third, networking (B2B and B2P), fourth, selected direct marketing (radio, signage, adverts)

7. Insist on building a team who are ‘on brand’ at all times – any non-believers must go. If you tolerate them, you will struggle.

8. 20 new patient appointments per surgery per month. Below this you will struggle.

9. A web and social media presence that is constantly updated with content and engagement. Short on this and you will struggle.

10. Simply the best ‘word of mouth’ conversations as part of your Patient Journey. Without this you will struggle

and then, hold your nerve. I am still working with a few practices that are enjoying a “best ever” year in 2012 – they have the above characteristics in common. Those who cannot tick ALL of the above boxes, struggle to some extent or other.