How To Grow Your Dental Practice
10 Keys To Transforming Your Dental Practice Into A Successful Business
There are a number of different challenges that people face when trying to grow their dental practice. This includes the fact that there needs to be flexibility, as practicing dentistry involves continual change, from unpredictable legislative shifts to the ever-evolving dental technology. Aside from this, running a dental clinic means there is a strong emphasis on building great relationships and then you also have the marketing challenges that you face along the way too. So, with that in mind, read on to discover some useful tips on how to grow your dental practice.
Confidence is a must
The first thing you need to recognise is that confidence is imperative if you are to grow your dental practice effectively and attract new dental patients. Your mindset plays a huge role in learning how to grow a dental business. You need to take a moment to think about perceived limitations. For example, some dental clinic owners believe that customers cannot be fully content from start to finish because of their insurance. There are a lot of other perceived limitations people have as well. If you think your hands are tied, it can feel like it is impossible to grow a dental practice. This is why you need to change your mindset. Rather than viewing problems as limitations, you need to see them as opportunities.
Shift your psychology
Now that you have a more confident approach, you need to look at how to shift your psychology. The first thing to recognise that the chokehold on growth on any company is the person running it. However, only 20 per cent of this is related to the mechanics of running a company. The other 80 per cent, remarkably, is to do with your psychology. This means your own stories, limits, and fears regarding why your dental clinic is not where you want it to be.
A lot of people think that in order to make real change their focus must be redirected toward new strategies. While strategy is vital, it is not the right place to start. Think about obesity in the United States. We all know the strategy for being fit and healthy, right? So, why are 70 per cent of Americans deemed overweight? It’s a mindset problem, not a strategy one. The reality is that the only limits that are stopping you from reaching your business goals are the ones you have created yourself. Now is the time to say that you deserve more and you’re not going to tolerate the way in which you have run your clinic in the past.
Innovation and marketing
There is no denying that you have worked very hard over the years to get to where you are right now professionally. However, you now need to take it one step further; don’t simply sit in the ‘dentist’ bracket. You need to move into the ‘CEO’ category. You need to take consistent and constant steps to innovate and market your dental practice effectively.
Innovation means finding better ways to meet the needs of your clients when compared with your competition. If you want to build a sustainable brand that you can pass down to your children and their children, it is all about adding more value than anyone else does.
Marketing is just as vital as well. It does not matter if you are hugely talented and you have an abundance of skill and knowledge, if you do not put together an effective marketing strategy, your dental clinic is going to have a very difficult time getting off the ground. Just because you have the best service or product does not mean that you’re guaranteed success. Does McDonald’s have the best burger in the world? Probably not, but it has a strong and recognisable brand. The fast-food chain’s marketing strategies are awe-inspiring. This is why you must understand what your “X-factor” is. What value does your dental clinic bring?
Understand your consumer base
You need to understand your target consumer base. Who are these people? What are they looking for? What are they scared of? What do they need and how are you going to meet these needs? How can you give them the customer experience they are searching for?
By answering these queries, you are going to be able to generate a culture whereby all of the members of staff at your dental clinic will know what the purpose of the clinic is. They will be able to bring more value to you than anyone else.
It’s all about building those loyal connections. You need to create relationships with your patients so that they keep coming back again and again. You need patients who are fans; who will share information about your dental clinic online and be an advocate for your services. In order to achieve a set of loyal fans, you need to over-deliver on your promises in a manner that means you are indispensable to your client base.
Make referrals easy
Another tip when it comes to growing your dental clinic is to make it easy for your existing patients to refer other people. Loyal customers product more loyal customers. You need to optimize your current client base. Make it easy for your loyal patients to spread the word about your dental clinic. Use social media, print resources, and your website, as well as any other tools available to you, so that patients can spread the word about your practice with ease. You may even want to entice them to do so with a reward, such as an entry into a competition you’re running.
Hire slow, fire fast
You’re going to need to develop a thick skin and make sensible decisions as a successful owner of a dental practice. When learning about how to grow your dental business, it is not the person you hire that will make a big difference in your clinic. It is the individual who you fail to fire. You know who we are referring to; the person you should have fired ages ago but you can’t bring yourself to do so or you keep convincing yourself they will get better. Plus, a lot of us do not like to admit that we have made the wrong decision in hiring someone.
Because of this, it is important to hire slow and fire fast. The quicker you part ways with someone who is not the right fit for your business, the better. However, the truth is that most of us do the opposite. We rush the hiring process and then we hold onto people for too long. It is time to reverse this.
Change your offer
There have been a number of different examples that have shown how important it is for companies to change their offers. Zappos is a great one. The company disrupted the shoe industry by creating an online marketing offering free returns and free delivery. A lot of people scoffed, stating this strategy was a quick way to bankruptcy. Well, the offer was so irresistible, it was a raving success, and the company has never looked back since.
While Zappos may operate in a completely different domain, you can learn a lot from their story. You need to take a step back and ask yourself what you can do to change the game. What can you offer your clients that is going to be so tempting they will not be able to refuse it?
Beat the competition
You also need to make sure you outshine the competition if you are to attract new patients and keep your existing ones. Make certain that people enjoy a positive and straightforward experience at your dental clinic. You want your patients to tell their family and friends about the amazing care they received while at your dental practice. To do this, you need to provide patient-centered care and constantly be on the lookout for ways to improve your dental clinic.
What business are you in?
This is the most important question to ask yourself. It is about stepping back and thinking about the value you want to give to your patients. You need to find something that is your mission. When someone asks you about your mission, you should be able to talk about the value you bring rather than just talking about the process. After all, people do not care about the process. They care about what they are going to get at the end. Rather than focusing on the path, focus on the result. After all, when someone goes to the dentist, they do not want to think about the process or the pain, do they? They want to think about the white, bright, and beautiful smile they are going to have at the end of it.
What do you really want?
Last but not least, you need to think about what you really want and what is important to you. If money is the only goal, you will burn out. Money cannot be your only motivator. You need to be happy and feel fulfilled, and to do this you need to be passionate.