WHY ARE YOUR PATIENTS NOT COMING BACK?

“Most Businesses get customers to make Sales.”

My mentor Dan Kennedy follows this statement by teaching that “smart businesses make sales to gain an audience” (customers or patients).

What does he mean by that?

“Most businesses get customers to make sales.  Smart businesses make sales to gain an audience.”

Seth Godin expounds on this principle in his blog when he urges successful entrepreneurs and businesses to define their “minimal viable audience” and zealously cater to their needs.

Most businesses efforts aim to make sales and generate revenues and, hopefully, profit from the process.  That’s a one->way relationship and requires a constant supply of new customers and extraordinary marketing efforts to boot.

Smart companies see the accumulation of customers, clients, or patients as a goal in and of itself because they know that once a trusting relationship exists, customers, clients, or patients will buy and buy and buy.  The effort of client acquisition, in such a model, pays off long term.

Apple might have started as a Computer company, but you now don’t hesitate for a second to buy a phone, earbuds or a watch from them!  

One day, you might even buy an Apple car, like the concept model pictured above.

Apple understands that it made a non-verbal, unwritten contract with its customers to provide them with products that worked well, looked good, and were reliable.  If they came out with a car, you’d probably take a serious look at it too.  They have lived up to that contract, otherwise known as their BRAND.

Smart companies know that customer loyalty is as good or better than money in the bank.  Money diminishes, but loyalty will facilitate replenishing it over and over again.

How does this relate to your dental practice?  What ‘contract’ or brand-promise, if any, have you made with YOUR patients?

Should you have an existing and viable patient base and you haven’t defined the contract you have with your patients, you will be extremely vulnerable to changes in perceived convenience, price, changes in an employment situation, insurance status, or other market factors that are out of your control.  In short, your patients aren’t “sticky.”  Put it more appropriately; YOU aren’t sticky.

Having a Teflon practice is not an advantage.  It’s the main reason patients don’t come back.

To keep yourself in excellent standing, nurture your patient base by:

Yet, as with any relationship, it requires constant nurturing.

Most doctors think it’s their skills or magnetic personality that keeps patients returning and/or going to another practice for greener, cheaper, or more convenient pastures.  Many who have thought they were immune to patients leaving their practices have been taken aback by patient reactions during this Pandemic.

There’s no “set it and forget it” feature with any relationship.

Patients who might otherwise have returned to have routine care or continue with necessary treatment have either canceled, postponed, or moved to other offices.  The ramifications are open schedules and Death Valley Level bank accounts.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE!

The key to better, ‘stickier’ patient relationships is the right kind of nurturing and magnetizing communication.  

How can you cut through the clutter, break through the noise, and gain the attention of your current or former patients?

mLive TO THE RESCUE!

See mLive HERE

mLive has a simple, plug, and play system designed to attract your patients back into the fold magnetically.  It will stimulate5 their activity, get them to open your emails, respond to the offers, and become educated about the VALUE you and your practice bring to their lives.

Could you do this yourself?

Probably, but why haven’t you done it yet?

The answer is that you’re too busy working IN the practice and haven’t had enough time to devote to working ON it.   And besides, is writing YOUR thing anyway?  Is marketing YOUR most valuable activity?

Why not check out a system that can magnetically retrieve your lost sheep and keep them corralled in your practice, even while the wolves are circling the farm?

These are indeed challenging times.  Isn’t it time for you to get ‘STICKIER’?

“Difficult Roads Often Lead to Beautiful Destinations.” –Zig Ziglar

This road doesn’t have to be complicated.  All you need to do is watch this video.

To rephrase Dan’s teaching:  Most Dentists acquire patients to perform treatment and procedures.  Smart Dentists, turn patients into trusted friends, while carrying out treatment and procedures.

What’s the value of turning patients into friends?

Turn your patients into trusted friends.  mLive can help.

Click HERE to view mLive!

Don’t wait.  Watch the video now and see just how sticky your practice can become.

To everyone’s excellent clarity and success,

Michael, Laurie, Merideth, and the PPS Team

P.S.  if you’re not sending your patients a Thanksgiving message this week, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to gain ‘stickiness’.