Article from RMI DentalSuccess Letter

Walter Hailey and Steve Anderson talk about...

Creating the Image of Being a Leader

Everybody knows that the press is picky about what goes in the newspaper. When your name is included, it says that you are a leader; otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered with you. The editor always wants the leaders. He wants exclusive rights, because he knows that unless he is first, he might as well be last. In the press, there are only two places. And they don’t print the last.

So, if you are in the newspaper, it must be because you’re a leader in the community, a dedicated and selfless worker for the common good of everybody. In public relations, it’s better to be first than it is to be best. There’s a good reason for this. “Firsts” stick in the memory. Charles Lindbergh flew over the Atlantic first. Do you recall who was second? Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Who went on Apollo 12?

It’s better to be first than to be best, because people remember the firsts. The famous firsts make history; the seconds only get a footnote. And only in baseball do people care about who’s on third. Editors want news copy that reflects what’s happening. They don’t want old stuff. They want things that readers will be interested in.

What happens around your practice that would be of interest to the public? There are 4 main areas to look at:

What’s new?
What’s changed?
What’s notable?
What’s unique?

Give some thought to these 4 areas and think about what is happening in your practice in each of these categories. Next week and in subsequent issues of the DentalSuccess Letter we will explore some opportunities for good newsworthy stories in each of these categories.

This article is derived from an excerpt from “How to Become Famous in Your Own Hometown” by Steve Anderson and Walter Hailey. If you would like to find out how to get a copy of this audiotape series or if you would like to learn more about Dental Boot Kamp, simply send an email message to gregs@dentalsuccess.net or call 800-460-3838 x106.

Greg Sneyd, Director of DentalSuccess talks about ...

The Love Connection

Patients buy not so much because they are enthused, but because you are. They buy you first. Then they buy the dental practice you represent and the services you offer. If your patients don’t like you, they won’t believe you. And without belief, there is no trust. And you already know how hard it is to do business without trust.

The art of persuasion requires three things: believability, likeability and trust. At Dental Boot Kamp we call it BLT. The key to infectious enthusiasm is loving what you do. You know what the doctor says, “It’s only work if it ain’t fun.” Find something you love to do because your patient’s interest will then be a natural consequence.

The Law of the 54 Multiple of Human Motivation
In many dental practices that we have worked with at Dental Boot Kamp we have found that the Law of the 54 Multiple of Human Motivation often applies. Many dental practice teams are comprised of individuals with the following different levels of motivation:

·        The Bottom Dwellers – These are the folks whose motivation is called Gotta, Oughta, Shoulda. In terms of their value to the dental practice, they take more than they actually give. In other words, their motivation is so poor that they are a liability to the team.

·        The Less Than Needers – Just above the Bottom Dwellers are the great mass of 80% of team members whose motivation rarely exceeds need. Its “I owe, I owe so off to work I go.” They don’t cost the dental practice anything, but they don’t add much value either.

·        The Top 20% - This group wants to go to work. They actually desire to be there. They would be unhappy if they didn’t have a chance to go to the dental practice every day. They produce 16 times more that everyone else.

·        20% of the Top 20% - This group loves what they do. They produce 54 times more than everyone else

So what do you do to make sure that everyone on the team is in the 20% of the Top 20%? For starters, have everyone on your team answer these 3 simple questions:

·        What would our patient’s lives be like if our services did not exist?

·        What would our patient’s lives be like if our practice did not exist?

·        What would our patient’s lives be like if I was not involved with our practice?

If the answer to all 3 questions is, “Not much different,” then you may not like what you do enough to be giving value to your position on the team, to your dental practice and to your patients. If you’re not giving much value, be assured that your future is in danger.

So, start loving what you do and enjoy a long, happy life working with team members that you love working with. If you can’t do this, then maybe it’s time to find something else that you love to do and do it somewhere else!

This article is derived from an excerpt from “The Everybody Search Plan (ESP) – 40 Common Sense and Easy-to-Implement Ideas to Get Everyone in Your Company Focused on Creating More Happy Paying Customers, Clients, Patients, Buyers or Whatever You Call the People Who Do Business With You.” by Steve Anderson and Walter Hailey.

If you would like to find out how to get a copy of this book or if you would like to learn more about Dental Boot Kamp, simply send an email message to gregs@dentalsuccess.net or call 800-460-3838 x106.

Art Anderson, your DentalSuccess Tipster, talks about:

Keys to a Successful Dental Practice

Cynthia McKane-Wagester, who is President/Founder of McKane & Associates, has worked for over 20 years helping dental practices to be more successful. She has found that one of the more common distinctions between successful and ordinary practices has to do with motivation. Here are her five ways to improve motivation:

1. Think positive: Remind yourself every morning that you are a great person; you care about everyone; you enjoy your work; you are organized; you are goal centered; and you have your priorities in place.

2. Set goals and have them constantly in mind. Be sure your goals will make you happier, healthier, improve family relations, make you more secure; and make you smile more.

3. Seek positive training. Be passionate about your profession. Make sure you continue to attend courses that will make you the best in the field.

4. Find a mentor: Get counseling from a person who has wisdom as well as knowledge. Choose a person who has not only wisdom, but also good judgment and insights about the future.

5. Control your environment: Maintain a healthy lifestyle–eat right, and exercise. Leave every encounter on a positive note. If you get a dose of negativity from someone, get a quick fix from someone you know that is always up beat.

There are many other things needed to achieve success but without these five, it is doubtful that any amount of technical training will make up for the deficiency.