Be different!

Recently some one asked me what would be the most important thing to do if I was setting up a new practice.

My reply was two words – Be different!

To be memorable for patients and for your practice to have a magnetic quality you cannot be "plain vanilla".

Yet, I see so many practices where they do the same as everyone else. They do google adwords. They have a website designed by the standard company in the industry. They have old copies Who Weekly on the coffee table in the waiting room. They have dental brushing posters on the walls and dental brochures at the front desk. It's all so predictable.

And, none of that will surprise and delight patients. None of the above makes you memorable.

After most flights my airline surveys me: "How did we do?" Let me think: I queued up, I got on, I took a seat, you gave me a biscuit and a cup of tea, we landed, I left. Was that memorable or special?

Because the dental industry is so standardised it doesn't take much to really stand out.

Advertise on radio or with letter box drops instead of google adwords. (Hint: Tell people about what you believe instead of just giving a laundry list of procedures you can do.)

Look at what happens when patients walk in. How can you greet them in a way that is memorable? (Hint: Do you have an espresso machine in your office?)

Get rid of the "How to brush your teeth" posters and put something nice on your walls. (Hint: Original artwork.)

I could go on and on. It is easy if you're prepared to lift your head out of the conformity bucket and look around.

Over and over dentists tell me how much more competitive dentistry is nowadays and I'm sure it is if you are the same as everyone else.

But, if you are prepared to put in the work to make your practice unique and memorable then you will have virtually no competition at all.