Friday Focus – January 31, 2020
Recently, I took my dental practice team out for a New Year’s Dinner at Valter’s Osteria in downtown Salt Lake City. Valter’s is not your typical Italian restaurant.
Valter, the founder and owner walks around with his big head of white hair, in a finely dressed suit and shares a smile and a strong Italian accent “hello” with his guests. His regulars get a warm hug at the door or at their table. It works well for him because we ran up a bill of $800+ with tip in just a couple of hours for nine of us. Their made from scratch menu is not to be forgotten.
My team was very appreciative and my wife and I enjoy treating them to a diner every new year. They all loved their meals and as always my wife absolutely loves the bread they offer there.
Valter is full of personality, and that cannot be copied or replicated.
Are you fearful of changes coming your way in dentistry? Are you awake at night worrying about your team or what your patients will think of their experience in your practice. If so, you need a new or updated strategy for being the place to go for your patients. What makes you different?
If there’s one thing no corporate practice or new office on the block can copy from you, it’s your personality. Marketing legend Dan Kennedy calls this “personality in copy” when referring to the way you communicate with your patients in your communication with your list of patient, which includes recare letters and appointment reminder emails that you send to them.
What makes you different? What personal experiences do you have to share? Why should a patient come see you versus all other available options, including options that have nothing to do with a dentist? Have you ever realized that vacations, new cars and shopping on Amazon.com are your real competition, not your colleague down the street?
You need to communicate your personality and the personality of your team like Valter does. You don’t have to be exactly like him, but you need to be you and share your stories and personality like he does. You need to share your team members stories too. It is your unique identifier and should be part of your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) if it isn’t already. Do you have smiling, trust and testimonial-building faces in your newsletter, or just articles about teeth that will bore or even scare many of your patients?
By sharing your personality on a daily, weekly and monthly basis with both your team and your patients, you will build lasting relationships that are unique. You will also dramatically increase the frequency of which your patients visit your office, which will help you reach for your goals you have set out this year. Then continue to share this message over and over.
If you are going to be in downtown Salt Lake City anytime soon, I recommend you make a reservation at Valter’s in advance, as they get completely booked every weekend. I recommend the salmon and any of their pasta and bread.
If I can help in any way, please reach out. Have a fantastic week!