Do you ever wish your patients were more enthusiastic about what you offer them?
Unfortunately, as dentists we know all too well that while we spend time and money investing in our clinical skills, our team and our office to offer the very best, too many patients still take dentistry for granted.
It’s not just a low priority in their lives; often it’s not a priority at all.
But is it really up to patients to recognize the value that we provide, or is it on us? Because after all, if we don’t successfully let our patients know about the unique value we offer, we can’t expect them to appreciate it – let alone understand why they should choose us above other dental offices.
Changing how patients perceive our value is something Christian Coachman talks about on DSD Residency.
To change the way that current and potential patients see us and value us, it’s not only about becoming a better professional; we also have to position ourselves as different and unique. And what's more, we need to become experts at making these differentials clear for patients before they even set foot in our clinic.
DSD Residency Tip #2: the Differentiation Exercise
If you believe that potential patients don’t understand the unique value that you offer, Christian Coachman recommends the ‘Differentiation Exercise’ as a helpful tool. This is an exercise that involves taking a close look at yourself, your team and your clinic to:
- Identify and amplify what makes you different and align it with your team
- Get the message through to your audience, clientele and possible new patients
Step 1: Think about the main differentials of your dental office
Ask yourself: what is it that sets you apart from other dental offices in your area? What makes you different in the minds of the people who are choosing to come to you for their dental care?
Some examples Christian gives at DSD Residency courses include:
- Tradition
- Location
- Experience
- Hospitality
- Treating specific types of patients
- Comprehensiveness
- Holistic approach
- Clinical skills
- Artistic skills
- Diagnosis and treatment planning
Think about your clinic, your team and yourself and identify the two, three, four or five things that bring you above average and could be seen as your trademark as a dental office. This is the answer you would give to the question: “Why should I choose you?”.
Step 2:Get all your staff on the same page
When you know what your differentials are, the next step is to make sure that your whole team understands and believes in them. If someone were to ask one of your team members: “What makes your dental office special?”, they should have no trouble describing and explaining these unique attributes you have identified.
Step 3: Make your potential patients aware
These differentials are what is going to set you apart from other clinics and ultimately, show patients why they should choose you. So this is what you need to be communicating to them! By creating strategies to let our patients know about these unique features, we are helping them to first understand, and then value these qualities.
Learn smart patient communication strategies at DSD Residency
On DSD Residency courses, Christian Coachman teaches dentists a comprehensive dental office model that is good for dentistry and good for business.
The Differentiation Exercise is just one of the tips that he has compiled to help dentists face the unique challenges they come up against in today’s world and succeed with comprehensive dentistry. If you are struggling to show patients your value, and want to learn how to avoid them continuing to take your skills and qualities for granted, DSD Residency can show you smart communication strategies to help you achieve it.
There are DSD Residency courses taking place in exciting locations around the world in the second half of 2022 – as well as our Livestream course which delivers all the same learning in a live, online format. Want to learn these strategies? Schedule a call with one of our sales reps to learn more about DSD Residency courses.
