Everybody thinks the first impressions are made when we walk up face to face and actually take a look and see each other and that's not always the case. It depends on how they found you maybe on your website or did they find you on Google? That brand creates an impression, it creates the impression of who you are, how you present dental practice and what you are selling. When you look at your website does it sell health? Does it match what you represent? Are your dental patients aware of your services?
Second Impressions likely happen when a patient calls the office. The question becomes what can we do when we are greeting somebody to convey your brand and what you want your brand to be. It's up to you how you choose to represent yourself, there's no right or wrong it's a matter what brand do you have and do you want that to be represented.
What is the right look and feel you want to have in your business? You want to make sure that the inside of your business is adequately represented on your website. Also ask yourself what is the first impression of someone walking into your dental practice think, and then what does the design, layout and Decor of my practice look like?
Does the look of your office reflect your brand?
Carefully script how do you want to your phone answered, what kind of questions are you asking patients? How are you answering questions patients have?
That first phone call is a great opportunity to take time and get to know the person on the other end of the line. Ask some questions about why they're calling, it will give you an opportunity to learn more about them. Chat with them, find out how they found you, why are they calling your office? Did they just relocate? Did they have a bad experience in a previous office etc. It's all about building rapport with the patient. That first phone call is the opportunity to let them get to know you and what a great office you have and if we don't take the time to build rapport we miss future opportunities with our patients.
Look at your office, what is the layout? Are you putting attention on the front door so you can see who walks in? Is your staff able to greet your patients by name as they walk through the door?
A good way to think about it is the emotional bank account metaphor, if you're always making deposits in the other person's emotional bank account, whether it's an employee or a patient you should always be making deposits into this bank account or rather investing in your relationship with your patient. Building up that relationship bank account will help you when it comes time to present a big treatment plan to them, if your relationship capital has a higher balance when you ask them to accept the treatment they're more likely to say yes. It keeps your patients healthy and of course it accomplishes your financial goals.
With improved relationships everybody wins.
