Well, I couldn’t help but look back at the last year and think… what happened to my website? It’s been in various states of disarray since about this same time last year.
But finally I have had some time for a refresh, and although it isn’t quite 100%, I wanted to make it live for the world to see.
If you run into a dead end somewhere, or find that there is important information missing that you need, please call us at 503-371-1390.

Some of you may recognize the above title as a book by Napoleon Hill about your mental state and how it impacts your wealth.

In watching one of my favorite television programs, Inked, the other night, I was reminded of how destructive a persons negativity can be.

The owner of the tattoo shop featured in the show, Carey Hart, was in the process of getting an online store up and running to sell his logo merchandise. He was at his wharehouse with the merchandise manager when the first shipment came in, so Carey pulled out some hats.

Carey was quite bent out of shape because the hats were white with a pink logo. Immediately he targeted the merchandise manager who claims that the pink logoed hats were not what he ordered. Carey was mad because he knew guys would never buy a pink logoed hat, and the hats were to big to sell to women. 12 boxes of hats no one would buy.

As time went on, Carey kept complaining about the hats, while the merchandise manager set into action. He immediately made it mandatory for the front staff at the tattoo shop to wear the hats and mention them to everyone through the door.

Two weeks later, Carey was back in the warehouse looking around, and the merchandise manager reported to him that he had sold all of the hats except for one box. Carey was more than relieved.

The moral of the story is…If Carey’s attitude would have gotten the merchandise manager down and discouraged, the hats would not have sold, contributing to a self-fulfilling prophecy. Carey could have then said “I told you so.”

How does this effect you? When you go into an op to present treatment, assume the answer will be yes. Be surprised when someone turns down treatment, and watch your confidence and acceptance rates soar. Watch the attitude of your staff improve as you see more of the glass half full.

Don’t get stuck with the hats.

Have a profitable week!!!

Many of the articles and marketing tips that we write here at EMC Dental come from our clients experiences, and this one is no different.

In talking to a new client of ours yesterday, we’ll call him Dr. O, I found out that he was planning to sell his practice within the next year or two.

We discussed the fact that many new dentists nowadays prefer to start their own practice rather than purchase an established practice. I pointed out many examples that I had come to know of doctors that are quite successful in starting up vs. some that I know struggle upon purchasing a practice.

That is when Dr. O started telling me what he has going for him in his practice… The first thing out of his mouth was not his patient base, equipment, or location…

…it was his staff!!!

Dr. O talked so highly about his staff and the great job they do for him every day. How they never complain, and are one of the major reasons he will be able to retire next year. He said if anyone were to start a brand new practice today, there is no way they could ever find a staff that was as loyal and as hard working as his. He considered it one of the major selling points of his practice.

Look at your own practice. Do you consider your staff an asset that raises the value of your practice? Or do you have a “good enough staff” that does just enough to get by? If they aren’t the type that adds anything…then why are they there?

One other tip about selling your practice… Dr. O has just started the RARE newsletter program with us. The reason is, he can ease the transition between himself, and the partner he brings in that will own the practice within a year. Great idea, and it really shows that there are many more benefits to a monthly newsletter than just the referrals.

Have a profitable week!

Each day we receive dozens of phone calls from Dentists all over the United States asking for advice. We get different questions ranging from “When is my next postcard mailing?” to “What are the benefits of the patient newsletter?” and everything in between.

Lately we’ve come across a trend of questions such as, “How do I develop a Unique Selling Proposition?”

For those of you that don’t know, a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is that one thing that makes you different, or unique, from everyone else in your profession. It takes the commodity of dentistry, and gives you that advantage that the dentist next door doesn’t have.

Ask yourself, “What do I do to make myself different from the dentist next door?”

If you said you are kind and gentle, scratch that, 99% of the dentists I talk to in a day give that same answer.

With that said, there are 3 ways to differentiate yourself from your competition.

1. Stop copying what everyone else is doing!
This is a trend in dentistry that needs to stop. Sure, there are services out there that everyone will have, but then there are options that will make you better. If you are saying, “I’ll wait to see what everyone else does, and i’ll copy that.” It is too late. ‘Everyone else’ will beat you to the punch (and the patients).

2. Be the best at your craft (dentistry).
Don’t settle for the top 10%, be the best. Have the best equipment, the cleanest office, the kindest staff, and do the best dentistry possible on every patient. Don’t worry about new innovation, just perfect greatness…perfect dentistry.

3. Do something different.
What if you were not the “one stop shop” for dentistry, but only offered fillings? The best fillings, done by a filling specialist. Don’t be someone that dabbles in fillings, be the expert. Amalgym, composite, front, back, top, bottom. Know everything about them, and soon you will become the filling expert. This one seems crazy, but there are other options…finance every patient…give away a car…the sky is the limit.

Three ways, all extreme, or tame depending on how you take it. If you want the same results, money, and recognition as everyone else, go ahead and be like them. If you want more money, recognition, and results…be different.