PR Nightmares

In a recent issue of The Dental Profit Report, I talked about word of mouth and how negative word of mouth spreads much quicker than positive word of mouth.

This brought me to two somewhat humorous, but very true examples.

The first comes from two regular guys and their stay at a hotel. Be aware, this presentation has not only made the rounds of the corporate office of the named company, but also has seen many millions of views on the internet, and IT IS A TRUE STORY. Click on the titles on the left of the page to advance slides.

http://www.snopes.com/business/info/badhotel/frame.htm

And, the article testifying to the truthfulness of this from Snopes which is a website that proves or disproves viral content and urban legends.

http://www.snopes.com/business/consumer/badhotel.asp

Ok, for our second example that may hit a little closer to home. Someone has actually taken the time to create and maintain a website at www.baddentist.com.

This has become a nightmare for this dentist, and due to the displeasure of the creator of this website, continues to haunt him to this day. The website picks apart every minor move this particular dentist makes and even gets additional press from the dentist himself. For you law minded doctors out there, there is no libel or slander here, because all of the information provided on the site has been proven.

Here’s another to note: www.worstdentist.com.

Now hopefully, for your practice, the examples above will never happen, but that doesn’t mean the negative word of mouth does not spread. There are steps to combat this negative spread, and promote positive word of mouth. I have listed a few below:

1: Treat all of your patients as if they are your only patient. They do pay the bills. Also, they do know at least 10 other people that could use your services.

2: Communcate with them often. Send a monthly newsletter or even a handwritten thank you.

3: Take care of problems immediately! Try to avoid problems, but when there is a problem, dedicate quick personal response, it will lead to happier patients.

4: Take surveys. Verbal, writen, or by phone. A simple “Id there anything we could have done to make your visit better?” is a good way to know how the patient feels about their treatment and care. It will also provide great feedback as to what you could do in the future for all your patients.

For now, that is all. Remember, your patients perception is your reality.

Have a profitable week!!!

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EMC Dental Marketing is a full-service Dental Practice Marketing, Dental Advertising, and Practice Management agency that focusses on solving a dentists top 2 problems - attracting new patients and retaining the patients they already have.