The Law of 3

How many times have your felt that your patients just are not telling the truth when you hear things like:

“I can’t afford it.”

“I’m too busy.”

“That’s more than I was expecting.”

“I’ll do it next year.”

Whatever the “excuse”, it is rarely the real reason. Most patients, and most people including ourselves, are like a delicious, moist chocolate cake. Upon first inquiry, we will give the “frosting” answer which is the socially acceptable, easy escape route response. But rarely is this response the whole truth. Dig a little deeper and you might get a little more of the truth on the surface of the cake. But by the third inquiry in a different way, you’ll usually hit the tender, moist middle of the “cake” where the truth resides.

It is what I call the Law of 3. It usually take three inquiries (stated in different ways) before you get the real truth. For example, the patient might say:

“I can’t afford that.”

You ask: “You can’t afford it?”

Patient: “It is just more than I was expecting.”

You ask: “It sounds like you’re surprised by some information you were not expecting. Am I right?”

Patient: “Exactly. I thought I was just fine especially since I just went to my previous dentist under a year ago. I am shocked no one has told me this before.”

You ask: “I understand especially knowing how important your health is to you like you said. So based on what you have seen today, what do you want to do.”

Patient: “I need to get started. I’ll just have to figure out a way to make it work.”

Now, it may not go exactly like that because every patient is different, but the point is that the truth rarely comes out at first. It takes patience, empathy and persistence. Hang with them and you eventually hear the truth whether it is after the 3^rd inquiry or beyond.

The Law of 3 has numerous other applications. Here’s two more:

1. Patients don’t really “hear” you until the third repetition. The hygienist expresses concern over something she sees. That’s once. The hygienist expresses the same concern to the doctor when he or she comes into the room. That’s twice. The doctor reinforces the concern by talking to the patient about it in more detail. That’s three. By the time the doctor gets to the third expression, the patient will finally wake up and pay attention! (I know. I am that patient!)

2. Patients may not accept until the third opportunity. Give them a first opportunity to accept and they will :”think about it.” Give them a second opportunity to consider it and they will consider it. Give them a third opportunity and they will accept! Those three opportunities might be in the same visit or subsequent visits. You don’t have to be pushy or overly aggressive when you know that the Law of 3 is always at work. Just hang in there.

So give your patients a second and third chance in every area. Don’t give up on them so fast! They’ll get with the program if you will just stay with the program! Remember the Law of 3. You’ll usually get the truth, understanding, and acceptance by the third time around!

The Law of Enthusiasm

One of the most important natural laws of case acceptance states: “People don’t buy initially because they are enthusiastic about the service, but because you are.” Enthusiasm is contagious. Let me illustrate with an example from a most unlikely place.

No one is thrilled about jury duty. In fact, since it is the law, most enter the courthouse with a feeling of being there under duress. While looking around the courtroom this week anticipating the rapid completion of my civic duty, it was clear that most everyone who had been summoned for jury duty that day had other things on their mind. Then something magical happened that changed the attitude in the entire room.

When the court administrator walked in, no one expected much except to be told what to do. But when she stepped to the front of the room, her approach was different than expected. She stated her name, who she was, and welcomed everyone for the day. Then she gave us some background: degree in law, husband had cancer, she needed a job with better benefits and was fortunate to be hired as the court administrator. “Our family is so grateful for this position. It has made a big difference in our lives.” (A surprising, open and personal confession in an otherwise “sterile” environment.”) She continued with an explanation of why this was one of the best jurisdictions in the state of Texas and why that would make a difference to us during the day. Then she concluded by saying how much she loved the law, her job, and what she got to do each day. “Our system of law is one of the characteristics that makes our country great. Thank you for your service and for upholding and supporting The Constitution of the United States of America.”

By the time she got done, everyone felt like standing up and singing “God Bless America.” Attitudes were transformed and perspectives were changed all because of one woman…who loved her job.

Similarly, the attitude and enthusiasm of any doctor or team member can change the attitude and outlook of any patient. It happens every day in offices with enthusiastic team members. In most cases, patients do not tend to walk in the door overly enthusiastic about their dental visit. But brought under the influence of an enthusiastic team, their attitude changes and they adopt the same enthusiasm. Remember, the natural law states: “People don’t buy initially because they are enthusiastic about the service, but because you are.”

Take a moment this week to inventory your own enthusiasm. How contagious is it? One way to measure it is by the response of your patients. If they are not enthusiastic when they leave, maybe it is because you’re not!

“People don’t buy initially because they are enthusiastic about the service, but because you are.” Take your enthusiasm up a few notches this week. It will do wonders for your own attitude and the attitude of your patients. After all, if it can be done at the courthouse, it can be done anywhere!

Make it easy for patients to say "Yes"

Several years ago, Cheryl and I were looking to upgrade the “sorority house.” (With six daughters and a great wife, that is what I call our home!)

During the process, we ran into an exceptional salesman who was hosting an open house in a new development we were considering. Cheryl’s first impression of the house was positive so we went in. Within moments, she was taken with the floor plan, design, and décor. Then she started asking “buying questions” like these:

"Do you have a plan that includes an additional buffet in the kitchen?"

"I would prefer the front stairway to be hardwood instead of carpet. Do you have that?"

"The bay windows are beautiful. Can we have those all across the family room in the back?"

As I listened to his responses, I realized that he never once told her "NO" or that she could not have what she wanted even when she couldn’t. If there was something that was not available or a request he could not accommodate, he simply responded by giving her options of what WAS available. By never telling her “no” he gave her lots of opportunities to say “yes.”

He was a real pro. Not slick, just accommodating and very engaging. I really started enjoying watching him operate. It was almost like a tennis match. Cheryl would pitch him a question to which he would respond with alternatives from which to choose.

“Can I get the cupboards in boysenberry blue?” If they did not have that color, he responded, “Cheryl, we have several blues from which to choose. Do you think you would prefer Ocean Pacific or Deep Sea Blue better?” He always gave her something to which she could say “yes!”

After his spectacular performance, I complimented him on his communication skills and professionalism. Then I asked him where he learned to do that. “I am a former 6th grade school teacher,” he said. He told us that he learned early on with 12 year-olds that it was easier to give them lots of opportunities to say “yes” instead of telling them “no.”

There are many opportunities in the dental office where the immediate answer may not be “yes.” But with some creativity and quick thinking, you can always give the patient some options to choose from to which they can say “yes.” Here are some examples:

Patient: “Can you send me a bill?”

Team member: “We have several payment options available Mrs. Jones. Would it be easier for you to leave us with a credit card number or would you be interested in our third party payment program?”

Patient: “Are you open Saturday?”

Team member: It sounds like you have a busy schedule. In addition to Saturdays, what other times during the week to you have that might be a possibility so I can explore all the options?”

Every day there are temptations to say “no.” When those come up, give patients options to which they can say “yes.” Give them lots of choices and you’ll start hearing “yes” more often.

Make the appointment "Exclusvie"

While speaking this week to the Empire State Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, we talked about The Law of Exclusivity: Most people want what few people can get.

Think about it, you always want access to the exclusive places and things to which only “the few” have access.

Here’s a reminder about an idea that will help make your key appointments more exclusive, more highly valued by your patients and help you have more committed patients.

Critical ingredients of the “exclusive” pre-paid appointment:

1. Determine the benefits to the patient of having a pre-paid appointment: More value is placed on their appointment time. You are reserving the time “exclusively” for them. They will have more comfort knowing that they are important enough that you take their time seriously. Additionally, consider the benefit to the practice: Fewer cancellations and more committed patients. Be clear on your purpose AND the benefits to your patients so that you design a system that gets the result that you want.

2. Pick a dollar amount or appointment length for which you have your patients pre-pay. The longer the appointment length, the more of your time you are dedicating to them and the more “exclusive” that appointment should be. A commitment from them is certainly reasonable. For example, when you make reservations at a high-end hotel, if you will be checking in after 6 PM, your first night is paid for in advance. Why? Because they are setting aside a valuable resource, a room, especially for you. If you are not there by 6, they would rather sell that room to someone else in case you don’t show. So, if you want the “exclusive” privilege and convenience of a guaranteed room reservation, you get the opportunity to pay for it in advance.

3. Here is some verbiage that you might want to consider for positioning the exclusive, pre-paid appointment:

"Mrs. Jones, your next appointment for your _________ will be for two hours. In order to reserve that time exclusively for you on the doctor's schedule, there is a reservation fee of $_____ that will be applied to your total amount due. You are welcome to use any major credit card or a check. Which of those would be most convenient for you today?”

The implied message is that they are buying the “exclusive” time of the doctor. It sheds a whole new light on everything. At first they thought they were just “buying” the treatment. A pre-paid reservation signals exclusivity of the time of the expert. It sends a higher level message and engages your patients in an additional way.

4. You can extend another level of convenience by offering the following:

“Mrs. Jones, many of our patients appreciate the convenience of taking care of their balance for the treatment on the same card so they don't have to worry about payment on the day of treatment. We usually take care of that on the Monday before your appointment. Does that work OK for you?”

That may not work for everyone, but the more you can separate the payment from the appointment, the better. That way patients don’t get the financial flu on the day of treatment! Remember, you want to send the message that what they are reserving and buying is “exclusive” time, not just dental treatment.

The most valued commodity today that people have is their time. When you take their time seriously and make your time “exclusive” your patient will value you, your practice and your time more highly.

Benefit from the Law of Exclusivity by making everyone’s time more exclusive: Yours and your patient’s. They will treat you better, respect you more, and follow through when you and your time are “exclusive.”

Looking for new patients?

Here is one of the most overlooked new patient opportunities that costs nothing and is just sitting there. Here are the exact things you need to do:

1. Track on a daily basis the number of potential new patient calls that come into your office each day. Anyone who answers the phone in your office just keeps a tally of how many calls they answer from anyone who makes and inquiry about the practice.

2. Track how many new patient appointments are scheduled each day. These two numbers should be recorded daily so that the team can see how successful they are at converting “inquiries” into scheduled patients.

In the past, we always thought that if we could convert about 80% of the prospective patients, we were doing OK. After all, you are not everyone’s dentist and you won’t be a good fit for everyone.

That 80% target changed not too long ago, thanks to a very perceptive team member who understands that the purpose of the practice is to always be creating happy, paying patients.

In looking at the statistics of one particular office at the end of a month, I noticed that the calls to scheduled new patients ratio was over 130%. I thought there was a mistake and that the two lines had been switched. Upon further investigation, I discovered that everything was totally correct. Not only was the new patient being scheduled, but each one was being asked, “Who else do we need to get scheduled today who needs to come in and see us?” or something similar. In other words, JUST ASK! If a new patient is calling your office, chances are that someone else in their life needs a dentist as well. So, just ASK who that person is.

So, the next step is:
3. Ask every new patient after he or she schedules a new patient appointment, “Who else do we need to get scheduled today?”

While we used to just shoot for 80% in the past, today we compete to see how many new patients can be scheduled in one call! The record so far…7! 7 new patients scheduled from one phone call. Just because someone asked!

It is a simple idea. But a very powerful and profitable idea to leverage your marketing dollar.

Creativity Unleached!

Several yeas ago, a mentor of mine suggested one of to keys to creativity and inspiration…NOTHING! That’s right…NOTHING.

Sometimes our minds get so cluttered with the long lists of daily to do’s and stress of just keeping up with those things crowds out the creative process. We are so busy thinking, we can’t think. So the best thing to clear the brain is to give the brain a break so it can recover and think about more important things.

Imagine if I were to hand you a five pound brick and tell you to hold it straight out to your side. How long could you do it? 5 minutes? 6 minutes? The muscle fatigue would be unbearable to the point that your arm would collapse from exhaustion.

But what if you were to hold the brick straight out for 30 seconds and then set it down for 30 seconds repeatedly? How long could you do that? Perhaps indefinitely. “Recovery time,” not strength, is the key to endurance.

If you had suggested to me just five years ago that my favorite “nothing” or recovery time activity would become motorcycle riding, I would have referred you to a local psychiatrist! But that is exactly what has happened. (Not the psychiatrist part!)

A little over five years ago, Dr. Roy Hammond invited me to join the faculty of Learning Curves, dental C.E. on motorcycle adventure tours. (www.LearningCurves.net) He agreed to donate the proceeds of the ride on which I would be the dental C.E. presenter to our Smiles for Life Foundation (www.SmilesForLife.org) . I could not say “no” even though I had never ridden before.

Five years and four Miles for Life rides later, the ‘Miles for Life” ride has raised well over $300,000 and is now on its way to the half a million dollar mark. Each year, 20 Harleys are reserved by 230 riders and their co-riders if they choose for the annual Miles for Life ride which includes 4 days of spectacular riding through some of the best scenery in America: Yellowstone, Colorado Rockies, National Parks of Southern Utah etc. It has become a Smiles for Life tradition and major benefit for a great cause.

But those four days a year have not been quite enough for me and Cheryl. Week before last we escaped for four days of our own for a Harley ride through the Ozarks. The scenery was spectacular. The recovery time was invaluable. The togetherness time divine! We’ve decided that there is no other place we have found to have uninterrupted time together where we can relax, talk, and “recover.” We always return refreshed, highly creative, and ready to take on the world with new enthusiasm.

So what is your favorite “recovery” activity? If you don’t have one you love, get busy and find one. If you don’t think you could ever jump on a Harley, just do it. It will get you out of your comfort zone and open up a whole new world to you.

The next Miles for Life benefit ride will be held May 19-22, 2010. We will depart from Las Vegas, NV and ride to the Grand Canyon and onto Zion’s National Park and back. I’m excited to announce there are only 5 bikes left to be spoken for and we’re full! In past, most of the riders have signed up at the Crown Council Annual Event in February. It looks as if all the bikes will be spoken for long before then.

So before the bikes are all spoken for, I wanted to give you the chance to join me and Cheryl on what has become our favorite “recovery” activity. From the perspective of parents of 6 daughters, it is the best thing we do for our marriage, our family and our lives. You’ve got to have recovery time or “NOTHING” time to re-energize your brain, inspire your soul, and stimulate your creativity. So…Let’s RIDE!

To reserve one of the last bikes available on the Miles for Life 2010 ride, e-mail us today at Answers@TotalPatientService.com or call 1-877-399-8677. We look forward to riding with you.

What Patients Really Want

We are going to take an hour this week on Tuesday, October 20 to discuss “What Patients Really Want” during a webinar hosted by Sesame Communications. To register, go to: www2.gotomeeting.com/register/473538443

This is essential information for every team in dentistry that will give direction for the future of your practice. For example, during this hour, you’ll discover:

• The 2 things, that if you even mention one of them, that will immediately turn your patients off.

• The most overlooked opportunity in dentistry that over 50% of dentists are missing.

• How dentists are killing themselves by despising one of the things that patients love the most.

• The one aspect of case presentation that most practices totally overlook that patients are looking for the most.

• How the most powerful form of marketing in dentistry has expanded exponentially to 10 times the level of effectiveness…if you know how to harness it.

And much, much more.

Join us at 1 PM Eastern, Noon Central and 10 Pacific on Tuesday, October 20 for an hour that will change the way you look at your patients, your practice and your future.

Register for the one hour webinar by going to: www2.gotomeeting.com/register/473538443