How Good is Your Impression
Creating A Good Impression Need Not Be Like Pulling Teeth –
As Dr. Bhavna Doshi Investigates
Dr Bhavna Doshi is an international lecturer, who has worked extensively with the National Media
including Extreme Makeover UK. She is the CEO of Dental WEALTH Builder, which primarily
focuses on Practice Productivity, Dental Practice Management, Cost-Effective Marketing and
Growth Strategies.
Research shows that it takes just one tenth of a second for us to make up our minds about a person or business. From a firm handshake to a friendly smile, first impressions are no doubt the most vital impression you will ever make in business so it is important to get it right first time.
And no, this does not just mean making sure that your feet aren’t on the desk when serving a customer or making sure there is a permanent smile imprinted on your face at all times. As Dr Doshi, expert in dental practice management explains, it is more about the subtle details.
Dr Doshi said, “First impressions are really important in any industry, but in the current economic climate they are more important than ever before. Our patients are continually faced with making so many decisions, that we have to make the right impressions in their minds to make it easier for them to choose us. This is a vital part of any cosmetic dentist practice management programme.”
Steering away from an obsession with first impressions is vital as it can be all encompassing, so steer well clear of onlytreating your patients extremely well on your first ever contact with them. We all know that in the current economic situation it can be very easy to lose some of your most valued customers, so be sure not to count our chickens before they have hatched!
To prevent any loss of patient reassurance and inclination towards The Dental WEALTH Builder, the practice management company, work intensively to make sure that their story and message of who we they and what they do is congruent with each other. There is no room for discrepancies.
As Dr Doshi explains, “All the expenditure we do to stay in business is dependent upon patients going ahead with our diagnosed treatment recommendations. Our clinical skill is of no consequence if we do not get the opportunity to benefit our patients with it. So, to grow our businesses we need our stories to comply with patient perceptions.”
Once created, first impressions are very difficult to change or eliminate. These mindsets then affect every subsequent decision that patient makes. It will either make your future dealings with the patient easy or difficult, this is why any comprehensive dental practice management strategy should consider this.
Dr Doshi added, “It is vital not to take any chances. Everything your patients experience as a result of doing business with you must be exceptional. Everything you and your team, say and do must match up and be the same thing. For example, if your sign and exterior of your practice looks good and you are based in a good location but your team and your services are not telling a coherent story, then you will always reach below patient expectation.”
It is important to note that your patient’s expectations are created primarily by the potency of your marketing campaigns. If you do not at the very least meet those expectations, you will always disappoint your patients. For this reason, it is vital to deliver what you promise in your marketing. If you exceed the expectations your patients walk into your practice with, then you will have developed a fan for life!
Incorporating a “WOW” customer service experience whilst your patients are with you often excels the good impression process. Taking positive steps to developing a good solid congruent story is the way to gain customer confidence and this can be built by using a series of techniques.
Create A Good First Impression At Your Cosmetic Dental Practise:
- Make sure you know how you are portraying yourself to your patients. What is the message you are sending to your market.
- If you do not know your message, create one and define it. The foundation of this usually involves creating a unique selling advantage.
- Then create a good marketing strategy, which will attract the right type of patients to your practice. The kind of patients who are more likely to be interested in your specific type of dentistry or service.
- You need to get the entire team in on the action of what you are trying to do.
- Create systems within the practice on accomplishing the unique experience for your patients, which complies with your marketing message.
- Customer service is a key element to excellent provision of your dentistry.
- Educate your patients on their conditions so that they are more involved in the process of co-discovery. This will make it easier for you to give options and advise.
- Make it easier for your patients to be able to afford the dentistry. Consider all options.
- Make sure you have a process in your practice, which continues to provide a consistent experience for your patients.
About Dental WEALTH Builder
Dental WEALTH Builder primarily focuses on Creating Practice Profits, Cost-Effective Marketing and Growth Strategies in Dentistry.
Editor’s Note: Dental WEALTH Builder is represented by search engine optimisation agency, Top Position. Please direct all press queries to Tina Clough. Email: tina@topposition.co.uk or call: 0800 094 9001.
Dr. Doshi is a dental coach who understands the trials and tribulations of us dentists because she’s been there herself. She is a consultant dentist in business management. This is what makes her consulting, dental management and marketing advice so apt. 
The business of dentistry is now made easy. This programme allowed me to have my very own dental consultant in my own practice ALL the time. It made team management and dental marketing easier to action with very high results. I now have a fantastic marketing programme and an excellent team to go with it. AND I have the financial results to prove it. I have doubled my income in just a few months.
