Designing your Ideal Practice—or is that your Dream Practice? The distinction is important, so give yourself a moment to decide what that distinction is for you.
Have you decided? Good.
Now that you’ve thought about the differences, I want you to think about the similarities. In what ways is a Dream Practice like an Ideal Practice?
I believe your practice can be both, and in this article, we’re going to explore important questions about creating that Dream/Ideal Practice. And, it’s not bad timing, since we’re close to starting a new year, which I hope is a time you sit down with your team to set goals and plans for the coming year.
Important Question #1: WHO IS YOUR IDEAL CLIENT?
Write an Ideal Client profile for your practice. If you have more than one client type, be specific about the types of clients you want, as well as characteristics of those clients. Think about your current clients and what you most enjoy about each one. Which ones do you enjoy seeing in your practice? Which ones give you energy? Which ones want the dentistry that you love to offer? Those are the characteristics to list!
Do your ideal clients include Urban Professional Couples? Newly Formed Households? Enterprising Young Singles? Prosperous Older Couples? Twentysomethings? Each of these groups (and there’s more) have characteristics that will affect your practice in terms of the type of dentistry you do, the schedule you’ll keep, and the demands/needs they will have.
Important Question #2: WHAT QUALITIES DOES YOUR PRACTICE HAVE TO ATTRACT AND CARE FOR THESE IDEAL CLIENTS?
What qualities would those ideal client types be looking for and/or needing in a dental practice? Make a list of those qualities, then look to your list of strengths and qualities, and identify the matches. Those are the qualities you need to be promoting and displaying in order to attract your client types.
If you see some missing elements, then you know where you need to add training to be most attractive to your ideal client types. Most of all, though, I believe this second step helps us to clarify the value we can bring to dentistry and what about ourselves we need to be highlighting.
Important Question #3: WHY SHOULD YOUR IDEAL CLIENT CHOOSE YOU?
Make a list of the Top Ten reasons your ideal client type should choose your practice versus someone else’s practice. What are you offering that your ideal client wants? If you love placing implants but your ideal client group is Twentysomethings, you’re not likely to have a good match. Make sure each item in your Top Ten list directly correlates to what your group wants.
So, what if you don’t know what they want? Start asking! Train your staff to do informal interviews with those patients who fall into your ideal client categories. What do they value? What are they looking for? In-office surveys are also helpful if the first option isn’t appropriate for you.
Important Question #4: WHOM ARE YOU MARKETING TO?
Chances are your marketing efforts aren’t exactly matching your ideal client. How do you know how to market to your ideal clients? Or, put differently, how can you present your practice in locations where your ideal clients will look? Because this can vary widely from state to city to region, I suggest you find out what publications and other forms of media or community events your ideal clients read or identify with. Forget the “image” magazines—unless, of course, they fit your ideal client.
Important Question #5: WHAT PROCEDURES DO YOU REALLY ENJOY?
And the obvious follow-up to Question #5 is, which ones do you really not enjoy? If you’re doing procedures that bring no satisfaction to your work, quit doing them, and refer those procedures to someone who does. Make sure to communicate with your staff what you enjoy most, so they know, too.
Does your “enjoyable procedure mix” match up with what your ideal clients want? If not, get the training to where the procedures are enjoyable, or re-think your ideal clients to make sure what you enjoy offering is what they really want.
Important Question #6: WHAT HOURS DO YOU ENJOY WORKING?
I’m an early-riser and don’t like working late, and my clients feel the same way. Our 7 a.m. appointment times are easily the most popular. What about you? Many dentists think that if they were open 24/7 they would make more money. Wrong. You can easily produce the same amount in 4 days as 5 with careful scheduling, pre-scheduled time blocks, and by doing comprehensive—rather than tooth-by-tooth—dentistry.
Set your schedule to what best suits your needs, and don’t worry about the rest. Your ideal clients will come to you because of the above questions and responses—not because of “convenient” hours. Those that won’t come during your hours are probably not the clients you want for your Ideal Practice.
Important Question #7: DOES YOUR STAFF HAVE THE COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS?
The ability to communicate effectively is absolutely essential. Investing in the necessary training to improve staff communication skills is top priority. Most dentists and staff members can handle the technical side of dentistry, but unless you’re able to communicate with your ideal clients effectively, they’ll go elsewhere.
Important Question #8: DO YOU HAVE THE ORGANIZATION AND SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO MEET THE DEMANDS AND REQUESTS OF YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS?
Evaluate your current systems—everything from New Client Interviews to Recare to Financial Arrangements to Scheduling. A simple question to discuss with your team is, “What’s working, and what’s not?” The new year is a great time to revamp systems that aren’t working, improve ones that need tweaking, and reaffirm ones that are serving your ideal clients. It’s also a great time to be creative with new ways to serve your ideal clients.
Important Question #9: IS THAT YOUR EGO TALKING?
Many dentists want to be “cutting edge,” believing that it will attract their ideal clients. Maybe so, but be careful about your eagerness to be the first kid on the block with a new gizmo. Make sure that new technology will best serve your ideal clients before investing in it. Buying new technology with the hope of attracting your ideal clients is backwards thinking, and it won’t work.
Important Question #10: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GROW YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM?
As a coach, I just have to ask that question! If you’re not growing, you’re dying—or at the least, you’re stagnant. Chances are, your ideal clients want to know how you’re developing yourself and your team, because they want to feel they are in the right hands. In your planning for the new year, make sure to include courses, teleclasses, coaching (my favorite method), consulting, and other forms of personal training that will help you develop your Ideal Practice.
Here’s to your success in the coming new year!