“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward
Gratitude is not something I consider seasonal. A successful dental practice is in the business of people, and not just the teeth and gums attached to them. Although much of the general public may compare a dental visit to going to the DMV, you are not the DMV! You are not the only option providing the service that your patients are seeking. What did you do to make them choose you? What are you doing to ensure that they continue to choose you?
In most dental practices, the Pareto Principle applies: 20% of your patients are responsible for 80% of the production. These are the patients in your First Class Cabin. They don’t just get the snack mix and drinks for sale menu. They get the hot towels, the cocktails before take off, and the dedicated ‘unlisted’ number that allows them to reach a person directly at any time an issue may arise. What are you offering your First Class Cabin in gratitude for their choosing you?
We are not talking about the plastic goody bag! You all know what I am talking about. Everyone who has been to a dentist knows the plastic goody bag – therefore, they have all come to expect it. A prominent consultant in our industry even refers to it as a “poop bag.” Newsflash: your patients are not saving them to make a festive holiday garland. Not every patient needs to have a handwritten Christmas card with a gorgeous poinsettia delivered to their home – but don’t some deserve it? Practicing gratitude within the four walls of your practice is a marketing strategy that should never be overlooked.