Embrace Selling It Can Be Fun with Dental Practice Management

Dental Practice Management has helped hundreds of people step out of their comfort zone, especially when it comes to sales.

There is usually an outgoing people person on a dental team who embraces the idea of sales. The rest of us let all sales be handled by her, shying away from even trying because we don’t like to put pressure on people.

The good news is a successful sale is a result of NO PRESSURE. We like to think of it as sales conversations. Make a friend, become acquainted and find out what THEY want, not what you think they should have done in their mouth.

What is your reason for being in dentistry? It must have something about helping the guest get what they want. That is all sales is—helping people get what they want.

Some Dental Practice Management skills for being successful are:
1. Shifting your paradigm (thinking) from NEED to what they WANT
2. Enter the conversation with a clear mind—no dental agenda on your mind, nothing about straightening those crooked laterals, etc
3. Give up being the dental authority and listen to the guest by asking questions
4. Be an awesome listener
5. No matter what they say, make your guest right
6. Never put any pressure on your guest in any form.

We think we have to talk our guest into something. We put pressure on them to do what we think they should do. Who are we to think we know what they want, even before we ask them questions?
People will buy anything from you if they want it, they trust you and they like you. Everyone remembers the sales person who put too much pressure on you to buy an item, like a car.

We make decisions to buy something permanently, instantly and emotionally. We see something we like and we want it now. Most dental conversations are technical and not emotional. The problem with that is your guests make their decisions emotionally, not technically. How will it look? Will it make me look younger? How white will my teeth be?

We try to talk patients into a result by educating them about the treatment which is not an emotional approach. Teaching them how to do an endo procedure is the reverse of emotional. You can see their eyes rolling back in their head of boredom.

A better approach is building trust, an important part of the sales process. Put yourself in their shoes with active listening, better than just nodding and waiting for the next time you can jump in and tell them some more technical information, which interests you, but not your patient.

In your office, what systems do you have in place to develop trust and relationship? Surely, a new patient does not sit alone in your waiting room completing health forms. Have you and your team moved beyond the, “Fix-it,” mentality? Do you ever find yourself saying, “The endo in room 4?” Do you and team take the time to discover a real person connected to the procedure?

With our Dental Practice Management system we advise that you learn to ask questions. When answering the phone, make a friend instead of being an order taker. Conversation can be discovering why they called, why they called you, how you can help them, what do they have in mind, where are they in their research and more. Your script can be an outline so the patient can lead you.

In today’s digital marketplace, many have done their homework, asked colleagues and neighbors about dentists. Some may even know what they want. Give them a chance to share without your own comments. Let them talk.

Everyone on your team can asks questions and build friendships. You cannot hide in the lab or pretend you do not have time. Start with “how can I help you?” Depending on the response, you can ask, “When did you first notice this?” Try, “How did you try to solve this?” Keep asking with, “What else have you tried?” and, “How did that work?” and, “How has this affected your life, work and relationships? How would this improve your life?” Let me show you an example. Have you thought about a budget? What do you want to do next?”

Note: you do not offer solutions and you keep the conversation emotional rather then technical. Next is the exam and findings. When they have said yes to the concept, then you discuss technical aspects.

Sales is life-long learning and something we try to teach in our Dental Practice Management. Dive in and get involved. Sales can be fun when you embrace the friendship factor. Even is you don’t agree with the guest, you will find you have learned something new for the next time.

Drs. Bill and Christina Blatchford are unique Dental Practice Management helping you achieve the results that you want.

If you would like more information regarding Dental Practice Management call or click. (888) 977-4600, www.blatchford.com.  Their latest book, “No Nonsense Transitions,” is for the new Doctor, the senior Doctor and the Doctor who wants to increase practice by merging another practice into the existing.