Are you reday, by Dr. Ogi Ressel
June 23 2009, 12:00 am
Warm hellos to everyone!
This THOT is a bit late - It is our Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend!
I wanted to continue the train of thought I started on "Economic Woes"
last week.
Some doctors still don't get this: they are so caught up with the idea
of selling and marketing that they fail to see the bigger picture - sometimes
you just can't see the forest because those damn trees are all in the way!
Listen, I've said this before.........People do not want to see a doctor whose
name they picked out of some brilliant ad he ran in the paper or the Yellow Pages.
Would you?
Would you go and see a doctor - and bring your children - because you
saw his wonderful ad in the paper?
Would you?
No?
Then why do you expect your community to do so?
Or because he was telemarketing them. By the way, you may not realize that
some telemarketing companies hire senior citizens to pose as new patients.
They are paid to come to your office, stay for your first exam, fulfill their
contractual obligation, and never come back. The telemarketing company is
paid by you to provide you with new patients and you assume these people
will stay under you care. Think again!
People will also not come and see you because of your amazing "Blue Plate
Special". You know the one - the one that gives a new patient that 50% off
their initial exam in your office - not including x-rays of course. That one!
WOW! What a deal! I'll bet that this ploy is so phenomenal that people are
just lining up to receive it. Right? You bet! I can see it all now - there is a
line-up at your front door, people are fighting each other to be the first in
line, and your CAs are dressed in army fatigues beating off the crowds with
whips and bazookas, saving your life!!
People also do not want to see a doctor whose success is based on brow-beating
his patients, terrorizing them and/or pressuring them until they sign up with him.
Not only are these tactics unpleasant, but they smack of desperation.
They also will not see a doctor who uses fear tactics or fear mongering
executed brilliantly in the name of Christ! Fear tactics the doctor learned
at some seminar in the hope of gaining a few extra new patients. The thinking
here is that few will resist being "converted" because it is done in the name
of Christ! Gives me worms! The wonderful news is that these type of seminars
have been steadily losing doctor clients and popularity, so they change their
name and the whole insidious process is repeated. Many doctors are simply
disgusted with their approach to practice expansion - and for good reason.
You need to remember that people in your community are not stupid - almost
all of them have been exposed to the Internet, various styles of marketing
and salesmanship, and know when they hear a sales pitch. Their antennae
goes up and wariness sets in - you've just lost a new patient.
I could go on - but I won't - you get my drift. Some of these ploys do produce
a few new patients but it is generally for short-term gain - almost all of them
leave and none of these "techniques" will give you the practice that almost
all doctors really want - Wellness, with tons of families and children. So
what's the point?
"Ok, Dr. Ogi, out with it. What does work?"
Well.......I have to tell you this: There are no shortcuts to the Practice of your Dreams.
But, here is what all patients want:
1. The best doctor in their community, not the best marketing wizard or salesman!
2. They want to see a doctor they can trust - he is incredible
3. They want a doctor they can look up to
4. They want to see a doctor who is amazing at what he does
5. They want to see a doctor they can relate to and who will listen to them
6. They want to see a doctor who has their health first and foremost on his
mind - not the tires on his Porsche, or the upcoming weekend bash.
7. They want to see a doctor who goes over and beyond his call of duty
8. They want to see a doctor who is honest and genuine
9. They want to see a doctor who is real, not someone who is out in
space somewhere
10.They want to see a doctor who they consider their friend.
11.They want to see a doctor whose office is a fun and exciting place to be
12.They want to see a doctor who they can trust with their health and
the health of their children
These are all the qualities that people in your community want in a doctor.
.......And this is what the PEP Program is all about.
Are you ready?
Warmest wishes,
Dr. Ogi Ressel
