Take a look at our newsletter this month!
Lessons I Learned From Dan
By Dr. Tom “The Gems Guy” Orent
Of course, there’s no way to share in one article (even spread out over two newsletters), what I learned from Dan over the course of 23 years. But a number of “Dan-isms” come to mind. Each teaches an important business, marketing, or sales lesson. Over the last several days since I learned of his illness, I’ve been putting together a list to share with you.
make a transaction (sale). The LIFETIME VALUE of a long-term customer should blow away the potential value of a single initial transaction. Focus on using the transaction as a means of gaining and nurturing a lifetime customer, client, or patient. HINT: Dentists frequently voice concern over the “lost revenue” from a low-cost new patient special offer. Don’t compare your average production per hour to the new patient first visit and expect them to be equivalent. Get more new patients in the door even at a low initial visit fee. Wow them with an amazing personalized experience and enjoy long-term relationships and high lifetime value. The likelihood of a sale is far more dependent upon the attitude of the seller than the attitude of the buyer. Time and again, this concept is proven when one person successfully sells to a prospect or client in a situation deemed impossible by others in the same or similar situation. Example: At the end of the cleaning visit, most Dentists and Hygienists don't sell fluoride to adults because they "know" adults will refuse fluoride since it's not covered by insurance. However, my five Hygienists routinely achieved 80%-plus THE ATTITUDE OF THE SELLER MATTERS.
ALL MARKETING IS A TEST.
No matter how amazing you think the ad or campaign looks, until you deploy it to a specific market in a particular media at the chosen time, nobody can guarantee it's going to work.
YOU SHOULD MAKE THE TRANSACTION TO GAIN A CUSTOMER.
acceptance of fluoride for adults, paid out of pocket ... because my Hygienists understood why fluoride for adults is imperative and exactly what to say to help patients perceive the need.
Don't get a customer to make a transaction. Too often, businesses focus on getting a new customer purely to
MY BUSINESS IS DIFFERENT.
NOT! All of our businesses (dental practices included) are far more alike than they are different. A concept or strategy that works in one business is likely to be useful in many other seemingly unrelated businesses (you simply have to remain open to the possibility and figure out how to leverage the idea in your vertical).
"The LIFETIME VALUE of a long-term customer should blow away the potential value of a single initial transaction."
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THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS COPY THAT'S TOO LONG.
PRICE ELASTICITY WORKS.
profession revolves around educating, find a way to make it entertaining, too.
Price is often far less of an issue than we think. Our customers, clients, and patients are often willing to pay more than we may expect.
LIMIT THE LENGTH OF GUARANTEE ON YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE.
... only copy that's too boring. People inexperienced in marketing look at the length of a long-form sales letter and ask, "Who would read something that long?!" Dan's answer? A buyer.
The longer the guarantee period, the less likely the customer, client, or patient is to return the product or ask for a refund. It's a paradox. The shorter your guarantee period, the more likely it's on the customer's mind (“I only have 30 days, and I haven't even opened the box ... I'd better return this now”). If my ad contained only this headline and a response phone number, would anyone buy? Dan offers two headline tests. Take the headline from your advertisement and add only a phone number. Would the headline and response phone number be enough to get some folks to buy? The other was the "Who Cares?!" test. Read your headline and ask yourself if your target market would really care ... YOU SHOULD TEST YOUR HEADLINES. The order form must be able to stand alone as its own sales letter if separated from the rest of the mailing. Assume the recipient of a direct mail piece will open the envelope and scatter the contents. If they lose the sales letter and everything else, the order form must repeat enough of the crucial sales information to persuade the recipient to take action and make the purchase. Show up at your sales call with a "shoebox overflowing with testimonials.” This speaks to Dan's concept that we must arrive with "an abundance of proof." "Most bullets (and marketing) fail to motivate the prospective buyer due to lists of 'features' leaving it up to the prospect to figure out the 'benefits'..." THE ORDER FORM IS A SALES LETTER. TESTIMONIALS PROVIDE PROOF.
INCLUDE ‘BENEFITS’ WITH FEATURE BULLETS.
NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT A DEADLINE.
Bullets with features are fine, but the power of bullets (and copy in general) comes from highlighting the benefits. Most bullets (and marketing) fail to motivate the prospective buyer due to lists of "features" leaving it up to the prospect to figure out the "benefits" he/she would enjoy as a result of those features. Speak to the benefits!
The "Irresistible Offer" is a cornerstone of marketing ... but without a motivation to act now (deadline), response will be limited.
"The likelihood of a sale is far more dependent upon the attitude of the seller than the attitude of the buyer."
YOU SHOULD GET THEIR ATTENTION.
Robert Colliers’ "enter the conversation in their mind" is good advice. Everyone is having a conversation in their mind at all times. If you can enter the conversation where they are, you'll have their attention.
WE ARE NOT OUR TARGET MARKET.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALAD AND GARBAGE IS TIMING.
The fact that you or I may not use coupons or respond to x or y offer is IRRELEVANT. Don't preview your marketing by showing it to your team, friends, or relatives. The ONLY opinions that count are purchases by your customers, clients, and/or patients. PEOPLE ARE FAR MORE MOTIVATED BY FEAR OF LOSS THAN OPPORTUNITY FOR GAIN. We all know that everything is first sold based upon emotion and only secondarily based upon logic or reason. When considering which emotions to target in your marketing, Dan recommends we keep in mind people are far more motivated by fear of loss than opportunity for gain. (Cialdini proved that when he made a single change to the Bose Wave campaign which doubled their sales ... and was based upon the Wave helping you hear what you've been MISSING).
"Uninvited pest becomes welcomed guest." Just because a prospect didn't respond to your offer when you sent it doesn't mean they're not interested. It's often the timing of the offer. In his classic, "Hey idiot, your house is on fire" story, Dan talks about the number of times he tried to chase this pest away ... the guy kept knocking, finally climbed an 8-foot wall with shards of glass on the top, and came up to his back deck banging on the glass. "Al the plumber." "Your house is on fire!" It's the stories that engage people and embed into their memories. Stories are an essential piece of the sales puzzle. We hope and pray for a full recovery but realize that our friend and mentor may not be with us much longer. Elizabeth and I are grateful beyond what words can express for his friendship and guidance. “DK” will always live on in our hearts. STORIES SELL!
PEOPLE WANT TO BE ENTERTAINED.
Entertainers are paid far more than educators. Even if your business or
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For the latest up-to-date information about what’s happening on Planet Gems, go to InsidersCircle.com and click on “Calendar” (menu bar, top left of homepage). If you have questions, please contact your Personal Gems Concierge or call 1-888-880-GEMS (4367). 90-MINUTE GG12 TEAM TRAINING WEBINARS: GG12 Dental Practice Transformation members, please block out this monthly program on your calendar. These occur just once each month, but they could easily be the most important 90 minutes you and your entire team invest. GG12 OFFICE HOURS: Twice each month, my office door is open for your visits. This is an opportunity for GG12 Doctors and Team
Members to reach me directly with questions about dental practice management.
GEMS INSIDERS’ CIRCLE™ QUARTERLY Q&A WEBINARS: Four times each year, I’m available in the evening for up to 90 minutes to answer your questions about any topics of your choice regarding dental practice management.
Oct. 4: 12–1 p.m. EDT — GG12 Office Hours
Oct. 21: 8:30–10 p.m. EDT — GG12 GIC Platinum Global Mastermind
Oct. 22: 12–1 p.m. EDT — GG12 Office Hours
Oct. 23: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT — GG12 90-Minute Monthly Team Training Webinar
Dr. Gloria Mabasa, UK Dr. Jimmy Loo, Canada Dr. Margaret Houting, WI Dr. Karey Kusuhara, CA Dr. Michael Calabrese, MA Dr. Barkley Daugherty, NY Dr. Mack Greder, NE Dr. Zenobia Sowell, IL Dr. Les Latner, CA Dr. Douglas Leigh, MA Dr. Janet Wolery, OH Dr. Steven Oliver, OK Dr. Robert Harelick, MA
Dr. Jim Donley, MI Dr. Seth Tambrini, IN Dr. Larry Hamburg, NY Dr. Paul Revereza, CA Dr. Ronald Hull, GA Dr. Bill Vagenas, MA Dr. Michael Conrad, PA Dr. Phillip Wallace, OH Dr. William Stutman, MI Dr. Kenneth Lubritz, TX Dr. William Baker, MS Dr. Justine Kelley, MA Dr. Phelan Thomas, IA Dr. Debby Wright, NV Dr. Mark Anderson WY
Dr. Kent Caserta, OH Dr. George Hoop, FL Dr. Kenneth Nash, MS
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WED 3/4/20 to SAT 3/7/20
REGISTER FOR YOUR GEMS FAMILY RETREAT TODAY! Saturday afternoon “Behind-the-Scenes” Disney Tour LIMITED to 1st 60 Registrants Don’t Miss Special Pre-Event DayWithMr. VanceMorris! “Systematic Magic LIVE! FromWalt Disney World”
A Disney Insider’s “Behind the Curtain” System for Service, Development, Growth and Profits. Unvarnished Behind the Scenes Service and Profit Truths (not found in a Disney Institute seminar) Who Should Attend this SPECIAL PRE-EVENT DAY? This “Deep Dive” peel back the curtain on EXACTLY HOW Disney consistently delivers legendary service is mission critical for Dentists, Office Managers, or those with the authority to affect change in your practice
Create an environment where the outside world melts away, inhibitions to price are lost and patients become raving fans. Inspire, encourage and impel your team members to ACTIVELY deliver consistent, superior and best-in-class service Create a more efficient (profitable) process for delivering best-in-class service to your patients day in and day out Become recognized as THE expert “Go-To” dentist in your area What sets you apart from all the rest of your local competition Create service standards that consistently deliver profitability far exceeding today’s dental profesion norms.
Mr. Vance Morris GKIC Reigning Marketer of the Year
What’s Included in this SPECIAL PRE-EVENT DAY: Exclusive ½ Day Meeting building your own Disney Style Service System. At the end of the day you will have a blueprint to implement in your practice the following Monday. Value ($3497) Resources, Guides, Blueprints andWorkbooks (Value $297) Exclusive VIP reception with current Disney Leaders . Ever want to know how “the rubber hits the road”? You will have unprecedented access to these Disney leaders to ask any question you want to. We will also be serving a feast of hors d’ oeuvres menu that will certainly be your dinner. (Priceless)
Dr. James Metz is a 1973 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. He maintains a restorative dental practice with an emphasis on dental sleep medicine and reconstructive dentistry. Dr Metz’s current research with Oral Appliance Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Headache have led to the completion of a 136 consecutive patient study was just published in Frontiers in Neurology. The outcomes, using his techniques, have compared favorably to CPAP therapy for mild, moderate, and even severe OSA patients.
Dr. James Metz KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Metz was a member of the American Dental Association’s Scientific Investigation Committee Workgroup, which defined the role of the Oral Appliance for the control of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Metz during the past 7 years has been a member of the Scientific Investigation Committee of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, which publishes their literature review yearly in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. He has served on the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine board of directors, course development committee, public relations committee, chair for both the Introductory and Advanced Course of Dental Sleep Medicine, and vice-chair of the AADSM Annual Meeting in 2014. He is a board member of the Ohio Sleep Society. Metz is the founder and current chair for the Dental Interest Group of the American Thoracic Society. As a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and International Academy of Gnathology, he has pursued excellence in the field of Restorative Dentistry during his entire career. Dr. Metz is also a member of the American College of Dentists, American Dental Association, and served as president of the Muskingum Valley Dental Association. COURSE OBJECTIVES Breathing is basic. Our primitive brain controls the process, and we take it for granted. We as dentists can influence the available oxygen dramatically. An understanding of the physiology of breathing will allow for a more precise treatment plan of our restorative care. Considering that breathing well may increase your patient’s quality of life and possibly even their lifespan as well as the durability of the finished restorative case, this course will cover the process from intake to completed treatment. The overall objective is to present a logical and efficient way to incorporate Mandibular Advancement Therapy into dental practice.
5. Eval, analysis, & comprehension of polysomnogram reports & the necessity of med- ical eval & importance of a multidisciplinary team approach to treating snoring & OSA 6. Appliances 7. Building a delivery team in the office.
At the completion of this talk, participants will be knowledgeable in: 1. Why we sleep and how sleep impacts your day-to-day dentistry 2. Physiology of sleep (focus is the heart, brain, and basic pulmonology) 3. The terminology of Sleep Medicine 4. The pathophysiology, demographics, and sequelae of OSA
8. The appointment process – how to handle the flow. 9. Patient motivation – it is more than an appliance 10. Billing and Insurance
“SATURDAY AFTERNOON PRIVATE BEHIND-THE-SCENES Disney Tour Limited to the 1st 60 People to Register” Private Keys to the Kingdom Tour (not available to the general public)
An in-depth, 3 to 4 hour behind scenes look at the most iconic theme park at Walt Disney World Resort. You will experience exactly how Disney consistently creates the magic on a daily basis through this tour of the Magic Kingdom. You will go “underground” into the “utilidor” and see how the magic is created from the perspective of the cast members. The tour guides will also focus on the “business” of the park.
VIP Attractions experiences (at least one and maybe two behind the scenes look at the rides, depending on time) then of course; you’ll have a chance to ride the ride! The tour will focus on the FOUR key strategies that Vance introduced you to: Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency. This will solidify your un- derstanding and ability to implement your own key strategies in your dental practice. Tours are small groups with plenty of time and opportunity for questions.
Disney has limited this tour to a hard count of 60. This is the maximum they can do in one day. So if you want to see the behind the scenes magic, SIGN UP TODAY! These spots never last! Please indicate on your form how many spots you need. We will be counting these at the back table. Once we hit 60, it will be sold out.
“The Secret to Using KPIs to Achieve Killer Practice Income!”
During this presentation you will discover:
The #1 activity you must do every day to avoid unpleasant and disastrous financial surprises Discover the single best tool for “Gems-centric” practices to always identify neglecated areas, track progress, and master their numbers How using your dashboard to implement and track a few simple changes can create massive and sustainable gains in profit The only time it’s remotely okay to ignore the numbers (“non-quantifiable criticals”)
The KPIs that matter most and how to fully leverage them to create more profit, happier team members, and healthier patients The critical leading and lagging indicators in your practice (and what to do about them) The 3 ways to get your team super-motivated and hyper-focused on your numbers How unhealthy business data leads to unhealthy patients and an unhealthy practice (and income)
TOM RICH, MBA Senior Practice Analyst
“The Dental YouTube Blueprint - New Patient Electromagnet!”
How to Tap Into Social Media’s Best Kept Secret, and Immediately Drive More New Patients to Your Practice Create a successful YouTube Channel for your dental practice
Manage SEO in order to get YOUR videos to the top of Google Find optimal keywords and phrases for your dental practice Use those keywords to rank at the top of Google Finally demystify using cards and end screens Determine which tools to use (both free and premium) for video creation Build a following of people on YouTube who are your ideal potential new patients
LISAWEBER, RDH Certified GG12 Coach
Make high-quality videos on a budget that get you found, AND drive potential new patients to your practice Properly use titles, descriptions, and tags Create a clickable thumbnail to get more views Place your video ads on your competitor’s You- Tube Channels and capture their audience Use YouTube to set up real-world marketing funnels Leverage YouTube’s 5 billion daily viewers Create YouTube ad campaigns to promote your practice
“Top 7 Essential Wealth Building Strategies for Dentists”
Learn the right way to pay off debt How to obtain financial freedom.... earlier than you thought possible Should you use a financial advisor? The REAL cost of financial advice
Passive income secrets 101 You BIGGEST tax breaks
DR. JEFF ANZALONE Board Certified Periodontist, Certified GG12 Coach
REGISTER FOR GEMS FAMILY DISNEYWORLD RETREAT TODAY! PRE-EVENT DAY STARTS WED 3/4/20 SESSIONS END 5:00 PM SAT 3/7/20
STEP 1: Complete contact & attendee information
Primary Doctor Attending:__________________________________________ Spouse Attending: _____________________ Additional Doctors Attending:___________________________________________________________________________ Team Members Attending ____________________________________________________________________________ City: __________________________________ State:_______ Primary Doctor’s Cell Phone:__________________________ Email Address for Confirmation ____________________________________________ Today’s Date___________________
STEP 2: Enter into each line, the TOTAL NUMBER attending EACH event
____ Friday Evening Gems Family Retreat Dinner ____ Saturday Gems Members’ Doctor & Spouse Mastermind Session ____ Saturday Gems Team Members’ BREAKOUT Mastermind Session ____ Saturday Gems Disney Behind the Scenes Tour (1st 60 registrants)
____ Vance Morris’ Systematic Magic LIVE (add $447 per person) ____ Thursday Keynote and GG12 Certified Coaches Presentations ____ Thursday Evening Illuminations & GG12 CELEBRATION Dinner ____ Friday Doctor and Spouse Mastermind Session ____ Friday Team Members’ BREAKOUT Mastermind Session
Please enter any special dietary needs here __________________________________________________________________________
STEP 3: Fill in the seven yellow cells, then enter credit card & signature
# Tickets to Pre- Event Day with Vance
Fill in # of Docs and Non-Docs, then Enter Line Totals for Docs & Team Based on Membership Level and Date by Which You Register. Also fill in # for Pre-Event Day
Platinum Register After 1/31/20
Platinum Register 12/1/19 to 1/31/20
Platinum Register 9/29/19 to 11/30/19
Platinum Register by 9/28/19
Line Totals
# GG12 Non
Members
Doctors
NC* $1,997 $1,297
$997 $597
$697 $397
$397
Non-Doctor Team & Spouse
NC* $197 Total # Tickets to Pre-Event Day, Systematic Magic LIVE $447/person x $997 $797
TOTAL:
__Visa __MC __AMEX __Disc # ___________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: ______ Signature Authorizing Charge: ________________________ Date: ________ Name On Card: _____________________ Exp: ___/___ Upon registration, tuition will be charged to your credit card on file. After registering for the event, you will receive a confirmation which will include a link to book your room(s) in the event hotel at our group rate if space within the Gems group block remains available. “Disney Behind the Scenes” Tour is limited to the first 60 people. The PRE-EVENT DAY, “Systematic Magic LIVE” with Vance Morris is an additional $447/person (but worth TEN TIMES that!) Your Retreat Tuition is FULLY REFUNDABLE if you cancel at least 30 days prior to the event. *GG12 & GG12 Alumni Members credit card will be charged a $200 REFUNDABLE Deposit, to help plan for meals and retreat space. The FULL $200 will be REFUNDED the week after you ATTEND the retreat (or if you Cancel 30+ days Prior to event). Your card will be charged $447/person for the Pre-Event day. CHARGE MY CREDIT CARD ON FILE (check the box and sign above) BONUS GIFT for ALL doctors registering before 12/31/19, choose any one of our 7 Gems Swag. See photos top of this page, of the 6 Gems Family Swag T-Shirts, or , you may choose one of the Planet Gems Thermal Cooler Bags (out of this world!). T-SHIRT # ___ SIZE ___ or Cooler Bag ___
FAX FORM TO 1-508-861-1550 (Outside USA/Canada FAX 001-508-861-1550) OR CALL 1-888-880-GEMS (4367) TO REGISTER TODAY!
Last month, we talked about encouraging your patients to “Use ‘Em or Lose ‘Em” when it comes to dental insurance by utilizing our 100% DONE-FOR-YOU Gems Family Member GoldRush Patient Motivator. (By the way, it’s not too late to start this!) Every Dentist worth their salt knows this is a great way to end the last quarter of 2019, but there are other tactics you could deploy to boost your end-of-year profit, encourage returning patients, and … best of all ... set up 2020 to become your BEST YEAR EVER! Starting 2020 on a high note could be the difference between a high- performing year and another year of flat profits and stagnant referrals. However, each dental practice is different, and a generic outline for every practice could be useful but won’t maximize your potential. The road map to a killer year can be found WITHIN your practice.
which I replied, “Yes.” Nope! The teacher reached under the desk and pulled out a jug of water! As I poured the water, it seeped in all around the sand until every last molecule of air (and remaining space) was gone from the bucket.
AN IMPOSSIBLE REQUEST
The teacher then reached under the desk and this time produced a box filled with huge rocks … rocks far larger than the medium-sized rock with which we had begun. He asked me to put some of the “biggest rocks” into the bucket. Of course, that was impossible. There was NO WAY anything was getting into that bucket without something coming out, much less rocks that were larger than the biggest rocks I had already put in there! That’s when the lesson hit me like a ton of bricks … or, like a boulder. You cannot expect to reach your maximum potential when you spend your days focused on the small stuff: medium-sized rocks, pebbles, sand, and water. The biggest rocks represent the hardest tasks to accomplish, but they’re the most valuable to your practice and your life. They are the things you know you should be doing but never quite get around to starting. It’s easier to hack at email, restock or rearrange the shelves, check in a lab case, or make a few calls … but all those things can be fit (like the water and sand) in and around the bigger items. But you’ll never get to the biggest rocks … unless you begin with them! CLICK!
To find it, we suggest identifying what we call your “biggest rocks” and crushing them.
"You’ll never get to the biggest rocks … unless you begin with them!"
THE BUSINESS LESSON I LEARNED IN HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS
The origins of this lesson stem back to high school when I was a young student and had volunteered to help my science teacher with a class lesson. Up in front, the teacher had a bucket, large and medium-sized rocks, pebbles, sand, and water. But what appeared to be a geology lesson turned out to be more profound than any other experiment. My teacher instructed me to begin filling the bucket with the medium- sized rocks. After I fit as many as I could in the bucket, I was asked to add as many pebbles as I could. Certain that I had packed the bucket to the brim, the teacher asked me to pour in the sand. I began to pour, and eventually, sand filled the crevices between the rocks and pebbles. The teacher asked me if I thought the bucket was full, to
FILLING YOUR BUCKET
Striving to be better in 2020 starts with how you set yourself up for success in 2019. You don’t have to fill your bucket each month with every obstacle plaguing your practice. Instead, begin by focusing on the biggest obstacles and opportunities, and knock out what you can. You’ll always have time, in the end, to sneak in the pebbles, sand, and water.
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Team up with your GG12 Coach and your team to brainstorm the TWO BIGGEST ROCKS, the greatest as-of-yet untapped opportunities most likely to help you achieve your goals this year. How can your team help you make your practice better? What do you need to do? What strategies should you be implementing? What Gem or challenge should your team attack next?
6. Have your Hygienists’ acceptance rates for Perio Phase I bumped up to AT LEAST 6–8 quadrants per week? (P.S. Until you share the rewards, this won’t happen!) 7. Have you been offering the best option quadrant care to EVERY recall patient who has multiple open leaking margins on decades old amalgams? These are just a few of the biggest rocks that may be blocking your road map, but any one of these adjustments could boost your revenue by at least $30,000–$70,000 per year, and some of them by $100,000-plus. Locating the biggest problems and opportunities in your practice and exactly how to attack them using the many Gems available to you will give you the best chance at your BEST YEAR YET! Call your Personal Gems Concierge to set up a call with your GG12 Coach and get started on boosting 2020.
Here are a few hints to get you started:
1. Have you hired a Periodontist? An Orthodontist? An Endodontist? 2. Did you review your fees and “equilibrate” those which were low with respect to the rest? 3. Did you START TESTING multiple simultaneous advertising media? 4. Have you completed a DIAGNOdent (SOPROLIFE, Canary, CariVu etc.) exam on EVERY patient in your practice? 5. Did you bump your fluoride acceptance to over 95% on ALL adult patients?
Business Done Right
“This is really terrible. I can make it better.”
his frustration at the lack of tasty energy bars, and his mom’s baking skills to the kitchen to create a bar that people would actually enjoy. Today, Clif Bar employs over 1,000 people and has given away over $8 million in philanthropic donations. Last year, the company was a certified Great Place to Work, a testament to the positive culture and strong sense of community Erickson has built. Clif Bar offers matching funds, and employees get PTO (paid time off) for volunteering — something encouraged as part of the company’s emphasis on giving back. Of course, Clif Bar wasn’t an overnight success. Erickson and his mom experimented and tested their initial product, returning to the kitchen time and again to adjust the recipe. They brought their bars to bike races and passed them out to friends — and went
So begins many a great entrepreneurial journey. Some 100 miles into a grueling 175-mile bike ride, these also happened to be the exact words Gary Erickson spoke. Long before he became the founder and CEO of Clif Bar & Company, he was about to eat his sixth bland, dry, tooth-achingly hard energy bar, and he’d had enough. At the time, Erickson worked at a bike seat factory and moonlighted as a baker. Growing up, his Greek mother and grandmother taught him how to make delectable pastries, and those skills matured well, lending themselves to a burgeoning business Erickson named Callie’s Sweets and Savories, after his grandmother.
Following the “terrible energy bar incident,” Erickson brought his experience as an athlete,
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InsidersCircle.com | 1-888-880-GEMS (4367)
By Lisa Weber, RDH, Certified GG12 Coach
Dentures have been the tried and true solution to missing teeth for decades … centuries even! Archaeologists have linked dentures back to 700 B.C. when citizens in northern Italy constructed false teeth out of human or animal bone. While dental science has made significant strides since cave man times, dentures remain in the Dark Ages. Today, dentures are no longer made of previously living animal chompers but, instead, rely on sturdy man-made material. Yet, dentures continue to be bulky and uncomfortable, often nearly gagging a patient as the dentures shift, slip, and cause discomfort. Dentures can even cause the jawbone to deteriorate, which changes a patient’s facial structure and function. Thankfully, the same dental science that did away with animal parts for teeth has also created an innovative system for replacing missing teeth. The All-on-4 dental implant method offers a stable solution with dentures that function like the real deal. Depending on the patient, between four and six implants are placed to support an entire arch of teeth. Both the hybrid temporary prosthesis and the permanent zirconia prosthesis function like the patient’s own teeth, offering stability, confidence, and the ability to eat anything they want again.
Let’s pause for a moment and dissect what this can mean for patients. When I talk about All-on-4 dental implants, I’m often reminded of an 87-year-old patient my team and I treated. By that point, many patients would have thrown in the towel on their oral health … but not this patient! She was tired of battling her missing teeth and dentures. When she received her complete arch of stable, lifelike teeth using the All-on-4 technique, she was given
an opportunity for a new lifestyle. She looks younger, feels younger, and said she can’t wait to go out to lunch with her daughter and order anything she wants from the menu. She told us, “If you think you’re too old, you’re not.” I can tell you that restoring a patient’s dentition with All-on-4 is life-changing … and this patient is just one example. We’ve treated patients from 36 to 87. Every single one has been delighted with the results and has become a raving fan of our practice. So, why am I preaching to the dental experts’ choir? You know missing teeth can be a health concern for patients, and dentures fail to fit into many of their lifestyles. You may even be familiar with All-on-4 and are already treating patients in your practice with this amazing technique.
(Hint: Think Marketing!)
WHY DO MY PATIENTS CARE?
With visions of Grandma’s dentures floating in a glass on her nightstand, many patients with missing teeth have opted to avoid dentures altogether in an attempt to elude this near- Archean form of treatment. No one wants to
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tracked this for many GEMS practices and found many are referring out $100,000 + of surgical procedures they could have kept in-house if they had a specialist on their team. I tell the Doctors I coach that this is one of the easiest ways to increase practice revenue. It’s like another income stream you don’t have to generate with your own two hands. It becomes a win-win-win for patient, practice ... and you ! You win because you have the new revenue stream. Your Periodontist wins because they are compensated roughly 50% for everything they produce without the headaches of practice overhead, and the patient wins because they love you and your team and really DON’T want to go to another office for care. Go to SITE MAP GOLDMINE UNDERGROUND TEAM TRAINING TOOLKIT 014 “Add $50,000.00 NET PROFIT Without Lifting a Finger. How to Find, Hire, and Negotiate With Specialists” improving your relationship with your laboratory and their Technicians. I have no doubt many Gems Family Members have great relationships with their labs, but within my practice, we have a Technician who actually comes to our office for every All-on-4 surgery. This allows us to make unforeseen adjustments to the patient’s prosthesis in real-time, so the patient ALWAYS goes home with teeth, whether or not they are implant-supported that day. Our Technician makes any adjustments needed on the spot, depending on bone levels, etc. This makes for a happier patient and a lot fewer appointments. (For those who are unfamiliar, this treatment option is a six (or more)-month process, in which 4–6 implants are placed, and an implant- retained hybrid denture is worn on average six months or more. That is then replaced with an absolutely gorgeous implant- retained zirconia prosthesis.) 2. Next, if you’re going to offer All-on-4 or use it more within your practice, consider
“The best part is, by marketing to patients who may benefit from All-on-4, you get patients through your door who are excited about treating their missing teeth … something they once dreaded."
submit to a life with dentures, avoiding their favorite foods and managing the potential embarrassment of a denture slipping. Yet, as you know, not replacing missing teeth can be detrimental to a patient’s dental health and confidence. Patients’ facial structures can sink in, their nutrition and health suffer, their airway can become compromised, and their self-esteem begins to suffer. Suddenly, they lack the confidence to laugh, smile, and talk to others. So, if you offer All-on-4 as a treatment option for your patients, you need to tell them. Don’t assume patients know everything you offer, no matter how long they have been with you. We recently had a new patient who came to us to have her teeth whitened. She said, “I love my Dentist, but I don’t think he whitens teeth.” After her whitening and the “wow” experience we delivered, she looked in the mirror and asked if there was anything we could do to straighten her lower anterior teeth. She ended up doing Invisalign with us. After the Invisalign was complete, she inquired about the shape of her front teeth. She said she always hated them and showed us a magazine clipping of a smile she admired. We ended up doing 10 veneers for her. She has a gorgeous smile now and spent well over $20,000 in our office because she didn’t know if her Dentist did teeth whitening or not. By the way, he did. I checked his website. The point is SHE didn’t know and just assumed he didn’t because they “never talked about cosmetic stuff in that office.” Not only do we need to let our existing patients know what we do, but we also need to let the community know. We need to position ourselves as the trusted authority in the community, so we become the obvious choice for people looking for dental care.
through your door who are excited about treating their missing teeth … something they once dreaded. When these patients come in for their consultation appointments after seeing one of our All-on-4 ads, they are ready to do something about their problem. Many have been suffering with physical and emotional pain and didn’t even know there was another option until they saw our ad. Many say it’s the first time they’ve had hope!
SPREAD THE WORD
Consider numerous key points when you’re either introducing All-on-4 as a treatment option to your existing patients or you’re ready to create your first marketing campaign to attract more new patients. 1. First, consider hiring an on-site Periodontist or Oral Surgeon if you don’t place implants yourself. Now, about adding a specialist: Here’s why we strongly recommend it here on Planet Gems. Many Doctors refer all of their surgery patients out to a Periodontist or Oral Surgeon. We have
3. In my practice, we have had the best results marketing All-on-4 through online
The best part is, by marketing to patients who may benefit from All-on-4, you get patients
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InsidersCircle.com | 1-888-880-GEMS (4367)
Gems Inside
p.5. Clif Bar: Business Done Right
p.1. Lessons I Learned From Dan
p.6. Goodbye Traditional Dentures — Hello All-on-4
p.3. Happening on Planet Gems
p.4. Asteroids on Planet Gems!
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advertisements via Google and Facebook. We spend about $3,200 on these campaigns, and on average, we are doing about $60,000 each month in stage one All-on-4 treatments. If you’re doing the math, that’s an additional $720,000 per year. The ROI on this marketing is phenomenal. 4. When coaching Gems Family Members with All-on-4 marketing, I also recommend they consider radio advertisements, specifically those that will run during drive time or on talk radio. This is when
people are actively listening to the radio as opposed to just listening to the radio for background music.
All-on-4 is an effective treatment option that can change your patients’ lives and your practice!
If you want to implement marketing strategies for the All-on-4 in your practice, contact your Personal Concierge to set up a meeting with your Gems Coach today.
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back to the kitchen until everyone’s taste buds were satisfied. The company even faced a lawsuit (fortunately, insurance covered it), and other significant hurdles in the early years. The grit and determination it took to build Clif Bar from scratch are two of the qualities that explain how Erickson has created a company that sticks to its gut. The unique culture encourages a healthy and active lifestyle, plenty of community involvement, and a good work-life balance. Guided by their five aspirations, which sustain their Business, Brands, People, Communities, and the Planet, Clif Bar puts people’s well-being at the forefront of its decision making. Employees are aware and passionate about the company’s values and how they guide what they do every day, a main factor helping to ensure their contentment at work. As one employee shares about their values, “Clif Bar goes one step (or ten steps) further with the aspirations. They give life to everything we do and serve as a barometer for the success and decision criteria for everything we undertake as a company. Never before have I seen a company operate with such a higher purpose."
It hasn’t been easy, but whenever these values have been tested, Erickson has always returned to the “why” of Clif Bar. In 2000, eight years after Clif Bar launched — and amid the offer of a tantalizing buyout — Erickson was tormented by the decision to sell. At the crucial moment, he remembered what it all stood for: Clif Bar was his parents, his family, his employees. “This is my life,” he realized in that moment. “It’s our employees; it’s my family; it’s named after my dad.” Kit Crawford, co-owner of Clif Bar and Erickson’s wife, sums up the reasoning behind the choice perfectly: “The power of a lot of money can do good, but business done the right way is way more powerful,” Kit says. Making the conscious decision to turn down a lot of money, Erickson realized he would much rather continue the challenge of “business done right” than put more money in his pocket. And, governed by the five aspirations, he’s stepped up to the challenge. In 1999, Clif Bar launched Luna Bar and later LunaFest, a response to women’s requests for a nutrition bar (sustaining our Brands). It was the first of its kind
in the industry and a clear winner. In 2003, Clif Bar began using organic ingredients in their products, adhering to their aspiration to sustain the Planet. Following the lead of companies like Patagonia, Clif Bar has onsite childcare for employees’ children, all part of their LEED Platinum certified “green” headquarters in California (sustaining our Communities). In 2010, Erickson and Crawford gave 28% of Clif Bar ownership over to their employees (sustaining our Business). Employee-owners enjoy perks like six-week paid sabbaticals after their tenth year with the company, and onsite trainers and workout space as well as paid gym time (sustaining our People). Reflecting on the journey and where Clif is today, Erickson thinks of the “happy nervous” he feels during an outdoor climb, like the intense one he did with friends up the side of Half Dome: “I never once thought I wasn’t going to make it,” Erickson says. “It’s the same way I feel about Clif Bar.” Erickson has brought that focus, determination, and optimism from his climbs and athletic pursuits to Clif Bar, and it looks like he got the recipe just right.
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