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ARE YOU ABLE TO STAY OPEN FOR BUSINESS?
Fortunately, most states have deemed dental offices as “essential for emergency care,” which means you can help your patients with certain specified emergencies. Unfortunately, most patients have also been given a shelter-in-place order, furloughed, or lost their jobs entirely, which means dental care is the last thing on their mind … EXCEPT when there is an emergency. If you are open for emergency care, now is the time to strategically market for emergency patients.
MARKETING … TO CUT OR NOT TO CUT?
During any economic downturn, the immediate knee-jerk reaction is to cut anything considered “discretionary.” Sadly, most business owners think marketing falls in that category, so they cut marketing to the bone. While that approach might temporarily alleviate some financial pressure, it’s a short-term strategy with severe long-term consequences. That’s not to say you should be trying to attract patients with free exams; instead, in the words of Dan Kennedy, “You need to step into the conversation your patients are having in their heads.” Right now, they’re driven by emergencies and pain … so focus on the emergencies and pain. Dial in your marketing on the things they are 100% convinced they need because when you help a patient in their time of need, they often become a patient for life.
add capacity as quickly as possible and begin prepping for the pent- up demand. One simple way would be to extend your hours/days of operation. Regardless, you need to communicate that you are there for your patients and are anticipating their needs.
SHOULD YOU DIG ANEW OR DRAW FROM THE WELL YOU’VE ALREADY DUG?
While new patients are essential for every practice, don’t neglect the goodwill you have with your existing patients. Now is the time to focus on connecting with your patients. You can send them emails, texts, videos, etc. Talk about how to brush, show them how to floss, remind them of ways to keep their teeth white and healthy. In short, remind them about why they stay loyal to you and your team. They may benefit now more than ever from improved (and more frequent) homecare. This strategy pays a lifetime of dividends for your patients and your practice.
"To quote Warren Buffett, 'Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.'”
SHOULD YOU BORROW OR BOOTSTRAP?
GET EMERGENCY CARE WHILE YOU’RE STILL INSURED.
Right now, almost every practice could do with a little belt-tightening. But you can’t save your way to profitability. Sure, you might be able to cut 3%–10% in discretionary spending, but that’s not enough to save a struggling practice. Also, you can’t have a practice without a team. Fortunately, congress just passed a massive relief package including SBA loans of up to $10 million, some of which can be forgiven, specifically money used to keep employees, pay rent, etc. There are some limitations, but in many cases, this should be enough to get over the economic vacuum this virus has created. These are a few things you can be doing right now to help your practice thrive. Now is the time to focus on community and connect with your patients in new and more meaningful ways. This economy won’t define your future, but the people with whom you surround yourself will determine where you are now and years down the road. Take a moment to remember you are not alone. You are part of a community that believes in the importance of supporting one another. We will come out of this stronger because we supported each other, shared ideas, and walked the path together. When you are part of our family here on Planet Gems, you don't just have one practice ... you have thousands of dental practices all working together to innovate, share best practices, and thrive.
With so many people at risk of losing their jobs (and with it, their dental insurance), consider true dental emergency services available to those who might not be able to see you in another month or so because they no longer have dental insurance or a job. You have a very small window to leverage this group of patients, but rest assured, the dental pain, swelling, or fractures they are experiencing are nothing short of an emergency, and they’ll appreciate anyone who can help them.
WHAT ABOUT ALL THE PATIENTS YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO SEE?
Every week that goes by creates a longer list of patients who missed their semiannual visit (there are actually 29 classifications of patients who should be seen more often than two times per year, but that’s a Gem for another day). That means as soon as the madness is over, many of your patients are going to be anxious to maximize their insurance benefits and get on the schedule as quickly as possible. Also, remember another important point: Not only is this affecting your practice now because of the semi-annual rhythm of most dental practices, but unless this is properly planned around now, it will also carry significant implications six months from now. So, look for ways to
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