In 1931, the Great Depression — the worst economic crisis in American history — had thoroughly dampened the country's spirit. Amidst the crisis, Alfred M. Butts, an out-of-work New York architect, decided to create a game to take his mind off the economy. Aspiring to develop a classic to join the ranks of other timeless card and board games, Butts came up with the idea for a board-and-tile game he non-committedly named “Criss Cross,” which we now know as Scrabble. THE ARCHITECT’S PLAN At its core, Scrabble was inspired by crossword puzzles and always featured the iconic lettered tiles, each with separate quantities and point values. Butts determined the point values by surfing through his collection of local newspapers and counting how often each letter appeared. To prevent players from creating too many cheap plurals, he included only four “S” tiles in each box and assigned the letter a measly 1 point. Butts was eager to share his idea with the world, but the world was not as eager to receive it. He pitched the game to several publishers and retailers, but all rejected it. Butts had to retail it on a small scale, and the game did Exploring the Rich History of Scrabble MY WORD!
not become the surefire hit he expected it to be. It wasn’t until fellow New Yorker James Brunot discovered the game that things changed for the better. Brunot offered to mass-produce the game and, in exchange, would provide Butts with a portion of the profits, which Butts happily agreed to. BRUNOT’S BARGAIN As soon as Brunot secured the rights to the game, he began making significant changes to it. These included redesigning the board, its color, players’ starting position, and the location of various score multiplier tiles. But his most important contribution was changing its name to Scrabble! The owner of Macy’s then discovered the game and offered to carry it in his stores. Brunot went from creating 12 copies of the game an hour when he first acquired the rights to 2,000 sets per week by 1952. By 1954, millions of copies were sold. Today, the game has been translated into over 20 languages and has sold over 100 million copies. People play the game worldwide, in tournaments and living rooms alike, and it has allowed millions to share in the joy initially envisioned by a down-on-his-luck architect in a time when hope was a distant prospect.
Boosting Patient Numbers and Practice Credibility The Art of Dental Referrals
MAKE REFERRING EASY Nobody wants to participate in a difficult or lengthy process. The easier it is to refer someone, the more likely your patients will do it. Provide multiple referral options such as referral cards, a dedicated page on your website, or a simple form on an app. Consider also providing referral links that can be easily emailed or shared via social media. EDUCATE YOUR STAFF Your staff needs to understand the referral program's details and explain it effectively to your patients. Encourage them to promote the program during patient interactions, and consider offering incentives to staff members who successfully promote referrals. TRACK AND OPTIMIZE Implement a system to track referrals and monitor the program's performance. This will
A patient referral program can be a powerful tool for your dental practice as you aim
help you understand what is and isn’t working and make adjustments if necessary. Use the data to refine your strategies, such as adjusting the incentives or improving the referral process based on patient feedback. PERSONALIZE THE EXPERIENCE Personalizing the referral experience for your patients will work wonders. Address referral program communications directly to the patient and consider personalized thank you notes or emails once a referral is successful. This personal touch can make patients feel valued and more likely to continue referring. Optimizing your patient referral program involves a combination of strategy, communication, and appreciation. By making the process easy and rewarding, you can easily turn your satisfied patients into advocates for your dental practice!
to grow your patient base. When your existing patients recommend your services to family and friends, they aren’t just bringing in new patients but also increasing your credibility, which is huge! Let’s look at how to optimize your patient referral program to fully maximize its potential. CLEARLY DEFINE THE BENEFITS For a referral program to be successful, the referrer and referee must understand the benefits for them. Offer compelling incentives that motivate your patients to participate. Some ideas include a discounted visit, a free dental product, or even a coffee or ice cream gift card. The key is ensuring that the rewards are enticing enough to encourage participation but also sustainable for your practice.
2
PRO-CRAFT.COM
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator