Shelley Bostrom
hi I'm Shelly with align my practice I'm really excited to be with Dean from Ortho marketing and today we're going to be talking about a couple of things how to really stand out in a crowded market and to really Elevate the patient experience and connect with your community.
Dean Steinman
well hello everybody out there in podcast land this is Dean Steinman from Ortho marketing and guess what we are back with another podcast for you welcome hope everybody is doing well.
hope you're smiling it's now end of October in the Northeast leaves are changing it's beautiful um you're a New York sports fan sports fan you know the Yankees are in the World Series the Mets just had a good run and as you as you know if you follow me you know my jets are killing me here but whatever that's my life but we're still smiling so um today I am very very happy to have back one of my all-time favorite people in in the whole entire industry Plus World I have Shelley bosam here and shell from M practice my practice and um I'm so happy to have you back so hello shell how are you
Shelley Bostrom
I'm so great we do not have leaves changing here in California we've got Santa Ana winds and fires very
Dean Steinman
yeah it's it's beautiful my pleasure it's yeah it's it's been it's been a drought here so fortunately you know with that much rain the leaves falling off quickly but it's pretty it's Mother Nature has done a spectacular job this this this year for us so we're very happy up about afterwards I'll thr a little picture up here almost everybody how how leaves look like but with that said welcome um I'm so happy to join us and we're going to talk a little bit about some new trends and and how to get patience in the door and it's really really important guys to stand out and to differentiate yourself and that's what we're going to talk about is how to differ differentiate let me say that again how to differentiate your practice um so sh let's talk a little bit about that so obviously from my job is to get practices found all right get the get the phone ringing get people to to schedule to get them but from there it's up to the practice to convert them and and work with somebody like you to help them come in so what do you talk talk to practice about what do you what do you teach them on how to stand out differently in in the market because as you know competition is more Fierce than ever before um people who who were referers and not competitors um you many of the big aligner companies are directly marketing through the consumers so once somebody gets that beautiful patient to show up for a consult how do they get them to start or how do they at least get them interested and stand out so any suggestions.
Shelley Bostrom
yeah oh my gosh I have tons of suggestions so um you know everyone always says you know you have to give great customer service and treat them well but you know as you and I have talked about Dean that's that's kind of a no-brainer and it really is creating an experience and really meeting the needs of the patient because you know we these these patients go to I think the average right now is 2.7 consultations before they select their provider so that means you're closer to three so you're one of three and what I really try to encourage not only just my doctors my practices my treatment coordinators is you are not selling braces you are not selling clear liners you really are selling a relationship and making sure that you are asking lots of questions.
um I'm a big advocate of Dr chini's principles of influence and in his book he talks about um are you a bungler a Smuggler or a sleuth so we want to be a sleuth we really need to be a detective and learn what the goals and the values are and the chief concerns of that patient from their very very first phone call because if they have a wedding in a year if they went to another practice and they recommended extractions and they don't want to do extractions or they really really want to do clear liners they don't want to do braces then don't talk about braces when they come in you really need to pay very very close attention and um you know give them give them what they came in for it's not a it's not a cold call it's not a sales call and what I like to remind my practices is by the time the patient walks through your doors they researched you they called your office hopefully you did a great job answering the phone and converting them into a consultation they want to be sold so give them what they want don't give them what you think that they want or sometimes doctors will get very tunnel visioned and they'll get very focused and they'll say okay you're going to do 18 months of clear liners and you're going to do a pallet expander and we're going to do a tad on this side but if that patient told you that their Chief concern is this little K9 is sitting higher than this K9 you better talk about that and better let them know that part of this treatment plan is going to address those concerns so I think that's probably the first recommendation that I have the second is I really like to encourage my practices to have a have a niche have something special that you offer as far as a treatment modality that isn't super common um maybe you are an airway Focus practice maybe you're going to do maxillary expansion maybe you are a specialist in improving gummy Smiles with tads maybe you've got lingual braces that you're offering so I do recommend finding some sort of Niche specialty that not only helps your wonderful marketing company likeor marketing to Market you with this special service in your area but it's going to make you stand out in a very competitive market
Dean Steinman
yeah great idea and so many people don't listen you you know think about it when somebody goes in for a consult they have a a problem a paino and your job is to solve that problem okay and I mentioned this a million times before my favorite radio station in the world from marketing perspective is Wim you still listen to radio wi FM what's in it for me yeah that's my radio um and think about it it's not about you Doc it's about them so put yourself in their shoes and what's in it for me from their perspective not yours you could Crow to the cows come how great you are and and blah blah blah but that comeing to you for a reason so as sh just said listen to that reason and help them understand how you're going to solve their problem or or their pain and that's that's Marketing sales 101 if to just listen and somebody who who comes to you for any service if it's a roofer electrician plastic surgeon a you know orthodontist whatever it is they have a problem you're solving it all right so how are you going to solve their their problem so as you said if somebody just not happy with their kid that's the answer you want to be focusing on not you know about you you know so um so you know when it comes also to differentiating I love the idea of the of of having of having a niche and to listen um how does a practice stand out when it comes to pricing because it's so competitive now and you know the the days of charging 89,000 bucks are over you you know you can't I'd be great if you could do that but if somebody in the market is offering you know in buiness line or full on you know case for $49.99 how could you charge 7500 and expect to do it you know when if if the competitor is offering the same thing so how does some should somebody handle price as an objection and the stand out from that P from that side.
Shelley Bostrom
yeah so I I always encourage my clients that I do want you to charge more than the average and if you develop great relationships with your patients from the start and they for whatever reason don't choose you I really like to encourage you to find out why they didn't choose you and um cost and money is one of the five top patient objections to treatment it's not always the first I think a lot of practices or TCS think that it's all about money it really isn't all about money.
um so I like having my clients charge more but then you need to elevate the value and when I work with my clients I go through so many ways on how to elevate value from the way you answer the phone and really creating these aha moments that make them go oh wow oh wow they gave me a gift oh wow they called me the night before they send me a handwritten thank you card all of these little things that really Elevate the value um so I think that's number one is I I don't want you to be the cheapest I don't even want you to be a so charge more but Elevate the value and that patient experience secondly when they if if objection if the patient objection to accepting treatment today is financial don't like discount it and say oh we're not more expensive it's affordable we're priced just like everybody else I really want you to ask more questions on so that you can find out really what is it about that fee that that's challenging for them is it the initial
Dean Steinman
that's the key right there that's what I've heard is the initial fee is really a game Cher and a way to put yourself over the edge um I had on um one of the I think the vice president over at orthofi and they're talking about money and the average person has $800 of supposable income when they're looking for Orthodontics $800 that's your magic number don't ask for for you know 2 3,000 down blah blah 800 is the answer or let you know and then people would will jump and and by offering that having the creative financing whatever it is that's the that I've heard has been a huge game changer you know um you know from there so you're right I don't don't be the cheapest in town I love when my clients the most expensive in town because you people you know hopefully you're offering more they're getting more but don't be the you know cheapest or be and people think that the most you know the more expensive is better I always use analogy that if you're traveling and you go to you know Restaurant Row in a certain city and you see four stake restaurant and each one is a sign outside Stak 1999 Stak 1999 Stak 1999 stake 39.99 which one are you going to most exactly the good the good steak is because more expensive you know so I think about it you know it's perception and obviously bottom line but don't be double everybody else's price also because those days those days don't don't exist um now also from from a a standing up pers perspective how does it what practice um stand out you know as far as being part of the community because you're real big on community involvement there yeah and and how would somebody do that especially for for a younger a newer practice and they want to get involved in the community and be part of of it what would how would they how would you suggest you know three things somebody could stand out in the next month or so by just rolling up your sleeves yeah um Community is so so important um
Shelley Bostrom
yes there are so many Global reaches with you know SEO and social media and YouTube and all of those things but really getting back to those Basics with forming those genuine face-to-face connections and relationships is so important that I think a lot of offices don't prioritize and they just say oh I'm too busy or if they have a a cancellation in the schedule they're like okay let's go out and do marketing where it really needs to be something there needs to be what I call like a marketing machine so in order for marketing to be successful you need a lot of people on your team you need a Dean you need someone in your office that's going to do internal marketing you need to have a face of your office that's going to go do community marketing networking setting up a booth at your fall Festival connecting with your local elementary schools but it can't just be when oh hey we have a free hour let's do something about it you really need to block time in your schedule and and put a really like a standard operating procedure in place for marketing in order for it to be successful you can't just you know every few months go out and visit your local doctors and Market to them so as far as three things that you could do today number one I think for the ortho industry is connect with your local elementary schools pull like a 10 mile radius at least and make a list so maybe when I know we've got like the holidays maybe in January when all the kiddos are back and you are ready to build some relationships for the rest of winter and spring before summer vacation is drop off some goodies go to the El El School make friends with the ladies in the office ask if they have any spring events coming up bring them a plate of cookies or something leave some brochures let them know who you are and where you're located um so I think that would be the one goal or I guess suggestion number one suggestion number two um it's almost cookie season for Girl Scouts and I always was very successful I'm like a 10year girl scout leader when my daughter was younger and um connect with Girl Scouts Girl Scouts are always looking for you know ways to earn badges get them in your office you can have a dozen braces ready little girls and their moms and their families who can explore learn about your interal scanner and look at typodont and talk about braces and look at x-rays um Girl Scouts are very into like stem learning and training and it's science so get them into your office and offer them like a badge Workshop.
Dean Steinman
I just heard today on the radio that um or on Tik Tok I think it was one of two they was getting inter change that t the Girl Scouts just raised their price for the first time in like in 25 years for their for their um um to be part of to be a part of their um to be a member membership fee oh the membership fee I was say I don't think cookies went up anymore oh the membership fee yeah first time they it doubled I think it was you know yeah so it's funny talking about Girl Scouts um and number three
Shelley Bostrom
number three number three you know what wherever your office is located maybe you're in a strip mall maybe in you're in like a big office building connect with those local people even if they're not dentists let them know just put on your cute like branded t-shirt and have some goodies and put on your walk-in shoes and go to that you know strip mall that your practice is in and just say hey I'm Shelly I'm the office manager over here at this orthodontist and doctor is running a special for the plaza Antonio Shopping Center all the business owners and their employees and families we're offering complimentary consultations and $350 off treatment here's a card do you have any interest and just market to I mean just build those relationships people are always looking for a deal and they're not going to come and visit you you know whenever you're running a campaign I always say you it needs to be limited time bound and I ask all of my practices like why do people shop on Amazon Prime days why do people shop on Black Friday it's because what am I going to get today that I'm not going to get tomorrow so they need to feel very special we're running this special for this month and I have a special coupon just for you because you are because you are in this shopping center so um I think that's a great one too it's just it's just boots to the ground marketing
Dean Steinman
you know I'm going to take that one step further and to do it also you you know in face but the world we're in now is is lives here you know so what you want to do as as a practice you have to think from a social media perspective um to think outside your four walls um so many practices fall unfortunately under the guys that by posting on social media you know you're going to get more business social media does a move the needle it just is what I found if done correctly it's the it's the whipped cream on a Sunday okay be but marketing and your foundation is the ice cream but and and most practices think about the people who follow you especially from orthodontic perspective are probably already patients so it's hard to sell to somebody when they're already in treatment so think outside your four walls guys you're you're part of a community so if you go toot local football game T take a picture of it tag it you know make you're in the smile business so great job go Panthers you know T tag them from from your practice and people will will see it if you go to a local restaurant take a picture of your dinner tag them say great meal you know if you go to a coffee shop locally take a picture of with the with the you know barish to talk take a picture with um you know of the coffee take a picture of the bakery these are things that you're part of the community and by and by showing their information they're going to come back to you and all their followers will see it and that's also how you build your name out there um because this the world we're in now is on this and that's the world that you need to be on um so think about if you could just once a week or if you bring in lunch for your office take a picture of the food and thank thank them have a salad you know if you go see a you know um great Sunset take a picture of it whatever it is anything going on in town that also is how you get part of the community too so that's a little tip there that you could do today right now you know if you're bringing in breakfast or lunch today do it t you know take tag the the restaurant thank them you know take a picture if you go in take take a picture of the with the owner you know things like that that's how that's what you want to do if you you know as long as if you're in a suburban community you want that that really makes a big difference so that's something a little little tip tip there um so sh in in Closing one Qui if you had to basically give one bit of advice that something came across your desk recently or you read about that might be a good news bit or some bit of um information that you could share with the community what would you say is something new that you came across that somebody should do or see or follow just any bit of in of of information a new you know a new book you read or you know are you finding a new Tik Tok thing or um you heard this or that whatever anything that anything that you want to share with anybody
Shelley Bostrom
gosh put me on the spot Dean
Dean Steinman
well I try I got keep your toes
Shelley Bostrom
um I haven't read any new books
Dean Steinman
okay all right let's that let's even about that what about what do you what are you watching now on on on Netflix
Shelley Bostrom
um you know what I watch is not on Netflix it's my kind of embarrassing guilty pleasure but my husband and I love watching Naked and Afraid okay watching Naked and Afraid so we just watched um the last one last one standing so um yeah but back to back to your other question I did think about something it's not really anything new that came across my desk but something that I want to make sure that um that really all the practices do is I want to make sure as we near the end of 2024 if you haven't already put a put a kickoff meeting on your schedule for January it's so important to make sure that you start off every new year in a in a positive way where you can can just praise your team let them know how much you value them and if you've got new things that you're bringing in maybe you hired a new marketing company maybe you have a new treatment modality maybe you're getting some new technology a new team member maybe you're going to change up how you do your morning huddle whatever it is um it's important to just when you're Gathering the team together to basically review and recap 2024 talk about all the positive highlights set some goals for the for the next year and make sure that your entire team is on board with that so you haven't done that before it gets too busy make sure you book that
Dean Steinman
love it. um so once again if somebody wants to learn more about you talk to you about their practice find out how you can help them what's the best way for somebody to to reach you
Shelley Bostrom
thanks Dean I'm everywhere so my website is align mypractice.com designed by the amazing dean
Dean Steinman
Thank you very much beautiful Shelley
Shelley Bostrom
I'm on Instagram, I'm on Facebook I'm on YouTube you can always just email me um all the info is on the website but I'm kind of all over the place so more than happy and honored I I do a lot of Zoom training but I also love visiting practices in person um my husband and I are like kind of recent empty nesters so I've got some freedom to travel and I love visiting my offices in person but I've got the zoom training options
Dean Steinman
great and then if anybody else is watching nak it in afraid reach out to Shell and you guys could compare compare notes sh thank you so much for joining I appreciate everybody out in podcast land thanks so much for for being a loyal listener again we always love to hear your comments and feedback and questions um please follow us at author marketing on all of your social media programs again we're all same thing we're on YouTube and Instagram and Tik Tok and and Facebook and um across the board there so Shelley thank you so much once again I really appreciate everybody out there be safe keep smiling and uh thanks so much for for listen listen in and watching bye-bye everybody
