A compliment can be a powerful thing. As a dentist, you probably receive compliments all the time. Patients tell you how wonderful your office is, how the treatment was less painful than they expected, or how much they like your staff and appreciate you as their doctor.
While it’s great to hear these things, if they reach your ears only, they lose their power and turn into missed opportunities. How? If someone else could hear how great your practice is, they would probably call your office for an appointment. So, how do you use the power of those compliments to turn patient praise into new-patient calls? Simple. Anytime you receive a compliment from a patient, ask the person to leave a review.
How to get them to actually carry through
Of course, getting patients to agree to do a review is the first step. If you want the actual reviews, patients must get on their computer or cell phone and post it. While they may be well-intentioned about doing this while they’re in your office, once they leave patients often forget. So, how do you increase the chances of someone actually posting a review? We have a simple solution: create a review card.
Design a cute little card that says that you appreciate patients for leaving a review, then share four steps about how to do it. Google currently offers the best platform for online reviews. When your patients say they’ll be happy to write a review, thank them and hand them the card with instructions for writing Google reviews. Many of our clients have found that reviews come in approximately three days later. Why is this? That’s when patients find the card in their pocket, car seat, purse, or wherever they put it when they left your office. It’s a great reminder of their promise to you to leave a review. Not everyone follows through of course, but the percentage is much higher with the reminder card in hand.
Remember, the power of a compliment is all in how you respond. Always say thank you, never take the compliment for granted, and ask for a review with a card ready to hand to them.
Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the CEO and founder of Levin Group, a leading practice management consulting firm that has worked with over 30,000 practices to increase production. A recognized expert on dental practice management and marketing, Dr. Levin has written 67 books and more than 4,000 articles and regularly presents seminars in the U.S. and around the world. To contact Dr. Levin or join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit levingroup.com or email [email protected].
