Today’s society seems fixated on the next big thing. I wrote about this a few years ago and referenced the book, Spectacle, which I highly recommend you read if you want to become a master at marketing and selling. If everyone else is fascinated by what’s new, it’s insightful and important for you to consider things that remain constant. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, once highlighted this perspective, stating, “I almost never get the question: ‘What’s not going to change in the next 10 years?’ And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of…
Posts Categorized:Marketing
I’m neck-deep finishing some work for a large international client and their marketing department. What the CMO likes to call “the hero’s journey” I phrase as a question for the entire marketing team: If we don’t know where they are, how can we help them get where they want to be? Most products and services are not marketed and advertised with this question in mind, but they should be if they want to be successful. From Broadway to Hollywood and Washington D.C. the story has been told a thousand times from “small town USA” and “rags to riches” the narrative…
Eataly is an Italian fooderie that has opened stores in 31 cities in 12 countries around the globe. Before speaking to over 1,200 Italian entrepreneurs, Ashley and I took some time to visit the $118 million experiential park called FICO Eataly World. Located outside Bologna, Eataly World spans 25 acres with over 40 restaurants, pastures, food demonstration areas and learning centers. To get around the huge attraction, visitors can ride adult tricycles by famous Italian bike maker Bianchi. Farmers and chefs will teach 30 daily interactive workshops in the truest sense of farm to table. Eataly World plans to welcome…
As Cupid prepares to draw back his bow, we wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of our amazing orthodontic community members – that means you! Your unwavering support and dedication to creating beautiful smiles have made our journey together truly special. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’ve got a little something special for you. Drumroll, please… FREE Valentine’s Day Marketing Templates We know running an orthodontic practice comes with its unique set of challenges, and we’re here to make your life a bit easier. Our team has crafted some delightful…
In his 2015 book, The End of Average, Todd Rose cautions against the pitfalls of designing systems based on averages, a concept he calls “averagarianism.” He argues that relying on the mean or judging success in terms of deviation from the mean can lead to ineffective and potentially harmful outcomes. Rose cites the example of Gilbert Daniels, a researcher in the 1950s whose work prompted the U.S. Air Force to design personalized cockpit features for pilots of various shapes and sizes, moving away from the notion of a standard, average pilot. This innovation significantly improved safety records. The essence of…
In the wake of the recent bankruptcy filing by SmileDirectClub for voluntary protection under Chapter 11, a dialogue has opened up in the industry about the efficacy of using online aligner companies. Practitioners agree that the company proved one critical theory to be true – patients appreciate and will embrace avoiding office visits for aligner treatments. They prefer remote care that doesn’t complicate their daily lives. In Hand Dental absolutely believes in the value of teledentistry – but we are also strong advocates about the need for all dental patients, especially those who’ve invested in clear aligners – to regularly…
Across the board, dental and orthodontic practices were flat to down in new patients and production last month. I host a monthly coaching call for our members and the most common question is, “How do I get more new patients?” It’s a common place for most doctors to start when practice productivity has stalled. While I don’t disagree that new patients are a significant factor in the growth of any elective healthcare practice, a far more productive question to ask is “What are we doing with the patients we already have?” How are we fulfilling the promises we make in…
There’s a general sense that the Federal Reserve might pull off a soft landing but high inflation isn’t making the task an easy one. Even though most economists now predict (85%) that we might actually avoid a recession in the US, Wall Street is skeptical. The US inflation rate is 3.67%, up from 3.18% last month and 8.26% last year. It’s higher than the long term average of 3.28%. Existing home sales in the US are off from 4.88 million a year ago to 4.07 million last month, trending down 2.16% month-over-month and nearly 17% year-over-year. All four major U.S.…
I’m often baffled at the way most orthodontists set their fees. They ask around and see what other colleagues are charging and they set their fees somewhere in that range. It’s not the worst way to set fees but it’s really dangerous. The problem with trying to price-match a competitor’s fees is that you have no idea what their overhead costs are, how much they pay assistants, how efficient they are with clinical treatment, what share of chair time goes to clear aligners versus fixed appliances, adults versus kids, etc. Setting the right fees for your services is crucial for…
In today’s competitive fields of dentistry and orthodontics, establishing a strong public presence is essential to reaching a broader audience, building trust, and showcasing expertise. Harnessing the power of the press and publicity can significantly enhance your professional reputation and create valuable opportunities to educate, inform and create goodwill. Recently, the American Dental Association and a handful of talented dentists were featured in an article on Today.com written by Sarah Jacoby. It fires on all cylinders. You can check out my LinkedIn profile and read the post to see why their article is so great. For this blog post, we…
