...hit the ground running Issue 3 / June 2013
Chris Barrow has been active as a consultant, trainer and coach to the UK dental profession for over 15 years.
The Cheaper Implant
coachbarrow. com
Managing Your Pipeline
The Sweet Spot
The Cheaper Implant
Time Management In 60 Seconds
What is a “pipeline�?
Operating costs...
Is there a guarantee on your work?
How I get stuff done
Letter From The Editor Part of the evolution process has been to think carefully about how we look to you.
7connections is
6 months old - a time during which we have taken a long look at the UK and Irish Dental markets - at what is working and what isn’t - at bright ideas, at innovation and at inevitable change - lots of change. Coach Barrow is a few weeks older and has been a fascinating journey into the world of digital product design. Both brands are a lean start-ups, the objective of which is to make a profit (preferably in our first year of operation) and whose purpose is to help other people to make a positive difference to their businesses and lives. On reflection, the first iteration of our 7connections website was about “us” - more of a message to the market that we had survived and were still live, kicking and passionate about business - than a showcase of our products and services. I’m going to ask you to indulge us in that “rite of passage” and I’ll offer my thanks to the team at Dental Design (DDL) for giving us exactly what we asked for (needed) in those early days. The first 7connections web site will be fondly remembered as therapy! Welcoming Sonia Rishi to the team as an expert marketeer was a humbling process initially, as she respectfully pointed out to us that our site wasn’t going to attract clients, let alone sell services - we took the advice stoically and are busy right now with DDL on the new 7c site that will be evolving over the months ahead - hopefully more about “you” than “us”.
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Having said that, we have enjoyed a steady flow of new business enquiries, in spite of ourselves!
The evolution of our service offer will allow us to offer solutions across a variety of the “pain points” that give rise to enquiries:
That same cross-examination by Sonia led us to re-evaluate our service offering and to realise that we have talents across the whole client-facing team of Chris Barrow, Tim Caudrelier, Karl Taylor-Knight, Sonia Rishi and (ocassionally) Nikki Berryman as well as considerable back up skills from Phillippa Goodwin, Jon Barrow and Kirsty Herriot.
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finance - understanding the numbers
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marketing - understanding lead generation
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the patient experience - understanding customer service
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the treatment planning conversation understanding lead conversion
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leadership & management - why they are different and why you need both
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clinical mentoring - how to attract and retain profitable associates, therapists and hygienists
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recruitment - how to attract and retain the best players for your team
Essentially we can offer: Training - showing you how to do things; Consultancy - showing you how to apply the training in your practice(s); Coaching - holding you accountable for progress against measured goals; Mentoring - using our experience and connections to save you time and open doors.
“
...we have talents across the whole client-facing team of Chris Barrow
Part of the evolution process has been to think carefully about how we look to you and, in particular, the parallel development of both the Coach Barrow and the 7connections brands. The Coach Barrow brand was born (perhaps re-born) at the end of 2012 and I stated at the time that this was a place where I could explore subjects that were out of mainstream dentistry and business coaching and thus, experiment.
written by Chris Barrow
I was delighted in the latter part of 2012 to reconnect with an old friend Nicola Cairncross, an expert on e-commerce and the creation of digital products. Nicola and I talked about her professional world and we decided to explore digital coaching in the New Year with the “Get Your Year in Gear� programme.
Tim especially is investing time in research on that subject. We believe that smaller independents can plot a course through the storm of increased operating costs, recession, competition and regulation by examining shared services and I want us to be able to offer a viable option for our clients in the months ahead.
35 clients took part for the month of January and some of them have continued in an online mastermind group who have also met in the flesh for a day (and will do so again later this year).
On our travels we meet many people with bright ideas and others with investment funds available and I would love to see us as match-makers between the two groups - watch this space. We have already been invited to participate in some new business ventures in dentistry and I hope to share some exciting stories with you before the end of the year - introducing you to suppliers who
It has been a steep learning curve for me and a lot of fun. The Coach Barrow blog is widely followed, our digital magazine welcomed on iTunes and Kindle and my new podcast seems to have fallen on encouraging ears.
However, I feel that the time is now right to merge the two original brands into one whole under the 7connections umbrella - not only to give you one place to find all the intellectual property but also to send a clear signal to you that I am 100% committed to 7connections as the place I intend to work and play for the years to come. A further benefit of this is that Nicola, in addition to her existing commitments via Cairncross Media and ROARlocal, will advise 7connections on digital product creation. We are excited at the prospect of bringing you more digital products so that you can enjoy education and entertainment in practice, at home or whilst travelling. The brand merger is going to take us some time, perhaps 3 months. We intend to make that transition as seamless as possible for you. We have also been looking at other industry suppliers (of products and services) to explore the opportunity to forge strategic alliances.
want to change the rules.
As always we are indebted to our own suppliers, who provide such loyal and enthusiastic support services - Erica Kilburn and the team at EK Communications, who keep our profile vibrant in the dental media, Brendon MacDonald and the team at Apex Hub who manage our social media channels so well, the aforementioned Dental Design Limited who are now birthing our second web site, our many advocates in the dental world and the support team around Nicola who have been so helpful in the creation of the Coach Barrow products.
Contents 03 -Manage Your Pipeline 04 - The Sweet Spot 05 - Collection, Connection And Engagement 07 - The Cheaper Implant 08 - Time Management In 60 Seconds 09 - A Reminder About Triaging Patients 10 - Retired dentist has life-changing experience in Tanzania
Needless to say, a thanks also to the clients, many of whom have provided testimonials and all of whom have been amazingly supportive as we have made this journey. To use a chess metaphor, I think we are approaching the end of the beginning game now and entering the middle game. I’m looking forward to seeing the next moves in what is a very interesting tournament.
In the last few months we have been delighted to develop a closer working relationship with OneSG, as we see their abilities as complimentary to our own and I am optimistic that this relationship will grow. Tim Caudrelier and I are fascinated by the Managed Group Practice business model that exists in both North America and Australia. 02
Managing Your Pipeline
written by Chris Barrow
First point – what is a “pipeline”? It’s a term I originally heard back in my financial services days (the 80′s) to describe
the period of time between first conversation with a prospective new (or existing) client and completion of the first (or additional) item of business The details will differ from business to business but an example in private dentistry could include:
Equally, I find that patients drop out of the pipeline and lose interest – not because of any change in their own circumstances – but because the clinician builds a backlog of treatment plans which are completed late and impersonally.
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initial enquiry
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free consult with TCO
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paid consult with clinician
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preparation of treatment plan
(A subject for another post is the quality of those treatment plans – are they exciting sales documents that have the patient WANTING what you offer?)
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presentation of treatment plan
Methods of monitoring your pipeline vary:
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overcoming concerns and objections
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Written lists
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closing the business
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Word documents
• delivery
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Excel spreadsheets
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final feedback
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Practice management software
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request for recommendations
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CRM software
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invitation to join membership scheme
But few do the job.
I often find that new patients and/or treatment
plans get “lost” because there is no robust system to monitor where they are in this process.
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Its a journey that I have taken myself in the last few years – looking for that one system that will nag me to keep on top of things, can be used by the whole team and isn’t so complicated that it becomes a PIA to use.
I think I’ve finally found the answer in a simple but powerful cloud-based application called Pipedrive. Data entry is easy, you can create your own custom-made pipeline in minutes, allocate tasks to team members, design specific product types and prices and monitor progress of individual patient enquiries in just a few minutes each day. Ultimately, the application will also automatically generate reports that can measure the effectiveness of your systems every step of the way. We are using the app at 7connections (as are some of our dental clients) and finding it very useful. Follow the link for a free trial CLICK HERE
The Sweet Spot
written by Chris Barrow
I
keep on harping on about “operating costs per surgery per day” (OCPSPD) as being possibly THE most important number in private dentistry. Total running costs Less lab. Less materials. Less clinician’s fees. Which means we are looking at the costs of running your business, even if no patients or clinicians show up. Then – dividing that cost by the number of surgery days available in the year. My client and friend Colin Campbell has written about this in his own excellent blog. CLICK HERE Colin’s “sweet spot” here is between £500 and £750 per day. I’m going to suggest that figure is higher than average because he owns a specialist referral clinic in West Bridgford. In the case of an owner-managed private practice with a good mix of cosmetic and high-end work delivered by the Principal – I’m going to move the “sweet spot” down to the £500 per day mark. The importance of staying close to the “sweet spot” cannot be over-emphasised.
In the last few weeks I’ve been involved in conversations about business development that include:
You know all those “shag pile and chandelier” practices that have closed down in the last few years?
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I’m building a second practice down the road
Well now you know why.
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I want to convert a derelict barn
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I want to expand and add 3 further surgeries
Find your “sweet spot” and make sure you don’t wander far away – or your lovely little practice will become a financial carnivore with an appetite for YOU.
In each case, NO ESTIMATE HAS BEEN MADE OF THE LIKELY OCPSPD AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED. Everyone gets very excited about the vision, the architectural plans, the layout of facilities, the equipment, the decorations and the business plan. Nobody can answer a simple question: “after you cut the ribbon – what will the revised OCPSPD be?” So I become the miserable so-and-so who asks and, as we say up North, “pisses on everybody’s chips”. I’m quietly proud of the conversation with one ambitious client who, after I pointed out that the revised OCPSPD for his “Temple to My Magnificence” would be close to £1,000, tore up the plans.
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Collection, Connection And Engagement
Collection Collection is about collecting names, addresses, smartphone numbers, email addresses and social media links.
You can sell Readers Digest subscriptions that way, on Amazon a £19.00 home whitening kit.
Data.
You can create customers, not clients.
Any individual or organisation can collect data.
Collecting data will never create lifetime value.
Many make it a bribe.
Connection
Most often, if I want “free wifi” I have to deposit my data.
Connection is about building a tribe of followers.
To get a free download – data (even I do that).
People who want to hear about your BIG IDEA.
When you check in at a hotel – data.
Your BIG IDEA can be about a product, a service, a philosophy, a belief, a way of doing and/or being.
You can buy data – millions/billions of addresses at the drop of a hat – legally or otherwise.
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Its BIG because it defies the status quo.
Data is just a numbers game for corporations with big pockets and, sometimes, no passion.
Its an IDEA because you are passionately committed to making it happen in the world.
Direct marketeers will tell you that 0.25% (that’s 1 in 400) will respond to pretty much anything.
It attracts followers because it is relevant to them, to what they want to have better in their lives.
written by Chris Barrow
Engagement Engagement is what happens when you are IN A RELEVANT CONVERSATION with someone THAT ALLOWS YOUR BIG IDEA to help them.
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if I write this blog post with 4,000 followers who don’t read it, I’m talking to myself – I collected
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if I write this blog post and 40% of my followers open and read it but nobody responds – I’m connected
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if I write this blog post, 40% of my followers open and read it and 10% of them post a response, ask me a question, forward it to a friend (because it makes a difference to them) – I’m engaged
If you are a prophet, you originated the BIG IDEA.
If you want your business to grow, you have to:
Marketing is described by Gerber as “lead generation, selling as “lead conversion”.
If you are a disciple, you learned about the BIG IDEA, believe it and want to spread it across your world.
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Have a BIG IDEA that positively differentiates you from the competition (you are the prophet or the disciple);
In the connected economy, all marketing and selling is predicated by:
The money is secondary, the IDEA is what matters.
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Collect data – all day, every day (perhaps as a bribe);
That’s where Colin Campbell’s PRETHICS sits (if you don’t know what I mean, find out).
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Connect regularly to remind your followers of your BIG IDEA, what it is, how it appears in the world, how it had made a difference – parables, case studies, testimonials;
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Engage with your followers – generate environments in which you can directly relate your BIG IDEA to their own lives. Hold a conversation. Be Bold, Outrageous and Provocative. Attack the status quo. Be Marmite Anoop!
People and organisations with BIG IDEAS that genuinely create better lives for others, tend to make plenty enough money.
collection – connection – engagement. That’s my BIG IDEA for today.
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The Cheaper Implant
written by Chris Barrow
Question: “I’ve seen adverts for dental implants at £675 and you are quoting £1950. Why is there such a difference?” Answer: “We cannot explain how other dental practices arrive at their prices but can we suggest that you ask them the following questions before you proceed to treatment:
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Is that price for my implant fully restored with the crown on it?
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How many implants has my dentist placed before mine?
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Is there a guarantee on your work?
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Is the implant itself made by a recognised and experienced manufacturer?
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Are there any hidden costs, such as X-rays and consultations?
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Is the implant placed in the surgery here or will I have to travel?
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What is the quality of your customer service?
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What is the quality of the physical environment in which the service is delivered?
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What is your protocol on after-sales care?
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What happens if something goes wrong?
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Will I see the same dentist every time?
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Is there a waiting list?
We are quite happy to answer all of these questions very openly and we know that our answers will build your confidence and security. At XYZ Dental we focus our energies on delivering the best clinical care and customer service. Would you like to book an appointment?”
Time Management In 60 Seconds
written by Chris Barrow
We have a GSD culture in our business – “get shit done”.
I’m frequently asked how I manage to
England parish priests in the 1930′s.
“get so much done”.
So the challenge isn’t as recent as you think.
My first read on time management was Alex Mackenzie’s “Time Trap” in 1980 (ouch) and, in many ways, a book that spawned the whole time management movement.
We have a GSD culture in our business – “get shit done”.
Stephen Covey – “First Things First”
How? Simples. 1.
every day – make a list
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A, B, C the list
David Allen – “Getting Things Done”
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Do the A’s first
and many others.
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Make sure you delegate EVERYTHING that you don’t absolutely have to do yourself
Dan Sullivan – “The Entrepreneur’s Time System”
And yet, much of Covey’s work was inspired by Benjamin Franklin and the Filofax was originally developed for busy Church of
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A Reminder About Triaging Patients We don’t operate like old fashioned dentists, we do things in a more modern and effective way.
Charlie
Fox makes a good point in commenting on my recent blog post Summer is here There are practices where a strong perio and hygiene list are being maintained and the books are full for the hygiene/therapy team. This, of course, will fly in the face of convention for some dental principals, who cannot imagine a world in which the patients could be happier to see a hygienist/therapist than they are a dentist. Wake up. I was working with a client the other day whose average yield per new patient is £3500 but average daily yield stands at £3000. (quick reality check – that is fantastic) Clearly, if the Principal could deal with new patients only – it would increase revenues into the practice by £100,000 a year! “Impossible!” shout The Front Desk team “the patients are always asking for Elvis and if they don’t get to see him they complain, either because they have been seeing him for years, or because they have completed their new treatment and feel that they are now being fobbed off to the lower echelons in the practice’”
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Solution? It’s about explaining to ALL patients, new and old, that you have decided to stop being a 20th Century practice and start being a 21st Century practice. I’ve talked about this before and have even (in a previous ezine) spelled out the conversation. Any new patient, after rapport has been established with a treatment co-ordinator and after the patients needs have been established, should be “introduced to t he brand”. “Here at XYZ Dental, we don’t operate like old fashioned dentists, we do things in a more modern and effective way. Imagine a building with three floors. The ground floor is the ER – the emergency and repair shop. The first floor is the long term maintenance shop. The top floor is the cosmetic and advanced shop. Our Principal, Dr Elvis works on the top floor, investing his time, skills and experience in delivering the very latest dentistry, using the latest equipment and techniques, staying in touch with the latest clinical developments.
written by Chris Barrow
Frank Sinatra didn’t move pianos
On the first floor we have a team of hygienists, therapist and dentists who are experts at long term care. On the ground floor we have a team who are experts at dealing with emergencies. Our rapid response team – because we know you want to get out of trouble quickly. So during your lifetime as a member of XYZ Dental, you will probably deal with team members on all three floors, hopefully as infrequently as possible on the ground floor, occasionally with Dr Elvis on the top floor – but the bulk of your time on the first floor with the long term care team. Any time you want to talk to Dr Elvis he will be available, just ask. You may even see him pop his head in from time to time.
So welcome to XYZ Dental, where we are focused on the needs of the patient.” The reality is that ALL existing patients of Dr Elvis will need the same (but slightly different) conversation with the TCO at some stage. That is Dr Elvis’s escape route and the shortest route to a HUGE increase in productivity. My experience is that patients are quite happy to see the ‘perio team’ on a regular basis and have that as their main relationship with the practice. It’s is hugely effective, productive and profitable. Thanks again, Charlie, for the reminder.
The benefits of this to you are: 1.
few delays or queues
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expert treatment at all times
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and at the right price
Frank Sinatra didn’t move pianos – you wouldn’t hire Jensen Button to drive a milk float – and there is little point in asking Dr Elvis to do routine work.
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Connect
With thanks to: Matt Cox - Graphic Design mattcoxmail@yahoo.co.uk Photography:
www.coachbarrow.com www.facebook.com/coachbarrow www.twitter.com/coachbarrow
Cover
Hktang - Flickr
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Jorge Franganillo - Flickr
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Qisur- Flickr
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Pyntofmyld - Flickr
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Here Standing- Flickr
09 Fraser Valley - Flickr
www.linkedin.com/coachbarrow
UGANDA
For every £500 raised, 2500 people in East Africa’s rural communities will be provided with ongoing access to dental pain relief
75%
of the world’s population has no access to a dentist
Kampala
Is your practice ready for the
Vic-Tri Challenge? 1 team • 4828km • 4 months
Jinja
UGANDA
KENYA
LAKE VICTORIA
Ruma National Park
KENYA
LAKE VICTORIA
Bukoba Musoma
Rubondo Island National Park
TANZANIA
Mwanza
TANZANIA
Are you ready for the Challenge?
Ask patients, clients and colleagues to sponsor your team!
This summer you can help us make a real difference to the lives of thousands of people living in dental pain with our all new challenge app! Your team is challenged to run, walk, cycle or swim 4828km around a virtual Lake Victoria, crossing the boundaries of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania using the app to track your miles as you exercise. Challenge other teams and with the help of our live app map, track teams’ real-time positioning around the lake!
AFRICA
Register your team and download fundraising resources here or visit www.victrichallenge.co.uk
For details please contact our Fundraising Coordinator: fundraising@bridge2aid.org | 0845 8509877 | www.victrichallenge.co.uk @Bridge2Aid
facebook.com/bridge2aid www.bridge2aid.org
Bridge2Aid is a UK registered charity No. 1092481