The Dental Marketer

Welcome to the third installation of The Making of SMILE & CO.! Being a business owner can be astronomically difficult, especially when expensive dental equipment is taken into account and the practice is built completely from scratch. Join Michael Arias as he speaks with Dr. Ashley Joves about the hands-on creation of her dream practice.

 

Today’s Sponsor

Dr. Anissa Holmes specializes in helping dentists market their practices through Facebook. After using Facebook to boost her second dental startup into a multi million-dollar company, she decided to help other dentists achieve the same results. Take her live masterclass, FBIGNITE and learn how to use Facebook to exponentially grow your business! Learn more about what Dr. Holmes offers on her website, deliveringwow.

Use the link to receive $100.00 OFF 

 

Time-Stamped Show Notes

[0:01] — Michael tells us about Dr. Anissa Holmes and her revolutionary Facebook masterclass for dentists.

[0:51] — A quick recap about Dr. Ashley Joves and her journey to create a revolutionary dental practice from scratch.

[2:01] — Although countless people believe that emotions should never play a role in business, factors such as emotional intelligence can help us succeed.

[3:13] — According to inc.com, there is no such thing as a purely logical decision; our emotional intuition will always play a role.

[4:09] — Ashley describes her opinion about the role of emotions in business.

[5:45] — “I’ve been doing a lot of the not-sexy stuff,” Ashley says. In other words: paperwork, emails, 300+ messages…

[7:00] — Ashley uses Wells Fargo to cover particular fees, such as wiring fees.

[9:15] — After changing the name of her practice from SMILEBAR to SMILE & CO., Ashley paid a total of $1,200. “You couldn’t just hit backspace on your keyboard three times?” Ashley wonders. She suggests checking whether the name of your future company has already been trademarked before sending it in for official approval.

[14:45] — Plenty of backend costs and processes have taken a major tole on Ashley’s sleep and emotions.

[15:50] — “A good dental chair can enhance the patient experience.” According to First Impressions, comfort is one of the most important factors of customer satisfaction, given your practice itself is well-designed.

[20:30] — Demographic work is important for making major decisions about your practice.

[23:45] — While on maternity leave, Ashley lacked solid income and lost backing from banks. Her husband earned a higher income and potential income, helping her obtain the bank resources she needed. Ashley chose Wells Fargo because they reached out to her with advice: to prepare a business plan before asking banks for money, which also causes different banks to compete for you.

[32:19] — Michael talks more about Dr. Anissa Holmes’s Facebook Ignite!

[37:50] — Michael speaks with Ryan about how he managed to work with Ashley under such fantastic rates.

[43:20] — “Student loan debt is one of the better debts to have,” Ryan says. The monthly payment is nothing compared to the return of your practice.

[51:20] — Ryan highlights the benefits of working with an industry-specific lender.

[53:00] — Find Ryan at this website! With a few clicks you can find somebody like Ryan in your area.

[53:30] — Ashley used the Breakaway Startup Series to guide her “dentagraphics” journey. They will provide a fantastic report about where you should place your practice based on information you plug in!

[1:03:06] — Although you may never find the perfect location for your practice, Ashley believes that simply showing your face at local events and community locations will send you a long way.

[1:06:00] — “I plan to give my cell phone number to my patients,” Ashley says.

Reviews, reviews, and reviews! The one thing that can make or break ( or at least put a HUGE dent into your practice) your dental practice. Some times we obsess too much over reviews and sometimes we care too little about patient reviews. Well, we are here to tell you that they are EXTREMELY important and should be strived for every single day! In this episode we talk all about reviews and how it may be easy to ask for them in the moment, or even throw a prize winning contest for the best review BUT are you attacking every single possibility out there? Listen as we mention many methods and scripts on how to increase your Yelp, Google, Facebook,or even your own websites reviews!

 

We also dive into the myths we hear on a day to day basis about Yelp (or other third party websites), myths like: "Is it true that you have to pay Yelp to get the negative reviews down?" We talk about what is a good goals to set in order to start seeing some real BIG major changes in your new patient flow and overall practice's credibility and reputation, because if you have a bad reputation in your community, then you need to combat this immediately... or move!

 

Stuart Faught has been in dentistry for quite some time now and started off as an employee in Dentrix, from that point on he made many connections with dentists, specialists, and consultants. Time after time, many successful consultants told him reviews played a key and major role when it cam to increasing the success in a dental practice. Not too long after that, Stuart left Dentrix and started his journey with Patient Snap! Automated systems often send too many texts and bother patients.  Only you and your staff know when patients want to receive correspondence and how.  When this opportunity does present itself, it needs to be simple.  From your personalized Patient Snap dashboard, you can simply enter your patients phone number that you already have on file and our system will automatically generate links to your most valuable review sites:  Google, Yelp & Your own website.

 

SUPPORTERS/ SPONSORS:

AND.... for $100.00 OFF FB IGNITE CLICK THIS WHOLE SENTENCE! 

Go take a look at FB IGNITE and thank them for supporting the show BUT also take a look and see how easy it is to attract new patients through Facebook with this new course.

Dr. Anissa Holmes will LITERALLY be by your side the whole time! So click the link above or below to look at more information, testimonials, videos, and see if this is something you want!

FB IGNITE DENTAL FACEBOOK MASTERCLASS

or visit: www.deliveringwow.com/tdm

 

STUART FAUGHT'S LINKS:

Patient Snap Website

Stuart Faught's Linkedin

 

THE DENTAL MARKETER LINKS:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM (you can talk to me more 1 on 1 here)

Sometimes we feel like we have tried everything to motivate our employees, and by everything that just may mean incentives OR it may mean that you REALLY did try everything. If that is the case and your team member or employee is still lacking that motivation or they just can't seem to perform their best than DO NOT WORRY...because we got you covered! Keith let's us know what really matters and how to convert these B player employees into A players.

 

This episode is jam packed with so much wonderful information that, honestly, no one seems to talk about.... but should! We break down the "top line" and the "bottom line". This is SO important to keep in mind because you always want to manage the "top line" and not obsess about the "bottom line", most times dentist and business owners tend to do it backwards! We also break down the definition of a good team member and why you need to have this definition in writing and engraved into your dental practice's culture! Keith and I also, of course, discuss how to deal with employees who are NOT performing their best as well.

 

 

Keith is actually one of the pioneers of Invisalign! Which I think is SO fascinating and he tells us a brief history of his time their when it was just starting up!

Keith started his career in dentistry back in 1994 as a Sales Representative for Brasseler USA where he spent 6 years until he transitioned over to Align Technology, Inc. (makers of Invisalign®). Align Technology was a very exciting position for him,  getting to usher in a revolutionary product and a new technology for straightening teeth. Keith became a Regional Manager in 2007 and that is where he found his love of coaching and leadership. He always envisioned himself as a coach and when it happened, it made a huge impact in his world and for the company.

 

Keith is Co-Founder and CEO of Dental Team Finder. He has led teams in Sales & Marketing and has been in the dental industry for over 20 years. He has lectured in the dental and orthodontic fields and has been a contributor to many articles and studies in his tenure with Brasseler USA and Align Technology. Keith is a student of Leadership and believes that this endeavor is a journey, not a destination.

 

 

SUPPORTERS/ SPONSORS:

AND.... for $100.00 OFF FB IGNITE CLICK THIS WHOLE SENTENCE! 

Go take a look at FB IGNITE and thank them for supporting the show BUT also take a look and see how easy it is to attract new patients through Facebook with this new course.

Dr. Anissa Holmes will LITERALLY be by your side the whole time! So click the link above or below to look at more information, testimonials, videos, and see if this is something you want!

FB IGNITE DENTAL FACEBOOK MASTERCLASS

or visit: www.deliveringwow.com/tdm

 

KEITH MCLACHAN'S LINKS:

Dental Team Finder Website

Dental Team Finder Facebook

 

THE DENTAL MARKETER LINKS:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM (you can talk to me more 1 on 1 here)

Inevitably, life is filled to the brim with victorious highs and disappointing lows. Whether we lack the will to throw aside our covers in the morning or feel tempted to skip a daily gym session, each of us must summon the motivation and courage to press forward. Of course, this challenge is particularly difficult for those who want to build success from scratch. Join in as Michael speaks with Dr. Ashley Joves about her in-the-works dental practice, SMILE & CO. From worrisome health complications to inspiring community efforts, Ashley’s revolutionary journey is sure to inspire the entrepreneur and warrior in all of us.

 

Time-Stamped Show Notes

[2:50] — Michael emphasizes the challenges that come with starting something from scratch and recaps events from episode 1.

[03:51] — Ashley tells us about her meeting with Taryn Grows from the Folsom Chamber of Commerce in a local coffee shop. Taryn has helped her connect with the Folsom community and network with other small business-owners.

[6:40] — When asked how she views Chambers of Commerce, Ashley responds with, “As a startup, I think it’s a little too early to close doors on potential clients.”

[9:16] — The trenching and framing of SMILE & CO. has been completed! Now Ashley and her team are deciding where to place electrical outlets and other amenities. Her walls will be built from frosted glass for an open feel without sacrificing privacy.

[11:25] — In order to preserve a beautiful open buttress and high ceilings, Ashley will most likely use scrim to reinforce her building and hold insulation in place. Her contractor recommends the sturdy material for a wide range of projects.

[12:45] — Ashley receives an impromptu call from her contractor, Dave. Listen in on their conversation!

[14:03] — Michael reminds us about the members of Ashley’s team.

[17:03] — More about Ashley’s awesome team…

[24:45] — Ashley and her team were blown away by the look of the exposed ceiling. Unfortunately, hiding wires and piping when the walls are built with glass is both challenging and massively expensive.

[26:54] — Unbeknownst to her, Ashley’s team removed one of the glass walls and replaced it with a regular wall. Although they have yet to complete the incorrect well, Ashley is upset about the change.

[30:00] — Ashley hopes to install cabinets from IKEA instead of a custom company. That way, she can both save money and enjoy a modern design.

[30:42] — A truss system is an “arrangement of wooden or steel support beams configured in a triangle-shape.” The design is strong, simple, inexpensive, and easy to construct.

[32:00] — If Ashley had known how awesome and cool-looking truss systems are, in addition to the industrial theme she later decided to focus on, she wouldn't have installed recessive/can lights.

[34:02] — “I have been struggling health-wise,” Ashley admits. Her journey has been exhausting and has taken a major tole on her mental and physical health. Her “health nut” brother has convinced her to take a few steps away from her project and focus more carefully on her health.

[36:32] — According to com, personal health is the fifth-most important factor in building a successful practice. “Your business can’t run without you,” Michael insists.

[37:19] — When pursuing a goal or starting a business, make sure to set aside time for friends and family. Maintaining healthy relationships outside of work will help you nurture a healthy perspective and keep you energized.

[37:35] — “I cared too much everyone else’s opinions,” Ashley says. In the end, she decided instead to form decisions based on her happiness and the success of her practice.

[38:35] — #AdviceAlert: “Prioritize,” Ashley says. “If you have a lot of stuff you have to do, you really have to organize and write them down,

Here is episode 62! Here I interview the wonderful Dr. Eric Studley. In this episode we really dissect the marketing practices and tactics that have worked in the past and continue to work and what is popular now that we should NOT be doing at all. Too many times we spent too much time trying to figure out the most innovative and dramatic way to attract a new patient, which can be okay but to a limit, sometimes we spend too much time on this and then realize we spent so much money trying to see what sticks that we passed up really good tactics and techniques; or what the case is sometimes is, we let go of what has always worked for the community and demographic.

 

We also discuss how having a team that LOVES what they do is essential. It's not just "important" anymore but it is crucial and essential. You should be able to have trust in your team, so much trust that if you didn't have to have them "clock-in" and "clock-out" you know they would still strive to perform their absolute best and stay the necessary hours to get the work done.

 

Dr. Eric S. Studley is a renowned speaker in the Dental Community, Dr. Studley has lectured throughout the country on the subjects of Ethics, Insurance Planning, Case Acceptance, Ergonomics, Risk and Practice Management.

Dr. Studley is licensed throughout the USA and represents all major insurance companies.

Associate Clinical Professor at New York University College of Dentistry

G.P. Director in the Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care

Director of Practice Management at the dental school responsible for development and presentation of practice management skills to dental students

Director of Ergonomics

Speaker for the American Dental Association’s Practice Management Program

Has published articles in dental journals

A member of O.K.U. (Dental National Honor Society)

2/2009 Co-authored a Practice Management Textbook for new dentists – Titled “Dental Practice – Get in the Game”

 

 

DR. ERIC STUDLEY'S LINKS:

Dr. Eric Studley's Insurance Website

Email: [email protected]

Doccupations Website

 

THE DENTAL MARKETER LINKS:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM (you can talk to me more 1 on 1 here)

Dr. Ashley Joves is building her own dental practice, SMILE & CO., from scratch. For weeks she has been recording and publicly broadcasting her experience all over the internet. The journey has been difficult, rewarding, and revolutionary all at once. Although the path has been tough so far, she is determined to create the startup of her dreams. Join Dr. Ashley Joves and Michael Arias as they document the whole entire process of creating a dental practice, the areas to watch out for, and the emotional connotations of being a female entrepreneur.

 

Time-Stamped Show Notes

[0:40] — Michael reminds us about Ashley Joves and her departure from working as an associate to creating her dream practice from scratch.

[01:43] — Ashley describes what has happened since episode 58. Her permits were accepted while she was attending a dental convention in Vegas.

[3:25] — Ashley discusses Dave Olsen, her wonderful contractor, in addition to how she found a contractor and how she began the processes of building her own practice.

[4:10] — The life of a contractor: With information found on chron.com, Michael explains how contractors bid for jobs. The process involves investigating the project, pricing out materials, comparing the project with past work, working out licensing and other factors, and presenting the resulting estimate to the potential client.

[06:50] — Check out markupandprofit.com to calculate how much you should pay for a contractor. Michael suggests that you shouldn’t go cheap or choose contractors based on price.

[8:33] — Ashley describes her building and some pricing factors involved in building her practice.

[10:32] — “Every day,” Ashley responded when asked whether she questions the scope of what she’s doing.

[12:30] — “A lot of the time, you don’t what kind of patient base you’re getting.” There’s definitely a lot of risk involved in startups.

[13:10] — Learn about how Ashley found her dream building!

[15:00] — #DoYourResearch: Cole Sweatt, Ashley’s real estate broker from tricommercial, has fantastic experience and skills. His client list and affiliations are also impressive. Always research before you hire!

[16:52] — Ashley and Michael discuss what happens between hiring a contractor and demolition day.

[18:00] — Te average debt for dental school students is $350,00+. An NYU graduate, Ashley is trying to accrue as much of her debt as possible with the help of State Farm.

[19:05] — Michael emphasizes the importance of due diligence, or, he puts it, “The stuff you don’t think about.”

[20:00] — Ashley cancelled her escrow because she wanted to invest more in her escrow account. Learn about her experience with soft deadlines and negotiating with a frustrated agent.

[24:00] — With her S Corporation, Ashley is officially the president of her company.

[25:00] — Ashley spent around $15,000 just for due diligence.

[26:04] — Ashley describes her experience finding and working with her designer, Tami Teel, who is a regular contributor to HGTV.

[28:00] — Don’t forget about IT work! Tim VanDermyden will be working with Ashley on her practice.

[29:29] — You can teach yourself how to do anything on YouTube! Ashley created her own Wordpress site and figured out more just by using the internet.

[30:20] — Now that we’re all caught up, Ashley describes the “trenching” process that was happening at the time of the podcast interview.

[31:55] — “If you are thinking about doing a startup, this is a must,” Ashley promises as she discusses breakaway seminars and saving money during the process.

[33:55] — “You have to find a balance between what you want, what you need, and efficiency.”

[36:15] — Ashley discusses using IKEA products in dental practices. There are definitely pros and cons.

It’s episode 61! This episode has been brought to you buy Stream Dental Staffing Solutions, actually…. This episode is with one of the founders of Stream Dental Staffing Solutions; Samantha Leonard. In this episode we stress the importance of having the right team in your practice! We all know it is important to have the right staff, but do you know what the right staff is? Is your practice full of A players or B and C players? What if your employee has all the right features EXCEPT for one maybe small, but important feature that they lack?

 

Listen to this episode as Samantha teaches you how to dissect and over-analyze everything when building the perfect team for your dental practice. Also she shares with us two major pieces of advice, one good for your dental practice, and the other, good for life!

 

 

Samantha has been in the Dental industry for ten years. During this time period, she has accomplished a great deal in the first decade of her career. Graduating with honors from the Dental Assisting program at SAIT, she then went on to complete her Orthodontic module shortly thereafter.

She has worked every role, worn every hat and mastered all the traits that eventually lead her to become a Practice Manager with a well respected and world-renown Orthodontist, Dr. Sam Daher. Together, they started and built a multi-million dollar practice from scratch. She is now the Operational Manager for all four Orthostyle locations.

 

Samantha’s personal mission is to “help you find your ‘dream job’ faster!” She understands how vital it is to work in an environment that promotes and nourishes personal growth and development. Her managerial experience has helped her appreciate and identify the negative effect of a wrong hire and the adverse impact on team dynamic, quality of customer service, lost time and wasted money.

 

Please don’t forget to download the FREE book: 20 THINGS MOST DENTAL PROFESSIONALS MISS WHEN HIRING A NEW EMPLOYEE.

Let this be your new guide to finding the right person for your perfect team!

 

SAMANTHA LEONARD’S LINKS:

Stream Dental Staffing Solutions Website

FREE BOOK: 20 Things Most Dental Professionals Miss When Hiring A New Employee.

Stream Dental Staffing Solutions FACEBOOK

 

THE DENTAL MARKETER LINKS:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM (you can talk to me more 1 on 1 here)

THE NEW SERIES STARTS: May 12, 2017.

Dr. Joshua M. Renken has tried it all in the dental world, from washing cars to offering patient discounts. Now he has two multiple-doctor practices, an e-book, an online business service, and plenty of wisdom to share. Listen to Michael and Joshua as they discuss struggles, marketing strategies, and the importance of genuine customer sensitivity.

 

Super Cool Free Stuff

Dr. Joshua M. Renken was kind enough to let you download and read his new e-book for no money at all! Click this link to check out his book, “Dr. Fries With That,” which discusses the impersonal nature of healthcare and how the dental community can change that.

 

Time-Stamped Show Notes

[2:50] — Dr. Joshua M. Renken spends most days practicing full time as a dentist, managing his dental offices, spending time with his large family, doing not-for-profit services, and working with the digital incubator, Innovate Springfield.

[03:19] — Joshua graduated dental school in 2002, worked as an associate soon after, and quickly decided to open his own practice. It became a multiple doctor practice; he eventually opened a second multiple doctor practice.

[4:15] — Joshua described his struggles after dental school. Student loans definitely didn’t help.

[06:05] — It took time and lots of trial and error before Joshua reached enough net profit to support his family.

[07:40] — To get new patients into his new practice, Joshua tried everything, from washing cars to direct mail. Writing personally to his local community provided him with a stable base. He also joined business networking groups to speak with other business owners and meet potential patients. Donating to nonprofits also helped open some doors.

[11:00] — Branching into social media and creating a Facebook page for Renken Dental did wonders for Joshua’s practice. Creating valuable content for his patient base is also important to him.

[11:28] — Joshua uses an in-house subscription model with different membership types. This system allows Joshua to target specific marketing groups. He can provide for those who avoid care because of different insurance issues.

[13:01] — Being kind and spreading positive stories and messages is central to Joshua’s business philosophy. He believes in hiring special needs employees and reaching out to patients in troubling situations.

[12:33] — “The community thinks of us more as people than a dental office,” Joshua says, which coincides with his appreciation of personal stories and testimonials.

[16:00] — Joshua finds insurance to be “An artificial force in our practice” and an all-around awful system. His in-house subscription allows patients to pay one price for everything they need to be healthy.

[20:00] — Joshua’s special insurance system has led to long term relationships with his patients instead of “emergency” patients or individuals who took advantage of discount offers.

[22:40] — Coupons and discounting usually leads to short, impersonal transactions. Joshua enjoys working closely with people to help them become healthy.

[24:30] — The opposite of couponing isn’t bragging about your abilities as a dentists. The answer is to be sensitive to your customer base while letting them know how you can help them.

[25:30] — Joshua deeply believes in organized dentistry and different organizations, from special needs organizations to local dental groups.

[28:10] — “The answer to pretty much everything is health,” Joshua says. Dental marketing boils down to convincing certain groups to follow a path to health. Speak about benefits, not your skills!

[29:20] — #AdviceAlert: “Structure determines behavior determines results.” The best opportunity to build a strong system within your practice is in the beginning, when you have less patients and staff to manage

Dr. Ashley Joves thinks of herself more as a dreamer than a practicing dentist (although her training and experience might claim otherwise). After realizing there was more to dentistry than her assistantship, Ashley decided to pursue her dream to start her own practice. Even more inspiring, Ashley is building this dentistry as you listen. Called SMILEBAR dental, Ashley plans to work with local wineries and breweries to create a space where patients can relax and enjoy their dental experience. Join Ashley and Michael as they discuss a range of topics, from balancing family and work to the revolutionary practice that Ashley is creating in real time!

 

Time-Stamped Show Notes

[1:20] — Dr. Ashley Joves graduated from dental school at NYU in 2009. She was eager to start her residency and career in Philadelphia, but she soon realized that she wanted to be more than an associate worker for somebody else.

[03:50] — After deciding to pursue a dentistry of her own, Ashley moved around with her husband as he completed medical school. Soon he accepted a residency in California, where they live today!

[4:53] — Michael points out, “At the end of the day, there has to be something more than just drill and fill, get a paycheck, and that’s it.”

[06:24] — Podcasts motivated Ashley to launch back into work and thoroughly plan her business while taking care of her boys.

[07:50] — “I just wanted a social practice,” Ashley emphasizes. She wants her new practice to eliminate the fears and anxieties that surround dentistry. Being a “people person” and making her patients feel comfortable lies at the heart of her vision.

[09:15] — #NotAnAd: Ashley describes the podcasts that inspire her. She is especially driven by other female entrepreneurs in the dental world.

[10:12] — Many people questioned whether Ashley should pursue her dream profession or stay at home with her children. She strongly believes that everybody owes it to themselves to follow their dreams!

[11:55] — “There’s no rules for how you can market and advertise and create your practice’s vision,” Michael says.

[12:33] — Ashley and Michael discuss the importance of genuinely caring for the health of your patients.

[14:30] — Ashley describes how she created her business plan. A special website called Live Plan helped lead the way. “It holds your hand,” she promises.

[16:40] — Awesome Alert: Ashley is building a practice with the look and feel of a wine bar. She’s passionate about her community and hopes to work with nearby small business, from wineries to breweries. Visit the WINEBAR Facebook page to follow her journey!

[20:18] — It’s important to have solid systems in place. Although customization can be important, consistency is important for every practice.

[21:20] — Systems and protocols that manage checks and balances are especially important.

[22:05] — Care about your money! Managing your expenses and being a strong leader are crucial to your practice.

[23:09] — Time is important to Ashley. Being the owner of her business allows her to organize work around family.

[27:45] — One of the greatest challenges in starting your own business is trying not to get overwhelmed. Time management and a solid support system can definitely help!

[29:21] — “Begin with the end in mind,” Ashley says. Before you embark on a challenge, understand what you are pursuing and why you are doing it. This is where her business plan came in!

[32:18] — Keep following both TDM and Ashley; they plan to collaborate again in the near future.

[32:31] — Visit Ashley on Facebook, follow the real-time progress of SMILEBAR here, and find her in-progress website booming across the internet very soon!

 

3 Main Ideas

Balancing family and work can be a challenge.