Building a solid patient dental plan base presents many benefits to the financial, sustainability and value of our dental practice and whilst we all know that building the plan numbers is something we should do, the big question I’m always asked is, ‘but, HOW do I grow my plan numbers and more importantly HOW do I get patients to say yes to joining more often?’. So, to answer this question, I’m sharing 12 tips that can really help to increase your dental plan.
1. You’ve got to have faith…
You can’t promote anything unless you fully believe in the product you are selling. The whole team needs to share the same belief. The practice owner should share with the team the purpose behind the plan, its benefits and the vision they have for it. Everyone needs to understand why you offer a dental plan; otherwise, they may feel left in the dark.
2. Shhhh!
Promoting the plan to the patient in an environment where there are no distractions and little noise will increase your plan uptake. You’re not just selling a product, you’re having a conversation with a patient about healthcare; ideally, the environment needs to be appropriate for the discussion.
3. Set yourself a goal
Setting a target to reach always makes teams work better, and rewarding them with commission or a bonus scheme are worthwhile. The whole team needs to see how they are performing on a daily basis, so why not create a chart showing the scores on the doors and make sure this is put up somewhere visible in the staff room.
4. Write a script
Not everyone likes to follow a script, but many of the best sales people learn scripts. You need to know the ins and outs of your dental plan, exactly what it can offer and how it will benefit your patients. You should be able to communicate the benefits of your plan at the drop of a hat, anytime and anywhere!
5. Don’t make assumptions
One of the biggest communication mistakes made by dentists is the assumption on whether a patient can afford to pay for treatment or not. Remember to not judge a book by its cover! I often see this error made when the team are presenting the plan. Without pre-judgement, offer the plan to everyone…you may be surprised by who takes it up.
6. Shout about the benefits
Patients are not interested in the features of the plan; they are only interested in how it can benefit them. People will only buy into something if they know what’s in it for them, so make sure you communicate this with passion and spirit and focus your language on how the patient will benefit from joining.
7. Create added value
What’s the biggest asset for your practice? It’s not the building or the equipment, but your database of patients who are a member of your plan. This database can be used to add value to your plan, so why not strike up conversation with smaller businesses in your area and see if they will offer incentives or discounts to your members in return for a discount on a treatment for their customers/members?
8. Don’t let them go home and think about it
After you’ve talked through the benefits of the plan with your patient, don’t let them go home and think about it, because that’s exactly what they’ll do! It’s not a life-changing decision and it’s of huge value to the patient. If you don’t close the deal with them whilst they’re at the practice, they will never join your plan and you both lose out.
9. What’s your follow-up plan?
Although you tried your best to sign-up the patient there and then, there will always be some who want to take information home with them to have a think about it or discuss it with their partners. Do you have a follow-up plan in place for these clients? Do you follow up the patient at home with a phone call, a text or an email? If not, then build this action into your plan strategy today!
10. Find your stars
Everyone in your practice is working within sales, and ideally, the whole team needs to have faultless communication and sales skills. However, you will always have one or two in your team that have the knack when it comes to promoting the plan; make these your plan specialists. These people will be the ones who focus on converting patients to your plan.
11. Don’t be offended
Not every patient will be as passionate and eager about your plan as you are. No matter how good the benefits are, to some people there are more important things to do than join your plan, and that’s their decision. Don’t take it personally, just accept that it’s not for them and move on…it’s not you they are rejecting.
12. Give yourselves a pat on the back!
Finally, once you and the team hit your targets, or exceed them, ensure that you celebrate your success with a few drinks after work or a meal out with the team!
