Your Dental Practice Marketing Grunt Work
- Date: 2008-06-18 - Word Count: 450
Share This!
I was over at the Oregon Coast this weekend. My wife and I hit a couple of beaches and one of our favorite restaurants, Mo's. Mo's is a coastal institution.
Oregon has Mo's. Washington, has Ivar's.
Both are/were HUGELY successful (I know Mo's is and has been for some time, I have insider info; in the last few years, I've not heard much about Ivar's since I haven't been there in quite some time).
They each receive a ton of notoriety from dignitaries (can you believe they even visit us here in Oregon?!). They get a boatload of free press, all the time (they're making themselves newsworthy), and their original founders were true northwest characters. They were unique. People liked them. AND, they both offer killer seafood and chowder. Mo's restaurants (I believe there are 6) sell hundreds of thousands, yes, 100,000+ gallons of chowder yearly. People go to the coast just to eat the chowder. Frankly, I like my chowder with their amazing grilled cheese on homemade bread.
We finished our meal, and as we were weaving our way through the crowd to exit the restaurant there was some crazy lady in the parking lot striking up brief conversations and handing out blue cards to everyone she talked to.
The card was a promotion of her store right up the street.
Buy 1, Get 1, of ANYTHING in her store. Oh, and she read Tarot cards, too.
It's irrelevant what she was selling. What is relevant is she located a starving crowd (which is a constant in the summertime in front of any Mo's restaurant), made them an irresistible offer, and drove them to her store.
Was it grunt work? You bet. Was there a payoff? Definitely! There was a line out her store; people wanted the Buy 1 Get 1 coffee deal. After all, it was 52 degrees outside (it was 98 degrees at my home yesterday, just an hour away), people were cold, and you can bet they didn't just buy a coffee. They were buying other things in her store.
I recall a story Dr. Howard Farran told, when he was first opening his practice in the mid-to-late 80s. He canvassed the neighborhood with flyers - he and his wife, Judith - and they canvassed mall parking lots with a different flyer. They did the grunt work to get things off the ground.
Sure beats sitting in your practice hoping someone will notice your sign (that's probably sub-par anyway) and drop in.
Successful business owners are pro-active. They make and force success to come about. They never rest on their laurels.
If canvassing neighborhoods, knocking on doors, and making folks an irresistible offer gets them flocking to your door, why is that so bad? Go Get 'em!
Oregon has Mo's. Washington, has Ivar's.
Both are/were HUGELY successful (I know Mo's is and has been for some time, I have insider info; in the last few years, I've not heard much about Ivar's since I haven't been there in quite some time).
They each receive a ton of notoriety from dignitaries (can you believe they even visit us here in Oregon?!). They get a boatload of free press, all the time (they're making themselves newsworthy), and their original founders were true northwest characters. They were unique. People liked them. AND, they both offer killer seafood and chowder. Mo's restaurants (I believe there are 6) sell hundreds of thousands, yes, 100,000+ gallons of chowder yearly. People go to the coast just to eat the chowder. Frankly, I like my chowder with their amazing grilled cheese on homemade bread.
We finished our meal, and as we were weaving our way through the crowd to exit the restaurant there was some crazy lady in the parking lot striking up brief conversations and handing out blue cards to everyone she talked to.
The card was a promotion of her store right up the street.
Buy 1, Get 1, of ANYTHING in her store. Oh, and she read Tarot cards, too.
It's irrelevant what she was selling. What is relevant is she located a starving crowd (which is a constant in the summertime in front of any Mo's restaurant), made them an irresistible offer, and drove them to her store.
Was it grunt work? You bet. Was there a payoff? Definitely! There was a line out her store; people wanted the Buy 1 Get 1 coffee deal. After all, it was 52 degrees outside (it was 98 degrees at my home yesterday, just an hour away), people were cold, and you can bet they didn't just buy a coffee. They were buying other things in her store.
I recall a story Dr. Howard Farran told, when he was first opening his practice in the mid-to-late 80s. He canvassed the neighborhood with flyers - he and his wife, Judith - and they canvassed mall parking lots with a different flyer. They did the grunt work to get things off the ground.
Sure beats sitting in your practice hoping someone will notice your sign (that's probably sub-par anyway) and drop in.
Successful business owners are pro-active. They make and force success to come about. They never rest on their laurels.
If canvassing neighborhoods, knocking on doors, and making folks an irresistible offer gets them flocking to your door, why is that so bad? Go Get 'em!
Related Tags: dental marketing, dental practice marketing, attract new dental patients, dental office marketing
James Erickson is the President of EMC Dental Marketing, a resource for turn-key dental marketing programs and dental practice marketing education. Visit www.EMCdental.com to receive a free practice building kit sent directly to you. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Is SEO Optimisation Important Today?
Those who have tried setting up their own websites know just how competitive the online market reall - How to Shop Fearlessly, Look For Bargains, And Save Time and Money on the Web?
With the advent of online shopping, going to outlets and discount shopping centers may become an act - Roll Up Stand Changing Vendor Booths
Most people have been to trade shows, home shows, state and county fairs and other places where ther - Achieving Your Advertising Goals With a Roll Up Stand
Advertising is a common function of a business. However, it requires creativity and hard work to ens - Trade Show Displays and Expos
Trade Shows and community business Expos provide a captive audience for your business, to get the wo - How to Make Sure Your Newsletters Are Sent Out on Time
There are three key elements to making sure your newsletter is delivered on time: People, planning, - Portable Displays - Trade Show Displays
Portable Displays are the best option for exhibitors when it comes to Trade Shows. Portable Displays - Banner Displays - a Great Portable Display
Banner Displays are considered one of the most portable displays when used for trade shows. They com - Small Business Reputation Management - Your Small Business Information Could be Wrong
Bad information could be out there circulating on the Internet this very minute about your business - Eight Guidelines For Writing Newsletters That Engage Your Readers and Build Your Business
Want to write newsletters that engage your readers and help to build community? Whether you are a sm
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Adsense Is Making Me Rich
I want to talk to you about the power of Google AdSense and how you can use it to generate not hundr - How to Increase Your Business Using the Esoteric Science of Radionics
As a small business owner, there are an amazing number of difficult skills I need to master so my bu - 14 Top Lead Generation Tips
According to former Harvard Business School professor David Maister, typical marketing practices are - More Marketing Dope
Direct marketing can make you very successful, but you’ve got to understand the basics. Here a - The State Of Paid-To-Surf Programs Today
What a difference a year can make. 12 months ago, auto surf programs were at their peak. More an - Should You Open Up An Ebay Store?
Ebay has provided some amazing opportunities for many people to earn online. This widely popular au - Is Adsense A Good Idea?
For many webmasters, Google AdSense has become a great revenue generator. Since the program pays th - The "Coat Of Arms" Revisited
Recently I listened to a interview with Mark Joyner and Gary Halbert about Gary's famous "Coat of Ar - Brand Loyalty
It's a challenge getting consumers to remain loyal to a particular brand. Unlike the good old days w - The Hottest Affiliate Ebooks Out in the Market Today!
Affiliate Project X is a great affiliate marketing ebook. Totaling only 50 pages you could have your
