CONGRATULATIONS from New Patients, Inc! - December 2012

CONGRATULATIONS from New Patients, Inc!

In this edition of the newsletter, we want to take a moment to give every one of our 

clients and prospective clients, a huge HIGH FIVE!

You probably have no idea what you've done. Read on.......

As most of you are aware, we (Howie and Mark) have been trying to convince every 

dentist in the world that you DO NOT need to use price as a primary motivator, to effectively promote dental practices. If you've ever read any article we've written, 

attended any of our seminars, read any book we've published, or watched our online 

CE series - you KNOW how we feel about the pros and cons of using price as a 

primary motivator when promoting dental practices.

So why are we giving you all high fives?

Hint: It has to do with the recession we are in.

You may also be aware that New Patients, Inc. has been doing what we do for 23 

years now. This current recession isn't our first rodeo (so to speak). We have been 

through 3 economic recessions with the country, with dentistry, with our clients, 

and with dental consumers - this current recession being the worst of the bunch 

(important distinction later in this newsletter).

What you may not know, is how dentists as industry providers have historically 

behaved when faced with economic recession. In the past, dentists would immediately retract (no pun intended) during the prior recessions. For the most part, nearly all  dentists would slash non-vital spending, sign up with multiple insurance plans to keep the patient flow (and the lights on), and simply try to tread water until the overall  economy improved. Basically, dentists used to believe, they had no control over their  own business future during a recession - and there were no viable options. Just hunker down and hope.  This is/was hardly a winning business strategy.

It was like watching 11 year old kids playing baseball when all of a sudden, the skies opened up and it started raining. Everyone ran off the field and sat in the dugout, under cover - until the rain stopped!

What was the result/net impact of that behavioral reaction to prior recessions? More dentists were working harder, earning less, with fewer promotion dollars to dig them-selves out when the recession ended. All of that created a rebound lag when the economy turned better.

NPI would shrink too!

In prior recessions, NPI would shrink right along with the dwindling number of dentists willing to take their practice promotion seriously. Makes sense right?

Flash forward to THIS recession. A recession that saw NPI grow every year for 

the past four years.

This recession, dentistry reacted differently (some dentists did anyway). A portion of dentists fought back. They stayed the course. They stayed consistent. They kept 

promoting the benefits of the dentistry they provide. And boy did it pay off!

On average, our clients are +24% against the dental industry as a whole since 

Jan 2008 -an industry that (according to the ADA) has lost about 18% over the past 4 years. So, now you know why we are anxious to give you high fives!

You are an elite group, a new generation of dentist, pioneers even! 

Congratulations!  HIGH FIVES!

It gives us joy to see the client numbers we are seeing.

We've been telling all of dentistry for years what to do during recessionary times, but  not everyone listened. Dentists have to promote the basics of dentistry (family dentistry, conveniences, technologies, public relations assets, emergencies, pedo, pedo/ortho,  etc.) during a recession.

We've been railing about the two halves of the dental market for years. Yes, sure there  are moms who will choose a dentist based primarily on price. Everyone knows that!  But there is this other half of the dental market that would never choose a dentist (or  any  other healthcare provider for that matter) based primarily on price. Dentists that promote primarily on price are alienating the other half of the market completely.  We affectionately call that "other half" - YOUR HALF!

For some reason, the majority of dentists find that unbelievable.

But you believed this time.

It is one thing to believe. It is quite another thing to believe it so much that you are 

willing  to fully fund a marketing budget during a recession. It takes guts to pay someone like NPI to strategize, design, produce & deploy for you. That takes belief and guts!

But you had guts. What does that say about you?

151,000 other dentists in the US did not believe. They did not get through this recession  as well as you are getting through it.

Whether you know it or not, whether you feel it or not, you are undoubtedly 

an elite group of dentists among your colleagues.

Everyone here at NPI wants you to know how proud we are of all of you and how thrilled we are to work with you.

We know it wasn't easy. We know it is/was a leap of faith. Thanks for having faith, 

believing in us, believing the in the value of dentistry, believing in yourselves, and being  a trail blazer for the rest of your colleagues!

The entire staff at NPI would like to wish everyone the very best of the holiday seasons.

Howie Horrocks & Mark Dilatush

Got questions? Want to learn more? 

You can reach Mark & Howie at:

Howie: whh@newpatientsinc.com

Mark: markd@newpatientsinc.com