Dr. Christopher Phelps, DMD talks to Dr. Justin Trosclair DC on A Doctor's Perspective Podcast.

Dental membership practice details to implement, top 3 Cialdini influencer methods detailed (like me, consistency, commitment), coaching and marketing secrets by Dr. Christopher Phelps DMD. Influence is important and requires a team approach.

Dr. Chris is the only dentist with the Cialdini Method Certified Trainer (CMCT) distinction. What’s great about this method is that he was able to customize it and relate it for dentists. No one wants to recreate the wheel and if you can skip the mistakes of others, well then he did his job.

How do you persuade or influence a patient to want what you are offering (by their own intent) because we already know they need it (people usually only buy what they want).

Like Me Principle

One of the most overlooked principles is the “Like Me” principle.

It’s not only rapport but patients like to do business with people they Like but also have similarities to

.Find one thing in common before you start talking about dentistry and what’s wrong with them.

Consistency Principle

This is the second most overlooked principle: being Consistent.

Consistency starts with commitments. Small commitments / agreements build on each other and can lead to a yes to avoid the in congruence that would have been built.

He learned after selling two of his best clinics and taking over two of his least performing, the importance of real commitments. Patients not showing up, not giving reviews, not paying their bills, staff slacking and more were all the telltale signs that whatever verbal yes they said, was not a real commitment.

Levels of Commitment

Verbal (lowest)

Write it Down

Put Money On It

Public Knowledge of your Commitment (most)

When are the best times to build rapport and build the level of commitments? Is it all on you and how does staff play a role?

Marketing

Of all the types of marketing, he prefers grassroots methods. Why the bias and what does he classify as grassroots methods? Dr. Phelps also mentions making sure staff is trained to handle marketing efforts- listen to learn how. 

We do go over his ideas for facebook marketing as well. Hint: Dr. Chris details how to use social proof to differentiate yourself on ads so you stop competing on price alone.  It’s amazing how testimonials accomplish so much in getting people to call you and not your competition.

Membership Practice (Fee for Service)

The aging population is growing like wildfires in California. How do you engage with this group to have them actually make and show up to appointments. They typically went from a making money mentality to a scarcity mentality once they started living on their finite lifetime savings. How do we combat that “expense based” outlook, especially when they no longer have dental insurance to help cover the expense.  This revelation was the catalyst for him to write a book on Membership Practices.

Dr. Phelps is a fee for service practice and discusses aspects of the membership practice method and how that can be implemented into your office.

How to estimate what price to charge and benefits to offer?

Wherever the patients focus is, is how they make a purchasing decision. You have to remember if you do the steps he talks about, price doesn’t have to be the determining factor for the majority of your patients.

Dental Coaching

His seminars will help you communicate. How to present the care you were already going to recommend in a way that takes it from a need to a want so more patients will say yes as well as presenting the fee so they will actually make the appointment and pay.

You should really have a buffer day to think and manage staff issues, ordering supplies, marketing etc. Do this and all of a sudden your time away from work can be spent focused more on family and friends. Also, when at home, keep the phone in your pocket and give the pers...