Are You Ready, by Dr. Ogi Ressel

Warm hellos to everyone!

This THOT is a bit late - It is our Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend!
I wanted to continue the train of thought I started on "Economic Woes" last week.
Some doctors still don't get this: they are so caught up with the idea of selling
and marketing that they fail to see the bigger picture - sometimes you
just can't see the forest because those damn trees are all in the way!
Listen, I've said this before.........People do not want to see a doctor whose
name they picked out of some brilliant ad he ran in the paper or the Yellow Pages.
Would you?
Would you go and see a doctor - and bring your children - because you saw
his wonderful ad in the paper?
Would you?
No?
Then why do you expect your community to do so?

Or because he was telemarketing them. By the way, you may not realize
that some telemarketing companies hire senior citizens to pose as new patients.
They are paid to come to your office, stay for your first exam, fulfill their
contractual obligation, and never come back. The telemarketing company is
paid by you to provide you with new patients and you assume these people
will stay under you care. Think again!  

People will also not come and see you because of your amazing
"Blue Plate Special". You know the one - the one that gives a new patient
that 50% off their initial exam in your office - not including x-rays of course.
That one! WOW! What a deal! I'll bet that this ploy is so phenomenal
that people are just lining up to receive it. Right? You bet! I can see it all
now - there is a line-up at your front door, people are fighting each other
to be the first in line, and your CAs are dressed in army fatigues beating
off the crowds with whips and bazookas, saving your life!!

People also do not want to see a doctor whose success is based on
brow-beating his patients, terrorizing them and/or pressuring them until
they sign up with him. Not only are these tactics unpleasant, but they
smack of desperation.

They also will not see a doctor who uses fear tactics or fear mongering
executed brilliantly in the name of Christ! Fear tactics the doctor learned
at some seminar in the hope of gaining a few extra new patients. The
thinking here is that few will resist being "converted" because it is done
in the name of Christ! Gives me worms! The wonderful news is that these
type of seminars have been steadily losing doctor clients and popularity,
so they change their name and the whole insidious process is repeated.
Many doctors are simply disgusted with their approach to practice
expansion - and for good reason.

You need to remember that people in your community are not stupid -
almost all of them have been exposed to the Internet, various styles
of marketing and salesmanship, and know when they hear a sales pitch.
Their antennae goes up and wariness sets in - you've just lost a new
patient.

I could go on - but I won't - you get my drift. Some of these ploys do
produce a few new patients but it is generally for short-term gain - almost
all of them leave and none of these "techniques" will give you the practice
that almost all doctors really want - Wellness, with tons of families and
children. So what's the point?

"Ok, Dr. Ogi, out with it. What does work?"
Well.......I have to tell you this: There are no shortcuts to the Practice of
your Dreams.
But, here is what all patients want:

•1.    The best doctor in their community, not the best marketing wizard
        or salesman!
•2.    They want to see a doctor they can trust - he is incredible
•3.    They want a doctor they can look up to
•4.    They want to see a doctor who is amazing at what he does
•5.    They want to see a doctor they can relate to and who will listen
        to them
•6.    They want to see a doctor who has their health first and foremost
        on his mind - not
         the tires on his Porsche, or the upcoming weekend bash.
•7.    They want to see a doctor who goes over and beyond his call of duty
•8.    They want to see a doctor who is honest and genuine
•9.    They want to see a doctor who is real, not someone who is out in
        space somewhere
•10.  They want to see a doctor who they consider their friend.
•11.  They want to see a doctor whose office is a fun and exciting place to be
•12.  They want to see a doctor who they can trust with their health and
        the health of  their children
These are all the qualities that people in your community want in a doctor.
.......And this is what the PEP Program is all about.

Are you ready?

Warmest wishes,
Dr. Ogi Ressel