How I got my teeth whitened for free...

And that's a $350 value!!

One way that I-and you can- practice my marketing acumen is by making suggestions to the service providers of whom I am a customer. One of those is my dentist.

The good thing about her, as opposed to some of the larger companies I deal with, is that she listens (see here for previous). As does my dry cleaner

Yesterday, I was in there again and saw that they had implemented a version of the referral program I had suggested.

While I was in the chair, I came up with a few more...and then followed up with an email. (see below)

You know what happened? My dentist paid me!!

"Your advice has been so good that I want to give you a complementary whitening."

My point isn't that my teeth are cleaned, it's that

1. your vendors will be thrilled-and may comp you-for ideas you give them...if you look and think about their business challenges critically
   
2. you will hone your own marketing instincts if you get in this habit

Here were some of the ideas I sent

1. Patient of the Month Award


1. This could be a 1 page handout that you have in the waiting area. Select 2 or 3 patients and write a 2-3 paragraph story about them. How long have they been patients? Get a quote asking what they like about the dental practice.
   
2. Put a picture in there. Nothing too heavy. Light reading while people are waiting, but it could go a long way to making people FEEL like they are part of something. You called your employees, “like family,” how about your patients as a family? Maybe give them a free whitening as well.
   
2. Raffle Giveaway
   


1. Each month pick 2-3 customers. It could be at random or people who have spent a LOT of money with you. Or people who have referred you a lot of business. Call them up and say, “we really value your business and appreciate it. We want to give you a free tooth whitening.” The positive word of mouth that this generates could be great.
   
2. Each month, have a handout (maybe the backside of the Patient of the Month” Award listing the winners. This is a nice balance. One is random (raffle)…everyone can win. And one has criteria (that you pick, strategically)
   
3. Referral Recognition Monitor
   
   
   
   1. From the looks of it, the computer in the back corner can support 2 monitors. Attach a 2^nd flat panel monitor to it and have a slideshow of pictures of
      
      
      
      1. Patients who have referred you the most patients through your referral program
         
      2. Patients of the month
         
      3. Raffle winners
         
      4. One or all of the above is fine. But the idea is to build community and get people involved in your practice as people