How conveniently located is your practice compared to your competitors?

Is parking a problem, is your practice difficult to find, are their stairs patients have to climb? Do you offer convenient appointment times to accommodate busy schedules? Can new patients get an appointment within two weeks, or is the business staff telling them they’ll have to wait months? New patients will not wait two, four, six months for an appointment. If you don’t make room for them in your schedule promptly, you don’t want them in your practice.

Never forget that the employee answering the phone in your office represents the entire team. And in the first few seconds, the caller is making judgments about the quality of your care and the helpfulness of your staff. It may not be fair, but it’s reality. If you have even a glimmer of doubt about the impression your practice makes with callers, ask a couple of friends to pose as prospective patients and give you feedback on their telephone experience.

Flaunt your expertise. Brag about each other. You simply cannot overemphasize the expertise of the doctor and the team. Take every opportunity to convey the message of excellence and quality. If a patient asks a team member if the doctor is good at a particular procedure, answer with an emphatic “Yes! S/he is the best.”