By Simon Hocken, Lead Coach: Business, Practice & Clinic Leadership
As part of the biggest player in the dental consultancy market, I am aware that we often lead opinion and behaviours as well as reflecting and reporting on them. So some of this could be our fault! However, I am beginning to notice a phenomenon which may become counter productive for the practices involved. There are now significant numbers of private practices who are using the same:
- Proposition
- Positioning in the market place
- Fees
- Sales Copy
- Stock photos on their web sites
- Ideas for seasonal offers etc
Which means that they (particularly when they serve the same catchment) are in danger of becoming indistinguishable from each other to someone browsing for a new practice. I have even come across practice managers mystery shopping their competitive set to gather data on their fees, then averaging them and setting their own fees at or near this average.
Hey! Come on! The trick in owning a successful business is to stand out from the crowd, not become one of them. There is no safety in doing what everyone else is doing, you have to do this your way so as to build:
- Your Brand,
- Your Business Values
- Your Intellectual Property
- Your band of adoring clients
- Your loyal support team
If you find yourself being copied, as happened to me when I had my first private practice, remember Omer Reed who said, “Don’t worry Simon, the others might catch on, but they will never catch up!”
If you would like some help with distinguishing your practice from 10,000 others in the UK, email me or call my direct line.
t: 07770 430576
e: simon@nowbreathe.co.uk