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M11 - Making your USP’s work for you (This article appeared in the March 2009 issue of the Probe) Why should a new patient come to you for treatment? Because you are experienced? So is the guy down the road. Because you are priced well? So is the guy down the road. Because you are ridiculously good looking? So is the…wait a minute - what does that have to do with it?! If you are truly going to stand out and attract patients – you need a USP (unique selling point). This is what will make patients choose you over the guy down the road. This should either be something that makes you better than your competitors in some way. First, identify your USP (or USPs if you have more). The way to do this is by examining all of the features your service provides and then working out what benefit this gives the patient. To do this, convert the feature (i.e. you are good with children) into a benefit (you will make those children want to brush their teeth so their parents won’t have to make them, finally using the "naughty step" as a last resort). If you are not sure how to covert your USP into a benefit, use the words "which means that" after stating the feature. Next, look down your list of features and patient benefits. Put an S next to those which your competitors also provide, and a D next to something that is different and unique to you. For example: Features Customer Benefit S or D Saturday appointments available You don’t have to take time off work S Excellent at dealing with children You don’t have to drag your children Kicking and screaming to us! D Pleasant nurses You get good quality care and assistance S
And so on… Perhaps you’ve spotted a little problem? There may be dozens of practices in your area who have exactly the same USP as you, meaning that, surprise surprise, it is not actually unique. What now? Well you have a choice. You can either go back to analyzing what features your practice offers and pinpointing a truly unique service and making that into your USP. Or you can work with what you have already found and develop it further to turn it into a new marketing tool altogether. For example, let’s stick with our friend in the example and use being good with children as a USP. We’ve established that there are at least 5 practices in the vicinity who already advertise themselves as being good with children, but can’t find anything else truly unique to the practice. What can we do to build on that point to turn it into something which the other practices don’t have? To do this, ask yourself, if you were a parent looking for a dentist for your child (pretend you’re not one!) and there were 6 practices exactly the same, all promising to be good at treating children, which would you choose? The cheapest? Perhaps but we might not be wanting to target the lower end of the market. The one which gives the best service? But you don’t really know which this is as the all appear the same. The one which gives you something extra for your money? That could work. Possible ideas:
Again, convert these into benefits. Maybe there is a Disney character toothbrush in the goody bag that makes children want to brush their teeth. Maybe you think the video glasses will mean the child will enjoy their treatment and not resent being taken to the dentist. Remember, you will need to review your USPs and how you advertise them frequently. Chances are, if you are successful at marketing your USP, all the practices in the vicinity will do the same as you, meaning you will have to do something different. Always be on the lookout as to what other practices are doing and also how and where your competitors are advertising. Your aim should be to stand out. This needn’t cost you the earth but by the same token you will have to commit to a certain budget.
Priya Kotecha (ACA, CertPFS) is a Chartered Accountant, with Mac Kotecha & Company, where her and the senior partner deal exclusively with dentists and have been established for over 27 years. They offer Accountancy, Taxation & Payroll services in addition to invaluable advice on practice management, buying/setting up a practice and other dental issues. Contact on 020 8346 0391 or go to www.specialistdentalaccountants.co.uk |
"He (Mac) has helped me as my practice has expanded from single-handed to a six surgery/8 dentist practice." "Mac is always available to "pick his brains" and has a solution for any problem!" "He always offers sound independent advice on all financial and taxation affairs in a way that is easy to comprehend and follow." "He has helped me through my early associate days and is now proving invaluable in my journey towards practice ownership." "There is never anything I do in business or personal finance without first consulting Mac." |
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