Episode Transcript
(0:00) If the patients keep saying, I'll think about it, it's not them, it's you. (0:06) And I want you to figure out what are you doing that's causing them to leave. (0:11) I'll think about it because that means they're unclear, they're uncertain about what the next (0:17) steps are going to be or how this fits into their life.
(0:20) And our job to be successful in our practice is to answer those questions for our patients. (0:26) We've been misled to believe that dentistry, more specifically, the dental business has (0:32) to be complicated. (0:33) Dentistry can be simple and dentistry should be simple.
(0:38) You've heard it all. (0:39) I'll think about it. (0:40) It sounds like a maybe, but deep down, you know, it's probably a no.
(0:44) You don't know what's worse about it. (0:46) Most dentist treatment coordinators, presenters, they walk away thinking they almost had the case. (0:52) But the reality is they lost it and they didn't even know it.
(0:56) And honestly, they never really had it. (0:58) So today we're going to break down what I'll think about it really means and why it keeps (1:02) happening, why we're hearing that from patients and how to finally build a system that will (1:08) prevent that. (1:08) Yeah.
(1:09) Perfect. (1:09) I'm excited to talk about this topic. (1:11) Yeah.
(1:12) So all right, T-Bone. (1:13) Well, let's I guess just start with the truth of what does I'll think about it really (1:17) mean. (1:18) Honestly, it means no with guilt.
(1:21) It's not an objection. (1:22) It's a stall. (1:24) Okay.
(1:25) It's the patient saying, you know, it's a it's a polite way of the patient saying no. (1:30) In other words, the patient's not ready to say yes, but they don't know they don't (1:33) really know how to say no, because they're just a nice person. (1:36) And that's the way of saying it.
(1:38) Okay. (1:38) Now, 90 percent of the time, that's the truth. (1:40) Okay.
(1:41) And the longer you convince yourself that I'll think about it as a maybe the longer (1:45) you'll say stuck. (1:47) Yeah. (1:47) So why does so many of us fall for this false hope? (1:50) You know, we're clinging to the idea that the patient will call back.
(1:54) And what's worse about that is we are now creating a system where our success, our (2:00) case acceptance is dependent on the patient calling us back in the reality needs. (2:05) We need to be in control because if the patient says, I'll think about it and I'll (2:09) get back to you, you look like the pushy salesperson if you contact them. (2:15) So really, it really puts us in a backseat position that really hurts our (2:21) practice.
(2:22) Yeah. So I love that because we really just don't want to lose control. (2:26) Yeah.
So I'll think about it is a no in a polite disguise. (2:31) It's the opposite of the Irish exit. (2:33) That's a person just when I learned the Irish.
(2:36) That's like ghosting. (2:37) Yeah. Well, they're still kind of ghosting us.
(2:39) Right. Especially I like what you said. (2:42) If we lose control, we look like the pushy salesman.
(2:44) When we continue to keep calling. (2:47) So why does this happen? (2:48) How did we get here? (2:50) Where in our patient journey did things start to fall apart? (2:53) Yeah. You know, usually in the first five minutes, case acceptance doesn't die (2:58) at the checkout.
(2:59) I hate you know, I hate a check out like we're not Walmart. (3:04) Yeah. Like it doesn't die at the check.
(3:06) Like if you're doing your financial presentations at that checkout stand. (3:10) Right. No.
Well, I mean, I think it's not the actual physical (3:14) check out. It's the wrap up. Right.
(3:16) But even if you call it a check out. (3:18) Yeah. That is that is a innate root cause problem.
(3:22) If you let's have you check out with like, what do you like leaving ever coming back? (3:27) I think more of what you mean is the closing statement. (3:30) Yeah. Like in a perfect world, it's the consult room.
(3:33) It's the conversation. (3:34) That's what I that's what they you know, that's what most people mean by checkout. (3:38) It dies at hello.
Like what was that movie? (3:42) It's probably before you were born. (3:44) Jerry Maguire. (3:45) It wasn't before I was born, but I've never seen it actually.
(3:48) Jerry Maguire. I don't know. (3:50) I have to Google that.
(3:51) The one that's that's with Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger. (3:53) And I think that's where she said you had me shut up. (3:56) You had me at hello.
(3:57) Oh, is that that one or is that some Jack Nicholson movie? (4:01) I can't I can't remember if you know. (4:03) Nineteen ninety six. So I was born.
(4:05) I was I was in dental school. (4:08) Let's go to kindergarten. (4:09) Anyway, back to what we're talking about here.
(4:12) You know, this it happens in the first five minutes. (4:15) You know, most of the time the stall is I think this is what most dentists (4:19) and team members don't realize is that I'll think about it. (4:25) It's a stall tactic.
(4:26) Yeah, I use it all the time. (4:29) It's created by us. Yeah.
(4:32) There's some we allow them. (4:33) Well, not not even that we even lead them. (4:36) I think we lead them to that.
(4:38) And I think where where we misunderstand (4:42) what the patient is really looking for. (4:46) Yeah, it's that confidence. (4:47) It's that clarity.
(4:48) It's that, you know, this is the it's the consequence. Right. (4:52) So we should call it the three C's confidence, clarity, consequence.
(4:55) I guess you remember that one. (4:58) Can you write that one? (4:59) So give us some common causes of this. (5:02) I just I love the losing control.
(5:05) Yeah. So, you know, (5:06) no, I'm going to sound like a broken record. (5:08) Yeah, it's one or more of the four things.
(5:11) It's why we have our four four step case acceptance process. (5:16) The four promises, the four everything. (5:18) Yeah, right.
You know, we only have three C's. (5:20) We need to find a four C. (5:21) Yeah, we'll get one. (5:22) We can make one.
(5:23) We'll make one of. (5:24) OK, you know, it's no awareness tools. (5:27) Yeah.
Are you showing them clear photographs? (5:30) Part of part of. (5:33) And I don't mean clear as in like like pixel perfect, (5:37) like, you know, fancy Instagram photography, clear (5:40) with fancy shadowing and lighting, and none of which I believe in. (5:43) You know, I think it's beautiful.
(5:45) But I don't believe it really well. (5:47) I just don't think it's realistic for every day. (5:49) You know, I think I think to me, the pictures are about clarity, (5:53) like showing them it's the proof.
(5:54) It's the show and tell, you know, no photos, no urgency. (5:58) Too many of us are doing this too often in our practice. (6:02) And we're not using any awareness tools, you know, and x-rays.
(6:06) Although x-rays with A.I. is changing awareness tools, (6:09) but photographs are the best awareness tool that we can get. (6:13) Our conversation, our communication with the patient is overloaded (6:19) with technical techno babble, like not patient friendly words. (6:24) Like, you know, I always use Caroline as an example.
(6:27) And God rest his soul. (6:28) But, you know, he used to, he like told Carol, I'm going to do it. (6:33) April correct me.
(6:33) I'm going to make a semi-lunar incision and flap and look at the airline (6:37) came back to me like, what does all this mean? (6:40) Yeah, you know, she is in the dental, dental. (6:43) Yeah, you know, she's, you know, in dentistry in the sense, right. (6:46) And so, you know, like so much techno jargon, techno babble.
(6:52) It just it confuses. (6:55) We had confused. (6:56) Yeah.
Do the patient. (6:57) Okay. (6:59) And then a vague, unclear financial conversations where we look in a week.
(7:05) I love that word. (7:07) I'll even I'll even I'll even go down the road of saying (7:10) they're not even conversations. (7:12) Yeah, they're presentations.
(7:14) And I think the worst thing that dentistry has done is use the word (7:17) case presentation, because a presentation is why when I stand in front of you (7:22) and I give you five minutes of stuff and then I say, do you want to do it? (7:27) Yeah. Do you have any questions? (7:29) Yeah. And like, yes, I had a question at the first five words, (7:32) but the next 20 words, maybe forget the first five words.
(7:35) So we got to move from case presentation to case conversation. (7:39) And then we got to be very clear, concise and direct. (7:44) That's why we have the financial menu, because it tells the patient (7:47) the four things, what we're doing, how long it takes, how much it costs (7:49) and how you can pay for it like that is the opposite of vague.
(7:54) The opposite of weak is having very clear, direct conversations (8:00) and then not having urgency or some scheduling urgency. (8:04) You know, in other words, like just telling a patient like I remember (8:07) early in my career, the patients would just look at my screen (8:10) and see all the empty time. (8:12) But like, I just want to come here.
(8:14) Yeah, I want to come here. (8:16) Imagine if they could see it. (8:17) And it would be a Friday in the middle of the day.
(8:20) And I'm like, no, you could come at eight so I can leave. (8:22) Right. She'll be the only one.
(8:25) But we got to have some structure to our schedule. (8:28) And we have to communicate that structure to our patients in some form. (8:32) Yeah.
Well, we see this over and over again, right? (8:36) Everyone is educating our patients. (8:38) We're over educating. (8:39) We're telling them all of these things that they don't understand.
(8:41) And the patients just aren't connecting to anything. (8:44) But it doesn't mean anything to them. (8:46) The patient connection just isn't there with the education.
(8:49) Yeah, you didn't lose the case at your presentation. (8:52) Checkout process. You lost the case in the first.
(8:55) Probably not in the you've lost the case. (8:57) You lost the case in minute two to minute eight (8:59) when you were talking to all the dentistry with the patient. (9:02) You know, that's that's really when you lose the case.
(9:04) Yeah. Well, let's talk about how we can prevent this. (9:07) Yeah.
And let's shift from the problem to how we can find a solution. (9:11) So if we want to avoid that, I'll think about it. (9:14) What would be your game plan, Tebow? (9:16) You know, I think to prevent this, I'll think about it.
(9:20) Prevent the stall tactics. (9:22) You've got to stick with clarity, certainty, convenience (9:26) built into the system, not added at the end as a, you know, (9:31) as a reactionary method to the patient giving you the stall. (9:35) So let's give you some let's give you a list here.
(9:37) OK. Use photos. (9:39) P patients believe what they see.
(9:42) So if they don't see it, if they don't and everybody understands a photograph. (9:45) OK. They see the crack, they see the black, they see the ugliness, (9:49) they see the, you know, the mustache in the picture, whatever, you know, (9:52) whatever it means.
Speak human languages. (9:56) You know, I always say speak, speak to me like I did this the other day on our (10:00) call, didn't I? Yesterday, yesterday evening on our call with the CRM company, (10:05) I said, you need to speak to me like I'm an eighth grader. (10:08) Right.
You know, just give this to me. (10:10) Simple, clear. Tell me the step one.
(10:12) Stop telling me all the fancy. (10:13) Yeah, you said I don't need the fluff. (10:15) Just tell me the facts.
Right. (10:17) I think this is definitely a movie before you. (10:19) Just the facts, ma'am.
Dragnet. (10:21) OK. You haven't heard of that one.
(10:22) You haven't heard of Dragnet with Dan. (10:25) You know, Dan, I don't watch a lot of movies. (10:27) I never understood this.
Dan Aykroyd was in We Are The World. (10:30) OK. Which is the compilation of the greatest singers (10:33) of the 70s and 80s ever.
(10:35) I definitely wasn't. (10:36) Why was he in We Are The World? (10:38) If you know why Dan Aykroyd was singing in We Are The World, the chorus, (10:43) please DM me so I can understand why the Ghostbusters (10:48) and Dragnet guy and the guy from the Coneheads was singing in We Are The World. (10:53) I hope somebody can answer that for you.
(10:56) I'm really dating myself. (10:57) I'm getting I'm that old guy now, am I not? (10:59) Not yet. Not quite.
(11:00) Have a financial menu. (11:03) If you say I have it, then I'm going to say use it on everything. (11:07) This is one thing that really frustrates me.
(11:09) People say, well, I have a financial when we use it. (11:11) So tell me when you use it on big cases. (11:13) I'm like, like, that's that's not the issue.
(11:16) Case acceptance problem isn't on the big cases. (11:18) It's on the everyday cases. (11:19) So have a financial menu.
Use it. (11:22) You know, bundle small wins. (11:24) Meaning what I mean by that is I call it micro case acceptance.
(11:27) You know, make treatment doable. (11:30) If it's a long drawn out process, go through it. (11:32) Visit by visit.
(11:34) Say our first step is going to be this and you're going to leave (11:37) looking great at that visit. (11:39) You know, you're going to walk out of here with teeth that day (11:42) that look great. (11:43) And then then we're going to go into a holding pattern (11:45) while everything kind of does its thing.
(11:47) And then you're going to come back and we'll make you new teeth (11:49) and pre-schedule. (11:51) Let's hold time for you with a deposit, of course. (11:54) Or let's give the patient like one of the things we do is we tell a patient, (11:57) I'd love to be able to hold.
(11:59) What I'll do is I'll hold when somebody says I'll do need to think about it (12:02) or we'll get there. I'll tell you what. (12:04) We've got a time slot tomorrow.
(12:06) I'll hold that for the next two hours. (12:07) If you can get back to me in the next two hours, we can put you there. (12:10) So you put some level of urgency and time to that.
(12:14) Yeah. And I think also talking about what you have reserved for the next month, (12:17) like you said, I do this twice a month. (12:20) Create that urgency to let them know that we can pre-schedule you (12:24) when you're ready, but just know that we do this twice a month.
(12:28) And this month, we have one more date. (12:30) Next month is completely full. (12:31) So if you don't want to move forward this month, it'll probably be (12:35) two months, September, October, you know, (12:36) a little bit down the road.
(12:38) So what we what we really want to say is this isn't about sick, quote unquote, (12:42) sales. You know, everyone says, oh, this is a sales and all of that. (12:45) But it's really we say time, fear and money.
(12:47) But we've added in the last couple of years, trust, because it's really all (12:51) about trust. And then comes time, like time, fear and money. (12:55) We can figure out, right? (12:57) Time, fear and money are the easy ones because time is fixed by prior (12:59) to scheduling fears, fixed by sedation, a pill, basically, you know, (13:04) and money is fixed by the financial menu.
(13:05) What we're what we're finding is where people are losing patients with (13:10) offices or losing patients is in the trust component. (13:13) And trust is about clarity. (13:15) It's about confidence.
(13:16) It's about being concise. (13:18) It's about being, you know, firm. (13:21) And this is what we need.
(13:22) Can I do a filling? (13:23) Unfortunately, we cannot. (13:24) Yeah, you know, it's not going to support your tooth. (13:26) It's not going to be the best for your tooth.
(13:28) Yeah. You know, versus, well, let's see. (13:31) Yeah, you know, I don't know.
(13:32) You know, we possibly maybe kind of depends on what kind of month (13:37) I'm having, if I got to put my kids to school and not all of those things. (13:42) Yeah. Case acceptance is isn't, you know, it's a conversation.
(13:46) It's a system. (13:48) It's a process. (13:49) And when you follow a process, the systems do the follow through (13:53) in the follow up for you because the people follow the system.
(13:57) Yeah. All right, T-Bone. (13:58) Well, let's do one of our favorite things.
(14:00) And that's that's kind of role playing it out. Right. (14:03) So what do we say? (14:04) What when we still continue to hear? (14:07) I'll think about it.
What now? (14:08) What should a team member who's been well trained, well versed (14:12) is used to the pushback? (14:14) What what should they say? (14:15) Well, I always say that you start with empathy. (14:18) I totally hear what you're saying. (14:20) And then I try to get curious.
(14:21) You know, Meredith, if you don't mind, just to help me. (14:26) Oh, what about the treatment? (14:28) Do we need that? Do you need to think about? Right. (14:32) I don't know.
It just seems feels like a lot. (14:34) OK, so it seems overwhelming to you. Yeah.
OK. (14:37) So if we were able to to break this down and do smaller chunks, (14:40) would would that work better for you? (14:42) Yeah, I just I do really want to get it all done. (14:45) I just think I need to digest it.
(14:46) Yeah. So so our goal with when we do small chunks (14:50) is not to not do all the treatment. (14:51) It's just that, you know, sometimes people are ready to do it all at once.
(14:55) We'll still get the same results and get the same outcome. (14:58) We'll just do it a little bit at a time if that works better for you. (15:01) OK, well, yeah, I just think I need to think about it.
(15:04) Is there anything else there? (15:07) I mean, I'd probably like to look at the finances of it again. (15:11) Yeah, so I was fast. Yeah.
(15:14) So I'm sorry if I've made you feel rushed. (15:17) Yeah, no, no, no, it's not you. (15:19) I just, you know, a lot.
(15:20) So you see how I'm getting curious in these conversations? (15:23) And, you know, yes, I don't feel like people bring up money first. (15:27) They don't think that is the issue, right? (15:30) It's usually it's usually one of the big issues for sure. (15:33) It's the elephant in the room.
(15:34) But, you know, your patients patients will bring it up. (15:37) But my point in this is you have to get curious. (15:40) You can't just say I just say it to me again.
(15:42) So you say, I'll think about it. I'll think about it. (15:44) OK, no problem.
(15:45) Just get back to me when you're ready. (15:47) Like that sucks. OK.
Yeah. (15:49) Like, you know, that's like like if if if you feel what I did earlier (15:53) when I said, tell me what what about the plan that you need to think about? (15:58) If if you're uncomfortable with that, then I'm going to tell you (16:01) that you probably have the wrong person going over treatment (16:04) or you're the wrong person going over treatment. (16:06) And you have to shift your mindset to you've got to get more curious (16:09) and get more comfortable about it, you know.
(16:12) And so, you know, or when somebody says you need to think about it (16:15) and they don't really say, I don't know, you got you got to give them examples. (16:18) You got to say like like when I hear that oftentimes, (16:20) it's some people feel unsure about the plan. (16:24) You know, is there anything about the plan you're you know, that that you're not (16:27) you're not OK with? (16:30) No, I I understand the plan.
(16:32) It's something I've been wanting to do for a while. (16:34) This is a second opinion for me, really, to be honest. (16:37) I've looked into this a few years back.
(16:40) I think I'm ready. I just need to get all my ducks in a row. (16:43) OK, so so another thing I often I totally understand that.
(16:45) Another thing we often hear is sometimes it's it's the money can be overwhelming. (16:50) Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's it's a lot. I think I can swing it.
(16:55) Maybe if you guys could give me the day (16:58) and let me kind of figure out how I can get my finances. Sure. Absolutely.
(17:02) You know, we'd love we'd love we'd love with the member. (17:06) There's no pressure from us. OK.
(17:07) Here's what I'd like to. That's what I love about this. (17:10) Well, here's what here's what I'd love to do.
(17:12) Let me give you let me text you. (17:14) OK, all the links. (17:15) OK, so you can look into in the financial menu.
(17:17) It's right here for you to take home and hear the links for all the applications (17:20) so you can do them in your own convenience. (17:23) And I'd love to. And this is the important part, because I want us (17:27) to I want us the practice to stay on the offense, OK, or be in control.
(17:31) Is I'd say I'd love to follow up with you tomorrow. (17:34) So let's set a time. (17:35) I'm going to follow up with you tomorrow.
(17:36) I'm not going to say is that OK if I follow up with you or say (17:39) I'll follow up with you tomorrow (17:41) so that way you have a time to think about it as you ask for. (17:43) And then we can come to a decision. (17:45) OK, yeah, that would be good.
(17:46) I mean, that would give me time to get through these applications. (17:49) And, you know, I don't need my husband's approval, (17:51) but I'd like to run it by him. (17:52) So just just to be sweet.
(17:54) Me too. I get it. (17:56) So, you know, you so see, you see how it gave us gave me, (18:00) got me to be back in control.
(18:02) And those questions don't feel pushy at all. (18:04) They shouldn't. (18:04) It actually makes the patient feel understood.
(18:07) Like you're listening to what my concerns are and kind of keeps. (18:11) It also keeps us moving forward. (18:13) Here's what I'd say on this section is.
(18:17) If you freeze when the patient stalls or the patient says, (18:21) I'll think about it, that means you were hoping for a yes (18:24) and you were unprepared for the no or and I say this with love, (18:29) which means it's going to be tough, (18:30) is that you're weak and uncomfortable being curious. (18:35) OK, and so you you have to be effective in this role. (18:41) You've got to be comfortable being curious (18:44) and asking people why they're saying no without, you know, (18:47) in a polite way of asking them.
(18:50) Yeah. Well, not to make you sound like a broken record, (18:52) but to make you sound like a broken record. (18:54) I feel like the processes we put in place (18:57) and through our 3D Mastermind kind of solves this issue.
(19:01) Right. So kind of talk to us about how we fix this in real practices. (19:05) Yeah.
You know, in our 3D Mastermind Foundation's program, (19:07) which is a six month program that's fully focused on the patient buying process, (19:12) which I believe is mostly broken (19:16) and not optimized in probably 90 percent of the practices. (19:19) Yes. Is what we focus on.
(19:21) We focus on awareness. (19:24) The cameras and the ops with a six photo protocol and communication (19:27) and conversations around on around showing patients what treatment options exist (19:32) and how to make them aware of the treatment and create some urgency for them. (19:36) A financial present confidence, financial conversation confidence (19:40) with a third part with a financial menu, leveraging third party financing (19:45) and a framework of how to have this conversation and priority (19:49) scheduling so that you take control of your busy schedule (19:53) and your chaos and your practice that allows you to create space (19:57) for doing more of the dentistry that you want.
(19:59) And it's proven over and over again. (20:02) You know, while all results are different, over 25 to 30, (20:07) over 30 percent of our practices see a six. (20:10) Sorry, see a million dollar increase in two years in their practice (20:14) in the mastermind program.
(20:16) It's pretty stunning and amazing what we're seeing in practices. (20:19) Yeah. I mean, we've seen practices completely change (20:22) just in those first six months.
(20:23) And what I like to tell them after those six months is, (20:26) as you can see, we're just scratching the surface because there's more. (20:29) You haven't even been able to implement. (20:31) Yeah.
You know, 50 percent of it. (20:33) So but the team starts to feel empowered. (20:35) They can see the growth within the practice, which means growth for them.
(20:39) Right. The patients feel cared for. (20:41) The patients feel understood.
(20:43) And it no longer feels like you're having to sell to them. (20:46) You know, instead, you're you're serving your patients. (20:49) Yeah.
And the best part is it's not a script. (20:52) You know, it's a framework. (20:54) It's, you know, how to make it easy.
(20:56) And you don't rise like all of this is your practice (21:00) rises to the level of your systems that you have in place, (21:03) your processes that you have in place. (21:05) So, you know, I want to encourage you to develop and redevelop and fine (21:10) tune, you know, your your patient buying process. (21:15) You know, we'd love to help you here at the 3D Mastermind.
(21:17) But if you want to do it on your own, the podcast, (21:20) you know, most of the information is right there in the podcast. (21:22) Yeah. Yeah.
Take it down. (21:23) Well, if this episode is hitting home and you know, (21:26) your team needs better systems in place. (21:28) If you're ready to help become more of a leader in your practice, (21:32) then that's exactly what we can help you do within our 3D Mastermind.
(21:36) Look, it's not theory. It's not fluff. (21:39) This is stuff that I've lived and live and breathe in my practice.
(21:43) Even today, 26 years in, it's about structure. (21:47) It's about leadership. It's accountability.
(21:49) It's training your whole team to guide the patients to a yes. (21:53) And then then then we once we get that part, (21:56) once we get the patient buying process in place, (21:58) that's when the real fun grows in and strategically building practices (22:02) through the advanced master. And it's it's it's a ton of fun.
(22:06) Yeah. Well, if you are interested in the Mastermind looking to do fewer (22:10) well-planned visits, you can learn more at 3D-dentist.com (22:15) slash Mastermind, or you could just message us Mastermind. (22:18) Yeah, perfect.
(22:19) So if the patients keep saying, I'll think about it, it's not them. (22:25) It's you. (22:25) And I want you to figure out what are you doing? (22:30) That's causing them to leave.
(22:31) I'll think about it because that means they're unclear. (22:34) They're uncertain about what the next steps are going to be (22:38) or how this fits into their life. (22:40) And our job to be successful in our practice is to answer those questions (22:44) for our patients.
Yeah. (22:45) Well, hopefully this episode has been a wake up call to some of you (22:49) that the patients you have are just looking to be led. (22:54) You don't need better patients.
(22:56) You just need better systems. (22:57) So make one upgrade, one step. (22:59) You know, you buy you.
(23:00) How do you eat an elephant? (23:01) Not any of us. How do we eat a burger? (23:04) I don't eat elephant. (23:05) How do you eat a very large burger one bite at a time? (23:08) You know, and what I tell my teenagers is take small bites.
(23:13) So if you want help, reach out to us here at the podcast. (23:17) Reach out to us on social media. (23:19) We'd love to help you and do us a favor.
(23:21) Share this episode. (23:23) Share our podcast. (23:25) We reenergize us because I know we've been gone for a little bit, (23:29) but we're back.
(23:30) We're better than ever. (23:31) And we're more committed than ever to helping individual dentists, (23:35) private practitioners succeed in dentistry.
