Dentaltown November 2017 - 14

Building referral relationships

See Howard Live!
Howard Farran, DDS, MBA, is an international speaker
who has written books and dozens of articles. To schedule Howard to speak at your next national, state or local
dental meeting, email rebecca@farranmedia.com.

2017
NOV.
10

Toronto Academy of
Dentistry Winter Clinic
Toronto, Ontario

2018
JAN.
7

American Student
Dental Association
Tempe, Arizona

JAN.
26

Benco Dental
Tempe, Arizona

When I got my first laptop, I looked up every business
in Ahwatukee, called the owners and invited them to
dinner at my house. That's networking-everybody in
sales does it, but dentists hardly ever do.
The guy who runs the auto mechanic's shop across
the street from my practice flips 450 cars a week in his
eight-station bay. We're in the same business-someone
goes to his shop and he tells them, "It's not your battery;
you need a whole new alternator." Or they come to me
and I say, "You've got four cavities, $250 each. You're
looking at a thousand bucks here." Auto maintenance
is a game of trust, just like dentistry.
We've had dinner with the local pharmacist and his
wife every 3-4 years. You don't realize how many people
walk into a pharmacy and say, "I've got a toothache. What
do you recommend-Anbesol? Motrin? Excedrin?" He
tells them, "What's best is Howard Farran. Do you see
that Today's Dental building, right next to Safeway?"
He referred me so many people that I told him I didn't
want to have him over to the house; I wanted to take
him to the nicest restaurant in town.
Is that my natural personality? When I get out of
work at 5, do I really want to entertain somebody at my
house? No, I'd rather sit there and watch ESPN and drink
a beer. But that doesn't mean I get to-your net worth
is your network, and you should always be building it.

There's no danger in asking
FEB.
21

Irvine, California Study Group
Irvine, California

MARCH
7

Brace Place Orthodontics

APRIL
14

Townie Meeting

APRIL
20

Oklahoma Dental Association

New Jersey

Orlando, Florida

Oklahoma City

NOVEMBER 2017 // dentaltown.com

I've podcasted with every dental office consultant
known to man, and they all say that on the first day
when they observe the practices, they never see a dentist
ask patients for a referral. Which is foolish, because
a new patient who comes in from a referral spends
more money than a new patient who comes in from
marketing. They're more likely to trust you from the
get-go, because of the recommendation that came from
their friend or family member.
Remember, we sell relationships. They're the only way
to get higher-fee, lower-volume dentistry and to keep
your customers for life. Don't let yourself off the hook!
If you're not naturally outgoing, learn how to be. Sign
up for improv or acting classes. Get a part-time gig as
a bartender, where you'll learn how to talk to people.
I've stood in so many offices where the doctor walks
in and just starts looking at the computer to see chart
notes. I'm like, "Dude, what are you, a veterinarian? Do
you think that person is a St. Bernard?"
Talk to them. Establish rapport. Tell them about their
treatment. Ask for referrals. Try to be Doc Hollywood,
not Doc Holliday. ■

http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown November 2017