Blog - Page 37 of 55 - Dr Jesse Green

It’s great to get cashflow in your business, but what you do with that cashflow is equally important. In this episode, I chat to personal finance expert Jordan Goodman about how dentists can be more savvy about how they manage their money.

Jordan Goodman is “America’s Money Answers Man” and a nationally-recognized expert on personal finance. He is a regular guest on numerous radio and television call-in shows across the country, answering questions on personal financial topics.

For 18 years, Jordan was on the editorial staff of Money magazine, where he served as Wall Street correspondent.

He is the author / co-author of 13 best-selling books on personal finance including Master Your Debt Fast Profits in Hard Times, Everyone’s Money Book, Master Your Money Type, Barron’s Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms and Barron’s Finance and Investment Handbook.

We discuss:
1:42 Jordan’s early entrepreneurial spirit
3:47 Where dentists come unstuck with managing their finances
6:04 What’s happening in the market and how to harness that
7:39 Things you consider about Bitcoin
10:37 Where dentists should be focusing to grow their finances
17.23 Tips for debt reduction
19:54 Money habits you need to practice
24:50 Entrepreneurial skills that dentists should harness
27:53 Some ideas about the future of the market
32.59 The power of leverage in your business

Find out more about Jordan Goodman

http://www.moneyanswers.com/bio.html

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As the new year rolls around, it’s typical to review our investment priorities.

This may find you checking the rear view mirror for areas to improve.

You might also find cause to high five yourself.

Regardless of the view, mapping a way forward – and the investment you’ll make – in the ensuing year is a priority for most of us.

Particularly, any dentist wanting to scale and grow their practice.

Investment takes many forms.

Finance, time, equipment, and so on.

As key resource in your practice, there’s a tendency to overlook the most important investment that should be made.

The one in yourself.

Savvy Dentist and the Practice Max program maintain a strong focus on this kind of investment.

Why?

Because no dental business can grow beyond the practice owner.

Investment in yourself doesn’t need to be a big thing. Or something else to add to the ‘to do’ list.

Here’s how this important investment translates into practical how-to’s for any dentist.

Get a Coach or Mentor

Rarely do we tell ourselves what we need to hear.

And that’s why we need a coach or mentor.

Someone who’ll tell us how it is, and not let us off the hook, when we’d much rather pack up and go home.

A coach can be safe sounding board for new ideas, challenge your thinking and provide a different perspective.

They can also be a voice of encouragement when the going gets tough.

Many successful business people have coaches. Some have more than one.

When I think about business and investment and me, I know I wouldn’t be without a coach.

Let Go and Let Someone Else Do It

For those dentists complaining they haven’t enough time, or can’t find anyone to do a job, maybe it’s time to look a little closer.

And then let go.

From my own experience, I can honestly say, we usually do more than we need to.

If tail chasing is your standard operating procedure, time to think again.

Instead hone in on what can be delegated.

Can you cross train team members?

Could you set up key performance indicators to create employee accountability?

Assess whether you really need to be across the detail of your website?

Identify the best allocation of your time – your critical drivers – and focus efforts there.

Applicable for every dentist, but especially for those working solo, investing your efforts in ‘needle movers’ like revenue generating and profitable activities is key.

By delegating appropriately and investing time wisely, you avoid burn out, resentment, and overwhelm.

Take A Break

When building a business, and creating a practice to scale and grow, it seems the last thing we should do is take a break.

Actually, taking a break is a priority investment in you and your business.

I’m not necessarily talking trips to the Bahamas or helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon, although you might do that.

What I’m talking about is investing time for you to take a vacation.

Taking time for you to be home – and really be there; not just physically there and your mind elsewhere.

You might even sit around and watch Netflix for an hour.

Do whatever is necessary to give back to yourself physically, energetically and emotionally.

It will pay dividends many times over.

Have A ‘Not To Do’ List

The ‘to do’ list is something we all wrestle with from time to time.

A neat reframe I picked up recently is the Not To Do list.

Emily Letran – a high performance coach, author and dentist and recent guest on my podcast swears by it.

It’s a list on which you put everything you shouldn’t be doing.

It requires you get very specific about tasks you should or could let go of.

If you sat down and worked out what should be on your Not To Do list, you might be very surprised with what you find.

Whether through habit or conditioning, you may think certain activities are super important.

Maybe they are, but they don’t necessarily need you to do them.

Keep this in mind when you decide which clinical work you’ll take – think productive over non-productive.

You can also apply this approach to your business administration too.

Final Words

As you approach the new year, consider what your most important investment will be this year.

Understanding business may be your priority focus. With it comes clarity and momentum.

However, it’s nothing without the investment you make in yourself.

Take time, as the dust settles on the new year, to invest wisely. In you.

From refugee to dental practice owner and coach, Dr Emily Letran is one high performance individual. In this episode, she shares her story and tips.

Dr Emily Letran is a general dentist who owns two multi-specialty group practices in Southern California. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from UC Riverside. She is a graduate of UCLA School of Dentistry and received her Master of Science in Oral Biology from UCLA at the same time.

As a mother of three, Dr Letran creatively balances work, family life, after-school life and her personal life as a growing entrepreneur.

In this episode, we discuss:

2:00 Emily’s refugee story
12:45 How to embrace the hard work of growing your business
15:45 Why you should aim for high performance NOT high achievement
18:10 How to avoid getting stuck in high achievement mode
21:00 Why high performers know their WHY intimately
25:45 How to get leverage in your dental practice
33:00 How to get focused like a high performer
38:00 The power of having a mentor to guide you to high performance

Find out more about Dr Emily Letran

http://www.exceptionalleverage.com/

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Social media can often feel like wasted time. In this episode, Mark Warncken shares with us his 3 simple steps for social media success.

Mark Warncken has had a 30 year career working in sales across many industries gives me a unique insight into understanding the challenges every business faces in generating leads and converting them into buying customers. He now brings his sales expertise to the world of social media with great success.

In this episode, we discuss:

2:45 How a 50 year old expert in corporate sales came to be an expert in social media
5:15 Why you can’t ignore social media in your dental practice
6:15 How social media has changed the way we live life and do business
7:45 Tips for how to fit social media into your daily routine
8:45 Defining your Ideal Patient is crucial for nailing your social media
15:45 Tips for working out which social media platforms you need to be on
20:15 Marks 3 simple steps for social media success
33:15 Reusing content again and again
38:00 Asking for the sale
And more.

Find out more about Mark Warncken

Visit his website http://www.linkedintosales.com.au

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Social media has changed the game in dental business.

It’s no longer enough for dentists to rely on patient loyalty and quality care as their sole marketing strategy.

It just won’t cut it when it comes to generating new patients…and keeping them.

Part of any dentist’s approach to marketing must now include a sharp social media plan.

“That’s great”, I hear most dentists say, “but how do I fit social media in on top of everything else? I’m a business owner, clinician, human resources manager and financial manager.”

The frustration felt by most dentists around social media is understandable.

Without understanding the fundamentals – and their importance – social media can seem like hard work. And lots of it.

But it needn’t be.

Yes, there’s groundwork to be done, but once this is in place, social media can be straightforward.

Read on for five surprisingly simple tips that will make it easy for any dentist.

#1 Know Your Ideal Patient

Marketing 101 says every business owner should know their ideal customer.

That includes dentists.

While we might be tempted to treat any person with a pulse, that’s not ideal for business purposes.

When it comes to social media, it’s pivotal you know your target market.

When you do, you’ll know where they hang out online.

Are they mostly on Facebook?

Do they spend most of their ‘social’ time on LinkedIn?

Is Instagram their thing?

When you understand your ideal patient’s behaviour, and how it’s reflected online, you can then tailor your social media strategy to suit.

It will help you to know what to post and when.

#2 Pick a Platform (or two) and Do It Well

When we get going on social media, there’s a temptation to launch ourselves, or our business, on multiple platforms.

While this might seem like a good idea, unless the fundamentals are in place, it isn’t the wisest move.

Instead, it is preferable for you to pick between one and three platforms and do these well.

If your practice is more a family dentist, you might focus on Facebook first.

And if you’re a city dental practice with predominantly corporate patient base, then LinkedIn might be a better option to start with.

You might throw YouTube into the mix for good measure because video connects so strongly with people.

With social media, the key is to play to the strength of each platform.

This allows for a good marketing mix across each one.

#3 Set Up A Profile That Appeals

How many of us have opened up the social media profile of a business and found it wanting.

More beige than bursting with energy and enthusiasm, we’re inclined to move on quickly.

But what if that’s our social media profile? Or the profile for our business?

The way to avoid beige is to set up your business’ social media profiles in an eye-catching way that positions you as an authority; someone with skills, knowledge and industry expertise.

As an important initial touchpoint for potential patients, your image headline content needs to capture attention immediately.

In the same way, your banner image must be tied to a benefit statement, i.e. why your dental practice is great.

These two together must stop prospective patients in their tracks – in a second.

The cost benefit for not doing this well is significant.

It could literally be tens of thousands of dollars over a patient’s lifetime.

When we talk dollars like that, it makes the effort to prepare a solid social profile worthwhile.

#4 Be Social Every Day

Once your profiles up and running, it’s important you’re active on them each day.

The days of social media being a sometimes thing are well and truly gone.

Not being active each day means you’re doing the offline equivalent of standing in the corner at a dental conference.

Being active on social media means: posting articles, sharing your business’ news and engaging with your audience – your potential patients.

It also means liking, commenting, and sharing industry news.

A lot of dentists ask me, “What’s the point?”

The point is, this is how patients get to know, like and trust you before they make it to the treatment chair.

Now more than ever, people are taking the time to research and learn more before they make a final purchase decision.

The good news is you can post the same blog, article or video many times across multiple platforms at different times.

Even if someone does happen to see it more than once, that post is helping build awareness and trust.

Vital ingredients in every buying choice, this is helping deliver value.

It also lays the groundwork for the next step.

#5 Ask For The Order

In sales parlance, there’s a term that used to describe when it’s time to make a sale

It’s called, asking for the order.

When we’ve laid the groundwork, building relationship, rapport and trust, it’s a logical progression to “ask for the order”.

As dentists, it means asking for a referral or booking the next appointment.

For many dentists, this can be easier said than done.

However, I like to think of it this way: if we’ve done the work, demonstrated value, and we’re helping a patient realise great health outcomes, we’re doing them a favour when we ask for the order.

In the world of social media, asking for the order translates as clear calls to action.

Like us on Facebook.

Share this post.

Have you done a Google review?

If we’ve managed the steps well up to this point, it’s okay to ask for the order.

Final Words….

Social media is part of dental business now.

Taking time to build understanding and implement a strategy is essential for dental business success.

Rather than see it as too hard, take a simpler approach.

Work through methodically to build the skills and framework that will allow you to grow and scale your business socially.

Dental business is not always easy.

In fact, some days it’s tough. On those days the human comes out in us all. We look for silver bullets and magic wands.

Sadly, these don’t exist.

Except in Clint Eastwood westerns and Harry Potter books.

Dental business mastery is more a case of fundamentals over flair.

And that’s a good thing.

It means mastery is not the domain of an elite few.

Rather, any dentist can learn the lessons that lead to dental business mastery.

Backed by a healthy dose of application and inspiration, you’ll find yourself on a good thing that just gets better.

This year I’ve had my own lessons and I’m sharing them here.

Without a doubt, some have been easier than others. All have been invaluable.

As we stare down 2017, now is the perfect time to reflect and consider your own lessons and how you’ll integrate them to make next year your best yet.

#1 Ask Who, Not How

It was a real buzz to meet Sir Richard Branson on Necker Island this year.

Yes, he’s an icon, but it was more than just being in his space.

As an iconically successful businessman, he definitely knows his stuff.

Now it’s no secret I’m a fan of asking quality questions, but he shared insight that’s tweaked my approach to opportunities.

He asks who, not how.

It’s such a simple thing – flipping the order of the letters in the word ‘how’ – but the possibilities it opens up can make all the difference to your business outcome.

A valuable lesson for me, when opportunities arise, now I’m asking who, not how.

#2 Manage Risk Wisely

For the most part, dentists are inherently conservative when it comes to risk.

A quality trait in patient care, I’ve noticed the ball sometimes gets dropped when it comes to dental business. Enthusiasm for the next big thing takes over.

Enthusiasm is good, but managing risk wisely is pivotal to great business development.

When risk is wisely managed, we’ve accounted for things like our business blindspots. We’re also clear about operating assumptions. We’ve challenged the status quo, asking “Is there a better way?”

Wise risk management means honest, 360 degree appraisals of your dental business.

Best done with objective eyes, wise risk management can also mean bringing in an external help to ensure you’ve covered all bases.

#3 Market Through Messenger

Change is inevitable, especially in Facebook’s world.

An emerging trend from 2017 is the use of marketing through the Facebook Messenger platform. Expect it to continue in 2018 as the functionality of this platform keeps growing.

Think appointment bookings, payments, and virtual computer assistants – or Bots – that attend to the mundane.

Be ready to shift your marketing up a gear with Messenger in the very near future.

#4 Understand What You’re Optimising For

Through marketing, media and mindset, we’re conditioned to believe bigger is better. But is it really?

Growth purely for the sake of growth does not equate to business mastery, or even a better business.

The question you need to ask here is: what am I optimising my business for?

Your response is personal and it could be anything: more revenue, more gross profit, more time.

Once you know what you’re optimising your dental business for, just about everything else falls into place.

#5 Get Clear About Culture

In your dental business you’re the leader.

I’m kind of stating the obvious, I know, but when it comes to culture, it means you set the tone.

As business leaders, our role is to create a world class culture in our practice. We do this for our patients, our team, and ourselves.

Easier said than done, a world class culture takes consistent work and finding A-class people.

It also requires values are communicated consistently.

Culture is the kind of thing that’s done day in, day out. No exceptions.

It’s visible in your actions and it’s heard in your words.

Take your culture seriously and your team will learn to as well.

#6 Understand Critical Drivers and Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Not all activities in dental practice are created equal.

To scale and grow, it’s necessary to accord the greatest importance to those things that move the dial most.

While being busy might feel good, closer analysis of your busy-ness may find it’s not best for business.

The greatest effectiveness in business is reached when energy and efforts are directed at activities that generate desirable results. These are your critical drivers.

Your KPIs track how well you doing against your critical drivers.

Let’s say your KPI is new patients. One critical driver would be asking for referrals.

The critical driver (asking for referrals) informs your KPI (the number of new patients).

#7 Keep Learning and Growing

A dental business will never outgrow it’s leader.

If we want our business to grow, we must grow too.

In practice, this means a commitment to continued learning and development.

Equally important for both the personal and professional aspects of life, I recommend you put together a development plan for 2018.

What skills are needed to move your business forward over the next twelve months?

What personal attributes do you need to develop?

Identify the gaps and then close them with a learning and growth plan that you implement.

#8 Take Time Out

A dangerous trap with business ownership is never taking time out.

All high performers, like elite athletes and successful entrepreneurs, know the value and necessity of taking time to reflect and replenish.

In fact, this is what allows them to sharpen their performance.

We’ve all heard the story of the two woodchoppers, right?

One woodchopper gets his axe and starts swinging furiously at the tree.

The second woodchopper doesn’t start chopping immediately. Instead, he takes time to sharpen his axe.

Despite starting well after the first guy, he chops the tree down much faster in the end.

Time out is vital.

Book holidays in advance. Plan your fun. Take mini breaks. Then both you and your business will flourish.

#9 Optimise Your Assets

Sometimes tangible value – our assets – is staring us in the face, and we don’t realise it.

Assets take many forms, but it’s just smart business to make the most of everything in your practice.

Look for where you can extract more value from your equipment, inventory, patient database, team and skills.

Having worked with hundreds of practice owners, the chances are you have close to everything you need to create the practice of your dreams.

#10 Be Relentless About the 1 Percents

Growth and development is not linear. And it does not happen overnight.

Actually, it usually happens in tiny increments – the 1 percents or fundamentals.

When Stephen Bradley spoke at our recent workshop, he honed in on this concept.

He became a gold medal Olympian by focusing on the 1 percenters.

These things done consistently, over time, in strategic areas, are what lead to business mastery.

Excellence is doing the fundamentals really well.

Rather than thinking you’ve got to be a rock star, be relentless about the 1 percents.

Final words…

One of the great things about business is there’s always something to learn.

As the year wraps up, be sure to reflect on your own lessons.

Take time to integrate them and you’ll have the best chance of rocking it in 2018.

Dental practice success is something I like to reflect on at the end of the year. In this episode, I share with you what have been my biggest takeaways from 2017 – advice from others and myself, as well as gems from outside the dental space.

If you take these insights and start implementing them in your business, you’ll make 2018 your biggest and best year yet.

In this episode, I cover:

Why successful people ask WHO not HOW
Why all business owners need to get better at managing risk
Key marketing predictions for 2018
Why you should focus on what are you really optimising your business for
The often overlooked importance of culture in dental practice succcess
How to grow your business by knowing the difference between critical drivers and key performance indicators
The key role that personal development plays in business growth
Lessons from high performers on taking time out
Identifying under-utilised assets
Harnessing the power of the performance curve

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It’s nearly 2018 and if you’re a dentist, I suggest it’s time to look up from the treatment chair.

While Christmas carols might try to convince us it’s the most wonderful year, when you’re hard at it in dental business, feeling jolly might just be a stretch.

As 2018 rises up, you might wonder: “How do I start future casting? How do I make next year better than this one?”

I love a good question.

Especially the kind that gets me thinking and acting differently.

Here at Savvy Dentist, right now we’ve been connecting the dots from 2017 to carve out the pathway for next year.

We’re looking at what worked well, what didn’t, and what we can do better.

Our capacity for reflection has only been possible by asking thought-provoking questions.

Now, with the whole year almost completely under your belt, it’s the perfect time to muscle up with honest answers to interesting questions like these.

Are You Resistant To Change?

I’m the first to admit there are certain things I like done the same way, every time I do them.

Change the routine and you’ll find me digging in my proverbial heels.

Here are a couple of things I resist changing:

Coffee at my favourite café.

Travelling the same route to work each day.

Watching the Boxing Day test match at the MCG. Uninterrupted.

Where I’m much less resistant to change – in fact I think I embrace it – is in my business.

In this domain, I’m all over change. I love it.

Why?

Because while we might hang on to habits and routines in other areas, resistance to change in business is a luxury few can afford.

I’m old enough to know the words to the popular Buggles’ hit from the Seventies, Video killed the radio star.

Well, Buggles was right. Video did kill the radio star.

And no sooner was the radio star well and truly buried, we were waving good-bye to vinyl records, and it was hello CDs.

Seemingly, within moments, audio downloads were ‘the next big thing’.

How many of us thought, “This is never going to work!” and then found ourselves proud owners of iPods.

Blink and you’d have missed it.

Change is part of life. It’s a big part of dental life. And it’s a fact of dental business.

As the end of year approaches, gauge your level of resistance to change.

Could you open up to new or different ways of doing things that could make a measurable difference to your business in 2018?

Are You Delivering Dental Treatments Or Creating Great Care Experiences?

The commoditization of dentistry is something I’ve written and spoken about many times.

Driven by big corporates and health insurance companies among other things, in this context, being a patient often means you often feel you’re just a number.

I mean, it can be hard to build confidence in your dentist when it’s a different person every visit.

People don’t want to be numbers; they want to be people.

And they want to connect with people, especially when receiving health care.

Which is why it’s important to make the distinction in your mind about whether your business delivers dental treatments or creates great care experiences.

Feel like this is too much like clichéd marketing hype?

Think again.

Marketing will drive patients to your practice; connection and relationship – how you make them feel – will keep them coming back.

There’s no doubt it can be hard to dress up dental treatment as fun. That’s okay.

Instead of focusing on the treatment itself, we can make the before and after clinical something they’ll talk about and have fun with.

Over time, a personalised approach to providing a great care experience creates connections and breeds loyalty.

Really, what you want is for the experience to be so great, patients don’t want to leave.

What’s Your Philosophy Of Care?

As I worked my way through dental school, nobody ever asked, “What’s your philosophy of care, Jesse?”. I am sure it was the same for you too.

With greater wisdom and experience, I’ve learned to ask myself. And I’m asking you now.

As a dental business owner, it’s a fundamental question to be answered.

Andre Shirdan, founder of Systems Practice Management, Inc., and developer of The Crew Process, says a philosophy of care should be expressed in six words.

A philosophy of care is about how you work. It’s also about how you and your team deliver treatment to patients.

The bottom line? Your philosophy of care must resonate from within you. Then it must be articulated clearly to the world.

With clarity comes certainty. And certainty creates confidence.

Confidence leads to an unwavering commitment to your business vision.

The next step is communicating this philosophy to your team, something that is regularly overlooked.

A vital ingredient for success, you’ll find this more compelling than anything else for bringing your people on board, and keeping them there.

In turn, the team connects with your patients because they understand your business’ goals. Actually, they do more than that; they become invested in them.

Before you know it, momentum kicks in.

Is this easy? No.

Does it take time? Yes, it does.

But you’re already working your dental business.

Getting clear about your philosophy of care is something you can do for your business right now.

Your philosophy of care could be:

Do it right, do it once.

Every patient is important.

We’re never late.

We make time for you.

Express your philosophy of care and then live it each and every day.

And My Bonus Question: How’s Your Community?

We’ve all heard about the need for a ‘tribe’ or a community, so how are you going with yours?

Although this might seem like a new-ish marketing phenomena, it’s not.

Back in the day, before everything became online social, dentists built their tribe by getting out and talking to people in their community.

Now face-to-face conversation might seem a bit old school, but it works.

Actually, you will find the general response as one of surprise and delight – a winner for any relationship.

Talking to people is not bells and whistles. It’s not expensive. And it’s not hard. In fact, you and your team can do it with every patient you see.

It does, however, take time, but it’s time well invested.

Commit to conversation as part of your community building strategy and watch your business grow.

People love to be part of something bigger than them.

Make your dental business a place where they can do that.

Final Words…

I love this time of year.

There’s the anticipation of a new year balanced with the opportunity to reflect on what’s worked and what could be done better.

Ask yourself – and your team – these questions before shutting the door on 2017 so next year is your best yet.

Andre Shirdan is an inspirational and motivational speaker, executive coach, and certified trainer.

Since 1989, Andre has worked with thousands of practices helping to create systems for treatment planning, staff training, goal attainment, internal and external marketing, and computer systems integration.

Andre founded Systems Practice Management, Inc., a dental practice management, training and consulting firm. He created Building Blocks Scheduling, Countdown Confirmation, SELL Training and the PracticePar Analysis. He co-created the non-surgical periodontal protocol Stat-Ck.

Andre is best known for creating The CREW Process – a better way to define practice philosophy, bring consistency to treatment and gets the entire office in alignment. Practices working with Andre have found great personal success while getting to know his genuine, frank, and devilishly funny personality.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why dentists suck at customer care (and how to fix that)
How to be forward thinking in your customer experience
Why your philosophy of care is crucial to your business
How to communicate better with your team
The art of fostering patient experiences
What you need to know about the future of dentistry
And more.

Episode break down:
4:00 Hear Andre’s story of how he came to work for Disney and other major corporations
7:50 How Andre’s experiences in high-end retail shaped his approach to dental practices
10:00 Substance vs fluff in patient experience
12:48 What dental practices struggle with when implementing better customer experiences
16:00 What the future of dental practices might look like
18:30 Fostering human connection in patient experiences
28:00 The Performance-Culture Matrix and how to use it in your practice
31:30 Where corporate dentistry is headed
34:20 What new dentists should consider before opening their own practice
36:30 The lean start up model of dentistry

Find out more about Andre Shirdan at

http://www.thecrewprocess.com

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The need for a business vision is one promoted in many business management circles.

The concept of a business vision can be a little challenging to grasp, particularly if you’re grounded in practical work as dentists are.

Our natural inclination is towards the tangible and real.

By contrast, a vision is conceptual.

We might wonder, “how do I turn ideas I can’t physically touch into something that inspires me, my team and my patients in the long term?”

Great question.

My reassurance for you is this: time and effort taken to create and articulate your vision is time well invested.

It will return a multiple in many areas.

In fact, it has the potential for being the driving force for growth, change and scaling of your business.

Read on to understand how.

Allow your vision to grow

Nobody said write your business vision once and never touch it again.

On the contrary, as you and your business grow and change, your vision does too.

A clear business vision allows you to go as far as you can see right now.

Once you reach that point, a re-worked vision empowers you to move forward to the next envisioned point in your business’ journey.

The ultimate destination at which you arrive may be nothing like your original vision.

But that doesn’t matter.

What’s more important is you have a vision and are opening to refining it as you and your business change.

Make Your Vision Specific

We’ve all seen wordy, but uninspiring vision statements written for big corporates.

It’s also common to see business visions that are trite and make no sense to the intended audience.

My point is this: “Be awesome” might make sense to you, but what does it communicate to your market?

Will it be enough to compel them to buy from you and stay the course when a new dentist opens up around the corner?

Make your vision mean something – to you, your team and most importantly, your market.

Be specific.

Use language that’s relevant.

Make sure your vision connects.

Remember, your business vision is as much about you as it is about your patients and people.

Use Your Vision As A Compass

There’s a reason a compass always moves back to north; to keep us on track.

And that’s exactly what a vision does for your business.

It is a wonderful guide for every decision, at every level of your business.

If you’re making a key strategic decision, decide if it aligns with the vision.

When the operational team is doing its work, they can be guided by the business vision too.

Some people wonder if this is too much to hope for.

I mean, can we really expect our team to jump on board with our business vision?

One hundred percent.

In my podcast interview with Peter Irvine, he recommends using the business vision as a filtering tool in recruiting interviews.

I love this idea.

Sharing our business vision and values helps in the team selection process.

It is much easier to check in with an individual’s alignment to your vision before they start working with you.

It’s also more cost effective long term.

A vision will also give you the courage to hire the team you need, rather than the people you can afford.

A technique that can be applied to supplier and partner selection too, a business vision becomes more than just words.

It works as a powerful navigation tool as well.

Take The Long View

Our vision will only ever be as big as we allow it to be, and in this way, habitual thinking can be our worst enemy.

Visions are expansive.

This means that in the creation of a one, we must use expansive thinking too.

Instead of being limited to what we think we can do now, a vision draws out what we’d really love to see.

We can be creative and develop a vision based on any premise.

For example, consider what you’d envision if money was no object, you were three years down the track, or the ideal team was in place.

When creating your vision, do it from the perspective of where you’d love to be, not where you are in this moment.

Return To Your Vision Regularly

Every business journey is beset by challenges and every business owner has opposition.

Returning to your vision during the inevitable business tough times and unexpected setbacks will help weather these with greater certainty and confidence.

Keep your vision prominent and go back to it as often as you can.

Doing this will mean you stay on target.

It will also mean you’re less likely to be diverted off track.

Share Your Vision

I talk a lot about inspiring teams to bring their heart and minds to work, not just their arms and legs.

And we all know that’s no easy task.

Sharing your business vision is one way of paving the way for that to happen.

I’ve already touched on communicating your vision during the recruiting process, but it shouldn’t stop there.

Ideally, your team will be as inspired and purposeful as you, once they’ve bought into the business vision.

A natural flow on effect is it also creates the space for individuals to shine.

Inspired team members use initiative, take responsibility, and thrive with training.

Share your business vision with pride and watch how your team responds. Then invest in training efforts accordingly.

Use Your Vision To Maintain Standards

Every business owner with a team has faced the challenge of people who push the proverbial envelope.

Whether it’s a late arrival, poor presentation, or a less than friendly phone manner, a vision will help you hold firm to your standards.

It will also help explain why the team must hold firm to the standards too.

A vision establishes clear boundaries.

Eliminating uncertainty and confusion, it also brings a discipline and structure to business that allows creativity to flourish.

Make Your Vision Part Of The Business Story

There’s no question, people want to be part of something bigger than themselves.

A dentist’s patients are no different.

Steer away from a vision you think people want to hear.

Instead create something inspiring and share parts of your personal business story.

How did you reach this point?

What challenges did you overcome?

Why are you doing this work now?

Many dentists I’ve spoken to wonder about the relevance of this in business, but for patients, the personal story behind their dentist creates a strong connection.

So, make your story part of the business vision.

Chances are when you do, your patients and team will come on board too.

Final Words

A business vision is a living, breathing business tool that every business owner needs to be successful.

It will navigate and strengthen you through adversity.

And it will inspire and create opportunities that allow you to grow and scale your practice to any level you choose.

Write it wisely; then work and live by it every day.