July 23, 2025 • 41 mins
Sara Hansen reveals how re-engagement campaigns unlock hidden revenue, align your team, and empower you to complete the dentistry you diagnose, without overloading your staff.
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Episode Transcript
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Regan Robertson (00:00):
Okay.
Doctor, how would you feel if you hadme sitting in your chair and if you see
me on video right now, you can see mesmiling and you're telling me that, uh,
I have a certain treatment plan optionand I'm nodding, and I'm smiling and
I say, yeah, this sounds really good.
I ask a couple of questions and thenI leave in your mind seeing this.
(00:24):
Right.
Smiling, happy, onboard woman whosays yes to your treatment plan.
What do you think the chancesare that I'm going to say no.
Would it surprise you toknow that that's happened?
And I have actually said no,even though I'm smiling and even
though to the clinician space,it looks like it's a done deal.
This is one of those secret,invisible, um, hidden moments that
(00:48):
actually means so much and marketing.
Gets it wrong.
Traditional marketing gets it wrong.
Um, traditional internal traininggets it completely wrong.
There is this massive disconnectthat actually can equal hundreds of
thousands, if not a million of untappedrevenue, um, through these treatment
plans that just do not get accepted.
And what we do with the follow upand what we do with that process
(01:11):
is exactly why we are here today.
So I have not.
Set up a bunch of questions for this.
We're going to have a conversationbecause there is gold that you deserve
to hear, and there are actionablesthat you can take today because the
reality is, doctor, when you diagnoseit and you put together a treatment
plan that is with intent, that.
Is with your heart.
(01:31):
That is with your soul saying you wannaget that patient to optimal health.
And we are here today on thispodcast to help you make that a
reality because you deserve to dothe dentistry that you diagnose.
Um, our guest today on EverydayPractice's Dental podcast is Sarah Hansen.
Sarah, welcome to the show.
Hello, I'm back.
(01:52):
You are a repeat offender on the podcast.
And really quickly giveus your elevator pitch.
Who are you?
What's your, what's your fancy job title?
And, and why?
Why are you here?
Why are, why do you deserve to talkto the doctors today about this?
Sara Hansen (02:06):
Oh man.
Well, so I am Phoenix DentalAgency's senior marketing advisor.
Um, so I say I have thefun job here at PDA.
I get to work with clients.
I also get to talk to clients andpotential clients about all the
amazing things that we do here, uh,with our marketing program to get
(02:27):
to support them along the journeyand really tell their stories about
who they are, how they show up forpatients, um, and why they're different.
Regan Robertson (02:37):
You are, um, I would call you a champion and a
bulldog at the exact same time.
I mean, the professional way to putit is you're a really amazing advocate
and, and you're a wonderful guide thatI've seen you take, you know, so many
practices at this point, uh, you know,and, and thousands of, of attendees who've
heard you speak and really through aprocess that helps them stay authentic.
(02:58):
So practices can really, again.
Do the dentistry that they diagnose, andwe had you on just a few weeks ago to
talk about the internal marketing and thepower of internal marketing is unsexy.
You guys, as internal marketingmight sound, it saves you thousands
of dollars every single yearbecause it is really, when you are
putting out external marketing, itis valuable and it is needed, but.
(03:22):
You will spend so much more than youhave to if your internal marketing
systems is, are not aligned and clear.
Yeah.
And so we talked about two elements of it.
Uh, you guys can go back andcheck to the previous episode.
We'll put it in the show notes.
But we talked aboutreferrals and reviews, so.
Before you roll your eyes listener andsay, I've done referrals and I've done
reviews, there is a third really criticalcomponent that we are seeing amazing
(03:45):
traction with, and that is re-engagement.
So, Sarah, give us, throw us some,throw us some stats and, uh, and define
what, what re-engagement even means.
What does it look like?
Sara Hansen (03:57):
Doctors, would you be shocked to know that you most likely
are sitting on potentially at least$500,000, even up to a million dollars
of unscheduled treatment plans?
Um, I would also encourage youto possibly pull up a data point
in your practice software of.
(04:20):
Active, unscheduled patients.
Um, we've seen numbers anywherefrom a thousand to even 5,000
active unscheduled patients.
That data point just by itself is,I mean, like talk about low hanging
fruit that is untapped money andpatients that are begging you to just
(04:41):
reach out to them and to contact them.
So that is money that iswaiting to be tapped into.
And all we need is a simplesystem, um, and a plan to, to
guide you through that process.
It's simple.
Regan Robertson (04:56):
One thing that I love about you, Sarah, is you're,
you are actually like boots on theground in the practices and walking
some of these, you know, doctorsand teams through this process.
I wonder, do you have a, or can you thinkabout a story, um, you know, of one of the
practices that, that has taken advantageof what re-engagement looks like and like,
(05:17):
be my eyes and ears and walk me throughwhat that, what that process has been?
Sara Hansen (05:23):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well.
You know, I think the last podcastI shared that I come from the dental
practice, and as being a member of thedental practice, I had the lucky slash
really boring job of picking up thephone and making the phone calls of that
list of patients, doctors, and team.
You know what I'm talking about?
(05:44):
That are unscheduled patients thatare past due for continuing care.
You're picking up the phone, you'releaving the messages, and guess what?
Those phone calls go unanswered.
And oftentimes they do notcall you back, do they?
They don't.
Is that, is it really
Regan Robertson (05:58):
that boring?
Sara Hansen (06:00):
Yes.
It,
Regan Robertson (06:01):
when I, when I was a kid, when I was a kid, one of my very first
jobs was, uh, for a chiropractic office.
Yeah.
And my job was to call to remind people.
And, um, and I remember though, Imean, maybe it was because I was a
kid, I loved doing it so much becauseI felt like I was being helpful.
Of course, now we get text messages today.
Right, right, right.
Um, yeah.
(06:21):
But I could see, you know, day in,day out, and especially not getting
calls and not getting callbacks,just having it, it could be a little
draining and a little demotivating.
Sara Hansen (06:30):
Well, and the reality is, I mean, how many of us these days hit go
to voicemail on every single phone call?
Right?
We heard we ever, right, right, right.
So that's just the reality.
But so, you know, not only is thatnot productive for the practice and
your team, I mean, it just isn'tlike there are so many other things
that your team could be doing thatmakes the office flow much better.
(06:53):
So to take that out of the office and putit actually in a campaign that is proven.
To get money back on the books in 30 days.
Makes sense.
But let me put that backinto the practice for you.
'cause you asked for a story.
So we have a client and his favorite.
Phone calls to me are always,yeah, I need more new patients.
(07:13):
He tends to get panicked attimes when they get a little bit
slower, and I have to remind himall the time, Hey, guess what?
It's not about your new patients.
And I think that when we thinkabout marketing, we always
think it's about new patients.
Mm-hmm.
However.
While external marketingis great, it really is.
We cannot always focus on externalmarketing because it is expensive.
(07:36):
And the other thing is it takestime to build an audience.
It takes time to reallyimplement campaigns.
When we talk about.
Executing internal marketingwith a campaign that actually
works, that is low hanging fruit.
The patients already know you,they've been in your practice.
You have presented atreatment plan to you.
There is a level of trust there.
(07:57):
The problem with assigning a team memberto pick up the phone and make a phone
call is it's not a well executed campaign.
The thought process.
Is great.
You're right, we do need to be reachingout to those patients to contact them.
So yes, you are right in that regard.
However, that's not how peoplereally communicate anymore.
So what we have found here atPhoenix Dental Agency is that when
(08:19):
we can create a a, a campaign thatactually has a strategy behind it.
So let's say Dr. You really wantto focus on implants, right?
All doctors love implants.
Then we would formulate astrategy, all doctors, but
Regan Robertson (08:37):
I assume doctors that do them love them,
Sara Hansen (08:38):
right?
Yeah.
Regan Robertson (08:39):
Right,
Sara Hansen (08:40):
right.
They're all like all the rage.
Right.
We could even use Invisalign for example.
So let's say, you know, we, a bunchof patients that came in for inval
delay treatment plans, they didn'taccept treatment for whatever reason.
Again, we formulate a strategyto communicate to those patients.
So one is it's through custom language.
We don't send out language thatsays something like, Hey, patient,
(09:03):
it's time for your treatment.
Give us a call.
Right?
But it is formulated to be anextension of your practice.
So what are your core values?
How do you normallytalk to patients, right?
Mm-hmm.
How do we talk to the patient in.
The terminology that soundslike, Hey, we care about you.
Your dental health is important.
You know, we have financialsolutions to help you.
(09:25):
Right?
Those are the types of things that makeit important that the patient hears.
We have, you know,flexibility and appointments.
We're here evenings, we'rehere on Fridays, right?
Whatever your practice has.
We customize that language to fityour practice, um, so that the
patients understand and then weactually reach out to them in ways
that they are going to respond to.
(09:46):
So by reaching out to them throughtext messages, emails, things like
that, it has made a huge difference.
Um, and so when I said to thatdoctor, I said, let me try something
with you instead of your teen, youknow, making those phone calls.
I want us to take this pieceover for you and month one.
He generated $60,000 back inhis schedule in 30 days, and he
(10:12):
just about fell on the floor.
And so I said to him, I said,okay, are you now as worried
about new patients as you were?
And he's like, no, no.
You know, it like blew his mind that wecould generate that type of revenue with
stuff that he had already done, you know?
And the kicker is he spent.
A fraction of the price with thatcampaign that he did with external.
(10:35):
And so it was like such a mind shift forhim because we're taught that it's all
about external marketing and Google adsand all that sort of stuff, when really
it was such a minimal effort put in.
Yet it produced such a huge benefitfor him and his team, and his team
didn't have to do anything becausewe took that piece over for them.
(10:55):
And so the team was like,yes, please keep doing this.
Yeah, and it provided them the time to beable to do what they're really good at,
which is take great pair, great care oftheir patients, and that's what matters.
Regan Robertson (11:08):
I want to take a deeper note here, and something that I heard
you say that I think is really critical,something that keeps business owners
in lack, uh, in an a scarcity mindset.
And if you're listening andthinking, you're not scarcity.
I get into this mindset too, and I,and you've touched on something, Sarah,
that's really important to underline here.
When we focus on the more.
(11:30):
When we focus on new and, um, Ineed, so saying I need is a very,
very, like, that is a critical word.
Need, uh, need to survive,need it to, to do what?
Exactly.
But it's, it's very, um, it's notpanicky, but it is a serious tone.
And when you look at thatand say, I need new patients.
(11:52):
Your energy goes where you focus, andby focusing on that, you run a dangerous
risk of ignoring the relationshipsthat you should be building that
actually puts you into abundance.
And that's what I hear you saying.
So much time, so much effort is spenton getting the new that we forget to
(12:13):
take care of what we already have.
And that is what I'm hearingyou say is if we, yeah.
Treated, um, our existing patientsbase with as much love and care
and, um, and towards the missionof, of what we're all here to do,
which is make people healthier.
We would be in a better place.
But that's actually a scary placeto be as far as the goes because
(12:37):
we have to put ourselves out there.
This sits for anybody, anybody isthat, that owns a business or does
sales of any kind, is really goingto know you're being brave by making
a diagnosis and you're being braveby putting together treatment plans.
I, um, I've been presentedmultiple treatment plans.
Over the years for different things andyou know, outside of dentistry, inside of
(12:59):
dentistry and there is ownership to that.
It's a lot like when I'm designinga logo or a brand or you know, think
of all my years of graphic design.
That's a piece of you and there isthis bit of vulnerability that exists.
And I wonder, I wonder if we area little bit afraid to face that
vulnerability and, and not get rejection.
(13:19):
It's easier.
To say, I'm just gonna focus ongetting the new than it is to say,
yeah, are we really aligned here?
And are you gonna be ableto say yes to treatment?
And if not, we make alot of excuses, right?
Because we don't wanna be rejected and wedon't wanna feel like we're not doing what
we're supposed to do as far as our jobs.
And so we could say, oh, they justdidn't, you know, they just don't.
Financing or, uh, you know, we'rejust not open in the right hours.
(13:42):
And so, you know, we, we pitchedit and we sent a follow up text.
It was data-driven, right?
There's no emotion infused in it.
It's just, you know, hey, yourground treatment plan is outstanding.
You wanna schedule today?
Exclamation point, right?
Um, and then, you know, but we didthe work and just walk away from it.
I think there's a lot of bravery in, inlooking internal and saying, how can we
(14:03):
hold this person with as much care andeffort as we do, focusing on external.
Sara Hansen (14:10):
Yeah, and that's exactly what it's about.
I mean, let's even look atthe full marketing cycle.
So let's say that yes, you do havea great robust external marketing
campaign where we are paying, youknow, to get those leads to come in.
You are offering a greatpatient experience.
And yes, maybe there was somethingthat didn't quite connect with
(14:32):
them and it may not even be.
Anything with your practice, right?
That happens all the time.
We don't always know what's happeningin a patient's life, and it could be
that maybe there is uncertainty intheir life, and so they're holding off.
Simply because they're not sureof their own personal finances
or things like that, right?
So it may not even be you.
However, what we're seeing in practicesright now is that we're paying so
(14:54):
much for to get these patients inthrough the front door, and then
they're quietly leaving out the back.
And so we see like this revolvingdoor of patients coming in
and out of the practice.
And so what we're telling doctors is,listen, we've gotta close the back door.
Let's like lift up what we already have.
So it's exactly what you're sayingis we're holding the patients that
you already have and caring for them.
(15:16):
You know, they already have arelationship with you in a certain way.
Let's remind them that they've chosenthe right place, that we are here to help
them, you know, get to better health.
Um, and hey, we're the place that,you know, we can do this for you.
Like, you don't need to go anywhere else.
So it's just that constant reminderof, you know, and, and again, when
(15:37):
I love what you said about, um.
The way that we word this, right?
This isn't really about treatment, and soagain, when you can craft the language to
match the office, again, that is really.
A super tool that we use withinthis campaign is, it's not
about the treatment, right?
It really is about thepatient getting healthier.
And when we can use that language thatreally speaks to the patient in that way.
(16:00):
'cause that really iswhat it's about, right?
We're in dentistry to help people,um, that speaks to the patient
of, they do care about me, theydo care about my oral health.
You know, they do care about mecoming to a place where I can
now get to a place that I dojust have continuing care visits.
You know, we often hear patients say.
Every time I go in, I need something.
You know, we do have a goal thatour patients come in and they are
(16:23):
just their regular continuing care,but they have to get to that place.
So again, it's about remindingthem how important that is.
Regan Robertson (16:31):
Man, I, you know, when you say it's not about the dentistry and
it's not about the specific procedure,but it's about their life, it tells me
that you're really seeing that individual.
And I think one of the most powerfulthings we can do in humanity
is help each other feel seen.
Uh, I just recently saw this video with,uh, John Cena, so if, if you're listening,
if you know who John Cena is, great.
(16:51):
I don't know if you know who he is.
He's an actor and he's like big in.
WWE wrestling, he is like, youknow, if you're a little boy, I
think you know you'll love him.
But he was on some red carpet.
Right?
And this, uh, this interviewersaid to him, if you could interview
anyone on the red carpet alive or um,passed away, what would you ask them?
(17:12):
And who would it be?
And John Cena.
Turned it around and he said, he said tohim, you know, um, uh, how, how long did
you fly just to get here to this premier?
And he said, oh, you know,like 10 and a half hours.
I'm from India.
And he's like, and why did you do that?
And, and the guy just erupts.
And he said, I feel likethis is in my blood.
I love movies so much.
I feel like I was born to do this.
(17:32):
And to just be able to learn about youand share your message with the world.
Like the guy just erupted, right?
And John, you know, asked him a few morethings and then said, thank you so much.
You were the person I would ask.
Wow.
Right.
When you make someonefeel seen, that is what.
(17:53):
Make sure that the dentistrygets done, that is what actually
makes them healthier and happier.
And it's really interesting to me.
We can look at the transactional levelof, of how we deliver the message
and that changes over the decades.
Uh, Google Ads being one of them.
Google ads as a vehicle is a vehicle.
It is a black and white data driven.
(18:15):
Distribution channel.
Your text messages arethe distribution channel.
And if I'm hearing you well, what I'mhearing you say is it's what, it's what
you actually say that matters and beingable to reach them at their desired time.
For, for example, uh, I didn't even thinkabout this before, but you're right.
I let almost all of mycalls go to voicemail.
(18:38):
I'm working during, you know,during the day and late, and when
I'm not, I am so busy, I could, ifI put my phone on do not disturb.
For a couple of hours, I couldhave 80 or more messages.
So my time is at a premium.
And I think all of us, especially ifwe're parents, if we, and if we're
not parents, we have parents, right?
If we're not parents that havefamily members, like we are all so
(18:58):
busy in today's world, uh, that thatcalls will get, will get ignored.
But what are in those calls,because our phones translate those
calls into transcribed messages.
Tell me more, Sarah, about themessaging component and, and dive
deeper so that our listeners reallyunderstand how you're helping people
(19:19):
feel seen in these interactions that'sgetting that crazy re-engagement, um,
traction that you're talking about.
Sara Hansen (19:26):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it really is about one,understanding the goal of the practice.
Okay.
So if we know the goal ofthe practice is, let's say.
We really want to bring more patientsback in for same day crowns, right?
Then we reach out to thepatients that need crowns.
So, you know, the customized verbiagethat we would use, we would pull up our
(19:51):
clients, um, mission statement, theirgoals, you know, things that are important
to them, how do they show up for patients?
Um, what are their key characteristics?
And we bring all of those things in.
To customize verbiage and we translatethat into messages that would be sent out.
So for example, you know, I would saysomething to you like, Hey Reagan, you
(20:13):
know, we understand how hard it could beon the 4th of July not to be able to eat
corn on the cob with friends and family.
Right?
We also know what it's liketo stand up proudly and have
a smile that you're proud of.
We know in this treatment plan, wetalked about the steps that you would
need to take to get your crown done.
(20:34):
We're here to help.
We would love to see you have abeautiful smile that you're proud of.
You know when you're ready.
We'd love to be able to help youtalk through the steps it would take,
you know, here are some financialsolutions that we talked about.
We wanna make thisdream come true for you.
Right?
Something like that.
What that does is it now takes thepatient out of a transaction that
(20:55):
doesn't feel transactional to a patient.
That feels like we areyour advocate, right?
Because really, that's what you are.
You're transforming lives.
I mean, I say it from the stage all thetime of, you know, dentists and teams.
You transform patients' likes every day.
And so now you get to tellpatients that you know, Hey,
we're here to help you smile.
(21:15):
I mean.
Reagan, you know, part of my job is Iget to interview doctors a lot, um, as
we craft, you know, website languageand ad language and all sorts of stuff.
And I ask them, I mean, one ofthe questions I ask them is,
what do you love about your job?
You know, and they say all the time,I get to be part of the change.
I get to see a patient come in, notconfident, you know, they're in pain,
(21:40):
they're broken, and then I get tosee them walk away smiling, like.
Almost every single doctor says that.
That is huge.
So now that we get to use that languageto tell the patient, Hey, this is, this
is why we want you to succeed, likethat's powerful to a patient, you know?
Because at the end of the day, I mean,yes, you are running a business and
(22:01):
yes, we want to see that treatmentcome in, but really the patient just
needs to know that they're takencare of and that's what you're doing.
And so that's why, you know.
Setting aside the time to havethis reengagement campaign in your
practice really is some of the mostpowerful marketing that you can do.
And again, because we own thatpiece for you, it's not costing
(22:22):
you really anything other than, youknow, for us to run the campaign.
But yet it is putting.
So much of that treatment backinto your schedule and growing your
practice, it's, it's been phenomenal.
Um, Reagan, I, it's interesting,I was talking to, um, a potential
client yesterday and she said to me,she's like, Sarah, she's like, I've
(22:43):
been talking to some other marketingcompanies, and she goes, all they
talk about is Google ads and websitesand this and that, and she's like.
Well, I totally agree that, you know,internal marketing is important.
She's like, do you notbelieve in Google Ads?
I'm like, I'm like, no.
I said, we run Google Ads all day long.
I said, I'm a huge advocate of externalmarketing, but I said, doctor, I said.
(23:07):
You said to me that your goalwas you need new patients today
because you have big goals thatyou're trying to meet this year.
And I said, while external marketingis great, and we definitely feed
that into every single, you know,marketing strategy that we do.
We look at each individual doctor,and when we talk about how do we
grow your practice fast, externalcampaigns can take months to build
(23:31):
and months to build an audience.
And so you actuallystart getting a return.
Like we're talking four monthswhere internal marketing,
we get results in 30 days.
And so she's like, oh mygosh, that makes sense.
You know?
And so it like blew her mindthat, you know, every single
marketing company really talksabout only external campaigns,
which again, it's not a bad thing.
(23:52):
It, we do this all day long.
I think what people are missing isthey're missing, we are leaving untapped
revenues and treatment just lying inyour practice, and really that is what's
growing practices so substantiallybecause the cost to these campaigns is so
minimal that yet they're getting such hugerevenues back onto the books with patients
(24:14):
that they've already treatment planned.
So it has been hugely successful.
Regan Robertson (24:20):
So any practice can go in and run a report to see how
much unscheduled treatment they have.
Right.
Yeah.
So it could be something that youdo today and then you know what your
potential is right out of the gate.
Yeah.
Uhhuh.
Yeah.
Can, can you share with us whatthe experience has been for
some of those, uh, clients that.
(24:40):
That were maybe especially in like, Ilike the scarcity mindset, you know,
or the really, they, I need patientsnow, but what is, what has the feedback
been and and what objections didyou have to help them get through
before they ended up doing it?
So kind of give me a before and after.
So what objections did they havenow they've done the program
and what are they saying?
Sara Hansen (24:59):
I think the biggest objection was like, okay,
yeah, we've already tried that.
It didn't really work, youknow, and I'm like, I get it.
Um, but here's the thing is when it'sreally done with a lot of intentional
effort and a strategy in place, again.
I've worked in the practice, youpossibly cannot give the time and effort.
(25:21):
We also utilize your own platforms,um, you know, the patient communication
platform that's already in your practice,but really it's a strategy behind it.
It's the messaging that's set out.
It's the way that we layer thecampaign and then tracking the results.
Um, no marketing campaign.
You should, you should neverhave a marketing campaign unless
you're tracking the results.
(25:41):
That's really important to usthat we know exactly what's
happening with that campaign.
So for us, we track everything.
Um, the doctors who were thebiggest skeptics that they're
like, yeah, we've done that.
You know, it didn'treally do what we thought.
I said, okay, let'sjust try it for 30 days.
I think that their minds wereblown with 30 days of tens of
(26:02):
thousands of dollars coming back.
Um, especially that one doctor, I think onmonth two or three, he had like, you know,
potential of 175,000 back on the books.
I mean, insane amounts of treatmentplans coming back into the book.
But again, it's because that's,that's, that's your easy money.
That's your low hanging fruit.
Those patients already havea relationship with you.
(26:24):
They just have to be reminded.
Why, you know, treatment is important.
So we know that not everybody willcome in, but even, I mean, let's
say you have $500,000 of unscheduledtreatment, 10% of that comes in a
month, 5% of that comes in a month.
You're still growing your practicewithout doing anything, right?
(26:45):
I mean, I would take that.
So again, it's like.
It, there's no, there'sno wrong way to do this.
Um, and again, you know, I loveit because again, the team isn't,
you're not spending any time, theteam's time investing in this, we're
owning the entire thing for you.
And so it just makes sense, right?
To why not grow your practicereally from the inside out?
(27:08):
And that, that's our big core philosophy.
The other thing that's great aboutthat is you really can control, um.
What, what that patient looks like.
A lot of times when you do externalmarketing, um, you know, it, it
is that whole new patient, right?
They take more time.
There's more effort that goes into it.
(27:28):
When you have a patient that'salready existing, you put 'em back
in the books and you go, right.
You don't have to do a comp exam.
You don't have to do comp x-ray.
I mean, there's just all thesethings that it does become more
efficient and you can focus.
Solely on production.
So again, there are a lot of benefits tojust tapping into what you already have.
(27:48):
So
Regan Robertson (27:50):
I like that you say it's easy and I think it's easy, but
not simple or simple, but not easy.
From what, from what yousay, because you can do it.
And I, that is one of my favorite things.
I've done things in my own life, youknow, where I'm like, well, tried it.
Didn't work, move on.
And I don't know that all of ustake the time to slow down and
think about why it didn't work.
Mm-hmm.
And what I'm hearing you say, whichis really interesting, is, uh, part
(28:13):
of that strategy is understandingyour mission and your values.
And I'm curious, how do you take the.
The mission part makes sense to mebecause you explained, like from a
clinical standpoint, you, you know,you, you really are passionate about
same day dentistry or a particularprocedure like that Makes sense.
And it's, it's somethingthat's a data point, right?
(28:34):
It is something that can be tied mm-hmm.
To an economic objective.
So that, but then there's the heart of it.
So that's the data part.
And then there's the heart,which is the core values.
How do you weave in or in, or usecore values as part of this strategy?
Sara Hansen (28:51):
So let's say a core value for a practice is, you know, um, I think
one of, like Dr. Anthony Barrick, forexample, one of theirs is integrity.
Well, if we know that we have integrityfor every patient, then that means
every patient deserves, right?
(29:13):
If we, if we stand in integrity, then.
Is it cool that we have patients walkingaround with decay in their mouth?
Like if we, you know, hold ourselves thatRight, we've now diagnosed on them that
they have dental treatment that needsto be done, or they have perio disease.
Like we can't, if we're gonna standin integrity, we can't just let them
(29:34):
wander around with perio disease.
Right?
Like, it's just like if yougo to a doctor and you know.
Hey, by the way, you have heart disease,but keep on wandering around, right?
Because don't get heart disease treatment.
Like, it's just, it's like mindblowing when you think about, you
know, medical doctors and we nevertreat our bodies that way, but yet
somehow our patients think it's okayto treat our oral health that way.
(29:58):
So again, when you stand in integritylike that as as an office and use your
core values for that way, and thenyou communicate that in the languish
to the patient of, hey, you know.
All of us here, you know,at this office, believe.
Our patients should get the, thetreatment that they deserve by X,
(30:18):
Y, and Z, you know, because of this.
Now the patients can feel that, right?
They know that it's not justabout, again, the bottom line.
It's not about the dollar amount.
Um, you know, and I do believethat patients will fill that.
Um, I think that's why.
It is really good for all theteam members to know what their
core values are as a team.
(30:41):
How do they show up to changepatients' lives every day?
Um, even, you know, when we talkabout referrals and stuff, right?
I think we talked about thatLA last podcast is why do you
show up to work every day?
If you're truly in the businessof changing patients' lives, then
asking for a referral, this shouldnot be a big deal because you want to
(31:01):
change patients' lives more and more.
It's not about.
Having more patients to comein to grow the business.
It's about changing morepatient's lives around you.
So, you know, again, I think aswe continue to grow dentistry.
In the way that it deserves tobe recognized in the healthcare
industry, like oral systemichealth now is a big, um, talking
(31:25):
point, which I think it should be.
You know, I do think itdeserves to be treated as such.
You know, those conversations shouldbe happening with your patients
and they should be recognizingthe importance of dk, you know,
oral disease, all of that stuff.
And so if we show up.
As the healthcare providers thatwe are, we're not gonna allow
you to walk around with disease.
(31:46):
Right.
So, and it sounds a little kind ofblunt, I think, in certain ways because
we don't think of oral health thatway, but it's the truth, you know?
So of course we can like.
Massage that a little moreto make it sound prettier,
but you know what I'm saying?
Regan Robertson (32:02):
Core values are massively underutilized in the practices, and
I think that that's because we don'tknow what to do with core values.
And so you've just demonstratedreally beautifully a tangible way
to incorporate the core values.
And the reason that I'm particularlypassionate about the core values
is it points to the emotional why.
So there is the clinical whyand there's the emotional why.
(32:22):
And bridging those twotogether, I think is the secret.
For success.
And when we go all the way back tothinking about having to make those
patient phone calls and how boring andtedious of a job it is, uh, one there
is the, so the clinical reason, right,the data-driven reason, people won't
pick up, you know, you're just gonna beleaving voicemails over and over again.
It just feels a littlefruitless in, in that regard.
(32:44):
Then there's the mm-hmm Then there'sthe emotional why that sits behind
it, and that is using the core values.
So if I'm imagining you, Sarah,um, going into practice, I
guess this leads up to my.
To My final question is, is.
You, you've mentioned a few timesdoing this, like doing this for the
practice, and when the team understandsthat, they act out of integrity,
(33:07):
and this is how we define integrity.
All of a sudden, that act, thatact of re-engagement or that act
of asking for a referral, it.
Takes on meaning that's deeper thanthe clinical solution and all of a
sudden I have a purpose and a missionmyself that I am driving towards.
So it, it is the secret to motivate.
What type of support do you give practicessince you are taking on this portion
(33:29):
of it so that the team doesn't have toworry about it and they can feel great?
'cause teams are exhausted these days.
Yeah.
They don't just wanna do somethingnew without a reason behind it.
What, how do you walk the teams throughthis process so that you can, you know,
get them on that re-engagement train?
Sara Hansen (33:45):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that's what's greatabout, you know, what we do.
So our team actually ownsthat re-engagement piece.
We actually run the campaign for the team.
So we take that off their plates.
Again, we understand thechaos of a dental practice.
You know, we don't, we're notgonna ask you to do one more thing.
We get it.
However, what we do is of course, trainthem, give them the tools that they need.
(34:08):
Um, we have online modules, um, foronline training because we believe
that's important to, yes, we do bigin-person training, um, you know,
where we spend time with them, givethem the tools, set up the system.
We're big believers in performing durablesystems in the practice, so no matter
what team member is sitting in that seat.
(34:29):
That system remains the same.
We often hear practices say,oh yeah, we used to do a thing.
Right, and now we don't do that anymore.
Well, that's because there was not adurable system within the practice.
You, yes.
Had a system, but.
Oftentimes it sat with a person and whenthat person left it simply, you know, fell
(34:51):
through the cracks, or that person decidednot to continue doing that thing anymore.
So when we can set up a system withinthe practice that everybody's aware of,
they're on board with it, how it flows,how people show up within what you
do, um, then that remains So no matterwho is sitting in that seat or who is
coming in, that that system remains.
We then offer the online trainingmodules as well, so that those
(35:13):
refresher courses come in for that team.
So there's always somethinghappening because again, we
want those systems, statistic.
We believe internal marketingis a solid foundation.
It should always be somethingthat's happening, whether
you're a startup practice.
A practice that has been open for 20years, you should always be having
internal marketing happening constantly.
(35:33):
Like that should never besomething that ever goes away.
Um, oftentimes we have practiceswho don't even do external marketing
at all because they have such greatinternal marketing systems that
they don't need external marketing.
And so they're floating an entiremultimillion dollar practice on internal
marketing only, and it's phenomenal.
(35:53):
So again.
The power of internal marketingreally is very successful.
Um, but it really is aboutgetting the team on board.
And then again with, you know, usbeing very involved with the team.
Most of us have been past teammembers, so we get it, but relating
to them, making sure that we'rebig about not giving scripts, um.
The team has to have buy-inor it won't be successful.
(36:16):
So we come to the team, we say,all right, team, what's going
to work for your practice?
Right?
Not every practice is built the same.
So we let you and your teamcreate the system that works.
For you.
And then we provide supporting contentand collateral to back up your system.
And then we provide thesupporting pieces from that.
(36:37):
So it's like a win-win for everyone.
And then you always have, you know,a consultant that's, you know,
cheering you on, tracking the metrics.
Um, because again, it'sgotta be trackable.
We wanna prove the value of whatwe're doing, but then really it's
just about us being cheerleadersfor you, continuing, you know, to
support the team, to support you.
Um, and then marketing's always changing.
(36:59):
So, you know, as you hit yourgoals within the practice, how
can we support you in other ways?
You know, how, what doesthe team need at this time?
So really, we show up in a lotof different ways to support
the doctor and the team.
Regan Robertson (37:12):
I'm putting a stake in the ground next episode that you and I do.
Together we are going to discusswhy throwing away scripted
templates is the best thing youcan do for your practice, okay?
How to empower your team to, uh,work with authentic messaging.
Frameworks and the big difference.
I love it.
(37:32):
Okay, Sarah, it's been a joy.
Thank you so much.
You're being on everyday practices and uhoh, people wanna get, uh, a hold of you.
Will you be, are you speaking anywhere?
Coming up?
What are what, what areyour plans right now?
Sara Hansen (37:46):
Yes.
Oh my gosh.
I feel like I have a lot of things.
I will be in Kansas City.
We have a cool event coming up.
Um, I'll also be at eight om so for allyou office managers, we'll be there.
And then of course, in Salt Lake Cityat, in Telecon, I'll be speaking there.
Um, and then of course you guyscan always reach out to me here.
Uh.
(38:06):
sarah@productivedentist.comor phoenix dental agency.com.
I got two.
Um, you can always Phoenix.
Phoenix Dental.
Regan Robertson (38:16):
Yeah.
Phoenix Dental Agency is powered byPDA, so that is the marketing agency.
I, I hear you well there.
Yep.
Kansas City.
The event, is it calledPrinciples of Influence?
Sara Hansen (38:26):
Yep.
Principles of Influence.
Uh, it's gonna be an awesome event.
I know that.
We like, if you go to productivedance academies, social media,
we have got posts about that.
It's gonna be a really,really awesome event.
So if you're in the Midwest at all, um,that's gonna be a great event to go to.
Um, but yeah, that will bemy next event in August.
Regan Robertson (38:45):
Well, thank you, Sarah.
Uh, I know you'll, you'll be a roadwarrior and really excited for the impact
you are making so that dentists cantreat the dentistry that they diagnose.
Sara Hansen (38:55):
Thank you, Sarah.
It's been wonderful.
Thank you, Reagan.
Bye everyone.
Okay.
Doctor, how would you feel if you hadme sitting in your chair and if you see
me on video right now, you can see mesmiling and you're telling me that, uh,
I have a certain treatment plan optionand I'm nodding, and I'm smiling and
I say, yeah, this sounds really good.
I ask a couple of questions and thenI leave in your mind seeing this.
(00:24):
Right.
Smiling, happy, onboard woman whosays yes to your treatment plan.
What do you think the chancesare that I'm going to say no.
Would it surprise you toknow that that's happened?
And I have actually said no,even though I'm smiling and even
though to the clinician space,it looks like it's a done deal.
This is one of those secret,invisible, um, hidden moments that
(00:48):
actually means so much and marketing.
Gets it wrong.
Traditional marketing gets it wrong.
Um, traditional internal traininggets it completely wrong.
There is this massive disconnectthat actually can equal hundreds of
thousands, if not a million of untappedrevenue, um, through these treatment
plans that just do not get accepted.
And what we do with the follow upand what we do with that process
(01:11):
is exactly why we are here today.
So I have not.
Set up a bunch of questions for this.
We're going to have a conversationbecause there is gold that you deserve
to hear, and there are actionablesthat you can take today because the
reality is, doctor, when you diagnoseit and you put together a treatment
plan that is with intent, that.
Is with your heart.
(01:31):
That is with your soul saying you wannaget that patient to optimal health.
And we are here today on thispodcast to help you make that a
reality because you deserve to dothe dentistry that you diagnose.
Um, our guest today on EverydayPractice's Dental podcast is Sarah Hansen.
Sarah, welcome to the show.
Hello, I'm back.
(01:52):
You are a repeat offender on the podcast.
And really quickly giveus your elevator pitch.
Who are you?
What's your, what's your fancy job title?
And, and why?
Why are you here?
Why are, why do you deserve to talkto the doctors today about this?
Sara Hansen (02:06):
Oh man.
Well, so I am Phoenix DentalAgency's senior marketing advisor.
Um, so I say I have thefun job here at PDA.
I get to work with clients.
I also get to talk to clients andpotential clients about all the
amazing things that we do here, uh,with our marketing program to get
(02:27):
to support them along the journeyand really tell their stories about
who they are, how they show up forpatients, um, and why they're different.
Regan Robertson (02:37):
You are, um, I would call you a champion and a
bulldog at the exact same time.
I mean, the professional way to putit is you're a really amazing advocate
and, and you're a wonderful guide thatI've seen you take, you know, so many
practices at this point, uh, you know,and, and thousands of, of attendees who've
heard you speak and really through aprocess that helps them stay authentic.
(02:58):
So practices can really, again.
Do the dentistry that they diagnose, andwe had you on just a few weeks ago to
talk about the internal marketing and thepower of internal marketing is unsexy.
You guys, as internal marketingmight sound, it saves you thousands
of dollars every single yearbecause it is really, when you are
putting out external marketing, itis valuable and it is needed, but.
(03:22):
You will spend so much more than youhave to if your internal marketing
systems is, are not aligned and clear.
Yeah.
And so we talked about two elements of it.
Uh, you guys can go back andcheck to the previous episode.
We'll put it in the show notes.
But we talked aboutreferrals and reviews, so.
Before you roll your eyes listener andsay, I've done referrals and I've done
reviews, there is a third really criticalcomponent that we are seeing amazing
(03:45):
traction with, and that is re-engagement.
So, Sarah, give us, throw us some,throw us some stats and, uh, and define
what, what re-engagement even means.
What does it look like?
Sara Hansen (03:57):
Doctors, would you be shocked to know that you most likely
are sitting on potentially at least$500,000, even up to a million dollars
of unscheduled treatment plans?
Um, I would also encourage youto possibly pull up a data point
in your practice software of.
(04:20):
Active, unscheduled patients.
Um, we've seen numbers anywherefrom a thousand to even 5,000
active unscheduled patients.
That data point just by itself is,I mean, like talk about low hanging
fruit that is untapped money andpatients that are begging you to just
(04:41):
reach out to them and to contact them.
So that is money that iswaiting to be tapped into.
And all we need is a simplesystem, um, and a plan to, to
guide you through that process.
It's simple.
Regan Robertson (04:56):
One thing that I love about you, Sarah, is you're,
you are actually like boots on theground in the practices and walking
some of these, you know, doctorsand teams through this process.
I wonder, do you have a, or can you thinkabout a story, um, you know, of one of the
practices that, that has taken advantageof what re-engagement looks like and like,
(05:17):
be my eyes and ears and walk me throughwhat that, what that process has been?
Sara Hansen (05:23):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well.
You know, I think the last podcastI shared that I come from the dental
practice, and as being a member of thedental practice, I had the lucky slash
really boring job of picking up thephone and making the phone calls of that
list of patients, doctors, and team.
You know what I'm talking about?
(05:44):
That are unscheduled patients thatare past due for continuing care.
You're picking up the phone, you'releaving the messages, and guess what?
Those phone calls go unanswered.
And oftentimes they do notcall you back, do they?
They don't.
Is that, is it really
Regan Robertson (05:58):
that boring?
Sara Hansen (06:00):
Yes.
It,
Regan Robertson (06:01):
when I, when I was a kid, when I was a kid, one of my very first
jobs was, uh, for a chiropractic office.
Yeah.
And my job was to call to remind people.
And, um, and I remember though, Imean, maybe it was because I was a
kid, I loved doing it so much becauseI felt like I was being helpful.
Of course, now we get text messages today.
Right, right, right.
Um, yeah.
(06:21):
But I could see, you know, day in,day out, and especially not getting
calls and not getting callbacks,just having it, it could be a little
draining and a little demotivating.
Sara Hansen (06:30):
Well, and the reality is, I mean, how many of us these days hit go
to voicemail on every single phone call?
Right?
We heard we ever, right, right, right.
So that's just the reality.
But so, you know, not only is thatnot productive for the practice and
your team, I mean, it just isn'tlike there are so many other things
that your team could be doing thatmakes the office flow much better.
(06:53):
So to take that out of the office and putit actually in a campaign that is proven.
To get money back on the books in 30 days.
Makes sense.
But let me put that backinto the practice for you.
'cause you asked for a story.
So we have a client and his favorite.
Phone calls to me are always,yeah, I need more new patients.
(07:13):
He tends to get panicked attimes when they get a little bit
slower, and I have to remind himall the time, Hey, guess what?
It's not about your new patients.
And I think that when we thinkabout marketing, we always
think it's about new patients.
Mm-hmm.
However.
While external marketingis great, it really is.
We cannot always focus on externalmarketing because it is expensive.
(07:36):
And the other thing is it takestime to build an audience.
It takes time to reallyimplement campaigns.
When we talk about.
Executing internal marketingwith a campaign that actually
works, that is low hanging fruit.
The patients already know you,they've been in your practice.
You have presented atreatment plan to you.
There is a level of trust there.
(07:57):
The problem with assigning a team memberto pick up the phone and make a phone
call is it's not a well executed campaign.
The thought process.
Is great.
You're right, we do need to be reachingout to those patients to contact them.
So yes, you are right in that regard.
However, that's not how peoplereally communicate anymore.
So what we have found here atPhoenix Dental Agency is that when
(08:19):
we can create a a, a campaign thatactually has a strategy behind it.
So let's say Dr. You really wantto focus on implants, right?
All doctors love implants.
Then we would formulate astrategy, all doctors, but
Regan Robertson (08:37):
I assume doctors that do them love them,
Sara Hansen (08:38):
right?
Yeah.
Regan Robertson (08:39):
Right,
Sara Hansen (08:40):
right.
They're all like all the rage.
Right.
We could even use Invisalign for example.
So let's say, you know, we, a bunchof patients that came in for inval
delay treatment plans, they didn'taccept treatment for whatever reason.
Again, we formulate a strategyto communicate to those patients.
So one is it's through custom language.
We don't send out language thatsays something like, Hey, patient,
(09:03):
it's time for your treatment.
Give us a call.
Right?
But it is formulated to be anextension of your practice.
So what are your core values?
How do you normallytalk to patients, right?
Mm-hmm.
How do we talk to the patient in.
The terminology that soundslike, Hey, we care about you.
Your dental health is important.
You know, we have financialsolutions to help you.
(09:25):
Right?
Those are the types of things that makeit important that the patient hears.
We have, you know,flexibility and appointments.
We're here evenings, we'rehere on Fridays, right?
Whatever your practice has.
We customize that language to fityour practice, um, so that the
patients understand and then weactually reach out to them in ways
that they are going to respond to.
(09:46):
So by reaching out to them throughtext messages, emails, things like
that, it has made a huge difference.
Um, and so when I said to thatdoctor, I said, let me try something
with you instead of your teen, youknow, making those phone calls.
I want us to take this pieceover for you and month one.
He generated $60,000 back inhis schedule in 30 days, and he
(10:12):
just about fell on the floor.
And so I said to him, I said,okay, are you now as worried
about new patients as you were?
And he's like, no, no.
You know, it like blew his mind that wecould generate that type of revenue with
stuff that he had already done, you know?
And the kicker is he spent.
A fraction of the price with thatcampaign that he did with external.
(10:35):
And so it was like such a mind shift forhim because we're taught that it's all
about external marketing and Google adsand all that sort of stuff, when really
it was such a minimal effort put in.
Yet it produced such a huge benefitfor him and his team, and his team
didn't have to do anything becausewe took that piece over for them.
(10:55):
And so the team was like,yes, please keep doing this.
Yeah, and it provided them the time to beable to do what they're really good at,
which is take great pair, great care oftheir patients, and that's what matters.
Regan Robertson (11:08):
I want to take a deeper note here, and something that I heard
you say that I think is really critical,something that keeps business owners
in lack, uh, in an a scarcity mindset.
And if you're listening andthinking, you're not scarcity.
I get into this mindset too, and I,and you've touched on something, Sarah,
that's really important to underline here.
When we focus on the more.
(11:30):
When we focus on new and, um, Ineed, so saying I need is a very,
very, like, that is a critical word.
Need, uh, need to survive,need it to, to do what?
Exactly.
But it's, it's very, um, it's notpanicky, but it is a serious tone.
And when you look at thatand say, I need new patients.
(11:52):
Your energy goes where you focus, andby focusing on that, you run a dangerous
risk of ignoring the relationshipsthat you should be building that
actually puts you into abundance.
And that's what I hear you saying.
So much time, so much effort is spenton getting the new that we forget to
(12:13):
take care of what we already have.
And that is what I'm hearingyou say is if we, yeah.
Treated, um, our existing patientsbase with as much love and care
and, um, and towards the missionof, of what we're all here to do,
which is make people healthier.
We would be in a better place.
But that's actually a scary placeto be as far as the goes because
(12:37):
we have to put ourselves out there.
This sits for anybody, anybody isthat, that owns a business or does
sales of any kind, is really goingto know you're being brave by making
a diagnosis and you're being braveby putting together treatment plans.
I, um, I've been presentedmultiple treatment plans.
Over the years for different things andyou know, outside of dentistry, inside of
(12:59):
dentistry and there is ownership to that.
It's a lot like when I'm designinga logo or a brand or you know, think
of all my years of graphic design.
That's a piece of you and there isthis bit of vulnerability that exists.
And I wonder, I wonder if we area little bit afraid to face that
vulnerability and, and not get rejection.
(13:19):
It's easier.
To say, I'm just gonna focus ongetting the new than it is to say,
yeah, are we really aligned here?
And are you gonna be ableto say yes to treatment?
And if not, we make alot of excuses, right?
Because we don't wanna be rejected and wedon't wanna feel like we're not doing what
we're supposed to do as far as our jobs.
And so we could say, oh, they justdidn't, you know, they just don't.
Financing or, uh, you know, we'rejust not open in the right hours.
(13:42):
And so, you know, we, we pitchedit and we sent a follow up text.
It was data-driven, right?
There's no emotion infused in it.
It's just, you know, hey, yourground treatment plan is outstanding.
You wanna schedule today?
Exclamation point, right?
Um, and then, you know, but we didthe work and just walk away from it.
I think there's a lot of bravery in, inlooking internal and saying, how can we
(14:03):
hold this person with as much care andeffort as we do, focusing on external.
Sara Hansen (14:10):
Yeah, and that's exactly what it's about.
I mean, let's even look atthe full marketing cycle.
So let's say that yes, you do havea great robust external marketing
campaign where we are paying, youknow, to get those leads to come in.
You are offering a greatpatient experience.
And yes, maybe there was somethingthat didn't quite connect with
(14:32):
them and it may not even be.
Anything with your practice, right?
That happens all the time.
We don't always know what's happeningin a patient's life, and it could be
that maybe there is uncertainty intheir life, and so they're holding off.
Simply because they're not sureof their own personal finances
or things like that, right?
So it may not even be you.
However, what we're seeing in practicesright now is that we're paying so
(14:54):
much for to get these patients inthrough the front door, and then
they're quietly leaving out the back.
And so we see like this revolvingdoor of patients coming in
and out of the practice.
And so what we're telling doctors is,listen, we've gotta close the back door.
Let's like lift up what we already have.
So it's exactly what you're sayingis we're holding the patients that
you already have and caring for them.
(15:16):
You know, they already have arelationship with you in a certain way.
Let's remind them that they've chosenthe right place, that we are here to help
them, you know, get to better health.
Um, and hey, we're the place that,you know, we can do this for you.
Like, you don't need to go anywhere else.
So it's just that constant reminderof, you know, and, and again, when
(15:37):
I love what you said about, um.
The way that we word this, right?
This isn't really about treatment, and soagain, when you can craft the language to
match the office, again, that is really.
A super tool that we use withinthis campaign is, it's not
about the treatment, right?
It really is about thepatient getting healthier.
And when we can use that language thatreally speaks to the patient in that way.
(16:00):
'cause that really iswhat it's about, right?
We're in dentistry to help people,um, that speaks to the patient
of, they do care about me, theydo care about my oral health.
You know, they do care about mecoming to a place where I can
now get to a place that I dojust have continuing care visits.
You know, we often hear patients say.
Every time I go in, I need something.
You know, we do have a goal thatour patients come in and they are
(16:23):
just their regular continuing care,but they have to get to that place.
So again, it's about remindingthem how important that is.
Regan Robertson (16:31):
Man, I, you know, when you say it's not about the dentistry and
it's not about the specific procedure,but it's about their life, it tells me
that you're really seeing that individual.
And I think one of the most powerfulthings we can do in humanity
is help each other feel seen.
Uh, I just recently saw this video with,uh, John Cena, so if, if you're listening,
if you know who John Cena is, great.
(16:51):
I don't know if you know who he is.
He's an actor and he's like big in.
WWE wrestling, he is like, youknow, if you're a little boy, I
think you know you'll love him.
But he was on some red carpet.
Right?
And this, uh, this interviewersaid to him, if you could interview
anyone on the red carpet alive or um,passed away, what would you ask them?
(17:12):
And who would it be?
And John Cena.
Turned it around and he said, he said tohim, you know, um, uh, how, how long did
you fly just to get here to this premier?
And he said, oh, you know,like 10 and a half hours.
I'm from India.
And he's like, and why did you do that?
And, and the guy just erupts.
And he said, I feel likethis is in my blood.
I love movies so much.
I feel like I was born to do this.
(17:32):
And to just be able to learn about youand share your message with the world.
Like the guy just erupted, right?
And John, you know, asked him a few morethings and then said, thank you so much.
You were the person I would ask.
Wow.
Right.
When you make someonefeel seen, that is what.
(17:53):
Make sure that the dentistrygets done, that is what actually
makes them healthier and happier.
And it's really interesting to me.
We can look at the transactional levelof, of how we deliver the message
and that changes over the decades.
Uh, Google Ads being one of them.
Google ads as a vehicle is a vehicle.
It is a black and white data driven.
(18:15):
Distribution channel.
Your text messages arethe distribution channel.
And if I'm hearing you well, what I'mhearing you say is it's what, it's what
you actually say that matters and beingable to reach them at their desired time.
For, for example, uh, I didn't even thinkabout this before, but you're right.
I let almost all of mycalls go to voicemail.
(18:38):
I'm working during, you know,during the day and late, and when
I'm not, I am so busy, I could, ifI put my phone on do not disturb.
For a couple of hours, I couldhave 80 or more messages.
So my time is at a premium.
And I think all of us, especially ifwe're parents, if we, and if we're
not parents, we have parents, right?
If we're not parents that havefamily members, like we are all so
(18:58):
busy in today's world, uh, that thatcalls will get, will get ignored.
But what are in those calls,because our phones translate those
calls into transcribed messages.
Tell me more, Sarah, about themessaging component and, and dive
deeper so that our listeners reallyunderstand how you're helping people
(19:19):
feel seen in these interactions that'sgetting that crazy re-engagement, um,
traction that you're talking about.
Sara Hansen (19:26):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it really is about one,understanding the goal of the practice.
Okay.
So if we know the goal ofthe practice is, let's say.
We really want to bring more patientsback in for same day crowns, right?
Then we reach out to thepatients that need crowns.
So, you know, the customized verbiagethat we would use, we would pull up our
(19:51):
clients, um, mission statement, theirgoals, you know, things that are important
to them, how do they show up for patients?
Um, what are their key characteristics?
And we bring all of those things in.
To customize verbiage and we translatethat into messages that would be sent out.
So for example, you know, I would saysomething to you like, Hey Reagan, you
(20:13):
know, we understand how hard it could beon the 4th of July not to be able to eat
corn on the cob with friends and family.
Right?
We also know what it's liketo stand up proudly and have
a smile that you're proud of.
We know in this treatment plan, wetalked about the steps that you would
need to take to get your crown done.
(20:34):
We're here to help.
We would love to see you have abeautiful smile that you're proud of.
You know when you're ready.
We'd love to be able to help youtalk through the steps it would take,
you know, here are some financialsolutions that we talked about.
We wanna make thisdream come true for you.
Right?
Something like that.
What that does is it now takes thepatient out of a transaction that
(20:55):
doesn't feel transactional to a patient.
That feels like we areyour advocate, right?
Because really, that's what you are.
You're transforming lives.
I mean, I say it from the stage all thetime of, you know, dentists and teams.
You transform patients' likes every day.
And so now you get to tellpatients that you know, Hey,
we're here to help you smile.
(21:15):
I mean.
Reagan, you know, part of my job is Iget to interview doctors a lot, um, as
we craft, you know, website languageand ad language and all sorts of stuff.
And I ask them, I mean, one ofthe questions I ask them is,
what do you love about your job?
You know, and they say all the time,I get to be part of the change.
I get to see a patient come in, notconfident, you know, they're in pain,
(21:40):
they're broken, and then I get tosee them walk away smiling, like.
Almost every single doctor says that.
That is huge.
So now that we get to use that languageto tell the patient, Hey, this is, this
is why we want you to succeed, likethat's powerful to a patient, you know?
Because at the end of the day, I mean,yes, you are running a business and
(22:01):
yes, we want to see that treatmentcome in, but really the patient just
needs to know that they're takencare of and that's what you're doing.
And so that's why, you know.
Setting aside the time to havethis reengagement campaign in your
practice really is some of the mostpowerful marketing that you can do.
And again, because we own thatpiece for you, it's not costing
(22:22):
you really anything other than, youknow, for us to run the campaign.
But yet it is putting.
So much of that treatment backinto your schedule and growing your
practice, it's, it's been phenomenal.
Um, Reagan, I, it's interesting,I was talking to, um, a potential
client yesterday and she said to me,she's like, Sarah, she's like, I've
(22:43):
been talking to some other marketingcompanies, and she goes, all they
talk about is Google ads and websitesand this and that, and she's like.
Well, I totally agree that, you know,internal marketing is important.
She's like, do you notbelieve in Google Ads?
I'm like, I'm like, no.
I said, we run Google Ads all day long.
I said, I'm a huge advocate of externalmarketing, but I said, doctor, I said.
(23:07):
You said to me that your goalwas you need new patients today
because you have big goals thatyou're trying to meet this year.
And I said, while external marketingis great, and we definitely feed
that into every single, you know,marketing strategy that we do.
We look at each individual doctor,and when we talk about how do we
grow your practice fast, externalcampaigns can take months to build
(23:31):
and months to build an audience.
And so you actuallystart getting a return.
Like we're talking four monthswhere internal marketing,
we get results in 30 days.
And so she's like, oh mygosh, that makes sense.
You know?
And so it like blew her mindthat, you know, every single
marketing company really talksabout only external campaigns,
which again, it's not a bad thing.
(23:52):
It, we do this all day long.
I think what people are missing isthey're missing, we are leaving untapped
revenues and treatment just lying inyour practice, and really that is what's
growing practices so substantiallybecause the cost to these campaigns is so
minimal that yet they're getting such hugerevenues back onto the books with patients
(24:14):
that they've already treatment planned.
So it has been hugely successful.
Regan Robertson (24:20):
So any practice can go in and run a report to see how
much unscheduled treatment they have.
Right.
Yeah.
So it could be something that youdo today and then you know what your
potential is right out of the gate.
Yeah.
Uhhuh.
Yeah.
Can, can you share with us whatthe experience has been for
some of those, uh, clients that.
(24:40):
That were maybe especially in like, Ilike the scarcity mindset, you know,
or the really, they, I need patientsnow, but what is, what has the feedback
been and and what objections didyou have to help them get through
before they ended up doing it?
So kind of give me a before and after.
So what objections did they havenow they've done the program
and what are they saying?
Sara Hansen (24:59):
I think the biggest objection was like, okay,
yeah, we've already tried that.
It didn't really work, youknow, and I'm like, I get it.
Um, but here's the thing is when it'sreally done with a lot of intentional
effort and a strategy in place, again.
I've worked in the practice, youpossibly cannot give the time and effort.
(25:21):
We also utilize your own platforms,um, you know, the patient communication
platform that's already in your practice,but really it's a strategy behind it.
It's the messaging that's set out.
It's the way that we layer thecampaign and then tracking the results.
Um, no marketing campaign.
You should, you should neverhave a marketing campaign unless
you're tracking the results.
(25:41):
That's really important to usthat we know exactly what's
happening with that campaign.
So for us, we track everything.
Um, the doctors who were thebiggest skeptics that they're
like, yeah, we've done that.
You know, it didn'treally do what we thought.
I said, okay, let'sjust try it for 30 days.
I think that their minds wereblown with 30 days of tens of
(26:02):
thousands of dollars coming back.
Um, especially that one doctor, I think onmonth two or three, he had like, you know,
potential of 175,000 back on the books.
I mean, insane amounts of treatmentplans coming back into the book.
But again, it's because that's,that's, that's your easy money.
That's your low hanging fruit.
Those patients already havea relationship with you.
(26:24):
They just have to be reminded.
Why, you know, treatment is important.
So we know that not everybody willcome in, but even, I mean, let's
say you have $500,000 of unscheduledtreatment, 10% of that comes in a
month, 5% of that comes in a month.
You're still growing your practicewithout doing anything, right?
(26:45):
I mean, I would take that.
So again, it's like.
It, there's no, there'sno wrong way to do this.
Um, and again, you know, I loveit because again, the team isn't,
you're not spending any time, theteam's time investing in this, we're
owning the entire thing for you.
And so it just makes sense, right?
To why not grow your practicereally from the inside out?
(27:08):
And that, that's our big core philosophy.
The other thing that's great aboutthat is you really can control, um.
What, what that patient looks like.
A lot of times when you do externalmarketing, um, you know, it, it
is that whole new patient, right?
They take more time.
There's more effort that goes into it.
(27:28):
When you have a patient that'salready existing, you put 'em back
in the books and you go, right.
You don't have to do a comp exam.
You don't have to do comp x-ray.
I mean, there's just all thesethings that it does become more
efficient and you can focus.
Solely on production.
So again, there are a lot of benefits tojust tapping into what you already have.
(27:48):
So
Regan Robertson (27:50):
I like that you say it's easy and I think it's easy, but
not simple or simple, but not easy.
From what, from what yousay, because you can do it.
And I, that is one of my favorite things.
I've done things in my own life, youknow, where I'm like, well, tried it.
Didn't work, move on.
And I don't know that all of ustake the time to slow down and
think about why it didn't work.
Mm-hmm.
And what I'm hearing you say, whichis really interesting, is, uh, part
(28:13):
of that strategy is understandingyour mission and your values.
And I'm curious, how do you take the.
The mission part makes sense to mebecause you explained, like from a
clinical standpoint, you, you know,you, you really are passionate about
same day dentistry or a particularprocedure like that Makes sense.
And it's, it's somethingthat's a data point, right?
(28:34):
It is something that can be tied mm-hmm.
To an economic objective.
So that, but then there's the heart of it.
So that's the data part.
And then there's the heart,which is the core values.
How do you weave in or in, or usecore values as part of this strategy?
Sara Hansen (28:51):
So let's say a core value for a practice is, you know, um, I think
one of, like Dr. Anthony Barrick, forexample, one of theirs is integrity.
Well, if we know that we have integrityfor every patient, then that means
every patient deserves, right?
(29:13):
If we, if we stand in integrity, then.
Is it cool that we have patients walkingaround with decay in their mouth?
Like if we, you know, hold ourselves thatRight, we've now diagnosed on them that
they have dental treatment that needsto be done, or they have perio disease.
Like we can't, if we're gonna standin integrity, we can't just let them
(29:34):
wander around with perio disease.
Right?
Like, it's just like if yougo to a doctor and you know.
Hey, by the way, you have heart disease,but keep on wandering around, right?
Because don't get heart disease treatment.
Like, it's just, it's like mindblowing when you think about, you
know, medical doctors and we nevertreat our bodies that way, but yet
somehow our patients think it's okayto treat our oral health that way.
(29:58):
So again, when you stand in integritylike that as as an office and use your
core values for that way, and thenyou communicate that in the languish
to the patient of, hey, you know.
All of us here, you know,at this office, believe.
Our patients should get the, thetreatment that they deserve by X,
(30:18):
Y, and Z, you know, because of this.
Now the patients can feel that, right?
They know that it's not justabout, again, the bottom line.
It's not about the dollar amount.
Um, you know, and I do believethat patients will fill that.
Um, I think that's why.
It is really good for all theteam members to know what their
core values are as a team.
(30:41):
How do they show up to changepatients' lives every day?
Um, even, you know, when we talkabout referrals and stuff, right?
I think we talked about thatLA last podcast is why do you
show up to work every day?
If you're truly in the businessof changing patients' lives, then
asking for a referral, this shouldnot be a big deal because you want to
(31:01):
change patients' lives more and more.
It's not about.
Having more patients to comein to grow the business.
It's about changing morepatient's lives around you.
So, you know, again, I think aswe continue to grow dentistry.
In the way that it deserves tobe recognized in the healthcare
industry, like oral systemichealth now is a big, um, talking
(31:25):
point, which I think it should be.
You know, I do think itdeserves to be treated as such.
You know, those conversations shouldbe happening with your patients
and they should be recognizingthe importance of dk, you know,
oral disease, all of that stuff.
And so if we show up.
As the healthcare providers thatwe are, we're not gonna allow
you to walk around with disease.
(31:46):
Right.
So, and it sounds a little kind ofblunt, I think, in certain ways because
we don't think of oral health thatway, but it's the truth, you know?
So of course we can like.
Massage that a little moreto make it sound prettier,
but you know what I'm saying?
Regan Robertson (32:02):
Core values are massively underutilized in the practices, and
I think that that's because we don'tknow what to do with core values.
And so you've just demonstratedreally beautifully a tangible way
to incorporate the core values.
And the reason that I'm particularlypassionate about the core values
is it points to the emotional why.
So there is the clinical whyand there's the emotional why.
(32:22):
And bridging those twotogether, I think is the secret.
For success.
And when we go all the way back tothinking about having to make those
patient phone calls and how boring andtedious of a job it is, uh, one there
is the, so the clinical reason, right,the data-driven reason, people won't
pick up, you know, you're just gonna beleaving voicemails over and over again.
It just feels a littlefruitless in, in that regard.
(32:44):
Then there's the mm-hmm Then there'sthe emotional why that sits behind
it, and that is using the core values.
So if I'm imagining you, Sarah,um, going into practice, I
guess this leads up to my.
To My final question is, is.
You, you've mentioned a few timesdoing this, like doing this for the
practice, and when the team understandsthat, they act out of integrity,
(33:07):
and this is how we define integrity.
All of a sudden, that act, thatact of re-engagement or that act
of asking for a referral, it.
Takes on meaning that's deeper thanthe clinical solution and all of a
sudden I have a purpose and a missionmyself that I am driving towards.
So it, it is the secret to motivate.
What type of support do you give practicessince you are taking on this portion
(33:29):
of it so that the team doesn't have toworry about it and they can feel great?
'cause teams are exhausted these days.
Yeah.
They don't just wanna do somethingnew without a reason behind it.
What, how do you walk the teams throughthis process so that you can, you know,
get them on that re-engagement train?
Sara Hansen (33:45):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that's what's greatabout, you know, what we do.
So our team actually ownsthat re-engagement piece.
We actually run the campaign for the team.
So we take that off their plates.
Again, we understand thechaos of a dental practice.
You know, we don't, we're notgonna ask you to do one more thing.
We get it.
However, what we do is of course, trainthem, give them the tools that they need.
(34:08):
Um, we have online modules, um, foronline training because we believe
that's important to, yes, we do bigin-person training, um, you know,
where we spend time with them, givethem the tools, set up the system.
We're big believers in performing durablesystems in the practice, so no matter
what team member is sitting in that seat.
(34:29):
That system remains the same.
We often hear practices say,oh yeah, we used to do a thing.
Right, and now we don't do that anymore.
Well, that's because there was not adurable system within the practice.
You, yes.
Had a system, but.
Oftentimes it sat with a person and whenthat person left it simply, you know, fell
(34:51):
through the cracks, or that person decidednot to continue doing that thing anymore.
So when we can set up a system withinthe practice that everybody's aware of,
they're on board with it, how it flows,how people show up within what you
do, um, then that remains So no matterwho is sitting in that seat or who is
coming in, that that system remains.
We then offer the online trainingmodules as well, so that those
(35:13):
refresher courses come in for that team.
So there's always somethinghappening because again, we
want those systems, statistic.
We believe internal marketingis a solid foundation.
It should always be somethingthat's happening, whether
you're a startup practice.
A practice that has been open for 20years, you should always be having
internal marketing happening constantly.
(35:33):
Like that should never besomething that ever goes away.
Um, oftentimes we have practiceswho don't even do external marketing
at all because they have such greatinternal marketing systems that
they don't need external marketing.
And so they're floating an entiremultimillion dollar practice on internal
marketing only, and it's phenomenal.
(35:53):
So again.
The power of internal marketingreally is very successful.
Um, but it really is aboutgetting the team on board.
And then again with, you know, usbeing very involved with the team.
Most of us have been past teammembers, so we get it, but relating
to them, making sure that we'rebig about not giving scripts, um.
The team has to have buy-inor it won't be successful.
(36:16):
So we come to the team, we say,all right, team, what's going
to work for your practice?
Right?
Not every practice is built the same.
So we let you and your teamcreate the system that works.
For you.
And then we provide supporting contentand collateral to back up your system.
And then we provide thesupporting pieces from that.
(36:37):
So it's like a win-win for everyone.
And then you always have, you know,a consultant that's, you know,
cheering you on, tracking the metrics.
Um, because again, it'sgotta be trackable.
We wanna prove the value of whatwe're doing, but then really it's
just about us being cheerleadersfor you, continuing, you know, to
support the team, to support you.
Um, and then marketing's always changing.
(36:59):
So, you know, as you hit yourgoals within the practice, how
can we support you in other ways?
You know, how, what doesthe team need at this time?
So really, we show up in a lotof different ways to support
the doctor and the team.
Regan Robertson (37:12):
I'm putting a stake in the ground next episode that you and I do.
Together we are going to discusswhy throwing away scripted
templates is the best thing youcan do for your practice, okay?
How to empower your team to, uh,work with authentic messaging.
Frameworks and the big difference.
I love it.
(37:32):
Okay, Sarah, it's been a joy.
Thank you so much.
You're being on everyday practices and uhoh, people wanna get, uh, a hold of you.
Will you be, are you speaking anywhere?
Coming up?
What are what, what areyour plans right now?
Sara Hansen (37:46):
Yes.
Oh my gosh.
I feel like I have a lot of things.
I will be in Kansas City.
We have a cool event coming up.
Um, I'll also be at eight om so for allyou office managers, we'll be there.
And then of course, in Salt Lake Cityat, in Telecon, I'll be speaking there.
Um, and then of course you guyscan always reach out to me here.
Uh.
(38:06):
sarah@productivedentist.comor phoenix dental agency.com.
I got two.
Um, you can always Phoenix.
Phoenix Dental.
Regan Robertson (38:16):
Yeah.
Phoenix Dental Agency is powered byPDA, so that is the marketing agency.
I, I hear you well there.
Yep.
Kansas City.
The event, is it calledPrinciples of Influence?
Sara Hansen (38:26):
Yep.
Principles of Influence.
Uh, it's gonna be an awesome event.
I know that.
We like, if you go to productivedance academies, social media,
we have got posts about that.
It's gonna be a really,really awesome event.
So if you're in the Midwest at all, um,that's gonna be a great event to go to.
Um, but yeah, that will bemy next event in August.
Regan Robertson (38:45):
Well, thank you, Sarah.
Uh, I know you'll, you'll be a roadwarrior and really excited for the impact
you are making so that dentists cantreat the dentistry that they diagnose.
Sara Hansen (38:55):
Thank you, Sarah.
It's been wonderful.
Thank you, Reagan.
Bye everyone.
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