Last week, my husband and I spent hours and hours spreading mulch and cleaning up our front yard. For two people who work in dentistry, we do a decent job with the weeds. Our yard is huge though and it’s hard for us to find time to get to it. After receiving 12 bruises on my legs from the wheelbarrow, I asked my husband if the guy who cuts our grass also did other landscaping work, like mulch and floral design. He stopped, thought about it, and said he didn’t know.

I didn’t know either. Our “landscaper” comes over once a week with his truck and crew and they cut our 2 acres in about 10 minutes. Without directly saying the name of his business, I will say that his company name only refers to cutting grass.  Maybe they just cut grass? I’m not really sure. We originally hired this company because they are based two streets away from us and when we moved in 6 years ago, they got to us first.

I tried finding his website online to see his services, but no website exists. (Come ON people…it’s 2018!) Here’s the thing. We need help with our yard. We want to change the design and we need help. I would have LOVED to see a website, with a list of services, and a photo gallery of his work. But nope, it doesn’t exist. Also, a customer can only leave a message for him to return. That’s kind of a pain because when he does call back, it’s always at a bad time and we can’t talk.

I am a different type of consumer now than I was 15-20 years ago. I don’t just call a company and ask questions like I used to. I like to look a company up online, scroll through their website, see their services and products, and then contact them via email.

I have NO idea what our “landscaper” does. He probably just ASSUMES that we know he offers other services, but he’s never actually told us what else he does, and there’s no website that explains his services either. He has no idea, that if he were to knock on my door RIGHT NOW and say, “Hey there. Did you know we could help you with your mulch and with some fresh floral designs?” that I would give him more work INSTANTLY!

My husband and I are considering switching landscaping companies to someone who we know for sure can do what we want with our yard.

Let’s bring this back to dentistry.

Don’t just assume your patients know the services you offer. TELL THEM IN MULTIPLE WAYS!

LIST services on your website with before and after photos.

TELL them in person. “Hey, did you know that we now offer….”

GIVE them a handout that lists your services. Make them yourself or use brochures. With each recall we HAND something to the patient about our services and we explain it to them. Every team member in our office is responsible for taking part in this. We change the handouts every few months to keep it interesting.

DON’T ASSUME that people know what you can do for them. Don’t focus so much on your cool new dental toys that you forget that your patients don’t even know the basics about your practice.

Ok…that’s it for now…I have wheelbarrow bruises that need some attention.