The Power of Networking and Word of Mouth

With the purchase of my dental practice in Toronto, I found that the previous owner�s patient list contained many good patients, but not enough to build the thriving and profitable practice that I intended. Having practiced dentistry for twenty years, and developed my experience through sheer hard work, my desire was to promptly create a winning practice.

During the first few months of operation business was slow, with few patients coming in�and with loan repayments and office expenses there were endless sleepless nights. I came to the realization that the situation would continue in this fashion if every possible measure needed to attract patients and promote the business was not undertaken.

The first steps were through traditional marketing channels: placing ads in various publications, launching a website, and striving to be at the top of search engine results. The most effective method, however, was networking. I joined a number of organizations and spent almost every evening at networking meetings where business cards could be handed out to a variety of people and introductions made. During the first year of business, I gave away over one thousand, business cards!

Although life had become quite strenuous�juggling family, work at the clinic and building the patient list�efforts soon bore fruit and my networking was supplying an increasing flow of new patients, either from personal contact or ones who were referred to the practice by others.
Working as a dentist is extremely arduous on the body, and over time the value of preserving health and wellbeing, through various therapies, became quite evident. Besides having a weekly massage, I derive benefits from shiatsu, acupuncture, homeopathy, reflexology, yoga, and personal training, to name a few. Experiencing balance has contributed to the success of my practice�and provided even more networking opportunities. By becoming a client of other healthcare practitioners, they have become clients of mine in return. In getting to know one another, and being confident in each other�s skills, we constantly refer patients to each other. My office itself, is used for networking by displaying the business cards of other professionals in the waiting room.

Although networking is demanding at first, it�s less time-consuming after a while. Significant numbers of new patients increasingly come through word-of-mouth referrals. The era of sleepless nights is over, enabling me to relax more and have the time to relate to experiences without distractions�allowing for an openness to listen to the messages that are there�taking advantage of synchronicity in being in the right place; at the right time, and meeting the right people.�

Synchronicity can be described as: unrelated occurrences that flow together in perfect harmony bringing people places and events together in immaculate timing. It comes into play quite frequently in word-of-mouth interactions. For instance: One day a new patient, named �Sarah,� was expected. A woman walked into the clinic, took a brief look around and walked out. My office manager assumed she was the new patient and concerned about why she left, went out and caught up to her in the corridor and asked if she was Sarah. Astounded, the woman answered, �Yes, I�m Sarah.� However, she was not the same Sarah who booked the appointment! This woman was looking for a new dentist and got off the elevator at the wrong floor, spotted my office door, and decided to look in�on a whim. Astounded by the surprising coincidence, this new Sarah booked an appointment!

As peculiar as the whole incident was, it was not synchronicity�s final role in the story. Weeks later, Sarah had an appointment with a spiritual healer also practicing in my building. While talking with the healer, Sarah showed him my business card and said, �Here�s a good dentist if you ever need one.� When the healer�s next patient arrived with a severe toothache, he gave her the card as a referral to my practice.

Coincidentally, on leaving his office, the woman with the toothache met another woman in the waiting room, who, noticing her grasping her cheek, also offered to recommend a good dentist in the building�myself again! In staying open to synchronicity, the practice gained two new patients at once, and they, in turn, have referred many others.
There are many delightful stories of synchronicities and �chance� meetings that I love sharing. It shows the effect of belief in yourself and trusting that you can manifest your desires. This illustrates how being aware of synchronicities and networking can begin to pay dividends�I constantly kept the fact that I was looking for patients top-of-mind when meeting people. It was like a filter that I screened all encounters through. By knowing my goals and focusing on them, when synchronicities happened, I was able to see what they represented and let them help me in achieving my goals.

Don�t misunderstand, you still need to use some conventional advertising methods, but make sure you advertise in the �universe� as well. Put your positive thoughts about the goals you wish to achieve �out there� in your mind and verbally. Do as I do with my patients and say, �We�d love to have more patients like you. If you like our service, please tell your friends and family.� It may happen that the next person they encounter will be searching for the same service you provide. Be sure to get the word out.

The Intricacies of Networking:
� Know your goals and write out a list with your intentions. Stay open to all possibilities and directions that come to you.
� Focus on your goals, visualize seeing your success, and think big.
� Join as many groups as you can to get out and meet people.
� Invest in a good web site that utilizes the top search engine optimization techniques.
� In using the services of others in related businesses, you build a level of trust and openness to refer each other�s clients.
� Create a business card board, in your practice, to display their cards of other business professionals that you personally recommend.
� Be aware that what you focus on grows fastest.
� It is not in your best interests to feed on worries.
� Givers Gain: in helping others to succeed, success comes back to you.
Dr. Pirjo Friedman, D.D.S., was born in Finland and now practices dentistry in Toronto, Canada. She is a believer in natural therapies and the most modern dental techniques�used in her practice every day. She believes a patient should be able to relax during dental work. She is a past President of the Women Entrepreneurs of Canada.

The author of: Awakening the Entrepreneurial Spirit in You � Embracing Synchronicity and Pushing Your Boundaries �The Feminine Principle in Business, she can be contacted at friedman@motivationalnetworks.com
For more information on Dr. Friedman, see: www.motivationalnetworks.com