How To: Find Your Unique Value Proposition
Written by Frank Charles Pope III
Why do some Doctors treat dozens or even hundreds of All-on-X cases per year while others barely do any?
I have been lucky enough to be a Dental Technician for the last 40 years of my life. My last twelve years have been spent focusing primarily on All-on-X patients – helping specialists and general practitioners treat the fully, or soon to be, edentulous patient.
Thanks to modern medicine and the prolonged life expectancy that it brings, more and more people are becoming eligible for the now industry-standard All-on-X treatment plan. As a dental technician helping doctors plan thousands of cases per year, converting dentures to temporary hybrids, and providing my expertise throughout all restorative appointments, I have acquired a unique perspective on the matter.
It is clear that doctors who adopt this technique treat more patients than those that don’t. Of course, this is a simplified answer to a multifaceted issue, but it is my belief that a lot of it can be hinged on one key, but all too often overlooked, factor.
Guided flows or free-handed AOX surgical courses are easy to take. You can have your implant manufacturer present on the day of surgery and guide you through their parts, pieces, and protocols. You can have an experienced lab (such as mine) hold your hand throughout the entire process. All of that is great, and a common feature with doctors treating many of these cases, but first and most importantly, you need to get these patients to say, “Yes, Doctor. I want you to treat me, and not your competition.” To achieve this you must have a clear value proposition.
I have found that Doctors who understand this have a much higher case acceptance ratio, while still charging industry standard or higher fees.
So, the all-important question – what is a value proposition? Quite simply, a value proposition is an innovation, service, or feature intended to make a company or product attractive to customers. Your proposition needs to be an easy-to-understand reason why your patients should buy your products or services. It should clearly explain how your product fills your patients’ need, communicate the specifics of its added benefit, and state the reason why you and your products and services are superior to similar products on the market.
When thinking about your value proposition, try to be concise and appeal to your customer's strongest decision-making drivers. There are a number of these, but some common drivers are usually based on usability, health, esthetic, status, newness, self-actualization, environmental, ethical, and social inclusion. After all of that, you might be thinking, “well what about price?” It’s true that the cost of something is often one of the first things a patient thinks about, however price is only an issue in the absence of some other value.
Unfortunately, too often doctors get used to leading with price. Our environment has conditioned us this way, and value tends to be neglected in sales communications. This leads to cutting corners and using substandard implants, components, labs, and YouTube surgical and restorative techniques producing substandard outcomes and, in many instances, unacceptable ones.
Now, all of that being said, it could be that you may find yourself like many other doctors I work with who don't realize their value proposition and yet still have no problem booking All-on-X cases. That’s not a bad position to be in, but you may be stymying the growth of your practice if you don’t find out why that is. What makes you different from your competition? The truth is everyone has a value proposition, whether you realize it or not – there’s a reason patients come to see you over your competitors, and finding out the why and leveraging it is what will take your practice to the next level of growth.
“So, how do I get started?” you might be wondering. Below I’ve included some of the key steps I use when helping my doctors figure out their unique value proposition. I would suggest that as you go through the process it is important to include your entire staff, as they play an intricate part in your success. By having them help you define your value proposition, you put yourself in a better position to bring it to life and execute on it.
Define your target audience.
You need to figure out who your customers are. Who will buy your product or service? If you try to appeal to everyone, your business and product will get lost in the noise. Instead, hone-in on exactly who your audience is. You want to know demographic information, income statistics, and family makeup. How old is your target audience? Are they male or female? What kind of income does your target audience have? Get specific. You have to test it. Run it by a small group of your target market to ensure your value proposition resonates with customers you are trying to reach.
Know your competitors.
To separate yourself from your competitors, you have to know who they are and what they stand for. Research your competitors inside and out, from their mission statement to the types of employees they have. You can only set yourself apart if you know what has already been done.
Define the needs your product or business meets.
Write down how your business or product can help others. Can your product do something that other products cannot? Does it save time? Is it more affordable than other products? Take that list and cross off any need that your competitors can also claim. This exercise is meant to help you find areas where your business is different from others. Simply having the best product or the best customer service in the market is not enough of a differentiation. Remember, every business thinks they have the best product.
Create a clear mission and message.
A unique selling proposition goes deeper than a marketing plan – it should connect with your brand’s mission. What does your business stand for? I know this is a big question, so it’s okay to take some time to figure it out. Once you have a solid and clear answer, see if your mission overlaps or coincides with the list of things that sets your business apart. Now you are starting to hone-in on your value proposition.
Once you have done your digging, make a list of possible value propositions that fit your business. Write a few down, stew on them for a bit, and refine them. You want a clear message. Using your list of unique attributes and your brand’s mission, you can start to mold that information into a clear message. Rework it until you have one succinct sentence: that will become your value proposition.
Bring it to life.
Once you have defined your value proposition, you have to figure out a way to bring it to life. In other words, you need to figure out how to take that unique selling proposition and turn it into a marketing tool.
About the Author
Frank Charles Pope III began his dental technology career in 1980, after completing a three-year National Dental Technology program in Nice, France.
He continued his extensive training by attending and studying advanced esthetic techniques from many of the top ceramic masters in France, Germany, Japan and the United States. In 1995, he joined a nationally recognized esthetic laboratory in Northern California as a master technician and was soon promoted to Vice President. He was instrumental in the explosive growth of the company, as it grew in just a few years from 50 to 750 employees. During his tenure, he hired, managed, and mentored hundreds of nationally recognized technicians. In 2009, he co-founded Allure Dental Studio in Tracy, California, which soon became a nationally recognized implant laboratory.
He has been involved in treating and restoring thousands of All-on-X arches, utilizing innovative techniques and technologies. He was also one of the main creators of ImplantBox, which was eventually purchased by BioHorizons. He lectures nationally and internationally on the treatment concepts for Full Arch Immediate Load.
For more information, you can contact him directly at fcpope@alluredentalstudio.com