Hello, Friends ~ Well, things certainly have changed since I first wrote this article for April! I hope you all are staying safe and healthy. While we are quite limited with regards to caring for our patients' dental needs during this time; there is still so much we can do to stay in touch with our patients, build relationships within the community, improve communication as a team, and to fine-tune office systems and protocols. Here are some revised practice management, leadership, and marketing tips and ideas to help you grow your dental practice, exceed your current and potential patient’s expectations, and to have more fun as a team during the month of April! (I am certain that less-stress and more fun at the office is something that we all want...now, more than ever!) Leadership Tips and Ideas: “A team that plays and learns together stays together.” Yes, even during this challenging time there are many opportunities to learn and play together from our own homes. Team Meetings - Conduct weekly team meetings via video conferencing with your team. Continuing Education and Training - Use your time away from the office to learn a new skill, develop new and improved office protocols and systems, create your marketing calendar for the year, etc. National Dental Hygienists Week: 4th – 10th (note: this is for my Canadian friends. however, I see many offices in the States celebrating as well.) Celebrate your hard-working front office team: Administrative Professionals Week: 20-24th /Admin Professionals Day: 22nd See Employee Appreciation Ideas Here: Employee Appreciation Gift Ideas Pinterest Board Practice Management Ideas: April 18th -24th is Cleaning For A Reason Week. Originally, I shared this idea to use as a hygiene continuing care reminder opportunity. This is a great time to share preventive dental health tips with your patients and potential patients on your social media platforms. Because so many people are staying indoors you can even share spring cleaning tips for their homes. Oh, this also may be the perfect time for you to spring clean the office! See: Is Your Dental Office Past-due For A Cleaning? Seriously, if it is safe to do please use this time to clean your office. There is no reason to start back to work with a dirty or unorganized office. Educational Opportunities: Oral Cancer Awareness Month ~ An excellent opportunity for you to raise oral cancer awareness and the need for early detection in order to save lives. Stress Awareness Month ~ Share with your patients in-office and via your social media platforms how stress can negatively impact their dental health. Provide tips for reducing and dealing with stress. How, when I wrote that a few months ago we had no idea just how stressful things in this world would be right now. Marketing Tips and Ideas: April is National Garden Month (I think we can still use this idea just in a revised way) Focus: Spring into a Healthy & Beautiful Smile - Share dental health tips, and even some great after pictures of smile makeovers on your social media platforms. Fun Give Away: Flower Seed Packets w/a label and business card attached. Obviously, you won't be giving these away in person but why not mail a thank you for your referrals card and include a flower seed packet? Might brighten someone's day. The labels you attach to the flower seed packets can say: “Your referrals help grow our practice, Thank you! “ “Our Office Blooms Because of you! “ “Please enjoy these flowers growing as much as we enjoy your referrals growing our practice.” Social Media Platforms Friends, please take some time now to examine your social media pages. Make sure that your office information, content and photos are current across all platforms. If you haven't brought your Google business listing up to date or have yet to claim it - please do so. These are things that can be accomplished from the safety and comfort of your home. Social Media Post Ideas to Improve Engagement during the month of April – National Pet Month (Have your team share photos of their pets and ask your patients to share their pet photos) National Siblings Day: 10th Banana Day: 15th National Garlic Day: 19th National Jelly Bean Day: 22nd (Share the Best and Worst Candies for your teeth) National Superhero Day: 28th I hope these tips and ideas help you have a happy and productive month despite the chaos around us. Keeping you all close in my thoughts. If there is anything that I can do to help your offices during this challenging time please reach out to me. If you appreciated these complimentary ideas I would love for you to please leave me a review/recommendation here on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK. Thank you!! Don’t miss out on any of the ideas that I share each month! Are you receiving my complimentary Practice Management and Marketing Ideas in your email each month? If not, please start following us today. If you prefer, send me your email address (to [email protected]) and I will send you an invitation to follow my blog. Yours for Greater Success, ~Betty - Dental Coach