Your goodie bag, that is!

You know, the infamous goodie bag dental practices have become known for…the overflowing bag of freebies. Over the years I’ve heard a variety of opinions from hygienists on their reasons for giving them and what they put in them. And, you bet…I have my own opinion as well. However, when speaking with doctors, many don’t know what their current practice is and haven’t given the topic much, if any, thought. I say, every area of your practice where you spend money (no matter how little you think it may be), it’s worth your time to be strategic and not casual about it.

My invitation to you is to consider your practice goodie bag as a direct communication link to your most precious asset — your patient.

Assuming you are open to offering one, let’s take a look at how we can be more decisive with this investment.

Purpose

What is your purpose of giving a goodie bag to your patients? Will you want to use it for marketing purposes; holding your giveaways as well as purchased goods; will it be reusable; is it your way of saying thank you; or a means of building rapport with the patient? Take a look at the demographics of your patients. Are the majority of them hip Gen Y’ers, baby boomers, families or business executives?

Branding

Consider how you may use your goodie bag for branding and getting your message out into the world. What type of bag do you want to use? If  ‘green living’ is important to you, consider a paper versus a plastic bag or one that is reusable or made from recycled materials. Is it attractive and handy enough for patients to want to reuse it? Blend your patient demographics in addition to your message here — do you want a look that is cutesy, glamorous, sophisticated or maybe conservative?

Contents

What will you put in your bag? There are endless giveaway options in addition to the common toothbrush and floss. Consider marketing items (business cards, magnets, calendars, lip balm, etc.); bottle of water; brochures and educational materials; sugar-free gum; xylitol lollipops. Consider what your budget will be and what you’re willing to spend, not only on the contents of the bag but on the actual cost of the bag itself. 

Team

Enroll your team to support this process by including the topic as an agenda item in the next team meeting. Collaborate and zero in on the specialty items or products you will offer and the specific contents of the bag. Consider the primary focus of dentistry in the practice (implants, cosmetics) and hygiene services you offer in addition to your philosophy about products. For the items you choose not to carry but still want to recommend you could create, what I like to call, a “Product Wish List”. This includes a list of the aids and products you recommend along with the local stores that carry these items. I have this available for my patients and they love it. I’m able to circle the items that I recommend, include a personal note or reminder and have my patient’s feel fully supported. Designate a team member responsible for executing, tracking and reporting progress and feedback. When the team is consistent with recommendations there are no mixed messages and it supports a cohesive team effort in patient care.

My goodie bag…

Very early in my hygiene career I was in the habit of loading up my goodie bags — thinking that the more I stuff it with samples and aids, the more my patients will love everything, want to use it and feel like they got a great value. I honestly believed that. I never gave it much thought beyond the surface. It was only until a colleague asked me to consider it more closely that I would shift my perspective. He used the analogy of going to a dental trade show and painted the scenario of what my habit is with my show bag once I got home. He likened it to the patient experience of the goodie bag. He asked, once I got home with my loaded up bag what is the one thing I waste no time reaching in to pull out? Of course, in the midst of all the freebies was the one thing I had actually purchased and that’s the one thing I wanted to check out, play with and start using more than anything. The one thing I purchased was the most valuable to me, hands down. In fact, I rarely found a need for those freebies and very often forgot about them. What I got is that my patient’s are really no different. Once I had this new awareness I shifted off my casual approach to the goodie bag and found ways in which I could create greater value in home care.

So, when we’re looking at this as a means of communicating to your patients first consider for yourself and then with your team:

• How can we create greater value for our patients?
• What do we want to communicate with our goodie bag?
• How can we create a sense of urgency that has our patients tear into their bag and get excited about what’s inside?
• How much value are we creating by loading it full of stuff that we either don’t recommend or wouldn’t even use ourselves?
• How can we customize the contents so our patients feel like they have a package that is tailored exclusively for them?
• How many of our patients are really flossing? Using a power brush versus a manual one?
• Would it make sense for us to consider carrying products we recommend to make it convenient for our patients?

My recommendation…

Regularly ask your patients what they like, what they are using…what they want. It may change as their needs change and so do opportunities to share new and innovative products and information. Stay current and consistently survey your patients for feedback. What you think your patients want isn’t always what they truly want and the only way to close that gap is to ask. I promise, your patients will appreciate you for taking the time to find out what’s important to them and then serve it up on a silver platter — that’s service and value.

I am a huge fan of selling product in the practice. I know “selling” is a dirty word to many professionals in healthcare. Maybe it’s not popular but it’s the reality I discovered that patients really want. I strongly believe that having products available (such as power brushes, mouthrinses, toothpastes, tongue cleaners) offers a greater opportunity for engaging patients in their home care. You have an opportunity to offer chair side instruction (versus having them figure it out when they get home) and a greater chance of patients using aids correctly and consistency. It caters to convenience, time and money saving value for your patients. Having products readily available to your patients is a means of adding a personal touch to recommendations and setting your patients up to WIN! I know that’s what you’re all about too.

If you do make changes, please communicate that to your patients. They don’t know unless you tell them. Here’s an example of what that could be…

Mrs. Jones, we’ve gotten some great feedback from our patients and it has caused us to evaluate our practices around our goodie bags. Dr. Dan decided to create even more value for our patients by giving them customized bags. So, today you’ll be getting a bag that is tailored just for you and your specific needs. Also, we now carry an alcohol-free home care system and a power brush that I would love to share with you. We have found that our patients appreciate the convenience of purchasing these items here. The icing on the cake is that we are able to get a discount off the retail price by ordering in bulk and can extend that savings on to our patients.

There’s nothing wrong with letting your patients know the value that you build into their care and services. And, if  that’s not easy for you to do personally, then allow your team be your biggest cheerleader.

So, don’t keep me hanging…what’s in your goodie bag?

I’d love to know the clever and creative ideas you and your team have put together for your bags. I’d even love to see some pictures. Please share your thoughts and product recommendations with our community and we’ll get this goodie bag party started.