Genesis: My 15 year old daughter likes our dentist. Fact is all four of my children remaining at home like our dentist. He moved! The problem as I see it through the lens of marketing (as a university professor of marketing for the past 5 years – and as a 30 year veteran business practitioner) … is he (the dentist), nor his office staff, let us know he was moving. That avoidable problem is common. The “follow-up” principle is found in nearly every facet of business processes. The DENTIST story was the tip of the iceberg for me to engage in the discovery of a product that supports FOLLOW UP within the world of dentistry, and in support of my 15 year old daughters conclusion that leaving, without notice was … “disingenuous” (Yes, big word for my 15 year old college student). I found such a product that I could wrap around this student initiative. Read on....
Story 2: I went to my primary care physician in 2011 and requested a full exam. As a result, and through his recommendation that I get an ultrasound, I was ultimately diagnosed with a malignant carcinoma (Yes, I had cancer!). After surgery, radiation, and extreme focus on my diet … and 4 years later, I am doing well … so well, in fact that I have not needed to see this doctor for the past 3 years (and my family for the past 2 years). Last week (2015 year end) I had a problem and called his office. He has been gone for “several years!” Again, the very doctor that made it personal with me, left with NO FOLLOW UP.
At the end of the day, and with my desire to see if there is any dental product on the market that support the MOST critical function as the final stage or step in virtually any final business process loop (and PARTICULARLY MARKETING), I researched and discovered a product on the market. I want YOUR practice to help this semester SUMR program at Dixie State University by considering a study wrapped around the ideals and power of “FOLLOW UP”. Our SUMR client: Dentma.com
First step for my students: GET THE DATA.
Student’s Goal: Learn and share valuable principles of marketing throughout the semester with what will be their growing sphere of influence in the dental practice world (a highly targetable market); AND with that influence, get dentists to consider the importance of follow-up. One metric for their semester study will be for the dental practice to take the survey and subsequently enroll in a 1 month free trial of a FOLLOW UP product, Dentma. From this vantage point, students will identify with facts around your return (or no return) on the investment of their influence on your practice. By participating in the trial, you will have access to their final Marketing Journals.
Professors:
There will be 3 professors joining these efforts this semester with our client Dentma. For all participants in this study, you can make your contact personal with us at:
Bryon Geddes: geddes@dixie.edu
Jamie Lords: Jamie.Lords@dixie.edu
Verl Anderson: verl@dixie.edu
Dentma Validity: I have thoroughly reviewed the actual product from Dentma called LIFELINE! - and from a marketing standpoint I could NOT be more impressed … and I CLEARLY see that they have addressed the most critical function within a standard dental practice in what we preach as marketers as “Market Orientation” – one of the many principles of marketing that will be covered within this BLOG in the coming months.
You have been brought to this BLOG by STUDENT effort. That effort is centered this semester on providing students with a REAL WORLD practicum experience in MARKETING, MANAGEMENT and TECHNOLOGY.
Enjoy,
-Professor Geddes