End of 2020 Opportunities for your Private Practice
December is finally here – and all of the holiday celebrations and distractions that come with it
are too. Before your team becomes scattered and unproductive, make a plan to create a
holiday distraction safety zone in your private practice!
This has been a challenging year for many, so we’re not suggesting you be a Grinch or a Killjoy,
but we also don’t want you to let this month turn into a non-stop holiday celebration
distraction zone. December may be the end of 2020, but it is also your transition month into
2021 – don’t miss the opportunity to set yourself up for future success!
The Year is Not Over Yet … So Don’t Miss Last-Minute Opportunities for your Private Practice
This time of year can be great for business and can help set you up for a great next year. If
you’re an insurance-driven private practice, many people have met their deductible and are looking to
get as much work done as possible before the end of the year. This is also the time of year
where a lot of people are taking pictures, and they want their smiles to look as good as possible
– which could mean a visit to you! Finally, school is on break and adults are taking vacation,
which means they have time to come into your office for appointments. Don’t disappoint them
by being closed or not having enough appointment spots available. Think like a retailer! This is
not the time to let your entire staff take vacation. In fact, you might actually consider expanding
your hours to accommodate the large number of potential new patients looking to cash in on
their end-of-year benefits.
How Can You Finish the Year Strong … But Still Find Time to Celebrate?
Just because we’re telling you to take advantage of the opportunities during December doesn’t
mean you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the year and show appreciation for your team.
Here are a few tips on how to accomplish both:
1. Model Behavior: Remember that just like children imitate their parents, your team
watches and emulates your behavior. If you’re checked out at work or are disengaged,
you’re basically giving your team permission to do the same.
2. Strategically Place Meetings: This is going to take some extra effort, but it will pay off.
Hold daily huddles and strategically placed meetings to keep everyone’s focus on
patients and not their personal plans.
3. Run Engagement Contests: December is a fantastic month to incentivize your team with
an engagement contest. A larger than normal financial prize will not only keep your
team focused on hitting their goals – it will help them with their holiday gift-giving and
provide a holiday-themed event that is conducive to your practice’s success.
At Scheduling Institute we are holding a team engagement contest through the end of the year. There will be two winners and they each will win a brand new Tesla Model 3. Throughout the contest, our team has been collecting “Tesla stickers” from the management team. The heat is on as we head into the end of the year (and the contest) to see who will drive the most results and drive home in a new car!
4. Schedule Holiday Festivities Appropriately: This is a great time to add some fun back
into your private practice, and to show your appreciation for your team. Just plan ahead so you
can do it outside of business hours!
5. Watch the December Decorations: Don’t overdo it with Santa Claus, twinkly lights,
menorahs, dreidels, etc this time of year. They can be huge distractions for everyone.
Instead, decorate your “backstage” or non-patient areas with intention! Put up an
accountability poster to track your team’s results or the engagement contest you’re
running.
6. Unplug In the Office: Mobile devices are always distracting, and right now they are
downright deadly to hitting your goals. Have your team leave their cell phones in their
bag or desk drawer during office hours, and don’t allow social media on any other
devices (except for your marketing person!). Your team needs to ask their family and
friends to respect your working hours – and only interrupt for true emergencies.
7. Create Excitement for 2021: You should have already set your 2021 goals, but if you
haven’t yet, make sure you create them now! Then take a look at your calendar. Do you
have the activities planned out to ensure you hit your goals? Get your team excited and
rallied around all the great things coming their way when the new year starts so you can
really hit the ground running.
Have fun this holiday season, and work hard right up to the moment you close. Focus, keep
your team motivated, and plan some exciting goals for the new year! One area we highly
recommend you create some plans around is your CULTURE.
After the year we’ve all just had, it’s time to get back to what makes your practice stand apart
from the others: Culture. To help with this, Scheduling Institute is bringing one of our biggest and most results-producing events back in 2021 – Culture Fest 2.0! The event is guaranteed to be held LIVE in Atlanta in October … or you’ll get your money back. If you missed this event in 2019, you certainly will not want to miss what we have in store in 2021. If you were lucky enough to be there … we know you’ll be among the first to secure your tickets now.
Visit www.SICultureFest.com for more details and to secure your tickets.