*NOTE* Please download the attached PDF file for the full-color version of Linda’s eSSENTIALs July 2013 edition. In the file you will also find a link to subscribe or you may visit Linda’s website: http://www.drevenstedt.com.
The holiday season is here. Lights are up, trees are decorated and it is time to celebrate within your practice. Here are ideas to take the tradition of 12 days of Christmas and make your practice special for you, your team and your patients. Be sure when you create each day to take photos to post to your social media pages and on your own website.
1. Count out 12 practice days before you leave for your holiday. Draw a name a day of a patient and award them a special prize. Here are 12 ideas:
• Water Flosser®
• Professional Home bleaching kit
• Dr. Johns’ Xylitol candy basket
• Fresh breath kit from Oxyfresh® of your own vendor
• $50 Gift Certificate toward any dental service
• Lunch invitation for the patient and a guest to have lunch with you and your team or just with the dentist
• Winter kit with hot chocolate mix and cider mix with 2 mugs with your logo
• Nutrition book such as the one from Dr. Oche Odiatu, a Canadian dentist and speaker at many dental meetings, The Miracle of Health.
• Sonicare® brush
• Harry and David, or local vendor, fruit basket http://www.harryanddavid.com
• Tabitha or Tanner the Tooth book, (Tabitha comes as a kit with doll and brushing kit) for a child
• Copy of a great new year’s read, The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hanson and Mark Allen
• A lovely floral arrangement for the holidays delivered to their office or home.
• Send a text or email to your patients who are coming in the last week you are in the office and ask them to help with a local charitable project. Ideas: food drive, jackets or blankets for the needy, or Toys for Tots.
2. Organize a holiday pot luck that you and your team cook. Invite one of your favorite other dental teams to your office for lunch.
3. Surprise your team one morning at your Huddle with a grab bag with enough items to have a gift per staff member. Ideas: gift certificates for manicure/pedicure, car wash, staf favorite restaurants, or retail such as Target.
4. Send a text or email to your patients who are coming in the last week you are in the office and ask them to help with a local charitable project. Ideas: food drive, jackets or blankets for the needy, or Toys for Tots.
5. Create an Open House atmosphere the day or two that you are in the office with hot cider and cookies for your patients.
6. Give each patient a red flower to take home and share with someone they love. Buy a supply from your local florist, especially if it is a patient who is the florist.
7. Ask your patients and staff to contribute to a Holiday Cookbook through an email or Facebook® campaign. Collect and print the Holiday recipes. Staples or a local printer can bind it if you want to add your logo 🙂
8. Have the staff wear Santa hats for 12 days of Christmas.
9. Hire someone to dress as Santa and give away Xylitol candies for one or more days. This is good to do after school is out because you may be able to hire a teen for this. Or, set up your color printer and take photos of your patients with Santa. You may be able to find a local photography student to come and take the photos. Give them the photo as they leave.
10. For those with family or pediatric practices, dedicate at least two days while school is out for hygiene only days. Hire an extra temp or two and schedule the dentist with light operative only. Schedule all hygiene patients and serve refreshments. Have favors for all who come in those days such as lip balm with your logo. Try http://www.lipsinc.com.
11. Create holiday gift bags, (available at Michael’s or Hobby Lobby), and fill with small items for men and women (Avon or your local Ulta store have things like Chap Stick, hand lotion, sugarless mints, etc.). Hole-punch your business card to tie onto the gift bag and take to the local businesses in your area with a holiday greeting.
12. Purchase travel toothbrushes to give away the last week or more before your holiday break instead of regular toothbrushes.
Holidays are always special celebratory times. Be sure to spread the joy, peace and love within and outside of your practice this holiday season. From my family to yours – Happy Holidays!
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