Too Good to Ignore.

Apple trotted out the iPhone 12 to adoring fans earlier this month, like a proud farmer showing off his prized bull at the county fair. 

It’s dangerously thin! Gasp!

It has many cameras! Bazzinga!

It runs on 5G! Shazam!

It comes in the most-beautiful color of blue that even God is jealous! 

Wait. What?!

Oh well. For as many things that make me chuckle at an iPhone launch, there is still plenty to pay attention to. I mean, my companies aren’t worth $2 trillion, so even this grumpy old curmudgeon pays attention when Apple sneezes.

I still think it’s hilarious how many tech writers collectively crush on Apple for a new phone color, just like I think it’s hilarious that an entire brand of shirt, Untuckit, can climb to a $600 million valuation based solely on the brand promise that “our shirts can be worn untucked.” Yeah. So can any other shirt. 

But, I digress.

First lesson: Apple isn’t afraid (any longer) to advertise price, so why are you?

Do yourself a favor. Pick up your phone this weekend and call your office. Someone will answer, right? If they do, ask how much treatment cost. Ask how much the office charges for a consultation. When you’re on the phone, sit back and imagine that you’re a consumer. Experience how frustrating it is to get everything besides a straight answer from the receptionist.

Why can’t your phones team say, “Treatment cost for this level of membership is $175 per month at zero percent interest. Some patients like to add lifetime earmolds, brain training and other treatment upgrades, which are all available to you and can be discussed with you at your first appointment. Some insurance covers a portion of your treatment. You’ll receive a complimentary form as our courtesy and you’ll leave knowing exactly what needs to be done, the best time to do it, how much it will cost and exactly how affordable treatment can be for your entire family. Does that help answer your question or is there anything I missed?”

Give a range. Give options. Give them something. They aren’t calling your office for the heck of it. They want your help. Give it to them.

By the way, no one is auditioning to pay you over the phone at the end of your answer. They are simply interviewing you to see if you’re worth the hassle of coming into the office. 

If you’re new to this program and you need my complete list of phone scripts and assistance from my trainers, you can schedule an on-site training and get this fixed fast and forever inside your practice.

Second lesson: Apple isn’t afraid to take pre-orders, so why are you?

Do you have a treatment savings plan in your office? Do you offer holiday promotions, referral benefits and Black Friday sales? Why aren’t you offering them now? Amazon has Prime Day. Apple has pre-orders for big announcements. They sell to the same people as you. Your customers are not too sophisticated for a pre-order offer.

If you just hired a new associate doctor but he or she doesn’t start until January, why not start offering pre-bookings at a discount or with a freemium. Schedule now for the New Year and claim your free brain training membership or $100 OFF, etc.

There are secrets hidden in plain sight all around you. There’s no shame in being the one-eyed king or queen in the land of the blind.