Branding and brand marketing Archives -

SEO Work for Shine Partnerships

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 10:54:03 +0000

How do you change the name of an established business?

When it comes to ‘The Web’, with surprising difficulty it seems. So Shine asked us to have a go.

Carlton Lodge – Shine Partnerships

The problem

Shine Partnerships Limited provides supported living to mental health service users across North London. It’s a successful business, growing on the back of an 11-year reputation for quality care and excellent facilities. And this year the company opened three new locations, providing support to 40 new service users.

Two of those locations were formerly owned and operated as residential care homes for the elderly by businesses that ceased trading and sold the premises. But they had been operating for several years and had made various half-hearted attempts to promote themselves on the web. The result is that there are several entries for both on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) register (and unfortunately, neither of them had glowing inspection reports). As a result, many other websites and specialist search engines included references to those locations.

The net result was that when Shine opened their new services at Carlton Lodge, Limes House and Maryland House, Google searches produced details for the businesses that used to own those premisses (Seaforth Lodge and Rose View Care Homes).

The solution

This is going to be a long process as there are so many 3rd-Party relationships involved. So far, we’ve carried out a number of Google searches on both business names to create a target list – not easy because the low search volumes mean these searches keep changing.

Limes House – Shine Partnerships

Top of the list in both cases is the CQC. Both houses produce the CQC registration details, and an archived entry for the last inspection report. Unfortunately, the CQC (though helpful on the ‘phone) won’t change those registration details on our say-so, so Shine’s CQC registered managers have to change that themselves. And the archived inspection report will keep showing at least until a new report is carried out – sometime during the next 5-years!

The first thing we could change is the ‘Google My Business’ panel that displays on the right. That includes verifying ownership of the entry. This is done by a code provided by Google, delivered in a number of ways;

Call the number registered in the existing entry (we couldn’t use this as the telephone numbers were changed to Shine’s head office)
Email the registered email (we couldn’t do this because that email belonged to the now-defunct former owner)
Google sends a postcard to the address with the code. This has to be entered into Google within 4-days of posting, but was our only option.

The thing is, Shine’s staff work shifts, so trying to make sure the person opening the mail knows what to do with the postcard is a stress point.

Once we had verified ownership, we were able to make changes and submit for Google’s review. Those changes have now started to appear and are there when a search for the service name is carried out. When a search for the old entry is made, a 2nd Google My Business box appears and suggests the new Shine service as an alternative.

Maryland House – Shine Partnerships Ltd

And what else?

The next thing to do was to contact all the specialist search engines and request changes. Many ‘phone calls and emails and online forms later, some of them have changed entries, some of them don’t seem to be in business anymore, and others take their information from the CQC or Google!

Two which we have been able to change though are Yell.Com and 192.com. It takes a while for those changes to be approved and indexed, but they are well-used sites, so their influence on search results is important.

Finally, we also …

It is also important to create some entries for the new properties so they can be found in a search under their own name. We created blog posts on Shine’s website for each new service. We also wrote a formal press release, distributing to mental health-focused magazines and website, and also North London local newspapers.

Stories about the new services will benefit from the higher volumes of searches enjoyed by these sites, and back-links to the original release on the Shine website.

Have we been successful?

Partially yes. And over time, the quality fo search results will improve as the CQC entries change, the 3rd-party specialist search engines update, and as the entries for 192.com and Yell.com index. Publications and websites that pick-up the press release will also produce helpful search results.

Meantime, just have to wait – change another bit – write another story – and repeat …

A Learning Point

If you are buying new business premises, make sure your solicitor checks that the old owner signs over ownership of the Google My Business account, and any other premises specific website entries to you. It will save you loads of work and loads of money down the line, and shouldn’t cost you a penny.

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New website goes live for Shine Partnerships Ltd

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 16:10:23 +0000

www.shinepartnerships.co.uk created by Precision PR Limited

We’re truly proud to announce the launch of our latest client website project – www.shinepartnerships.co.uk

Manoj Mahtani – Owner/Chief Executive Officer

Shine Partnerships Limited specialises in providing high-quality [CQC Registered] supported living and floating support services for forensic and/or complex needs mental health service users. With 10 houses (and two more about to launch), Shine provides the care needed for tens of people in North London who have experienced mental health problems and are now returning to life in the community.

Designed and built by associate design consultant Dawn Li with project management by Chris Webb, the site also makes extensive use of photographs by the well-known corporate photographer Harry Chambers.

With 28 live pages, plus a news/blog page, this is the biggest single website project carried out so far by Precision. It incorporated 3 separate photoshoots across 10 locations – each requiring careful recording of photo permissions, etc.

The project took considerably longer than the two weeks first envisaged due to complex demands on the client’s diary. However, the results are visually stunning while maintaining a level of brand continuity from the previous (very out of date) site.

Objectives

The campaign objectives for the website are to:

help recruit staff
better and more clearly illustrate Shine’s services to service commissioners
maintain the existing brand investment and develop it further for future use

We also identified the need for simplified on-going maintenance to keep up with the businesses growth plans. And the ability to re-use assets across multiple channels of communication.

The key technical requirements included:

adaptive design for desktop, tablet and mobile
news/blog page for integration with future social media and content marketing campaigns
architecture and technology that allows the client’s staff (none of whom are marketing or IT professionals) to make minor updates and carry out simple maintenance

Built using WordPress with a custom template, the new site meets all three criteria. The final part of the project will be a short training session. This will demonstrate how to post news, make simple amendments and carry out software updates to plugins and other behind-the-scenes elements.

How can we help you?

If your website is in need of a refresh, please call us. We are particularly interested (and skilled at) developing sites for integrated marketing campaigns. We would love to talk to you about how we could do this for your business. Contact us by email or tel: 07432 189149

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A Crisis of Confidence

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 11:00:28 +0000

Fake instruments: are we sleepwalking into a scandal?

At the recent BDIA Showcase exhibition, I took the time to visit the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority), and I was frankly shocked. Not by their stand, nor the work they do in stamping out fake instruments. But by the sheer number of items they had seized at that very exhibition: 15,816 individual items from two stands, Retail Value £19,160.

It would appear that the Dental Industry is rife with counterfeit and uncertified instruments and materials. They can be bought quite easily on the internet, and even at professional conferences and trade shows.

Uncertified instruments pose a genuine safety threat to patients and staff alike.

What are we talking about?

There are several counterfeit issues in dentistry. The most serious can have potentially life-threatening consequences. Problems with fake drugs are the most obvious.

It’s very tempting to buy drugs from cheaper suppliers, and the internet makes it possible to find suppliers all over the world. However, if you buy from an uncertified supplier, do you really know what you’re getting? Do they contain the stated dose of the active ingredient? Are they made to the same standards as those from mainstream suppliers? Do they infringe on a patent or steal some other form of intellectual property?

Should you suffer an incident that involves fake drugs, how do you suppose a regulator might respond to you?

Exactly the same issue applies to cleaning and decontamination materials. Legitimate manufacturers and suppliers invest heavily in quality control to ensure their products perform to specification. But without that certification, do you know if those materials work? Can you be sure that they aren’t corrosive to your expensive equipment and instruments? Will they harm your patients, your nurse or even you?

But what prompted me to write this article was what is happening with fake instruments. I was shown a number of examples. Finger spreaders that were cheaply made with a plastic handle that could be pulled from the shaft. Curing lights with a power supply that posed a fire hazard. Ortho file systems that carried the logos, packaging and instruction leaflets of a quality brand, but which were clearly fake. And handpieces that were badly engineered and likely to fail unpredictably.

And worst of all? Fraud carried out by practices themselves by using out of date materials or previously opened batches that had not been resealed or stored correctly. Or deliberately buying fake instruments and unregulated drugs and materials to save money.

Dentists have a duty of care, and that extends to all members of staff and includes using approved and properly managed materials and equipment.

Why does it matter?

This is not the Wild-West. We have many regulations that govern dentistry, and they are there for a reason. Quite apart from failing to meet GDC and CQC standards when you use fake instruments and materials you are likely to be breaking the law and could face criminal charges (with all the consequences that follow).

Illegal whitening products can still be found on internet marketplaces, despite agreements by eBay and Amazon to ban them.

Pretty much every device sold in the UK should have a CE mark. CE marking is a certification mark that indicates conformity with health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area. Without that mark, you shouldn’t be buying or using that device. This is particularly important in medicine and dentistry.

Should you have an incident involving a patient, using non-CE certified instruments could invalidate insurance policies, and would almost certainly provide grounds for sanctions from the CQC and the GDC. If you are using counterfeit instruments then there is also the possibility of a civil action by the owners of the trademark. And, of course, the MHRA could seize your dodgy instruments meaning you have a sudden and unexpected bill for legitimate replacements.

What are the regulators doing?

There are three regulators involved in this. I sent questions to the MHRA, who have been very helpful (see the question responses below). The CQC responded by pointing me to their website. The GDC failed to respond. You can draw your own conclusion and do your own risk assessment based on that information.

My information is that the CQC and GDC carry out a paper checking exercise during inspections. So long as you can show you are keeping records they are fine. They rarely carry out physical checks on the legitimacy of instruments or the storage and use of part batches. Nor do they frequently check the legitimacy of drugs.

However, all that could (and probably should) change overnight.

When will UDI come into effect?

The Unique Device Identification (UDI) is a system used to mark and identify medical devices within the healthcare supply chain.

The IMDRF (International Medical Device Regulator Forum), the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission are aiming for a globally harmonised and consistent approach to increase patient safety and help optimise patient care by proposing a harmonised legislation for Unique Device Identification (UDI), using global standards. And even if the UK leaves the EU, UDI will be implemented during the spring of 2020.

And when it is, dental practices will need to keep records of every UDI marked device. Ambitions for tracking and tracing are that patient treatment records will include details of what instruments and equipment were used during treatment.

And that means that the CQC and GDC box-ticking exercise will become much more complicated. And they will have a very simple method to verify the legitimacy of instruments and equipment.

You have been warned.

How can I ensure I’m not using fake instruments?

The MHRA website provides some very helpful information about ensuring the legitimacy of instruments, equipment and materials.

On top of that, you need to start thinking about improving your stock and instrument management. This has led to a whole new class of software appearing at dentistry shows, such as the Insightdental from Smart Dental Solutions.

But you also need to ensure that your practice management and administration staff understand the regulations around purchase and storage of drugs, materials and instruments. They have to avoid ordering in bulk to gain discounts if that material isn’t going to be used and stored within specification. They have to ensure they don’t fall foul of counterfeiters. And they have to buy from legitimate suppliers with a trackable supply chain back to the manufacturers of the basic ingredients and components.

The rules are there to protect patients, staff and practice owners. Step outside these rules and someone or something is at risk. And the risk that you will be caught and sanctioned, even if your infringement was accidental, will increase significantly next year.

One of the most dangerous items intended for dentistry and seized by the MHRA is a Portable Dental X-ray Machine BLX-5 – neither certified or even designed for use in the EU or UK.

What the MHRA says:

What do you consider the most dangerous items you found?
1. at the BDIA Showcase?
  1. Dental Handpieces with NO Notified Body EC Certification
2. ever in dentistry?
  1. Portable Dental X-ray Machine BLX-5
3. in any other field?
  1. Uncertified Medical laser machine
Will the new marking regulations make your life easier or just make it easier to secure convictions?
1. The ethos at MHRA is to secure compliance with safety regulations and the new regulations will make that easier to achieve.
Who should a practice manager contact if they think they have purchased counterfeit instruments or materials?
1. They may complete the online form at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/counterfeit-products/ or they may anonymously send details of the suspect item including an explanation of why it is suspected of being counterfeit, picture of the label/packaging/sellers email and or address to devices.compliance@mhra.gov.uk we also have a 24-hour hotline for counterfeits at 020 3080 6701.
What penalties could a practice manager or owners face if they are found to have knowingly used counterfeit instruments or materials?
1. The MHRA does take action regarding the putting into service of illegal medical devices by professionals/dentists;
  1. where a dentist knowingly uses counterfeit instruments on a patient there are trading standards offences under the protection from unfair trading regulations
  2. a dental lab was prosecuted under these regulations for making dentures he was not licensed to
  3. additionally, MHRA provides witness testimony where a dental professional in charge of each dental practice can also be held responsible
2. Ultimately any monies made using illegal devices may be seized under the proceeds of crime.
Do you think this is organised crime run by a few ‘bad boys’ or lots of small players, some of whom might not realise exactly how dangerous this is?
1. Lots of the fake illegal dental equipment is supplied from abroad but a small amount is shipped from the UK
2. I do believe that it is run by a large operation abroad that counterfeits a large variety of products from different markets, not just the medical market.
What are the penalties for supplying counterfeit instruments and materials?
1. Under the Trademarks Act 1994 section 92, the penalty can be up to 10 years in prison.
What checks should purchasers perform to ensure they have approved instruments and materials?
1. Firstly I would recommend that they only buy from established distributors in the UK, as there will be little comeback against companies registered outside the EU.
2. There are several dental trade associations including the BDIA whose members are vetted.
3. To ascertain what classification and Certification products require is a specialist role

.

What Smart Dental Solutions say:

What ‘inspired’ you to create a stock control system for dental practices?
1. Mainly my own experience in running my practices. I got fed up of problems around stock control that I’m sure all practice owners have experienced. Things like running out of stock or ordering stock only to find out you are already holding that stock in the back of a cupboard somewhere and it’s now going out of date. I looked around for some solutions but found there was nothing out there that worked for me, so I made my own.
What features does your system have to;
1. Record batch/lot numbers
  1. There is the ability to record batch numbers/lot numbers under the description aspect of each stock item.
2. Instrument/material type approval
  1. Not a feature of my system
3. Material compliance (age, storage, etc)
  1. Our system allows you to enter expiry dates for each stock item. I mostly use it for expiry dates for emergency drugs.
How and why does your system link instruments and materials to patients?
1. Our system does not link instruments or materials to patients. It does, however, track stock from a stock room to individual surgeries.
Do you see stock control becoming a bigger issue for the CQC, and therefore practices?
1. Looking at the wider picture, I can see stock control of drugs and medication being an area that the CQC will start to look at. There is already talk around tracking instruments and materials to specific patients in secondary care and I can see this eventually being moved over into primary care. I do feel this is an area primary care will need to start to look at in the future.
Have you come across many instances in your career of counterfeit instruments or non-compliant materials?
1. Not generally in day to day practising life but I have seen an increase in patients ordering materials like bleaching gels from the internet and reporting adverse effects from this. Given the way the internet has enabled this, I believe this will be an increasing issue in the future.
Do you think practice managers and owners need to pay more attention to stock control and management?
1. Absolutely. For dental surgeries to run efficiently good stock control is essential. Most suppliers can deliver within 24-hours, thus holding unnecessary stock can mean surgery cash is tied up in stock rather than being used for investment.

.

More information about Insight Dental from Smart Dental Solutions can be found at: https://smartdentalsolutions.co.uk/

You can find the MHRA at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency

To contact Precision PR, please email chris@precisionpr.co.uk or call 07432 189149

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One couple’s day out in Birmingham – at the BDIA Showcase

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 12:57:54 +0000

A review: BDIA Showcase, NEC, 17th-19th October

Apparently, people we know think we’re a bit weird. “What are you doing this weekend?” they ask. “We’re going to the BDIA Showcase at the NEC,” we reply. “Oh! Why?”

Why indeed? Including the trip to Colchester to drop our youngest son at his brother’s house for the day, the NEC is 156 miles from home. So it better be worthwhile as we’re investing a whole Saturday.

After Cary’s obligatory McDonald’s breakfast (amazing what she’ll agree to for one of these) and a stop off at the surprisingly pleasant M6 Corley services, we hit a bum note.

We arrived at the NEC as planned just after 11:00 am. And it seems that the entire UK caravan and motorhome community chose the self-same time to visit their trade show. A queue to get onto the site, queues for the carparks, queues for the transfer bus. Not a good start to the day.

We finally made it into the building just before noon, and dodged the bag search. NEC, please take note – Security didn’t have their A-team on duty. It was then an easy walk to Hall 3. The bus driver had announced Hall 5, but he wasn’t part of the A-team either.

Bags we collected at the BDIA Showcase (but NOT at the entrance). We think one is cool, one is ‘hot’, and the other we would be very happy to quote for new artwork.

First impressions

Registration was in the hall entrance. This is a good thing as you don’t have to wander around the atrium trying to work out how to register and get in. Note – the A-team weren’t issuing the passes, but it was such a simple process they couldn’t muck it up too badly.

Walking in, the walkways were clear, straight and wide, decorated with a pleasant cerise carpet. BUT no pre-made packs, no goody bags, and the show guides seemed hidden (we found ours on the way out!).

Plenty of space for the ‘crowds’

Crowds

‘Crowd’ might be a bit of an exaggeration. We spoke to several exhibitors who said Saturday was the busiest day, but it certainly wasn’t what you’d describe as crowded. One said he thought seriously about pulling out of Saturday as Thursday and Friday had been so quiet. Others thought Thursday had been acceptably busy, but that Friday was a write-off.

Halls 3 & 3a are not the biggest halls at the NEC, and it was difficult to see how much had been occupied by the show. There were several theatres which were large, and these made it difficult to see how much space was used. We certainly don’t think the halls were fully utilised. That said, the back of the exhibition was very close to the back doors.

Exciting new things!

Well, more like one exciting new thing. 3D-Printing is about to come of age in dentistry. We spoke to a couple of suppliers of 3D-Printing kit who told us that a number of processes and materials have been approved by the FDA for use in the United States. Certification is currently underway in Europe, and once complete, 3D-Printing will be available to both laboratories and dentists for making appliances such as dentures and clear aligners.

Beyond that, there wasn’t anything particularly exciting to shout about.

We only found Dentally, SFD & SOE out of the PMS suppliers

Things that were missing

Carestream! Not a sign of them. They were completely absent. So were all the practice management software vendors apart from Software of Excellence, Dentally and Systems for Dentists. If anyone else was there we couldn’t find them – which amounts to the same thing (only more expensive).

Several of the big kit suppliers were also missing, though several others were exhibiting (Planmecca, Durr, Belmont, Acteon, etc).

Nobody had ‘stupid’ attention-seeking stands either – certainly no scantily clad Santas or inexplicable ‘dwarfs’.

The MOD recruitment stand was empty too, which was a shame as we wanted to talk to them. Right at the back of the show, they probably gave up after the poor audience on Thursday and Friday.

SFD’s goody bag – we think they’ve read what we have to say about branding your exhibition investment

Conclusion

We went to the BDIA Showcase last year at the London Excel, and we thought that was a great show. This wasn’t. The audience was poor, and exhibitors were relatively thin on the ground.

Did we achieve our aims? Yes. We met the two organisations we had planned meetings with and our discussions will progress. The fact that the crowds were so thin on the ground probably helped. We also had a chat with a few other interesting organisations. But if we had been going for some other purpose I don’t know that we would have thought the show a success.

Shows rise and fall in a complex cycle. Each grows through investment, success and rinsing phases.

In the investment stage, the organiser goes above and beyond to create a ‘show brand’.
In the success phase, they deliver on their promises – audience, promotion, value.
In the rinsing stage, they believe the brand is self-supporting – pricing creeps up, promotion slows down and value plummets.

SOE Piggy Banks – the cutest give-away we found

The BDIA showcase at the NEC is in serious danger of moving into the rinsing phase. I would recommend to the organisers (and to exhibitors) to ignore the NEC and focus on London Excel.

A note to all organisers

Dentists earn money by seeing patients. Some of them earn A LOT of money. If you want them to give up money to attend, better make it worth their while and tell them WHY they should be there. The same applies to persuading them to send their staff during the week. And also the staff themselves if you want them to attend on a Saturday.

Likewise, picking a date during a major religious festival (Diwali) celebrated by a significant part of your target audience is dim.

Some parts of the BDIA Showcase were busy

Are exhibitions in fashion?

Outside of the efforts of individual shows, exhibitions as a whole go through a success cycle.

We’re not entirely sure where they are in the UK. Some shows are succeeding, some aren’t. They are definitely doing well in consumer markets – B2B is more of a mixed bag.

On the continent, European mega-shows in Holland, Belgium and Germany look like they are maintaining their popularity and value.

But what do you do if you are focused on the UK market? If you’re not a European-wide brand, the pan-continental mega-shows are just too expensive, and the audience too disparate.

1st class (Hons) in Fine Art (ceramics and sculpture), but 4:58 to complete a child’s puzzle – Cary on the stand of of Morris & Co (specialist dental accountants)

Our advice

We continue to recommend that dental businesses exhibit. However, we would suggest that the London Dentistry Show and BDIA Showcase in London are better exhibitions than BDIA Showcase at the NEC.

The organisers of the Dentistry Show at the NEC during the spring have assured us that they are taking action to correct the deficiencies of this year’s show, and that may well make it a recommendable show next year.

But at the moment, we recommend using your exhibition budget to also create your own smaller events. More effort – possibly. More manpower needed – definitely. But success will be due to YOUR marketing efforts, and focus will be on YOU.

So what do you think?

If you attended or exhibited at the BDIA Showcase at the NEC, we would love to hear your views. Contact us at cary@precisionpr.co.uk or call Chris on 07432 189149.

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How to brand your practice

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 13:26:27 +0000

Which supermarket is your dental practice like?

We’ve been working in PR for the dental industry for two years now – you may have seen some of our work with brands such as Pearl Dental Software. During that time we’ve had the privilege to study many dental businesses and practices across the country.

It is fascinating how dental practices are perceived by professionals and patients. This perception derives to a very great extent from the efforts that owners to create ‘a brand’. It is true that all the clever marketing in the world won’t create a great ‘brand’ without any substance, but you can at least set the direction. After that, it’s up to you to create substance by living the values you have ascribed to your brand.

This article offers some ideas on how you might shape your practice brand.

The supermarket test

A simple example of how people think of your dental brand might be to consider which supermarket chain it is most like.

For example:

{my}dentist = Aldi. Low cost, high volume, limited range, no-nonsense and highly efficient
BUPA = Sainsbury’s. A little confused. A reputation for being expensive and luxurious while stacking it high and selling it cheap in places to compete with Aldi
Portman = Waitrose. No compromise, personal, classy and with the flexibility to meet the needs of the local market – so long as they are rich enough to go private
JDRM = Booths. Family owned and run, with great staff involvement and customer loyalty, but very definitely regional.

Open all Hours Arkwright (Ronnie Barker) and Granville (David Jason)

Unfortunately, there are also a lot of ‘Arkwrights’ out there. Open all hours, but providing a great experience for neither patients nor for poor little Granville.

So which one are you? And if you are an Arkwright, will you plod on in the same weary way until Granville grows a pair and sets up his own corner shop down the road?

Analysing the players in detail

{my}dentist

Even though the huge practice portfolio is made up of some very diverse properties, and even though practice sizes vary greatly, {my}dentist has done a fantastic job of creating a unified brand.

{my}dentist – excellent presentation and signage

Their practices are visually crisp. They have a well organised corporate back office and a rational practice/area management structure to take the admin load off clinical and nursing staff. They are efficient and friendly and effective. I will state now that I (Chris) attend a {my}dentist practice, and I drive an hour each way to do so.

However, they can be a little stingy on pay for some staff, and when they have a resource gap it all falls apart. And that is the weakness in their brand. It works better for patients than it does for staff, and they struggle to recruit in some regions as a result.

Our verdict: 8/10. Feels very efficient. Clever naming. Still working on improvements.

BUPA Dental – Camberwell

BUPA

Having built THE pre-eminent private healthcare brand in the UK, BUPA decided to go into dentistry by buying and extending the Oasis dental business. But we don’t think they realised how different dentistry is to their normal areas of operation. As a result, they are balancing too many diverse staff contracts, and therefore have a lot of unhappy staff – never good for great patient experience.

There is a real conflict between BUPA’s carefully crafted private health image the mix of dental services they offer. As a result, many NHS patients feel like second-class citizens. And we’re sure many potential new NHS patients assume that the BUPA brand means a private only practice.

On the plus side, they have done a good job on the visual elements of the brand and updated many practices with new imagery, decorations and furniture. And they do have that very well know private healthcare reputation to fall back on.

Our verdict: 6/10. The positioning of BUPA’s dental offering is very confused. The BUPA healthcare brand is both helpful to recognition and a hindrance to execution.

Portman Dental and Implant Clinic – Maidenhead

Portman

They are growing organically, and take on new practices after a very careful evaluation process. It’s not about acquisition price; it’s about potential and fit. As such, Portman’s brand is all about consistent high quality.

Portman has also eliminated the conflict that plagues BUPA – they don’t offer NHS treatments. That means they can be 100% focused on offering quality private treatments. And that focus results in happier staff and happier patients.

Our verdict: 7/10. Well thought through positioning reflected across the company’s operations, but not a very visible brand.

JDRM

JDRM recently won an NHS emergency treatment contract in Leicester, and the business has created an impact by keeping it local and concentrated.

They have a real focus on their services. However, because this focus is around a single service in a single area, they have been able to use it as a central point around which they can offer other services: it’s a concentric strategy, not a just a bunch of tangential ideas.

They have also invested sensibly in creating a strong visual image for their seven practices and implemented the latest software to help create a single, integrated business. The software enables them to make savings through shared back office services.

JDRM also take the trouble to exploit PR opportunities (such as case studies by suppliers) to tell professionals about what they do, and so make recruitment easier.

Our verdict: 8/10. Visually exciting. Feels fresh, but also personal and friendly.

So Arkwright, what about a new till?

In Arkwright’s case, a new till and a small van would have made Granville much happier. And in today’s competitive market for dental associates and nurses, having better equipment and systems might well give you an edge. But what can you do about patients?

What do you do to advertise your presence in the area? If patients and potential patients don’t know about you they won’t book appointments.

JDRM Dental Care – invested in creating a strong local presence

Visuals

And when they do come in, what is their first impression? What does your signage look like? Is it reflected in the way your practice is decorated or do you have random colours and mismatched chairs in the waiting room?

Do your documents look like they’ve been printed professionally or at least on a professional office printer, or do they look like they’ve been churned out on one of those Gestetner devices they used to make school teachers suffer?

Do you have a practice logo, and if you do, is it used consistently?

And talking of logos, does yours look like everyone else’s anthropomorphic molar, or is it a bit ‘different’?

Does your business name suggest ‘dentist’ or could it be equally applied to a greengrocer or funeral director?

Online

What does your online presence say about you? Do you know what websites list your practice, let alone what they say about you? Have you created social media channels and then forgotten about them? And when was the last time your own website was updated?

Patient interaction

How do your reception team deal with patients? Do they have the right tools to manage your book (and training in how to use those tools)? How do they sound on the ‘phone? How long do patients have to stand at the reception desk before someone deals with them? How do the reception team deal with the pre-treatment paperwork? And how well do they handle the tricky and uncomfortable process of taking payment?

How we can help

Every single one of these things shapes the perception of your brand, and every single one is in your direct control.

Chris Webb is an Accredited Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and director of Precision PR Limited with a background in digital imaging technology and all its applications. Cary Cray-Webb is a practising dental nurse with a degree in Fine Art. Our company, Precision PR, has been working in the dental industry since we started in 2017, writing, creating websites, developing social media, web and media strategies.

Chris has nearly 30-years experience in marketing, marcoms, PR and social media, and 35-years experience in IT. Opinions and analogies about the brands discussed are based entirely on our personal observation and experience since, in branding, the perception of others is everything.

We can help you define your brand, and execute your marketing communications plans. If you would like to discuss how, please get in contact by emailing chris@precisionpr.co.uk or calling 07432 189149.

So let me ask you again? Which supermarket chain is most like your dental business?

Note: All opinions in this article are those of the writers, and are based on nearly 30 years of PR practice and personal observations of the UK dental industry.

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How to waste money on advertising

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 13:26:08 +0000

It’s easily done

The adage “Fail to plan and you plan to fail” couldn’t be more true of advertising. But we’ve all done it. You know what happens – the friendly advertising rep from your favourite magazine rings you and tells you they can give you a half-page at a 75% discount, so you buy your bargain space and feel pleased with yourself. Great! Except you’ve broken just about every basic rule there is in marketing.

Computing

1. Audience

Opportunities to see, circulation, impressions – call it what you will. It matters not a jot how many people can see your advert. What matters is how many respond. So a huge audience is not in itself the RIGHT audience.

For example, if you sell dental software, is there any point to advertising in Computing with its 115,000 readers? Yes, it’s relevant to software. But how many dentists are included in that 115,000? On the other hand, if that same business were trying to recruit a software developer, would it make sense to advertise in a Professional Dentistry e-Bulletin? Choose the platform that suits your audience, not what suits you or your advertising sales rep.

Professional Dentistry

2. Message

What are you actually trying to achieve with your advert? It has a huge effect on where you advertise, but it also affects when you advertise and what your advertisement should say.

For example, if our software company were advertising its products in Professional Dentistry it should explain how its products will make your practice run more smoothly and maintain compliance with regulations. However, in a Computing recruitment advert, it should talk about the interesting work, employee benefits and culture.

Equally, in Professional Dentistry they should perhaps focus efforts around a new product launch, whereas their Computing adverts should obviously be placed when they need to recruit.

3. Presentation

Artwork. Sounds trivial, but how an advert looks is what gets people to read it. It has to be ‘eye-catching’. So spend time finding and briefing your designer or advertising agency. And give them time to develop their ideas properly. A last-minute brief will produce last-minute work.

Done right and done well, advertising is an investment every business and dental practice should make. Done wrong and you are not just making a poor investment; you are wasting your money.

For more information about the role advertising plays in an integrated marketing and PR campaign, please call Chris Webb on 07432 189149 or email chris@precisionpr.co.uk

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Getting digital marketing right

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:10:05 +0000

Don’t shout – whisper

Digital PR and marketing apparently provide businesses with some distinct advantages over traditional methods. People will tell you that you can reach a bigger audience. Well, you sort of can, sometimes. But traditional media still has a massive reach.

They will also tell you that, you can more easily reach a better-targeted audience. Well, that’s true also true to an extent. But trade papers are by definition, read by people in the trade, and local papers by people who are local. So so don’t dismiss them as a targetted communications channel.

However, the biggest advantage of digital PR and marketing is ‘trackability’. They allow you to easily find out who you’ve reached and what effect your message has had. And this is the point.

Many people spend a great deal of time and money gathering data about who has seen their online marketing efforts. Some will then spend further time trying to work out what this means. However, the real key to success with digital marketing is continuously responding to the data to build your reputation and improve your marketing activities.

What to do

Tailoring your message to match the market is really difficult. It is too easy to believe that your vision is perfect and become so invested in it that you cannot make adjustments. You can have the best product in the world, but if your audience doesn’t understand what they will gain from buying it, then they won’t.

Success comes from cutting through the noise with a message that addresses the needs of the individual. So if your message doesn’t mean something to that individual it’s just part of the noise.

Let’s face it, you don’t really care if your competitor on the other side of town has a beautifully designed website. What you care about is getting more new customers or patients, and existing ones spending more money with you for premium services.

So work out what you need to do to let people know why they should trust you. In other words, what do they want to hear from you?

Show people that you are the expert in your field. That doesn’t mean just telling them – it means giving them reasons to believe. In other words, tell them something they will find useful.

Show them that you care passionately about your industry and profession. Let them see that you have pride in your work. In other words, demonstrate meaningful innovation and understanding of new developments.

Show them that you care about them. Focus on their needs and look at your business from their perspective. In other words, think how you would react to your message if they were sent to you by a competitor.

Show them others who you have carried out work for. Let them identify with those people and see that you are the right choice for them as well. In other words, put emphasis on testimonials and case studies that explain what you deliver.

And above all, don’t ‘sell’ to them. Digital marketing lets you cut to the sale so easily. But resist the temptation – give them space and time to ‘buy’ from you. In other words, people will only become happy customers or patients if they see real value in the products and services you offer.

In a world of shouting, the clearest sound is sometimes a whisper.

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Have you ever heard of Rehab4Addiction?

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 08:50:02 +0000

Advice for those seeking recovery from addiction

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from a gentleman. He was asking me to provide a link to his website from the website of my band. Normally I consign such emails to the ‘blocked sender’ list. But this one caught my interest because of the song he mentioned, namely our recording of ‘When all you have is a hammer’ by Gretchen Peters.

For those unfamiliar with the song, it’s about a military veteran who deals with trauma he suffered by hitting the bottle.

So, I read his email again, called him and had a chat. I politely declined his initial request, and instead offered to write this blog post. Because, frankly, the song, his choice of it, and his backstory all resonated with events in the lives of people I know – including family.

So, what’s the score?

The gentleman’s name is Oliver Clark, and he helped set-up Rehab 4 Addiction to provide advice for people seeking drug and alcohol rehab clinics in the UK. Oliver told me that he got involved in the charity because of his own personal experiences.

Being a bit unthinking sometimes, I used to have an unsympathetic attitude towards addiction and alcoholism. But recently, I’ve realised how much damage was done to some of my family members by a crime committed against them. That’s led to a couple of them showing serious addictive tendencies. And then I thought about my wider family and realised that several others have had mental health problems and issues with alcohol, again in reaction to things that have happened to them through none of their own fault.

In fact, berievements and being on the receiving end of a serious crime has damaged several people I know, leaving mental scars such as depression and anxiety. And while I’m not aware of any family member having a drugs habit as a result, I do know a couple who consume more than a sensible amount of beer and whiskey. Others have had relationships collapse, trouble holding on to jobs and difficulties with education as a result of trauma.

I’m a fairly ordinary sort of person from an ordinary sort of family. So I have little doubt that my family’s experience of addiction and mental illness is nothing unusual.

So I thought I’d find out a bit more about Oliver’s charity, and help raise awareness (and SEO scores) by writing this blog post.

What does Rehab 4 Addiction do?

In a nutshell, Rehab 4 Addiction offers a free hotline dedicated to helping those suffering from drug, alcohol and mental health problems. Rehab 4 Addiction was founded in 2011 by people who overcame drug and alcohol addiction themselves. You can contact Rehab 4 Addiction on 0800 140 4690.

The charity facilitates admissions into over forty rehab clinics across the United Kingdom and internationally. Its advisors have extensive knowledge of a huge selection of alcohol rehab and drug rehab services throughout the UK and abroad. They create rehab programmes which cater to specific needs.

Mental health awareness

At the time I’m writing this it seems everybody (or at least every media outlet) is talking about mental health. Yet it still seems to be a taboo subject – somebody else’s problem. Well, I don’t think it is.

I’ve suffered anxiety and depression, so have several other members of my extended family, and some have resorted to alcohol to help forget the things that torment them. And I’m sure if you look around you’ll see people you know who have or are suffering mental health issues (major or minor). I think organisations such as Rehab 4 Addiction offer a very important source of help for those who can no longer cope with (or hide) their problems.

I’d like to thank Oliver Clark for contacting me. I hope my blog post helps to raise attention to Rehab 4 Addiction for both those who need its work and those who might like to support the charity.

If you would like to comment on the work of this charity and others performing a similar role, please contact me.

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Cyber-security Basics

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 09:39:36 +0000

Simple ways to protect your business

David Bailey’s iconic image of the Kray brothers

50-something years ago, protecting your new business in London often meant paying money to the Kray Brothers or the Richardson Gang. These days the threats faced by new businesses are less likely to involve physical violence and more likely to involve data theft.

So what should you do to protect an e-business start-up from modern-day gangsters and criminals?

Cyber-security isn’t an optional extra

Cyber-security is a business essential. No-one can afford to ignore it, and it’s even more important for digital businesses. Not only is your core asset at risk, data management and security is now covered by a stack of legislation and regulation. Get it wrong and there can be serious consequences.

It’s a good idea to make sure you’re insured, but insurance companies are understandably keen to make sure you do everything in you can to protect yourself.

So what do insurance companies expect, and what do you need to do to protect your fledgeling e-business?

Data security

Never overlook the need for regular data backups – they should form the basis of every data security policy. If you have an IT failure they are often the only way you can recover your work, your own data, and data owned by customers. It also makes sense to regularly check the quality of your back-ups and how well your recovery procedures work.

Back-up has been a central plank of computer operations and data security from the earliest days – and for good reason

Back-ups are also a required to comply with many regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), Payment Card Industry (PCI), Data Security Standards (DSS) and the ISO 271001 standard.

These regulations and standards insist you create policies for internet and email usage, and data protection. Make sure your whole team understands and follows these policies. That way things are less likely to go wrong and are easier to fix if they do.

Keeping the bad guys out

Make hiring a trained specialist a priority, to take responsibility for your IT security. In fact, you will probably find some insurance companies insist on it. You also need to nominate a Data Protection Officer to comply with GDPR.

But even before your business grows to that point you can take some simple steps to stop unauthorised access to your computer systems.

Hackers come in all shapes and sizes, and with an equally diverse range of motivations

Try to use private certificate-based authentication, 2-step verification or passwords which are changed at least every two months. Also, make sure wireless networks are secured and use firewalls to protect external network gateways.

Install (and use) anti-virus and anti-spyware on all your computers. Many people don’t do this, yet it’s surprisingly easy to infect a computer without this simple step.

Less obvious is the need to apply updates and security patches to operating systems. Most successful cyber attacks exploit weaknesses in old versions of Windows and similar products. Never use a version that the author no-longer supports, and make sure all desktops automatically download updates. Yes, it can be a time-consuming annoyance, but it’s not as time-consuming as dealing with the effects of a security breach.

It’s also very important to stop terminated employees from accessing your systems. If they have been fired they will have a grudge. If they’ve moved to a competitor they have no loyalty to you. So while it may feel harsh to treat a former co-worker like this, it prevents a serious security risk.

There are security products available to fit every use and every budget

Looking after the crown jewels

If you process or store financial or sensitive data, you need to take extra steps to protect it. Make sure that all financial or sensitive data on your system is encrypted. It’s easy to do, with many apps now available and options in various common online or desktop systems. Make sure you also encrypt removable media like portable hard drives or USB memory devices. The same applies to laptops and other devices you might take out of the office.

It’s also a good idea have a system that manages and records how and when financial and sensitive data is used, and by whom.

Another vulnerable area that is often forgotten is your waste bin. When you throw away or recycle financial or sensitive data – including information on printed reports, CD’s and old hard drives – make sure you do it securely.

Do you know if it works?

Creating policies and installing software is one thing, but how do you know it works?
Make sure you check the reports generated by your security software and other systems monitoring access to your data and network. If something unexpected has happened, investigate it properly. You will need to make changes to stop it happening again, but you may also need to report breaches to the authorities, customers and your insurer.

Don’t forget to test your data and cyber security on a regular basis. You can do this yourself, but a specialist consultant will also look for a ‘way in’ that you’ve never even thought of.

Even for the tech-savvy, preventing cyber-crime can be baffling. However, taking these few simple steps will help make sure today’s virtual ‘Reggie and Ronnie’ are a lot less likely to ‘pay you a visit.’

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What do you think of the show so far?

chris@precisionpr.co.uk — Wed, 30 May 2018 17:03:39 +0000

Confessions of an NEC virgin

(by Cary Cray-Webb)

A couple of weeks ago, my husband frog-marched me to the car and then drove me at speed towards Birmingham. While I’m growing very familiar with the western stretches of the A14, I’ve always managed to stop short of the M6 (except for one family trip to Dudley – a different story, and I slept most of the trip so it doesn’t count). On this occasion, our destination was the National Exhibition Centre.

After a couple of minor dramas (like getting caught in a traffic jam while the trip computer threatened instant doom in the shape of an empty petrol tank), we arrived at the NEC. The ‘helpful’ multi-coloured traffic management system sent us round most of the site before we found a car park that seemed to be full of vans, each occupying four spaces. Eventually, we found a couple of free spaces that were the perfect size for my Ford Fiesta. Unfortunately, Chris, my husband, drives a Mercedes; so getting the car in the space was a struggle followed by a performance that can only be described as a sot of Limbo Dance.

Off we go …

After a brisk walk across the car park and a short stop to pay £12 for the privilege of forced contortions and the expectation of dinged paintwork, we joined the queue for the shuttle bus. Things started getting better. We managed to time our arrival for late morning, and there was only one person waiting. When we got on board there were only two other people already there, so we chose a comfortable seat near the exit door.

The bus then performed a slightly weird dance of its own while the air suspension levelled things out, and then we were off toward the exhibition halls, largely retracing the route we had followed in the car as we drove in.

I don’t often use buses. Not because I’m posh, but because we live in the country and the bus service near home can only be described as crap. But I have to say that the NEC’s shuttle buses are very comfortable and sensibly driven.

Upon arrival …

Arriving at the exhibition halls I was met by a security guard who wanted to search my bag. I wasn’t really prepared for this. However, the guard didn’t seem to find the contents of my bag either too threatening or too amusing, so it wasn’t too much of an embarrassment.

A quick comfort break before entering The Dentistry Show (we were there on business) revealed a major shortfall of the NEC. There are equal numbers of gents and ladies loos. However, the internal layout of ladies loos vs gents means that they have less ‘capacity’, meaning they always seem to form a queue. Additionally, the gents and ladies are not sited next to each other. So while my husband found a loo right next to the exhibition entrance, mine was miles away, near the Baby Show, so the queue was enormous.

It turns out that the problem was exacerbated because the loos inside the exhibition halls themselves did not have facilities for disposal of sanitary ware. This mean ‘ladies’ were dumping their used items on the floor, which was pretty disgusting even by 11:30, and that in turn meant one visit was enough to send you walking around the central concourse and joining the 50 or so expectant mums outside a loo there.

Note to the NEC – YUK!

The Dentistry Show

The Dentistry Show 2018 offered plenty of verifiable CPD

Once I’d eventually rejoined my husband, we produced our tickets (sent prior to the show) picked-up our show guides and lanyards, and had our badges scanned at the entrance. All very straight forward. We walked through the door and bang! 400 stands and exhibits covering every aspect of dentistry.

The immediate impression wasn’t good – it looked a bit like a marketplace in some areas, with stands basically ‘flogging’ probes and mirrors, mostly staffed by what appeared to be bored looking Chinese people who seemed confused that no-one was buying handfuls of the shiny treasures.

Pushing through the bazaar, things started to take shape and became more recognisable. Brands and suppliers, prospective customers and trade organisations became discernable, and we started to make sense of the floor plan. As we were there for two days we decided to use day one for looking and day two for talking. So we wandered around, looked at what was on offer, picked up some freebies and brochures and learned new things.

I had no idea of what to expect. As I wrote above, I’ve never been to the NEC, and I’ve never been to trade show of this scale. My husband (who has been to lots) told me that it was not the biggest in terms of floor space, but it was probably the busiest he’s been to.

What did Cary do next?

Very simply, I discovered why Chris is always grumpy and knackered whenever he comes back from working at a trade show (he doesn’t usually visit – he works the stands or the press office). It is so tiring.

We stayed in central Birmingham. Finding our hotel was a performance enhanced by an out of date satnav and Birmingham City Council’s decision to pour every drop of EU development funds they could get hold of into digging up the city centre. However, we eventually arrived at the Hyatt Regency, and this turned out to be a very comfortable hotel.

Chris’ plan had been to show me around Brindley Place, and the pubs and restaurants by the canals. They were teaming with happy people, but frankly, I was too tired to enjoy them. Instead, we found a very nice Indian restaurant next to our hotel called ‘Gateway to India’ and had a fantastic meal, followed by a drink in the hotel bar and bed.

Saturday is a work day

After a very nice breakfast and some more of Chris’s dreadful navigation, we arrived back at the NEC to queue (this time) for a carpark. The queue was long and slow-moving, though oddly, there were loads of full-sized, easy to access spaces once we eventually got into the car park.

On this morning, because we were there a bit earlier, there was a proper queue for the shuttle buses. However, Chris has a shuttle bus trick. When he gets near the front of the queue, he lets other more eager people on ahead of him and catches the next bus (told you he goes to lots of these things). As that next bus was sat behind this first bus, we didn’t exactly have long to wait, but we had the first choice of the seats. We sat in comfort while others jammed themselves into every possible piece of floor space. Meanwhile, a third bus sat empty behind.

Even fully loaded on Saturday, the bus was just as super smooth as it was when empty on Friday.

Arriving at the exhibition halls, I avoided the bag search as I was instead sniffed by a Cocker Spaniel wearing HiViz. One woman asked the dog handler if she could ‘stroke the puppy’. His response was that she wouldn’t like it if he asked to stroke her puppies when she was working – which I think made a good point in a slightly questionable way.

More goodies on the way in, badges scanned, this was a day for focus and hard work.

We had a list. The editor of The Probe, four of our client’s competitors (for various reasons), a pre-arranged prospect meeting, trying to get meetings with other prospective prospects, hand-shakes with people who had contributed to articles. We also had to have discussions with the exhibition organisers and publishers about exhibitions and adverts. Our list had twenty stands to visit, and we got to most of them in the next few hours, as well as some interesting discussions with a couple of others.

That’s enough …

Eventually, I couldn’t do anymore. I was shattered and went looking for food while Chris finished the last few ‘must do’ meetings. When he found me, he too was pretty much done, so we ate our crisps and sandwiches, picked our moment to join the bus queue, and went back to the car.

By some miracle (previous evidence suggests it wasn’t Chris’s navigations skills) we were on the motorway and heading for home about 10 minutes after retrieving the car. The A14 was kind to us or a change, and we were back home again in a couple of hours.

So, what did I learn?

That the NEC is BIG is probably the first thing I would say. Truly big. This is something you really need to understand and to think about, whether you are exhibiting or just attending.

The National Exhibition Centre is truly BIG.

It’s also expensive. £12 per day for parking (and shuttle bus) and £16 for lunch (two sandwiches, two packets of crisps and two bootles of waters) also needs factoring into your visit. And the loos can be a bit ‘3rd-world’.

Of The Dentistry Show itself, I was mightily impressed. Because of our involvement with one of the main Practice Management Software vendors, that was our focus. Only one of the top six that wasn’t there. We were also keen to see CEREC and Imaging systems, and again, just about all of the manufacturers you’d want to see (including Carestream, Sirona, Fona and Vatech) all had stands. I was also impressed by a number of more niché application providers such as Dengro’s CRM and VPM’s data compliance system.

Then there were the proper ‘suppliers’ – the people selling cement and composites and implant componenets and gloves and autoclaves and an endless list of things you can buy from a catalogue. And the catalogue companies such as Henry Schein and Dental Directory.

There were also quite a few services companies, such as specialist accountants and lawyers, training companies and of course, labs. But there were two types of service company that really caught my eye.

The first was the Compliance companies, several of which were riding the ubiquitous and confusing GDPR wave.

The second group was the various ‘agency’ companies that make their living through buying and selling practices. It had never before registered with me just how frequently practices change hand, or why these transactions happen. Dentistry is, after all, a business just like any other, and businesses change hands all the time.

And what do I think of the show so far?

It wasn’t what I expected. Some aspects of it and the venue were better than I anticipated, some were worse.

Will I go again? YES – but I’ll go the day before, make sure I rest, and try to take advantage of Brindley Place or the Birmingham Rep Theatre during my visit.

Morcombe and Wise (with Glenda Jackson) – What do you think of the show so far?

Would I recommend that clients exhibit at the Dentistry Show? They certainly need to think about it. The organiser’s efforts to secure a very comprehensive schedule of verifiable CPD definitely drew in the crowds. Those stands where exhibitors had made efforts before the show to reach out to potential buyers were very busy. Those stands where exhibitors turned-up and hoped were less so.

Should dentists and nurses attend? Yes. You have the chance to hear some excellent presentations (with free, verifiable CPD points), to learn new things, and to refresh your enthusiasm for dentistry. In our case, to also meet people face-to-face who we have worked with over the ‘phone and email.

So while ‘Morcombe and Wise’ might have thought the show to be ‘Rubbish!’ I for one am very pleased that my husband twisted my arm to go and see the Dentistry Show. I look forward to my next trip to Birmingham with a far better appreciation of what that city has to offer.

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