What exactly determines the value of something? Why is there so much variance in price among allegedly similar products and services? I find the question interesting and the investigation useful for buying as well as selling. Let’s have a look at some of the aspects that make up these factors:

Aspects of Utility	Aspects of Pleasure	Aspects of Price
ROI	Coolness	Least Expensive (if still effective)
Efficiency	Peer group	Affordability (financing)
Capacity	Scarcity	ROI
Craftsmanship	High Price	Is Quality Better w/ Higher Price?
Brings More Clients	Perceived Craftsmanship	Is Good, Good Enough?

Why do you buy what you buy? How do you choose among the myriad of offerings and pitches made to you daily in your practice and at home? Is this something you think about consciously or are you blown on the winds of modern marketing like the rest of humanity? Think about that. Understand what you’re susceptible to – we all have our weaknesses – and be conscious about what is going on and what you’re being pitched the next time you’re being sold. It’s difficult to avoid but we must work hard not to let our default settings get the better of us. And don’t think that professional sales people aren’t sizing you up, categorizing you and pulling out the appropriate sales technique to get the deal done! It’s no different than us using the appropriate tools to get the result we want in the mouth!

Now, let’s take what we have learned about ourselves and what we like and how we are sold and apply it to our patients…

Sorry. I’m kidding. We can’t do that. We shouldn’t do that in all but the rarest occasions when dealing with a tiny fraction of the population. You see, we are nerds. We may as well admit it and own it. It’s important that we understand that we are uber educated, isolated and not like most of the other human beings around us. It’s just a fact. I’m sure you disagree and think you’re much cooler than that and think that your clientele is a very special bunch but it’s highly unlikely.

Why am I saying this and why should I care? Well, I say this because we need to understand that what we like and want and what sells us is not what sells the target demographic in our orthodontic offices. It just doesn’t. You need to get someone who knows your target demographic and how to attract them if you want to be wildly successful long term. Now, that may be you or your spouse or someone in your office. There are always outliers in any group. I know orthodontists who are wildly successful in marketing, real estate, outside businesses and other ventures but THEY ARE OUTLIERS and the rest of us need to have an honest self-assessment. How do you know if you’re good at something or not? Simple. Look honestly at your results!

Have a great week.