Blog - Page 9 of 310 - The McAnally Selling System

How Phone Background Noise Costs You New Patients

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Does it matter if there is background noise during my phone calls? More than you think. The person answering your phone is supposed to be the calm expert a nervous caller leans on, and a room full of chatter and clatter undercuts that instantly. Background noise distracts the team member trying to listen for the pain, and it distracts the caller who is already a little anxious about why they are dialing a dentist. It signals chaos. A first-time caller forms an impression of your whole practice in the first thirty seconds, and a noisy line says you are not in [...]

How Phone Background Noise Costs You New Patientsjames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Repeat Back a Caller Concern to Build Trust Fast

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

When a caller finally reveals their real concern, what should my team say next? Repeat it back and agitate it a little, so they feel you truly get it. Hearing the pain isn't enough. You have to reflect it. If a caller says she doesn't want two years in braces, don't just nod and book her. Say, "So what you're telling me is it's the length of time. Spending years in treatment is just not something you're willing to do. Did I get that right?" Now she feels understood, and the problem you will solve is named out loud and on [...]

Repeat Back a Caller Concern to Build Trust Fastjames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Handling a Free Consultation Caller the Right Way

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

A caller only wants the free consultation. Should I just book it and move on? Book it, yes, but don't let the freebie distract you from the work the call is supposed to do. I listened to a call where a sharp front desk person almost rushed past discovery because the woman mentioned the complimentary consult. The instinct is, she wants the free thing, just close it and hang up. Resist that. The consult getting booked is step one, not the finish line. While you have her on the phone you still need to find what she is afraid of or [...]

Handling a Free Consultation Caller the Right Wayjames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Why New Patient Calls Should Never Go to Voicemail

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

What happens when a new patient call goes to voicemail? You lose them, and you probably never know it. Think about it from the caller's side. If a prospective patient wanted to talk to your voicemail, they wouldn't have called. Nobody ever said "today is the day I deal with this, and the best part is I won't have to talk to a human." When someone finally decides to call about a problem they have been avoiding, they are hyper responsive for their own emotional reasons, and that window is open for about a minute. Voicemail slams it shut. So live [...]

Why New Patient Calls Should Never Go to Voicemailjames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Reduce No-Shows With One Word at Call Close

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

What is the single most effective way to reduce no-shows for new patient consults? Use the word promise, out loud, before you hang up. Most teams close with directions and a polite "see you Monday." Take it up a step. First give assurance, "I look forward to meeting you," which is how you confirm. Then ask for the verbal contract: "Do you promise to give me a call at this number if for any reason you can't make it? That way I can offer your time to someone who is waiting." Then pause and wait for the yes. That little exchange [...]

Reduce No-Shows With One Word at Call Closejames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Collect Multiple Phone Numbers From Dental Callers

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

How should I ask for a patient's phone numbers on an intake call? Assume they have all of them and take them all. Never say "Would you like to give me a number?" That hands the patient an exit. Instead, state it. "What is your home phone number? And your work number? Good. And your cell?" You are not asking permission, you are gathering what you need to take care of them. Then close it with the smart one: "Out of those numbers, which is the easiest for me to reach you when I need to?" Now you have three ways [...]

Collect Multiple Phone Numbers From Dental Callersjames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

When to Welcome a New Caller in Your Dental Practice

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Should I welcome a new caller at the start of the call or at the end? Do it at the start, and then again at the end if you like. For years I taught teams to welcome the patient near the close. Then I heard a call where the person said it right up front, "Let me be the first to welcome you to our practice," and it was better. It frames the entire conversation. A first-time caller is nervous, often calling about something they have been avoiding for years, and that one line tells them they landed somewhere that wants [...]

When to Welcome a New Caller in Your Dental Practicejames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Uncover Patient Emotional Pain on the First Phone Call

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

How do I get the real reason a patient called instead of just the marketing answer? You dig, and you ask differently than most people do. When you ask what prompted the call and the patient just says "I saw your mailer," they have answered the surface, not the pain. Don't accept it. Say, "That's great. Let me ask you this. Sometimes patients who call us have lived with a broken tooth or bad breath or sore gums for a long time, kept putting it off, and one day decided enough. What is it about your dental health that made you [...]

Uncover Patient Emotional Pain on the First Phone Calljames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Fix a Robotic Phone Voice at Your Dental Front Desk

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Why does my front desk sound robotic when collecting patient information on the phone? Because they are reading you a survey, not having a conversation. Most team members get a list of intake questions and fire them off like a cop asking for license and registration. Short, curt, next, next, next, no breathing room in between. They don't mean to sound cold, but that is exactly how it lands. I want them to sing instead. Singing just means changing the voice and tone. "The next question I'd like to ask is the best phone number to reach you at. Great. And [...]

Fix a Robotic Phone Voice at Your Dental Front Deskjames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

Earn a Scared Patient’s Trust on the Phone

james2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

How does my team member earn a scared caller's trust on the phone? By speaking from the heart with a little personal proof. When a caller admits they are afraid and have put off treatment for years, do not argue or push. Acknowledge it and reassure them. We hear that all the time, and I can tell you we will go as slow as you need to. Then add the human touch that closes the gap. I have worked here ten years, I love it here, and I would not trust my own friends or family to anyone else. That single [...]

Earn a Scared Patient’s Trust on the Phonejames2026-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

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