This month I’ve been raising money for Movember.

http://au.movember.com/mospace/

Supporting charities while at work can be difficult.

I’ve supported various worthwhile causes during my career as a Dentist. Over the years I’ve been a serious fundraiser for various charities. I’ve raised money for Cystic Fibrosis, for Homeless people, for grieving Dad’s…the list goes on.

But this month I’ve put my face on the line.

Because Movember means growing a moustache.

Putting your face where your money is, so to speak.

But it’s funny.

I suppose we haven’t physically come out and asked for donations….

So, although my patients have been supportive with their words, none have been voluntarily forthcoming with donations.

I guess they are just separating me the Dentist away from me the fundraiser.

It’s a kind of tough one, isn’t it?

They’ve just dug into their wallets for expensive Dentistry, and now we’re seen to be asking for more?

How do you do it?

Where do you draw the line?

Because Movember requires a permanent outward display, it raises an interesting question.

What do you look like?

How do you present at work?

As a Dentist, what do you wear?

I was advising a newly graduated Dentist the other day on just this topic.

I told him that when I was a young Dentist, I specifically wore a white Jacket with an open collar so that my shirt and tie were prominently visible to my patients.

This made me look older, first and foremost.

And that was my primary objective.

But I also wanted to “formalize” my relationship with my customers.

And the formality of wearing a tie, and dressing well, well, that was just a given.

It was what was needed.

And I think it’s only respectful, too.

As a Dentist, you are a highly regarded member of the community.

And how others see you should be congruous with that image.

And that’s what’s made Movember such a challenge for me.

Because in thirty two years I’ve never ever come to work anything but clean shaven.

No matter what!

As a sign of respect for my paying customers.

The image you convey directly relates to the way your customers behave towards you.

I’m a firm believer in “Do as I do” matching my image. Not just “Do as I say”.

There must be congruity.

Remember, people do business with people they like.

And they choose not to do business with people they do NOT like.

So in your attire, in your presentation, I say, dress for Success.

Play the part.

I know comfort is important, but if I’m going to court, I want my legal team to look like a legal team, not like they just turned up from a stroll in the park.

And if I want people to willingly be my clients, well I want to look professional for them.

Movember has been fun, but I’ll be glad to farewell my mo next Monday.

If you’d care to show your support for my Movember efforts, I would be very grateful.

Please DONATE HERE http://au.movember.com/mospace/

***

Today, in the USA, it is Thanksgiving Day.

I wish all my friends and colleagues a Happy and Blessed Day.

I am truly grateful and thankful of the love and the friendship that you all have and show to me.

The Ultimate Patient Experience is a simple to build complete Customer Service system in itself that I developed that allowed me to create an extraordinary dental office in an ordinary Sydney suburb. If you’d like to know more, ask me about my free special report.

Email me at david@theupe.com

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