How power equipment can change your practice
Let’s create a scenario. You need a piece of power equipment: a lawnmower, chainsaw, or snow blower, and your first instinct is to save a few bucks and go with the national chain stores like Home Depot, Lowes, or Walmart. Most of us started out in the student or operator mindset, but have learned to shift to the owner mentality. It’s the same idea as shifting from the big chain stores. The thing that local businesses have that the chains don’t is the desire for a relationship. Wait until you attempt to get your machine serviced, you’ll really see the difference. Shopping at smaller regional & local stores creates relationships and brings you into its own community. This equals new patients, referrals, and the economics that go along with it. Get to know your power equipment people.
These places are a great source of referrals and alliances. Just one referral from this source, if your case value is $1800, is like getting a discount of almost 2 grand on you power equipment. When’s the last time the Home Depot guy offered to sell you the washing machine for free? Some enterprising people have their power equipment people display fundraising and gift raising flyers in their stores about LHNC. Have a “Local recommendations” page on your website and talk about the difference in service, and then have them do the same for you. Do this for all of your alliances. Saving a few quick bucks becomes absurd when you see the potential in relationships.
My son-in-law Cliff witnessed this first hand with my purchase of a chainsaw. When he asked why I didn’t just go to Lowes, I explained to him that growing a practice means showing people what you stand for and supporting local business. We were doing some cutting and we struck a nail or spike in some wood which completely stripped the blade and rendered it useless. Cliff went back and mentioned he was getting married and the guy sharpened the saw at no fee. It was his way of reciprocating. This happens over and over with each alliance you make.
