Oh my God. Stop. Give me your phone.
These are the exact unfiltered but loving words I said to the CEO of Dental Entrepreneur Woman at the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting in my 6th month of membership as a DeW. It’s a moment that will forever make me cringe, but laugh.
As a native New Yorker, I tend to be a bit over the top and shamelessly direct. And while kind gestures can often come across as thoughtless demands, it is only to save time. At least says the woman with “activator” as the number 1 strength and “empathy” as dead last on the CliftonStrengths Assessment.
So, what does this have to do with social media? When I saw our beloved leader looking at her Instagram app the same way my toddler looks at our manual bubble-blowing machine, I decided to intervene.
To explain, Anne has always been intrigued by social media and actively engages with organization members on multiple platforms. But as a company executive, time is often limited. Rather than engaging in all business tasks, sometimes it’s better to have someone push the “blow bubbles” button for you—or in Anne’s case, have someone post social media content on her behalf.
To be frank, Anne’s not the only CEO who doesn’t always have the time or ability to exclusively manage their social media accounts in a way that’s necessary for business growth. While several professionals can create compelling Instagram content in 5 minutes or less, many see this as a skill set because it is one. Nevertheless, it still makes you wonder, how could something like social media posts, designed to be carefree and “fun,” be so difficult and demanding for those who use it for business purposes?
Is it because of the constant new social media features?
Is it because the algorithms and rules change quickly?
Is it because we are uninterested?
Is it because we simply have other gifts?
At that moment, the answers to these questions didn’t matter. I’m a DeW who saw another DeW who needed help, so I did that. I helped.
So what’s it like to have a CEO’s phone in your hands?
I was on the 2022 Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting exhibit floor with a powerful piece of tech that possessed what I like to call “the millennial trifecta” – several dozen apps, a full battery, and Wi-Fi access.
While I and most others have a phone with all these capabilities, this phone was different. This was the device of a CEO celebrating the anniversary of an organization she created at the same dental conference 5 years ago. It was a full-circle moment, and everybody at the meeting knew about it.
Anne’s iPhone would buzz every 30 seconds or so, full of exciting life. Her phone was filled with updates and inquiries from the dental industry’s finest CEOs, KOLs, and rising influencers. So what does a rising entrepreneur like myself do with an iPhone filled with creative energy, potential collaborations, million-dollar deals in the making, a strong Wi-Fi signal, and the best microchip on the market?
If you’re me, Deneen Dismore, you fluff your hair, make the most of the harsh fluorescent lighting, and take a (never to be seen again) selfie. ?
While some may have taken the opportunity to plug themselves in and ask for introductions of the names they saw flash across the screen, the DeW community has helped me embrace a far better version of myself. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been part of the DeW community for 5 minutes or 5 years. You quickly realize that the opportunities to succeed as a dental professional are endless because good DeWs find other DeWs. Many members are willing to uplift each other regardless of how often we ask for assistance. And we show up knowing we are worthy of massive success regardless of who we know and what we do.
When I requested Anne’s phone, I was just being me – unapologetically demanding, service-oriented, and admittedly pumped up on an overpriced coffee. With her permission, I continued assisting her with Instagram stories, Facebook live videos, other social media posts, and everything in between. I casually gave lessons as we went along, but, for the most part, it was a pleasure to take full responsibility for Anne’s social media presence throughout the conference. We also needed an easy way to get new members to register for all DeW benefits. I created and shared a digital QR code that doubled as the booth volunteer’s cell phone wallpaper was the best way to direct new members to sign up on the DeW website.
6 Steps To Success At Hinman
As a New Patient Acquisition Specialist, I help dentists grow their practice by teaching them to attract and keep new patients. My business strategies often apply to many other industries and organizations looking to grow, and they were no exception to the DeW booth volunteers at the Hinman meeting.
While I have many systems that help clients move their businesses forward, the best methods are often simple. In this case, the problem was figuring out how to maximize the CEO of Dental Entrepreneur Woman’s time while at a dental meeting.
My 6 steps to success include:
- Identify the problem
- Set Goals
- Explore Solutions
- Recruit Support
- Take Massive Action
- Anticipate + Celebrate the End Result
For Anne and DeW, the 6 steps to success were no different. Engaging potential new community members by sharing Dental Entrepreneur Woman’s mission and offerings is a must for someone like Anne Duffy. While she could take the time to spread the word on social media herself, she decided to maximize her time while she was at the conference by letting somebody else help spread the word on her behalf. With my help, she organically showcased her infectious personality on Instagram, making it easy to attract a specific audience. Then, she let me invite curious conference attendees to have fun at her vendor booth (which happened to be in front of the pop-up bar on St. Patty’s day ?). I engaged with every message and comment made on her posts and stories that weekend to help foster a sense of community. Next step, create a cell phone wallpaper with a QR code that leads curious event attendees directly to the DeW website to sign up for membership. Last, I tagged Hinman in a few of her Instagram posts to help broadcast her message and offer to a bigger and more relevant audience.
Doing all of these things was enough to get the attention of the Hinman Dental Conference’s social media team. And while Anne wasn’t necessarily the person sharing each story, she’s wise enough to know when to outsource some things that will help her organization grow as she flourishes in her gifts. Hinman’s social media account manager saw DeW’s Instagram stories and promptly shared them with their audience. It was a success that resulted in more members who signed up to join the organization. As for the celebration, the 5-year anniversary toast was a great way to honor the Dental Entrepreneur Woman’s growth.
Well done, DeW! The best is yet to come.
About Deneen
Deneen Dismore is the outgoing CEO and Founder of Dismore Consulting and serves the dental community as a New Patient Acquisition Specialist. Born and raised in Long Island, New York, she’s no stranger to working in fast-paced environments that desire business growth. While Deneen started her career in dentistry as the Marketing Director of two practices in Manhattan, she found her entrepreneurial calling after two career milestones. Deneen was thrilled after nearly doubling the number of new patients in one practice. Then, she led the marketing initiatives of another dental group featured on Inc. 5000’s list of America’s fastest-growing companies. Deneen is always eager to connect with other dental professionals and organizations. For inquiries, don’t hesitate to get in touch with her at consulting@deneendismore.com.
