Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Will these materials really drive new business to my practice?
The best marketing for a practice has always been and will continue to be – referrals and word of mouth advertising. When friends, family and neighbors talk and have something good to tell each other, the result is new patients.
So, I just moved into town or I’m looking for a new dentist or a new orthodontist for myself and the family. I ask my neighbor who they go to and he says (about you), “Our dentist is the guy in The Incredibles! He’s in his own animated movie and the kids love him.”
How likely am I to come see you or at least check you out? Could you hope for better word of mouth advertising about your practice?
Everyone agrees – our materials are positive and energetic, portraying you as the good guy for a change. And isn’t it about time?
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- How will I use the animations and materials to help me market my practice?
The DVD, posters, and in the future computer and video games, are great in the office. They keep parents and children entertained and pass the time more quickly. Even better, they set you up during the visit as a good guy who cares about them and helps them solve their dental problems. They make for a more positive in office experience. Waiting rooms and over chair displays are best.
They are also great as take home gifts. Although each DVD would normally be valued at over $15, it costs you only $2.00. You can also send them home with a good check-up certificate, appointment card, an autographed head shot or mini-poster, calendar, t-shirt or a number of other items. Parents and kids show or share these items with friends, family and neighbors and you’re off and running.
The business cards, letterhead, envelopes and mailing postcards are great external marketing and communications pieces. You stand out from the dozens of other practioners that use template or cookie cutter pieces that don’t get a second look, let alone get saved or shared.
And it all drives patients and countless potential patients to your customized Website where they can view the animations, play games, learn more about your practice and download the computer desktop wallpaper and other artwork.
How many kids have ever even looked at your current Website? With our animated short films, and other future items such as games, hundreds of kids will potentially spend hours on your site, seeing you as the good guy, and telling their friends to check out the fun and entertaining content. It won’t be long before everyone in town refers to you as the hero dentist or the hero orthodontist!
Then, reinforce your good guy image throughout the year with appointment reminders, e-cards, birthday cards, and other targeted marketing materials or educational pieces. Every time we come out with something new or with enhancements, it’s another opportunity to reach out to them, tell your story and make a great impression in a fun and entertaining way.
How else will the animations and materials help you market your practice? You tell us. We’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions.
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- What special items do I get for my utility belt? Do I get a special superhero car?
That would be cool! And we want you to be cool, so stay tuned. We’re coming out with new products all the time. Let us know what you’d like to see us create or what you would have the most fun with, and we’ll definitely consider it!
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- What is the process? How do you create my character and my materials?
Once you have completed the Order Form & Client Agreement and made your payment, you send us an e-mail with your pictures attached. We ask for a front view and side view, full body length and close ups on the face.
Either scanned pictures or those taken by any digital camera will work. Just about any file size or type will work, but high resolution JPEGs are preferred. If you’re having trouble sending us the files from your end, give us a call and we can have you send them via your Internet browser or an ftp site. Or, you can always mail us some photos.
From your photos, we will create a caricature and a 3D model for your review and approval, making changes as needed.
Then, using a patent pending process we have created, we customize the animation and other materials. Again, you review everything online in a low resolution format to approve. Then we do a final rendering and go to press with all of the materials, delivering the final product right to your door.
The total process generally takes about 4 weeks to complete, but may take longer depending on receipt and quality of photos, your feedback and approval, and the number of new clients with which were are currently working.
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- Can I get my character with a cape?
Capes are out this season and we don’t want the other heroes making fun of you. So, no.
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- Will my character really look like me?
The characters we create are caricatures of our clients. As such, we create a certain level of realism, but without making the character either too life like or too “cartoony”. When finished, your character needs to resemble you and strike the right balance, while at the same time fit with the other characters. We will work with you to create a character with a recognizable likeness. We will also make a reasonable amount of revisions in order to capture and highlight the features you want. But remember, this is a caricature and our artists are very talented, so work with us to make you look your best as a 3D hero!
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- What if I don’t like the way my character looks?
In the end, you have to be happy with your character. We will work closely with you and do our best to make sure that happens, making adjustments as needed. However, if in the end we can’t create a character you are happy with, you are entitled to a partial refund according to our policies. See the Client Agreement for details.
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- I bought the Practice Marketing Package. Now what?
One of our Account Managers will contact you to coordinate the delivery of your photos and will walk you through the process. If you haven’t heard from us, please call or e-mail us at your convenience.
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- Can I create my own materials with my character?
In order to maintain the integrity of the materials we have created, and in order to keep your cost on an affordable basis, we provide all materials to our clients. The characters and images we create cannot be used in any other materials or be reproduced in any way without our permission. See the Client Agreement for details.
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- What do I do if approached by an evil Tooth Gnome?
Proceed with caution. Win them over with your hero charm. But, by all means, do NOT feed them. They’ll just keep coming back if you do.
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- Can the animation, environments or elements other than my character be customized to my practice?
In order to make the customization available and affordable, the number and types of customized characters and elements must remain limited. Future animations and materials may include additional customization features or opportunities.
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- How long does it take to get my character and materials?
The total process generally takes about 4 weeks to complete, but may take longer depending on the time of receipt or the quality of photos, your feedback and approval, and the number of new clients with which were are currently working.
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- Can I use my voice in the animated short film?
The animation is created from, and after, the voice tract is recorded. Once the animation is created to fit the voice tract, it cannot be changed. Adding customized voice over would require much of the animation to be redone altogether. It would therefore be time and cost prohibitive and would compromise the overall quality of the final product.
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- We have more than one doctor in our practice. Can we all be in the materials?
Unfortunately, we cannot currently have more than one doctor per short film or per set of materials. However, we will work with you to customize a program to fit with your practice needs. We can create one set of materials for each doctor and will work with you on a discount, so give us a call.
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- Can hygienists, assistants or office staff be customized as well?
The current version does not provide for this, but future versions may, so stay tuned!
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- What about customizing for different races and genders?
Yes. Our patent pending process allows us to customize the materials for a number of variations and characteristics. We create the character specific to you.
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- We already have marketing materials (like a Website). Can we integrate your materials into our existing brand identity or integrate ours into yours?
In order to maintain the integrity of the materials we have created, and in order to keep your cost on an affordable basis, we can’t integrate our materials into any other materials. Many do find it beneficial to maintain their existing brand identify in the short term, or also use a brand identity that targets older patients.
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- What if I don’t want you to customize the character for me? Can I buy a generic character and still use the materials?
Yes. The character will be generic and you will not be entitled to an Exclusive Territory. The price for this package is $7,495.
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- How much does this cost?
The Practice Marketing Package is $12,495. On a credit card or through our financing options, this can come out to less than $250 per month! You may also qualify for a discount. So check out the site, give us a call or send us an e-mail. See our store for prices on other or additional items.
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- How much should I be spending on practice marketing?
Research suggests that the average dental practioner spends somewhere between $10,000 and $30,000 annually on practice marketing and patient communications. When you include directories, yellow pages, websites, referral services, lead generation, incentives, advertisements, flyers, postcards, mailers, appointment and check-up reminders, etc., it can add up.
But whether you spend a little or spend a lot, the real question you should be asking is how much value are you creating with the dollars that you do spend?
If you’re current program and materials do not set you apart or create real word of mouth and referral business, $500 is too much. On the other hand, $30,000 is a great investment if it creates new and long-term business and a stable, happy patient base around which your practice can thrive.
How do your patients see you? How do you want them to see you? Will our materials help you stand out, be unique and fun?
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- But I’m not actually a hero in real life. Can I still use the materials?
Yes! We’ll make a hero out of you and you’ll get used to saving the day!
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- Do I have to buy the Practice Marketing Package first? What if I only want part of the Package? Is it cheaper if I don’t need some items?
In order to get any of the materials, we must first customize your 3D character. That just happens to be the most costly thing we do.
If there are items you don’t want or won’t use, let us know and we won’t create or produce them, but it won’t change the price. In order to become a client, you must first get the Practice Marketing Package so we can cover that initial cost.
With the Practice Marketing Package we have included everything needed to get started using the character and create a great marketing program. It can be used with your existing program or used to replace it entirely.
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- How much does 3D modeling and animation like this normally cost? Could I create it on my own?
Feature film quality 2D or 3D animation can run $500,000 to $1 million or more per minute of screen time. Straight to DVD quality animation can easily cost between $100,000 and $250,000 or more per minute of screen time. It is highly unlikely that a small business owner or individual could afford to produce something of the quality that we have created. So it follows that our investment in the materials is substantial.
With close to 30 minutes of high quality 2D and 3D animation on your DVD, your cost is less than $450 per minute of screen time. Of this, over 7 minutes is customized specifically for you and your practice, at a cost of less than $1,800 per minute of screen time.
Even if you took out the animation all together, just having a high quality static 3D character of yourself created and incorporated into the print marketing materials and a Website would generally cost in the $10,000 - $20,000 range.
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- What are the credentials of the creators of the materials?
Our principals, artists and animators have worked extensively in the animation, visual effects and interactive industries and have worked on such hits as Shrek, Shrek 2, Antz, Madagascar, Shark Tale, Scooby Doo 2, Garfield, Stuart Little 2, Prince of Egypt, Small Soldiers, Spirit, El Dorado, Chicken Run, Spiderman, Spiderman 2, and others. We have also created numerous entertainment Websites and interactive products including sites and games for Shrek, Stuart Little 2, Dinotopia, Taken, The Lion King, the Simpsons, Inspector Gadget, Spawn, and many others.
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- How do I qualify for a discount?
Special discounts may apply for purchases made at or during certain annual sessions or events by registered attendees. In order to qualify, you must enter or provide the event’s promo code. If you qualify, but didn’t get the promo code, please contact us.
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- What financing options are available?
There are a variety of financing options available from national, high quality providers, depending on qualifications – fixed and variable rate options, fixed loan or line of credit options, deferred payments, no pre-payment penalties, no application fees, no advance payments, and loan amounts from $10,000 up to $25,000 on competitive terms.
A one page application and quick approval gets you started today!
Typical payments range from $150 to $300 per month for the Practice Marketing Package. Becoming a hero couldn’t be simpler or more affordable.
Call or e-mail us for an application and let’s make a hero out of you today!
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- I know someone who lives in another town. Do you want referrals?
Yes! In fact, refer a new client to us and we’ll pay you $500. Just make sure we know you made the referral.
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- If I refer the doctor I work for, can I qualify for the referral?
Yes! Just make sure we know you made the referral.
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- Will there be additional animated short films that can feature my character?
Yes! We anticipate creating a new animated short featuring your character every 6 – 12 months. Eventually, we anticipate providing you with over 30 minutes of customized animation featuring your character, saving the day one smile at a time! Each installment will further develop the story and lead up to the more expanded story told in a full length feature currently in production. Additional short film installments will be made available to existing clients at affordable rates.
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- What is the story of the animated short film? When can I see a complete version?
We’re being careful not to give away too much of the story just yet. But the basic story is a cross between Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles. In the first animated short film, a couple of mischievous Tooth Gnomes capture the Tooth Fairy’s magic wand and spread mayhem throughout the town while everyone sleeps. After a night of villainous dental deeds, our hero (that’s you) is left to clean up the mess and save the day!
We’re putting the final touches on the animated short film in May ’06 and will be shipping in June ’06.
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- What training and advice do I get?
When you get your Practice Marketing Package, we’ll include all kinds of helpful hints and detailed instructions on how to maximize your investment. We’ll work with you or a member of your staff to create a targeted approach to attract the clientele you want. We’ll also provide you with our monthly client newsletter that discusses how other practioners are successfully using the materials.
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- Are you creating a feature film with these characters?
Yes! The Molar Express is currently in production on a feature film based on the same story, environments, and characters as those that appear in the short animated film, but obviously on a much more expanded level. Production is well underway and going very well. We keep our clients informed of progress, so stay tuned!
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- How can I participate in the feature film when it comes out?
The release of the feature film will be closely coordinated with marketing efforts and opportunities for our clients. Just think, what better way to market your practice than to be associated with a major 3D animated film in the theatre! Everyone you know and potential patients in your area will associate your practice with the coolest thing to hit the profession since… well, since ever!
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- I tried to order products through the store but couldn’t complete the transaction? What’s up with that?
In order to order, you must first have registered and signed up for the Practice Marketing Package. Until, then, we haven’t been contracted to create your 3D character which will go on all the materials. When you sign up, you get a username and password that must be entered in order to complete your transactions.
If you have ordered the Practice Marketing Package and still can’t order through the store, please contact us.
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- How do I get additional product or re-order more materials?
Visit our store. You must have purchased the Practice Marketing Package first and have a user name and password.
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