Trivia Question about Xana Winans:

Aside from the obvious reason, why did Josh Bernstein nickname Xana Winans "Slim?"

Answer: Xana bears a striking resemblance to Lauren Bacall, who Humphrey Bogart called "Slim" in one of their many movies together.

Xana, How in the world did you get such an exotic name and how the heck do you pronounce it?! And why did you name your company Golden Proportions?

You can blame my parents for that one. My maiden name was Smith, and they felt culturally obligated to balance me out J Actually, my dad was awarded a grant after graduate school to live in Spain and paint for a year, all expenses paid. My parents spent a lot of time bouncing back from Greece to Spain, and loved the culture. They took parts of both cultures and came up with my name, so its totally unique.

As for Golden Proportions, I named the company after the classical aesthetic proportions that dentists use in creating the perfect smile. The same principles apply to marketing, and I liked the tie in.

Golden Proportions is based in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Most people have never heard of Lewisburg. Aside from being the World Headquarters of Golden Proportions Marketing, what else is in Lewisburg and what is there to do in your area?

If you ask my kids, not much! There’s a real focus on family and home here. We’re home to Bucknell University, one of the private ivy league level schools, and they have a spectacular basketball team so we’ve gotten into college b-ball. We have a couple of major private companies in the area, so there’s a fair amount of money buried in this little town. It probably has as much to do with the age of our kids but right now our lives revolve around a traveling soccer league and horseback riding shows.

Most people notice that you are tall and "slim." What do you do to keep your girlish figure?

I used to be a real gym rat, going 4-5 times a week. In summer I spend a lot of time in the garden, getting an old fashioned workout digging, weeding and hauling dirt. Plus, I’m married to an Ironman Triathlete so we eat pretty healthy in our house.

What is your favorite food? Favorite restaurant?

Favorite food – fresh berries Favorite restaurant – anything authentic Italian.

What is your favorite film?

I love movies but don’t have a favorite film. I rarely watch the same one twice. Life is filled with too many new adventures to watch, so why repeat the past?

Favorite actor?

Again, no clear cut favorites. Anyone who is comfortable, naturally gifted and interesting to watch.

What business books have been most influential to you?

The Girl’s Guide To Being a Boss Without Being A Bitch. I have an office of women on my team and I feel obligated to teach them how to grow and lead others. Too many women make it to the top by stepping on others. That’s not allowed here.

My other favorite is the classic 21 Immutable Laws of Marketing. It takes you back to basics.

What mentors have had the most impact on you and why?

First, my father. He has always been passionate about business and solving the puzzles that marketing presents. When I was a kid we would make up a business and brainstorm how to make it work – product development, management, marketing, etc. Yeah, I know – totally geeky!

My other mentor is my business coach Julie Taylor. She is my voice of reason, keeping me on track with goals and growth for the company.

How did you manage to start your own incredibly successful marketing company for dentists? What were the challenges?

Larry (my husband) had been pushing me to do this since we got married, but I wasn’t ready. Then he was published in Bill Dickerson’s book about 10 top cosmetic dentists in the country. The marketing I was doing for him was published as part of his chapter, and I started getting calls one night at dinner. So I gave into demand, bought a phone and computer, and started the next day – literally.

The challenges have always been the same. Balancing work and family. Finding talented employees and keeping them happy and productive. Helping clients to make changes they aren’t always ready to do, but need to do.

What did you do before you had your own company? What is your educational background?

I’ve been in marketing and advertising since before I got out of college. My first job was with a major firm in Pittsburgh, and I jumped up through the ranks very quickly. I was handling major national retail clients after just 6 months. When we moved to Lewisburg I thought I might be stuck, but I found several good regional agencies with national accounts, and kept going in my career.

I went to the University of Pittsburgh and earned a BA in English Literature (I’m a writer by training) and a minor in Russian History. The business curriculum bored me silly – it was all about accounting and economics, not hands on practical applications in the business world. So I learned that part through student activities.

Where did you learn most of what you know about marketing?

Much of it came from my first boss, who was a gift to a young person in the field. The rest came from time and experience.

How does Golden Proportions differ from all the other dental marketing companies out there who are competing for our business?

To begin with, we’re not interested in quantity. If you want a million patients, join Delta and get your sneakers on, because the treadmill never ends. I prefer to attract pre-qualified, educated patients for our doctors. Plus, with the gift of being married to a dentist, I have a very first hand feel for what our clients go through when running a practice. Our recommendations are practical, but the execution is high end and gorgeous.

What advice do you have for DCA members who are trying to bring in patients who are looking for a more comfortable experience in the dental office?

Service, service, service. It won’t bring new patients in directly, but I guarantee that it will turn them into raving fans of your office and they’ll send you a lot of referrals. You just can’t buy that kind of ROI.

Do dentists really need to market? Some of us feel uncomfortable advertising. Can't we just rely on word of mouth alone? Doesn't advertising make us look desperate for new patients?

Does Mercedes seem like they are desperate for people to buy their cars? They have a fabulous word of mouth reputation, but they still market their product. You have to stay top of mind with so many other dentists competing for your patients. No, you don’t HAVE to market, but you’ll feel the pinch when the guy next to you does it.

What principles of marketing do DCA members need to know about?

Repetition, consistency, and targeting. Don’t dip your toe in the water if you aren’t committed to going swimming. You’ll just end up cold and wet.

What can Golden Proportions Marketing do for DCA dentists?

First – targeting. We can help you to position what is unique about your practice. Second, we can help develop a long term plan to keep your marketing consistent. Finally, with media and message, we’ll help you repeat your message to the community and stick with it. Most doctors fail to realize that they will get sick of their marketing long before the general public does. We’ll keep you on track.

What business principles have made you so successful?

Hmmm...probably stubbornness! And pride. I want our clients shouting our names from the rooftops because they are so happy with our work and the results. So I’ll stubbornly keep at it until we have the perfect product. I won’t stick my name on anything inferior.

What one adjective describes you?

Passionate. About business, family, life in general. Life without passion is bland.

Many of us have looked into marketing before and it always sounds so expensive. How can we justify a monthly expense like marketing when our budgets are already stretched to the max? Is marketing really an investment rather than an expense?

Most doctors need a good practice management consultant or coach to open their eyes and guide their budget. They don’t teach much about business in dental school, so I rarely find a doctor who budgets or tracks his numbers. The bottom line impact is immediate when they simply pay attention to the message of the money. The money is there for marketing, most doctors just don’t know it.

How long does it take to see real results in terms of new patients scheduling directly from our marketing investment? How long should we wait if we're not seeing results? And then what do we do?

If you have never marketed before, expect a good 6 months of solid effort (serious exposure, not 2 ads a month in the weekly paper!) to start to see a real result. Granted, it depends where you live and what the competition is doing. It’s going to take longer to break through in San Francisco or Chicago than a small town.

If you are seeing NO traceable results in 4-6 months, reevaluate the plan. But make sure you are tracking, or your perceptions will be skewed. Don’t just ask patients what ONE media brought them in, ask them to check off every source that they have seen you in. One media leads to the next, and the path is not usually clear unless you have all the pieces.

What's the sage advice can you quote that is relevant to DCA members?

Your personality and that of your team has more to do with your success than your marketing. Patients are ultimately buying a service, which comes from a person. If you have a negative outlook, act like you don’t care, or are elitist, you’re toast. Want to know if you’re the source of the problem? Check your referral numbers. I don’t care if you live in the most elite section of NY, people will refer if they love you. You should be getting 50% of all new patient calls from patient or professional referrals. When a doctor tells me that he has no idea why people won’t refer, it sends off alarms.

What would someone be surprised to know about Xana Winans?

They would be surprised to learn that I’m ridiculously generous and a softie. As a “D” personality I can come across as a hard-ass (or so my mother tells me J) but I love to give back.

First Job?

I was an after school business assistant to an independent consultant who repped for a national carpeting manufacturer. I skipped all the way home on the day I got the job.

Business Philosophy?

You must love what you do, who you do it for, and who you do it with. If one of those isn’t working, you need to make a change.

How do you stay motivated?

I actually keep a “grateful” journal. I write down what I am grateful for in life. When things get difficult, I re-read these things, and force myself to discover something good in the bad situation. It’s an amazing mental turn-around.

Best decision?

Marrying my husband.

Worst decision?

Taking on a client who did not match my business philosophy – not fun.

What do like best...and least... about your job?

Best – my team and my clients.

Worst – wearing too many hats, hard to keep focused some days.

Pet peeve?

People who don’t stack grocery carts together in the cart return. It takes 3 seconds and then it doesn’t all fill up and overflow into the road. It’s just lazy!

Most important lesson learned?

Humility and patience.

Person most interested in meeting?

No great heroes really. I look to the “here and now” for inspiration.

Characteristic most admired? Least admired?

Most – Common sense and personal initiative.

Least – Not thinking before asking a dumb question. And laziness.

Your greatest strength?

My stubborn determination.

Question you want answered?

Can’t think of one.

Most ecstatic moment--aside from wedding day and kids being born?

The day my team called me into the conference room and announced I had been selected by Governor Ed Rendell as one of the top 50 Women in Business in the state of Pennsylvania. I’m not ego driven but that was REALLY cool.

Xana, Thank you so much for taking the time to enlighten the DCA members with your marketing wisdom!

My pleasure Josh, and thank you for including GPM with this fabulous initiative!