Every business has the moment of realization that the quote “If you build it, they will come” is definitely not reality—especially in terms of gaining and retaining new dental clients. Having and running a dental practice is not enough in today’s competitive dental market. You must see yourself both as a marketer and as a well-trained dentist. Simply handle your marketing role with these four essentials.
Social Media
74% of all internet users are active on social media networks—with Facebook and Twitter as their platforms of choice. Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn follow closely behind. With over 3 billion internet users across the world, it’s easy to see why marketing your practice through social media is a good investment for your dental practice.
Harnessing such a tool will put your practice at the forefront of your local and industry markets. Clients will have easy access to your promotions and branding efforts. Social media will enable your practice to track feedback and engagement rates, allowing you to understand how your clients feel about your practice and services. Have a guiding voice in the online discussion as you monitor and interact with clients and potential clients who visit, follow, like, and share about your practice.
Not to mention that social media is a marketing budget saver. Aside from strategic promotional giveaways and occasional ad spending, social media will keep your budget low and effective.
Website
How many of you have ever heard or said “I don’t know, Google it” in response to a question? The internet is the leading platform individuals use to inform themselves about local businesses. 53% of adults who find local business information online use one of the following—a search engine, topical specialty sites, or social networking sites.
A quality website is a great investment and addition to your long-term marketing strategy. Those who visit your website will use it for everything from finding your phone number and address, to more in-depth information about your services and background. A well-developed and maintained website will give your clients and potential clients a great first impression to your practice’s brand.
Word of Mouth
In terms of credibility, word of mouth is king. While individuals may find and check information online and through other reliable sources, they will always phone a friend. We are social by nature, and word of mouth ranks among the top 4 sources individuals use for information gathering.
Friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues are all substantial sources of information. As you begin to reach out to your patients, remember that they know several people who could be potential clients. Their experience at your practice and with your brand will be a shared experience. In particularly positive or negative experiences, individuals will even use social media to broadcast and share information with their followers. Keep your practice in good standing as patients open their mouths, whether they’re in for a checkup or referring you to a friend.
Direct Mailing
Tangible direct marketing pieces are the keystone to your promotional and marketing mix. As individuals are bombarded with emails, texts, calls, and other forms of advertising, remember that a simple mailer can do the trick of reminding, informing, and incentivizing a current patient or potential patient to call and make an appointment.
Direct mailing pieces allow you to interact in a helpful and nonintrusive way. DMA reports that direct mailing has a response rate of up to 10 to 30 times that of email. Direct mailers teamed with promotions and special offers can be specific to your local demographic and personalize your dental practice’s brand.
The combination of these four marketing tools will allow you to reach and motivate your patients in a way that is natural and helpful. As you look to inform, retain, and grow your group of patients, remember that they will respond well to a balanced mix of social, web, word of mouth, and direct mailing strategies.
Has your practice found success with any of these strategies? Comment below and let us know what has worked for you.