While most dental practices focus their marketing practice to younger adults and families, few are targeting senior and elderly adults. However, if your practice is located in an area with a large senior adult demographic, marketing directly to these older adults could be quite successful. Here are a few things to keep in mind when marketing to an older demographic.
Demographic Reports
Before you begin a campaign targeting older adults, be sure to do your research to ensure you accurately understand the makeup of the communities you plan to target. Senior living communities and neighborhoods are a great place to start. DentalMarketing.net offers a free demographic report to each of its customers to help you understand where your postcards will be going. We understand that targeted demographics and mailing lists mean higher success rates. Our proprietary software can help you adjust the design and marketing offers on your postcards.
Photos and Images
Most direct mail dental postcards feature the young smiling face of either a child or a young adult. However, if you’re marketing to an older population, consider choosing a model that is in his or her sixties. This will indicate to potential patients that your dental office welcomes people in their age demographic. Adults who are 60 and older are generally more reluctant to seek proper dental care, so sending a clear message that they are welcome in your office can go a long way.
Specialized Offers
Older adults may be interested in different types of offers than their younger counterparts. If your dental office specializes in restorative services, or frequently refer patients to restorative specialists, you could offer a free restorative consultation. Often older adults need more frequent cleanings, so you could advertise a system for discounts on frequent visits. Be creative!
Financing Offers
Another thing to consider when targeting older adults is financing offers. Often senior and elderly adults have difficulty financing trips to the dentist, even though they’re generally the population who is most in need of dental care. Because most adults have dental insurance through their place of employment, retirement requires adults to find alternative insurance and financing options. Advertise your practice’s options for flexible payment plans, and consider including a coupon or special offer for their first visit.
Everyone both young and old needs a quality dentist to care for their teeth. Help older populations find proper dental care by marketing directly to them.
Photo via TC Davis / CC BY
