You may be asking yourself, “How can I promote my dental practice?” Do not be overwhelmed by trying to create a complete marketing strategy. Your dental practice is unique, and your needs are not necessarily the same as all other existing dentists. Personalize your marketing efforts. This takes some trial and error, but in the end, you will find what works most efficiently for marketing your dental practice.
You have your hands full with maintaining your dental practice. Balancing the business and medical aspects of your practice takes quite a bit of effort. That is why this guide suggests 23 basic marketing strategies you can implement at any time. Finding new customers for your practice allows it to thrive. But where do you begin?
Dental Marketing
Why is marketing essential to dental practices? Because marketing is how you reach new patients and maintain relationships with your current ones. Digital marketing has become the main channel since most people are searching online for their healthcare providers, and more specifically, their dentists. So to answer the question of how you can improve your marketing and advertising efforts, focus your attention on improving your digital presence. The list below provides different ideas on how to successfully do dental practice marketing.
1. Google
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the strategy used to lead a potential customer to your website. When a person searches on Google, your dental practice will need to show up to be clicked on. Make sure the text and content on your website development match what people are searching for. For example, if someone is looking for a dentist in your area, make sure your website lists your address, services, and business hours.
2. Google Ads For Your Dental Practice
Google Advertising runs on a PPC, or pay-per-click model, which means you will only be charged if someone clicks on your ad. This is an excellent, cost-effective way to guarantee you are not overspending without results. You will customize your ad to include your business and contact information, any promotions or offers you like, call to action, Keywords, etc. This will help new clients find your dentist’s office when they go on Google. Further information about Google Ads can be found here.
3. Utilize Professional Logo and Branding For Your Practice
You do not want to come across as a second-class dental practice. Having cohesive branding for your practice will instantly boost your credibility. Hire a professional to provide a high-quality logo and various other graphics. This will be money well spent.
4. Blog About Your Dental Practice Knowledge
Write blog posts to show off your expert dental knowledge. Your posts will allow potential new patients to feel more comfortable knowing they are visiting a professional. The blog posts can be about common procedures, frequently asked questions, or new dental innovations, any new information they should know about. These blog posts will also help out your SEO. This means that whatever you write about has a chance to show up in search results. It is a great way to grow your digital presence and direct new clients to your page. Here is a guide on how to build an outstanding online presence as a dental practice.
Need to create some blog content?
5. Mobilize Your Website
You should already have made a professional, easy-to-use website. Also, check to make sure that it is optimized to be user-friendly on mobile devices. People commonly search from phones and tablets, not necessarily a desktop computer. Take that into account when marketing your practice.
6. Search Remarketing For Dental Practices
An excellent way to make sure you are not letting website visitors go to a competitor is remarketing ads. When people leave your websites without contacting your office, you can target them individually with remarketing ads (Cookies). These advertisements can include displays that acknowledge that they visited your site and provide an offer before they visit other existing practices. For more remarketing inspiration, check this out.
7. Advertising Your Results
It is most enticing for customers to see the results of successful dental work, including a beautiful smile and oral health. People will be more interested in these results than simply listing the service associated with them. Use this as your marketing message to attract new patients.
8. Remember to Include a Call to Action
A call to action is a phrase that instructs the person viewing to perform a specific action. Make sure to include these in all marketing materials and any other existing content you create. These calls to action can direct people to call your office, visit your website, or follow your social media pages. Just make sure they are simple and worded clearly, this will improve your conversion rate which increases the number of appointment set.
9. Connect With Your Target Audience
Creating an ideal persona for who you want to target should be a high priority. This allows you to strategize your marketing efforts to find people most likely to visit your practice. You can do this in various marketing forms including your social media presence, your website, and your SEO.
10. Facebook Remarketing
It is common for people to use Facebook when looking for reviews or more information about dental practices. In this instance, you need to treat Facebook like it is Google search results. After a user clicks on the dental practice’s Facebook profile and leaves without visiting your website, you can target them with specific ads. This remarketing effort will bring their attention back to your profile, and ultimately, your website.
11. Offer Discounts, But Be Selective
Discounts can be useful to grab new patient interest. Make sure you are offering discounts in a way that allows you to stand out from your competitors. View these discounts as a marketing investment for new patient sign-ups or towards a specific service. Just make sure to track the effectiveness of each promotion.
12. Offer Prepaid Appointment Incentives
Speaking of promotions; offer a discount to your customers who prepay for their appointment. When the appointment is prepaid, patients are more likely to stick to the schedule and not cancel. The discount does not need to be substantial, but rather a little sweetener. Promotions and discounts are always an important part of your dental marketing strategy.
13. Build a Professional Network To Find New Patients
Stay engaged with local businesses and doctors. This professional network allows you to cross-refer patients between one another. Make sure you trust your network. Patients value the opinion of other professionals they already know. You can even create an advertising and marketing strategy between businesses within your network. Other businesses will be eager to work with a dental professional. For more tips, refer to our guide on attracting new patients as a dental clinic.
We are the professionals you want to contact.
14. Create a Referral Program
Reviews and referrals are one of the most important marketing aspects to keep your practice thriving. A new patient will be more comfortable and likely to sign up to your practice if they have been referred by a trusted source. Word-of-mouth and review websites are both keys to gaining new sign-ups. To collect positive reviews, create a referral program. Add an incentive for the patient to discuss their positive experiences on sites such like Yelp and Google.
15. Show Off My Expertise
Both current and potential new patients want to know their health is being entrusted to a capable dentist. Demonstrate your expertise by writing articles to be published in newspapers or journals. Show off these writings in your office and on your website as a form of advertising and marketing. A well-written blog will also allow you to prove that you are a modern doctor who knows what you are talking about and help build credibility.
16. Mail Marketing Ideas
Traditional direct mail can still be an effective marketing strategy when trying to reach locals in your community. One particularly effective method is to target new movers. Since these people are new to the community, they will be searching for new healthcare professionals. Include your website and contact information on all mailers. To get some more inspiration on mailers, check this out.
17. Facebook and Other Social Media Marketing To Show Your Practice’s
Many patients will be interested in your presence on social media. Try out the various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and determine which is most beneficial to marketing your practice. Look for which platform allows you to engage with your patients and grow your business. You can share photos, create content, articles, or just post something memorable that your patients will enjoy and even want to share, this ultimately will grow your practice name. Check out a marketing guide for dental social media here.
18. Support Your Local Community
Stay involved in your community to meet your patients and form deeper relationships. You can attend local events or even sponsor them by purchasing advertisements. This can also be another opportunity to showcase your brand’s marketing by placing your dentist name and logo on all merchandise or ads. Make sure to craft personal connections, make a great impression, and highlight your practices.
19. Email and Newsletters Marketing
Send emails to your patients to stay connected with them. These emails can serve both marketing and outreach purposes. This is also an opportunity for you to get creative and show your personality. You can include monthly newsletters that discuss topics like frequently asked questions, policy changes at your practices, or even reminders to make regular appointments. Need a little more information on email marketing? Check this out.
20. Create Marketing Video Content
Video content is often more engaging when people are scrolling through your social media pages or your websites than walls of text. Videos help to keep your audience interested in your business. Record short videos that tour your office, interview your doctors, or introduce new team members. Here is another idea, with patient permission, you can even include dental procedures to demonstrate how quick and easy it is to visit your practice.
Content is what will help separate your dental practice from other dentists. Allow your creativity to flow.
21. Doctor and Staff Biographies
Patients will also be interested to learn more about your doctors and team. Include biography sections on your website to introduce each person in your office. These can also be videos or straightforward paragraphs. Without divulging too much personal information, you can include their education and credentials. A new patient will gain trust in your practice when they see that you are an open book.
Not sure how to add new website content?
22. Show Appreciation for Your Patients
Up until this point, you have been concerned with the question of how to promote and advertise your dental office. But, it is equally important to consider your patients. Find meaningful ways to show your patients that you are grateful for them because they are what keeps your practice running. For example, and with their permission, you can snap a photo of an existing patient who has gone 6 months without cavities or any other similar achievement. Share these photos on your social media pages to show that you enjoy showcasing your patients’ successes. You can also create giveaways or provide small gifts as tokens of your appreciation.
23. Don’t Use Plain, Boring Business Cards
Create a memorable first impression with your custom business cards. These can be a useful tool to help spread your dental practice’s brand. While still maintaining professionalism, allow your creativity to shine through. Just be sure to include the basics of any professional business card: your address, phone number, and website, or other small information similar. Hand these cards out at a community event, to local businesses, or have patients take a couple and distribute them to their colleagues, friends, or family.
Recap
As you can see, there are many options to consider when promoting your dental practice. Now you have answered the question, “How can I promote my dental practice?” Try out these suggestions and maintain the ones that you enjoy when creating your effective marketing strategy. Remember that your digital presence is often your first impression with potential new patients, so stay up to date and refresh these strategies as often as is needed. Also, don’t forget about your current patients and your local community, and maintain meaningful relationships with them. Allow each marketing effort time to succeed, and you will see new patients flowing through your doors.
