Originally published in Trojan Today, December 2018.
With the rise of dental group practices and growing competition, dentists today have more questions about the business side of the practice, particularly marketing, than in the past.
Following are seven of the most common questions asked by dentists, with their respective answers.
1. Why do I keep getting burned by dental marketers?
We often hear dentists are apprehensive to work with a marketing agency because they have done so in the past and have had a poor experience or, as they say, been “burned.” They’ve lost time, money, or sleep from signing on with a less than stellar partner. The answer is not to stop all marketing. The answer is to start marketing smarter and strategically. Survey your best patients to better understand why they chose your practice, where they look in the marketplace for other healthcare providers, and how you can encourage them to make referrals. Having this data will allow you to invest marketing dollars in the most effective places with the most meaningful message.
2. How do I ensure I will get a return on my investment before spending on marketing?
This goes back to surveying and launching a marketing strategy rather than throwing darts in the dark with trial-and-error marketing. The first step is research, by conducting those patient surveys. The second is strategy, or articulating in writing the marketing plan. The third is creating the right marketing tactics as outlined in the plan. The fourth is implementing those tactics. And finally, the last step is optimizing those strategies by analyzing results, fine-tuning what’s working and refining what’s not.
3. Can you get my practice on the top of page one of Google search results for a particular keyword?
There are so many varying factors that impact the ranking of search results. Search results vary from person to person, depending on each individual’s search history, location, exact keywords, etc. Having high-quality, pertinent search results based on keywords is much more beneficial and important to the long-term success of your online presence than just being on page one for a seldom-searched term or two. Moreover, the bigger question is this: How can I stand out from my competitors online? There are dozens of ways to stand out, and SEO is only one of them. A reputable online marketing agency will set you up with the right blend of other tactics like online advertising, retargeting, social media strategies, and more.
4. Should I have videos on my website?
The average Internet user watches almost 200 videos a month. People engage differently with video than they do with photos and text. Videos show faces, voices, and most importantly, personalities. Use video to offer a video tour of your office, showcase patient testimonials, or introduce your staff. In today’s marketplace, consumers are accustomed to watching lower quality videos, so don’t go to the trouble of paying for an expensive professionally staged and shot video. Simply set up a smartphone or tablet on a mini tripod (available on Amazon) in a well-lit area of the practice. You might even call it the smile cam!
5. How important is social media, really?
Often dentists lament, “I don’t have time for social media” or “No one is going to follow a dentist.” Social media is like a practice open house happening around the clock: it’s a great way to stay in touch with patients and build relationships between appointments. Social media marketing also helps increase visits to your practice website. It’s usually best that someone other than the dentist manages social media for the practice, although it is wise for the dentist to check the content across all social media accounts at least once monthly. The person handling social media for the practice must be well-trained in HIPAA compliance, of course.
6. How long does it take to see results from my marketing efforts?
Once you implement a marketing strategy, you can expect new patient traffic to increase right away. On average, most dental practices have the goal of increasing patient traffic by an additional 20 new patients per month. Most start seeing results from day one. Begin reaching that goal in 90 days and start consistently attaining that goal in 6 months.
7. How do I accurately track results?
Depending on the type of marketing your practice is doing, results can often be a mix between subjective and objective. Open houses and brochures lend themselves to greater brand awareness, which can be hard to measure, whereas tactics like online advertising and SEO are highly data-driven. Regardless of the types of marketing you are implementing, it’s important to examine the data to ensure it is working, rather than just relying on a gut feeling. Make sure your marketing agency provides results reporting on all the tactics you are running, preferably as an online dashboard updated in real time and accessible 24/7.
Never has it been more important to powerfully and memorably get the dental practice and dentist’s reputation in front of its respective market. Now you have a few answers on how to do exactly that.
Wendy O’Donovan Phillips is CEO of Big Buzz and author of KABOOM! The Method Used by Top Dentists for Explosive Marketing Results.
FMI: www.bigbuzzinc.com or (720) 350-4484