If you’re a dentist, your goal is to have a book full of appointments. And to do that, you’ll need a solid dental advertising plan.
Whether you’re in a small community or have larger outreach than others, there are a few solid tactics you can apply to your dental marketing. These tips will save you time and energy, so you can continue doing what’s best for your patients.
People may not love going to the dentist, but they will love how easy it is to find you when they need dental work done!
Let’s take a look at a few keys to your dental advertising:
Start Small, Start Local
It’s a new world we live in, and as you’ll see in most of this guide, you’re probably better off using technology to aid your advertising than anything else. However, using tech does not mean you can’t start small.
In fact, it’s beneficial to you and your future customers that you do.
When you start small, you can give more attention to the first few people you meet through your advertisements. You can find out what was attractive about your offer, and what may have gone to the wind. Through this research, even if it’s simple, you can then fine tune and tweak your message to better serve people down the road.
In both the short and long term, quality early on will go a long way toward giving you the quantity you need through advertising to fill your business.
Be On Social Media
If your dental practice is not on social media by now, you can assume you are behind the curve. Still, it’s better to get on it late than never.
Even in the smallest circles, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat are being used to engage community members and partner with other businesses.
To the point, using something like Facebook Ads is incredibly powerful simply because you can show all of your marketing ideas for dentists to even the most niche crowds.
Especially if you’re surrounded by a small team, you’ll want to start slow on social media. Remember that consistency is key. One or two different platforms with a consistent message using your unique dental branding will be enough to start getting people interested.
Also, be sure to check out these social media tips and tricks.
Tell Stories
One specific tactic of using social media for dental marketing is to tell stories. Consider the nature of being a dentist, and think about how you could tell a story to your local community.
Some ideas include having patients write or record reviews, telling stories about how someone’s life has been improved through your work or sharing people’s experience of your office. Marketing By Kevin offers some solid tips for dentists, as well as some genius digital marketing strategies to help you get started.
Think Win-Win
Who in your community could you partner with to create a “win-win” scenario? Is there a group or business nearby that aligns to your vision for the dental business you’re building?
All of the tips above, including starting small, using social media, and telling stories, work well when paired with other businesses you believe in. Treat it like a thought experiment at the very least and see if there is potential for your advertising campaign to get help out someone else in the process.
How Are You Generating Leads?
While searching online for lead generation information is exhausting, it is an important topic. How do you know your marketing ideas for dentists are landing with the right audience? The answer is you don’t if you don’t have a solid generation for leads.
Again, the advice here is to start small. Making sure you have a strong email chain or way to engage with your clients is a fool-proof way of ensuring that people stay in the loop with what you’re doing.
Here are three things about leads you should consider for your dental practice:
1. Attracting
We’ve already touched on this, but how are you bringing in new people? Is your message clear and concise? Does it align with the values you have as a business owner?
2. Converting
What are you doing to give potential customers some skin in the game? Can you give something away or provide something to your community that will be perceived well by many?
If you give away a lead magnet that saves them 10% on their first visit, how are you treating that customer before and after they arrive at your office? It’s not just about saving money, but the whole customer experience that helps convert people from unknown community members to consistent clients that you love serving.
3. Closing
What call-to-action (CTA) is compelling enough to get a new lead into your appointment book? Whether you play the long game through email marketing, or you dish out a hot, yet limited, piece of value, you need to find a way to close your customers.
Without a plan in place for all three of these things, you will inevitably find holes in your pipeline.
Dental Advertising Wrap-Up
As you look to fill your appointment book up with new clients, ask yourself the following questions:
How can I start small? Your dental advertising and practice will surely benefit from early successes with a small group of people. Give them the time and attention they deserve so you can serve bigger groups later.
How are you presenting yourself on social media? These days, this is where people are finding their news. If you aren’t using social media clearly and consistently to advertise, you’re missing out.
Tell stories through your dental advertising. Without an emotional connection, people will be less likely to buy into your stuff.
And to that point, build and constantly improve your lead generation system. Focus on the three components of lead generation: attracting, converting, and closing. Using the other tips in this article will help you accomplish all of them.
To read more, check out some of these social media tips for businesses. Good luck!
