We have helped a lot of dentists turn their practices around. In that time, we’ve come across many mistakes that we see time and time again. Don’t wait until it’s too late to ask for help. You might be making seemingly innocent mistakes that are costing you money.
5 Common Marketing Mistakes that Dentists Make
1. You’re not active on social media.
Oh, how times have changed! You’ve spent all of this time becoming trained and
educated, investing heavily into your practice, only to be told that Twitter
might be a good use of your time.
If the recent election taught us anything, it’s that even the major players are engaged in social media. There’s a reason why 80% of Fortune 500 companies use Facebook to engage with their audience. Most of which also use Twitter on a daily basis.
If I told you that 75% of your target market used a certain website every day, would you consider that a valuable space to advertise?
Social media is a powerful tool because that’s where all the people are. Most of the people in your community are on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, so that’s where you should be targeting some of your marketing efforts, too.
2. Your online marketing efforts are inconsistent.
Good marketing often takes time. How much time? Depends on the method, but
studies have demonstrated that more than 80% of sales occur after the fifth
contact. That’s a lot, and specifically for dentistry, it’s about catching them
at the right time.
The goal is to make your practice top of mind so when the time comes to find a dentist, it’s your practice they are thinking about. When they do a Google search, you want your practice to show up in the top three (with great reviews).
Whether it’s online ads, pay-per-click campaigns, blogging, or social media, these are all investments that take a little time before you can collect on the bountiful harvest.
3. You’re neglecting your Google My Business page.
Twenty years ago if you said you didn’t want your practice to be listed in the
phone book you would have been called crazy. Today, if you’re not managing your
free Google My Business page, I’m going to say the same thing.
Google has only been increasing the importance of your local listing, and the fact of the matter is that it’s the most likely way that new patients are going to find you. Even current patients might turn to Google for practice information like hours or phone numbers, and you wouldn’t want them lured away by some more diligent dentist in your area.
Without Google My Business, you might not appear on local map listings. Even if you already have an unclaimed, unverified page, you need to claim it right away and optimize it. The vitals are to make sure the name, address, hours, and phone number are correct.
4. Your website is lacking, or you don’t have one at all.
A quality and responsive website is a must-have for 2017. If your website is
found lacking, those who see it might think that your dentistry could be
lacking as well. Visitors who can’t find information or find incorrect
information will look elsewhere. You have only a few seconds to make a good
impression.
Most people (more than 80%) will search online for health-related information and providers. Most of those are now doing it with their mobile devices (as opposed to desktop computers), and that means that your website design should not just check all the boxes, but it should also be responsive, meaning it optimizes viewing for various devices.
Fortunately, it’s now easier to make a website than ever before. Even if you are completely unfamiliar with HTML and CSS, services like WordPress can help you get started and allow you to easily keep your website updated.
As the digital window into your business, I’d still suggest having a professional help you with the initial design. A good designer with an eye for marketing will save you a tremendous amount of headaches down the road.
Be sure your website covers all vital areas such as your location, hours, and phone number. Use photos of the real practice and your team members to give it a personal touch, and ensure that they have an easy way to contact the practice.
5. You aren’t asking for reviews.
I’ve talked before about how important reviews and online
reputation are for dentists, so I’ll be brief here. The overwhelming majority
of your patients-to-be will look for you online and read some reviews before
contacting you (or someone else).
After all, when you are looking for a local business, what do you do? Would you choose the auto repair shop with 35 reviews and a 4.5 star rating, or the auto repair shop with only a handful of reviews?
The Bottom Line
I’ve never come across a practice that was struggling that was already covering all five of the areas listed above. Most dental practices have to learn the hard way how to incorporate modern marketing strategies into their game plan. My final advice would be to skip the growing pains and have the experts set you on the path to success from the very beginning.
~Brodie Tyler