Successful marketing can be the difference between a good dental practice and a great dental practice. This is especially true when you are practicing comprehensive care. Think about it. When you are successful with helping your patients obtain ideal oral health you essentially work yourself out of a job. Eventually you will get to the point where your existing patients are completely restored or they are just of the ‘I will only fix something when it breaks ‘ mindset. A comprehensive marketing plan can provide your office with a consistent source of quality new patients and is absolutely critical if you are going to achieve optimal success today!
When I present courses on marketing I talk about your comprehensive marketing plan as analogous to a three-legged stool. I like to use this analogy because if any of the legs are missing, the stool topples over. The same is true of a successful marketing plan. If any of the three components are missing, your marketing plan is less effective. The three elements of a comprehensive marketing plan are; 1) Internal Marketing, 2) External Marketing and 3) Digital Marketing. I will define each of these components further below and list some activities in each category that are working for our clients along with resources.
Internal Marketing
The primary purpose of your internal marketing activities is to turn your patients into raving fans that can’t wait to tell other people about your office. Here are three useful internal marketing activities:
- Referral gift card program (www.dentalreferralprogram.com)
- Asking selected patients to write a Google review
- Evening ‘We Care’ call from Dr. (http://www.takacslearningcenter.com/patientsdontcare/)
External Marketing
The primary purpose of external marketing is to inform people in your community about your office. Here are three useful external marketing activities:
- Direct Mail (www.affordableimage.com)
- Making mouth guards for local high school football team (http://www.takacslearningcenter.com/having-fun-and-giving-back/)
- Wellness Hour Cable TV show (http://www.takacslearningcenter.com/dentalauthority/)
Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is using 21st century technology to market your practice. Here are three very effective digital marketing activities:
- Great website (www.affordableimage.com)
- Mobile-friendly website (www.makingmobi.com)
- Social media strategy (www.mysocialpractice.com)
The dental profession is neatly dividing into two very distinct camps. One camp is composed of Dentists who are thriving in today’s economic climate. The other camp is composed of Dentists who are wallowing. Dentists who are thriving today have a comprehensive marketing plan that provides a consistent source of quality new patients. Consider the activities and resources listed in this blog post and join the camp of thriving Dentists! Here’s to your success. Keep Smiling!
