Are you marketing or anti-marketing?

By Dr. Tanya Brown

Marketing is not an event; it is an attitude! Every day, we either “market” or “anti-market” ourselves and our practices in countless ways, from how we dress, to how we answer the phone, to how long we keep patients waiting, and even how gentle we are with patients. Have you ever been to a retail store and needed help finding an item, and there was no salesperson to be found? Have you ever been to a retail store with a pleasant salesperson that is available and ready to help you? Which store are you likely to return to more often and buy from? Most people say the second store because of the positive experience.

Retail stores are similar to dentistry in that our “customers,” our patients, come to us needing help. If they have a positive experience each time they visit your practice and are greeted warmly during their initial phone call and visit, they are more likely to refer their friends. It all boils down to relationships. The more connected they feel to your practice, the stronger their relationship with you and your team.

There are many ideas for enhancing the relationship. A few successful ones include:
1. New patient phone call prior to their visit
2. Welcome gift at their first visit
3. Welcome note after their first visit

For starters, have the doctor call all new patients a day or two before their initial visit to your practice. The new patients will be amazed and impressed. You will reduce the number of no-shows as well as save time on their initial visit. Call and simply say, “Hi, this is Dr. Smith and I’m calling to introduce myself. Michelle shared with me that you’re interested in a smile makeover. Can you tell me a bit more about that? I’m looking forward to meeting you in person. Do you know where our office is located?” Take good notes to share with your team at the morning huddle. This valuable information that the patient shared will go a long way to cementing your relationship with him or her. The person will feel well cared for.

Secondly, you could give each new patient a welcome gift such as a travel bag filled with toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, mouthwash, and a brochure about the practice or services you provide. Next, you could send a “welcome to the practice” note after a patient’s first visit and enclose a few business cards or a magnet, so people can call you if they have any questions. Hopefully they will share the cards with friends and family.

With the popularity of social media today, you should have a Facebook fan page for patients to “like” your practice. A successful marketing strategy is to meet your patients and potential patients where they are, which is online. One statistic reveals that 59% of consumers go online from their smart phones instead of their desktop computers.

Today’s dental patients are truly mobile. The most successful dental practices are the ones that “connect the dots” for their patients by meeting them where they are and providing what they need. One social media marketing idea could be a giveaway for the first several patients who call and schedule an appointment or refer a friend. You could also promote your patients’ local businesses to increase their visibility as well. Another idea is to post patient video testimonials of patients showing off their new smiles.

Many marketing ideas can be created relatively inexpensively and can go a long way to building strong relationships by marketing your practice and services. These are by no means the only suggestions, but they have been tried and have proven successful. The goal is for everyone in your practice to look at all the opportunities available to positively market your practice every day. When all team members focus on enhancing patients’ relationships with the practice, it is a win-win for patients, the team, and the practice. Remember, marketing is not an event; it is an attitude!

Dr. Tanya Brown, a leader in dentistry and dental management, founded and practices at The Center for Cosmetic & Restorative Dentistry. She is a member of the Speaking Consulting Network and is a senior consultant and speaker for Miles Global. Contact Dr. Brown for a complimentary list of marketing ideas. She can be reached at [email protected] or (757) 285-2833.