Marketing Modern Dentistry – Flo Couper – Calcivis
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 20th December 2019
Marketing is all about communication – reaching the right people, in the right way at the right time. It is important to tailor communication to any patient demographic and as well as using the traditional ways of delivering messages, practices should explore fast and convenient ways of attracting attention, delivering information, making connections and engaging patients. Digital media offers a multitude of opportunities to attract and interest new patients, enhance the reputation of the practice and build the business. Here are just a few tips:
Create a strong, engaging website
It is no longer a bonus to have a website, it is a necessity. People looking for a dentist in a specific area or to provide a certain service are most likely to use a search engine on the internet to find what they want. The practice website creates the all-important first impression so it must be well designed and organised to provide instant credibility. People can form opinions remarkably quickly and if the website is slow to load, looks confusing or unprofessional, they will simply move on. The practice website should be informative and engaging but also, easy to navigate and effortless to use from all types of devices.
To stand the best chance of turning a visitor into a new patient the website should clearly show what services are available, where the practice is located, the opening hours and prominent contact details. Patient testimonials and reviews are also important because the first thing people are likely to do is to read what others think of the practice. There should be a link on the website where patients can leave their feedback as well as links to social media pages. A section introducing the dental team with profiles and photos will also help to build trust and patient relationships. Interesting on-site content with eye catching images helps to grab attention; it is an opportunity to showcase services and success stories, mention individual and team achievements and promote the ethos of the practice whilst using key words such as “pain-free,” “gentle” and “preventive dentistry”.
Equally, blogs, videos, news and a “frequently asked questions” section can drive visitors to the website. However, consider getting professional assistance to employ search engine optimisation strategies (SEO) that ensure that the website is aligned with relevant search enquiries, reaches the right audience and helps to convert visitors into patients.
Generate patient reviews
It is widely accepted that people trust online reviews written by people that they don’t know as much as recommendations from people they do know. Positive reviews are highly influential; they endorse the practice, provide reassurance and help people to make a decision about which dental practice to choose. The dental team should be trained to ask for reviews as part of the practice processes with a gentle nudge after appointments or a follow up email, for example. It is important to thank patients for their kind comments and always respond quickly and efficiently to negative reviews.
Connect to social media
Social media provides the perfect opportunity to reach out to potential patients, create an online community and to connect and build relationships with existing patients. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter allow practices to post updates, news, oral health advice, campaigns and interesting information about the practice and the team. As well as including contact details and patient reviews it provides a variety of touchpoints for potential new patients. Furthermore, it is easy to share information with plenty of visual interest – remember, photos are likely to receive around 30 times more engagement than a written status.[i] Encourage patients to let you take photos of them for social media and tag them in these posts – a good way to show both skills of practice and good treatment outcomes as well. Also, when people when see their friends tagged in the photos it can prompt them to explore the practice and possibly opt for a similar treatment themselves.
Plug in to technology
To relate to people living in a technology driven society, shout about any new technology or equipment that is installed at the practice. For instance, the CALCIVIS® imaging system puts your practice on the map as a progressive, patient-centred establishment that embraces innovation for the best possible dental experience and oral health outcomes. The CALCIVIS imaging system visualises early active demineralisation on the surfaces of the teeth. Using bioluminescence, it highlights areas or ‘hot spots’ that are likely to lead to caries or damaging dental erosion at the earliest, most reversible stages. This technology demonstrates the practice’s commitment to minimally invasive preventive dentistry and it is also a powerful communication tool. The glowing CALCIVIS images are displayed at the chair side, which helps patients to better understand their oral health status and motivates them to comply with preventive measures to save their teeth from further destruction.
In our super connected, digital world where patients are ever more discerning, owners and managers now need to use a combination of marketing methods to attract new patients and to keep the existing ones coming back.
For more information visit www.CALCIVIS.com
or call 0131 658 5152
[i] [i] Stelzner M.A. 2018 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. May 2018. Published by social Media Examiner. https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Industry-Report-2018.pdf [Accessed 10th September 2019] [Accessed 10th September 2019]
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