How to Attract New Patients With Effective Dental Marketing Techniques
Providing helpful information to patients can help you get them through the door and keep them returning. Emails like appointment reminders and educational content, like a video series or guide, are great options. Use marketing techniques that speak directly to your ideal patient. One way to achieve this is by developing a buyer persona, a partially fictional portrayal of your intended audience.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
Getting in front of local prospective patients is essential, and Google’s PPC advertising allows dentists to do just that. By bidding on keywords related to their practice, dentists can ensure their ads appear at the top of search results—right in front of people needing a dentist. The key to PPC success is optimizing your landing pages to be compelling and informative and encouraging visitors to take action (like scheduling an appointment). By partnering with a dental marketing agency such as Golden Proportions Marketing that understands the unique needs of your dental office, you can expect a fantastic ROI on your advertising dollars.
Offering a referral bonus to current and former patients is another effective way dentists attract new customers. These promotions can include a discounted treatment or free product, and they can be as simple as a postcard handout at the office or inclusion in other practice mailings. Be sure to align your promotion with monthly holidays and observances to stay relevant and capture the attention of prospective patients.
Social Media
The first thing you need to do is establish your social media presence. Create a Facebook page and add your logo, office location, phone number, and website address. This will help potential patients find your page and contact information easily. It’s important to tailor your marketing messages to fit the needs of each generation. For example, Boomers want security, while Gen X and Millennials prefer to feel valued as customers. This narrative can be reflected in the copy and creativity of your advertising campaigns. It also helps to have an up-to-date website that reflects your brand voice and messaging. This will ensure potential patients have a positive experience with your clinic. This will lead to them returning and referring their friends and family members.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a great way to communicate with potential and existing patients. In addition to appointment reminders and confirmations, dental practices can send personalized emails with tips for good oral health or a special offer on an upcoming procedure. For example, if you have an ad featuring free cleaning or teeth whitening for first-time patients, you can use remarketing to display it again to people who visited your website but didn’t book an appointment. You can also segment your list by age, location, relationship status, and more to deliver highly-targeted ads that are more likely to resonate with the audience.
You can also use Google Ads to promote your dental practice in local search results for specific keywords. You pay for these ads on a cost-per-click basis. You can target them to visitors who have already visited your website, whether they’re in the middle of booking an appointment or simply browsing local businesses. The goal is to bring back interested prospects and drive conversions. To do so, you must create ads that speak directly to their concerns and needs.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization is a key component of dental marketing. It involves various technical and creative tactics to help patients find a dental practice online. This includes creating content relevant to patient needs, optimizing website pages for the right keywords, and leveraging local SEO strategies.
A blog is one of the best ways to promote a dental practice. This allows a dental practice to create in-depth content that answers common questions and addresses customer pain points. A dental blog also helps improve the quality of a website’s on-page SEO, which can help it rank higher in search engines.
Another way to attract new patients is through social media. Facebook offers many demographic targeting options so that a dentist can target potential customers based on their age, location, interests, and more. This marketing method is effective because it targets the exact audience that a practice wants to reach. Moreover, it’s a cost-effective way to get the word out about a dental clinic. It’s important to note, however, that dental social media marketing is a long-term strategy and requires regular investments of both time and money.
Reputation Management
Reputation management is a valuable tool for dental offices to attract new patients. It involves monitoring reviews and messages from current patients to ensure the office’s reputation remains positive, promptly, and respectfully addressing negative comments. Social media marketing can attract new clients, particularly when your office is involved in community outreach programs. These initiatives can include hosting a free dental seminar for the community or providing refreshments at local events like charity runs and school fairs.
A well-designed website is one of a dentist’s most important tools to attract new patients. The site should include all the relevant information prospective patients may seek, including details about your services, pricing, and scheduling. It should also include a live chat feature that allows people to ask questions and book appointments online.
84% of people say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, so collecting (and promoting) positive reviews from your existing clients is essential.
