all articlesMay 29, 2009
Effective Dental Marketing Model
We’re going into the summer season and if your dental market is anything like our Florida market, than your new patient flow is in for a slow. As a former dental practice manager, I (…Igor here) only had to make the mistake of sitting idle and waiting for new patients once.
During market slow down, you should expand your marketing campaign.
The above does not imply allocating more capital to your marketing account, far from it. It suggests that you refine your marketing campaign to be highly targeted and efficient in part by eliminating marginally productive marketing outlets and strengthening your star performers.
A few seminars, a few books, a few business classes, and a ton of trial-and-error led me to design an effective dental marketing model pictured below (with a few general outlines). NOTE: This model is strictly for marketing dentistry.
Direct Mail
If you pay attention to marketing strategy debates, you may have heard the big topic, “Hand-addressed letter vs. Postcard”. In the context of dental marketing, it is a useless argument because both approaches are effective in the right situation. I found that postcards with a strong ‘call to action’ theme are more cost-effective in external marketing than hand addressed letters. While hand-addressed letters are significantly more effective in internal marketing because they are strong report builders.
Web Marketing
Web marketing is the new “front” and can be intimidating for those who do not understand it. I suggest you introduce yourself to the basics of online marketing, but don’t waste your time on trying to master the process, which is quite intricate. Invest in a good website (don’t pay more than $5,000) and find a solid web marketing company (I recommend Customer Magnetism). An effective website can produce over 20% of your new patient flow.
Email is strictly for internal marketing and it can be very effective in bringing existing patients back. Make an effort to systemize email collection in your dental practice.
Local Newspaper
I found that small-time local newspapers are more effective in producing more new patients than a big-time city paper. It makes sense because local newspapers are highly targeted towards middle age population in your area.