There’s no getting away from the fact that existing patients are the lifeblood of any dental clinic, but equally as important are new dental patients. Obtaining a steady stream of dental patients means growth and for any company or business, growth is both exciting and necessary.
So while your current patients are your bread and butter, the ones who pay your bills and the ones you need to satisfy, one eye should also be on bringing in around 20 new patients per month per dentist
Why?
Because new dental patients create a buzz!
Put it this way…
… while your existing patients love you, a visit to their local dentist (although clearly a great experience) becomes routine. As such (and understandably) it’s all too easy to become complacent about sharing the love they have for you to others.
Conversely, new dental patients are different. If they receive great service they leave your clinic feeling happy and excited; and just like when you’ve found a great local restaurant that offers impeccable service, it’s more likely that they will tell friends and family about their amazing experience.
Even in this day and age, spreading the word is essential and this is one reason why attracting new patients who pay, stay and refer, is vital.
By far the best way to do this is through dental marketing.
The problem is that new dental practices are popping up every year, yet the number of patients visiting the dentist is declining. More competition for fewer patients can seem pretty bleak but put the right dental marketing plan in place – one that has a coherent marketing strategy – and the chances of gaining new patients will increase.
With this in mind, here are some dental marketing ideas that you can utilise to attract new dental patients
Enhancing your local web presence
It’s easy to assume that because your dental practice is well established in the area that everyone knows about you.
However, it’s probably no surprise that sites like Google My Business and Yelp are very popular for a reason.
You should assume that not everyone knows about your existence and even if they do, it’s great to generate a searchable local profile for your business with a link to your website.
Talking of websites…
The next strategy is to create an SEO optimised, user-friendly website
Chances are you already have a web presence but if it’s seriously lacking in content or dental SEO, then it’s likely to become a challenge to attract new dental patients.
One final point… your website should also be responsive across all platforms. Whether that’s via a mobile, tablet or desktop, navigation should be easy and efficient.
Utilising your existing customer base to bring in new dental patients
Do you know that one of the best forms of dental marketing is your existing dental patients? We’ve already mentioned that it’s all too easy for your existing patients to become complacent about spreading the word, yet according to some sources, 90% of potential customers will follow the advice of personal recommendations.
The question is how can you leverage the power of your existing customer base to provide recommendations?
One great way is to initiate a loyalty programme whereby if an existing patient brings in a new dental patient, then not only does the new patient receive an in-house discount, but the existing patient receives a loyalty bonus. This could be a coupon or voucher for money off their next treatment or access to a personalised discount plan.
Either way, this type of programme can easily be marketed to fit in with your budget constraints but structured in such a way that it keeps existing dental patients coming back to your practice – while attracting new dental patients at the same time.
Invest in paid dental marketing
If you want to seek out new dental patients then it pays to put yourself in front of them. While the right dental SEO can do exactly that, it can take time to perfect. Conversely, paid advertising allows anyone looking for specific dental services to be alerted to you by placing adverts at the top of the search results. The great thing about this form of dental marketing is that it takes minimal effort and (provided the advert is worded correctly) can deliver a speedy ROI.
Speaking of putting yourself in front of your target audience, the next form of dental marketing is essential and that’s…
Stepping up your social media presence
As of 2019, 72% of the country has an active social media presence, so if your dental practice doesn’t already have an account with one of the large social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter then it pays to have one. For best results ensure your profile is up to date and post engaging, informative and shareable content wherever possible.
Finally, start a practice blog
As a respected dental provider, you have a wealth of knowledge you may want to share. So why not put it to good use by blogging about important and interesting oral health topics. Creating new content optimised for dental SEO will position you as a dental expert – building trust with readers along the way but will also assist with search engine rankings. So, you can be found easier.
So there you have it…
With a focus on medical and dental marketing, we know how to attract new patients in this industry. Book a no-obligation consultation today with our friendly but experienced marketing team and let us show you how we can help.
If you want more dental marketing ideas on how to attract new dental patients, then give the Mediboost team a call at 1300 163 058
