It is a fact that no dentist or dental practice can expect their dental business to continue being a viable business if they are not obtaining new patients regularly. All dentists, including those from Dental O So Gentle, will have patients who move away, sadly pass away, or switch to another dentist for whatever reason, including that other dentist attracting their attention with effective marketing.
In the same way that a car cannot run with insufficient fuel, a dental practice cannot continue if its patient numbers drop to a level that means outgoings exceed income. The question that dentists need to answer to avoid such a scenario is “How do I attract new patients?” and the clear answer is to market themselves and their dental practice effectively.
The crucial word there is ‘effectively’ as we have seen countless dentists trying to market themselves but failing due to using the wrong tactics or not seeking professional marketing advice that would have set them on the correct marketing path. To ensure that it is not a plight that you suffer, we have outlined below seven marketing tactics proven to attract prospects and subsequently secure new patients to dental practices.
Proven Marketing Tactic #1 – Claim Your ‘Google My Business Listing
Astonishingly, there is prime online real estate on the most extensive website, Google, which every small business can claim for free, but many fail to. This is your ‘Google My Business’ (GMB) listing and is yours simply by completing one or two online forms. When live, your GMB listing will display your dental practice’s details on Google, including contact information and patient reviews.
Proven Marketing Tactic #2 – Local Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
There are few more effective ways to attract visitors to your dental practice’s website than at the top of search results when those looking for dentists search on Google. This is achieved by implementing a local SEO campaign that can see your website rocket from the nether regions of Google to its first page.
Proven Marketing Tactic #3 – PPC Advertising
Admittedly, local SEO takes some time; however, if you want to see traffic to your website TODAY, you can do so using one of the many PPC platforms online. The two most prominent are Facebook and Google, given that they attract millions of visitors every day. One massive benefit of PPC is you can precisely target specific search terms, and you are in total control of how much you spend each day.
Proven Marketing Tactic #4 – Reviews And Testimonials
Also known as social proof, the excellent dental work and service you have provided to your existing patients is a crucial asset for adding to their numbers. By encouraging existing patients to leave positive reviews on websites such as Trustpilot and Google, you gain a massive advantage over your competitors who do not.
Proven Marketing Tactic #5 – Social Media
Almost certainly, most of the potential patients that your dental practice could attract are on at least one social media website and possibly more. By setting up simple social media campaigns, you can gain trust and boost your dental practice’s brand across social media, which leads to new enquiries.
Proven Marketing Tactic #6 – Joint Ventures & Local Partnerships
Unfortunately, many business owners, including dentists, have blinkers on and see themselves in isolation. Looking further into the field, you will discover that some non-dentist businesses and organisations are prime candidates to form partnerships and joint ventures with, where you can cross-promote to each other’s audiences and gain new patients.
Proven Marketing Tactic #7 – Get Help From The Experts
We kept this until last, but believe us when we say that if you follow this tactic, you could struggle to keep up with the demand due to the number of new patients signing up for your dental practice. Digital marketing agencies have experts in the above marketing strategies and can set up campaigns that use them for maximum benefit to your dental practice.