A dental practice, like most medical pursuits, is a service-oriented as well as business-facing opportunity. The practice requires gradual progress and development to not only survive but thrive with consistent innovation and growth and to prosper with profits and benefits. A solid marketing plan would be instrumental in establishing long-term goals and attaining these targets
A dental practice must always stand out amongst its other candidates. Crunching the numbers provides the estimate that a dentist must get over 30 new patients every month to maintain the stability and consistent growth of the practice. So, there are two aspects to be taken care of – attracting new patients with exclusive products and services, and retaining old patients with beneficial offers and strategic techniques.
The initial step of implementing a large-scale marketing plan is the essential SWOT analysis. This mechanism helps to identify the most significant factors involving the structure and working of the organization. They are:
- Strengths – List out the features that set your practice as prominent and distinctive, which outweigh that of other aspirants, to work upon their betterment.
- Weaknesses – Mark all your points of imperfection, to analyze and resolve the shortcomings.
- Opportunities – Log all possibilities to expand and develop the functioning of the practice and utilize them for the best outcome.
- Threats – Identify and analyze matters of importance which have the potential to jeopardize the practice or its interests.
Finalizing this evaluation will give a detailed picture that defines the present state of the practice. The next phase of the marketing process is decided at this stage.
Identify your target audienceÂ
Work towards identifying the proper audience for providing your service and advertise accordingly. Both men and women opt for different factors of consideration before selecting their preferred dental practice. As men may seek for ease of access, experience period and fewer aspects, women are more prone to check up on the quality of the services, reviews and feedback, and a dozen more factors regarding the same. There exists a particularly organized manner in which marketing should be designed so that the product/service can appeal to females. Hence, this process consists of specifically targeted tracks for different patients. Aspirants in the same field are also important to watch out for, so it is advisable to always be aware of their services and accommodate them accordingly.
Get out in the community and plan fun events for your team
Proximity is a huge factor to determine potential patients. Organizing or participating in events and programs that bring together gatherings of communities, helps to maintain a positive image for the practice. You can maintain involvement through brochures, emails, newsletters, sponsorship contracts, volunteer activities and celebrations in the community. Sponsoring events and celebrations for your clients under the name of the practice also helps to make them feel a belonging to this peer group.
Patient referral bonus system
Dental practices aim to ensure that they are able to retain their patients without fail while striving to obtain a new circle of patients on a frequent basis. The best source for this new cluster of patients is through the regular patients themselves. If a person visits the practice after being referred to it from an existing patient, then this patient is eligible for a reasonable discount or even a dental product. This system of reference provides incentives to your current consumer circle for their services in establishing an addition to this bunch.
Patient reviews and web presence
Every potential patient has the chance to look up the practice online, so it is important to establish a presence in the web domain. It is even more important to make sure that there is a positive response to this presence. People are bound to look for reviews and ratings, and they correspond to the quality of the practice, the ambiance of the office, the behavior of staff, personal comfort and much more, so excellence in online feedback will lead to better prospects. Opening up a website with an interactive interface, under constant maintenance, is also a good act of promotion through the internet.
Brand promotion through team buy-in
A patient remains as one only as long as his/her satisfaction is maintained. This must be taken care of, from the friendly phone handling for the patients’ appointment needs to the comfortable environment set in the office, and the caring behavior of the professionals at their job. This points out that the employment process must be carried out with due diligence. Moreover, this team of hired individuals should be layered with the belief that their workplace is of assured quality, be one with the spirit of growing the practice, and that this growth will trigger their own progress within the organization. Planned integration of the complementary struggles of each team member will build towards attaining more patients, wider reach, profitable business, additional initiatives and more. Make them feel involved in every working aspect, include the need for marketing in joint meetings, consider their criticisms and suggestions, assign responsibilities and management and create a peaceful working atmosphere for all employees.
Dental practice marketing is the masterplan which sets the stage for growth and advancement of any organization. Dental practices are deserving of this process to strategize their progress, satisfying all patients.
With our professional guidance, years of experience in the marketing and management field, Complete Dental Consulting will provide you with customized systems specifically created for your individual practice which will create a foundation to not only meet but exceed your professional practice goals.
