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Cultivating Online Synergy for Your Dental Practice

by Naomi Cooper July 16, 2013

With dental patients becoming increasingly reliant upon the Internet for healthcare information, a dentist’s online reputation is more important than ever. Just a few years ago, it was enough for dentists to have a static website that was nothing more than an online version of their practice brochure. These days, the website is a powerful marketing tool, functioning best when supplemented by online efforts such as social media and online patient reviews.

According to recent whitepaper on social media marketing by Dr. Lou Shuman, DMD, CAGS and Diana P. Friedman, MA, MBA, respondents to a national survey of 88 dental and orthodontic practices administered by Sesame Communications confirmed that social media continues to provide a strong driver for practice website traffic. In fact, more than 91% of dentists surveyed agreed that social media helps drive traffic to the practice website.

And one of the most crucial things a dental practice website needs is third-party validation from around the web to give it additional credibility. When patients “Google” their prospective new dentist’s name, they will not only find that dentist’s website, but also all the other websites in those search results that feature information about that dentist. This is what constitutes “social proof”.

Content on social media and online patient review sites plays an important role in building social proof and driving traffic to a dentist’s website. Social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter give dentists multiple opportunities to stay connected with patients on an ongoing basis. And patient reviews on Yelp! and Google+ Local carry at least as much, if not more, weight than the information on the dentist’s own site because it’s ostensibly from a neutral source. These types of social proof from other places around the web serve to corroborate the information provided on the practice’s own website, giving prospective patients a well-rounded picture of the dentist and the practice.

It is essential for dentists to have a strong online presence in order for patients find them when searching online. A dentist’s website, social media profiles, and online patient reviews work cohesively to create online synergy. They provide more ways for patients to connect with the practice—and learn about the services available that might help them achieve their ideal smile.

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The Role of Marketing in the Sale of Your Dental Practice

by Naomi Cooper July 9, 2013

Many questions – and emotions – arise when the topics of retirement and the potential sale of a dental practice come up. While it may not be obvious at first glance, marketing and branding will play major roles in facilitating the sale and transition.

The importance of branding should not be minimized. Branding distinguishes a practice from its competitors. Some dentists may mistakenly believe that branding is just for group practices or large corporations. But in reality, it serves to enhance the practice’s local affinity, small business sensibility, and professional feel.

Any dentist within 10 years of retirement needs to consider whether having his or her own name on the shingle makes for the best exit strategy. It’s key to be able to maximize the practice’s value when it’s time to sell, and having all of its brand equity wrapped up in the primary dentist’s name means that one of the practice’s major assets isn’t transferrable.

Additionally, branding strategy is not something that can be created overnight. It takes time and effort to build and sustain a strong brand that inspires recognition and loyalty in patients and the community. So, there is no time like the present to begin building your dental practice brand! Even dentists who are just starting to think about retirement will benefit from honing their branding strategy now.

Every dental practice owner desires to find a suitable buyer of their practice – one who will maintain the quality of care, someone the dentist feels comfortable handing off their patients of record to. Having a solid branding strategy already in place will attract more qualified and desirable buyers to the practice, thereby easing the transition.

Just as you coach your patients on the benefits of preventative care, put your recommendations to work for your dental practice. Don’t wait until retirement is just a few years away to develop a marketing strategy. Having a plan in place ahead of time is one way of ensuring a smooth transition for you and your patients.

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Maximize the Connection between Dental Practice Marketing and the Patient Experience

by Naomi Cooper July 1, 2013

Marketing – it’s a very broad term. What many dentists don’t realize is that marketing encompasses the entire patient experience. Promotional efforts to reach new patents are essential for practice growth, but it’s how you (and your team) treat your patients once they are in your chair is what keeps them coming back year after year.

Dr. Dan Marut, DMD, and founder of Quality Dental Plan and MemberDent, suggests dentists shift their sales approach from the Push Model to the more modern Pull Model in order to meet the needs of dental patients today.

Push Model

The Push Model is a more assertive sales approach with the thought process being the more you promote your practice and your services, the more patients will respond. Traditional advertising such as TV and print ads are examples of the Push Model.

Pull Model

Alternatively, the Pull Model is a more consultative approach, based on building trust with patients to achieve long-term relationships. Dentists take the time to talk with patients, educating them by having conversations not only about the recommended treatment, but the reasons behind the recommendations and how the treatment will improve the patient’s function or aesthetics.

Patients want not only a dentist with strong clinical skills, but also one that understands them. The Pull Model creates a demand for your services over time, increasing patient loyalty and case acceptance within the practice.

Using a mix of both Push and Pull marketing tactics is a strategic way to not only get new patients in the door but to also keep them in the practice long-term. Patient retention is essential to any dental practice. And sometimes a slight shift in a dentist’s approach to patient communication can yield practice growth for years to come.

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Building Trust Online: 4 Strategic Tips for Dentists

by Naomi Cooper June 11, 2013

When I am consulting with my dentist clients from across the country, there is always one absolute in every conversation about their dental practice marketing needs – internet marketing. While it was not even an area of interest just a few short years ago, internet marketing is playing an increasingly important role in dental marketing strategies, whether we discuss social media, website design, blogging or search engine optimization.

According to Sesame Communications, 80% of adult Internet users search for healthcare information online. This represents countless opportunities for dentists to reach potential patients online.

An essential component of any internet marketing strategy is something that’s hard-won and easily lost – TRUST. And building trust online is just as hard as it is offline. Maybe even harder. It seems like anyone can have a website, so how do you differentiate your practice website and your practice as a trustworthy dental care provider?

The first step is building a cohesive online presence, including your practice website as well as your online profiles (social media and consumer review sites).
Your practice website should be updated and contain links to your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media profiles.
If you have a blog, be sure to feature it on your site. And share your blog posts across your social media profiles.
Likewise, on any website where your practice has a profile (such as a consumer review site such as Yelp or Google+ Local), be sure to have all current contact information clearly visible and provide links to your website and blog.

The strategy is having a strong online presence to create a momentum for your dental practice. The above various online platforms (blogs, social media, websites, and consumer review sites) should all work together so that when patients are searching for a dentist online, they come across multiple channels broadcasting your message and validating your practice as the one they need to call.

For more ideas on cultivating online trust, check out my Sesame Communications article here.

How do you manage your online reputation? What strategies have worked well for you?

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Dental Practice Marketing: Saying Goodbye to DIY

by Naomi Cooper June 4, 2013

Dental practice marketing can be overwhelming. There’s internal marketing, external marketing, online marketing—it can easily begin to feel like there are too many areas to cover, too many new skills to learn, and too many tasks to manage. But the reality is that dental practice owners don’t have to go it alone.

Solo practitioners usually don’t have the budget to hire a full-time marketing director, but someone needs to devise a marketing plan, make budget-conscious marketing decisions, determine a timeline, and follow through on implementation.

If there is not a full-time marketer on the dental team, many dentists benefit from having a dental marketing expert available in a consulting capacity, enabling the practice to get professional, executive-level advice without adding to payroll expenses.

Also, tech-oriented marketing projects such as website development, search engine optimization, or electronic patient communications are typically outsourced to a highly specialized vendor such as an online marketing or software development firm.

For more insight into the leveraging the power of outsourcing, click here for my Inside Dentistry article on Marketing Strategies that Work: What Every Solo Practitioner Needs to Know.

Delegation can be difficult, and many small business owners suffer from the “do-it-yourself” mentality. But continually adding to the dental team’s marketing to-do list without crossing anything off can be discouraging, and knowing when to seek outside help is an important skill to cultivate. A marketing consultant, together with qualified vendors, can get the practice’s marketing plan off the ground, ease the learning curve, and ultimately pass the baton back to the dental team to maintain.

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Quality, Not Quantity, Is the Key To Success in Social Media

by Naomi Cooper May 27, 2013

There are endless ways to participate in social media: various sites, videos, comments, sharing, blogging…the list goes on and on. For dentists, and business owners in general, who are looking to get started in social media, the sheer volume of the opportunities to engage can be overwhelming.

There is no need to get frustrated before even starting. Participating in social media is all about connecting with your patients, friends and colleagues. For example, it is better to regularly engage on Facebook (for instance) a few times every week, than to sporadically post random information on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. Find one or two sites that are most comfortable for you, and that you know your patients are also engaged in, and start there. As your comfort level increases, you can start to branch out to more sites.

Varying your content will also help to increase the quality of your activity. This will help to keep your content fresh and engaging. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Sharing links to trade-related articles
Posting a thoughtful comment on others’ posts
Uploading a video to YouTube – the brief video could offer a tour around your office, or an update on the latest technology in the office
Commenting every blog that you read
Posting photos
Responding to patients’ feedback when shared online

And one more aspect of Quality as it relates to social media would be Consistency. Posting one article every few weeks is not going to build your audience. Create a social media calendar for your office, and continually engage on a regular basis. Your audience will start to know when to expect to see your information, and you will be building credibility along the way.

Getting started in social media can seem daunting at first. By putting a little thought into your strategy, and creating a plan of action, you will be on your way in no time at all.

Have you integrated a social media marketing plan for your practice? What were some of your initial successes? Do you have any advice for those looking to get started? Please share your ideas below.

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