Modern Dental Practice Marketing

The Oregon Dental Association now says that dentists can’t use Groupon for marketing in Oregon. And, on a side note, the BCE made the same decision regarding chiropractors. Why? Because Groupon gets a referral fee or commission, and that’s against the rules.

The deal that broke the camel’s back offered a $49 Invisalign exam, x-rays, and impressions, said to be a $540 value, plus $500 off Invisalign treatment.

A chiropractor went before the board and complained that medical services, including dentistry and chiropractic, should not be put in the same realm with nail salons and restaurants.

I’ve heard mixed reviews from dentists on the effectiveness of Groupon, anyway.

Facebook offers a check-in deal, but I don’t know any dentists who use it. I’m going through the process of creating a check-in deal with Facebook today, so I’ll update this blog when I develop an opinion about the process. With a check-in deal, patients can use a smart phone to check in at your location and redeem a special offer on their phone’s screen. The benefit to the business, or you in this case, would be that the person checking in makes your practice name visible to all of her Facebook friends. The checker can add a photo and message to the post, as well. Read the rest of this entry →

Yes, for a brief time, I was a Brownie. One of the Girl Scout songs that still plays in my mind has the lyrics: Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other’s gold. Corny, huh? I know. But when I was thinking about an email conversation I had with a new client today, this song started rolling around in the old noggin. The new client asked how to approach a quarterly direct mail campaign. Should she mail the same exact postcard every three months, or should she change it up with a new design — maybe something seasonal?

Because my main bag is online marketing, my first thought was to integrate the mailer with the website, blog, and/or Facebook page. Website consultants often discourage dentists from investing in direct mail. Studies show, return on investment is down when it comes to direct mail. However, newspapers are going under because readership is down — yet I still have clients who get new patients every month because of consistent newspaper advertising. So, if the budget allows, make new marketing plans, but keep the old — one might be silver, and the other just might be gold. But let’s take this line of thought a step further. You could pull the whole enchilada together by integrating direct mail with online marketing.

We know that branding is important. We also know that the more times your brand is in front of a potential patient, the greater the liklihood of that potential patient becoming an actual patient. So, if your brand is put into the potential patient’s hand via direct mail, then that direct mail takes the potential patient to your website to claim something special, your brand has the opportunity for multiple impressions into the potential patient’s brain. Many companies do this by putting the Facebook logo on television commercials, print ads, and billboards. Businesses are expected to be on Facebook these days, and having the FB logo on your advertising hinges on cliche. Read the rest of this entry →

What makes you read an article about finance? You want to know how it can help your finances.

What makes you read an article about business? You want to know how it can help your business.

When I read blogs by dentists, I often wonder if they’re really thinking about their patients when they brainstorm topics to write about. Patients aren’t highly interested about your CEs, nor do they really care what you think about the latest technology. What they want to know is what we all want to know, what’s in it for me?

When you blog, think about presenting information in a way that highlights the benefits to the patient. Open with a question, a relevant fact, or a very pointed thought—something to grab the reader’s attention. These topics are of great interest to readers, particularly in a blog focused on benefits to the patient. And remember, you should blog twice a week at a minimum. If you do not have time to blog, Modern Dental Practice Management offers affordable blog packages that will boost your SEO rankings and draw in new patients.

1. Case Studies – Always use photos, add a testimonial if you can, and list what the client’s needs were. Include a synopsis of procedures. The words in the text will do well with search engines. A picture is only worth a thousand words to humans, not Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines.
2. Testimonials – In Texas, testimonials are frowned upon by the TDA, but they’re fair game in other states. Even if you use video testimonials, always include a typed script for the search engine spiders.
3. Services – Many patients are unaware of all the procedures you offer. Topics like porcelain veneers, Invisalign, teeth whitening, mercury-free dentistry, dental implants, and smile makeovers do well with potential and existing patients, as well as search engine spiders. Read the rest of this entry →

In interviewing dentists, I’ve found the most common marketing questions they have are, should I run a special offer? Then, what should my special offer be? What they don’t often ask is how to promote the special.

At Modern Dental Practice Management, we can help you come up with original special offers, or you can choose from our standard promotional packages. We’ll provide everything you need to promote your special – whether it’s for new patients, referrals, cosmetic dentistry, or children’s dentistry.

Check it out:

Seasonal Patient Specials

250 full-color customized promotional cards for patients
25 seasonal cut outs for the office
5 full-color posters for the office
250 full-color flyers
Website promotional page
Direct mail campaign available

Choose your theme:

• Blooming Smiles
  March – April – May
  Schedule your complimentary spring smile makeover consultation!
  Get $99 off veneers, orthodontics, or in-office teeth whitening.

• Share the Shine
  June – July – August
  Make your smile the brightest thing on the beach!
  In-Office Teeth Whitening $99
  Chairside Teeth Whitening $99 off

• Health, Hope, & Happiness
  September – Octob er – November
  This holiday season, you can help us spread the gift of health and happiness. For all non-insurance services we perform through November, we will donate a percentage to local children’s dental charities.

• Winter Wonder White
  December – January – February
  In-Office Teeth Whitening $99
  Chairside Teeth Whitening $99 off

Year-Round Specials Read the rest of this entry →