Dental Marketing Ideas

When it comes to finding and implementing good dental marketing ideas it's worth remembering that what might work for one type of business might not work for another.  Just because hitting up a whole neighborhood with mailbox flyers works for a home services business doesn't mean it will work for a dentist office.  Marketing without a plan is like spitting in the wind - it won't take you very far.

Likewise, no matter how well thought-out your marketing plan is, if it isn't followed up with a substantial outlay of cash then it simply will not be effective.  No matter what your business you must come to grips with the fact that marketing your product or service should probably be your biggest expense, at least in the beginning stages.  If you decide to test this principal then don't be surprised when your business still hasn't taken off a full year after opening your doors.  So please have a look at these dental office marketing ideas and keep in mind that they need to be implemented intelligently and decisively in order to do their magic.

Before we get into new and more advanced methods of marketing a dental practice let's go over a few of the tried and true methods that work just as well today as they did twenty years ago.  After all, there's something to be said for longevity, and it would be unwise to overlook ideas that might at first seem outdated.

• Direct Mail Postcard Marketing.  I'm sure you get plenty of these in your mailbox, just as I do, and though they are sometimes annoying they tend to be shockingly effective.  There is perhaps no easier and cost-effective method to reach a prospect with a piece of tangible literature than with a mailed postcard.  These things end up on homeowner's fridges and in their "coupon" file more often than you might think.  It is absolutely crucial, however, that they be designed by a professional.  This is often your first point of contact with a new client and it needs to make you look like the real deal.  I don't care if your spouse can do wonders with the home computer and printer - hire a pro and you won't be sorry!
• Community Newspaper Advertising.  When it comes to marketing your dental practice you'll quickly learn that your conversion rate goes up sharply when you target people who live close to your office.  This might sound like common sense but you'd be surprised how many dentists unwisely spread marketing dollars all over their city instead of targeting more locally.  Advertising in your local small press paper can often be hugely effective, and it's usually pretty cheap, too.  Many of them are so desperate for advertisers that you can negotiate with them to get prime real estate on the first few pages or a discounted rate for multiple-month commitments.  Once again, i suggest hiring a professional to design the ad.
• Sponsor A High School Team.  Along the same lines of laser-focusing your efforts on hyper-local consumers, I would suggest that you purchase some ad space at your local high school football or baseball stadium.  Usually they have huge banners draped across the edges of stadium or field where you can highlight your business and perhaps even a discount for families.  In places like Texas where football is huge this can lead to a massive influx of new, cheaply acquired customers.
• Prizes For Referrals.  My local dentist actually pulls this one off very well.  He has a huge plasma TV in the waiting room of his office and tells all his loyal customers that for every new client they send him they'll receive an entry in a drawing for the TV.  I've seen the glass bowl for the entries and it is filled to the brim.  Conclusion - it has worked like a charm!  Sure, that TV wasn't cheap but I'm sure it has paid for itself many times over already with all the new people the gimmick brought in.
  

Now, on to the really fun stuff.  Unless you've been living under a rock then you know that the internet now presents some amazing opportunities and leverage when it comes to marketing your practice.  If you can devote yourself to learning just a little bit about internet marketing then you can literally dominate your local market.  Here's just a few ideas for using the web.

• Get A Professionally Designed Website.  Okay, this is step one and I'm sorry but if you don't even have a website yet then what are you thinking?  Most consumers under the age of 40 now search for businesses on the internet, not in the yellow pages, so if you don't have a site then you don't have a chance!  Make sure the website has lots of good photos and information, and use it as an opportunity to build trust with potential clients.  "About" and "Frequently Asked Questions" pages are often hugely helpful in this regard.  Try to add some testimonials, too, if you have some.  Yes, it could cost you a thousand dollars or more to have it created but it is so important in the grand scheme of your marketing efforts that you'd be a fool not to spend the money.
  
• Rank Your Site.  When it comes to internet marketing, search engine rankings are everything.  If you can get your site to rank #1 for your main local keyword then you can pull in insane amounts of traffic and new business.  If you rank #10 then you'll be lucky to get a visitor a day.  Find a local internet marketing and seo team that can help you with this, and make sure they use ethical, "white hat" methods.  If your site is big and highly informational this will help your rankings as well.
• Start A Dental Blog.  This idea might sound silly but you might be shocked to see how many free leads this method can bring you.  By writing consistent and helpful posts that are related to dentistry and oral health you can build a huge list of local followers who will eventually turn to you when they are ready for a checkup or cleaning.  If you don't have time to do it yourself then hire a freelance writer.  Again, this method goes back to building trust and cultivating relationships. 
  
• Utilize YouTube.  Do you wish you had a local commercial up and running but you just don't have the funds?  Well, friends, allow me to introduce you to YouTube.  It's a site where you can upload videos about your company for free.  Yes, I said free.  Give each video a title that has your city name and service in it and it could bring your website a ton of traffic.  Google tends to rank these very highly in the organic results so it's definitely worth your time to look into it.  I hate to beat a dead horse, but again you should hire a professional videographer for this if you want your "online commercials" to look their best. 
  

As you can see there are a ton of cool and effective ways to get your brand name out there, and it really just comes down to being willing to spend a little money and use some creativity.  The clients aren't just going to come to you - you have to go banging down some doors if you want to have a thriving enterprise on your hands.  I hope these dental marketing ideas were helpful, and if you feel like sharing your own I encourage you to add them in the comments below.