You might think you don’t need marketing because dentistry is vital to people. However, every practice nowadays, regardless of its importance, still requires marketing. It’s how you can distinguish your practice from others and build a brand while you’re at it.
Marketing is essential to every industry, and without any marketing, businesses can quickly fail during the first year of their inception. This is the same for dentists. Many dentists fail. They don’t get clients and don’t get clients because they don’t market themselves to people. No matter how good of a dental professional you are, if people don’t know you exist, you won’t sustain your practice.
But the dental industry is such a unique sector. So how can you market yourself to others effectively and without spending too much money? Some marketing strategies have found some success in dentistry. We will be discussing them and how you can apply them to your practice.
Word of Mouth is King
A Nielsen report states that 92% of consumers believe in word of mouth more than anything else. Most of them don’t fully believe in advertisements they see on television and in magazines. This is why word of mouth is king in a field like dentistry. But you’re not going to invoke this kind of marketing without pulling some strings.
Spreading the word of your practice is as simple as saying to your clients to tell their friends and family members about you. It could also be as complicated as giving discounts to those willing to promote your practice on social media platforms or giving them free services. One of the best forms of word of mouth accessible to many people is online reviews.
Online Reviews
Online reviews are modern word-of-mouth marketing. Recent statistics have shown that more than 70% of consumers trust online reviews. Moreover, more than 90% of consumers look into online reviews before purchasing a product or service. These statistics only prove that online reviews are the modern form of word-of-mouth marketing.
Once again, you can ask for online reviews from your consumers by giving them discounts and complimentary services. They don’t have to view your practice in a positive light. It’s all about leaving authentic reviews so that people can discover your clinic.
Influencer Marketing
If you want to make your word-of-mouth strategy even more potent, then you should ask an influencer to promote your clinic.
Influencer marketing is getting all the hype in the industry today because of how effective and efficient it is to gain leads. It’s also cheap if you get the right influencer for your budget. Many micro-influencers out there are willing to promote your clinic in their channel for as little as $1,000. Some might even ask you for a discount or a free service.
Many of the followers of your chosen influencer will take their review of your clinic as if they’ve been there. This means that influencers can help you get the exposure you need and also pushes people to visit your clinic.
Market Your Services
You should also consider marketing your services, especially the most unique ones. For example, letting people know that you do all sorts of dental operations, from essential procedures such as wisdom teeth extraction to cosmetic operations such as dental implants, can help them make an informed decision about visiting your clinic. It’ll also help them judge your rates and whether if your services fit in their budget.
The main reason you want to market your services is that people won’t spend so much time in your clinic asking questions. Put your services out there for the world to see, so people will have a much easier time visiting your clinic.
Local Ads
Even if statistics have shown that people don’t believe in advertisements all that much, local ads are still important to let people know that you’re open for business.
Ads can be effective in giving your clinic more exposure. They might not be as effective in converting leads the same way online reviews and influencer marketing can do, but ads can help you generate more leads over time. You must start with cheap local ads and work your way up to national ads once you have its budget.
Having a robust marketing strategy can lead your dental practice. So consider your options, look into your budget, and choose the right marketing strategy for your clinic. Remember that certain marketing strategies work well with one another. Then, implement the strategy as early as you can, so you can see the results.