Category: Business of Dentistry

Focus on ROI: Internet Marketing that Works… and Doesn’t

Just like you keep up with dental technology, research, and techniques by reading industry journals, I make a point to read the latest information about Internet marketing, dental marketing, and marketing trends. For a long time now, I’ve blogged about social networking having poor return on investment (ROI). Sure, subscriptions and participation are free, but time is money, and to build a successful social networking presence, you must invest time. By successful, I mean a presence that has a following – not financial ROI.

In Entrepreneur Magazine online, an article titled “Finding Customers” tells us that social media is not bringing retailers many customers. A report by Forrester Research, “The State of Retailing Online 2011: Marketing, Social & Mobile” shows that retailers are not happy with the results of investing in social marketing, like Facebook and Twitter. Now I know dentists aren’t online retailers, but there is something to learn here. The benefits to social marketing are wrapped around improving brand awareness.

Just this week, I advised a wonderful client of mine that a custom Facebook page will look great, but it will not improve ROI. It may not bring any new patients to the practice. This does not mean that a custom Facebook page is a poor investment. You have to consider your goals. For a high-end cosmetic dental spa, brand awareness and perceived value of services is essential to maintaining high profits. In this case, a custom Facebook page may be well worth the monetary investment.

But if you’re looking for hard, cold cash as a return on your marketing investment, according to the aforementioned report, “A whopping 90 percent of online retailers said search-engine marketing was the most effective source used to acquire customers last year…” Well, that’s great news for dentists! Read More

Dentists as Experts In the Media

Does your dental practice website have a page that features published articles, news clips, and books published by your doctors and team members? If not, it should! We are in the process of compiling archives for our own “Media & Publications” page here on the MDPM website. See our new page here. Along with patient testimonials, a webpage touting your published works is a great adjunct to any online dental marketing strategy.

Do you dream of being the Dr. Oz of dentistry? One of the advantages of Internet marketing is that you can quickly position yourself (and your team members) as an expert in your field of expertise. Adding a page to your website is just one way to start sculpting your expert status.

In addition to sharing a sampling of your published works on your dental website, blogging can give you expert status. Whether the purpose of your dental practice blog is marketing through SEO or providing information to potential and current patients, there’s not any reason in the world that you can’t also leverage your blog to promote yourself as an expert. MDPM writes and posts optimized blogs for our clients. As an adjunct to our SEO-focused strategy, we encourage dentists to send us their own posts. We can then translate the submission into an optimized blog, as well as an article to submit to online distribution sources. The blog post may be picked up by a large publication, local newspaper, or (at the least) read by your potential patients.

To add more power to your post, MDPM can send the text in an email blast to current clients (you provide the email list). We can further enhance your exposure by developing a press release about your expertise and submit it to local news stations and publications.

Don’t be shy about your accolades. In the professional world, those accolades can build your future — only if they’re marketed properly.

For more information, call Jill at 972-781-8861 or email info@moderndentalmarketing.com.

Case Acceptance by Mayer Levitt of Jodena Consulting

Today’s guest blog is by dental consultant Dr. Mayer Levitt of Jodena Consulting. A former dentist himself, Mayer has helped tons of dental practices to achieve better profits, retention, and publicity since 1989. You can learn more ways to improve your practice by subscribing to Mayer’s blog.

Needless to say, it has been tough sledding for any business owner battling the effects of the “great recession”. But lately, everything I read is predicting a moderate rebound in the economy with job creation and less  unemployment. Up until now, people have been understandably cautious with their discretionary spending, so there is a lot of pent-up demand for nonessential services. Thus the environment for promoting comprehensive and cosmetic dentistry is probably the best that it has been in almost three years. How can you take advantage?

1. You need to promote “wants” based dentistry instead of “needs” based dentistry. Patients will pay out-of-pocket for what they want, yet will continue to depend on insurance to pay for what they need. Your mission is to get patients excited and emotional about what dentistry can do for them. Please take the time to schedule treatment consultations where you offer choices. Choices empower patients. Remember that people like to buy – but they don’t like to be sold. I am very excited about how dramatic case presentation can be by using an I-Pad.

2. You need to realize that your fees are not preventing people from accepting comprehensive dentistry but rather a lack of flexibility in payment options that you currently offer. If you can give someone a way to budget their payments for the dentistry, and they really want the dentistry, they will accept the treatment.  Re-examine how well your financial coordinator is presenting Care Credit or other outsourced arrangements. Scripting and verbal skills are so important. Outsourcing should be a first choice rather than a last resort. You can’t afford to be the bank. By outsourcing financial arrangements and offering extended payment plans, you give your patients the opportunity to pay for the dentistry on a monthly basis, yet you get paid right away. Read More

10 Easy Ways to Make Your Dental Team Smile

Today’s guest blogger is Cathy Warschaw of www.WarschawLearningInstitute.com. Thanks, Cathy!

There is a direct link between job satisfaction rates and whether or not employees feel they are recognized or rewarded for their performance. When employees feel their hard work goes unnoticed, they can become disgruntled, frustrated and dissatisfied. This can spill over into how they treat patients and one another. Yet recognizing performance does not have to be a cumbersome or difficult task. In fact, small gestures can go a long way towards making employees feel valued and increasing the morale of an entire team.

And when the happiness quotient in your practice rises, it can have a positive impact on customer service, which enables your patients to feel more relaxed and at ease during their visits. Plus, it can elevate the entire mood of the office, making it a far more pleasant environment for patients and practitioners alike.

Here are 10 quick and easy ways you can make your dental team members smile. Best of all, none of them involves any great expense!

  1. Say a simple Thanks! A clear and genuine word of gratitude to praise a specific act can be one of the easiest ways to make an employee feel their hard work is well worth the effort. Read More

How to Design a Profitable Dental Practice Marketing Strategy & Effective Campaigns

You know you need a blog, a website, a Facebook page; and you probably know that you should have a newsletter and email blast campaigns, host local events, and participate in local sponsorship opportunities. You might also advertise in the newspaper or in magazines, submit press releases, or send direct mail.

Question is, which of these is profitable?
What’s the key to getting new patients,
closing bigger cases, and earning more profit?

First of all, determine what’s lucrative. Don’t keep investing in marketing projects that have little or no return. And, don’t let anyone tell you that something does not work. While I truly believe that phone book advertising is useless for most dentists, some practitioners in small communities may still see new business from a yellow pages advertisement. Likewise, newspapers across the country are filing bankruptcy, yet I still see quite a few dentists, usually those that cater to people 55 and older, who see new patients as a direct result of regular newspaper advertising.

Measuring return on investment, or ROI, can be difficult unless you ask all new patients how they heard about you, then log the information for future reference. The best way to accomplish this is by giving your front office team the tools and training to ask for and accurately record “How did you hear about us?” responses. Your records must reflect ALL new patients, and they must be maintained year after year to truly measure responses. I’ve seen new clients call businesses as a direct response to an ad that was placed over a year before. Read More

The Essential Art of Self Branding for Dentists

What is self branding? Well, it’s just what it sounds like: branding yourself.

Why do I need to brand myself? That completely depends on what you want out of your future. Some common reasons for self branding are:

  • You’re an associate dentist or partner who will go into private practice at some point.
  • You hope to become a speaker, consultant, author, or celebrity.
  • You want a personal following in case you move your practice to a new location.
  • You are a dental student who will practice with a group, as an assistant, or independently.
  • You are a professional and deserve a professional identity. Your skills are transferable, but make sure that your name is transferable, as well.

All too often, we see partnerships dissolve. Dentists who worked under a practice name move on to establish a private practice of a new name, and they have no history of publicity. No one knows who they are. Imagine being in this situation, but having 400 Facebook fans and 1000 hits on your blog each month. Now that would give you a great place to start.

It’s about being smart and staying ahead of the game. Read More

Do All Dental Website Companies Have Bad Service?

Not all do. Many, but not all.

What is bad service from a web company? It’s pretty much anything they do to frustrate, irritate, or anger you. The most common complaints are:

  • No one will return my call
  • No one will answer their phone when I call
  • No one will return my email
  • They only answer the phone when I’m working and can’t call
  • I get transferred from person to person and no one can help me
  • My requests take forever to get fulfilled, and sometimes they are never done
  • My requests are done wrong
  • People are rude on the phone
  • People get too technical and I just want my website stuff done
  • People make excuses about why something isn’t done or takes too long
  • People complain about their job, being overloaded, having too much work
  • The person in customer service has no idea what I’m asking
  • I’m getting the runaround
  • They’re rude to my employees
  • I’m overcharged and under-served

I feel your pain. I have actually worked with business owners and employees that say things like, “I’m not calling him back,” “I’ll make him wait,” and “I put my phone through to voicemail when I see his number.” (I’m leaving out the name calling and profanity.) This kind of service is not service at all, and you certainly shouldn’t pay for it. You can be treated badly for free at almost any “service” station across the country! Read More

Are You an Anonymous Dental Professional?

What is self branding?

Since you’re a dentist, you probably have some understanding of what branding is. In short, branding is the whole concept, idea, and image that a business conveys. Self branding, therefore, is the concept, idea, and image that you convey.

Isn’t my website enough?

If the website is for you, and not your practice, then yes, it is enough. Just enough. You would still do well to have a blog and social media presence.

Why do I need to brand myself?

Maybe you’ll always have the same job you hold today. Maybe you’ll live in the same house and see the same people and love your life forever. But maybe, just maybe (and in all probability) something will change at some point. Perhaps you’ll start a new practice or a new business. Who knows; maybe you’ll move across the country – or to another country. You might decide to become an author after you retire. At that point, will people know who you are? Self branding today gives you a head start on tomorrow.

Then again, maybe you’ve already written a book, spoken at national conventions, mentored young dentists, or started a new professional association. If so, self branding is essential right now. Without it, you’re limiting yourself. Don’t limit yourself. To quote Nelson Mandela, “We must all exceed our own expectations.” Read More

The 3 Dimensions: Dental Practice Mission Statement, Vision Statement, and Team Commitment

Think, for a moment, of your business having three dimensions: you and the company are one; the client is one; and your employees are one. All dimensions must be in focus. For each dimension, you need a goal or purpose. You and your employees work together with the goal of serving the client. Your practice mission and vision sheds light on this purpose – the purpose of serving the client. But you, as an employer, must also serve and manage your employees if the mission and vision are to be carried out. So, in addition to a mission and vision, you need a commitment to your employees.

Now let’s delve into definitions and samples.

A business’ mission statement should define the intent of the company.

  • Ask yourself, from your patient’s perspective, what does your practice do?
  • Use words that embody the emotion, integrity, and expertise that goes into your product.
  • Keep it simple and short.

The MDPM mission is…

To provide dental industry professionals with a creative, consistent, and highly visible online marketing presence.

A vision statement sheds light on what will happen when the mission is carried out.

  • Ask yourself, what’s the purpose of your mission? What’s the intended result?
  • Use words, again, that convey emotion and excellence.
  • And, again, keep it simple and short.

The MDPM vision statement is…

To increase our clients’ profits through effective online visibility. To extend superior customer service with responsive solutions that address each customer’s unique needs. Every client should be proud to say that MDPM is their marketing company.

At MDPM, our first priority is serving our clients to the best of our ability, but in order to fulfill our mission and achieve our vision, we must keep our employees happy, focused, and driven. It’s just a natural extension, to Jill and me, that after creating a mission and vision statement to address what we want to achieve for our customers, we create an employee commitment. Some experts refer to internal and external clients – internal being your employees. Both types of clients must be satisfied if your business is to thrive and succeed.

The MDPM employee commitment is…

To create an environment and provide opportunities that inspire wholistic development of the individual. Every employee should feel appreciated, welcome, and genuinely happy at work.

As mentioned in previous posts, Jill and I went on a retreat this weekend to do some important big-picture stuff. Though we’re a marketing firm, like a dental office, we needed to establish our mission and vision. Here at the MDPM blog, we get a ton of visitors looking at mission and vision statement advice, so I decided to share our experience with you. Let me also say, my advice to dentists, and the advice I apply to MDPM, is based on years of interviewing, writing for, and reading literature from the dental practice management leaders. I don’t begin to claim the advice as my own; it is my interpretation of the information I’ve been privy to from leaders in the industry.

If you want to discuss your mission, vision, and employee commitment, or if you have questions about how to attract patients who will appreciate your mission and vision, call MDPM today at 972-781-8861, or email us.