Dentists and their practices could learn a thing or two from pitchmen like Billy Mays, because many dentists struggle to promote their practice effectively. In this case, promote means “make your practice worth paying (extra) for.” Promotion is the value that someone like Billy Mays brings to a product. What practices do to make themselves stand out– how they promote– directly contributes to their growth, making them more competitive in their market. If you stop at telling people that you’re a dentist, you aren’t doing anything to make your practice more memorable, recommendable, or worthwhile to a potential patient. If you promote your practice, you’re creating value in the patient’s mind. One easy form of promotion, popular in many areas of business, is the special offer.
What is a special offer? It could be anything, but a good rule of thumb is that it is when a customer is given a unique purchase opportunity. Something they can’t get at another time or place. What makes a special offer effective? The “special” part. Every dentist has an offer, but customers don’t want what every dentist has. They want the either best or the most valuable service they can get. With this in mind, here are 3 tips on how dentists can use special offers:
- Give your offers a specific timeframe.
A timeframe or deadline encourages immediate action from the potential patient. For an example, think of the infomercial cliche: “Call now! Supplies are limited!” Obviously, no one is going to be convinced if you claim that you’re on your last tube of fluoride and that patients need to hurry in if they want a treatment. Dentists have to think about timeframes differently. Implementing intentional timeframes at a dentist’s office might take the form of:
– a summer sale
– a back-to-school sale
– mentioning an upcoming opening in the middle of your crowded schedule
– being open for one or two Saturdays every month
– discounts for regular checkups
– a new customer referral program
Planning a special offer takes some creativity. The trick is to create a sense of urgency, scarcity, or limited time coupled with an appreciation for participating. Obviously you’re glad anytime you can fill your hygienists’ or your own schedule, so let your patients know how much you appreciate them working with you.
- Diversify your channels.
Promotions, as with other forms of marketing, can’t be isolated. If you’re having a seasonal sale, every employee should know to mention it to patients. Every webpage, social media profile, and method of contact you have with patients should highlight your sale. If you offer something that your competition doesn’t, perhaps a sleep apnea treatment or express teeth whitening, it should be everywhere your company is mentioned, online and off. Aligning your message on every platform you have makes your message more memorable, powerful, and visible to patients.
As an example, say the goal of your promotion is to get more online reviews, and you are giving patients a free toothbrush for reviewing you. A post to your practice’s Facebook page won’t be enough to inform most of your patients. You could incorporate signs in your office, handouts at the check-in desk, and a flyers in each patient’s goodie bag as well. Your goal should be to inform every patient at least twice about every promotion.
- Use your professional network for referrals.
This is some day one advice. Literally. On my first day of undergrad, my Business 101 professor told me “Your network is your net worth.” I’m not talking about networking, or the power of Linkedin, or anything like that; this post is about promotion. So, considering my definition of “promote” from the first paragraph, it’s safe to say that your network (which is unique to you) is what makes your practice different and therefore better than others. If you are able to bring something to the table that other dentists can’t, you make your service that much more valuable. Some possibilities for cross-selling, referrals, or promotions:
- Medical professionals like orthodontists, ENTs, prosthodontists, and cosmetic surgeons.
- Daycares or other childcare
- Pain treatment professionals like chiropractors and acupuncturists
- Beauty salons and medispas
- Bridal and event coordinators
- Photographers
Implementing anything more complicated than co-referrals with any of these would require significant planning and outreach to coordinate effectively. Any new endeavor does. However, each of these potential partners offers an opportunity to increase your visibility, enhance the value of your service, and retain more patients. Your special offer could be something no other dentist could claim to have, or, at the very least, a convenience to patients that builds confidence in your practice.
Consider how a special offer could fit into your existing strategy for promotion and advertising before diving in; it takes commitment from both you and your staff to be effective. If you’re already planning a new approach, perhaps one of the tips above will help you make the most of it. Keep in mind that promotion– standing out– is what keeps your practice competitive; making it much more than just a gimmick.
