Do you promote new products and procedures to your current customers? According to a recent survey on TheWealthyDentist.com, only half of dentists send a regular mailing to their current patients. While many dentists focus some efforts on recall appointments, all could benefit from good internal marketing to existing patients. Do all of your patients know that you offer teeth whitening? Do all know about porcelain veneers, bonding, implant-supported prosthetics?
Marketing to your current patients is a great way to increase business. Here are a few tips on how you can keep your patients coming back for more:
Leverage Technology – Smile Reminder and other appointment alert companies offer a technology-based connection between your office and your patients. You can send appointment reminders and other info to your patients’ email accounts or cell phones quickly and easily.
Educate Your Team – A little sales training (internal marketing) for your front and back office team can go a long way. At your staff meetings, pose some of the most common questions patients ask, then explain to your team how they can answer the question and lead into telling the patient about a service or product you offer.
Keep Collateral On Hand – Brochures, signs, flyers, and other promotional information is usually available from manufacturers. By keeping these informative pieces in your waiting room and operatories, easily accessible to patients, you provide reading material that promotes your services.
Your Website – Plaster your web address on everything that your patients come in contact with – business cards, brochures, your sign, advertising, etc. Direct patients to your website to learn about procedures, financial policies, new services, forms, and postop instructions. You may even want to contract with a company that sends out e-newsletters. Once your patients are trained to go to your website for answers, you’ll benefit from posting new products and services on your homepage. Furthermore, patients will direct friends and coworkers who need a dentist to your website. Here are some email marketing tips from TheInnovativeMarketer. If you don’t have a website, contact TNT Dental, the leader in dental website design.