As you may have noticed, there are a number of changes when it comes to the operating of your practice. These new changes are to ensure and promote safety to both your patients and staff. But along with the day-to-day changes in the office, you might find yourself needing to re-evaluate your marketing strategies for your practice. Although the marketing strategies that you have in place now may seem effective, due to the current events and changes, it is important that you update your strategies.
Before opening your practice, or if you have already opened your practice, it is important to update your social media. Take a look at your Instagram, Facebook, or any other outlet you use. Have you updated it and let your patients know you are open? Social media is an irreplaceable tool that can help you communicate to your patients or potential patients. Through these outlets you can create posts updating your community that you are open and are accepting patients again.
Make sure that you are highlighting how much you care for your staff and for your patients. Especially during this time, you want to you explain to your patients the new steps you are taking to protect them and your staff. For example, create a post highlighting the new protocols you have in place with a link to either the ADA provided protocols, or to your respective State’s protocols. By doing this, it will prepare your patients for their visits and provide peace of mind.
When looking at your current marketing strategies, be aware of patients you want to attract to your practice. Right now you may want to accept all patients and fill the schedule but do not lose your original vision of what you want your practice to be. It may be tempting to put out specials for a cleaning and exam just to get patients in your door but make sure it is attracting the patient clientele you are looking for. Stay true to your mission statement and yourself!
If you are worried about filling the office schedule, it may be helpful to do internal marketing with your current patients. When you have a patient come in, letting he or she know that you are accepting patients goes a long way. As your patient is checking out, you can have your front office staff let the patient know that you are accepting new patients and hand an extra business card to them. This approach will work for your benefit, especially if the patient had a positive experience during the visit. Therefore, it is important to ensure a positive and safe experience so that your patients can share with a potential new patient the experience they had.
When reviewing your marketing, think about different ways to accommodate your patients. You can start accommodating your patients by providing extended hours on certain days it may help some patients who are starting work again and can’t take time off to come to the dentist. Additionally, you can open one weekend a month, to help those patients who can’t come in during the week. By marketing these extra hours or days, this can show your patients that they are important to you and this can go a long way for the future.
With the uncertainty and changes that we are living in, it is good to stay up-to-date in marketing your practice. The marketing techniques that you adopt can change the way that your practice is viewed and run. Even though it can get new patients to the practice, make sure it reflects your vision of your practice and reflects that you are ensuring safety, accommodation, and priority to your patients. In the end, marketing gives you the opportunity to show the image you want to project during this time.
Sylvie Haber, Consultant
Sylvie first entered the dental field through her mother, who is a dentist. She grew up attending conferences and many dental meetings. Watching her mother’s passion and love of dentistry, Sylvie grew to love the profession as well.
After, she earned her MBA in Healthcare Administration from Loma Linda University. She completed the ADA ‘s Executive Program in Dental Management and also became a Fellow of the American Association of Dental Office Management.
Sylvie enjoys seeing dental offices thrive, become more productive and run smoothly under her guidance through management and coaching.
Sylvie can be reached at: sylvie@gtsgurus.com