patient-news

Technical SEO for Dentists: 10 Things That Actually Matter

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:29:52 GMT

If you’ve ever sat through a conversation about SEO and heard terms like schema markup, crawl budget, or canonical tags, you’re not alone in thinking: “This sounds important… but does it actually get me more patients?”

Here’s the truth most dental marketing agencies won’t tell you:

Technical SEO only matters if it drives visibility, traffic, and ultimately—new patients.

Everything else is noise.

For dental practices and DSOs, technical SEO isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about making sure your website isn’t quietly sabotaging your rankings and conversions.

Let’s break down what actually matters—and what doesn’t.

What Is Technical SEO (And Why Dentists Should Care)

Technical SEO refers to how well your website is structured, built, and optimized for search engines like Google to crawl, index, and rank your content.

But here’s the real-world translation:

If your technical SEO is weak, your website won’t rank
If it doesn’t rank, patients won’t find you
If patients don’t find you, your competitors win

Even the best websites for dentists can underperform if the technical foundation is flawed. At Patient NEWS, our dental websites are optimized to convert. We ensure all the technical set up with an experienced team of SEO specialists fine-tuning your foundation so the website that sits above it attracts and converts traffic into booked appointments.

And yes, this is where most practices (and even some agencies) drop the ball.

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1. Website Speed: The Silent Killer of Rankings and Conversions

Let’s start with the big one.

Page speed is not just a ranking factor—it’s a revenue factor.

Patients don’t wait for slow websites. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, they’re gone—usually to the practice down the street.

What actually matters:

Fast load times on mobile (not just desktop)
Optimized images (huge issue on dental sites)
Clean, efficient code
Reliable hosting

What doesn’t matter:

Obsessing over a “perfect” PageSpeed score
You don’t need a 100/100 score. You need a site that loads fast enough to retain visitors and satisfy Google.
A strong dental marketing company will prioritize performance where it counts—not vanity metrics.

2. Mobile Optimization: Non-Negotiable in 2026

More than half of your potential patients are searching on their phones—often in moments of urgency (“dentist near me,” “tooth pain help,” etc.).

If your site isn’t built for mobile, you’re losing patients before they even consider you.

What actually matters:

Responsive design (your site adapts to all devices)
Click-to-call functionality
Easy navigation and readable text
Fast mobile load times

Modern SEO for dentists requires a mobile-first approach.

3. Crawlability & Indexing: Can Google Even Find You?

This is where things get a bit more technical—but stay with me.

If Google can’t properly crawl and index your website, it doesn’t matter how good your content is.

Common issues we see:

Important pages blocked by robots.txt
Missing or broken XML sitemaps
Duplicate pages confusing search engines
Orphan pages (pages with no internal links)

What actually matters:

A clean, logical site structure
Proper indexing of service and location pages
No technical barriers preventing Google from accessing your content

A surprising number of dental practices invest in dental SEO services while their core pages aren’t even being indexed properly.

That’s like paying for billboards… and putting them in the middle of a forest.

4. Site Structure: The Foundation of Dental SEO

Think of your website like a map.

If it’s messy, confusing, or poorly organized, both users and search engines struggle to navigate it.

What actually matters:

Clear hierarchy (Home → Services → Specific Treatments)
Dedicated pages for each service (implants, Invisalign, etc.)
Location pages for multi-location practices
Internal linking between related pages

Why this matters:

Google uses your structure to understand what services you offer, which pages are most important and how relevant your practice and your expertise are for specific searches.

For example:
A well-structured site helps you rank for “dental implants in [city]” instead of getting buried under competitors.

This is a core pillar of effective SEO for dentists.

5. URL Structure: Keep It Clean and Intent-Driven

Your URLs should be simple, readable, and aligned with what patients are searching.

Good:

/dental-implants-newyork

Bad:

/page?id=123&service=implants

What actually matters:

Including relevant keywords naturally
Keeping URLs short and descriptive
Avoiding unnecessary parameters or clutter

It’s a small detail—but it contributes to both rankings and user trust.

6. Secure & Reliable Websites (HTTPS Is Mandatory)

If your website isn’t secure, Google notices—and so do patients.

What actually matters:

HTTPS (SSL certificate)
No “Not Secure” warnings in browsers
Reliable uptime (your site should never go down)

Trust is everything in dental. A secure site reinforces credibility.

And yes—Google uses this as a ranking signal.

7. Core Web Vitals: Focus on Experience, Not Scores

You’ve probably heard of Core Web Vitals which is Google’s way of measuring user experience.

Here’s the honest take: they matter but only to a point.

What actually matters:

Fast load times
Stable layout (no jumping elements)
Quick interactivity

A strong dental marketing company knows where to optimize—and where not to over-engineer.

8. Schema Markup: Helpful, But Not a Silver Bullet

Schema markup helps search engines better understand your content.

For dentists, this can include:

Practice information
Reviews and ratings
Services offered
Location details

What actually matters:

Basic local business schema
Accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data
Structured data that reinforces your credibility

What doesn’t matter:

Overloading your site with unnecessary schema

Schema supports your SEO—it doesn’t replace it.

9. Duplicate Content: A Hidden Problem for Dental Websites

This is especially common with multi-location practices or agencies that reuse descriptions on service pages. At Patient NEWS, all of our content goes through a strenuous process and our editorial team checks for duplicity to ensure content is tailored and custom for the services you provide.

Why it matters: Duplicate content confuses Google and weakens your rankings.

What actually matters:

Unique content for each location
Differentiated service pages
Avoiding copy-paste across your site

For DSOs, this becomes even more critical at scale.

10. Technical SEO for Multi-Location Practices (DSOs)

If you manage multiple locations, technical SEO gets more complex—and more important.

What actually matters:

Unique location pages with local signals
Proper internal linking between locations
Consistent but not duplicate content
Scalable site architecture

What doesn’t matter:

Treating every location as identical

Scaling dental SEO services requires a balance between consistency and localization. Most dental marketing agencies struggle here. This is where expertise shows.

What Dentists Get Wrong About Technical SEO

Let’s call it out:

Obsessing over minor technical details instead of big wins
Paying for audits that never get implemented
Thinking technical SEO alone will drive patients
Working with agencies that overcomplicate everything

Technical SEO is not the strategy—it’s the foundation.

Without it, your marketing underperforms and your practice struggles to grow and meet production goals.

Here’s the reality...

Technical SEO works best when paired with:

Strong local SEO
High-converting website design
Strategic content targeting patient intent
Ongoing optimization and tracking

That’s why leading practices don’t just look for vendors—they partner with a dental marketing company that understands the full picture.

Final Thoughts: What Actually Matters

If you strip away the jargon, technical SEO for dentists comes down to this:

Your site loads fast
It works flawlessly on mobile
Google can crawl and understand it

Your structure supports your services and locations

There are no hidden issues holding you back

That’s it.

Not 50-page audits.
Not endless technical tweaks.
Not chasing perfection.

Just a solid foundation that allows your SEO for dentists strategy to actually perform.

If your website isn’t delivering consistent patient growth, there’s a good chance the issue isn’t visibility—it’s the foundation underneath it.

And that’s exactly where the right dental SEO services make all the difference.

Curious what Patient NEWS can do to help you rank higher with an AI-driven beautifully designed website?

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FAQs

Why Branding Matters for Your Dental Practice

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:33:22 GMT

Many dentists assume branding simply means having a logo.

A strong dental brand is much more than a graphic mark. It’s the complete identity of your practice – the name, visuals, message, and personality patients recognize across every marketing channel.

Think about the brands you trust most. What draws you in? The logo plays a role, but it’s really the overall experience: the messaging, the style, and the consistent feeling you get whenever you encounter the brand.

For dental practices competing locally, branding is one of the most powerful ways to stand out. The right dental marketing firm helps transform your practice identity into a cohesive brand that attracts the right patients and builds trust before someone even walks through your door.

When your branding is consistent across everything – from your website to your direct mail newsletters – patients begin to recognize and remember your practice.

The Three Core Elements of a Strong Dental Brand

A successful dental brand isn’t built on a single design element; it’s created through three foundational components that work together to communicate a clear message.

Practice Name

Your practice name is the first impression patients have of your business.

A strong name communicates something meaningful about your philosophy, services, or patient experience. It may reflect your location, your specialty, or the type of care patients can expect.

When developing a brand identity, a dental marketing firm will ask important strategic questions:

What makes your dental practice unique?
What type of patients are you trying to attract?
How do you want your practice to be perceived in the community?

The answers help shape brand messaging that feels authentic and memorable.

Dental Logo (Why an Icon Isn’t the Whole Logo)

Many dental practices assume the icon or symbol is the logo. In reality, the icon is just one part of a complete logo system.

A professional dental logo typically includes:

The icon or symbol
The practice name (logotype)
Typography and layout
Brand color palette

Together, these elements create a visual identity that patients can easily recognize across marketing materials.

A well-designed dental logo should be:

Clean and modern
Instantly recognizable
Flexible across digital and print marketing
Memorable in your local market

When patients repeatedly see the same visual identity, from newsletters to your website, they begin to associate that look with your practice.

A Memorable Tagline

You may or may not want a tagline. A tagline is a short phrase that communicates your core message. Think of it as the headline for your brand. It captures the feeling or promise you want patients to remember.

Strong dental taglines are:

Short and easy to recall
Focused on patient benefit
Aligned with the overall brand message

When used consistently in marketing materials, a tagline reinforces what makes your practice special.

Why Brand Consistency Builds Patient Trust

Branding only works when it’s consistent.

Patients are more likely to trust a business that presents itself the same way across every interaction. When your visual identity, tone, and messaging remain consistent, it creates familiarity, and familiarity builds confidence.

Consistency is key in brand messaging, and smaller budgets (i.e., local dental offices) require that every piece of print and online content contribute. According to a brand consistency impact study, “consistent presentation of a brand increases revenue by 23% on average.”

And according to the Oxford College of Marketing, “when a company's branding is inconsistent across their communications, it breaks the link that the customer makes in their mind with the brand” and has an “adverse lasting impact on the customer's loyalty and positive connection to the brand.”

Having consistent branding online and offline across different channels is more important than ever when it comes to accurately relaying messaging to your customer base. When choosing a dental marketing firm, consider the benefits that “one-provider” can offer in expertise and their ability to bring together a consistent brand message across platforms.

[Book A Consultation]

Consistent branding helps your dental practice:

Build Recognition
Patients immediately recognize your practice across marketing channels.

Project Professionalism
Uniform branding signals an organized, established practice.

Reduce Patient Uncertainty
Consistent messaging reassures patients that they will receive a reliable experience.

Strengthen Loyalty
Familiar brands become trusted brands over time.

Inconsistent branding, on the other hand, can create confusion and make a practice appear less established.

Extending Your Brand Across Every Marketing Channel

Your brand should be visible and consistent everywhere patients interact with your practice.

This includes:

Your dental website and Google Business Profile
Direct mail newsletters
Email marketing
Paid ads and social media profiles
Office signage

A skilled dental marketing firm ensures these channels all reflect the same identity.

When patients encounter your brand in multiple places, and it always looks consistent, your practice becomes more memorable.

How a Dental Marketing Firm Strengthens Your Brand

Brand development requires both strategy and creative execution.

A specialized dental marketing firm like Patient NEWS, which has worked only with dentists for the past 34 years, understands how to translate your practice identity into a cohesive brand system that works across digital and print marketing.

At Patient NEWS, we help dental practices:

Design and/or update modern dental logos
Develop distinctive and customized marketing campaigns
Maintain consistent branding across websites, newsletters, and digital marketing

The result is a recognizable brand that helps your practice stand out in your local market and attract the right patients.

Reports, studies, and research papers state the same thing: Repetition builds recognition and reputation. You want to be consistent in your approach across all channels. Send your branded newsletter multiple times to your niche, keep the same visual and ad copy on area billboards and digital advertising, and increase the number of times you post on social. Repetition builds recognition. This contributes to brand awareness. Brand awareness contributes to trust. Trust contributes to conversions.

Consumers want content that engages through storytelling, provides useful solutions, and creates entertaining experiences. Colors should not be overlooked. Across dental websites, three color families dominate branding: blue signals trust, white is associated with cleanliness, and green/teal signals health and calm. Marketing and design analyses of dental branding show blue, white, and green dominating because they communicate safety and credibility to patients.

That said, you’ll want to consider your secondary color – the accent you can use as your “pop” color. Multiple marketing experiments show that a bold CTA color significantly improves conversion. For example, from blue to orange increased signups by almost 40%, and moving from grey to red increased activations by 45% - with no other design change. Research shows high-contrast colors attract attention and increase clicks. Warm colors like red, pink, and orange trigger emotions like urgency to act, action, excitement, enthusiasm, and encouragement, while your blue/green elements convey trust, reliability, safety, and approval. Color differences help users instantly locate their next action step – call, click, and convert!

As a successful dental marketing firm, we understand that color strategy is more than aesthetics; it’s a performance driver. By helping practices establish a strong brand base using trusted healthcare tones and then introducing the right strategic accents, we help guide patients’ eyes exactly where they need to go. This thoughtful mix of stability and contrast improves visual hierarchy, increases engagement, and helps both print and digital campaigns convert more consistently by making the next step – calling, booking, or requesting an appointment – impossible to miss.

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FAQs

How E-E-A-T Improves Dental SEO (And Why Google Trust Matters for Dental Websites)

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:03:56 GMT

How E-E-A-T Improves Dental SEO (And Why Google Trust Matters for Dental Websites)

Search engines are becoming far more sophisticated in how they evaluate healthcare information online, and for dental practices, that shift matters.

Dental practices fall into what Google calls the “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) category. In other words, the information on a dental website can directly impact someone’s health and well-being. Because of that, search engines apply much stricter standards when evaluating dental sites and treatment information.

But this isn’t just about search rankings.

Today’s patients often research dental concerns online long before scheduling an appointment. During that research process, they’re evaluating not only the information they find, but also whether they trust the practice and dentist behind it.

That’s where E-E-A-T becomes essential.

Many practices address these signals as part of a broader dental SEO strategy designed specifically for healthcare providers. In many cases, working with a marketing partner that specializes in dental SEO services can help ensure a practice’s clinical expertise and credibility are effectively represented across its online presence.

Before diving deeper, let’s look at what E-E-A-T actually means in the context of dental marketing.

What is E-E-A-T in dental SEO?

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

It’s a framework Google uses to evaluate whether a website provides credible and reliable information – especially for healthcare topics like dentistry.

For dental practices, E-E-A-T signals help search engines determine whether a website demonstrates:

Real clinical experience
Verified professional credentials
Recognition from trusted organizations
Transparent and trustworthy business practices

Practices that clearly demonstrate these qualities tend to perform better in search results, ranking higher and ultimately building stronger trust with prospective patients.

Let’s explore how these four pillars come to life on dental websites – and how the team at Patient NEWS applies this framework to help our clients stand out and grow online.

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Experience: Showing Real Clinical Insight

The first pillar – experience – focuses on whether content reflects real-world patient care.

When patients research dental procedures online, they’re rarely looking for textbook explanations. They want to understand what the treatment experience will actually be like.

Questions patients often ask include:

What happens during the consultation?
How long does the procedure take?
What does recovery look like?
What results can I realistically expect?

Dental websites that address these types of questions tend to resonate more strongly with prospective patients and often perform better in search.

One effective way to demonstrate experience is through patient case studies. With proper patient consent, before-and-after examples of treatments such as implants, veneers, orthodontics, or restorative dentistry can illustrate both the clinical process and the results.

Another valuable approach is procedure walkthrough content.

Rather than simply defining a treatment, a page might explain:

What happens during the initial appointment
The typical timeline for treatment
Expected recovery periods
Common patient concerns

This type of real-world insight is exactly what search engines increasingly associate with credible healthcare information.

Practices can also highlight experience by showcasing their team and clinical environment. Team profiles, continuing education participation, conference attendance, and behind-the-scenes insights into the practice all reinforce that the team is actively engaged in patient care and professional development.

Well-designed websites for dentists often incorporate these elements directly into service pages and educational blog resources.

Expertise: Demonstrating Professional Credentials

While experience reflects hands-on knowledge, expertise focuses on a doctor’s professional training and qualifications.

Healthcare information carries a higher credibility threshold than most other types of online content. As a result, your dental website should clearly identify the professionals responsible for the information presented.

One of the most important steps is developing detailed provider profiles.

Each dentist on the website should have a biography outlining:

Education and dental school training
Professional affiliations
Clinical focus areas
Certifications and advanced training

This information helps both patients and search engines understand the qualifications behind the practice’s educational content.

Practices should also ensure specialized training is visible throughout the website.

This may include:

Advanced implant training
Invisalign or orthodontic certification
Cosmetic dentistry education
Membership in organizations such as the ADA, CDA, or AACD

Another effective strategy is building topical depth around key treatments.

Rather than covering complex procedures in a single article, practices can create multiple blogs exploring topics such as:

Implant candidacy
Surgical procedures
Recovery timelines
Treatment costs and financing
Alternatives to treatment

This type of educational depth is often a core component of dental SEO services that our expert SEO team at Patient NEWS provides, which structures content around the questions patients are actively researching.

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Authoritativeness: Building Professional Reputation

The third pillar – authoritativeness – reflects a practice’s broader reputation within both the dental profession and the local community.

Search engines evaluate authority largely through external signals. These signals include references or mentions from other reputable organizations and websites.

For dental practices, strong authority signals may include backlinks from:

Coverage in local news outlets
Mentions in professional dental publications
Listings on dental association websites
References from community organizations or health education platforms

When credible organizations reference a practice, it signals recognition and legitimacy.

Awards, certifications, and professional distinctions should be highlighted on both the practice website and platforms like Google Business Profile. At Patient NEWS, we optimize your GBP with consistent, keyword-driven posts that are written to rank.

Community engagement can further strengthen authority. Participation in school dental education programs, local health fairs, or charitable dental initiatives demonstrates that the practice contributes meaningfully to the community it serves.

Many dental practices partner with Patient NEWS to help manage these credibility signals and ensure their online presence truly reflects their expertise and professional reputation.

Trustworthiness: Creating Transparency and Reliability

The final pillar – trustworthiness – is the foundation of the entire E-E-A-T framework.

Patients need to feel confident that a dental practice’s website and online presence are transparent, secure, and reliable.

One of the most visible trust signals is patient reviews. Encouraging satisfied patients to share their experiences online helps build authentic feedback that prospective patients can evaluate when choosing a provider.

Boost your success and attract high-quality patients with positive Google and Facebook reviews using Review Booster by Practice ZEBRA .

Additionally, transparency is equally important.

Dental websites should clearly display:

Contact information
Office location and hours
Practice policies
Accessibility information

Search engines also rely on structured data (schema markup) to better understand websites. Schema can identify dentist credentials, patient reviews, and practice locations, helping search engines interpret the legitimacy of a dental provider.

How E-E-A-T Influences SEO for Dentists

As search technology evolves, particularly with the growth of AI-driven search experiences, credibility signals are playing an increasingly important role in how healthcare information appears online.

Search engines are prioritizing content that demonstrates:

Verified clinical expertise
Real patient experience
Professional reputation
Transparent business practices

Dental practices that invest in high-quality educational content and credible digital signals are more likely to achieve sustainable search visibility.

Because of this, many practices partner with a dental marketing agency that specializes in dentistry search strategies. These agencies understand the unique credibility and regulatory considerations involved in dental marketing.

Effective dental SEO strategies typically focus on three areas:

Structuring websites to demonstrate expertise and trust
Creating educational content aligned with patient search behavior
Building authority through professional and community reputation signals

When these elements work in harmony, your dental website is better positioned to rank competitively in search results while also providing meaningful information to prospective patients.

Why Credibility Matters for Dental Marketing

Beyond search rankings, the principles behind E-E-A-T reflect something much more fundamental: patient trust.

Today’s patients often begin researching dental concerns online long before contacting a practice. During this research process, they evaluate both the information presented and the credibility of the provider behind it.

A dental website that clearly demonstrates experience, expertise, and transparency helps guide patients through that decision-making process.

For example, a patient researching dental implants may have questions about candidacy, recovery timelines, and long-term outcomes. Educational content that addresses these topics clearly helps build confidence in both the information and the dentist.

From a practice perspective, this type of content supports both patient education and practice growth. Patients who arrive for consultations after doing their research are often better informed and more comfortable accepting treatment options.

Ready to Strengthen Your Dental Website’s Credibility?

Building strong E-E-A-T signals isn’t just about checking an SEO box – it’s about creating a digital presence that reflects the expertise, professionalism, and trust patients expect from their chosen dental practice.

At Patient NEWS, we help dental practices turn their websites into powerful educational and patient-acquisition tools. Our team specializes in dental marketing strategies that combine high-quality content, search optimization, and patient communication systems designed specifically for dentists.

If your practice wants to improve search visibility, strengthen patient trust, and attract more qualified new patients, the right strategy can make a significant difference.

Schedule a consultation with our team to see how we can support your your website and digital marketing strategy.

FAQs

Dental Postcard Marketing: How Many Touchpoints Does It Take Before A Patient Chooses Your Dental Practice?

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:51:28 GMT

For years, we’ve heard a simple rule: a prospect needs seven to eight touchpoints before taking action. Then the number became eight to 12 interactions. We’ve watched this in action with our clients and their campaigns for years. Today? The reality is far more complex – especially when it comes to dentistry.

Patients researching healthcare providers – especially dentists – rarely make decisions after a handful of exposures. Modern research suggests that the average purchase journey now includes nearly 29 touchpoints across channels before a consumer commits. In some cases – particularly with cold prospects – 20 to 50 interactions may occur before someone finally converts.

That raises an important question for dental practices: If marketing success is no longer about one message or one channel, and a patient needs dozens of touchpoints before choosing a dentist, what creates those interactions? Many dentists assume this is where dental postcard marketing comes in. After all, a postcard can introduce your practice to local households and create awareness in your community.

But awareness alone rarely earns trust.

And for healthcare, where trust matters more than almost any other industry, the quality of those touchpoints matters just as much as the quantity. Patients researching a dentist are looking for reassurance, expertise, and credibility. They want answers to their questions, clarity about treatment options, and signals that the practice they choose will deliver quality care.

That’s where the real trust-building happens. Not just through how often patients see your name, but through the quality of information they encounter along the way. Because in modern dental marketing, touchpoints matter. But the content that builds confidence matters even more.

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Why Dental Marketing is Really About Trust

Choosing a dentist isn’t like choosing a pizza place. Patients are selecting someone who will treat their health, manage their pain, and influence their confidence and appearance. That decision carries emotional weight.

Modern healthcare research reinforces how deeply trust influences that decision:

82% of patients use search engines to research healthcare providers before booking an appointment.
The average patient visits three to five provider websites before choosing one.
75–88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
72% of patients say they prefer providers with a strong online presence.

Patients are researching, comparing, and evaluating long before they ever call your office.

The decision is happening in what Google calls the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT). That’s the research phase where patients gather information, check reviews, and evaluate providers.

Google’s research suggests that buyers often spend about seven hours interacting with a brand across 11 touchpoints in at least four locations before trusting it enough to choose it. That trust-building journey is exactly where smart dental marketing wins.

But it’s important to note that Google’s ZMOT is at research phase. It’s not the start of the patient journey, which begins with awareness. Always be sure that your marketing plan has a good system in place to develop awareness in the households you want to attract. Awareness campaigns can include billboards and signage, community involvement, referrals, word-of-mouth, and dental postcard marketing, but TBH, as a postcard provider, we’ve found that awareness-building through newsletter marketing almost always delivers better quality patients.

The Shift from WIIFM to Patient-Centered Messaging

Traditional marketing advice often focused on “What’s in it for me?” And that’s about as much real estate as you get with dental postcard marketing. But the problem with that mindset is subtle: it still centers on the practice, not the patient. Today’s most effective marketing flips the perspective entirely.

The question isn’t:

“What do we want to say?”

It’s:

“What does the patient need to feel confident choosing us?”

Quality patients want more than postcard promotions. They want reassurance, clarity, and expertise. They want quality information to make good decisions for their families. Those quality patients you want? They’re looking for quality dentists.

They want to know:

Will this dentist understand my concerns?
Will they provide excellent care?
Can I trust them with my health and appearance?
Is this practice modern, professional, and reputable?

Marketing that answers those questions builds trust. Marketing that simply advertises services does not. Imagine the impact of proactively educating the households you want to attract by providing value and quality information where you control the narrative. Those households you drive by on the way to the office every day – they aren’t even thinking about you right now. That new development nearby … how will they know you are the best dentist to choose?

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Why Your Practice Must Appear Everywhere Patients Look

Patients don’t discover dental practices in one place anymore. They encounter them everywhere. Examples of modern touchpoints include:

Direct mail
Google search
Online reviews
Practice websites
Social media
Local listings
Patient testimonials
Educational blog content
Retargeting ads
Word-of-mouth referrals

Each interaction builds familiarity. Each interaction reinforces credibility. Each interaction answers the patient’s unspoken question: “Is this a practice I can trust?” If your dental marketing campaigns only appear in one or two places, you simply don’t accumulate enough trust signals.

Practices that dominate their local markets show up consistently across multiple channels with an integrated, well-branded approach. Consistently.

Consistency is one of the most powerful trust signals in marketing. Patients rarely wake up thinking, “Today, I should find a new dentist.” Dental care is important, but even I’m not thinking about that, and I live in this world! It’s not typically at the top of anyone’s bucket list. That’s why consistent visibility matters. When a practice appears regularly – through direct mail, search results, social feeds, helpful articles, reviews, and community presence – it becomes familiar, and familiarity builds comfort. Over time, that steady presence signals reliability and professionalism, so when the moment comes that someone needs a dentist, the practice they’ve been seeing all along is the one they trust to call.

Why Direct Mail Still Dominates Local Healthcare Marketing

Digital marketing often gets the spotlight. But when it comes to reaching local households reliably, a quality direct mail system remains one of the most powerful tools available.

Why? Because it solves three major marketing challenges simultaneously.

1. Guaranteed Reach

Direct mail allows practices to select exactly which households receive their message based on demographics, geography, and lifestyle. Unlike digital platforms that depend on algorithms, direct mail ensures your message reaches the audience you want.

2. Awareness At Scale

Many potential patients don’t realize they need a dentist until they see one. Dental postcards or neighborhood newsletters can introduce your practice to thousands of households, creating the first touchpoint in the trust journey.

3. Multichannel Response

Patients rarely respond in a single way. Direct mail can drive website visits, phone calls, online searches for your practice, and office visits. In other words, direct mail triggers the digital journey rather than competing with it. The strongest campaigns integrate both.

Let’s be honest. Not all direct mail performs the same. Dental postcard marketing absolutely has its place, and many dentists use it successfully to create awareness in their community. In fact, direct mail continues to perform well overall, with response rates significantly higher than most digital channels.

However, format and content matter more than many practices realize. Through decades of testing campaigns for dental practices, we’ve found that neighborhood newsletters can generate about 170% higher response than postcards because they provide something postcards simply cannot: space for meaningful information. A more tangible experience. Patients don’t just glance at a newsletter; they read it, learn from it, and begin forming a perception of the practice behind it.

At first glance, many dentists might assume that postcards are less expensive than newsletters. In reality, it’s often more perception than fact when response rates and patient value are considered. And more importantly, the quality patients most practice want are evaluating signals of credibility, and a small promotional postcard may not fully communicate the level of care, expertise, and professionalism that a high-quality dental practice provides.

But the mail piece itself is only the beginning of the journey. When someone sees your practice for the first time, whether through a postcard, a newsletter, or another form of marketing, the next step is almost always the same: they go online to learn more. Patients search your name, read reviews, explore your services, and evaluate whether the practice feels credible and trustworthy. That research phase is where many patient decisions are actually made. In other words, the initial marketing touchpoint creates awareness, but the quality of the information patients find next is what ultimately builds trust and motivates them to schedule.

Why Your Website Becomes the Trust Engine

Direct mail may introduce your practice, but your website closes the credibility gap. When a prospective patient searches for your practice after receiving your message via dental postcard marketing or neighborhood newsletter campaigns, the website answers the next set of trust questions:

Does this practice look professional?
Is the information helpful and clear?
Do they explain procedures in a way I understand?
Are there real patient stories?
Are the doctors credible and approachable?

Remember: patients compare multiple websites before making a decision . Your website is not simply an online brochure – it’s the digital reflection of your practice. If it looks outdated, thin on content, or generic, patients subconsciously assume the practice may be the same.

Quality patients look for quality signals. Those signals include strong educational content, clear service explanations, modern design, professional photography, authentic patient testimonials, transparent information, and a fast, clear user experience.

When done correctly, the website becomes the central trust-building hub in your marketing ecosystem.

Even the best website cannot build trust if patients never find it. That’s where search visibility plays an essential role. Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your practice appear when people are actively looking for a dentist or researching treatments, while paid media ads ensure your practice shows up prominently for high-intent searches in your area. These channels capture patients during the research phase when they are already evaluating providers and deciding who to trust.

The Real Formula for Attracting Quality Patients

The practices that consistently attract ideal patients follow a simple formula.

Visibility + credibility + trust.

Visibility comes from consistent marketing touchpoints, direct mail, search results, paid ads, reviews, and social media. SEO and paid media help ensure your practice appears when patients are actively searching for care. Credibility comes from strong branding, professional presentation, and consistent messaging across all channels patients encounter. Trust comes from meaningful, patient-focused content that answers real questions. Educational articles, clear explanations of services, and helpful resources on your website help patients understand their options and feel confident choosing your practice.

When those elements work together, marketing stops feeling like advertising and starts feeling like a relationship. And relationships are what ultimately grow dental practices.

The Future of Dental Marketing

The idea that “patients need eight touches before buying” is outdated. Modern patient journeys involve dozens of interactions across multiple channels. The practices that succeed understand this reality. They show up consistently. They provide meaningful information. They build trust long before the patient ever picks up the phone.

Because when patients finally decide it’s time to choose a dentist, they rarely choose the practice they just discovered – they choose the one they’ve already come to trust.

SCHEDULE CONSULTATION

FAQs

The Death of Direct Mail Was Greatly Exaggerated

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 20:44:10 GMT

Why direct mail for dentists is winning the mailbox in 2026

For years, marketing “experts” have predicted the same thing:

Print is dead.

Direct mail is dying.

Digital will replace everything.

But something interesting happened along the way. The internet got noisy. Really noisy.

Consumers are now bombarded with thousands – I mean thousands – of digital ads every day, inboxes are overflowing, and AI-generated spam is eroding trust in online messaging. The average person notices around 80 per day, and many are ignored, skimmed past, or only seen subconsciously.

Meanwhile, one marketing channel has quietly become the most valuable inbox: The mailbox.

And the dental practices paying attention to this shift are pulling ahead.

The Mailbox Is The New Premium Inbox

Consumers receive over 800 emails every week, but only four to five pieces of marketing mail. That imbalance alone changes the competitive landscape.

5,000 digital brand exposures a day (& consciously notice 70-100)
3,000 emails per week
Four to five pieces of marketing mail weekly

Instead of fighting through crowded digital channels, direct mail for dentists lands in a space with far less competition and far more attention. And the engagement numbers prove it.

Direct mail response rates average around 4.4%, compared to 0.12% for email – about 37X higher engagement.
Over 84% of consumers read direct mail the same day they receive it.
71% of consumers say mail feels more personal than digital communication.
A mail piece stays in home for an average of 17 days, compared to seconds for digital ads.
80% brand recall for direct mail vs. banner blindness. (Over 80% of digital ads are not noticed.)

In other words, the mailbox is no longer cluttered. It’s exclusive.

And exclusivity creates attention.

[SCHEDULE CALL]

Digital Fatigue Is Real & Print Benefits

Don’t get me wrong – we run highly successful digital ads for dentists and dental website SEO campaigns. Integrated dental marketing is important to the overall picture. But the truth is, consumers today (all of us) do experience what marketers call digital fatigue. Constant notifications. Endless scrolling. Algorithm-driven advertising. AI-generated spam. How many Instagram posts or TikTok's did you scroll through – fast – last night? Unless we are highly interested, it’s all a bit of a blur. But direct mail? Well, recent research shows that:

58% of consumers feel overwhelmed by digital ads.
82% of consumers trust print advertising when making purchasing decisions.

That trust gap matters, especially for dentistry, which relies on trust. When a patient sees a dental practice online, they assume it’s an ad.

When they see that same practice in their mailbox – especially with helpful educational content – it feels like a real business in their community.

And trust accelerates action.

Sixty percent of consumers report acting after receiving direct mail, 62% visit a brand’s website, and 39% say they’ve tried a business for the first time because of direct mail.

Direct Mail For Dentists Doesn’t Just Work – It Dominates ROI

The financial performance of direct mail is equally impressive for our clients.

Neighborhood newsletters average 6-8X ROI.
85% of marketers say direct mail delivers the best conversion rates among all channels.
Consumers who receive mail-driven campaigns spend about 28% more than those who do not. Maybe that’s why our clients’ new-patient average spend is much higher than the industry average dental clinic.

And here’s the critical takeaway: Direct mail isn’t competing with digital. It amplifies digital.

[SCHEDULE CALL]

The Dental Practices Winning The Mailbox

The most successful dental practices today are not relying on social media posts or Google Ads alone. They are building patient acquisition systems . And direct mail sits at the center of that strategy. In fact, 87% of businesses plan to maintain or increase investment in direct mail.

Practices that consistently invest in targeted direct mail campaigns are:

Attracting significantly more new patients
Building stronger community recognition
Creating long-term patient relationships.

In fact, dental practices that include our neighborhood newsletter system as a core marketing channel are seeing:

40% more new patients than industry averages
Production growth over 50% higher than pre-pandemic benchmarks
Annual revenue over 2X higher than industry average.

Why?

Because they’re not just marketing online. They’re showing up in the community and in the home. And 80% of consumers (of all ages) can’t wait to see what mail they’ve received. Mail still sparks excitement and attention.

Not All Direct Mail Is Created Equal

Of course, not all mail is the same. A generic postcard with a coupon is easy to ignore. But educational, content-driven mail – like our neighborhood newsletter program – creates a very different experience. That’s where practice newsletters stand apart. A professionally produced dental newsletter:

Is 300% larger than a typical postcard
Delivers educational health content patients actually read
Generates about 70% higher response rates than postcards
Provides dental decision-makers with the quality information they want to make good decisions for their families.

Instead of looking like advertising, our newsletters look and feel like valuable information from a trusted healthcare provider. And that distinction matters. Because when patients read, learn, and keep a newsletter in their home, the dental practice becomes more than a business.

It becomes their dentist.

Why Dental Practices Should Pay Attention Right Now

The marketing landscape is shifting again. Digital channels are becoming more expensive, more crowded, and less trusted. AI overviews are creating distractions.

Meanwhile, direct mail is entering a new era of effectiveness, powered by better targeting, personalization, and integration with digital campaigns. The practices paying attention to this shift now are creating a massive competitive advantage.

Because while everyone else is fighting for attention online … they’re owning the mailbox.

And the mailbox, in 2026, might just be the most valuable inbox in marketing.

Direct mail isn’t just alive – it’s one of the most reliable ways for dental practices to stand out.

Our neighborhood newsletters provide you with a fully managed marketing system – from strategy to mailbox. Our team begins with data-driven demographic analysis and targeting, identifying neighborhoods, mail routes, and patient personas most likely to become long-term patients for your practice. From there, we write and design your premium, four-page newsletter that highlights your story, services, technology, and community presence while delivering engaging educational content that positions you as the local dental authority. Each piece is professionally printed and personalized to households, then mailed directly to the targeted homes you want to reach, creating consistent visibility for your practice in communities surrounding your office. Behind the scenes, the entire campaign is supported by dedicated account management, execution planning, strategic analysis, testing, call coaching, performance tracking, and ongoing opportunity analysis and optimization. This gives your practice a turnkey system designed to attract ideal patients and drive measurable growth.

The difference isn’t just direct mail. It’s the system behind it. Direct mail works, but only when it’s done right. Imagine your practice arriving in local homes every month – not as an ad, but as a helpful, engaging, neighborhood publication . That’s the power of our Patient NEWS neighborhood newsletter system.

Direct mail isn’t dead. Algorithms change. The mailbox doesn’t. Book a consultation today!

[SCHEDULE CALL]

FAQs

How to Find Profitable Dental Patients

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:39:02 GMT

If you’re searching for “how to find profitable dental patients,” you’re asking the right question.

Not just: “How do I get more new patients?”

Not: “How do I fill tomorrow’s hygiene schedule?”

But how do you attract patients who:

Value comprehensive care
Accept treatment
Stay loyal
Refer others and post positive reviews
Generate long-term revenue

That’s a different strategy entirely.

Because more patients isn’t the goal. More profitable patients is.

And here’s the reality: Today, nearly one-third of dentists say they aren’t busy enough. In most communities, it’s not a demand problem – it’s a visibility problem.

Too many excellent practices are simply the best-kept secret in their own neighborhood.

Profitable patients don’t “just happen.”

New patient acquisition doesn’t occur by accident. Profitable growth doesn’t magically appear because you’re clinically excellent.

Building a visible brand in your community is not random.

It’s intentional.

And in times of uncertainty or competitive pressure, the practices that win aren’t the ones that go quiet – they’re the ones that stay visible.

History shows this clearly: during economic slowdowns, some businesses shrink while others expand. The difference? Proactive outreach and consistent awareness-building.

If patients don’t see you, hear from you, or recognize your name, they can’t choose you.

The math of profitability: fixed overhead is your advantage

Let’s talk about something many dentists overlook when thinking about growth: fixed overhead.

When your practice has capacity, underutilized hygiene hours, and unused operatory time, your major expenses don’t dramatically increase when you add patients. Your rent doesn’t double. Your equipment payments don’t spike. Your team is already there.

That means incremental new patients – especially those who accept treatment – drop revenue to the bottom line at a significantly higher margin. Consider that the average new patient is valued at around $2,000 in the first year. If you added just three more each week – do you have time for just three more appointments? – it adds up. To over $250,000 annually. Would you like to see that on your topline this year?

So, the real question becomes…

How do you find more of the right new patients to maximize existing capacity?

You don’t slash fees.

You don’t chase insurance write-offs.

You build visibility and demand.

Awareness building: the most underutilized competitive advantage

Many dentists hesitate to invest in awareness marketing because it feels expensive.

It’s easier to justify spending on something transactional:

Google Ads
SEO
Reactivations

Those are reactive channels. They capture people already searching.

But awareness? That’s proactive.

And proactive marketing is where competitive advantage lives.

When you consistently show up in the mailbox of your ideal neighborhoods, you aren’t waiting for someone to search “dentist near me.” You’re planting your flag in their mind long before they need you.

When a crown breaks.

When they move.

When they’re unhappy with their current dentist.

When they want to update their smile.

You’re already familiar.

And familiarity drives trust.

Trust drives appointments.

Appointments drive profitability.

Why direct mail still works (and often works best)

Consumers continue to respond to direct mail in powerful ways. Multiple industry studies show that people prefer receiving relevant local marketing via mail over many digital channels.

Why?

Because it feels tangible.

Local.

Legitimate.

It doesn’t disappear in a scroll.

Direct mail – when done correctly – puts your brand physically into the home. It reaches decision-makers. It engages families. It creates staying power.

But here’s the critical distinction:

Not all direct mail is created equal.

Postcard vs. newsletter: size matters

If you’re serious about how to find profitable dental patients, format matters.

Postcards can easily blend into the stack of “junk.” It’s glanced at and discarded in seconds (or 72 hours).

Our newsletter format is 300% larger, and it stays in the home 17 days on average. It’s seen by multiple people. It’s on the counter!

That additional size isn’t cosmetic – it’s strategic.

It allows you to:

Tell your story
Showcase your team
Highlight services beyond the basics
Build authority
Educate (not just discount)
Reinforce your brand

And the result?

Our newsletter format drives 70% higher response rates than traditional postcard mailers.

That’s the difference between marketing that whispers and marketing that commands attention.

How to find profitable dental patients: a smarter framework

Let’s break this down into a practical strategy.

1. Target the right neighborhoods

Profitability starts with household selection. Data-driven targeting and like-audiences ensure you’re reaching homeowners and families aligned with comprehensive care.

2. Build brand recognition consistently

One mailing is a test.

Ongoing mailings build memory.

Consistency compounds awareness. When competitors scale back, your visibility multiplies. You want patients searching YOUR name – not “near me” options.

3. Communicate value – not just price

Profitable patients aren’t hunting for the cheapest cleaning special. They’re looking for:

Trust
Technology
Comfort
Expertise
Long-term relationships

A newsletter format allows you to position your practice accordingly. That doesn’t mean that an effective offer strategy isn’t part of the picture; it is, but by adding value through education, you create reciprocity and increase your value proposition, adding more reasons to “choose you.”

4. Track everything

Marketing without tracking is guessing.

Our black-and-white tracking systems in Practice ZEBRA , with advanced address matching and systematic and consistent AI call scoring, eliminate ambiguity. You know:

Where calls and new patients came from
How many new patient calls get answered live
How calls were handled
How many patients converted
The average first-year value of your new patients
What revenue was generated down to the penny patients spend

That clarity is how you scale ROI.

What happens when you do this right?

The data tells a compelling story. Practices using this proactive direct mail strategy:

Add 40% more new patients than the industry average
Generate 2X the average annual revenue
Achieve 6–8X return on investment within one year
Have grown approximately 50% since COVID, compared to about 9% industry growth

That’s not incremental improvement. That’s separation from the pack.

And the common thread?

They chose not to remain invisible.

The cost of staying quiet

When practices pull back on awareness marketing, three things happen:

1. Competitors gain share of voice.

2. Community familiarity fades.

3. Growth stalls.

Meanwhile, the practice down the street that stays consistent becomes the default choice.

Silence is rarely neutral.

It’s usually surrender.

Proactive outreach builds practice success

New patient acquisition doesn’t happen by chance.

You can’t assume all the consumers that live within reasonable drive time to your practice know:

You’re even there
You’re accepting new patients
You’ve invested in advanced technology
You offer cosmetic dentistry
You provide same-day crowns
You’re different from the practice they drive past every day

Without intentional outreach, they won’t.

Direct mail allows you to reach households that:

Aren’t actively searching yet
May be dissatisfied
May have recently moved
May not have a regular dentist

It positions you as the visible, stable, trusted choice.

A smarter question to ask? Instead of asking: “How can I get more patients this month?”

Ask: “How can I consistently find profitable dental patients who strengthen my practice long-term?”

That shift changes everything.

It moves you from:

Transactional thinking
Short-term promotions
Reactive marketing

To:

Brand-building
Market positioning
Sustainable growth

Final thought: visibility is a decision

If one-third of dentists say they aren’t busy enough, that means opportunity exists in nearly every market.

Patients are out there.

The question is: Do they know you are?

Building a visible, respected brand in your neighborhood doesn’t happen by chance. It happens through consistent, proactive outreach.

Direct mail – done strategically, at scale, with tracking and accountability – is one of the most powerful tools to drive profitable growth.

And if your practice has capacity, every incremental new patient you add is amplified by your fixed overhead advantage. That makes them profitable dental patients.

You worked hard to build a great practice.

Now make sure your community knows it exists.

Call today or schedule a convenient time for a quick consultation.

FAQs

How did you become a great dentist?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 23:02:49 GMT

If you’ve been watching the Olympics, you already know something most people forget:

The gold medal moment lasts seconds.

The practice behind it lasts years.

Every person on that podium has done the same routine thousands of times. Not dozens. Thousands. Repetition. Refinement. Repeat.

Comedians do it too. They test jokes in small clubs before they ever headline a Netflix show. Every line and every word tweaked, night after night.

Champions don’t get bored with the basics. They master them.

Business works the same way. The teams that win aren’t trying something once and hoping it sticks. They build processes. They measure. They adjust. They do it again.

It’s not glamorous. It’s just how greatness works. It’s exactly how you became a great dentist, and that’s exactly how we became great dental marketers.

That’s why you can count on us to drive results to your practice. We’ve done it over and over and over. 9000 dentists. 34 years. 100,000 campaigns. Two million calls. Just dentistry. We know how to attract the right type of dental patients – not just create leads.

SCHEDULE CONSULTATION

Consumers today are treating health and wellness as an ongoing lifestyle choice rather than an occasional purchase, with a major shift toward proactive health management. A 2025 global survey found that 70% of people actively engage in health-boosting behaviors and 57% now prioritize “aging well” more than they did five years ago, signaling that staying healthy and looking good are increasingly intertwined in personal priorities. On top of this, 55% of consumers say they’re willing to spend more on nutrition, self-care, and overall wellness – showing that people are prepared to put real money behind their health goals.

What this means for dental practices is that patients aren’t just looking for clinical care – they’re seeking providers who support their broader health and appearance goals. Trends show that consumers value transparency, trustworthy messaging with solutions, and that many are willing to invest in preventive and aesthetic services that boost confidence and quality of life. With health spending traditionally resilient – even amid economic uncertainty, and especially among younger consumers who value appearance as part of wellness – dentists who communicate their role in overall well-being are better positioned to attract the right type of dental patients who want to spend on their health – not cut back.

So, how do we help attract the right type of dental patients?

It’s about data and systems.

We don’t recommend drag-and-drop tactics that start and stop, creating inconsistent results.

We provide our clients with a smooth, systematic approach to everything we do – from new patient acquisition campaigns and AI-ready websites to SEO programs, paid ads, and lead funnels.

Direct mail that actually works

Direct mail provides 100% reach to your target audience, but not all direct mail is the same. We thoroughly analyze each market, the draw area, the demographics, and more to set each office up for success. Our content and format have been refined, neuro-analyzed, and tested across markets nationwide. The system includes tracking and coaching to ensure everything comes together – because execution matters just as much as strategy.

People want a quality source of information. It gives them something to talk about with their peers. And you have a powerful story to share: wellness, prevention, quality of life, nutrition, the mouth-body connection, and how modern dentistry supports overall health.

In addition to readability and communication, numerous studies show direct mail has measurable marketing advantages:

Households with higher income receive and read more advertising mail.

94% of consumers surveyed say they took action on promotional offers received via direct mail over the past year.

40% say they have tried a new business for the first time because of information received via direct mail.

AI-forward websites, SEO, and digital funnel marketing

Direct mail builds awareness and trust in the mailbox. Digital ensures you win the moment they search.

When a prospective patient hears your name, the next step is predictable: they Google you. If your website is slow, outdated, thin on content, or invisible in search results, your marketing dollars leak out quietly.

Our AI-forward websites are built for performance – not just aesthetics. They’re structured for modern search behavior, including AI-driven results, voice queries, and zero-click searches. Technical SEO, schema markup, optimized content architecture, and authoritative local signals work together to position your practice as the trusted answer in your market – not just another listing.

But visibility alone isn’t enough. We design strategic digital campaigns that guide patients through a funnel – not a dead end.

Paid search and social campaigns are tightly aligned with your growth goals – whether that’s implants, Invisalign, full-arch, cosmetic cases, or high-value family patients. Each campaign feeds into a purpose-built landing experience designed to educate, pre-qualify, and convert. Clear messaging. Compelling offers. Friction-free forms. Automated follow-up. Real tracking.

This is funnel marketing done the right way:

Awareness → Consideration → Conversion → Retention

Every step is measured. Every step is refined.

Because attracting the right type of dental patients isn’t about generating random leads. It’s about attracting individuals who value quality, understand health, and are ready to invest in their care.

TALK TO OUR TEAM

Effective marketing and communication are about more than just numbers. But it’s good to know the data consistently supports the wisdom of a strategic, integrated approach.

Winning organizations practice relentlessly. They review tape. They rebuild plays. And when they lose? They study why and come back sharper.

It’s never “we tried that once.”

It’s “Let’s run it again – better.”

The same is true for high-performing dental practices. Repetition isn’t boring. It’s how you remove guesswork. It’s how you turn good into great.

The dentists who dominate aren’t lucky.

They’re disciplined.

FAQs

Walking On "Dental" Sunshine (Yeah, Yeah!)

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 22:16:09 GMT

Smile your way to more new patients ��

Does the song “Walking on Sunshine” perk you up and make you smile?

Writing a dental marketing blog week after week, month after month, year after year is hard! What have we learned that’s worth sharing? What will genuinely help our clients and industry colleagues – and still be entertaining?

Today, I was staring at a blank screen. So, I went back into my archives to see what I was writing about five years ago. And wouldn’t you know it, I found a 2011 blog so relevant we reposted it in 2021 … and now here I am again in 2026 circling back.

Because it still matters.

And this story will help you get more new patients for your dental office.

Want more new patients for your dental practice? We can help you get them.

Schedule a free consultation today

That 2011 blog was a touch on dental coaching and how to say things on the phone. You may be surprised, but that includes SMILING, which we love to do because we’re in dentistry. ��

As a dental professional, you’ve likely had a ton of training on communication skills. You’ve heard it said before: it’s not just what you say – it’s how you say it. That message may be even more relevant in 2026, when patients are overwhelmed by automation, AI, online forms, chatbots, and impersonal digital transactions. People are craving real, positive human connection.

When it comes to call handling, though, the level of training is often much less. So, when looking at your dental coaching plan for 2026, consider that a UCLA study, often cited in communication training, revealed that when speaking face-to-face, gestures account for 55% of impact, tone of voice 38%, and words just 7%. While those numbers are frequently oversimplified, the takeaway remains powerful: delivery matters. On the phone, gestures disappear, so tone carries even more weight.

And yes, a smile can absolutely be heard.

Back in 2011, we had just conducted a training session with our sales team on delivering effective online presentations. (We were just implementing PowerPoint into our sales process – that tells you how long we’ve been doing this. Well, longer still – we’ve been exclusively helping dentists and teams since 1993!) At the time, I shared tips from that coaching session and connected them to new patient call handling in dental practices because it’s very relevant. And I have more great tips below, so keep reading!

At that time, most of our face-to-face interactions happened at trade shows and events. The rest? Phone calls. Today, Zoom has brought smiling faces to screens, but voice inflection, presence, focus, and, yes, smiling while you talk, are still central to effective communication.

Those fundamentals were then – and remain now – core elements of our Phone Power call coaching program, which supports direct mail and website campaigns designed to drive new patient calls.

Here’s the reality: when you do something all day, every day – answer the phone, present treatment, respond to questions – and you’re juggling a dozen other tasks, it’s easy to slip from energetic and engaged into distracted and indifferent.

At that long-ago training session, we did an exercise that was simple, fun, and surprisingly powerful.

The trainer asked us to say the same sentence in different emotional tones: bored, flirtatious, angry, excited … you get the idea.

Try this dental coaching exercise at your next team huddle.

You’ll need one brave volunteer. ��

First, as if you’re BORED and distracted, say out loud:

“Good morning, Dr. Smith’s office. Yes, we have one-hour whitening. We can fit you in at 2.”

Now think of something that genuinely makes you feel good. Your child. Your dog. Your team winning a championship. A walk by the lake. That first sip of coffee. Hold that feeling and say:

“Good afternoon, Dr. Smith’s office. Yes, we have one-hour whitening. We can fit you in at 2.”

The words didn’t change.

The experience did.

Every dental office should have some level of dental coaching going on with the front desk team. Have the top performer review how they handle objections and get patients talking more, listen to calls, and review where there are wins and where improvements can be made. Ensure that a consistent welcome script for new patients is in place, and that everyone speaks clearly and confidently. (We’ve heard too many mumbled names and greetings, which doesn’t establish confidence for new patients, and that’s what’s needed for successful call conversion.) But beyond the words, it’s the energy, warmth, and confidence behind them that builds trust.

You want every new patient to feel like they’ve called the right place – that it’s safe, welcoming, professional, and that their call truly matters. When you sound confident, proud to represent the practice, and genuinely happy to help, patients feel it.

After scoring and coaching millions of dental calls over the years, we can confirm: the basics make a measurable difference in bookings.

Smile
Answer live – don’t let calls roll to voicemail
Be enthusiastic about your doctor and your practice
Be present, caring, and helpful
Maintain positive energy throughout the call
Say thank you!

Staying in your “happy zone” all day isn’t easy. You’re managing patients, team dynamics, insurance questions, production goals, and life outside the office. But attitude is a choice. We can’t control others, but we can control how we show up.

And how you show up directly impacts how many new patients schedule.

Call handling is marketing. It’s part of your patient journey. It’s part of your brand. Whoever answers the phone “is” the practice to the new patient . It’s important to have this positive energy from call one to call 25. It’s just a fact. Call handling is an extension of your dental marketing plan, and all the people who answer the phone at your dental office ARE perceived as the practice to a new patient.

It’s not what you say, but how you say it! New patients are critical to offset patient loss. The practice is investing in practice awareness and marketing to build community reputation and attract more people because new patients add life to practice success. Across the country, dental offices will lose around 20% of their active patients annually due to naturally occurring attrition. In a competitive market, that could increase to 40% annually.

And new patients bring in fresh production. On average, just one new patient contributes approximately $2,000 in production in year one and significantly more in lifetime value.

What if training and incentives helped you book just three additional new patients per week, for 48 weeks per year? Well, the practice would potentially add at least $250,000 in additional topline revenue. That’s success. That’s job security. That’s the ability to add new technology to support a thriving practice. It feels good.

And that’s if you add just three more new patients a week. A third of dentists say they’re not busy enough, so it’s likely you have capacity to do this.

Now layer in the reality of fee-for-service dentistry. How can you smile your way through that?

You can!

Converting patients when you’re out-of-network is challenging, but we found a superstar among our clients, so Megan, our Practice ZEBRA specialist, analyzed calls from this high-performer and found some clear consistencies you can use in your dental coaching session.

Here’s what stood out:

The greeting after identifying the practice and the call handler’s name had a special tone:

“Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?” instead of “How can I help you?”

After briefly answering the insurance question, the call handler pivots quickly to problem-framing questions:

“What made you call today?”
“What’s going on?”

That shift moves the focus from coverage to the patient’s actual concern. Patients feel heard. That emotional shift dramatically increases the likelihood they’ll stay engaged and move toward booking – even when insurance isn’t ideal.

They accept emergency patients and clearly explain the emergency exam fee as a way to get patients in quickly so the doctor can assess and relieve pain. If further treatment, like an extraction, is needed, costs are communicated transparently. Financing options such as CareCredit or an in-house membership plan are introduced early, giving patients time to prepare.

Instead of simply saying, “We’re out of network,” this call handler walks patients through a confident, structured explanation:

Acknowledge insurance: “I heard you mention you’ll be using dental benefits.”
Use a “Here’s how it works” framework.
Clarify status: “We’re an unrestricted provider, which means we’re not in-network, but can submit to all plans.”
Reassure confidently: “We have many patients who use insurance here successfully.”
Emphasize support: “We handle all paperwork on your behalf.”
Set financial expectations clearly.
Be transparent about reimbursement timelines (typically 7–10 business days).
Highlight that preventative services are often covered at higher percentages.

They also offer complimentary consultations to meet the doctor and ask questions, while clearly distinguishing that a comprehensive new patient exam is required for diagnosis and treatment planning.

For emergencies, expectations are set specifically based on the patient’s stated concern, and the patient is reassured that the exam will address their pain. That clarity reduces anxiety and builds confidence.

And throughout the call, you can hear the smile.

Speaking of smiling….

Did you know that “Walking on Sunshine” was released in 1985? That one stings a little. But it still works. It gets me smiling every time. AND it consistently ranks among feel-good songs in neuroscience-based music studies. Other mood-lifters often cited include:

“Happy” – Pharrell Williams
“I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” – Justin Timberlake
“Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen
“Dancing Queen” – ABBA
“Good Vibrations” – Beach Boys
“Uptown Girl” – Billy Joel
“Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor
“I’m a Believer” – The Monkees
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
“Livin’ on a Prayer” – Bon Jovi

Those songs are all proven by neuroscience to improve mood. Whatever song brings out your best energy, play it before the morning huddle. Add it to your practice playlist. Bring that feeling into your practice and into your calls.

Smile! It’s contagious – even through a phone line.

Want more new patients for your dental office?

Schedule a free consultation

FAQs

Dentists Are Using Direct Mail Again. Here’s Why.

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 22:20:04 GMT

Direct mail continues to be one of the most effective marketing channels for customer acquisition, re-engagement, and brand building, especially for service providers like dental practices that compete in high-trust, high-consideration markets.

Direct mail increased by 12% in 2025, to well over 25 billion pieces, of which 90% was acquisition-oriented. That’s because marketers are recognizing the impact of awareness marketing and the results direct mail drives across all marketing channels.

Direct mail gets seen more often and more deeply than digital ads because the physical nature of the mail gives you repeated exposure – especially when you consider lifetime value in the home.

How many people in your community know your practice exists?

Our direct mail neighborhood newsletters are designed to leverage the proven strengths of mail: combining data-driven audience targeting, creative optimization, and omnichannel integration to deliver measurable results that outperform digital-only strategies. This creates brand recognition and reputation presence, essentially giving your practice a public footprint that feels real, active, and established. Meaning that when someone thinks,

“I need a dentist,” your practice is one of the first that comes to mind.

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Our direct mail solutions help dental practices:

Cut through digital noise with higher engagement and response rates than email or social media.
Drive lead generation, appointment conversion, and patient retention with personalized, tactile creative.
Seamlessly integrate physical mail with digital touchpoints for sustained lift.

Performance & Effectiveness

67% of marketers report improved direct mail performance over the last year – the largest gain among all direct marketing channels, including email and social.
Direct mail often delivers >3% response rate, significantly above typical digital channel benchmarks.
84% of marketers agree direct mail provides the highest ROI of any channel they use.
High engagement: a large majority of consumers open or engage with mail on the day it arrives.

Audience Interaction

Personalization (name, tailored offer) can increase response by 100%+.
Direct mail integration with digital correlates with stronger conversion and attribution.
Consumers maintain and revisit direct mail pieces, a behavioral advantage over fleeting digital ads.

Channel Comparison

Open rates for mail often exceed 80%–90%, far above typical email rates.
Direct mail consistently ranks as one of the most influential advertising formats when driving purchase decisions.

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The Strategic Tactics We Implement That Drive Results

1. Data-Driven Targeting

We use demographic, behavioral, and practice-specific data to spot target areas.
From there, we identify and create patient-personas and pinpoint the neighborhoods and mail routes most likely to respond and become new patients, so your marketing reaches the right people – not just more people.

2. Personalization & Creative Relevance

Use dynamic personalization (household name) to boost response rates.
Test offers and messaging regularly to optimize performance.

3. Measurement, Testing, & Attribution

Track campaign results through conversion metrics, leads, calls answered live, calls converted, address match, and patient appointments.
Implement systematic testing on creative elements and offers.

Why Direct Mail Works for Dental Practices

Direct mail uniquely supports the patient journey, from awareness and consideration through decision. It provides tangible trust signals.

Dental patients are making health and financial decisions. Our neighborhood newsletters convey credibility and value in ways digital alone cannot.

Monthly newsletters are also seen by multiple household members, increasing word of mouth and awareness at low incremental cost. This keeps your name top-of-mind and the first one people think of when a need arises.

Higher Conversion Pathways

Dental practices that combine direct mail with online booking flows and digital follow-ups see measurable increases in appointment conversions. Ask about combining our neighborhood newsletter system with our AI-ready custom website and SEO systems. We’ve got you covered!

Patient NEWS DELIVERS:

Benchmarked direct mail performance grounded in up-to-date industry data.
Custom creative and strategic counsel tailored to dental practice goals.
Full funnel execution from list building to campaign measurement.
Integrated omnichannel campaigns that align mail with digital conversion paths.
Superior customer service from a team that cares about your success. We answer the phone!

Direct Mail FAQs for Dentists

Direct Mail Wins More New Patients in 2026

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:27:10 GMT

Attracting new patients directly impacts clinical success. One of the most efficient ways to build awareness and reach patients right in your neighborhood is through direct mail marketing.

While email inboxes, social feeds, and search engines are overflowing with forgettable noise – and increasingly filtered by algorithms and AI – direct mail isn’t. It puts your message directly into patients’ hands, delivering immediate visibility and credibility. In today’s highly competitive dental market , practices that leverage this proven channel gain a clear and measurable advantage.

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PATIENT NEWS CLIENTS GENERATE 40% MORE NEW PATIENTS THAN INDUSTRY AVERAGE

Before patients can choose your practice, they need to know you exist. Direct mail is the only channel that reaches 100% of a defined target audience and delivers lasting brand presence in the home – up to 17 days – long after digital messages disappear. I mean long after.

I recently reviewed one of our two-location clients who hit pause on their newsletter campaigns in December 2024. They continued to onboard new patients through November 2025, nearly a year after their last mailing, delivering a 10x ROI. Patients keep newsletters until they’re ready to choose. Results like this aren’t from one-and-done – this client committed to years of consistent targeted mailings and awareness-building.

Mail is tangible, physical, more memorable, and far more persuasive than digital media. In fact, a four-page newsletter ranks as the most trusted format when it comes to decision-making.

A well-designed newsletter introduces who you are, where to find you, and the services you provide, while creating a strong first impression that positions your practice as the expert patients are looking for.

More than awareness, newsletters allow you to shape perception: your professionalism, technology, services, and commitment to quality, all on your terms.

Direct mail delivers measurable advantages for dental practices – especially when done right. Our neighborhood newsletters help you stay connected with current patients, reengage lapsing households, and consistently reach new ones. They educate patients on new and expanded services, establish credibility for the doctors and team, reinforce the capabilities of the practice, encourage word-of-mouth referrals, and drive new patient growth. Practices commonly see an average 7x ROI within the first year.

But not all direct mail is created equal. With Patient NEWS, you get:

A premium four-page newsletter format. Stand out as the practice in your community with a beautifully designed, custom newsletter that captures attention and drives readers to your website, your phone, and your schedule.
High-quality production and personalization. Printed on advanced digital presses with variable data printing*, each newsletter can be addressed to households by name for stronger engagement.
Exclusive use in your area. Your practice gets exclusive access. No competing dentists in your market can use the Patient NEWS newsletter solution.
Done-for-you content that educates and engages. We handle everything, including professionally written dental content and a fresh, healthy recipe updated monthly.
Precision targeting powered by advanced analytics. Every mailing uses a refreshed, data-driven list created using look-alike audiences designed to mirror your ideal patients.
A dedicated and experienced Account Manager who manages all critical aspects of execution and results reporting. They care about you and your success.

Effective direct mail doesn’t happen by chance. It follows a proven, data-driven formula designed to deliver consistent results over time. Here are a few top tips to apply to your direct mail efforts:

1. Lead with data. Precision targeting is critical. Reaching households most likely to respond starts with advanced demographic analysis and patient mapping. At Patient NEWS , we use these insights to find patients most likely to respond, so every mailing continues to build.

2. Include great content and consider how the format represents your practice. Newsletters are powerful. Postcards are transactional. Newsletters are relational. Postcards can create spikes. Newsletters create compounding returns. They are uniquely positioned to inform without interrupting. They give you space to communicate your practice’s features and benefits while offering helpful, interesting content patients actually want to read. This non-intrusive format builds trust, reinforces expertise, and supports specific growth goals.

3. Track results. You want to track results using address matching and call scoring. New patients who receive your newsletter may initiate their first contact with your practice via a website, form fill, or social channel. Understanding the full patient journey allows you to make good long-term decisions for practice growth.

4. Commit to consistency. Persistence drives profitability. Marketing success requires follow-through. There are always obstacles to overcome, ongoing optimization, and work to do on call handling and conversion. Stay with your plan. Follow through on all aspects of it. Provide the necessary budget and adhere to the timelines you’ve identified.

Schedule a time to chat with one of our experts and find out more.

Look at the number of new patients you saw in 2025. Was that an increase or decrease compared to 2024? It’s important to remember that the competition for new patients is intense!

Patient NEWS clients attracted 40% more new patients than industry average, with average practice production over $2.1 million for 2025.

Ready for growth in 2026? Get our proven program working for your office. Sign up here!

Mobile-First Design: Why It’s Essential For Your Dental Practice

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:42:05 GMT

Your dental website isn’t just a brochure. It’s the front door!

These days, prospective patients almost always start their journey online. Research shows that roughly 71% of patients search for a dentist online before booking an appointment .

If your website feels slow, confusing, or out-of-date, you may lose them before you even meet them. That’s why modern dental sites must do more than look nice. They need to convert.

IMPROVE YOUR WEBSITE. SCHEDULE A CALL NOW.

What the data demands – and what your dental practice website needs:

Over 60% of dental-related searches now come from mobile devices.
Visitors expect fast, frictionless experiences; slow or clunky pages kill conversions.
Patients trust what they see: real-photos, team bios, clear credentials, reviews, and testimonials all build confidence.

In short, a modern dental website must be fast. It must reflect trust. And it must make it easy for a potential patient to take action – ideally in under a minute.

What works now (for 2026 and beyond). Design and UX essentials.

1. Mobile-first, lightning-fast performance

Design for phones first. Use responsive or adaptive layouts, make buttons big enough for fingers (not cursors), and ensure your pages load fast even on weaker connections. On mobile, quick access to contact info, clear services, and “Book Now” or “Call Us” buttons can make or break whether a visitor becomes a patient.

2. Clean, clear, patient-focused navigation

Avoid clutter. Keep menus simple with About, Services, Reviews, New Patients, and Contact pages. Make it easy to find what matters, fast.
Use white space, clear headings, and avoid overwhelming visitors with too much content at once. The goal: Get them from “Who are you?” to “Can I book now?” without friction.

3. Build trust from the first click

Use real-world photos: your office, your team, your patients (with consent). Authentic visuals create a human touch that stock photos can’t match.
Show reviews, testimonials, and credentials. Let visitors see that real people love your practice. A site that feels professional and trusted influences decisions.

4. Use content that educates and converts

A good website answers questions. What services do you offer? What’s the patient process? What insurance or financing options exist? Easy-to-find, well-organized content builds trust.

Consider adding short videos, office tours, and FAQ pages. These help visitors feel comfortable, informed, and ready to book.

Your website now has to satisfy humans and AI

Website design in 2026 isn’t just about creating a great patient experience – it’s also about making sure your content is understood, selected, and cited by AI systems. Google AI Overviews, Gemini, ChatGPT Search, and other LLM-powered experiences pull answers directly from websites, rewarding dental practices that provide clean, structured, well-written information. This is changing what “good design” means. Layout, content, SEO, and schema now work together. If your site doesn’t communicate clearly to AI, you risk being invisible in the new search environment.

WE CAN HELP. BOOK A CALL TODAY!

Structured FAQs are now essential

We’re embedding FAQ blocks on homepages and service pages because they do double duty. Patients love fast answers, and AI Overviews rely heavily on FAQs to deliver concise, trustworthy responses. When your practice provides authoritative explanations to “How much does a dental crown cost?” or “Are dental implants painful?”, your content is far more likely to be cited by AI – placing your brand directly in front of high-intent patients. This isn’t theoretical. Practices with robust FAQ structures already see stronger visibility and improved conversion because search engines can validate them as reliable sources.

Content depth = authority in the AI era

Blogging used to be “nice to have.” In the AI-driven search world, it’s mandatory. LLMs reward authority, accuracy, and freshness , which means practices publishing regular, educational blog posts build far more trust with both patients and search engines. A strong publishing cadence also supports E-E-A-T signals – experience, expertise, authority, and trust – now core to how AI models decide what information to surface. When you consistently share insights, explain procedures, and answer common patient questions, you’re not just marketing; you’re training AI to recognize your practice as an expert in dentistry.

Design now includes schema and answer optimization

Modern dental website design includes proper schema markup, structured content blocks, and page layouts built for answer retrieval. Think clear headings, short answer paragraphs, procedure overviews, FAQ accordions, and internal linking that helps AI systems follow the story of your expertise. A clean, elegant design still matters, but answer-level structure matters just as much. Websites built this way perform better in search, appear more often in AI summaries, and convert more patients because information is visible, accessible, and credible from every angle.

The future of dental websites: helpful, human, and AI-friendly

As the search landscape shifts, the practices that win will be those combining great UX with strategic content depth. Your website can’t just tell patients what you do — it has to prove you’re a trusted authority in dentistry. That’s where this new layer of FAQ development, schema support, long-form content, and consistent blogging comes in. Great design now means designing for humans and for the AI systems that help patients choose their next dentist.

Why this matters – especially for DSOs and multi-location practices

For groups and DSOs with multiple clinics, a solid site strategy pays off big when:

You keep a consistent brand experience across locations, while still letting each clinic feel local, professional, and welcoming.
You deliver a mobile-first, seamless experience. Essential when so many prospective patients cold-search “dentist near me,” often while on the go.
AI-ready content creates consistency across diverse brands. Even when locations have different identities, structured FAQs, schema markup, and authoritative blog content ensure every site meets the same performance standards. This levels up visibility, improves search placement, and drives system-wide new-patient growth without forcing a one-brand model.
Centralized content strategy reduces duplication and boosts authority. DSOs can create shared clinical content, FAQs, and educational resources that feed all locations, but remain unique, allowing each brand to maintain its own voice while benefiting from enterprise-strength SEO and AI-overview optimization. The result: stronger authority signals, lower content costs, and more visibility across all affiliates

Smart design choices make or break engagement

Color psychology still plays a role in dental website performance. Calming, clinical palettes like blues, teals, and soft neutrals tend to outperform loud or overly saturated colors because they signal cleanliness, professionalism, and trust. Bold accents are great for CTAs, especially contrast colors that support the brand. The overall palette should never compete with the message. Beyond color, the flow of content influences how long visitors stay and how effectively search engines interpret page structure. Start with a clear value statement, follow with trust signals, highlight the practitioners (people want to do business with people they like), emphasize services, and guide visitors toward a single, prominent action. When content is organized with purpose, patients feel oriented, and search engines understand what the page is about.

Too many “helpful” features quickly turn into conversion killers

Pop-ups, chat widgets, sticky CTAs, appointment bars, and promotional banners can all increase conversions when deployed strategically. When overused or triggered too soon, they overwhelm visitors, spike bounce rates, and confuse the page hierarchy that AI systems analyze. A good rule of thumb: one main CTA, one assistive tool, and one optional engagement element per page. For example, a single exit-intent pop-up, a discreet chat icon, and a clean “Book Now” button in the header work well together. What you want to avoid is a pop-up firing within two seconds of landing, a chatbot that chases the cursor, and multiple competing promotions layered on top of each other. Modern design is clean, supportive, and intentional. The fewer distractions, the more likely patients are to stay, read, and convert.

Accessibility is now a ranking signal – and a trust signal

Website accessibility isn’t just a compliance box anymore. It’s a core part of user experience and Search Engine Optimization . Patients with visual, mobility, or cognitive differences should be able to navigate your site without barriers. Clear contrast ratios, alt text for images, readable font sizes, keyboard navigation, and ADA-conscious layouts improve usability for everyone. Search engines increasingly reward accessible websites because they demonstrate credibility, professionalism, and patient-centric design. For practices, it’s simple: a more inclusive site earns more engagement and signals trust.

Local SEO integration starts with smart design

A website doesn’t rank locally by accident. Design choices, like embedding Google Maps, listing precise NAP information (name, address, phone) in the header or footer, and adding local schema markup, help search engines understand geography. DSOs with multiple locations need structured location pages with unique content, consistent formatting, and clear CTAs tailored to each clinic. Without this foundation, even a gorgeous website struggles to appear in “dentist near me” searches.

Conversion-optimized forms matter as much as CTAs

Forms are often the last barrier between interest and a booked appointment. Design them intentionally: short, mobile-friendly, finger-friendly, and fast. Limit the number of fields. Label everything clearly. Add trust cues, like HIPAA-safe statements, security assurances, or brief instructions. When forms feel easy and safe, patients complete them. If they feel long, confusing, or technical, they abandon them, often within seconds.

Be sure to monitor your online scheduling tool. It’s important that it doesn’t become a barrier to entry when no convenient appointment times are available, and no alternate option (e.g., “If you can’t find what you want, give us a call!”) is evident. These tools can work great, but they can also inhibit conversions.

Analytics and tracking must be baked into the build

Design isn’t complete without measurement. Websites should launch with Google Analytics 4, call tracking, form tracking, and more. Without these insights, practices and DSOs can’t see what frustrates users, where people get stuck, or which design choices convert. In 2026, a “pretty” website without analytics is the equivalent of a dental office without X-rays. You’re guessing, not diagnosing.

Security and technical trust factor into patient confidence

Security certificates, HIPAA-conscious forms, encrypted connections, and trustworthy hosting environments directly impact user confidence. Patients notice browser warnings. They notice when a site feels slow or unstable. Technical infrastructure is part of design because it shapes how safe and professional the experience feels. DSOs especially need consistent security across all brands to protect patient information and maintain system-wide credibility.

DON’T MISS OUT – TALK TO ONE OF OUR EXPERTS!

The bottom line: Your website is your digital reception desk.

Think of your site as your front-desk team working 24/7.

When built right, it warmly welcomes visitors, answers their questions, builds trust, and gently guides them toward booking an appointment.

FAQs

Own the Keys or Stay Locked Out: Why Dental Practice Owners Must Control Their Digital Assets

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 19:43:48 GMT

Picture this: your practice is ready to launch a new campaign. Ads built, creative polished, dollars allocated. But then, you discover you don’t have access to your Google Business Profile, your Meta account, or even your website hosting. Maybe a past employee set it up, or the credentials are sitting in a long-lost notebook.

This isn’t just inconvenient – it’s business-critical. Without admin control of your digital assets, you can’t update your website, run ads, respond to patient reviews, or even renew your domain name. The result? Missed patients, wasted budget, and lost visibility.

In our increasingly digital age, dental practice owners need clear ownership and control of every digital asset that matters. Here’s how to lock down your access, take back the keys, and stay nimble – and why it’s absolutely non-negotiable.

It’s About Trust, Compliance & Practice Security

Beyond marketing, there’s identity and reputation at stake. Losing access can disrupt operations, harm patient trust, and even violate regulations related to data and access control. Clear ownership and documented access aren’t just smart – they’re essential for long-term resilience.

Your practice's digital assets – Google Business Profile (GBP), domain name, Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Admin access, website, SEO dashboard, ad accounts – are not just technical details. They are your digital lifeline. When a former employee sets up or controls these and vanishes (or you lose the login), you're effectively locked out. No ads. No updates. No ranking. Essentially, no digital control. That affects patient flow, SEO, branding, and marketing performance – especially with agencies like Patient NEWS needing admin access to run campaigns and track results effectively.

No Access Scenario? Here’s How to Fix It (Think Crisis Response, Not Panic)

Document what’s missing. “We can’t run Google Ads because we can't access GBP.”
Request ownership transfer. Go through each platform’s transfer process (domains, GBP, Meta, etc.).
Authority reset . Contact service support where needed (domain registrars, hosting, GBP support, Meta support).
Record and backup . Once access is regained, log in to a secure password manager with up-to-date details.
Assign dual admin rights . Add yourself, plus another trusted executive or agency member, as admins – reducing reliance on any single person.
Enable recovery options . Two-factor auth, recovery email/phone, security questions.
Run a quarterly check . Ensure logins are working and access is sorted. Consider this a digital CPR drill.

Why Digital Asset Ownership Is Mission-Critical

Your practice’s digital properties – domain, social media accounts, ad accounts, analytics – are more than logins and passwords. They are mission-critical infrastructure :

Patient Acquisition: No GBP = no map listings and no local search visibility.
Brand Continuity: Lose your domain, and your email and website go dark.
Operational Security: Without admin access, you’re at the mercy of whoever has it.
Growth Enablement: Marketing partners like Patient NEWS can’t optimize or manage campaigns without proper access.

Dental practice owners should always have owner or admin-l evel access to the following:

✅ Domain name & registrar account

✅ Website CMS & hosting

✅ Google Business Profile (GBP)

✅ Google Analytics & Search Console

✅ Meta Business Manager/Ads account

✅ DNS settings

✅ Practice email hosting

✅ SEO & marketing software

✅ Review/reputation platforms

✅ Password vault/documentation backup

Here’s where life gets easier: when Patient NEWS manages your digital ecosystem, you don’t need to carry the burden of owning or operating every individual platform. Our team handles the setup, technical management, optimization, and day-to-day oversight – all while giving you full visibility through Practice ZEBRA . You stay informed and in control, without wrestling with GA4, Search Console, Google Ads, or CMS permissions. This eliminates confusion, prevents access issues, and keeps your entire digital footprint running smoothly.

Governance for Growth

Managing digital assets isn’t glamorous – but neither is scrambling to recover them. Treat your logins like practice equipment: too valuable to leave in someone else’s garage. With proper access, you ensure business continuity, safeguard your brand, and give your marketing partners the tools they need to drive growth.

Digital assets are like toothbrushes: don’t share them, don’t lose them, and make sure you always have your own!

Here's your checklist to print & keep handy:

The New Era of Group Dental Marketing - How Smarter Systems Create Better Results

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 03:27:26 GMT

Managing marketing for a group dental practice or DSO can feel a bit like conducting an orchestra: multiple practices, various brand images, different instruments, numerous personalities - and opinions, unique local audiences and needs, and one brand harmony to maintain.

But, as groups develop and grow, so do the challenges: balancing local needs with group standards, managing multiple stakeholders, and making sense of multiple systems and reporting in various formats.

It’s not just about running more campaigns. It’s about running smarter, data-driven marketing systems that unify teams, simplify decision-making, and drive growth at scale.

Schedule a call

The Complexity of Group Marketing

Whether your dental group consists of four, fourteen, or forty-four locations, CEOs and marketing managers face a unique marketing landscape that differs dramatically from single-location operations.

Key challenges include:

Patient acquisition, retention & experience: in a crowded marketplace, new patients are harder to attract & retention matters more than ever.
Consistency vs. customization: founder and corporate vision and strategies must blend with local-market nuances and deliver a great patient experience on and offline as you scale.
Data overload: Disparate PMSs, existing marketing campaigns & dashboards, various automated communications, call tracking, production, and new-patient data often live in different systems.
Attribution confusion: It’s tough to understand which campaigns drives new patients at which location when different partners are claiming attribution.
Stakeholder alignment: Operations, marketing, and leadership often interpret data differently and act on it separately.
Multiple third-party vendors with numerous strategies and reporting metrics.
Inability to track the impact variable that impacts marketing success across each location.

These challenges don’t just slow growth; they create friction between teams and cloud the big picture. With multiple practices, you can and should harness operational and marketing metrics across all locations – to spot under-performance, identify best-practices, and replicate success.

The Shift Toward Centralized Intelligence

The most successful groups are investing in marketing intelligence, not just marketing activity. They’re creating integrated systems that provide visibility across the enterprise while empowering local affiliates to perform at their best.

Centralized dashboards and analytics tools now make it possible to:

Roll up KPIs for leadership while giving affiliate managers custom, actionable insights.
Track patient journeys from first impression to lifelong loyalty.
Standardize data definitions so everyone, from CEO to call handlers, speak the same language.
Automate reporting, reducing manual spreadsheet time and ensuring accuracy across every location.
Drill down to compare, measure, and improve marketing results at the practice level.

This evolution mirrors trends across other industries where enterprise-level intelligence has become the backbone of performance marketing. Dentistry is catching up and it’s paying off.

Why Flexibility Still Wins

Even as centralization increases, one truth remains: every local market behaves differently. What drives new patients in Orlando may not resonate in Dallas. Successful groups recognize that local marketing within a centralized solution is key.

Turning Data Into Clarity

When groups align under one data ecosystem, everything changes. Automatic reporting removes guesswork, stakeholders gain confidence in shared metrics, and marketing managers can make strategic decisions with speed.

Modern platforms, like ZEBRA Enterprise , for example, make this possible by consolidating marketing ROI, call handling, digital results, automated communications, and production data in one place. The goal isn’t to replace human strategy, but to empower it. With unified visibility, group marketing managers can focus on strategy rather than spreadsheets.

The Core Challenge

When you manage marketing across 10 dental practices, you’re essentially running 10 micro-businesses under one macro umbrella. Each practice serves a slightly different community, competes in a unique market environment, and has its own personality.

Even when each location differs, defining the target market audience segments should follow a consistent proven process using existing patient data, local demographic data, and location insights to understand personas and create like-audiences.

Where many multi-location practices go wrong is trying to force a single UVP everywhere. Instead, think of keeping campaign strategy consistent, while keeping practice brand voice consistent across an omni-channel approach. Direct mail, websites, Google ads, offer strategies – the formats are consistent, the brand unique.

Managing Conversion From the Top Down

Using a centralized marketing intelligence platform, like Practice ZEBRA , allows group manager to monitor metrics across locations, production, new patients, call conversion, digital activity, and revenue per campaign. This provides all stakeholders, from senior executives to operational managers and each front office team to take ownership for results and keep the levers optimized for growth.

The secret isn’t more marketing. It’s doing smarter marketing that scales without losing authenticity.

FAQs from Group Marketing Leaders

Q: How can I ensure consistency for dental marketing across group practices?
A: Create brand marketing playbook rather than strict rules. Define non-negotiables (logo, tone, values), include audience segmentation templates, design systems, and performance dashboards, identify preferred partners, then give affiliates freedom within that framework.

Q: What’s the most common reporting mistake dental groups make?
A: Relying on disconnected data sources and anecdotal opinions and tracking. If marketing, call tracking, and production aren’t integrated, ROI will always be unclear.

Q: How can we scale dental marketing without ballooning costs?
A: Marketing is an investment, and monitoring ROI is key. Invest strategically in local campaigns proven to convert. Centralized analytics will show where the real ROI lives.

Q: What’s one immediate win for multi-location marketing teams?
A: Find an enterprise dashboard that everyone loves. Ensure it’s not overcomplicated with metrics that don’t matter. Automate reporting. It saves time, reduces friction, and immediately improves cross-team alignment.

Moving Forward

The future of group dental marketing is intelligence-driven, flexible, and transparent. Whether you manage five locations or fifty, success comes down to one thing — clarity. The clearer your data, the stronger your strategy.

That’s the shift happening now across North America’s leading DSOs: less guesswork, more insight, and marketing teams empowered by technology rather than overwhelmed by it.

There are many benefits to partnering with a great dental marketing agency like Patient NEWS ! From direct mail to enterprise websites, paid media and the most amazing enterprise dashboard – we’ve got you covered! If you’re ready to explore what that looks like for your group, let’s talk.

Schedule A Meeting With Director of Group Business, Jon Petrie

Connect with Jon on LinkedIn

Google Reviews & AI: Why Dentists Need Review BOOSTER

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 02:13:09 GMT

Google’s AI updates have officially rewritten the playbook for dental marketing. Today, regular Google reviews don’t just boost your reputation – they determine if your practice appears in AI Overviews and local search at all. If you’re wondering about Google Maps, look at your reviews. Strong online review volume and engagement will boost your local authority and trust signals, two key factors Google uses to decide who gets top Maps placement.

This article is about reviews and the AI era, but I’ll tell you that we’ve been discussing the importance of Google reviews for years. A consistent flow of reviews (or not) directly impacts direct mail results, paid media results, and new patient flow. Take this seriously if you want more new patients.

This is why dental offices across North America use smart solutions like Review BOOSTER — the easiest way to build consistent, high-quality Google reviews that make your practice stand out in the AI era.

BOOK A CALL

Most local businesses that actively manage their reputation aim to generate 1-5 reviews per week. Your practice wins when it drives and engages with real patient reviews, so remember to have your team prompt patients in addition to using Review BOOSTER or any automated tool.

The New Power of Google Reviews in Dental SEO

Google reviews for dental practices have always mattered. But with AI Overviews and LLM (Large Language Model) citations, Google now uses review signals, sentiment, volume, and recency to decide which businesses it considers trustworthy.

Simply put: AI trusts the crowd. It looks for fresh, frequent, and authentic feedback. A dental office with regular positive reviews from the past few weeks will now outrank one with hundreds of stale reviews.

Google reviews are star ratings and patient comments on your Google Business Profile. They validate credibility and feed directly into Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) algorithm framework – and now, AI-driven visibility.

How AI Overviews & LLMs Use Review Data

With Google’s AI-powered Overviews, local search no longer stops at “best dentist near me.” The AI system reads your reviews, interprets language, and extracts context (“gentle hygienist”, “great with kids,” “pain-free fillings”) to create summarized answers.

And because LLMs like Gemini and ChatGPT integrate citation data, they actively look for trustworthy sources – especially verified Google Business Profiles with ongoing engagement.

Your reviews are effectively training data for the AI that recommends you. That’s why consistent, high-quality feedback and timely responses are essential for staying visible.

Review Volume vs. Recency – What Matters Most Now

In the past, a large number of total reviews might have been enough to dominate local SEO. But Google’s latest updates emphasize recency and engagement.

Recency signals relevance. Fresh reviews tell AI that your practice is active and trusted today.
Engagement (your replies to reviews) shows responsiveness and builds your credibility score.

So, a practice collecting steady feedback and replying within 48 hours will now outperform one with double the reviews but little recent activity and/or without responses to patients. We see that all the time! Your patients took the time to compliment you, so make time to say thank you. This also gives you the opportunity to add your important keywords in your thanks when it's natural too!

Why Review BOOSTER is a Game-Changer

You already know reviews matter. The challenge? Getting patients to leave them – and ensuring that feedback supports your online reputation instead of hurting it.

That’s where Review BOOSTER from Patient NEWS makes all the difference. Here’s how it works (and why it’s the perfect match for AI-driven marketing):

Dual-channel outreach: Email & text
Reach every type of patient. Review BOOSTER automatically sends both email and SMS requests after each visit, dramatically increasing response rates.
Redirects unhappy patients privately
If a patient isn’t feeling great about their experience, you want to offer them an alternate way to let you know, privately and directly to you. With Review BOOSTER, they’re guided to share feedback directly with your practice, not on your public Google page. This protects your rating and gives you valuable insight for service recovery.
Smart responder dashboard
Every review (Google, Facebook, etc.) feeds into one easy-to-use dashboard in Practice ZEBRA. You can monitor and reply, because response time now influences how AI interprets your reputation.
AI monitors responsiveness
Google and other engines track review responses as engagement signals. Review BOOSTER makes it effortless to reply quickly and personally, strengthening your SEO trust metrics.
Real-time alerts & analytics
Get notified of new reviews instantly and monitor trends, so you’re never blindsided by feedback or missing opportunities to shine.

5 Key Benefits of Using Review BOOSTER

Amplify visibility: More reviews, across more patients – faster.
Protect your reputation: Redirect unhappy feedback before it goes public.
Save staff time: Manage all reviews from one intuitive dashboard.
Boost SEO credibility: Responding shows Google you’re active and engaged.
Increase patient trust: Fresh, authentic reviews reassure new patients instantly.

Why Google Reviews Are Mission-Critical for Dentists

In the AI era, dental reputation management isn’t just about getting stars – it’s about managing signals. AI models analyze tone, recency, and your responsiveness to determine whether you’re a trusted expert in your area.

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

Frequent, recent reviews feed AI Overviews with real-time trust data.
Review content adds treatment-related keywords naturally. (Great for dental SEO.)
Review responses boost your authority and “Experience” score under E-E-A-T.
AI models reward active practices with higher placement in conversational search.
Negative reviews, handled professionally, improve authenticity ratings.
Consistent engagement drives better click-through and appointment conversions.

Review BOOSTER makes all of this automatic. You get the ongoing patient feedback that Google (and your prospective patients) are using to decide who’s most trustworthy.

How Review BOOSTER Helps You Thrive in the AI-Driven Search Era

Google’s AI doesn’t just rank based on keywords anymore (emphasizing “just” because keywords and web content are still very, very important). AI will rank on credibility and connection. The practices that will dominate AI Overviews are those showing fresh engagement every week.

Review BOOSTER makes that effortless:

It automates review collection, so you stay consistently visible.
It protects your rating with intelligent filtering.
It helps you reply faster and smarter, which AI sees as proof of reliability.

The Bottom Line

AI-driven search is rewriting the rules of dental marketing. Google reviews for dental practices are now your most influential ranking signal, not just for human readers but for the AI systems deciding who gets recommended.

The key? Consistency, authenticity, and responsiveness.

And that’s exactly what Review BOOSTER delivers – seamlessly, automatically, and intelligently.

If you’re ready to get more reviews, protect your reputation, and stand out in Google’s new AI landscape, call Patient NEWS at 888-377-2404 to see how we can help your practice shine online.

FAQs

1. How do Google reviews affect dental SEO?
Google reviews build trust signals that directly impact rankings in both local search and AI Overviews. Review BOOSTER helps you capture more authentic feedback automatically. Learn more about Reputation Management Services.

2. Do AI Overviews use Google reviews?
Yes. Google’s AI Overviews analyzes reviews for sentiment, recency, and engagement. Frequent, authentic reviews boost your visibility in AI-driven search summaries.

3. Why is responding to reviews important for a dental clinic?
Google tracks responsiveness as an engagement signal. Replying quickly shows credibility and customer care. Review BOOSTER’s dashboard makes it simple to manage every response in one place.

4. How does Review BOOSTER protect against bad reviews?
If a patient leaves negative feedback, the tool redirects them privately to your office instead of a public review site, helping you resolve issues before they affect your rating.

5. How can dentists get more Google reviews quickly?
Automate the process. Review BOOSTER sends both email and text invitations after each appointment – doubling your reach and results.

Call 888-377-2404 to get started today!

Top 26 Dental Marketing Ideas For 2026

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:52:16 GMT

The best growth marketing strategies for dentists are data-driven, consistent, and highly focused on local marketing. A successful multichannel strategy includes the best tactics to acquire and retain quality patients, expands your practice, and increases production in both digital and traditional marketing.

No dental marketing strategy will have a 100% response, but every campaign can be optimized to improve results. In no particular order …

1. Examine, Rebuild, and Reoptimize Your Website For AI Search

Your website is your digital front door! Alongside a beautifully designed website, tell Google and AI tools exactly what you do, where you’re located, and which treatments you offer. Add real stories, patient examples, and before/after photos to boost your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust) ranking factors. Structure your website to answer conversational questions, feed AI engines rich data, and convert visitors fast!

2. Use Lookalike Audiences

When launching any new patient acquisition program, use analytics to create lookalike audiences to geofence and precisely target those primed to respond.

3. Research Competitors

Understand the level of competition you’re facing and level up your investment in staying visible in market and top of mind in search.

4. Refresh with Custom Photography & Videography

Modern photos and short-form videos instantly update your image! Let us tell your story in an authentic way that patients will relate to. Show your team, culture and genuine patient experiences.

5. Own Your Reputation & Encourage Reviews

Reviews are a key factor in building trust. Patients read reviews. Thoughtfully manage reviews with positive responses to every review. Consumers appreciate it when a business responds. Never engage or be defensive in negative feedback; instead, politely redirect those back to the practice. That’s your opportunity to show professionalism, honesty, and integrity.

6. Showcase Reviews on Social Media (Facebook & Instagram)

The importance of reviews can’t be overstated for dental clinics. Social proof shows patients the quality of care they can expect from your practice. Create a standard template and cut & paste the actual review to use as an organic social post. Nothing drives trust faster than reviews!

7. Master Local SEO

Nearly half of all searches are local. That means your website and keywords need to be dialed in, every listing must be accurate, and your Google profile should be properly connected and working for you.

8. Supercharge Your Google Business Profile

Keep your GBP fresh and active. Post weekly updates, upload fresh service photos, and publish keyword-rich content. Google favors businesses that stay active and current — not ones that just exist.

9. Build Your Social Media Presence

These are free opportunities for your practice to increase brand awareness and stay connected with existing and potential patients. Have fun sharing what your practice and team are all about, and get some ♥ !

10. Invest in Smart Digital Ads

If you want real visibility, digital and retargeting ads put you front and center for your most valuable keywords while quietly strengthening your SEO over time. Even better, they help you reach potential patients exactly when they’re ready to act.

11. Run Localized Google Ads

Thousands of consumer search studies prove that more than 90% of people choose results that are featured on the first page of SERPs. Get fast, transparent results and accelerate your website traffic through highly targeted campaigns for your ideal demographic.

12. Use META (Facebook/Instagram) Ads

Unlike Google Ads, which catch people while they’re searching, dental Facebook ads in META campaigns build top-of-funnel awareness by getting into people’s feeds. You’ll want a comprehensive awareness campaign that includes authority - building, lead generation, and conversion elements and optimizations.

13. Engage in Consistent Direct Mail Marketing

No other marketing tactic will build more awareness for your practice in your target area – when done well. This is not a hit-and-miss campaign. Dentists who mail consistently to their target audience, month over month, while their practice intends to stay in its current location, reap the best rewards by dominating their local market. Direct mail always delivers!

14. Commit to Your Annual Marketing Plan

Remember: People may overlook or ignore marketing messages for various reasons. Some may not be in the market for a new dentist at the moment, some may miss a message or be unable to differentiate from other dentists, and some may be busy with other priorities but keeping your name back of mind for the future. Others may simply need education! It’s like brushing and flossing to keep teeth and gums healthy. Flossing every once in a while – or for a couple of days in a row – and expecting great results will not work. Stick with the plan.

15. Track and Score Inbound Calls

This is critical to maximizing results from your new patient marketing campaigns. Not only does this help track campaign activity, but more importantly, it reveals the percentage of inbound calls that are answered live and what percentage move on to an appointment for the practice. This informs decision-making around staff training, job assignments, business decisions, and operations. Top tip: Just answer more inbound calls live, and you will onboard more new patients … regardless of source!

16. Automate Email Marketing

This is a very powerful tool, especially when you can automate an ongoing series of touchpoints. These nurture emails keep your name top of mind with active patients and leads.

17. Launch Retention & Reactivation Campaigns

Nothing loses a patient more than perceived indifference. Invest a small portion of your budget in activities outside of transactions or emails. A quarterly mailed patient newsletter that hits homes has a significant impact on retention and referrals, and keeps patients connected to your practice in a way that many clinics simply don’t. Patients forget — your marketing shouldn’t!

Important statistics:

Just 40% of working adults visited a dentist last year.

25% of patients are in “danger status” with no visit in over nine months.

75% of working adults PLAN to visit a dentist in the coming year.

How will you capture some of the 75% planning to see a dentist?

Schedule a free consultation

18. Build Loyalty Programs That Feel Personal

This improves engagement and satisfaction. Every practice loses 20% of its patients annually due to naturally occurring attrition. Subscription models, contests, VIP gifts, referral games, and events are all worth consideration. That patient newsletter is a loyalty play, too, helping promote referral programs, membership opportunities, elective services, and more.

19. Reactivate Lapsed Patients with "We Miss You" Campaigns

As noted above, on average, a dental practice hasn’t seen around 25% of their patients in over 9 months. What happens when your reminder system peters out? Most patients just fall off the radar. Combine emotional messaging with value-based offers. These people know and (hopefully) love you and your team!

20. Sponsor Local Events or Causes

Build community goodwill and visibility. Support local sports, schools, or charities — and watch awareness (and organic SEO backlinks) grow.

21. Encourage Word-of-Mouth Referrals

Outstanding patient care and customer service will always hit the mark, so don’t forget to ask every patient if there is anyone else in their household who needs an appointment. Make it easy for them to get one! If allowed in your area, offer referral incentives and contests.

22. Create Smart, Time-Sensitive Promotions

Don’t discount the discount! Most consumers want a quality dental experience, and new patient value proves that offering initial discounts, free consultations, bonus items, etc., to initiate that first visit does not impact the revenue contribution to the practice. In 2026, the average new patient will spend $2,000 versus $1,000 from an active patient, plus the referrals of other friends and family members.

23. If Available, Offer In-House Membership Programs

These prove especially effective for practices working to reduce insurance participation, and they give front-office team members a way to convert patients looking for an in-network provider. Often, the annual membership to your practice will be less expensive than insurance coverage with more benefits to the patient. Patients and prospective patients should be consistently educated on this offer.

24. Train Your Office Team on Call Conversion

The average practice misses 25% of new patient inbound calls and converts around 55% of those answered. The team answering the telephone needs to be “on” for all calls. Their job as the practice’s representative is to WOW all new patients and wipe out their need or desire to interview other competitive practices. To a new patient caller, your front-line team IS your practice. Clarity and enthusiasm give motivation to the call handler and others. It’s not always easy; it’s a skill, and it’s critical for marketing success.

25. Practice Gratitude Marketing

As a company that has scored almost three million dental patient calls, it’s incredible how seldom call handlers thank the patient for calling or booking an appointment. Say thank you on the phone, in texts, in emails, and in person. Gratitude research has found that not only does saying thank you feel good to the giver, but it also helps build trust and closer bonds.

26. Publish "Local Authority" Content Every Month

Google loves authority + consistency. Publish a monthly blog that answers local dental questions: “What’s the best teeth whitening option in [City]?” or “How often should kids visit a dentist in [City]?”
This local-first content helps your practice rank for high-intent searches, earns backlinks, and establishes you as the trusted neighborhood expert.

27. Bonus! Pay for the right advertising and stick with the plan��

We look at strategies on an annual basis because it takes work and effort to increase practice visibility and gain the attention of very busy consumers in competitive markets. It takes time to coach teams to answer and convert calls, as well as establish practice authority with prospective patients … but repetition builds recognition and results. For a marketing plan to be successful, it needs to get your practice in front of your target audience – consistently. Of course, you want to ensure individual campaigns are performing so you can make educated decisions about future ad spend, but don’t be too quick to cut when trajectories look good. Tracking and attribution are difficult for all businesses, and this is only going to get more challenging as we move into 2026.

A prospective patient receives direct mail, visits your website, drives by your location, talks to a friend, gets more direct mail, sees an ad in their social feed, and then calls from your billboard. Which touch gets attribution? First touch or last? It’s hard to say, but follow the patient journey and consider that if you’ve added one new initiative to your marketing campaign, and “coincidentally,” new patients increase….

Bonus! Grow in 2026 with us and get a complete market share, competitor, and demographic analysis.

Let data drive decisions! Patient NEWS offers a 24-page competitive report that pinpoints your market potential — a $795 value, free for dental professionals.

Ready to grow your practice and attract quality new patients?

Schedule a free consultation

Let’s make 2026 your most successful year yet.

Future-Proofing Your Dental Practice: SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLM Integration

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 16:01:09 GMT

Digital marketing has always been an evolving landscape, from the early days of keyword-stuffing to today’s AI-driven search. For dentists, it can feel like the rules keep changing, with terms like SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLM thrown around as if you’re supposed to be fluent in tech-speak. Let’s break it down and show you how Patient NEWS helps practices stay ahead – without the panic.

What is SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLM?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The process of optimizing your website so Google finds, understands, and ranks it.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Making sure your practice shows up for patients searching in your local area.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): Optimizing your website so AI-driven systems like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, and others can pull your content as the best “answer.”
LLM (Large Language Models): The AI brains behind platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini, which process natural language and deliver conversational answers.

Together, these strategies are about positioning your practice to be found and trusted – by both humans and machines.

Does my dental website need AI optimization?

Yes. Patients are starting to ask full questions like, “Best family dentist near me for kids?” or “What’s the difference between Invisalign and braces?”

AI wants to serve up content that feels conversational, authoritative, and helpful.

Is SEO still necessary for dentists?

Yes. SEO is still very relevant. It is foundational and cannot be overlooked. Traditional keyword-based SEO is shifting to search-intent optimization and user experience. Google still wants E-E-A-T (Experience – Expertise – Authoritativeness – Trustworthiness), and core web vitals, meaning that technical SEO and content quality remain critical.

How has dental patient behavior shifted – and what has stayed the same?

Shifted: Patients expect instant, clear answers. They’re increasingly using voice search, conversational AI, and social media recommendations. They want personalization and proof of expertise.
Steadfast: Trust is still everything. Patients want to know you’re local, credible, and caring. Word-of-mouth, positive reviews, and community awareness remain powerful. Optimizing Google Business Profile, local citations, reviews, and localized content is fundamental for practices and multi-location groups.

How has Google’s AI Overview impacted search?

Google’s AI Overview summarizes answers at the top of search results. This means patients may not scroll down to see traditional listings and sponsored ads. For dentists, the key is making your content “answer-ready,” so Google chooses it to feature – otherwise, you risk being invisible. This makes AEO (answer engine optimization) essential. We must optimize for direct answers, which means well-built websites, structured data, FAQs, schema markup, and clear content hierarchies. We’ve always created content that’s scannable and relevant, and we continue to innovate to adapt to this ever-changing landscape.

What GEO strategies does Patient NEWS recommend for AI-ready dental content?

Our proven GEO and AI strategies include:

Local-/GEO-focused content
Schema markup (so search engines understand your services clearly)
FAQs that are written in conversational patient language and optimized for longer, conversational, and intent-based queries
Citations and reviews across Google Business Profiles and directories
Social signals – consistent, authentic content that reinforces your expertise and community connection.

Which AI-driven features enhance dental websites?

Personalized content: With focused CTAs (call to action)
Conversational content: Writing in a natural Q&A style
Optimized structures: Clear, mobile-friendly site architecture that’s easy for both Google and patients to navigate.

Dental SEO is now an evolving hybrid … the foundation is critical!

Technical SEO: Site speed, mobile, schema – our websites are the fastest in dentistry and SEO-ready and optimized from the jump
Content SEO: Helpful, patient-focused– we have been dental content creators for 33+ years
Reputation SEO: Reviews, trust signals – Review BOOSTER from Practice ZEBRA generates 3X more reviews
Visibility SEO: Google, maps, AI answers – our SEO campaigns focus on it all!

How does localized dental content impact service pages, FAQs, and more?

AI favors content that feels relevant and local. When your service pages mention your community and neighborhood concerns, they’re more likely to be served up in localized results. FAQs about insurance, new patient visits, or procedures should reflect real patient conversations happening in your area.

What about social media’s impact on AI and LLM?

AI systems crawl social platforms. Consistent engagement signals that your practice is active, trusted, and part of the community. Positive interactions, shares, and mentions are subtle but powerful signals that reinforce your authority online.

How will ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews “rank” dental websites?

Traditional Google rankings aren’t going away, but they’re being layered with AI-driven answers. Websites with strong SEO foundations, patient-focused content, local optimization, and AI-ready formatting will surface more often in both places. It’s not about replacing one with the other – it’s about integrating them.

Cutting through the noise

Some agencies try to scare us with “end of SEO” headlines. That’s not the Patient NEWS way. Digital has always been evolving, and we’ve been guiding practices through these shifts for decades. Disjointed efforts (one company for SEO, another for social, another for print) reduce effectiveness.

Our unique integration of direct mail, digital, analytics, and AI-ready marketing gives our clients clarity and competitive advantage.

We’ve built an AI-ready marketing technology roadmap to keep your practice strong: website engagement, content management, and AI-driven campaign management – all under one roof.

The bottom line

AI isn’t the end of SEO; it’s the next evolution. With the right partner, you don’t have to worry about chasing algorithms or decoding buzzwords.

At Patient NEWS, we keep your practice at the forefront - calm, confident, and ready for whatever digital innovation comes next!

FIND OUT MORE

How long does it take direct mail to deliver results?

jbishop@patientnews.com (Joanne Bishop) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 15:20:29 GMT

There’s no question about it – direct mail drives patient interest, but conversion hinges on trust. Successful campaigns come when practices are committed to growth. Positive reputation, fresh reviews (without any unresolved patient complaints), a great online presence, fast website, branding alignment across channels, a clear value proposition, a team trained to convert and onboard new patients, and a consistent omnichannel approach are essentials.

REPUTATION

A positive reputation increases the likelihood that direct mail recipients will take the next step. Make sure you have a strong Google presence with plenty of five-star reviews. Our clients average over 250 reviews. And recency matters.

ONLINE PRESENCE

Direct mail is the only channel that reaches 100% of your target audience, which helps you dominate name-based search, extending your brand far beyond your brick-and-mortar location. Successful campaigns will have an optimized web presence as recipients look you up online. A modern, fast-loading website that’s mobile-optimized with custom imagery, clear calls-to-action, and phone number visibility is essential.

CALL HANDLING

A phone call is often the first real interaction a potential patient has with your practice. If the team sounds rushed, distracted, uninterested, or unprofessional, trust and confidence drop immediately. A warm, welcoming tone makes people feel valued. Patients choose offices where they feel cared about. Trained teams can convert 60-80% of calls, while untrained teams average less than 35%. For the average dentist, every missed new patient equates to a loss of $2,000 from annual revenue. Do that once a week, and you’re down by $100,000. Many new patients feel nervous about going to the dentist; a great call handling team can ease worry and motivate action.

Practices that add direct mail differentiate themselves from the average. It’s the difference that generates an extra boost in new patients beyond average. For our clients, that’s 30% MORE new patients than industry average as compared to over 40,000 dental clinics.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

Typically, you’ll see web traffic increase and calls come through within the first three to six weeks of your campaign launch. Consistency is key, though, and through the next three to six months – and as newsletters continue to hit homes monthly – your practice continues to build awareness and credibility within the local community. This brand stacking effect drives more name-based searches, making you the practice people think of first when they need care.

REPETITION

You can do it. You’re trending to $2 million in production. You want growth. You have capacity. Your team is ready.

Repetition builds reputation and trust. On average, our clients will trend to a 6X ROI within the first year of monthly distributions. To put that into context, invest $45,000 and generate around $300,000 in production. That’s a pretty decent return on investment within a year or so!

We are able to share this metric because we track new patients by address and phone calls, following your new patients from your mailing area across the entire patient journey, from address to web visits to calls. This is critical. People who receive your newsletter will look you up online. They check out your website, your reviews, your social pages. And then they access your practice via another channel. Without address-level tracking, you might mistakenly assume your mail isn’t working when it actually is. Especially when these conversions can easily be misattributed to organic search or direct website traffic instead of your direct mail campaign. You want your marketing partner to provide you with complete visibility to the overall patient journey so that you can make good decisions for growth. And be prepared to stay committed over time – or for as long as you want to build visibility within the local market surrounding your location.

THE HALO EFFECT

People need to see your brand, message, and value proposition multiple times before taking action. Some say that can take at least seven to 10 impressions. Direct mail isn’t about quick wins. It’s about creating visibility in your community; it’s a foundation that supports all of your marketing efforts. Dental practices that stick with direct mail for the long term (considering you’re not planning on moving) see the compounding effect of higher patient acquisition rates and improved retention as the campaign establishes your clinic as the trusted local choice. Practices in competitive areas can outperform others by staying top of mind.

PRO TIP: The best results come when direct mail is combined with a strong online presence and is part of a consistent, process-driven campaign.

Let’s Go! Case Acceptance & More!

jbishop@patientnews.com (Joanne Bishop) — Thu, 29 May 2025 14:22:05 GMT

As the year picks up speed, it’s a smart time to evaluate your strategies and techniques to ensure you’re set up for strong year-end momentum. Focusing on three key drivers can help boost revenue and keep your practice moving forward.

Drive new patient growth – at double patient value, they bring new production
Manage attrition wisely – 25% of active patients aren’t booked. Let go of the right ones.
Increase case acceptance – a powerful revenue lever.

With our 30-year history of delivering stellar service to our clients, we should be your go-to for new patient growth and managing attrition. We’re industry leaders with a proven track record—helping thousands of dental practices attract, convert, and retain high-value patients through precision-targeted direct mail and digital campaigns.

If your numbers aren’t where you want them, now’s the time to level up.

[Tell Me More]

For case acceptance, we asked a few of our clients, colleagues, and friends to give us their top-of-mind quick tips to share with you to help you brush up on your presentation game.

Dr. Travis Campbell is a dentist, multi-practice owner, best-selling author, speaker, and owner of the dental insurance website, the Dental Insurance Guy. He’s known as the practice whisperer because of his ability to deliver actionable insights that help dentists become successful business owners.

Here are his tips for increasing case acceptance:

Avoid confusing patients.  A confused mind will be unable to make a decision, which is often why patients don’t commit or give an excuse like needing to talk to their spouse (as if the problem isn’t still there) or needing to check their schedule (that everyone has on their phone in their pocket now). 
Never give patients multiple financial treatment plans.
Use simple English, not dental language.
Stop thinking you can educate a patient on four years of dental school in 10 minutes.
Don’t review every option.  Find out what they want and provide an option that matches the patient’s goals.
Focus on the outcome they want, not the treatment.
Avoid insurance details.
Don’t itemize treatment plans.

“Direct mail is the most consistent marketing type. Most failure comes from internal system failures; phone conversion, patient experience, treatment diagnosis and acceptance, and collections. I've worked with Patient NEWS since 2020 for both of my practices and can attest to the effectiveness of their proven systems, which truly help dental offices realize highly successful results from their direct mail campaigns.” – Dr. Travis Campbell

Mr. Kelly Schwartz, founder of Schwartz Consulting Group, has an extensive history in professionally training and coaching dental practices. Over the last 29 years, he has coached over 800 clinics across 27 states and is well-versed in helping practices grow and reach their full potential.

Here are his tips:

Engage patients with questions, not commands. Instead of telling patients what they need, ask them what they want – whether it’s to save, prevent, or improve the function of their teeth. No adult likes to be told what to do, but they appreciate being involved in their own care decisions.
Follow up with care, not pressure. Most patients don’t say “No,” they say, “Not yet.” Implement a structured follow-up system to reconnect with them 30-45 days after presenting treatment. Focus on their well-being rather than urgency – when patients feel you genuinely care, they are more likely to schedule.
Use the intraoral camera to involve patients. Show and don’t just tell. Instead of making statements, show images and ask engaging questions like, “Do you see this crack, large filling, or worn tooth? Does this concern you?” This approach makes patients more aware of their dental health and encourages them to take action.

“Patient NEWS dental marketing is best-in-class when it comes to direct mail for dentists. I have been referring my clients for years and can attest to the comprehensive and proven system they have in place to ensure your mailings are precisely targeted to attract the ideal new patient and engage and retain existing patients. And their team is awesome to work with! Highly recommend if you want to grow your practice.” – Kelly Schwartz

Dr. Paul Goodman , you know “Dr. Nacho”, the founder of Dental Nachos, the massive Facebook group and company whose mission is to help dentists dramatically increase success and happiness at every age and stage of their career. Dr. Goodman has years of experience in helping dentists increase success and find fun in dentistry. He’s also a multi-practice owner and founder of Dentist Job Connect, which connects practice owners with dental associates and dental hygienists who are looking for jobs.

Here are his tips for improving case acceptance:

Showcase patient success stories with video. Take short patient testimonial videos (with proper HIPAA consent) highlighting their experience. When a hesitant patient sees someone just like them who had a great outcome, it builds trust and confidence in moving forward with treatment.
Use patient-friendly language. Avoid clinical jargon that can create fear or confusion. Instead of saying, “Your crown has failed,” try, “It’s time to replace your crown,” or “Your tooth has worked hard and deserves a strong replacement.” Simple, friendly wording makes decisions easier for patients.
Create a positive, engaging experience. Case acceptance isn’t just about explaining treatment – it’s about making patients feel comfortable and understood. Use a warm, conversational approach to turn a potentially stressful decision into an easy “yes.”

“As a dental practice owner of 15 years, I can confidently say that Patient NEWS delivers amazing analytics AND a treatment plan for marketing success that makes sense for your practice. As a dentist that works with a significant number of patients in the 50-years-and-up demographic, we value both online marketing as well as direct mail to share with patients in our community how we can help them CHEW and SMILE with confidence. – Dr. Paul Goodman

THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING CLIENTS & FRIENDS!

We sincerely appreciate the case acceptance contributions from Dr. Hazel Glasper, Dr. Christopher Phelps, Dr. Travis Campbell, Kelly Schwartz, and Dr. Paul Goodman. It was so kind of them to take time out of their day to support us and share their thoughts on case acceptance. We hope you have enjoyed reading and will take away a tactic or two to try at your practice.

Our team is standing by to help you stand out and unlock production growth for your practice. Our clients generate 25% more new patients than the industry average and boast average annual production over $2 million.

Know your numbers could be better? Let’s fix that. Start with a free marketing assessment and get a custom patient growth plan that shows exactly how your practice stacks up – and how to grow stronger.

Dental Marketing & Boosting Case Acceptance

jbishop@patientnews.com (Joanne Bishop) — Mon, 26 May 2025 16:06:54 GMT

When the year starts to tick along and you want to ensure you’re trending positively into the next, you’ll want to review your existing dental marketing plan and consider three major thrusts that can help a dental office increase revenue and move forward positively.

New patient growth. Nearly a third of dentists report being underbooked. There is market share to be gained.
Attrition control – or allowing the right kind. 25% of active patients aren’t scheduled to return.
Improving case acceptance. This one is tricky to track!

You know that Patient NEWS can help you with the first two. We are experts and industry leaders, and we have helped thousands of dental offices attract, convert, and retain high-quality patients through highly customized, hyper-targeted digital and direct mail marketing.

If your numbers aren’t where you want them to be and you know it’s time to do more, get a free marketing assessment and custom patient growth plan to see how your practice stacks up.

[Yes – I want more]

As for case acceptance, we asked a few of our industry friends – leaders in dentistry – to help us out. Dr. Hazel Glasper, Dr. Christopher Phelps, Dr. Travis Campbell, Mr. Kelly Schwartz, and Dr. Paul Goodman were so kind and offered up a few of their case acceptance tips for us to share with you.

This week, we’re highlighting Dr. Glasper and Dr. Phelps. Be sure to stay tuned next week to hear from the others.

Dr. Hazel Glasper , owner of Revive Dental, has spent the last 20 years reshaping the public’s perception of oral health. She’s an author, speaker, and trainer of dentists. Dr. Glasper has the highest first-year new patient production we’ve ever seen – currently sitting at $11,500 (up from $8,000 within the last four years). Her view is amazing, and maybe that’s why she was inducted into the class of 2025 World’s Top Doctor. A powerhouse.

Here are a few thoughts from Dr. Glasper:

I understand my ideal patient. I see about 8-10 new patients a month, which is a low number for the industry. I believe every patient counts, so every phone call needs to be answered, and the right information conveyed. We seek patients with a comprehensive mindset. This starts with the right marketing and phone call conversion using the right verbiage conveying the values and brand of your practice.
I have a clear practice model. I treat every person with consideration for health, function, and aesthetics. This practice of complete care affects patient outcomes and patient health and supports the financial health of my practice. My diagnostic process converts the majority of my new patients and results in high productivity and collection due to my comprehensive mindset. 
I believe in my work as a physician of the oral cavity. I understand the importance of good oral health. Its impact can affect the lifespan of our patients, and a lack of good aesthetics can affect the psychological health of our patients. We have a great responsibility to our patients. My patients need restorative, periodontal, endodontic, oral surgery, implant, and aesthetic work, and it is my responsibility to fully inform my patients of all my findings and allow them to make an educational decision about their health.

“I know what I want. Quality patients, revenue generation, and relevant information about practice metrics. Patient NEWS delivered all three.” – Dr. Hazel Glasper

If you’d like to see how we help Dr. Glasper attract quality new patients – and how we can help you do the same – schedule time here:

[Yes – I want more]

Dr. Christopher Phelps is a general dentist, entrepreneur, and best-selling Amazon author. He founded the Phelps Institute, is the CEO of the Cialdini Institute, and is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and expert in the science of ethical influence and persuasion. He’s been recognized by the Global Summits Institute as one of the Top 100 Dentists in the World.

Here are a few thoughts from Dr. Phelps:

When presenting the price of different treatment options, start with the most expensive option and go down in option pricing from there. By doing this, you’ll influence more to say yes to the most expensive item and more to say yes to every other option, vs. if you present your lowest priced item first and take them up in price from there.  
If you have evidence that many of your past patients have chosen a specific treatment option you’re presenting over others, mention this. With social proof, we look to evidence of what others have done or chosen to guide us to do the same. For example, “Let’s talk about these options to replace missing teeth. Now, this first option is what the majority of my patients choose for themselves. It’s called a dental implant...” If you can track this and report a number or statistic on it, that will amplify its influence. For example, “This is our most popular option. In fact, over 72% of our patients chose it over the options we discussed today.”
When presenting a singular treatment option to the patient, avoid presenting it on its own. For example, “Well, Mr. Jones, it looks like you need a crown...” When you present things individually like this, you’re actually taking control away from the patient, and many will feel forced into that option. That’s why they tend to take control back, resist your claim, and avoid scheduling the treatment. Instead, present it back to them as a ‘this or that’ choice. “Well, Mr. Jones, it looks like you have two options. Option one is you can do nothing, but here’s what it’s going to cost you (in chair time, visits, additional services in the future because you waited, additional higher fees, etc.), or you can avoid all of that and do a crown today. Which would you prefer?” By presenting things in a ‘this or that’ framework, you put control into the patient’s hands, and they are more likely to choose the second option you present them with.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Patient NEWS for several years now, and their results for my dental clients have been consistently positive. They care about your data and getting you results." – Dr. Christopher Phelps

We hope you’ve enjoyed the insights provided by Dr. Glasper and Dr. Phelps. They are both amazing speakers and presenters, so if you have a chance to see them, definitely do so. I love Dr. Glasper’s opinion that patients should hear about all their options. As a consumer, I want this. I want to know all my options, and have been frustrated when practitioners haven’t necessarily presented everything I could take advantage of.

And Dr. Phelps is amazing. We’ve had him coach our team at Patient NEWS, and his Power of Persuasion course makes so much sense. Walk from the most expensive down so that people take more of something. It’s always been generally reported that when people get three options, they pick the middle, but with too many options, they freeze.

Test out some of these tips the next time you’re with your patients. Especially with new patients, try not to judge what they could afford to purchase. People will prioritize what they want, and everyone wants a beautiful smile! ��

Remember to watch for next week’s edition, featuring Dr. Travis Campbell, Mr. Kelly Schwartz, and Dr. Paul Goodman.

We’d love to help you stand out, unlock production growth for your practice, and help you get into an upward trend into 2026. Our clients generate 25% more new patients than industry average and boast average annual production over $2 million.

[Yes! I want more]

Spring Reset. Get More New Patients Now!

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:34:08 GMT

The first day of spring has sprung, and it’s not just about spring cleaning and welcoming warmer weather – it’s a pivotal time for dental practices to refresh their patient acquisition strategies. Why is it especially crucial to ramp up your marketing efforts to attract new patients right now? Let's dive into the key insights.

Today's dental marketplace is fierce. Group dental practices and emerging DSOs are expanding, and independent practices are sharpening their dental marketing strategies to compete effectively.

Patients have more choices – and higher expectations – than ever before.

Online research is non-negotiable, convenience is king, trust building is essential, and social proof matters more. Elective treatments are rebounding, and preventative care is slowly trending up, but perceived costs and insurance confusion have made decision-making slower. The list goes on and on.

Practices that fail to focus on reputation, visibility, and differentiation risk getting lost in the noise. Those that act will benefit significantly.

The good news? It’s the perfect time to “spring into action” and improve 2025 results. Oh, I know, that was a groan, but spring timing is, in fact, good timing!

Spring Into Action: Patient Mindsets Shift

Seasonal trends reveal that patients become more proactive about their health, wellness, and personal appearance in spring. With warmer weather ahead, people begin to plan social events, vacations, and family gatherings. They’re thinking about how they look and feel. This mindset shift presents an ideal opportunity for dental practices to market elective services, orthodontics, and hygiene appointments. In fact, our client production always increases in April and May compared to the previous year. Act with alacrity!

By the way, unlike a lot of agencies, we answer the phone! Why not give us a call now to speed up the process: 1-888-377-2404 ! Our team is always happy to answer any questions you may have.

Stay Competitive: Practices Are Accelerating Their Marketing

To remain competitive, actively enhance your visibility and engagement right now. Dental practices nationwide have significantly increased their investments in digital and direct mail marketing strategies, including SEO, paid ads, and targeted campaigns. Data shows that practices that increase their marketing spend in Q1 (and stay consistent) see an average 125% boost in new patient inquiries compared to those with inconsistent or reduced budgets.

Early-Year Momentum Fuels Year-Round Growth

Attracting new patients early in the year creates a foundation for sustained growth. Patients acquired now will accept new treatments, schedule follow-ups, refer family and friends, and remain loyal throughout the year – and beyond. This builds financial momentum and drives practice production and valuation without a lot of overhead. New patient value is often more than 2X that of an existing active patient, not accounting for referrals. This drives more bottom-line profit. Investing in patient acquisition marketing right now isn't just smart short-term planning – it’s essential for long-term success.

Your Website Is One Of Your Most Powerful Practice Advocates (Or Detractors)

Your website and online presence have never mattered more. According to recent surveys, nearly 90% of new dental patients research practices online first. If there isn’t a practice awareness campaign in market, that digital impression could be their first impression of your practice – long before they step into your office.

With consumer expectations for seamless online interactions at their peak, having a visually appealing, mobile-optimized, and user-friendly website isn't optional – it’s essential. Practices with outdated or slow-loading sites risk losing up to 40% of potential new patients within the first few seconds. Additionally, Google’s regular core updates to search (with the latest one rolling out now) have amplified the importance of site performance, user experience, and content quality. (That means content that’s deemed helpful to your clients and not just created to rank for search engines.)

Now is the perfect time to refresh your online presence. Prioritize modern, engaging design, clear and effective messaging, online appointment scheduling, strong SEO, and patient-friendly content to ensure your website converts visitors into loyal patients.

Would you like more from your website and online presence? Are you ignoring taking that step because it feels like it would be too much work and disruption to change providers? Hey, we get it. Change can be hard, but our team makes migration or even a new website build super easy. We don’t want to disrupt your flow; we just want to help you have the best presence possible so you attract the new patients you deserve. We’ll take care of it all, including organizing your custom photo shoot – you don’t have to worry about any hassle.

Our website clients generate an average 40X ROI within one year! Don’t dread a move. Find out how easy an update would be for your practice. Go for a free consultation now to find out how we help dentists have a more powerful online presence.

Direct Mail Still Wins For Dentists

I just mentioned that “often,” a patient’s first impression of your practice could be online. That’s “if” they find your practice in a random search. This is a critical element that digital-only agencies don’t emphasize – the patient journey does not start at search. It starts with AWARENESS.

Rather than wait for that first digital impression to happen, successful dentists take a proactive approach to building practice awareness with direct mail. Direct mail ensures that your target audience’s first impression of your practice is controlled by your practice. Your message, your story, your solutions. Direct mail is also hyper-targeted, easily tracked, and gets noticed and kept. (Ninety percent of mail is opened, and it lives in homes for an average of 17 days.) It's also the only advertising method that will reach 100% of the audience you want to attract to your practice.

In an increasingly digital world, dental offices can gain a competitive edge because a lot of clinics overlook the remarkable power of direct mail marketing. Dental decision-makers want quality information to make good decisions for their families, and adults of all ages prefer direct mail over digital at the decision-making stage.

Direct mail stands out. Patients now receive less physical mail, making a well-designed, targeted direct mail piece memorable and engaging. It builds trust and credibility.

While digital gets all the chatter, direct mail provides a uniquely personal, tactile power – something you can’t replicate digitally. It’s your practice delivered to the patient’s home, sparking conversation and brand recall at the kitchen counter. And, when you consider the competition factor – everyone’s inbox is jammed, and their social feeds are saturated – with fewer dentists hitting mailboxes directly, you can tap into this space.

IMPORTANT: With Patient NEWS , only ONE dental practice gets the mailing territory. You alone can secure and own your backyard now. Find out if your area is available. Schedule a consultation appointment ASAP to find out more.

Takeaway For Your Practice:

Now is the time to review and possibly refresh your dental marketing strategy. Leverage seasonal motivation, maintain competitive visibility, embrace emerging technologies, and capitalize on your opportunities. By acting decisively right now, your practice can attract new patients, ensure sustained growth, and build lasting patient relationships.

Marketing efforts today must highlight practice uniqueness, exceptional patient experiences, and the distinct benefits patients receive by choosing your practice over competitors.

Most dentists join Patient NEWS because of our proven reputation to help attract more high-quality new patients, drive reliable revenue growth, enhance operational efficiency, improve the patient experience and reputation, and support practice growth with smart marketing support.

Trust our 30+ years of exclusively helping dentists and DSOs STAND OUT and GROW. Call today!

Your Website Can Win More New Patients

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 19:25:41 GMT

Attracting quality new patients has a direct impact on clinical success. Knowing that over 80% of consumers will research online before making a buying decision, you want your dental website to be next-gen great in terms of user experience and engagement.

With the evolving patient journey changing and increasing expectations, your website needs to stand out and provide instant credibility, particularly in today’s highly competitive dental market. Dentists who recognize the advantages of an enhanced online experience will realize a differential advantage.

The main driver of website conversion success is design. A clear, clean layout that makes it easy for patients to navigate improves conversion. The longer a prospective patient is on your website, the more likely they are to take action. Small engagement tactics, interesting content, and beautiful imagery all work in tandem to convert. But not all dental websites are the same.

Websites that show and tell visitors who you are, establish your authority, share your expertise, and build a relationship work best. This approach provides a positive first impression and communicates that you are the expert they require.

A modern website puts you in control of how your practice is viewed and highlights your professionalism, technology, services, and quality.

There is a required formula to ensure that your website campaign is effective.

1. Be data driven.

At Patient NEWS, we help our clients do that with advanced demographic, market share, competitor, and online analysis. Websites are completely custom-written using clear and concise persuasive copy based on in-depth keyword research and the unique competitive advantages of each practice. Our sites are SEO-ready and built for Google. By featuring unique, relevant, and authoritative content, websites gain the attention of search engines and attract and convert more ideal patients.

2. Engage visitors through compelling content.

Increase conversions with fast load times, mobile responsiveness, and clear calls to action. Websites are far more powerful and high-converting when design, content, color, and high-quality visuals work in tandem to instantly create a positive impression. Beautiful, updated photos and videos make your practice instantly recognizable, helping to convert more new patients. Small, engaging elements, like our FlashSmile® app, included with all website builds, help keep visitors on site longer, increasing the chance of conversion. Our eZ Online Scheduler allows patients to schedule an appointment as soon as they’re ready, and Review BOOSTER adds more quality patient reviews.

3. Track results.

On average, our clients generate 40X ROI in the first year. Be sure you can track new patient results using email matching and call scoring connected to actual new patient production. Our websites include unlimited call scoring with instant alerts when a new patient call is missed – both to the practice and the new patient, enhancing their experience and increasing the opportunity to schedule them. Monitoring the patient journey through attribution allows you to make good long-term decisions for practice growth.

4. Are you persistent?

Consistency and commitment lead to a more profitable practice. There are always obstacles to overcome, but with our team on your side, you can count on continuous improvement and support. Meanwhile, you can encourage your team to focus on call handling and conversion; just by answering more calls live, you can book more new patients. Ensure your SEO strategy is strong enough for the competitive levels in your market. Add Google and META Ads to increase visibility. Follow through on all aspects of your online presence, including generating a positive flow of reviews. (Our reputation management tool is best in class!)

BONUS: Photography and video sessions are available for your website at the lowest price ever! Schedule a time to chat with one of our experts and find out more.

40X ROI sound interesting? Look at the number of new patients you saw in 2024. Was that an increase or decrease compared to 2023? It’s important to remember that the competition for new patients is intense!

Patient NEWS clients attracted 25% more new patients than industry average, with average production at $2 million for 2024. We can help you refresh and update your web presence fast, so your new site will be live in less than 40 days, with no disruption to you and your team!

Better Together. Physical + Digital Works Best For Dental Clinics

admin@patientnews.com (Patient News) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 01:09:13 GMT

In the competitive world of dental care, attracting quality new patients is the top priority for dentists who want growth. While some dental offices moved solely to digital marketing due to perceived ease and cost savings, successful offices continued to embrace print marketing for its tangibility and localized impact. Now digital-only practices are realizing that this approach has caused a drop in new patient flow and market share, driving a resurgence in print marketing. Business owners who are focused on growth don’t choose one over the other; they harness the power of both physical and digital marketing.

A 2024 study by the Direct Marketing Association reveals that campaigns combining physical and digital elements see a 24% higher conversion rate compared to digital-only campaigns. Direct mail gets the message across quicker, it’s easier to understand, and it drives action. In fact, multiple studies show that more than two-thirds of direct mail recipients visit a website after receiving mail, and for dentists, repetition builds recognition and trust, which are critical elements for attracting and converting new patients. This underscores the importance of leveraging multiple touchpoints to reach prospective patients.

So, what makes the combination of physical and digital marketing so effective? And how can dentists use this to grow their practices?

The Science Behind "Better Together” & Why Integrated Marketing Works

1. Multi-Channel Exposure Builds Trust

Consumers are more likely to trust a brand – or, in this case, a dental practice – that they encounter multiple times across various channels. Research shows that it takes 7 to 13 touchpoints for a prospect to convert into a client. When physical and digital marketing are integrated, they create cohesive brand messaging across these touchpoints, making it easier to build familiarity and trust.

For example, imagine a prospective patient receiving a beautifully designed dental newsletter highlighting your clinic’s friendly care, expertise, and special offer for new patients. Later, they drive by your office and notice your name, and then they see your clinic’s Google Ad reinforcing the same message. This multi-layered exposure strengthens the likelihood of your target audience getting comfortable with your brand and scheduling an appointment. We see this meandering patient journey often as we track results through Practice ZEBRA®.

2. Tangibility Meets Accessibility

While digital ads are efficient and cost-effective, they can be fleeting as users scroll past quickly, and messages are often forgotten. In contrast, physical marketing materials, such as direct mail newsletters, have a tangible quality that demands attention. A 2024 Postal Marketing Survey found that 72% of consumers are more likely to read and recall physical mail compared to digital ads.

And today, physical marketing isn’t limited to phone engagement. This is where digital marketing bridges the gap. A newsletter with a QR code that directs users to your website ensures that your message stays both memorable and actionable.

3. Enhanced Targeting & Personalization

They’re geo-centric. When digital and physical campaigns work together, data collected from one channel can inform the other, leading to more effective targeting. For example, we can identify high-value neighborhoods for your direct mail and digital campaigns using advanced demographic and psychographic insights. And, digital retargeting can follow prospects who have interacted with your neighborhood newsletter and subsequently visited your website.

This geo-centric synergy between direct mail and digital marketing campaigns creates a system where leads don’t slip through the cracks, ensuring your marketing investments work smarter.

Get data-driven for 2025 success.

For dentists seeking to maximize the potential of integrated campaigns, Patient NEWS is an industry leader. With over three decades of expertise in dental marketing , we provide cutting-edge solutions that seamlessly combine physical and digital strategies.

Use a next-level, data-driven approach.

Data-driven marketing is the gold standard for 2025 because it allows dental offices to make smarter, more informed decisions that drive better results.

When we say that our campaigns are data-driven, here’s what we mean:

Using advanced analytics, we look at each dental practice uniquely to determine exactly where the practice is pulling market share and which households are driving the best revenue. This allows us to create like audiences, identify households most likely to respond to the practice, and geo-fence the hot core area for precisely targeted marketing investments.
Digital retargeting to close the loop. By integrating your direct mail and website, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and email campaigns, prospective patients gain trust due to consistent branding and messaging. This ensures new patients who receive and act from your newsletter or visit your website see your ads across the web and have an improved likelihood of booking an appointment.
Data-driven neuroscience with unbelievable customization. How we construct each dental marketing campaign – whether a print newsletter or dental website – from copy to imagery to placement of CTA (call to action) text has been neuro-analyzed to ensure that the content positively impacts the human brain and the user experience. This not only ensures the message is memorable and positive but that it resonates with the target audience and triggers action. Every word written and layout designed uses this science to create custom campaigns that highlight the unique value proposition of each dental practice.
Our analytics are next generation. This allows dental offices to make smart decisions that lead to growth. By measuring the success of your campaigns in real-time, your practice gets valuable insights to continually optimize marketing results. With address, phone, and email attribution, dental offices can see the patient journey and how all the various touchpoints work in conjunction to lead to more new patients. Call scoring and analytics help drive operational and training decisions to support new patient growth. The data provides complete transparency to results, providing dental practices with next-generation results.
Local “neighborhood” marketing expertise. With hyper-local targeting capabilities, we ensure that campaigns reach the right audience – families and individuals most likely to become loyal patients at your clinic. One of the most significant advantages of using an integrated approach is the ability to resonate with your ideal patients.

By combining the tangible warmth of physical marketing with the convenience and reach of digital, you communicate in a way that reflects your dedication to care, quality, and trustworthiness. This also leads to production growth and new patient success. Users of our systems generated 25% more new patients than industry average, with production that is 2X that of industry average.

For dental clinics, marketing strategies are no longer “either-or” decisions. The best results come from combining the enduring impact of physical marketing with the precision and scalability of digital campaigns. Dentists and dental marketing managers who embrace a “better together” approach will attract more patients and position their practices as modern, approachable, and trustworthy in an increasingly competitive market.

With Patient NEWS, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our integrated marketing solutions provide the tools and expertise you need to drive real results, helping your practice thrive in 2025 ! Yes, I said it! ��

Here’s a snippet of a powerhouse practice combining all the arts of physical and digital marketing with Patient NEWS. This is an actual screenshot from Practice ZEBRA for the last 365 days. Neighborhood newsletters, websites and SEO, and Google Ads. A spend of $72,000 with projected new-patient revenue in the first year alone of almost $2 million. Not bad!

Better together. Physical and digital marketing. If you’d like to grow your practice market share, gain more new patients, and increase production for 2025, book a consult and talk to one of our experts regarding your situation and goals. We can help you take a data-driven approach to physical and digital marketing, and we think you’d be “ better together ” with us!

Convert More New Patients With Print + Paid Campaigns

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:23:14 GMT

Why Direct Mail and Paid Media Are Essential for Dental Practice Growth

Prospective patients aren’t passively thinking about dental treatment, nor are most homeowners surrounding your practice passively wondering about your dental office. The modern patient journey doesn’t just start at search – people need to be prompted to think about dental treatments. They need to be made aware that your practice exists and that you’re the choice they should make when considering treatment.

Using newsletters to reach your target audience is not only proactive but also guarantees reaching 100% of your ideal new patient households. The newsletter format adds a special touch for dentists wanting to attract quality new patients. Female head-of-household decision-makers are looking for quality information to make good decisions for their families, and they appreciate the value-added content of a newsletter. These decision-makers still make over 90% of all healthcare decisions.

Direct mail campaigns trigger interest and drive consumers to call and check you out online for more information. By combining paid media with direct mail marketing, dental practices benefit from a multichannel approach by being visible where your audience lives, works, and plays.

Combine Direct Mail with Digital Ads for 400% More Impact

Multiple studies suggest that when direct mail and paid media are combined, the effectiveness of online campaigns improves by up to 400%. This is attributed to the high trust level that consumers have for direct mail. Statistics show that over 80% of consumers trust direct mail most when making a buying decision, and neuromarketing studies have shown that a four-page newsletter delivers the highest trust scores, with an almost 2X impact over digital and postcards.

It all makes sense, doesn’t it? Reading something in print requires less cognitive effort, and the tangible physicality is proven to have an enduring effect on brand recall. As a crazy example, I was looking at a client today who had discontinued their direct mail campaign at the end of 2023 and still had direct inbound calls from the newsletter through 2024 and even into 2025, with a new patient booked just last month. That’s an enduring impact! People hold onto great information!

Combining print with Google and META Ads offers dental practices an improved opportunity to capture new patient attention in their local community. Patient NEWS elevates it even higher with our high level of targeting, developing like audiences for both online and offline efforts, ensuring that the practice becomes more visible and consistent with the consumers they want to attract.

At Patient NEWS, we precisely target consumers surrounding each practice with a geo-mapping analysis, capturing demographics, interests, and online behavior. This chart shows the results for an actual client who incorporated a Google Ads budget into their overall strategy for the combined power of Google Ads, custom website, and neighborhood newsletter, generating a superior ROI across all channels.

Now, don’t look at that chart and think this office should drop direct mail because it has the lowest ROI and the highest investment. First, generating a 12X return on any investment is fantastic! That campaign generates a steady 300+ new patients to the practice and does not reflect the new patients that went to their website or clicked through a Google Ad and had last touch attribution after being prompted about the practice via the newsletter . There is a synergy to the marketing mix that begets the practice’s superior results and generates the consistent new patient activity they want. They’ve set their target at 80 new patients per month, and they consistently beat that number. Without the newsletter hitting homes consistently and driving overall activity, results from their website, paid ads, and overall practice growth would be diminished.

How do you know if a combination of print and paid would work for your dental practice?

In most markets, both print and paid ads are highly effective. They work better together because they reach your audience differently to build and boost practice authority. As with any marketing campaign, there is always testing and tweaking, refining offer strategies, and adjusting content, but with consistency, the combination always delivers results.

By working in conjunction, you’ll have your practice standing out and more new patients taking notice. Both direct mail and META Ads build brand awareness. Both direct mail and Google Ads generate clicks and calls. Direct mail triggers branded intent searches, meaning new patients look for you – they don’t just search “dentist near me” !

The team at Patient NEWS has been exclusively helping dentists attract and convert new patients for over 30 years with proven digital and direct mail solutions.

The truth is, we don’t promise miracles. There is a nurturing process to move people through your patient journey, and that takes a smart, consistent approach. Nothing happens overnight with one mailing and 30 days of digital ads. It begins with awareness building and consistent marketing to break through. There needs to be team support and training, available appointments, a strong online presence, positive Google reviews, and a great online user experience . If located in a competitive marketplace – especially when digital ads flood the space – it simply takes time to break through the barriers, increase practice awareness, and drive new patient activity. The good news is, most of the time, we can secure an exclusive lockdown on your market area for direct mail, meaning no other dentists can use our format while you have it. This gives our clients the upper hand in their neighborhood.

If you’re the type of dentist who wants to OWN YOUR BACKYARD, we can help with precisely targeted, highly customized, strategically planned, well-managed, tracked, and analyzed print and paid campaigns to help you win more new patients and be THE dentist of choice in your area.

Book time to speak with one of our consultants today. It’s free, comes with a ton of value-added information, and there’s absolutely no obligation to work with us. We want to share our knowledge and help successful dentists become even more successful and happy!

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 19:58:15 GMT

Congratulations to our wonderful client, Dr. Hazel Glasper, on her recent induction to the Class of 2025 (Peer to Peer) World’s Top Doctor . ♥

Isn’t this a fun, authentic photo?! #physicianoftheoralcavity

Unique Website Design and Content for Premium Branding

No cookie-cutter here. Every website we create is written and designed with unique content and custom branding. We go through rigorous duplicity checks to ensure Google puts your website first – including coordinating your photo shoot to elevate your brand, build trust, and boost conversions!

Please don’t dread updating your website. We make it all easy and convenient! It won’t disrupt your processes, it won’t create work for your team, and it will improve results !

Do you know who originally said the very common phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words?" It’s primarily attributed to Freddy Barnard, who wrote about images in advertising in 1921! Others are credited with the sentiment, including da Vinci, who said, “A painter can depict something in an instant, while a poet would be overwhelmed before they could describe it in words.” No matter who coined the adage, the fact is that humans process visuals 60,000 times faster than text – and images impact emotions quicker and more powerfully than words.

Don’t dread changing your website. A modern, high-converting website with your own imagery will improve results and positively impact all your dental marketing campaigns. Plus, we make setup a breeze and include custom photos that will engage patients. Let us take care of it all for you!

Build Trust

Perception of competence significantly and positively influences patient decision-making. Did you know that beyond the landing page of your website, the next most important page for a dental clinic is the About page? From a branding perspective, having up-to-date images and content when introducing yourself and your team is critical. Potential patients want to see their potential dentist and team and get a genuine feel for what the practice will be like.

Create Emotional Connections

Positive, fresh, and current photos of you and your team will help build a warm connection with your visitors, triggering positive emotions and building trust with the potential patients checking you out online. Great pics help people feel more connected when they see your authentic self, which makes them more likely to choose to do business with you.

You don’t have to face any hassle trying to find and book a professional photographer, prepare for the shoot, figure out what type of images to capture, how to pose, or what to say. This will all be taken care of by the team at Patient NEWS!

Get professional photography and video solutions with your website design and update. Schedule a consultation, and our team will run a complete online audit at no cost to you. You can also find out how we create like audiences based on your best patients to better customize and target your campaigns. This is all free as part of our consultation process.

Maximize Your Marketing Reach with Versatile Visual Content

Resonate with patients

With our professional system locked down, you can rest assured that your high-end photography session will yield great results and build an authoritative, accurate, true, and trustworthy brand image.

Cohesive branding

By scheduling a professional session, we’ll be able to create a cohesive presentation of all doctor and team photos, plus interior and exterior shots of the practice to show patients the great experience they will have when they choose your practice.

Show who you are

Updated, professional photos and videos will demonstrate to prospective patients what you’re like, the personality of the practice, and help form a trusted bond before they step into your office.

Repurpose across all marketing

Once you have new imagery, it can be repurposed and used across all marketing campaigns, social media, direct mail, Google profile, Meta ads, local news outlets, etc. This will help build and enhance practice brand consistency and recognition.

Encourage action and boost conversions

High-quality visuals are 43% more effective!

With your new, high-converting website, users are more likely to take action. Our sites are fast, secure, video-enabled, accessible, SEO-optimized, and feature a mobile-first design. They also include social posts, unlimited call scoring, an analytics dashboard, online forms, and much more! Plus, our SEO programs deliver results. And with our amazing Account Managers at your side, you’ll never have to use a ticket system again!

With Patient NEWS, it’s EASY (as easy as saying yes) to get a beautiful, high-converting website!

Find out more by scheduling a free consultation meeting to see how you can benefit from a high-converting website from Patient NEWS. Our awesome team would love to help you get there!

Call your Account Manager today to find out more, or schedule a call here !

Win More New Patients In 2025

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 19:56:11 GMT

Attracting more new patients has a direct impact on clinical success, and one of the most efficient means of building greater awareness of your presence and gaining more new patients from your neighborhood is direct mail marketing.

With email inboxes and social media feeds overflowing into an unmemorable blur, direct mail stands out and can provide instant credibility. Given today’s highly competitive dental market, dentists who recognize the advantages that this powerful weapon can provide will experience a differential advantage.

Find out more

Potential patients need a basic awareness of your practice before they can do business with you. Direct mail is the only way to reach 100% of a target audience and provide an extended shelf-life of the brand in homes. But not all direct mail is the same.

Readers trust publications they read, and that gives your message instant credibility. Readers also regard newsletters as the most trusted format when it comes time to make a decision, offering a 17-day shelf life versus 3 days for a postcard.

Newsletters tell them who you are, where to find you, and what services you offer. The format also provides a positive first impression – that you are the expert they require.

Newsletters enable you to cultivate how your practice is viewed, your professionalism, your technology, your services, and your quality.

There is a required formula to ensure that a direct mail campaign is effective

1. Be data-driven.

Precisely target the households most likely to respond to your services. At Patient NEWS, we help our clients do that with advanced demographic analysis and patient mapping to create like audiences for list development.

2. Great content.

Newsletters are powerful! Newsletters are non-threatening because they contain additional helpful and interesting information that people want to receive, read, and respond to. Newsletters are valuable because they enable you to promote specific goals.

3. Track results

Be sure you’re able to track results using address matching and call scoring. New patients who receive your direct mail piece may initiate their first contact with your practice via a website, form fill, or social site. Monitoring the full patient journey allows you to make good long-term decisions for practice growth.

4. Are you persistent?

This will lead to a more profitable practice. There are always obstacles to overcome. Encourage your team to focus on improving call handling and conversion. Stick with your marketing plan. Follow through on all aspects of it. Provide the necessary budget and adhere to the timelines you’ve identified.

Direct mail has many benefits for your dental practice. Neighborhood newsletters help you keep in touch with current, lapsing, and new patients. They educate patients about new or additional services, establish credibility of the doctor and team, reinforce the capabilities of the practice, motivate word-of-mouth referrals, and bring in more new patients. Users experience a 6x ROI within one year .

BONUS: For a short time, you can add 2,000 extra households to your neighborhood newsletter direct mail campaign with Patient NEWS at the lowest price ever! Schedule a time to chat with one of our experts and find out more.

You’ll also get EXCLUSIVE USE of our newsletter solution for your area. No other dentist will be able to access the program. Grab your territory today!

Sound interesting? Look at the number of new patients you saw in 2024. Was that an increase or decrease compared to 2023? It’s important to remember that the competition for new patients is intense!

Patient NEWS clients attracted 25% more new patients than industry average, with average production at $2 million for 2024.

Ready for growth in 2025? Get our proven program working for your office. Sign up here!

Dentistry Projected To Grow By 12% In 2025

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:14:39 GMT

Why Now is the Perfect Time for Dental Practices to Invest in Brand Awareness

Common Goals of Dental Practices

Dental offices have a lot in common. Most want better community awareness, more quality new patients, and stronger patient loyalty and trust.

According to Precedence Research, the North American dental market is set to grow by 12% in 2025. This growth is being fueled by the rising prevalence of oral illness, increasing demand for cosmetic treatments and clear aligners, and complex procedures like dental implants.

In addition, less than 40% of working adults visited a dentist last year, and 75% of adults “plan” to visit a dentist inthe coming year.

Considering this data, timing couldn’t be better for dental offices to invest in brand awareness and growth to gain market share, build momentum and increase practice production.

The modern dental patient journey is complex. Awareness. Consideration & Research. Buying Decision & Conversion. Experience. Advocacy.

Successful dental clinics have discovered that brand awareness doesn’t start at search. Businesses must be proactive in making their audiences aware of them. It’s the first and most important step in the patient journey – especially when you consider that consumers will not generally consider purchasing from a brand they’re not familiar with.

Without brand awareness, local businesses, like dental offices, remain
invisible to the vast majority of their target audience.

Brand awareness is considered the foundation for overall success. Tactics winning dentists employ to build visibility include strong branding, signage, targeted direct mail, Google and Meta ads, community participation, and more. When effectively executed, these tactics will work in tandem, helping dental offices become and stay top-of-mind with potential patients when they begin to consider purchase decisions.

More importantly, a well-run dental brand awareness campaign can educate the audience on the benefits of dental treatment and the solutions that solve their problems or pain points, proactively gaining visibility and driving activity to the phone, website, and door.

The dental landscape is constantly evolving. From advancements in technology to changes in competitive levels, shifts in consumer behavior, and the emergence of new platforms and tools, there's never a dull moment in dental marketing. At Patient NEWS, we are dedicated to staying ahead of the curve by continuously monitoring the latest advancements and emerging trends. This commitment ensures we can help our clients maintain a competitive edge and achieve long-term success in an ever-changing landscape. Getting your practice in front of your primary target audience will not only capture those already considering a dental service, but also prompt consumers to act sooner rather than later.

Dentistry has always been resilient. You know that people need dental care. You know that the market is projected to grow , and you know that the majority of adults are planning to see a dentist . But who will they choose in your neighborhood?

The average practice will also lose around 20% of their active patient base in 2025, and they have another 25% that’s already lapsing. That’s not a bad thing. It gives you the opportunity to pick up market share and new treatment. Some attrition gives you space in your schedule so that you can onboard more high-value new patients in their place. Remember, new patients are often 2X more valuable than existing ones.

Targeting Patient Needs and Maximizing Marketing Impact

With shifting patient expectations, the demand for more convenience, better customer service, fast responsiveness, and knowing that consumers are looking for more cosmetic and complex procedures, you have an opportunity to shape your awareness and new-patient acquisition campaigns to hit the target right where they need it. Addressing their needs and wants in your communication strategies.

One thing is in your back pocket, and that’s how you look at marketing to women. While women remain key decision-makers in over 85% of all spending decisions, studies show that the healthcare industry flops in connecting with them. We find that dentists get this, and that makes a significant variance in results.

When looking at the marketing strategies you have in place now, could you do something more to attract these important eyeballs, these super consumers who have the balance of purchasing power and very strong influence?

The answer is yes. And it lies in content marketing. Relationship marketing. Women want credible information to make good decisions for their families. Today, consumers are aware that looking up information online can lead to misinformation, so hearing from the healthcare professional directly is preferred. Awareness campaigns do just this. When your practice lands in mailboxes with quality information, in prospects' Facebook feeds with quality content, you become recognized as an authority in your field – a provider that is trusted in your community. You can share more details on oral health, details on the cosmetic solutions you offer, and the amazing experience you and your team provide with conveniences that resonate with your target audience.

Dentists who implemented strategic, content-rich marketing programs like neighborhood newsletters , SEO, and paid media with our company have experienced 37% practice production growth over the past three years.

These clients attracted 25% more new patients than industry average.

You can leverage this market opportunity by leveraging your existing reputation and current success in a strategic, data-driven marketing plan. You’ll want to make sure that your plan is proactive and designed to have patients looking you up by name – not waiting for someone to search ‘dentist-near-me.'

You’ll want to ensure that your plan is precisely targeted to the core areas and demographics of your ideal patients. You want your plan to build such strong awareness and desire with your audience that they prioritize a buying decision with you over the other purchases on their wish list. Is the dental implant more important than the all-inclusive vacation? Clear aligners or new car? Wait. Where do they find clear aligner treatments in your area? Who will they choose? How do you stand out and win when the opportunity is there, but other dentists are out there competing for the market?

We want to help you STAND OUT and GROW production. We can help you win . Start a conversation with our team today. Learn more about the extensive preparation we invest in your success before you invest in us. This free session will outline how our solutions can propel your practice forward, and you can also find out how rich insights in our Reveal Report will empower you to make great decisions for your practice. Regularly $795, this incredible report is provided at no charge, with data a practice owner could only dream of seeing in full color.

P.S. Get exclusive use of your neighborhood for our direct mail system. No other dentist can use this program when you have it secured for your practice.

NOTE : There may be some juggling of available meeting times over the holiday season, so book as soon as possible to get into the queue.

Should I Try A Patient Newsletter?

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 13:23:43 GMT

“Carrie, I don’t think I ever passed along the number of [positive] messages we received from our patients for the last newsletter. The “thanks” focused on what we’re doing to provide a high level of dental care and for the staff introductions. Of course, the messaging would fall flat if the presentation and quality weren’t also top-notch, so it’s obviously the whole package. I hope you pass along the pat on the back from all of us.”

Show Your Value: Why a Holiday Newsletter Matters

Do your patients know your value proposition? Ask yourself: have we done everything we can to show our patients how important they are to us in a tangible way? Now is the perfect time to send a holiday newsletter to remind patients why they chose your practice, that they made the right decision, and that they should stay with you for 2025.

Let’s discuss content for your New Year’s special edition!

A major misconception that causes dental offices to experience attrition, miss out on attracting new patients, and lose out on elective service sales is thinking people just don’t read their mail anymore. The fact is, direct mail is statistically proven to improve repeat business.

Given the competitive dental advertising ecosystem, how do you keep your patients connected to your practice – outside of transactional exchanges?

Proven Success: The Power of Direct Mail

With a holiday patient newsletter that hits doorsteps , that’s how! Wouldn’t you love to hear accolades from your patients like Carrie’s client did? With a 90% open rate, consumers of all ages actually prefer direct mail, and 70% feel it’s more personal than a digital transaction.

It is the most trusted advertising format at decision-making.
It is the only way to reach 100% of your audience.
It is tactile and sparks curiosity and interest.
It’s proven to drive more action than any other marketing medium.

You may be amazed at how a little thing like a New Year’s newsletter can help you stand out from the crowd in your own patient households.

Some dental clinics give lip service on how much they value their patients but then rarely take any measurable action. With little effort, you can reinforce the value your patients get from your dental practice.

Make an Impact: Content Ideas for Your New Year’s Edition

Stand out while highlighting:

Key initiatives and achievements in a Letter from the Dentist.
Your industry leadership and technology.
Innovations you’re providing to offer more convenience and comfort.
Enhanced patient services and special offers.
Your commitment to supporting and empowering patients into 2025!

Invest in Your Practice’s Future: The Value of Newsletters

This one small step will remind patients that you’re their trusted partner. It will also show patients that they’re important and that you care.

Worth the investment? Another yes! Here’s why:

An active patient contributes $1,200 per year on average.
The average practice has 1.6 patients per household – room for growth.
A household represents a minimum of $2,000 per year (we only mail one newsletter per household).
The cost of one newsletter is usually less than or around $2 per household, including envelopes AND postage ... and we’ll give you a no-obligation quote.
The average practice has around 2,000 active patients, but …
On average, 25% of active patients haven’t had a visit in 9 months.

This also gives insight into OPPORTUNITY!

To reactivate lapsing and inactive patients
To increase referrals of family and friends
To introduce and generate more elective service sales
To improve retention and support practice security
To improve patient satisfaction and loyalty!

For most dentists, sending educational content to patients aligns with the core values of the practice. Plus, you can include a special recipe or a holiday game for kids – you name it, and we’ll do it! This small initiative is a good thing on so many levels. You’ll be giving something back to your patients and investing in the future of your practice.

Have ideas for content you’d like to include in your holiday New Year’s special edition ? We’re here to make it come alive! If you haven’t mailed a patient newsletter in some time, just think of the surprise and delight patients will feel and the wonderful appreciation you’ll receive. Mailings available for January 15 ^th and 31 ^st are booking now. Don’t miss out – contact us today!

How To Strategically Plan For 2025 As A Dental Practice Owner

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 16:50:41 GMT

You’re already a successful business owner, so you know that growing production requires a strategic approach blending prep, implementation, and follow through.

Drawing on our 30+ years of helping dental practices increase production and looking at the proven processes that have helped our clients consistently grow production year over year, we’ve drilled it down to these essential elements:

Identify current trends & benchmarks.
Set realistic goals & expectations.
Identify areas for improvement/focus.
Utilize a comprehensive & competitive marketing plan.
Execute with regular review of results for continuous improvement.

If you’re a Practice ZEBRA® subscriber, you can immediately pull your Benchmark Report to capture your current trends and metrics, patient and new patient values, and net gain/loss results. You can also dig into the Predictive Analytics module to see which levers you can quickly focus on to increase production. Better yet, schedule a call with your Account Manager, who will pull this all together for you and ensure you are set for success as we hit the year-end!

If you’re not a Practice ZEBRA user yet, find out more with an initial session to discuss your 2025 goals, and get access to our Reveal Report, a custom 24-page document that provides a clear visual on everything you want to know to strategically plan for growth in 2025.

Schedule a session now

Getting an honest assessment of current results helps us identify the wins, the not-quite-theres, and which areas of focus will deliver the results we want. My CEO always says we can’t continue doing the same thing and expect a different result.

So, if you want a different or better result as we head into 2025, the question is, is your practice focusing on the right metrics? Are you onboarding a sufficient flow of new patients while controlling attrition? Do you know what might happen if you added more high-value new patients versus focusing on retaining active patients? Do you know how many new patients get scheduled for subsequent visits? Do you know how many of your active patients are actually lapsing? What is the magic mix that will increase your production to the level you want? Predictive Analytics is an excellent tool for determining this.

The following graph is of a real, successful solo practice currently achieving $1.6M in annual production.

When you utilize Predictive Analytics, it gives you a clear visual of where to find growth. In this case, you’ll see the practice doesn’t have to move mountains to have a substantial revenue increase. Using the calculator we just looked at, what would happen if they added 10 more new patients per month, increasing from 32 to 42 new patients? That’s 2-3 more new patients a week. Most offices have at least capacity to add this number. In fact, the last ADA HPI survey revealed that 93% of dental offices are accepting new patients. If the office in the graph hits this target, it adds up to $162,240 in additional production in the first year, and by year two, it adds over $500,000 to the topline! Just by prioritizing a couple more new patients each week.

What else? You can look at case acceptance, scheduling metrics, lost patients, and call handling. Are your new patient calls being answered, and how many get converted to appointments? This team does an amazing job on calls, so the dentist just has to invest a bit more in new patient marketing. If you’re engaged in direct mail marketing, you may want to consider increasing reach and frequency. If you’re engaged in paid media, it may require a more competitive, higher spend.

How about WHERE you should look to add these quality new patients? For this, it’s important to understand your current market share and identify where your best patients live. This process allows you to build like audiences and target the patients you want to bring into your practice – who will be most likely to choose your practice, too. This is another piece of data that you will receive in our Reveal Report, and not only does this information show you where your patients reside and where the competition is taking a bite, but it also allows you to sort neighborhoods by patient value. This means you can selectively and precisely target your marketing to attract your core audience.

Schedule a session now

Another major factor in growing practice production for 2025 will be ensuring that your practice’s online presence – yes, the website, but not just the website – is stellar. It’s so competitive, and consumers look at you online before buying. Again, the Reveal Report includes all the data on how your practice ranks online, from reputation to listings at the local level. The data is incredible, and now is the time, with eight weeks until year-end, to access this information.

And then, once you’ve compiled all the data you can on market share, buying demographics, competitors, online presence, practice trends, and opportunities, it’s about establishing the best marketing plan for your practice. What is your brand voice and image, and does your current marketing reflect that? If you are fee-for-service or on the mid-to-higher end of solutions, do your marketing materials reflect that superior quality to patients and prospective patients in your area? Along with all the information in the Reveal Report, our team will prepare a data-driven marketing plan you can run with. But you don’t want to run with it – you’re a dental professional, and we’re the marketers!

From there, our team will take care of execution, reporting, and supporting you on continuous improvements.

You’ll get a data-driven plan designed around your practice goals.
You’ll have superior digital & print content that reflects your brand & attracts attention.
Your target audience will learn that you’re the expert they can rely on because your practice will stand out in the sea of choices.
You’ll see your results in black & white. No guesswork.
You’ll have a team that has your back & works hard to support you & your team!

Start 2025 planning with a fresh sheet. Revisit your vision, mission, and goals, and let us help you position your practice for growth.

Schedule a session now

Direct Mail is NOT Dead For Dentists

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:32:15 GMT

Direct mail is the preferred channel of communication for adults of all ages, it’s more persuasive than digital marketing, more trustworthy, easier to understand, and more memorable. It’s also one of the most effective tools available to dental offices that want to stand out and grow.

Schedule an initial call today

Consumers value something they can see and touch. The proven 4-page newsletter format we recommend provides dental offices a vast opportunity to connect with and educate readers while elevating practice awareness and building and strengthening the practice authority and reputation.
At Patient NEWS, direct mail has evolved into a strategic, tech-driven solution that delivers a very strong ROI. On average, our clients achieve a 6x return within year one.
Direct mail delivers something that digital marketing just can’t match. It’s precision-targeted and is the only way to reach 100% of your targeted audience, with 95% of consumers checking their mail daily. A large study revealed that recall was 70% higher among participants who were exposed to direct mail versus digital ads. These are just a few reasons direct mail is 10-30x more effective.
It’s highly customizable, highly trackable, and highly effective at deepening the connection between a local dental practice and the community it serves, driving an increase in overall monthly new patient flow.
Direct mail and digital campaigns work better together than alone.
Direct mail is more action-oriented because its physical presentation stimulates the underlying mental processes that direct behavior.
The average Patient NEWS practice grows by 20% over two years.

“I’ve worked with Patient NEWS since 2020 for both of my practices and can attest to the effectiveness of their proven systems, which truly help dental offices realize highly successful results from their direct mail campaigns.” - Dr. Travis Campbell, The Practice Whisperer & Dental Insurance Guy (11x return)

Find out more with a free discovery call today !

What did the ghost say when he found out he had cavities? Boo hoo!

We’d love to give you a free broom ride this week, but that’s not our specialty. �� Instead, schedule a free discovery session and find out how you can capture more high-quality new patients and increase revenue with a superior direct mail solution that delivers results.

P.S. Don’t miss hitting market in January, one of the HOTTEST response months of the year. If you get your order in and approved before December 15 ^th (don’t waste time - call now to get started!), we can ensure your newsletter hits homes mid-January.

Let’s boo this! (Groan, I know, but we like to have fun while being very serious about our work!) We are real people, we care about your results, and we answer the phone! If that’s the kind of positive, enthusiastic, experienced marketing partner you’d like to work with, grab time in our calendar for an initial call.

We love working with successful dentists committed to growth!

Show Patients You Care With A Customized Seasonal Holiday Newsletter

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:30:08 GMT

Dental patient satisfaction is increasingly being shaped by personalized care. While current satisfaction rates are relatively high, with reports indicating that over 90% of patients feel that maintaining their oral health significantly contributes to their overall well-being, perceived indifference is a significant factor in patient attrition for dental clinics.

ORGANIZE YOUR HOLIDAY NEWSLETTER NOW

The perception of indifference is caused by a variety of factors, including a lack of communication beyond transactional, impersonal interactions, which can occur when dentists or staff members don’t take the time to personalize conversations or prioritize responsiveness, causing patients to feel ignored.

A gesture like a customized seasonal holiday newsletter, which will reach 100% of patient households and is not perceived as spam, shows patients you care about building lasting relationships and strengthening patient trust and loyalty.

In today’s competitive healthcare environment, make sure your patients feel valued and cared for with your holiday newsletter. The team at Patient NEWS will make it super easy and super personalized, and you can sit back and feel good on your holiday break because you’ve done a good thing.

FYI:

Printed newsletters offer several advantages over email – particularly for dental practices that want to connect meaningfully with their patients.
Printed materials receive more focused attention as people spend more time reading physical mail compared to email, which is often skimmed or ignored.
Your holiday newsletter will have a shelf life in the home of 17 days, making it more likely to be seen, and there is less competition in the mailbox. A newsletter also feels more personal and intentional than a generic email or holiday card, and it has a much higher perceived value than a card or email, which makes recipients more satisfied with the sender.
The average dental office is also missing around 27% of patient emails, so even with an amazing open rate of 45%, an email will only reach around a third of patients, while your holiday newsletter will reach 100% of patient households. 100%!

Order a holiday patient newsletter today . It’s the right investment for successful dental practices.

Your holiday newsletter can also include information on your top services, new technology, special offers, referral requests, staff highlights, games and/or puzzles for the family, plus practice updates. Of course, it will also include a delicious and healthy recipe!

Stand out in patient homes this holiday season and boost visits into the new year!

#seasonsgreetings #merrychristmas #happyhanukkah #kwanzaa #happynewyear! #make2025thebest

The Effectiveness of Appointment Reminders & Online Scheduling for Dentists

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:01:35 GMT

Simple Systems for Seamless Patient Experiences

Appointment reminders have become an essential tool for dentists to ensure that their patients stay on top of their oral health and attend scheduled visits. With the right system in place, dentists can significantly reduce no-shows, increase efficiency, and create a smooth experience for patients. The key to success lies in simplicity and seamless integration of online scheduling tools, which not only make booking easier but also allow for automated reminders that boost patient attendance.

New Release: Practice ZEBRA’s Appointment Reminders now include the ability to add your online booking URL to the custom communication campaign. Our eZ Online Scheduler gives you an all-in-one solution, too!

Appointment Reminders & eZ Online Scheduler – just $79/month* each!

SCHEDULE A FREE DEMO

Why Simple Systems Are Best

Dental offices are busy environments where both teams and patients benefit from clear, straightforward systems. Appointment reminders that are easy to set up and manage – like automated email, SMS, or phone reminders – help reduce complexity and ensure that patients are well-informed about their upcoming visits.

Automated systems also save time for the front desk team, eliminating the need for manual phone calls. They are highly efficient, too; studies show that automated reminders that use a combination of email and text can reduce no-shows by up to 29%. Simple, intuitive systems are often the most effective because they don't overwhelm patients or staff with excessive communication or complicated interfaces.

The Role of Online Scheduling

Incorporating online scheduling is a game-changer for today’s dental offices … when done right! Existing and new patients alike appreciate the convenience of booking their appointments online at any time of day without needing to call the office. This reduces friction for the patient and lightens the workload for office staff.

That said, be sure that your online scheduler has many convenient appointment options, as well as an easy-to-see message to revert to calling the office directly when patients can’t find a booking time they want rather than just leaving them to abandon and feel unsatisfied with their experience. We’ve seen many online schedulers without appointment options for weeks, and neither an existing patient nor a new patient wants to wait three or four weeks when they’re ready to book!

Online scheduling platforms can be integrated with our automated reminder systems. We recommend our eZ Online Scheduler because it’s really the best! Patients receive reminders about their upcoming appointments directly through email or SMS, offering a seamless and stress-free experience that fosters better patient engagement and makes it easy to reschedule or confirm with just a few clicks.

Automated Reminders Improve Patient Experience

Receiving a gentle nudge before an appointment is a simple yet effective way to ensure patients follow through with their scheduled visits. Automated reminders play a crucial role in decreasing forgetfulness, particularly in a busy world where dental appointments might not always be top of mind.

Statistics show that practices utilizing automated reminders see a significant drop in no-show rates. With reminders, patients are much more likely to keep their appointments, resulting in a 23-30% improvement in attendance rates.

Beyond attendance, reminders enhance the overall patient experience by fostering communication. Patients feel valued and taken care of when they receive personalized reminders, improving their perception of the practice and its professionalism.

Importance for Successful Dental Practices

Effective appointment reminders – especially when paired with online scheduling – are integral to a well-functioning dental office. Fewer no-shows lead to a more predictable schedule, better use of staff time, and more consistent revenue flow. Not only does this result in a more organized and stress-free practice, but it also improves patient retention and satisfaction.

Investing in a simple system that includes online scheduling and automated reminders is a small step that can yield significant returns for any dental practice. It creates a seamless, patient-centric approach that ensures people get the care they need without hassle or confusion, all while helping the practice thrive.

Book a free demo today!

Ultimately, it’s about giving patients what they need: convenience, clear communication, and a smooth experience from booking to checkup. For dental offices, this is a win-win situation that boosts efficiency and patient satisfaction alike!

*As of October 2024. Subject to change, so lock in now to secure your rate. Practice ZEBRA® base software required. Ask for package details.

Quick Tips: The Importance of Generating Positive Google Reviews for Dentists

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 20:09:06 GMT

In 2024, Google reviews are a game-changer for dental practices . Consumers rely on them more than ever when choosing healthcare providers, with 87% of patients reading online reviews before deciding on a dentist. Today, a dental clinic needs to aim for 3+ new reviews every week! That’s right – weekly! This article includes the latest stats on reputation management for dentists.

Want to get more Google reviews for your practice? Schedule a demo today !

Keeping your reviews flowing is crucial for your practice’s reputation. Here’s why:

1. They Impact Patient Decision-Making.

Statistics show that 84% of patients trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, making them essential for building credibility and attracting new patients.

2. Your Total Number Of Reviews Count.

The average dental practice has around 100-150 reviews, but top-performing clinics often exceed this, further validating their expertise and dedication to patient care.

3. The Recency Of Reviews Matters.

Recent reviews hold more weight. In fact, 76% of patients state they won’t consider a practice with reviews older than three months. This highlights the need for constant feedback from your patients.

4. You Need How Many Reviews Per Week?

Local businesses should aim to generate 3-5 new reviews per week to stay competitive and keep their feedback fresh. This helps your practice appear at the top of search results and encourages potential patients to choose you.

5. Your Average Star Rating Is Important.

The best-rated dentists maintain an average rating of 4.8 stars or higher. Anything below 4.0 can deter new patients, so it’s vital to maintain a high level of service and patient satisfaction.

6. Responding Is Key To Boosting Your Reputation.

Responding to reviews, whether negative or positive, shows that a dental clinic values patient feedback and demonstrates a commitment to patient satisfaction. Responding also allows the practice to control the conversation and manage their reputation positively. This transparency helps build trust. Google’s algorithms favor businesses that engage with reviews, too.

7. You Can Elevate Your Reputation with Review BOOSTER!

To streamline and manage your practice’s online reputation, Review BOOSTER by Patient NEWS® is an ideal solution built specifically for dental offices. It simplifies collecting reviews from satisfied patients and redirects not-so-great reviews back to you rather than the review site, ensuring your practice always looks great online. The easy-to-use dashboard allows you to respond to reviews quickly and efficiently.

SCHEDULE A DEMO TODAY!

Stay on top of your reviews and watch your patient base grow!

7 Quick Tips Dentists Should Consider For A Website Update (2025)

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:37:52 GMT

A modern, engaging website is essential for dental practices to attract new patients and maintain current ones. In 2025, online marketing trends highlight key features that every dental website should have. Here are seven quick tips for dentists to refresh their websites:

1. Mobile Optimization Is Non-Negotiable.

With over 60% of website traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s crucial that your site looks and functions well on smartphones and tablets. A mobile-friendly design improves user experience and search engine rankings. Pull up your current website on your mobile device and pay attention to the formatting, click-to-call number, ease of readership, and navigation.

2. Simplify Navigation.

Your website should be intuitive. Organize services, about us, contact info, and booking options clearly. A cluttered menu or confusing layout can drive potential patients away.

3. Include Online Appointment Scheduling.

In 2025, 75% of patients prefer scheduling appointments online. Make it easy with a prominent “Book Now” button, which should be available on every page. BUT, be sure that new patient appointments are convenient and plentiful, as this function can also impact conversions if available appointments are too far out. eZ Online Scheduler from Practice ZEBRA ® is an amazing tool!

4. Highlight Patient Reviews.

Nearly 90% of patients trust online reviews. Make sure your website prominently displays recent, positive patient testimonials to build credibility and trust with prospective clients. Use a review widget so actual reviews are visible, which improves consumer trust over a static page with curated testimonials. Review BOOSTER from Patient NEWS® is an amazing reputation management solution for dentists!

5. Showcase Your Services With Custom Photos & Video.

Up-to-date, friendly images of the dentist(s) and team allow patients to see your personality and get a feel for the practice vibe, while video content can boost engagement by up to 80%. Short, informative clips can showcase your clinic and help patients feel more comfortable before their first visit.

6. Focus On Local SEO.

Optimizing for local search terms will ensure that your practice shows up when people search for “dentist near me.” Update keywords and location tags, and ensure your Google Business Profile is fully optimized.

7. Prioritize A Fast Load Time.

Websites that take more than three seconds to load lose 40% of visitors. Ensure your site is optimized for speed with compressed images and a streamlined design to keep patients engaged from the start.

Implementing these quick updates will improve your practice's online presence and help you stand out in 2025's competitive digital landscape.

Ready for something fresh and new? Schedule an initial call to talk about your goals and see how Patient NEWS can help!

Quick Tips for Direct Mail Marketing Dentists Should Know (2024)

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:10:01 GMT

Direct mail marketing has taken an exciting turn in recent years, even in the digital age!

For dentists, this means a golden opportunity to reach patients in your community in a personal, trusted way. But let’s face it – your flyers need to stand out to make a lasting impact. So, how can you ensure your mail lands in the “keep” pile and not in the trash? It’s all about trust, education, and relevance. Let’s dive into 12 quick tips that can help your practice SHINE through direct mail marketing.

Ready to look at direct mail for your practice? Schedule an initial call now !

1. Use An Educational Approach.

Let’s start with the number one secret: education builds trust. Your potential patients don’t just want to know that you exist – they want to know why they should choose you. The key to standing out is offering valuable, educational content. Your flyer shouldn’t just scream, “We’re open!” but rather, “Here’s why oral health is important, and we’re here to help.”

TIP: Include tips for maintaining healthy teeth, warning signs for common dental issues, and solutions you have for overcoming patient issues. Offering this kind of value makes you a trusted authority in your field.

2. Emphasize Your Unique Value.

Not all dental practices are created equal, so make sure your potential patients know what sets you apart. Highlight these unique selling points (USPs) in your direct mail campaign. A direct mail newsletter can be an extension of your practice’s personality! Make it friendly, fun, and visually appealing. Patients will appreciate the positive vibe and associate it with their experience at your office.

TIP: Keep it simple but impactful. Use bullet points or bold headings to list the top three to four reasons your dental office is the best choice.

3. Catch Their Eye – Design Matters!

The design of your direct mail piece is crucial. It’s got to grab attention immediately. You want your material to be visually appealing and easy to read, with enough white space so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

TIP: Feature positive images of your team, office, and patients, clean environments, and anything else that conveys warmth and trustworthiness. Also, don’t forget to make the most important information POP – like your call to action (CTA) and contact details. These should be front and center, easily visible at a glance.

4. Statistics For 2024: Direct Mail Isn’t Dead.

You may be wondering if direct mail is still effective in 2024. Spoiler alert: It absolutely is! In fact, direct mail has seen a resurgence in the past few years as people grow tired of their cluttered inboxes and crave tangible, personalized communication. Direct mail drives activity to all channels.

According to recent statistics:

74% of consumers say they prefer to receive promotional offers via direct mail because it feels more personal.
90% of direct mail is opened, compared to only 20-30% of emails.
40% of consumers try new businesses after receiving direct mail from them.
A 4-page newsletter format has the highest motivation-to-act score over all digital and direct mail formats.

With those kinds of numbers, it’s clear that direct mail is not only relevant but also thriving!

5. Offer An Irresistible Promotion.

People love a good deal, and nothing motivates action quite like a special offer. For dental offices, consider including a free consultation, discount on services like clear aligners or sleep apnea solutions, or a special with a new patient exam (if in the US, offer a membership program). Whatever you choose, make sure it creates urgency and gets people to act.

TIP: Tangible value offers work best. A free electric toothbrush or free teeth whitening works better than a basic consultation offer.

6. Personalization Is Powerful.

Personalizing your direct mail can make a huge difference in engagement. Address recipients by name in a unique way and include relevant content that speaks to your specific target audience in your community based on current patient draw areas, demographics, interests, etc.

TIP: Include the recipients’ names in bold color in at least two locations. Tailoring your message to your audience makes them feel like you’re speaking directly to them, increasing the likelihood they’ll respond.

7. Use A Strong Call To Action.

This can’t be emphasized enough: your direct mail newsletter must have a clear and compelling call to action (CTA) to direct your target audience’s next step. Should they call to book an appointment? Visit your website to learn more? Whatever the action is, make it obvious and easy.

TIP: Use phrases like “Call today for a free consultation,” “Visit our website to learn more,” or “Book now for a special offer.” Include all necessary details, including your phone number, website, and location, in bold, easy-to-read text. Also, make it multi-channel. Offer a QR code that allows users to click to call or links directly to your website, where they can schedule an appointment or learn more. When offering online booking, ensure that new patient appointments are readily available!

8. Attract More Patients Who Resemble Your Best Ones.

Direct mail newsletters allow you to focus on specific neighborhoods where your ideal patients live. You can use tools like geotargeting to pinpoint areas with demographics similar to your current high-value patients and reach households that are likely to respond to your services – whether they’re families needing pediatric care or adults interested in cosmetic or restorative treatments.

TIP: A targeted approach ensures that you’re delivering your message directly to the people most likely to need and want your services.

9. Be Consistent.

Direct mail isn’t a one-and-done deal. To build recognition and trust, you need to consistently reach out to your community. A one-time flyer may be forgotten, but regular (yet not overwhelming) mailers can keep your practice top-of-mind.

TIP: Plan out a series of mailers to land in homes at least monthly. Include new oral health articles each month and add a healthy recipe to get homeowners excited to see your latest edition. If you’re offering specialty services to attract consumers, like clear aligners, consider mixing in a dedicated edition into your schedule every few months. Consistency, along with variety, helps reinforce your practice as a reliable and ever-present resource for dental care in your community.

10. Track Your Results.

It's essential to track the success of your direct mail campaigns. How many new patients did your flyer bring in? Did traffic to your website increase? How many calls did your team convert to appointments? What percentage of inbound calls get answered? Knowing what works helps you refine future marketing campaigns for even better results.

TIP: Include a unique call scoring number on marketing campaigns to track results. Ensure your dashboard offers both address and phone matching. This way, when someone books an appointment from your dental flyer, you’ll be able to see the full patient journey and the actual revenue generated from your campaign. When a new patient doesn’t book, you can better understand why.

11. Get More By Mailing More.

A leading print provider has found that the easiest way to get more calls and better results from your direct mail campaign is to simply mail more. The more you can promote your practice, the more likely new patients are to respond. Particularly in the competitive dental market. If you’re targeting 5,000 households per month, try twice a month or increase to 10,000 homes. You’ll build more awareness for your practice in your area while you’re increasing new patients. Consider how many households are in your current market draw area, and then it’s simply a math equation to build awareness for your core audience.

12. Get Expert Guidance!

At Patient NEWS®, we help successful dentists implement highly effective direct mail campaigns that deliver a very strong ROI and drive practice growth. Schedule an initial call and find out more about our proven process and get access to a custom Reveal Report, which includes demographics, patient personas, current market share, competitive landscape and much more. Valued at $795, you can access this FREE with our compliments!

Stay positive, stay consistent, and keep engaging your community! Direct mail newsletters are a fantastic way for dentists to connect with current and potential patients. Done right, they can boost patient engagement, build trust, and increase treatment acceptance even before patients set foot in your office!

SCHEDULE AN INITIAL CALL TO DISCUSS DIRECT MAIL FOR YOUR PRACTICE TODAY

Advanced Tech & Tools Speed Your Path To Growth

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:36:25 GMT

Best Software For Dentists

Leveraging best-in-class technology is one of the most crucial elements to practice and marketing success. You want tools that are well configured to support future growth, provide the power to monitor critical metrics easily, track your patient journey from new inquiry to first-year production and lifetime value, and help you communicate how and when you want with patients.

Who doesn’t want to boost practice production and work smarter with superior tools that help open the door to more new patients? From first-time inquiries to positive reviews, reactivations, and retention, Practice ZEBRA® dental marketing software is the all-in-one solution that hundreds of dental clinics and consultants love because the metrics, reporting, and call scoring help grow their practices, while the user interface is simple and easy to follow.

Practice ZEBRA dental marketing software triples your convenience with:

Business intelligence, dashboards, & reporting
Unlimited call tracking & scoring
Email & text communications

As a certified vendor for Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, and Dentrix Ascend, ZEBRA supports hundreds of successful dental clinics.

Get more details on how ALL of the features in ZEBRA can support your practice growth goals!

SCHEDULE DEMO NOW

ONE: Business Intelligence for dental clinics

When we have inaccurate, anecdotal, or incomplete information, of course we’ll make worse decisions than if we had better data. Keeping an eye on the metrics that matter improves decision-making and helps practices operate more proactively rather than reactively. Practice ZEBRA keeps you in the know and turns your data into actionable visual graphs and maps with easy-to-use, clickable reports. One tiny and amazing example is the geo-mapping of patients, which allows you to refine and more effectively target marketing campaigns to audiences, like the high-value patients you want to replicate versus areas that may be more competitive or tend to deliver lower-value patients. The net gain/loss graphic clearly shows the monthly variance between onboarded new patients and lost patients to more easily grasp if the practice is having a retention or acquisition issue. These types of visuals allow you to monitor, secure, and demonstrate your upward trends and feel confident in your growth investments.

TWO: Unlimited call tracking & scoring

Excellent customer service builds trust. It’s an imperative element for a successful practice. Having insight into what’s happening with inbound calls at your clinic allows for improved training and customer service. Every call gets its own score on critical conversion criteria. What’s different and more effective with Practice ZEBRA call scoring is that our AI model has been trained by over two million human-scored calls, providing better moment and sentiment analysis. Even scoring just a section of your inbound calls from your website, paid media, or direct mail campaigns gives you insight into how all inbound calls are handled. Maybe 50% of calls go to voicemail and maybe 30% of new patients don’t book because they couldn’t get a convenient appointment time. These insights help your practice be proactive in finding solutions and offering the best possible experience to new patients.

THREE: Email & text communications

eZ Online Scheduler – the best online booking solution for dental clinics
Appointment Reminders – great messaging with auto-sync back to your system, saving your team time
Reactivation Cadences – get lapsing patients back into your practice instead of a competitor
Recall Reminders – don’t miss patients who don’t have a future appointment scheduled
Reviews & Reputation Management – this module is hands-down the best review tool for dentists
Custom Communications & Templates – select lists & target with custom news, updates, & promotions
Email Newsletters – engage & connect with patients with quality educational content

Now, why pay one software for intelligence, another for call scoring, and yet a few more for different patient communications? Practice ZEBRA can make it 100% easier for your team to manage everything in one convenient login.

BONUS: Enterprise reporting. When you have multiple offices and multiple campaigns, you’re cobbling together reports at a group and enterprise level. Practice ZEBRA does this for you with ease. No more hassle pulling together reports of any nature.

Practice ZEBRA truly is all you need attached to your practice management software to improve practice productivity and increase production.

Authorized vendor of dental practice management software solutions: Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, and Dentrix Ascend. It’s the trusted choice for hundreds of dental offices just like yours!

Practice productivity improves with the use of best-in-class tech like Practice ZEBRA. Tech-enabled marketing just works better, but more than that, ZEBRA helps dental teams achieve goals, contribute to practice success, and feel more accomplished and satisfied. When productivity and results improve, team morale is boosted, allowing a higher focus on offering patients excellent customer service.

Your patient experience will be more professional, consistent, and streamlined using software like Practice ZEBRA.

Book a call now to discuss how you can maximize your benefits from Practice ZEBRA!

Why Hire A Dental Marketing Agency?

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:01:27 GMT

Access to data & speed to market

Hiring an experienced dental marketing agency gains your practice time to market with access to exceptional resources to manage highly advanced marketing campaigns featuring the latest in innovation and quality.

The key to success is allowing data to drive campaigns, educating your audience with quality content, and making sure campaigns are personalized and relevant.

You may have considered investing in custom demographic and competitor research for your practice. You don’t have to.

At Patient NEWS®, we are focused on delivering the most effective marketing strategies for our clients. We do this by launching every digital and direct mail campaign with our 24-page Reveal Report, specifically designed to help our clients dominate their local market and attract the high-quality patients they want.

This is our data-first approach. Very similar to the exam-first approach you take before presenting treatment. The Reveal Report is our first phase of comprehensive care. We analyze the performance metrics of the practice, the market area, and existing campaigns to identify gaps and opportunities, and then we develop strategies that directly impact performance metrics.

Beginning with a free consultation with one of our dental marketing experts, we’ll discuss your practice's unique needs and challenges. From there, we’ll prepare what you’ll find to be the most detailed and insightful marketing report in the dental industry – our Reveal Report.

This 24-page document dives deep into your market, analyzing your competitors, plotting your current market share, uncovering opportunities, and providing a clear picture of your local landscape. Our experts will explain the data, highlight key insights, and lay out a step-by-step marketing plan tailored to your practice, ensuring you feel confident in your marketing strategy.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your dental practice. If you aren’t working with us now, you’ve worked with us in the past, or if you’re working with us on your website and SEO, paid media strategies or executing direct mail, there’s never a bad time to take a fresh look at performance and see where we can take it from here.

Tap into the Reveal Report by scheduling time here.

This proven system, utilized and implemented by hundreds of dental offices, will ensure that your digital and direct mail strategies are on target to help you achieve your goals.

With the Reveal Report, you’ll get an unbiased opinion, a fresh perspective, and an objective viewpoint on your practice. You’ll be able to tap into a level of extensive expertise that a small local business wouldn’t normally have access to – let alone for free. With the report, you’ll better understand your patient personas, where you have clusters of high-value neighborhoods, and the types of content that will best resonate with them to nurture their interest and build trust.

When you see your data beautifully presented in the Reveal Report, you’ll find it easy to determine which levers to adjust to increase new patient flow and production. You’ll better understand your opportunities and limitations for gaining more new patients. You’ll understand your market opportunity for growth and how many other dentists prospective patients – and your patients – have to choose from, providing a good sense of the specific market areas that will impact your growth. By delving into these maps and reports, you’ll gain valuable insights into your target audience’s behaviors and needs, which will enable you to make informed decisions regarding your best marketing strategies for growth.

Schedule your Reveal Meeting today and find out how you can better dominate your local market.

Should Your Practice Use Direct Mail?

admin@patientnews.com (Patient News) — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:29:18 GMT

And how to do it well

Is a direct mail campaign a good strategy for your dental practice? Only if you want to OWN your marketplace and attract a steady flow of quality new patients!

Kidding aside, I’m following last week's post theme of “Should I?” Effective direct mail campaigns tailored specifically for dental practices require distinct processes and strategies. Yes, direct mail will be effective for most dental offices, but it’s a scientific combination of the creative, the offer, the list, and the practice.

We will explore various dental direct mail ideas, from targeting methodologies, creative concepts, design elements, and messaging tactics to practice responsibilities that will maximize the impact of dental direct mail initiatives. By implementing these ideas and strategies, dental practices can effectively engage with their target audience, generate leads, and drive new patient acquisition through effective direct mail marketing.

Need help with direct mail for your dental clinic? Talk to one of our experts today!

How do you know if direct mail would work for your practice? Or what type of direct mail would be best? There are a few questions you can answer that will help determine if this strategy will be right for you.

Are there more households you could attract within your current draw area?

Sometimes, you may think you’ve done it all, and people are tired of hearing from you. Yet, the average dental practice has approximately 1,250 active patient households, usually scattered in a 5- to 15-minute market draw area. That area usually includes 30 to 40 times that many homes: 40,000 to 50,000 to 60,000 households within a 10-minute drive. And homeowners change all the time. That’s why most practices experience 15 to 20% naturally occurring attrition annually. There isn’t a market that does not have a lot of untapped (and ideal) market share primed to hear about a dental office within their reach.

Do you want to increase specific treatment acceptance?

Clear aligners, same-day crowns, emergency services, implants, veneers, whitening, or just more hygiene patients?

How do prospective patients find out about all these options when they haven’t heard of them, or they’re not top of mind?
How will they determine that they need or want those services?
Finally, how do they then determine that they should call YOUR practice to get them?

Consider how limited media coverage is around dentistry and all the benefits it provides to consumers. For your dental practice in your market area, awareness building is your responsibility. It’s the beginning of the patient journey towards you, and direct mail is the most effective way to awaken interest, nurture, educate, inform, and build authority. Direct mail can take your practice from awareness to conversion.

What type of creative design will best reflect your practice and services?

You want your campaigns to create an impact. You want to strengthen and enhance your position as an authority in your field. Given that consumers perceive that all dentists basically offer the same thing, one thing you don’t want is your marketing campaigns to blend in. When considering how you intend to grow your practice, what image do you want to project? That may answer how you want to develop your direct mail design.

For most of our clients, it’s not a postcard, although we do have success with this material for some clients. For most of our clients, the four-page newsletter format best represents their brand and vision. A newsletter stands out. It signals comprehensive care. It demonstrates expertise, authority, and value.

Today’s empowered consumers are demanding dramatic changes in their relationships with providers. Aligning your marketing campaigns and strategies to the preferences of your audience will result in improved points of engagement. Those households you drive by every day to get to your practice are being marketed to by other dentists all day long via digital and direct mail advertising.

When it comes to direct mail, you can choose a variety of formats with the most popular being postcards and newsletters. The right format for your practice can make a dramatic difference in how your audience perceives your brand. For dental offices that want to elevate their reputation and brand image, direct mail newsletters not only stand out due to their size and content, but they are also proven to drive more activity.

Today’s patients require confidence-building and trust before making a dental buying decision. When it comes to creative, consider that consumers want quality information to make good decisions for their families.

What are the best ways to strategically target the right households?

Most direct mail companies offer radius targeting, but to maximize your direct mail results, it’s better to first complete the research.

You want to develop like-audiences to your current ideal patients to target more like them, and to do that, you need to understand where they live. You want to understand the current draw area and the distance those ideal patients are willing to travel. Keep in mind that consumers want convenience. New patients are unlikely to behave differently than the majority of your existing patients, and that’s where drive time understanding applies to list development.

One of the biggest mistakes dentists make is trying to reach into a perceived “higher-end” market that is outside their existing draw area. Those areas would be considered nice to have, but you need an unlimited budget to test without anticipating a good ROI, as it’s simply a test to see if you could draw from there.

Not only do you want to look at the practice’s current draw area and related drive times, but you also want to zero in on patient spending in each neighborhood so you can precisely target those like-audiences most likely to respond.

You also want to know where competitors are located to find your clear line of sight to your core areas with lower competition.

How do you know what type of messaging will resonate with your ideal patient personas?

Consider all the promotions that end up on your kitchen counter, cross your screen, or land in your inbox and don’t engage you. Perhaps they’re not relevant, not personalized, there’s not an immediate need, or perhaps the way they present actually changes your perception of the quality of the offer or the business.

The foundation of content lies in leveraging and layering patient data, demographic information, and the reputation and goals of the practice. Also, when preparing content for your direct mail campaign, consider the purchase level of the recipient. You want your message to reflect your practice's professionalism and expertise while being prepared in a way that is calm, reassuring, and welcoming to prospective patients. Too much technical lingo can be a turnoff, as can retractor smiles or dental implant screws.

Remember, the average new patient contributes $2,000+ in first-year production, plus referrals. That’s going to be a high-level purchase decision and commitment, so you want your marketing to enhance what you do and how you provide it to bolster confidence and encourage patients to move forward. Education in your messaging will help them be more prepared for treatment acceptance when they see you. It’s proactive.

What about the offer?

When launching any digital or direct mail marketing campaign, a solid offer strategy is what will give patients a reason to “act now.” We’ve worked with many offices over the years who emphatically didn’t want to discount – and that’s doable but not recommended. In most cases, the practice will be located in a competitive marketplace, so understanding that it will take longer to drive results, i.e., just invest and go, and it can be done. Being consistent in the targeted households will build awareness and win over residents simply by being there with value-added content that highlights your competitive advantages and unique selling features.

For a more effective campaign, you want to nudge patients into more urgent action with a call-to-action offer. It could be a special bonus or additional value, like free x-rays with your free Invisalign consultation, which is a $X value, a free second opinion, whitening for life, or an electric toothbrush with their first cleaning. Membership plans are great, including elective bonuses or a significant discount that doesn’t impact your margin for moving forward with a big-ticket item fast. Focus on the treatments you want to deliver and ensure there is some offer wrapped around those solutions so you get those butts in your chair!

Do the numbers make sense?

This is the largest statistic to consider. Direct mail is unique in that it can reach anyone with an address. It’s the only channel that gets you into 100% of the homes you want to know about you!

Most direct mail formats are more effective at driving behavior than digital media (except for postcards), with a motivation factor almost double that of digital. Neighborhood newsletters, for example, rank tops with a motivation score of 1.75 versus digital ads on smartphones, which score .91, and postcards, which score .90. Dentists who use Patient NEWS®, on average, realize a 6:1 ROI within 6 to 12 months.

When the practice is cranking on all cylinders – meaning great reviews, great call handling, solid treatment acceptance, strong new patient values, and appointment availability – the ROIs will be much higher.

Check these off:

Yes, I want to build more awareness of my practice in area households.
Yes, I want to elevate my reputation as THE practice area residents should choose.
Yes, I want to increase treatments like X, Y, & Z.
Yes, I want to increase new patients and production.
Yes, I’m on a growth trajectory and am committed to my success.

If you answered yes to all of those, direct mail is a solution you should investigate. Our 24-page Reveal Report should be the first thing you order. Regularly $795, you can get access to it FREE right now!

Can my practice take responsibility to ensure success?

That’s right. Practice accountability and responsibility for success. When you’re a successful practice with consistent production, good new patient value, and are committed to growth, you’ll have a strong result. You’re not interested in flipping in and out of marketing campaigns. You want a plan, and you’re ready to stick with it. You have a steady flow of positive Google reviews and are responding to them positively. You have convenient appointment availability blocked for new patients within days or a week of any new patient inquiry. Your office team is excited to welcome more new patients, can focus on answering the phone live, and is trained to convert new patient calls. If any of these are lagging, you’re ready to work on improvements.

Hyper-drive your campaigns with Patient NEWS

At the end of the day, if you want your practice to be top-of-mind in your ideal households surrounding your practice, direct mail will improve your odds of gaining those new patients. With Patient NEWS, your campaign will be data-driven, hypertargeted, hyperdifferentiated, hyperpersonalized, and managed with advanced analytics and insights.

Dentists with a consistent strategy attract more new patients – around 25% more than the average dental practice. The good news is that not every dental office engages in direct mail, and with the Patient NEWS neighborhood newsletter system, you get exclusive use of the system in your target area. No other dentist can use it. We want you to own your backyard and get the success you deserve.

Need help?

Are you tired of ineffective marketing strategies that don’t grow your dental practice? We want to help you dominate your local market and attract the high-quality patients you want. Let us take you step by step through the development of our 24-page Reveal Report, which provides a clear picture of your local landscape and a step-by-step strategy for your marketing plan. Get in touch now!

Are Google Ads A Good Option For Your Dental Practice?

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 18:53:03 GMT

Determining where to invest your limited marketing budget can be challenging. You want more new patients, but they need to be quality new patients. Should you invest in SEO for the long-game strategy, would direct mail help you stand out more in a cluttered digital world, or should you get into the Google Ads game and compete alongside everyone else?

How do you know if Google Ads would work for your practice? There are a few key questions that will help you answer that question.

Are patients searching for your services?

The simple answer is yes. The search term “ dentist near me ” is a money-maker. It’s the most widely used search for dentistry – but you do want to complete comprehensive research on the terms that are relevant to your practice and your audience before implementing. But guaranteed, patients are searching for dental services around your practice and you could be catching their eye.

If the answer here is a resounding yes for you – schedule a consultation to discuss Google Ads for dentists today.

Schedule Now

Are competitors taking patients?

Have patients come in and had teeth whitening or another service with a different practitioner? Have people mentioned that other dental offices are more prominent in your community? Has your new patient flow declined? Go ahead and search for dentist near me and see who you’re up against and the search terms they’re using. If those are services that you want to be known for, they’re demonstrating that there is opportunity.

Do the numbers make sense?

On average, a single new dental patient contributes close to $2,000 in first-year production. If you invest $2,000 in Google Ads, achieve a cost per click around $10, and convert three percent, you add six new patients. That equals an added production value of $12,000. The numbers make sense. But do temper your expectations. Dollars spent this month mean patients booked next month and case acceptance beyond that. It also takes time to warm up a campaign and drive a steady flow, so you will want to plan on a consistent long-term campaign.

Do you have the capacity to take on more new patients?

That may seem like a crazy question, but to be successful at Google Ads you need to have available new patient appointments within a week or so. To be successful at adding new patients, in general, means you need to have appointment availability. Also, check your online scheduler. When is the first new patient appointment showing today? I just went into one of our clients who is struggling to generate new patients, and even though they want more new patients, the first new patient appointment available is a month from now, at 3:00 pm. Ugh. New patients aren’t that patient!

Would you have advertised in the Yellow Pages?

LOL – I know, it’s a crazy question! But dentists used to advertise heavily in the Yellow Pages. They were one of our biggest competitors for the marketing dollar when we started out—and even up to a dozen years ago. Today, Google is today’s Yellow Pages. It’s where people go to find the services they want in their area. So, if you “probably would have” used YP in the “old days”, then you should be on Google. ��

Can you invest dollars to test the waters?

It goes back to your numbers. To be successful and grow, a dental office needs a steady flow of quality new patients. Successful dental practices can and should invest in new patient marketing. Google Ads really don’t take a huge financial commitment. You can even jump into your own Google Ads account and use their process, but it’s easier to use an expert to manage your campaigns, bids and budgets, optimizations, troubleshooting, and all the daily and monthly tasks to ensure you achieve the results you want.

Do we have lots of positive five star Google reviews?

Having a good amount of 4.8 – 4.9 star Google reviews makes a difference. And if you’re getting a steady flow of new reviews at a pace of two to three each week, you’re set up for significantly improved success with a Google Ads campaign.

Would Google Ads PLUS target direct mail work better?

A complete, multi-channel campaign always works to build more awareness and attract new patients to your practice. It makes sure your practice is visible everywhere your patients are. Precisely targeted neighborhood newsletters set you apart, and they also get to patients before search. That means you proactively reach your audience when they’re not even thinking about dentistry. Google Ads catch people at search – direct mail will trigger more people to be interested over just waiting for search patients.

Need help?

Let us take you step by step through the development of a targeted marketing strategy that will ensure you get the quality new patients you want. Get in touch now!

DYK? Men like direct mail!

Fri, 24 May 2024 18:53:06 GMT

Women do too…

Can you believe the summer season is already upon us?! We know many of you are planning fun family time, attending study clubs and CE, and enjoying travel. But remember, patients are also considering these types of activities. That’s why we often see sluggish patient activity in July and September and higher cancel rates in July, August, and September.

Having marketing programs locked down to consistently stay visible and available in your community will strengthen and secure your production levels through these months and into the fall season.

When we talk about visibility in your community, the number one way to reach your target patients is through direct mail. It’s how you can get more eyes on your marketing, and it’s the only channel that allows your practice to reach 100% of the households you want to attract.

It’s also proactive marketing .

When consumers receive quality content and brand messaging consistently, month after month, awareness of YOUR practice rises above competing dental offices, strengthening your reputation as the practice people should turn to when they have a dental need.

Direct mail really is a timeless tactic. But every format of direct mail doesn’t have the same impact. For dentists, our neighborhood newsletter program is no slouch. Using advanced technologies, buyer personas, and geo-plotting of existing patients, we can identify your practice's ideal patients and tailor marketing campaigns to hit specific pain points that will resonate with that audience, resulting in improved lead generation and higher overall new patient flow.

On average, our program generates at least a 6:1 ROI within the first year. Longtime clients like Dr. Travis Campbell, Dr. Hazel Glasper, Dr. Emerson Godbolt, and Dr. Dilip Dudhat all have incredible ROIs well over 10:1 that are consistently achieved year-over-year and calculated with first-year new patient revenue only … so the practice production gains continue to build over time.

Don’t wait to take advantage of the benefits of newsletter marketing to gain more new patients! And get EXCLUSIVE USE of our program in your territory. Find out more!

FREE CONSULTATION

In this five-minute article, we’ve included current consumer data you want to know when laying out your marketing plan.

Direct mail continues to generate higher response rates than any other channel, and it’s a proven workhorse when it comes to reaching 100% of households in a practice target area, generating higher-value new patients, and increasing activity to all marketing channels.

It’s a fact that the physical format forges a stronger emotional bond than other marketing mediums. It holds the attention of prospective patients much longer and has an average shelf life of 17 days. What better way to become the dental practice in your community than by having your information front and center in kitchens in targeted area homes? There isn’t one. (Well, there is, but we’ll dig into that later.)

According to a 2023 study, over 80% of consumers engaged with at least one in five pieces of direct mail, and over 60% made a purchase after receiving direct mail. This is true for all adult age groups from 18 and up, with 25- to 39-year-olds having a slightly higher propensity to purchase.

A 2023 survey of 1,300 consumers split with 54% men and 46% women reported that men outperformed women when it came to purchasing after receiving direct mail (88% vs. 80%). Now, it’s a small survey, and we don’t know what type of direct mail men responded to. Was it selecting dental services for their families? Maybe not. And the variance between the genders got closer for things like “feeling good about marketing mail,” with an 85% vs. 82% rating. Both genders wanted the same thing from their marketing mail – personally relevant information and a good deal for the product/service.

But wait. Don’t rule out the reality that dental offices are mostly marketing to women. According to Forbes , women control 85% of all consumer buying decisions (Gender Gap Report 2023). Nielsen estimates that women are projected to own 75% of discretionary spending by 2028. Bankrate reports that women make 91% of new home purchases and that only half of the products marketed to men are typically purchased by men ! Be cautious with any assumptions that more men than women decide which dental office to choose for the household when crafting messages!

Here are five key direct mail insights dentists should consider:

All age groups and genders have positive feelings about direct mail
It’s the number one way to build awareness in a targeted neighborhood area
It’s the only way to reach 100% of households
Direct mail is more likely to trigger action
There are specific types of direct mail that work best.

That last insight is critical. Postcards can’t share your expertise. In fact, newsletters are proven to drive a 70% higher response for dental practices, and they have a 17-day shelf life vs. 72 hours for a postcard. They also have a high pass-along readership, add value with educational content, and when a monthly recipe is included, a newsletter provides even more value to the recipient. They’re also more noticeable in the mailbox and have a high appeal with the female head-of-house. And these insights only apply to postcards! Newsletters are 2X more engaging and motivational than digital according to a large neuromarketing study.

The red areas of the brain represent greater oxygenated blood flow intensified by physical ads (i.e., newsletters) versus blue areas initiated by virtual ads. This research strongly suggests that greater emotional processing is accelerated by physical mail.

At Patient NEWS®, we’ve tested all our marketing products using neuromarketing analysis. In addition to the simple physical newsletter size and format for direct mail, we know what content and placement will trigger the reader's brain and emotion to prompt action. This is all part of what makes our neighborhood newsletter program better at being remembered and creating more positive brand associations over other marketing methods.

We’ve said it before: Direct mail isn’t sexy, but it works. When done correctly, users experience an average 6:1 direct ROI within 6 to 12 months. Consumers read and respond to direct mail, especially when it’s custom branded, targeted, and results are tracked for continuous improvement.

A customized neighborhood newsletter helps dentists communicate their values and stories in a way that distinguishes the practice from competitors in today’s very saturated landscape. Direct mail can’t do it all, though. It’s part of an omnichannel marketing program that includes responsibility at the practice level to ensure appointment availability and inbound inquiries are managed effectively. But it’s about more than just the front desk team and how calls are answered and converted. Today, a successful omnichannel marketing program includes a solid, current, and updated digital presence and a well-functioning website on desktop and mobile. And if you have one, your online scheduler must allow a variety of convenient booking times.

In an updated review of our top and bottom campaign results, on average, our top clients answered calls live 10% more often and were 11% more able to convert the call into an appointment. A big challenge with call conversion is insurance. Do be sure that the people answering your phones know how to overcome insurance questions, especially if you have a membership plan alternative or a free consultation offer. Help them with tips and scripts on how you would handle questions on the top insurances in the area. Remember, just because you’re not participating doesn’t mean those patients can’t benefit – easily and affordably – from your services.

Another consideration is case acceptance. Our top campaign result practices had an average new patient value of almost $2,100 versus $1,700 for lower-result campaigns. Maybe you can be the king or queen of crowns as a favorite old client used to say about his success. �� What procedure delivers dollars that everyone at the practice can be on the lookout for? Find it, identify goals with your team, and then get good at presenting it. And make sure those procedures align with the content and call to action/offer strategy in your campaigns.

Learn how neighborhood newsletters can help your practice increase new patients and grow production! SCHEDULE NOW

Messy Mistakes in Dental Websites

admin@patientnews.com (Patient News) — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 19:00:27 GMT

And how to fix them

As a dental marketing company that prides itself on providing high-quality digital and direct mail campaigns, it’s super surprising that we still see dental websites with lazy mistakes and issues – issues that do not present a polished, modern experience to potential new patients. Some of these mistakes put up barriers to entry, which are not good when you want more new patients! It’s not on you to catch these things; you're busy managing your practice. Your marketing firm should be keeping you ahead of the game, but the truth is, they're not always doing that. Here are a few things to look for so you can avoid having messy mistakes that could be hurting your website mojo.

And, as always, we want you to speak with the experienced team at Patient NEWS® with any questions you may have. Request a FREE web audit to see which areas to focus on to improve your website.

Direct from the team at Patient NEWS, here are some of the items they discover on existing websites when launching a direct mail or paid media campaign or building a new dental website for clients:

1. Lack of attention to detail. Broken links, error pages, too many colors, different fonts, and spelling mistakes.

2. No mobile optimization. No click to call! Resulting in a poor user experience.

3. No search optimization. No relevant keywords. Neglecting local SEO tactics.

4. Neglecting paid advertising opportunities or having them set up for a sloppy patient experience.

5. Slow load times. Empty screens that circle waiting for video/content to load.

6. No clear guide to users for action steps. Missing or hidden call to action (C2A) buttons.

7. Lacking or low-volume recent positive reviews. Plus, failure to respond promptly.

8. No call tracking, no Google Analytics, no search console. Zero tracking to evaluate results.

9. Poor user experience. Difficult to navigate. Barriers to booking, i.e., online booking with no convenient appointments, outdated content (yes, do remove COVID messaging now), hidden navigation, i.e., hamburger menu on desktop.

Consumers don’t want to wait; they don’t want to figure things out. They do want to get what they expect when it comes to fast, convenient, modern website navigation. There’s no reinventing how people search and navigate, especially as a small local business.

We know it’s easy to have your website content and design drop down on your priority list. It may feel like an overwhelming project to even look at, let alone tackle, but it’s easier than you think (with help from an amazing team like ours). And what’s online could be hurting your practice more than you know. Why not have another look? Book a quick call with one of our experts, get a free web audit, and find out how easy it can be to update and refresh your online presence.

FREE CONSULTATION

What do most of our new dental clients complain about with previous providers? Here’s the juicy truth!

Lack of reporting.
Lack of service. Ticket systems for website change requests.
Lack of communication. They don’t remember even seeing a draft of their website! Cone of silence in response to queries.
Lack of proactive support. They are left to follow up with the provider regarding basic best practices.

With Patient NEWS, you'll always get white glove service! It's our promise. The most important things that dentists should consider when replacing their website are:

Practice goals and how the website will support them, including reaching the targeted audience demographic.
Brand image and how the site will be consistent with other marketing and practice reputation.
Content development that will reflect the unique value propositions of the practice.
Ensuring the site is optimized for mobile and desktop and that it offers a fast, high-converting experience for patients and prospects.
How calls and lead forms will be handled, including training for effectiveness.
Functionality/user experience, removing barriers to entry, and having clear C2As.
Ensuring a strong SEO strategy is implemented, including your most relevant keywords that people actually search.
Incorporating paid media. A great tool for keeping consistent traffic during a website transition/launch.
How you will track results and improve new patient flow.
Choosing a provider that will meet your expectations for quality and service.

What do clients appreciate about their new Patient NEWS dental website & SEO programs?

Sharp, modern look and the easy to use/user experience
Clear C2As
Personalization, storytelling, and practice branding
Expertise in all areas of the online presence
Variety of tracking to evaluate results and provide ongoing, continuous improvement
Great results and more new patients
Personal service of their dedicated Account Managers! ��

A few simple things dentists can do to improve their web presence now:

Speak with our team today! We’ll help you take a fresh look with a fresh perspective at what’s going on online for your practice.
Update Facebook/Instagram pages. Have staff post birthdays, events, promotions, etc. Show the practice personality and engage!
Create/update your Google Business Profile. Google Maps is becoming increasingly relevant in search results and how users look for a dentist. Ensure photos are uploaded and that office details are correct.
Request reviews from patients and take the time to respond. Review BOOSTER from Patient NEWS is great!

Since you’re busy taking care of your patients, why not let us take care of your online presence? Call 1-888-377-2404 now or schedule a convenient time to speak with a dental marketing expert at Patient NEWS. We love working with successful dentists and would be honored to take your call!

Elevate Your Dental Practice

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:47:07 GMT

Effectively reach & engage quality patients

After working with thousands of dentists and dental teams for the last 31+ years, we get it. As a dental entrepreneur, it’s hard to find time to devote to marketing. You’re handling patients, team morale and training, taking care of financials, managing cash flow, and the myriad of other priorities and interests that you have. You didn’t get into dentistry to mess with marketing … but we did. ��

Dental practices need to elevate to compete. Practice marketing must stand out in a crowded marketplace. It must provide a superior experience for patients, consistently build brand awareness and authority, and elevate the expertise of the practice.

This combination increases new patients, which, in turn, increases practice production, which improves practice security and value.

The average dental practice has around 2,000 active patients, BUT 25% of those are lapsing out. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re letting low-value patients drift away while you’re driving a good flow of quality new patients in (they have an average value of 1.5x-2x that of an active patient), as it means you can schedule quickly, which is what new patients want.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION NOW

Marketing must enlighten your audience about the benefits of your practice and the value your brand delivers. This strategy plays a pivotal role in increasing production and building a positive brand image.

The team at Patient NEWS ^® is constantly modernizing dental marketing in simple and repeatable ways to help practices acquire new patients and maximize ROI. We help our clients overcome the overwhelm and frustration of trying to figure out what marketing should be in play by providing proven and simplified processes that help dentists and their teams succeed.

Here are a baker’s dozen (13) dental marketing aspects to consider to boost lead generation, new patient scheduling, and case acceptance.

Upgrade your website design. Visit your site on desktop and mobile and see for yourself what the new patient experience is like. Better yet, call our team and request a free web audit to find out how you rank across all digital platforms!
Optimize for local search. There are a few keywords that really matter for dentists. Make sure you rank for them.
Support conversion with Google Ads. Capture interested patients at search.
Optimize your Google Business Profile. This is easy, yet many dental offices don’t do it. We include this as part of our website product offering and can help you if you’re unsure.
Create relevant, engaging, informative content that your ideal new patient and target audience will respond to. Write at a Grade 5 level, avoid including too much jargon, and ensure you highlight your competitive advantages.
Ask for reviews. Our Review BOOSTER reputation tool is the best (yes, we’re biased), and we include relevant oral health information that stands out with patients and creates reciprocity!
Respond to those reviews. Read your reviews at weekly huddles to boost staff morale and confidence in service, as well as identify areas for improvement. Never engage with negative reviews online; acknowledge and redirect them to contact you to sort out the situation.
Offer distinct value-add for new patients. No one really wants to discount, but you need that “thing” that will make new patients pick up the phone. And then – bonus tip – just answer the phone live! Please.
Communicate with patients by email and mail (the only way to reach 100% of patients). Monthly email newsletters keep your name visible, but quarterly newsletters mailed to patient homes really make your practice stand out. When was the last time you received a value-added, well-written, great piece of content from a provider you use? Trust us – this one is a no-brainer for every dental practice that wants to increase elective services, big-ticket services, and referrals.
Promote patient referrals. Ask every new patient if they have other people in their household who need a new dentist. Remind patients that you accept and appreciate referrals in every communication.
Direct mail. It’s not all the same. Create a neighborhood newsletter campaign to build awareness, establish your practice as “the” expert in the area, and draw in more quality new patients. They work better than postcards – by far.
Be consistent, track results, and do more of what’s working. If it ain’t broke….
Spring cleaning! It’s time to shake it up. Open your eyes when you physically walk into your practice. Before you approach the door, does the walkway look good? Does the office look and feel clean, fresh, and welcoming? Is the décor a little outdated or dark? Are the staff dressed to win, smiling, and happy? Sit in a treatment chair and look up. Flies in the light fixtures? It’s spring!

You want your dental marketing campaigns to maintain your professional persona while working to attract quality new patients, retain and educate active patients, and grow practice production.

The team at Patient NEWS has a myriad of options to help you achieve your goals. Start with a free discovery call and find out more. Every successful dentist we’ve ever met has always been open to finding out all they can about their market area and growth opportunities. Our discovery process offers SO MUCH VALUE – and it’s totally FREE. Go for it! Schedule a convenient time here .

We can help with it all! (888) 377-2404 !

25% More NEW Patients

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:44:43 GMT

In 2023, Patient NEWS ^® clients gained 25% MORE new patients than industry average! 25% MORE!

Congratulations to our amazing, dedicated, growth-oriented clients and the Patient NEWS team that supported them to help make this happen. It’s a 100% team effort!

It starts with dentists and their teams who are open-minded, curious, enthusiastic, committed to growth, and follow expert recommendations for continuous improvements.
It’s followed by consistent campaign execution that’s suited to the competitive level of the market and the goals of the practice. Proactive, high-quality, targeted direct mail; high-converting, well-designed websites with appropriate SEO efforts; targeted paid media; insightful results tracking; and regular program reviews for continuous improvement.

SCHEDULE A CALL TO DISCUSS YOUR NEW PATIENT GOALS FOR 2024

Finding effective and advanced strategies to drive interest from your ideal new patients living in your service area is of primary importance to dental offices that want to grow and succeed.

Right now, dental offices have a unique opportunity to hit new patient and production goals with a few fairly simple strategies.

According to Dental Products Report, to sustain an established patient base, a practice needs to increase its number of new patients by 10-15% annually, year over year. When the practice is looking for growth, additional new patient flow will be required.

The key to acquiring a healthy flow of quality new patients is consistency and effective execution – from content development to deployment to inbound call handling and scheduling at the practice.

DIRECT MAIL

One of the best, non-spammy methods dental offices use to get more quality new patients is to write and mail content their ideal patient would want to read. Read is the keyword here, not scan. Providing value-added content unlocks a whole new level of effective new-patient acquisition. Here’s another stat: In a review of our newer clients that launched a neighborhood newsletter campaign between 6 and 12 months ago, the average projected ROI is 7.5:1 – within 6 to 12 months! That’s impressive.

Mail monthly to precisely targeted homes
Include content that resonates with your audience and makes your practice stand out
Answer the phone/remove barriers to convenient scheduling!

WEBSITE CAMPAIGNS

You want your website to focus on converting patients. It needs to be fast and efficient. That means making sure that it functions in a mobile view. (We all know how painful it is to visit a website and find that the phone number isn’t clickable!) It must also help patients find and get what they are interested in – quickly. That means fast-loading pages and easy-to-understand navigation. If you’re using an online scheduler, make sure it’s set up to get new patients that convenient appointment they want without hassle.

The ROI for our clients’ new website campaigns launched in the last 6 to 12 months came in at 37:1. Fantastic.

Have fast page load times, don’t forget the mobile experience, and watch for scheduling barriers
People don’t like change, so know this and use anticipated navigation for desktop and mobile (hamburger menus on desktop might look cool, but desktop users then have to “figure it out”)
Ensure you’re ranking for the search terms people are searching!

So, is a 7:1 ROI any good?

If you bought a house for $200,000 and now it’s worth $300,000, ROI would be 50%, or what we’d call a 1.5:1 return. The actual average goal for real estate ROI is 10%, and stocks are at 7%. So, when we say direct mail ROI averages 7:1, in relation to that real estate investment of $200,000, you would expect to generate production of $1.4 million. That’s pretty good when you compare it to that house that gained 50% and delivered $300,000! Also, when we say 7:1 ROI, that’s based on actual new patient value and a one-year expected spend, which is based on actual historical data. We’re not making this up! And that figure DOESN’T include what those patients will spend over their lifetime with the practice!

When implemented correctly, direct mail and website campaigns generate great results – and the proof is there. Users of Patient NEWS marketing services in 2023 realized 25% more new patients than the average dental practice. Over time, this adds up to big bucks and more profit as this level of growth can be fit into existing overhead!

C’mon! Call our team now and book a consult to find out how you can gain market share for your practice in 2024. (888) 377-2404 !

Read what some of our amazing clients have to say:

Direct Mail for The Practice Whisperer:

“Direct mail is the most consistent marketing type. Most failure comes from internal system failures – phone conversion, patient experience, treatment diagnosis and acceptance, and collections. I’ve worked with Patient NEWS since 2020 for both of my practices and can attest to the effectiveness of their proven systems, which truly help dental offices realize highly successful results from their direct mail campaigns.” – Dr. Travis Campbell, 10:1 ROI

Website/Direct Mail Combo for Northern Peaks:

“We love Patient NEWS! We have had a great experience, first with their newsletters and now our website. Everyone we have worked with is excellent, from the design team to our account managers. So glad we found them!” – Dr. Emerson Godbolt, 39:1 web/8.9:1 print/overall 17:1 ROI

The Bentist, with 15 million followers on TikTok, chose Patient NEWS to produce his website campaign:

“Patient NEWS allowed me to have a system that captures prospective patients, gets them in the office, and gives us the necessary data to navigate our growth into the future. Highly recommend.” – Dr. Ben Winters

Powerhouse Dental VIP:

“I know what I want. Quality patients, revenue generation, and relevant information about practice metrics. Patient NEWS delivered all three.” – Dr. Hazel Glasper, Revive Dental

Don’t wait. Don’t freeze. Get on a call with the team at Patient NEWS and grow your market share and practice production with dental marketing that works! And great service!

We can help with it all! (888) 377-2404 !

Increase Dental Marketing ROI With The Right Game Plan

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:40:37 GMT

Get the insights you need for informed decision-making!

Are top-quality patients coming to your practices in droves?
Is your team booking as many appointments as they can?
Are data and extensive research driving your marketing strategies?

If you don’t know or are uncertain about the answers to these questions, you can get them – and increase dental marketing ROI faster than you think!

First things first: Identify your ideal patient.

Not all patients are right for your practice, and you should never take a “spray and pray” approach in the hopes that something will stick. Instead, follow strategic and proven methods to attract your target patients and boost your ROI by:

Identifying who your preferred patients are and where your core draw areas lie. Who do you want to attract to your practice? Analyze your existing patient base to pinpoint top draw areas that will increase your odds of attracting and keeping more valuable new patients, which will increase your dental marketing ROI.
Knowing who you’re up against. Pro athletes and teams study their competition before they step in the ring or on the court. As your practice’s CEO, you’ve got to do the same. By finding out which competitors have their eye on your target patients, you can better ensure that you differentiate your practice with an airtight unique value proposition (UVP) and marketing content that communicates why prospective patients should choose you instead. A comprehensive analysis will show you which competitors need to be on your radar so you can have the upper hand.
Using the info gathered from #1 and #2 to launch strategic omnichannel marketing campaigns. When it comes to the digital experience, ask yourself: Can new and existing dental patients easily find my practice online? Will they be impressed by what they see? Are they likely to call? Whether prospective patients learn about your practice through a newsletter campaign or a referral, they are very likely to do more research online, which is a key factor in the patient journey. You can bank on the fact that decision-makers (most often women head-of-households) will do their homework before picking a dentist to care for their family’s oral healthcare because they want to ensure they’re choosing the best team for their needs.

To get the maximum ROI from marketing campaigns, you must have a digital presence that converts. Visitors expect a fast load time (research shows that it takes just 0.05 seconds for people to form an opinion about your site!), to find the information they want easily, and to have a seamless digital experience. And that’s not all. Keep in mind that potential patients will also peruse your:

• Online reviews
• Social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok)
• Listings, including Google Maps Platform and Google Business Profile
Tapping into your phone call data. Once your marketing campaigns reach prospective patients and they start reaching out to your practice, your front desk team mustbe ready to work their magic with superior customer service and persuasive communications skills that convert. If this area of focus is mishandled or lacking, your marketing initiatives will not deliver the ROI you want and expect.

Does your team need help on this front? Call tracking and scoring can make a difference by allowing you to see the exact call response generated by your marketing initiatives and understand how your staff handles inbound calls. These insights will enable you to make operational decisions that will help increase the number of new patient opportunities your practice converts. Practice ZEBRA® from Patient NEWS® makes it possible with real-time data at your fingertips – anywhere, any time, and on any device

5. Using marketing intelligence to monitor campaign results. To make the most of every marketing dollar spent, it’s essential that your practice has detailed insights into which campaigns drive the most calls – and which ones don’t. Practice ZEBRA, our game-changing dental practice software, platform, and marketing automation tool, uses advanced analytics and attribution to connect your targeted direct mail campaigns to new patients and their specific production value, taking the guesswork out of your marketing. You’ll always know where your patients are coming from, where to direct your marketing budget, and where to make improvements to boost your bottom line.

Our Patient NEWS experts would love to deliver the actionable insights and personalized attention you need to succeed!

Find out why so many successful and driven dentists just like you trust our team to jump-start their success.

Call 888-377-2404 and talk to a real person today!

Keeping Good Dental Patients Is Just As Important As Attracting New Ones

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:39:46 GMT

Four dental marketing retention strategies that will help you stay successful

Keeping existing dental patients returning to your team is just as vital to your practice or group as acquiring new ones. But you can’t just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Retention takes a solid action plan, commitment from your team, consistent communications, and proven dental marketing strategies.

It takes work to foster patient loyalty because, let’s face it: loyal patients don’t just magically appear. Practices must work on getting existing patients through the door – and on keeping them coming back. Future practice success and security depend on strategic and ongoing retention tactics.

One of the best ways to retain patients is by regularly connecting with them. Doing so shows not only that you care but also that because patient experience is a critical component of the all-important five-phase patient journey , it’s paramount that you prioritize connection and communication to create experiences that are second to none. It’s literally vital to the livelihood of your practice.

80% of consumers will stop doing business with a company if they feel dissatisfied with the level of customer service they receive.

Patient newsletters are a great way to reach patients in their homes – 100% of the time. This piece of direct mail from Patient NEWS® works not only because of its eye-catching design and large, standout format but also because of its impactful educational content. While it enables your team to effectively communicate the importance of prioritizing and protecting oral health, it also shines a light on the deep connections between the mouth and body and highlights your services and UVPs. Patients appreciate this value-added information that reminds them:

To prioritize their smiles
To keep their dental appointments
That your practice truly cares about their well-being and is their partner in oral health success.

Our team uses leading research – insights gleaned from in-depth neuroscience studies – and our own 30+ years of expertise and proven methods to craft patient newsletters that improve retention, increase revenue, and strengthen patient-doctor relationships.

Email communications are another must for retaining existing patients. There’s no question that we are constantly inundated with digital messages – on television, smartphones, and social media – but that doesn’t mean this marketing medium has lost its value. No, not at all! Emails remain one of the most effective ways to keep dental patients informed about their oral health and to keep your practice fresh in their minds.

Today’s patients welcome regular educational content that demonstrates your commitment to them and, in turn, strengthens their loyalty to you. Here are some statistics to back that statement up:

74% of Boomers, 72% of Gen X, 64% of Millennials, and 60% of Gen Z consider email to be their preferred channel for brand communications
About 60% of people say email marketing influences their buying decisions
Email subscribers are three times more likely to share your content on social media!

You might be wondering how to find time to craft digital communications, sort through lists, and send regular messages to your patients. We can take care of that with an automated solution that does all the heavy lifting. Sound too good to be true? Trust us – it’s not! Our automated dental email service is part of Practice ZEBRA , the #1 dental marketing software solution dentists use to increase production and practice value. We’ll set it up, walk you through how to use it, and from then on, your patients will automatically receive monthly eNewsletters featuring high-quality content developed by Patient NEWS ’ experienced editorial team! This easy set-it-and-forget-it solution will help keep your patients informed and thinking about their dental health while reminding them that you’re there to help. Plus, you’ll also have access to ZEBRA’s Anytime Email module, meaning you can send out need-to-know information to your patients with the click of a button – any time you like. Our easy-to-use template and instructions simplify this process for you and your team!

Sending your patients a value-added monthly email newsletter and any time emails when necessary makes good business sense for your practice. Give it a try today!

Referrals and activation programs are also proven to help a practice maintain their current patients while simultaneously driving practice growth. About half of a practice’s new patient growth should come from patient and staff referrals. How are you doing on that front?

As a reputable dental marketing company with over 30 years of experience, Patient NEWS has proven referral and reactivation programs that reach your target patients with:

Referral content featured in patient newsletters
Customized email newsletters
Reactivation postcards & letters
And more!

Patient NEWS was founded in 1993, when we launched our first patient newsletter for leading dentist Dr. Paul Piccininni.

We’ve helped thousands of successful dentists retain their valuable existing patients, attract production-boosting new patients, and transform their practices with strategic and impactful marketing strategies and campaigns. We’d love to help you, too!

Have questions about our process? Call us at 888-377-2404 and talk to a real person!

Dental Marketing: For The Dental Practice That Wants To Stand Out & Grow!

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:38:54 GMT

Proven Processes That Lead To Success For Solo Dentists, Group Locations, & DSOs

To win at dental marketing, successful dental offices and DSOs need a marketing partner that:

Has a proven track record
Makes informed decisions based on research, analytics, data, and experience
Is easy to work with and is dedicated to their clients’ success!

At Patient NEWS ® , we’ve earned our stripes! Since 1993, we’ve been exclusive to the dental industry and committed to innovation, product quality, and service with integrity and professionalism. Our proven marketing processes, powered by Practice ZEBRA ® and our fantastic team of experts, help dental offices or groups build trust, STAND OUT , and be the dental practice of choice in their targeted area. We like to say that we help our clients OWN their backyards!

HOW TO SUCCEED WITH A DENTAL MARKETING STRATEGY

Why is tailored dental marketing so important?

Successful marketing for dentists is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Because success happens at the local level for each office, you need a very customized, relevant strategy and the right tools, methods, and team to support you. Our Patient NEWS experts are here to help you implement an overarching strategy with tools and methods that will help your team implement a marketing campaign that’s better, faster, and more effective than the strategies of your competitors!

A good marketing plan starts by documenting your goals and working through a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats) to hone in on your target audience. Then, once your campaigns have been created, they must be executed with precision, and results must be tracked and responded to when necessary.

How does the Patient NEWS process help dental practices grow?

Dental marketing or dental advertising is simply a label for “patient communications.” Successful marketing for dentists focuses on building good relationships using superior communication, and many standout dental practices use Patient NEWS to help them effectively engage existing and prospective patients while also improving awareness of the dental practice and service offerings, educating patients about the importance of oral health, and building and strengthening patient trust.

Our team can help you implement a very effective cross-channel dental marketing plan and communication strategy that you will be proud to have represent your practice. This strategy will enable patients and prospects ease of access by making it effortless to communicate and respond via the marketing channel they prefer.

How can we help you improve your online presence?

Our experts consider all facets of a dental office’s online presence in our customized marketing plans. Is your website modern, responsive, and secure, and does it reflect the overall practice brand and mission? Our most successful clients have sites that strategically attract a consistent flow of positive patient reviews, and they prioritize keeping their business listings, particularly within Google Maps Platform and Google Business Profile, up-to-date and accurate. They also make a point of actively adding content to their custom dental website design , social media platforms, and listings.

How can we help you get accurate insights into your metrics, data, & results?

Practice ZEBRA is the can’t-live-without dental marketing software that increases practice marketing performance and helps convert more new patients.

The complexity of tracking dental marketing results can feel overwhelming, but the key is to track the numbers that matter most. It’s important that the combination of marketing tactics is implemented to support the overall achievement of annual goals within an established budget pertinent to your market area and competitive landscape. Practice ZEBRA enables you to watch new patient and total production trends and secure your practice’s future. And ZEBRA Enterprise helps group organizations monitor results with the practice, region, and group views.

How can we help you retain existing patients & reach new ones?

Because every dental practice experiences natural attrition, a steady flow of new patients is the only way to maintain monthly production. In fact, new patient efforts will need to exceed lost patient numbers for the office to grow. Our multi-channel approach focusing on retention and acquisition will help ensure your bases are covered!

Why do we encourage our clients to stay consistent with their marketing campaigns & communications?

Nothing hurts dental marketing success more than inconsistent efforts. A successful marketing plan will be goal-oriented, metrics-driven, and consistent –repetition builds recognition! One of our commitments is to keep your marketing plan on budget, on time, and on track. Why? Because it works!

Which processes, systems & technologies do we offer?

Neighborhood Newsletters & Direct Mail
Paid Media (PPC)
Patient Newsletters
Email Newsletters & Anytime Patient Communications
Dental Brochures & Patient Referral Solutions

Dental Websites – WebLift®
SEO Packages
Review BOOSTER
Appointment Reminders
Dental Membership Plan Booster
Practice ZEBRA & ZEBRA Enterprise
Phone Power Telephone Call Coaching
Call Tracking, Recording, & Scoring
And More!

For more than 30 years, Patient NEWS has been helping many of the most successful dentists in the industry stand out and grow.

We can help you, too!

Have questions? Call us at 888-291-6753 and talk to a real person!

Understanding Who You Are Selling

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:38:04 GMT

Buyer Persona of Dental Services

Creating and maintaining winning differentiation for your dental practice requires many inputs, and developing a marketing strategy that appeals and resonates with your prospective patients is critical. But … who should you consider as your main target when creating your campaigns?

The female head-of-household.

Women drive over 90% of all healthcare buying decisions through a combination of their buying power and influence. Women have always made the majority of household spending decisions, but they will have even more purchasing power as they contribute more money to their households from a variety of sources. Winning over women is the result of differentiators.

According to Time, women are rapidly increasing their spending power to impel changes in the way companies operate:

Women hold almost half of the jobs in the US and own nearly a third of companies. More women in the workforce mean changes in the female head-of-household buying patterns, along with those who live in her household.

64% of mothers with children under the age of 6 work outside of the home.

Over the next decade, women will control two-thirds of consumer wealth in the United States and be the beneficiaries of the largest transference of wealth in our country’s history.

Just to show you the power they have – women buy more than half of the new cars in the US AND influence up to 80% of all car purchases. They also request 65% of the service work done at dealerships.

66% of women feel misunderstood by health care marketers.

What does this mean to a dental practitioner?

Opportunity. If your practice is the one that understands what women value while developing your strong Unique Value Proposition (UVP), you can ensure it will resonate with this powerhouse buying and influencing group.

Above all others, these women are the people you want and need to be attracted to your services. Think about that when you’re creating your UVP. Women are increasingly engaged with the brands they choose. Will your brand position, story, and focus capture and keep their attention? Will it engage them and ensure they become brand champions?

As one of the most influential buying groups, women like to choose brands based on personal referrals. That means if you’re going to successfully capture your market, you must factor in meeting the needs of the female profile in your market neighborhood. Women need and want quality information to make good decisions for themselves and their families – particularly before committing to a high-value service like dentistry.

What your target audience is looking for is convenience, affordability, good-quality dental work, and a dentist who cares and who has experience and a good chairside manner.

The good news is your dental practice offers all of these things. The not-so-good news is your competition is saying they do these things as well.

We can help you differentiate your practice, and help you stand out as “THE” expert in your field for your community.

The well-regarded business article, Are You Sure You Have A Strategy? (Hambrick and Frederickson, 2001), confirms that there is good news. In it, the authors conclude that you don’t have “to be at the extreme on one differentiating dimension; rather, sometimes having the best combination of differentiators confers a tremendous marketplace advantage.”

It’s more than just about women as a gender. You must gather all of the information and knowledge you can to understand your primary target market demographics, buying behaviors, preferences, and any possible barriers in order to determine how you will meet the specific dental needs in your marketplace … and how you will craft your value proposition and marketing strategies.

That includes:

Your Neighborhood.

Unless you have yet to select your practice site, your primary audience is the one that resides around your practice. You must understand the demographic landscape and the specific type of female decision makers that live around you. Your area demographic will guide the decisions you make when developing the services you will offer and how you will market them.

Are you dealing with affluent upscale adults, cozy seniors, midtown singles, or family landscapes?

Does the majority of your audience have children or are they empty-nesters?

Are your prospects double-income families? Do they mostly walk or drive?

Are you prospects working full-time, or are their schedules flexible

Are there physical barriers or competitors that would prevent certain segments from choosing your practice?

A myriad of questions like these must be answered to determine how you operate your dental practice … and where to target your dental marketing.

There will be segments surrounding your practice that include prospects that you would deem ideal and some that you won’t want to cater to. As a business owner, you must identify your ideal targets and understand precisely what they want from a dental service provider. Create your ideal patient profile based on your CORE patient personas and demographics in order to make the right decisions about the products and services you offer.

Regardless of your area demographic, more than 90% of healthcare decisions are made by women. By understanding your practice neighborhood and the geographic, psychographic, and demographic data, you can create a service offering and subsequently, the marketing message that resonates with your target demographic and their preferences. This is your winning combination. The team at Patient NEWS can help you with each step of this process. We encourage you to book a FREE discovery session.

Attract & Increase Your New Dental Patient Numbers

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:33:32 GMT

Proven dental marketing solutions that will help your practice stand out & grow!

Why is it so important for dental practices to have a steady flow of new dental patients? Because they’re vital to long-term practice success and security. Every office needs an influx of these high-value patients, not only because they need to replace the 15-20% of patients who will “naturally” attrite due to death, moves, loss of jobs/insurances, and more, but also because they contribute 2X-3X the production of existing patients!

New patients also help a dental office expand and grow by referring and bringing new family members, taking advantage of more services, and not adding to overhead costs. A steady flow is also proven to improve practice profits and valuation.

So, how can you continually attract these valuable patients? Start by experiencing our proven discovery, assessment, and implementation process.

DEVELOP
We begin with a discovery session, full practice assessment, market research, and demographic, online, and competitor analysis. This enables us to better understand your situation and target audience so we can strategically plan successful campaigns.
IMPLEMENT
You’ll be assigned a dedicated team of experts who will use findings from your discovery session to help you make informed decisions, create relevant marketing messaging, implement team training, and set your practice up for success.
MEASURE
Using practice intelligence, established benchmarks, call scoring, and Practice ZEBRA®, our experts will regularly help you review your results metrics to find opportunities, take action, and grow your production.
IMPROVE
Informed coaching, fact-based feedback, and continuous KPI analysis will help you improve practice efficiencies and generate loyal patients who return and refer!

A deep-dive examination of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, this foundational analysis encourages dentists to ask themselves hard questions that include:

S (Strengths): What makes your practice different from your competition? List everything you can leverage to help your office stand out from the rest.

W (Weaknesses): Which grievances do your patients mention most? Facing these issues head-on will help you better overcome all obstacles.

O (Opportunities): In which areas are you most likely to achieve growth? Assess every item to determine where your opportunities lie.

T (Threats): Are there issues your practice should anticipate, prepare for, and/or defend against?

Your answers will not only facilitate a greater understanding of your practice’s strengths and weaknesses, but they’ll also encourage strategic thinking and enable our – and your – team to focus on building strengths, mitigating challenges, and fostering opportunities.

Now, consider the five steps of the all-important patient journey.

Before a patient ever connects with your practice, they go on a journey. While each journey is unique and doesn’t necessarily follow a linear path, it involves five phases that start with practice awareness and finish with advocacy and growth.

Dental newsletters and postcards are two of the most vital ways you address the first phase – practice awareness. When you choose a high-quality format and educational content, this marketing material makes a standout first impression, which is needed to inspire a new patient to call, visit, or look you up online. Studies show that this marketing medium causes an incredible 90% of people to research your practice online – and to connect with a call.

Next, plan your strategy, initiate your campaign, & track your results!

Taking an omnichannel approach that incorporates both direct and indirect communication mediums to reach, attract, and convert new patients is a must, as these channels make your practice visible to prospective patients wherever they are.

Dental Websites & SEO : A modern, welcoming website with relevant and consistently updated SEO is non-negotiable. Your site could be the first impression a prospective patient has of your practice, so ask yourself:

Is it modern and clean, or outdated and cluttered?

Is the user experience seamless and easy, or do you have to click through five pages to find out how to contact your practice?

Is it FAST on desktops and mobile?

Does it succinctly convey my UVPs, and does the verbiage resonate with prospective patients?

We can help you leverage and refresh what you love about your current website or create a brand-new site. WebLift® from Patient NEWS is the perfect solution for every dental office or group because, when combined with an effective content strategy ranging from practice awareness and practice differentiators to STANDOUT local, it helps you attract and onboard more new patients. It also helps ensure that you’ll be found by prospects in your area when they have a dental need arise!

Neighborhood Newsletters & Postcards : Dental newsletters are often the cornerstone of the most successful new patient campaigns because direct mail is the ONLY way to consistently reach ALL your targeted households. Not only do our Patient NEWS newsletters drive an average ROI of 6:1, but they remain the absolute best way to raise awareness of your practice, elevate and build trust with your brand, and connect with your ideal audience via high-quality educational content and beautiful and demographically appropriate images. This large-format and value-packed material stands out in mailboxes, creates a memorable first impression with household healthcare decision-makers, and prompts 90% of people to research your office online – and pick up the phone!

Studies show that:

Direct mail generates a 10-30 times higher response than email

70% of consumers say they pay attention to advertising in direct mail

It requires 21% less brainpower to comprehend

It gets the message across faster since it has a low cognitive load and high motivation score

Newsletters have an average shelf life of 17 days vs. 72 hours for postcards!

Paid Media & Advertising : Encompassing a variety of online advertising formats, including pay-per-click (PPC) ads, display ads, remarketing, and search ads, paid media helps a practice appear on a results page when prospective patients search for specific keywords. Having a website with great, relevant SEO alone is often not enough to appear in search results when competitors in your area are filling up the search results with paid ads.

Consider that:

68% of marketers say that paid ads are very or extremely important to their overall campaign strategy

33% of marketers rely on PPC ads to boost their brand awareness

77% of people use Google 3+ times per day.

With search engines like Google rolling out constant updates and refinements, you want an expert in this space to help you better target your prospects, present your ads more attractively, optimize and provide reporting, and improve your paid media results so you can attract more new and high-value dental patients!

Market Analysis & Targeting : To successfully attract more new patients, getting clear on your neighborhood is essential. What is your current practice market share? Where is your competition located? Which area households are most likely to respond? By determining your core, potential, and niche pockets, you can more precisely establish which marketing strategies should be used for future success.

With in-depth market analysis and targeting, your messaging will reach more of your ideal new patients – the ones most likely to respond and want your services. They’re also the patients most likely to generate a higher lifetime patient value at your practice.

Focusing on reaching these patients helps ensure that you get the most out of your marketing dollars, and we determine who these people are with a complete market analysis that enables you to understand your area’s:

Demographics

Buyer information

Market share (between you and other dentists)

Key areas to target

Top-value neighborhoods

Competitive maps

Practice benchmarks

Your digital footprint score

And much more!

When you understand “the backyard you want to own,” you can be clear on the patients you’re targeting, which marketing channels to utilize, and which content is likely to engage head-of-household healthcare decision-makers (most often women) and ultimately pack your schedule.

Helping dentists differentiate their practice and become more successful is what Patient NEWS® does best. As part of our proven, long-tenured process, we walk our clients through four initial and crucial steps to help their office launch effective dental marketing campaigns that resonate with potential patients while benefitting their bottom line.

Interested in learning more? We’ve only scratched the surface of the myriad dental marketing solutions our Patient NEWS experts provide dentists and DSOs.

Call us to discuss your needs and goals! When you do, we’ll start with a complementary analysis of your practice situation, which will help you identify critical areas for your strategic marketing plan. You’ll see the highest-priority issues for your practice and which strategies would be best to implement.

Joanne Bishop

As Senior Vice President, Joanne has 25+ years of dental marketing and business development experience. She holds a Degree in Marketing Management/Strategic Marketing from York University and Advertising from Centennial College. She’s fired up about Patient NEWS and all the ways we can help dentists, DSOs and their teams STAND OUT & Grow!

It’s 2025. Is Your Dental Website Up To Par?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:32:16 GMT

Interested in learning more? We’ve only scratched the surface of the myriad dental marketing solutions our Patient NEWS experts provide dentists and DSOs.

It’s one thing to have a visually appealing dental website you like. It’s another to have a great dental website that performs and converts.

To set your practice up for success in 2024 and beyond, your website (and online presence) must hit all the (moving) targets to reach and attract new patients, build credibility, and engage visitors to maximize new patient flow and production. If you’ve been feeling like your website needs some extra oomph, I recommend starting with an online audit – you can get this as a free service from our team – to assess your current status and to highlight which opportunities are available to improve your web presence.

So, what matters when it comes to your dental website in 2024, and what does it take to create – and maintain – a stellar online presence? Let’s discuss!

1. A FAST SITE WITH INTUITIVE NAVIGATION WILL BOLSTER YOUR DENTAL PRACTICE

Did you know that Google likes and ranks FAST sites better than slower versions, that it takes consumers just half a second to form an opinion about a website, and that slow-loading pages are the #1 reason people abandon a site? For these reasons and more, it’s crucial that you prioritize having a quick, beautiful, well-structured, and easy-to-navigate site – on desktop and mobile – to avoid experiencing issues with high bounce rates and low engagement stats.

Go ahead and open your website on desktop and mobile now. Does it take too long for the hero section/image/video to load? Does the site look wonky on mobile? If you find yourself feeling impatient or disappointed in what you see, imagine a new patient’s experience.

2. QUALITY DENTAL CONTENT

Research shows that an incredible 70,000 health-related searches are performed each minute, every day, in the U.S. alone. Because Google is focused on highlighting helpful content that makes “visitors feel they’ve had a satisfying experience,” it’s imperative that your website features content that Google will recognize as relevant to search queries, user pain points, and goals.

In addition to subject matter expert (SME) content, keyword-rich text, and off-page verbiage – Google uses each to rank your site’s authoritativeness – it’s vital that your website communications are never duplicated from another site. Older websites are often plagued with duplicate content, which is problematic since Google works hard to index and rank pages with distinct information. And since Google owns almost 84% of the search market share, your website needs to market to the search giant almost as much as it needs to market to new patients!

In addition, your dental website content should:

Provide a frictionless navigation experience, meaning prospective patients can easily and seamlessly navigate your site as they expect to, otherwise they will move elsewhere. 94% of consumers say a website must be easy to navigate, so this is one of the most important elements needed to provide a better patient experience, reduce bounce rates, and decrease the odds that prospective patients will move on to a competitor.

Be well-designed, organized, and clean, and include your unique value proposition, brand story, and information about your doctor(s) and team. This will improve SEO because search engines can easily index this type of organized content.

Offer educational, value-added information that resonates with healthcare decision-makers (primarily female head-of-households).

Have a consistent tone and message, and address issues/challenges/questions your audience is likely to have.

And, speaking of content creation, how do AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, Copy.ai, etc. factor in? While these functionalities can help busy dentists produce content, they have a reputation for generating text that’s often inaccurate, outdated, and inarticulate. For best results – and to rank on Google’s coveted first page – ensure that all AI-created content is fact-checked for accuracy and readability, and that it includes E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness), the criteria Google uses to measure and evaluate the credibility and relevance of web content.

3. HIGH-RANKING LOCAL SEO FOR DENTISTS

While it’s commonly believed that search engine optimization is a one-and-done production, the reality is that there’s no end to it. Why? Because the local-specific keywords that rank well with Google one day will certainly need to be tweaked in the future as the algorithm updates and evolves.

To set yourself apart and consistently win the most searches, clicks, and bookings in a highly competitive market, in addition to prioritizing E-E-A-T content, you must stay informed about which keywords prospective dental patients are searching for in your area.

Once you have that information and have incorporated these keywords in easy-to-access, read, and index formats, your site must also be listed on Google Maps Platform and Google Business Profile to boost your visibility and build trust with nearby prospective patients. These foundational steps support SEO link-building activities to increase the likelihood that your site will be viewed as highly relevant for dental searches in your community.

4. TARGETED PAID MEDIA ADS

While SEO requires a long-game focus, paid ads can have an instant impact on your website’s performance when you want to stand out in a crowded online market. Highly targeted and trackable, paid media (or pay-per-click/PPC) ads put you in front of your ideal audience based on preferred demographics, locations, interests, behavior, and more. These ads are also highly measurable, allowing you to track their performance in real-time.

Having a great online presence means including a variety of strategies that work simultaneously to expand practice awareness, increase traffic, and help convert more new patients. Paid media ads are an excellent digital strategy for dentists who want to boost new patients!

5. SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT

While it’s a must for dental websites to include links to their social sites within their website footer, it’s also important to note that having an active social media presence can offer dental offices many benefits, including practice growth and awareness, increased referrals, additional high-value new patients, and more.

Though we understand that producing short-form content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and especially TikTok is not everyone’s cup of tea – Patient NEWS ^® client Dr. Ben Winters (aka The Bentist on TikTok) is a phenom who sets the bar pretty high! – don’t let that keep you from showing up. Staying active with consistent posts that share your team’s personalities, highlight your brand reputation, and offer value-added information can support and foster trust with existing and potential patients while also keeping your web presence at a modern standard. Not sure you’re up to the task? Find out who’s active on social within your team; they may just love taking on the role of social team lead!

And remember: You don’t have to be the next “Bentist” to rock social media! Here’s some advice from Dr. Winters: “Continue to work on short-form presence as it’s the only form of media that can be shared across all social media platforms with the work of one post. Education is big! Try educating people on cool things about your job and provide value. Not only will this educate and inspire your patient base, but it could bring some new patients for free!”

6. EMAIL & TEXT COMMUNICATIONS

Patients and prospective patients are emailing and texting you via your website. In fact, the reason we implemented two-way texting for our clients’ call tracking lines (over five years ago now) is that we saw new and existing patients were sending text messages to the direct mail or website campaign numbers, which prompted us to give our clients a way to respond – quickly! Speaking of which, do you prioritize fast responses to web, text, email, and phone inquiries? This is a biggie!

Per a recent survey, the average response time to an email request is 12 hours, while consumers expect a response within four hours. And when it comes to online texting, 82% of consumers expect a response within 10 minutes. (The same goes for voicemails, if you’re lucky enough to have a new patient leave a message.)

While there’s no denying the reality of email fatigue, the fact remains: patients like some digital communication from their dentist, and consumers expect a fast response. With so many businesses being slow to respond to new clients, being responsive to inquiries can truly set you apart in your marketplace. There’s an old stat that found that while 80% of companies felt they provided a superior customer service experience, only 8% of customers felt they received one. Be sure to deliver on this front.

7. POSITIVE DENTIST REVIEWS

A great website must present a good flow of patient reviews, and when they flow live from Google and Facebook, it shows you are confident in your reputation, which then bolsters new patient confidence. If you’re not focused on procuring a steady stream of positive reviews, consider that:

98% of people read online reviews before visiting a business

94% of patients use online reviews to evaluate healthcare providers

54% of consumers use patient reviews to form their own opinion of a healthcare provider

88% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

Reviews help establish trust and demonstrate your proficiency to potential patients, differentiate you from the dentist down the block, enhance your local search engine ranking and practice visibility, and help solidify your reputation in your community, further boosting new patient acquisition. Stats also show that they influence an incredible 97% of consumer buying decisions!

Google “dental office in <city>” for your location and see what your practice looks like. While writing this article, I googled “dental office near me” and immediately saw a practice stand out – with a 3.9-star rating. Here’s the thing: While you definitely want to generate more 5-star reviews and get an average rating of 4.7 or higher, the fact is that consumers will sort by low ratings to see if the issues others complained about actually matter in their buying decision. In this practice’s case, when sorting by lowest ratings, I saw that this office has been combative with low-star reviewers on Google rather than redirecting the conversation to the office. This is not the way to handle poor patient reviews. Patients like to see lower reviews because they add legitimacy, but be sure that your review provider offers guidance and encouragement to redirect these patients back to the office. Being professional, polite, and avoiding disputes on review sites demonstrates quality service and superior care to prospective patients.

8. ONLINE SCHEDULING ON YOUR DENTAL WEBSITE

Are you one of many dentists still on the fence about including online scheduling on your site? Consider the fact that, when done well, it can add convenience, boost patient satisfaction, help fill schedules, increase patient engagement, and so much more. Research also shows that:

94% of consumers are more likely to choose a provider that offers convenient online booking (the key here is convenient – make sure you have new patient appointments available within 48 hours to a max of five days, or patients are likely to move on to a competitor)

21% of patients are already booking appointments via their computer or phone

77% of patients say they choose providers offering online scheduling.

Online scheduling can reduce cancelations and no-shows, free up more of your team’s time, and positively impact the patient experience – all while contributing to a thriving and profitable practice! If you can’t set up an automated online scheduler that will enhance the patient experience by quickly getting them the appointment they want, then consider an online request form that can be managed by your team to better service new patient inquiries.

9. TRACKING & ANALYTICS

Web visits, time visits, bounce rates, conversion rates, organic, total, and new visitors, visits from mobile, reviews, average rating, impressions, clicks, conversions, leads, calls, forms, missed opportunities, new patients … there are so many aspects to effectively tracking and measuring your digital marketing efforts, and all are critical to gaining the full picture. You want this detailed information to see what’s working, what needs improvement, and what could be canned. Insights into call scoring, analytics, and marketing attribution per campaign (with production generated) allow you to invest in campaigns that will continue to resonate with and engage your audience and ultimately drive a steady flow of high-value new patients.

Harnessing these data-driven insights can also help you make informed decisions that can benefit production – and boost patient satisfaction – in the short and long term.

Are you interested in learning more about updating, fine-tuning, or transforming your digital presence? For years, our Patient NEWS team has been helping dentists across North America jump-start their online success with beautiful, customized, and HIGH-CONVERTING WebLift ^® websites and SEO, targeted paid media campaigns, social media support, ZEBRA Hello email & text, Review BOOSTER ^® reputation management, eZ Online Scheduler, and Practice ZEBRA ^® dental marketing software for accurate marketing attribution (down to the penny!) on what patients spend in production.

BONUS: Schedule a FREE CONSULTATION today and get access to your customized 24-page Market Research Report that includes information on your digital presence, competitor locations, buyer personas, and much more!

Joanne Bishop

Add More New Patients With Fewer Cancelations

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:30:53 GMT

Save time & improve workflows

As a dentist, dental group, or DSO looking for production growth, you want to attract and convert as many new, high-quality patients as possible to fuel that growth. But, according to the latest ADA report, not enough patients booking and too many patients canceling are holding many dentists back from the growth they seek.

While several post-pandemic studies have highlighted the reality of digital fatigue in consumers, the fact remains that consumers do have a preference for some digital communication from healthcare providers. A new Gartner report reveals that consumers want – and expect – a seamless user experience that includes digital self-service experiences where applicable. Making that process “frictionless” for your patients – particularly new patients – is a must for your web design and overall user experience.

What does frictionless mean?

The opposite of friction.

It means no hiccups! It means patients can move through your website easily, with a clear path to quickly find the information they want. At Patient NEWS®, we build custom, high-converting websites with digital experiences that patients love with functionalities like FlashSmile®, our teeth whitening app that’s exclusive to our clients, unlimited call scoring to ensure inbound calls are managed effectively, and eZ Online Scheduler , which gives patients the seamless and frictionless experience they expect.

With online scheduling quickly becoming an industry standard, are you considering the feature for your website? Many dentists have held back due to concern that their schedules will become messy, because they want control of online booking requests, or – which I’m sure is the case for most – they just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Don’t worry! With eZ Online Scheduler, you retain full control, and customization and setup are a breeze, so it’s a no-brainer.

Here’s some further data that may encourage you to move this website enhancement up the priority scale.

A recent survey of healthcare consumers who had seen a provider in the past 12 months revealed the following insights about online scheduling:

Most are comfortable using online booking services and appreciate the 24/7 convenience

95% have either booked a medical appointment online or would if the option was available

Almost all Millennials and Gen Xers would use self-scheduling, and 92% of Boomers would if it was offered

76% of Millennials are more likely to choose a new provider with online scheduling; 55% of Gen Xers and 36% of Boomers feel the same way

Across all demographics, approximately 90% of consumers plan to schedule online.

Online scheduling offers a myriad of benefits to both the patient and the practitioner. Let’s sink our teeth into this digital functionality and uncover how it’s revolutionizing patient interactions with their oral healthcare providers.

It Saves Your Patients – & Your Practice – TIME : Compared to other methods of appointment booking, online schedulers are much faster. Time is valuable for both you and your patients, and if you can simplify the process for them, they are more likely to return. It’s evident that when people desire something, they want it immediately. If your practice still relies on manual appointment booking, you may make the patient experience more tedious than necessary, thus causing patients to move on and seek treatment elsewhere. The message here is that you could be losing opportunities if you don’t have fast online booking or fast responses to online booking requests. The same rule applies to responding to inbound calls. Make sure you answer the majority of these calls live for a smooth patient experience. (Take note here: Our data proves that higher call answer rates increase new patient results!)
Increased Patient Empowerment & Engagement : Online scheduling empowers patients by putting the control of booking appointments into their hands. This autonomy is not just about convenience; it’s about engagement. Patients who book their appointments online are more likely to feel a sense of commitment to their dental health. They’re making an active choice rather than passively accepting a time slot. This sense of ownership often leads to higher rates of appointment adherence, which reduces no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
Enhanced Accessibility & Inclusivity : The accessibility of online scheduling breaks down barriers for patients who might find it challenging to make appointments during traditional office hours. This is particularly beneficial for busy professionals and parents with active children, and can be a hurdle-jump for patients with dental anxiety who may avoid making a phone call.
Improved Patient Satisfaction & Loyalty : The convenience of online scheduling directly correlates with patient satisfaction. The ability to book, reschedule, or cancel appointments at any time from any device is a game-changer. Providing this type of hassle-free experience will increase patient loyalty and satisfaction, making people more likely to return and refer.
Social Media & Online Reviews : Online scheduling ties in closely with social media and online reviews. Patients who enjoy the ease of booking online are more likely to share their positive experiences on social media and/or leave favorable reviews. These public endorsements can influence others to choose your practice, further expanding your patient base.
Minimize Human Error : As humans, we all make mistakes from time to time. However, when it comes to businesses, consumers can be less forgiving than they are with individuals. Making mistakes such as double-booking or booking appointments incorrectly can quickly lead to unhappy patients. Even the best-run practices can experience 5-10% human error rates. Web schedulers can help minimize this risk by allowing customers to input their own information, including contact details and preferred appointment times, taking the responsibility out of your hands.
Streamline Your Marketing : Once you have online scheduling built into your website, you can integrate all your marketing, from Google Ads and social posts to direct mail and all your automated communications. By integrating the link to your online scheduler, you provide consistency throughout the patient journey.

The digital transformation brought about by online scheduling is about more than convenience. It’s a significant shift toward patient empowerment, engagement, and satisfaction, and it profoundly impacts patient behavior in ways that shape the future of dental care. Dental offices must prioritize consumer-focused technology to stay competitive and successful.

At Patient NEWS, we’re dedicated to helping dentists, dental groups, and DSOs stand out and grow, and we’d love to be part of your success story. We can not only help you make it easier for new patients to book, but we’ll also help you gain more new patients and reduce cancelations! Our eZ Online Scheduler is not just a tool; it’s a catalyst for a happier patient experience and a thriving, profitable practice.

Integrated within your practice management software, our eZ (peasy) Online Scheduler improves the patient experience with convenient 24/7 access, increasing web conversions and new patient appointments!

Setup is easy, and the feature is desktop- and mobile-friendly with SMS and email confirmations. Don’t worry about how complex your schedule is – you get unlimited appointment types and bookings, and you can customize appointments by providers with photos, availability, and appointment types (including blocked times). It’s a low-cost add-on to your Practice ZEBRA ^® subscription – only US $99/CDN $119. Ask your Account Manager for details!

Joanne Bishop

Content Marketing & Increased Production

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:29:45 GMT

For a high-value service like dentistry, the higher the quality of your marketing content, the more valued your marketing will be to your target audience, and the more likely they will be to engage with your practice.

By sharing interesting and helpful content, you build and strengthen your practice’s relationship with your target audience so that they grow to trust you as both an authority in your field and the dental office they want to patronize.

Having great content on your website, in your direct mail campaigns, and in any patient-facing communications is an essential asset to the practice’s brand image as it helps create positive feelings related to your office.

At Patient NEWS ^® , we’ve been developing customized content for dentists for 30 years. Everything we write is designed to reflect your personality, tell the practice story, and enhance the practice’s reputation. And the ROI we deliver is exceptional. Don’t miss out on year-end special offers if you’re interested in a better marketing strategy in 2024!

As a dental content marketing agency, we’ve helped thousands of dentists educate and inform their patients and neighborhoods about services with customized text and design. With thousands of direct mail newsletters and hundreds of dental website campaigns, I guarantee we have written hundreds of articles on every single dental subject!

As we enter 2024, our 31 ^st year in dental marketing, I flipped back through our client newsletters to pull out some of the information we’ve shared over the years to highlight the fact that we’ve been walking this talk for a long time. We know how dentistry works.

In 1997, we wrote, “There’s an old sales adage – if people don’t know what you’re selling, they can’t buy it. In dentistry, the same truth applies.” It related to a story we’ve heard time and again over the years, and maybe you can identify: a patient has an elective service booked with another dental office simply because they didn’t realize their own dentist offered the same service! Great communication is key, and content marketing helps patients make informed decisions. We see it with a 170% higher response to newsletters over postcards.

In 1998, we wrote, “Relationship marketing can best be described as the process of providing continuing satisfaction to your patients through communication, education, and positive reinforcement.” Including great content in your marketing campaign improves results and hits three markers:

It helps obtain full lifetime value from every patient
It INCREASES the lifetime value of patients
It generates more production and profit to invest in future practice growth.

And, not joking, but in 2002, we announced “patient newsletters in color.” LOL. At the same time, though, we were being very thoughtful about content marketing for our dental clients. Not selling dentistry but educating patients about their options and the benefits of each unique dental office. Content marketing is about being better communicators. Consider how often you have the chance to speak about ALL of your services to your patients … or get your story and face in front of 5,000 or 10,000 area households. The greatest way to communicate is by utilizing timely and consistent content-rich campaigns that drive activity to your website, phone, and door.

Because no two dental practices are exactly alike, at Patient NEWS, we take the time to create content that’s tailored to reflect your individuality, tell your story, and set you apart from the competition. Our experienced North American editors provide engaging, informative, and relevant content that captures the reader’s attention from the first sentence. Our extensive content-development know-how helps make potential patients eager to learn more and ultimately schedule that crucial first appointment. By showcasing each practice’s unique characteristics, we attract the high-quality patients you want and need for your practice to thrive and grow.

Over 90% of healthcare purchasing decisions are made by the female head of household. These decision-makers are looking for quality information to make good decisions for their families. Today, consumers demand top-notch quality, convenience, accessibility, and value for their money, and they won’t settle for anything less. They want confirmation that their patronage is valued and appreciated. At Patient NEWS, the content we create specifically targets this valuable demographic. We create informative and educational verbiage that grabs their attention and makes them want to learn more about your practice, services, and why you might be the perfect dentist for their family.

Approximately 7% of searches on Google are health-related, making it crucial for your practice to have a robust online presence and appear on the first page of search engine results, where it will garner the most clicks. We specialize in identifying and incorporating local-specific keywords within your website, including dental services content with supporting educational videos and demographically relevant imagery. This not only highlights your expertise and professionalism but also builds trust and value with potential new patients. Plus, it demonstrates to Google that your practice is highly relevant for dental-related searches in your area.

In 2016, we wrote, “Creating and maintaining winning differentiation requires consistent reinforcement of how you’re different, applied across everything you do.” During our creative interview with each practice, we use our many years of dental consumer experience to ask the right questions and sleuth out the answers. We work hard to pull out those gold UVP nuggets consumers are looking for and will respond to, and to craft superior content for your digital and direct mail campaigns that will help you beat out the competition.

Our Patient NEWS experts take pride in helping our clients reach, engage, and convert new patients with our compelling and persuasive content. We understand that many dental offices struggle with the same thing when it comes to content marketing:

Differentiating their practice from competitors
Knowing what works to attract a steady flow of new patients
Slowing attrition and reactivating good patients
Managing reviews, social, and online advertising
Creating and sharing great information about special services and new technologies to attract patients interested in big treatments like clear aligners, implants, and others.

Education is one of the most valuable tools dentists have in building enduring and trusting relationships with their patients and community. It not only demonstrates your proficiency but also contributes to a thriving dental office by increasing acceptance of elective treatments.

In 2000, we wrote, “To quote the famous Nike saying, there is no time like the present to start your new marketing program. Waiting for staff changes, new equipment or technology, or just delaying decision-making only delays onboarding quality new patients and fresh new production.”

We believe that effective communication is key to any marketing campaign, and we’re excited to be your partner on this journey. Let’s work together to create a successful marketing strategy to bring in new patients and grow your practice.

Joanne Bishop

One of THE Most Critical Parts of Direct Mail

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:28:41 GMT

The classic components for effective direct mail campaigns fall into three buckets: creative, offer, and LIST.

As a dental entrepreneur engaged in local marketing, having a precisely targeted list is essential – essential to results and essential for effective cost management. No one wants to waste marketing dollars mailing to an area with patients who are not likely to respond!

You might have a good idea of which neighborhoods surrounding your practice you’d like to target, build awareness with, and attract more new patients from, but are those the households primed to respond? Do you have a following there? Does your marketing content resonate with the targeted area demographic and buying preferences?

You have access to powerful insights that will enable you to truly define your core market, niche areas for testing, and areas to avoid altogether – all while building a targeted list that is second to none. At Patient NEWS ^® , we go to extreme lengths to precisely select households for list development. We use the information you need to help you understand your immediate market and how to best position your practice to maximize new patient flow.

Instead of running zigzags, here’s what we do.

Starting with your current market share , our technology geo-plots where your existing patients live in proximity to the practice and reveals where new patients are coming from. This allows us to identify quality potential new patients based on existing patient spend to ensure your list includes like-audiences that are primed to respond.

Using powerful geographic information software (GIS), we can see exactly where your ideal, high-value patients reside before launching a targeted campaign. Each household can be broken down into spending categories, which helps us clearly identify your core, potential, and niche clusters. These are your practice hot spots.

2. Drive time mapping connected with your active patient market share clearly shows how far your core market will travel to visit your office. This insightful data informs your marketing decisions, benefits your ROI, and prevents unnecessary targeting and spending on niche areas that are clearly outside of your draw area and would only be targeted with unlimited testing budgets.

3. Market share between you and other dentists. Using the comprehensive data gleaned from the steps above, we now understand where your ideal patients are located, which high-value pockets to target, and the amount of time potential patients are willing to drive to see you. Using competitor mapping, we can identify which households will have a clearer path to your practice and which areas are saturated with more alternative dental choices.

4. Keep in mind that practices with a ratio of one dentist per 600 families are generally in a competitive market, which makes identifying open pockets vital. With our targeted process and strategic planning, you can pounce on and secure those markets to continually attract a steady stream of valuable new patients.

5. Esri market segmentation. Factoring in traditional psychographic, behavioral, geographic market segmentations, and more, the next step is to look at your area’s Tapestry Segmentation. Using Esri, the most powerful mapping and spatial analytics technology available, we pull insights on demographic and buying characteristics to target ideal new patients more efficiently. These tapestries uncover household characteristics (including age, education, home ownership, willingness to buy specific products and services, and overall purchasing power), as well as insights on how each audience prefers to receive information.

6. With 67 unique tapestries within 14 life modes, we can identify the most relevant-to-your-area buyer personas and outline the information we can utilize from our analysis, which helps us create customized messaging that will resonate with your target market.

7. Patient demographic breakdown. Practice ZEBRA ^® tracks your active and new patients by generation. This allows you to see the demographic mix for active patients and new patient flow, but it also tracks the production contributed by each generational group. This informs the selection of the targeted households, as well as the messaging that will be included in marketing campaigns. You might love your GenX patients, who contribute 40% to overall production and have a higher annual value, but current marketing is attracting Millennials, who have a lower average annual value. We need this data to create a great marketing campaign.

8. With solutions for every phase of the patient journey, our Patient NEWS experts provide core campaigns, including websites, SEO, PPC, and targeted direct mail newsletters that help our clients stand out and grow! By positioning your practice or DSO as the dental authority in your area, we’ll help enhance your brand reputation, attract more high-quality new patients, gain insights into your production and ROI, identify areas of opportunity, help your team bolster their conversion numbers, provide continuous KPI analysis to improve results, and so much more!

9. And note that these finely crafted and analyzed lists – with household names for variable data that are personalized to each household – are updated and re-ordered every month for the most accurate data for our clients’ targeted neighborhood newsletter mailings.

Schedule a free consultation with us today to learn more about how our all-inclusive direct mail programs – with precisely targeted list development – can help you attract and secure more ideal new patients!

Joanne Bishop

How Marketing Attribution Helps Dentists Increase Production

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:27:04 GMT

Marketing attribution will never be perfect.

There is a famous attribution analogy by Kabeer Chaudhary, CEO at M&C Saatchi, that helps to simply explain attribution and how important it is to recognize all the touchpoints that impact decision-making. It goes something like this:

Johnny is introduced to Jane by his friend Jack. Years later, Johnny’s mother gives Johnny the courage to ask Jane to marry him and Jane says yes. Who gets the credit for the marriage?

Last click attribution would be Mom, first click would be Jack. Linear attribution would credit Jack, Johnny, and Mommy equally. In other words, do not underestimate the importance of the entire patient journey when looking at marketing attribution.

When it comes to dental marketing, results have long been anecdotally tracked by office teams, and despite major technological advancements for dental marketing attribution, there remains inconsistent manual tracking, haphazard use of PMS dropdowns, general feedback, and just plain old opinion, which all combine to negatively impact actual practice production results because those things can influence decision-making in the wrong direction.

Having something data-driven is far better than relying on manual tracking and anecdotal recommendations. Major ‘production generating’ decisions are based on attribution. That’s why we continue to work extremely hard to provide the tools our dental clients need – using Practice ZEBRA ^® marketing software to help track results – so our clients can make fact-based decisions about their marketing efforts and improve overall practice results.

Working on your upcoming marketing plans? Why not find out how your campaigns could be better implemented, tracked, and analyzed for improved results?

Attribution is the process of determining how various marketing channels and touchpoints contribute to a new patient’s journey and eventual conversion, allowing you to more effectively monitor marketing campaigns and subsequent contributions to production. Multi-touch attribution models can be weighted equally, as noted above, or more commonly, U-shaped, where first and last points get higher importance. In between, there are a myriad of calibrations.

At the end of the day, everyone recognizes that marketing attribution is never perfect. It’s a complex and imperfect means to help shed light on the patient’s path to purchase. This is, however, the information that growth-oriented dental offices want – and need – to ensure they continue to invest in the activities that attract quality new patients and increase production.

Generally speaking, websites receive the most attribution attention (the last click). But beware of feeling overly confident that the digital presence is juicing itself. This is where multi-channel attribution becomes key.

Finance Online confirms that 80% of consumers act on direct mail communications, and combining print and digital campaigns results in a 400% increase in online results

USPS Delivers reports that almost 70% of millennials are prompted to go online after receiving marketing mail; 54% of Gen X and 42% of Boomers also do so, and each generation is excited to discover what the mail brings every day

Sequel Response reports that 56% of consumers try a new business after receiving direct mail

Postalytics reveals that coordination of digital and direct mail campaigns increased response rates by 63%, website visits by 68%, and leads by 53%

A commissioned study by PebblePost found that 88% of key purchase decisions involve the home and verified that direct mail 1) drives consideration and plays a central role in the path to purchase, 2) speeds up conversion, and 3) attracts highly engaged consumers who research , spend, and more

WARC direct mail effectiveness research stated that mail drives action , either through immediate online activity or by facilitating future action.

Almost every new patient will get to your website at some point as part of the patient journey. Recognizing that your website will get the majority of action from your various campaigns means that attributing it, or Google, with all the results would be a mistake. That’s why it’s important to always view the overall correlative impact of all marketing activities, which could include digital and direct mail marketing.

According to the WARC report, setting up accurate measurements is about being prepared with SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) and using available tools, including offers, QR codes, email, phone matching, and address matching .

Hey, accurate attribution is challenging for all of us, but Practice ZEBRA certainly gives dentists a leg up. Just this week, we had a new dentist sign up for an initial meeting using our online scheduling form , on which they indicated they found us via Google search. But then, at the initial meeting, they confirmed that they had received our direct mail newsletter, which piqued their interest! That’s information we need to know so we can continue to make good marketing decisions. We always want to add quality new clients, just like you!

When it comes to direct mail for dentists, the best results come from precisely targeting ideal households using our neighborhood newsletter program. Response is driven by consistent touchpoints and by providing as many response methods as possible.

We ensure that newsletter content is engaging, elevates the practice’s reputation as an authority in their field, and triggers patients to call, scan a QR code, visit the website, check out Google reviews, and/or book directly with an online scheduler. Years of experience and data prove that most new patients will go online to check out the dental office and team before contacting the practice. That’s where direct mail attribution can lose visibility during the patient journey and why address matching is so helpful.

One of the tools Patients NEWS ^® uses for print attribution is address-matching technology. In addition to “tracked” phone calls, we know which new patients live in those precisely targeted areas that receive the newsletter, enabling our clients to understand the journey patients take before becoming a new patient. I mean, literally, we will pinpoint and select 5,000 to 7,500 primed-to-respond, like-audience households in a market draw area for the practice that could have 50,000+ households! Our address mapping and matching technology assist in not only tracking response but in further enhancing targeting accuracy into the neighborhoods and households most likely to respond.

Marketing Attribution Challenges

Multiple touchpoints: In today’s omnichannel landscape, patients interact with brands through various touchpoints, such as personal referrals, direct mail, signage, social media, web searches, online ads, and more. Pinpointing the exact touchpoint that led to a conversion can be challenging, as patients often engage with multiple channels before making a decision.

The dental patient journey is rarely linear. Collecting accurate data across all marketing channels can be challenging. Some channels, such as offline events or word-of-mouth referrals, may not leave a trail that is easy to track, and data quality and accuracy due to manual systems and data entry can vary from employee to employee. Even a typo in a mailing address can lead to no attribution.

What is true is that direct mail (and, for us, neighborhood newsletter campaigns) are proactive, hitting 100% of the targeted patient homes, building awareness, establishing the practice as the authority in the area, and generating interest and activity.

So, considering all these data points, does it make sense to discount address-matching technology as part of visibility into practice success? Or is it just magical that people who have lived in the targeted area for years just suddenly decided to book a new patient visit?

The practice is right there, in a physical location, in the neighborhood, attracting X number of new patients per month (let’s say 30) over the course of several years. Then, after the targeted areas start receiving monthly newsletters, coincidentally, more new patients from those areas enter the practice via phone, website, form fill, and online scheduling – and the overall new patient flow increases from 30 to 50 per month. Knowing that print is proven to drive patients online, was that a coincidence?

This makes watching overall new patient results imperative to maintaining a marketing strategy that truly is impacting production.

One of the things we hear when new dentists join Patient NEWS is that they are frustrated that more people don’t know about their practice. It’s not on the main throughway for visibility, they’re shocked when new patients say, “I didn’t know you were here,” or they’re frustrated with a lower new patient flow in a competitive area. Then they decide they want to set their practice apart in their community with an educational format and engage in our neighborhood newsletter program – and voila! More new patients!

One client who is slightly off the beaten path in a highly competitive area comes to mind. The staff had focused on scheduling active patients post-COVID, and the doctor realized that production was declining without a higher flow of new patients. In came the dedicated monthly newsletter campaign, and after a year of less than eight new patients per month, post-campaign, they’re averaging 20 to 30 per month . Not a crazy leap, but enough to take the practice from $1.2 million to $1.7 million for 2023. And that’s with a pretty average new-patient value of $1700 and an active patient value of $1200. By looking at all activities on deck for attribution, you can see and achieve great results.

With Practice ZEBRA, results are black and white with attribution to phone calls, address matching, and overall new patient flow. This provides consistently updated data and clear and transparent methodology that reveals the overall impact of the campaign on new patient and practice results.

A Forbes article says, “Offline marketing efforts, such as newspaper advertisements, fliers, and television ads, cannot be tracked for attribution as closely as digital efforts can. There will always be a hole. If, however, you ensure that your digital marketing channels are all properly attributed and you are taking all crossover influence into account, and then, overlay other forms of offline marketing on top of that, you will still have a far clearer picture.”

Despite the challenges associated with attribution, it’s crucial to have attribution in place. Even though it may not be perfect, it provides valuable insights into practice trends and which marketing efforts are contributing to overall new patient flow.

Here’s why having a trend line is better than none at all:

Informed decision-making: While attribution may not provide absolute clarity, it does offer directional insights. It helps you understand which campaigns are effectively driving results. This enables you to make data-informed decisions on budget allocation and strategy adjustments.

Optimization opportunities: A trend line can help identify areas where you can optimize your marketing efforts. For example, if you notice that a particular channel consistently contributes to more new patients, or if you lapse certain campaigns for a few months to save budget but then see a decline in new patients, you can allocate more resources and refine your strategies.

Continuous improvement: Despite the fact that marketing attribution is not perfect, it can serve as a starting point for ongoing review and improvement.

To enhance marketing attribution, it’s essential to gather the most accurate data available through all avenues – including calls, web traffic, and address matching. By capturing as much data as possible and investing in analytic tools like our dental marketing software, Practice ZEBRA, you can improve the reliability of your results and gain a better understanding of your patients’ journeys. Remember that while perfection may be elusive, watching the insights that marketing attribution provides is super valuable in the ever-evolving world of new patient acquisition.

One final statistic, released in a WARC market reach analysis, is that direct mail can act as a real differentiator, helping to cut through the noise of messaging across channels and platforms. With an average engagement of 95%, print mail remains one of the most measurable channels.

In addition to the amazing impact of direct mail on digital and overall practice results, at Patient NEWS, we include variable data imprinting on neighborhood mailings to speak to each homeowner by name (US). The same WARC analysis also confirmed that personalized direct mail is read on average 4.5 times, increasing overall results.

Talk to your Patient NEWS representative for more information on neighborhood newsletters, a seamlessly branded online presence, and results visibility in Practice ZEBRA. Remember: We’re the team that answers our phones – and we’d love to hear from you!

The modern dental patient journey is a complicated one, and a strategic omnichannel marketing campaign will always deliver the best overall practice results. Leverage our 30 years of dental marketing experience. Call now!

Joanne Bishop

Mastering Dental Phone Conversion

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:26:01 GMT

Phone skills are vital to the success of every organization, but learning the ins and outs of dental call handling is quite unique. Team members that answer inbound calls need to be “ON” for all calls. Their job as the practice’s representative is to WOW that new patient and wipe out their need or desire to interview other competitive practices.

It is imperative that your practice selects the most enthusiastic and outgoing employees to represent you on the telephone. On top of that, these individuals need to have excellent product knowledge and call-handling skills.

Because the person answering your phone IS your practice to new patients, they must project the proper attitude, voice tone, knowledge level, and techniques to best represent it.

“Enthusiasm communicates and gives motivation to oneself and others. It’s important that everyone works at it. Enthusiasm isn’t always easy.”

The right marketing campaign will generate a steady flow of new patient calls, but that’s just the start. Exceeding patient expectations from the first interaction – or not – will make or break your dental practice results. If you’d like more quality new patients, be sure to schedule a free consultation today.

There’s a good list below with some of our top tips, but first, let’s set the stage as to why call handling training should be in place for everyone who answers the phone at your practice.

The average value of a new dental patient is $2,000 in production in the first year. That means each new patient phone call has the potential to contribute $2,000 to the practice.

We have tracked and scored over two million new dental patient calls. Top practices answer 94% of their inbound calls and our average client answers 75% of calls. Top practices convert 85% to appointments, while the average office converts 53%.

On 100 calls, a top practice will convert 80 to appointments and generate production close to $200,000. This chart shows how call answer and call conversion percentages can impact production.

GREY – Calls answered at 94%, 75%, and 50%
GREEN – Potential production at $2,000 per new patient
BLUE – 85% of calls answered live converted (top/average/low) to appointment and associated projected production
BEIGE – 53% of calls converted and associated projected production
ORANGE – 25% of calls converted and projected production
RED – The variance between top-performing and low-performing offices, which is simply based on how 100 calls are handled.

The variance between doing a great job on the phone – or not – adds up to a loss of $135,000 to top-line annual production. Do that every month and consider the magnitude of lost potential.

Jennifer Pearce, CEO of Prosperity Dental Solutions, says, “Inviting new talent into dentistry requires an investment in training. Gone are the days of having time to correctly train new team members on the job due to the fast-paced nature of offices. Throwing the newest person on the phone with no training is professional suicide.”

It’s critically important to have visibility into your patient values and call handling metrics so that the practice can help the front office team effectively handle new patient calls. That’s why we include unlimited call scoring with our marketing campaigns in addition to our Phone Power training series.

Our clients can listen to inbound calls, see the word cloud for quick scan, read transcripts, and get reports on call success. Tried and tested on two million dental patient calls, there isn’t anything better in dentistry.

Find out how our dental marketing programs work with unlimited call scoring:

Good call-handling skills that are combined with qualities such as empathy, patience, and positivity can really make a difference with patients and appointment rates. The importance of this role is often underrated, but good call handlers make a massive difference to practice success. Cheers to all the great ones out there, and here are a few call conversion tips we’ve learned over the years.

Tip #1: Answer all (or most) calls live. No matter what the practice call conversion rate is – 85% or 25% – if more calls are answered live, more new patients will be scheduled.

Tip #2: Make sure your practice and call handler names are clear in the greeting. “Thanks for calling Smith Dental; this is Julie,” or “Good morning, Smith Dental; this is Julie; how can I help you today?” In focus group research with patients, one of the primary complaints is that callers can’t understand the company name, the call handler’s name, or what’s being said. Remind anyone answering the phone to pause before speaking, and to speak clearly and slowly.

Tip #3: Smile! (Probably a top tip!) You’re in dentistry and you know how important your smile is. Smiling while speaking changes the tone of a person’s voice, which makes them sound less dominant and more approachable. People on the phone can literally hear a smile!

Tip #4: Sound enthusiastic and project your eagerness to help. Your mood can be heard. Stay positive. You must do this all day, every day.

Tip #5: Listen. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason! Listening is underrated in its importance in relationship-building. And incorporate icebreakers such as, “How are you enjoying the weather today?” or “How has your day been so far?” And be patient and empathetic. “I understand how you feel” can go a long way toward helping someone feel valued. Think about what you’d like to hear if you were calling.

Tip #6: Book more new patients by asking the caller if there are any additional family members who also need a dental appointment. You can book two, three, or more new patients on a single call.

Tip #7: Know your stuff. Practice your scripts so that they sound natural. If you struggle to overcome a common objection, ask your team for help, or call your Account Manager at Patient NEWS ^® . We probably have a script to assist.

Tip #8: Avoid putting callers on hold. Almost 50% of new patients interviewed say they did not schedule because of poor customer service – especially because they were kept on hold.

Tip #9: Know your offers. If your practice has a free consultation appointment, this can be used to overcome a variety of patient objections. If your practice has a low point-of-entry membership plan that’s less expensive than the average local dental insurance plan, know the numbers to help patients make good decisions for themselves, which includes choosing your practice!

Tip #10: Review your entire marketing presence. Your website, social media sites, and direct mail campaigns, and be cognizant of your brand voice and services.

Tip #11: Avoid TMI (too much information). When you explain too much to a patient before they have a chance to experience how wonderful your practice is in person, you can raise additional objections related to nerves or time requirements. Clinical terms can add confusion. When your team is asked common questions – such as “What does a cleaning cost?” – their response should be brief, friendly, and empathetic, but they need to control the call and come back to scheduling the appointment.

Tip #12: Set goals. Sometimes, incentivizing your team to take small steps – like answering 5% more calls live or booking three more new patients each week – can result in huge production returns. Predictive Analytics in Practice ZEBRA ^® will allow you to benchmark where you’re at and the production you can gain with a certain focus.

Tip #13: Build in positive words. “Yes, I’ll be happy to do that,” “My pleasure,” “Sure, I can,” “Definitely,” “Absolutely,” and similar phrasing create a sense of conviction that you truly want to help. It’s also hard to say “Absolutely” without being enthusiastic!

Tip #14: Listen to your call recordings to get a sense of how you and/or your team come across to patients. Is the person answering the phone friendly? Does their stress level come across to the potential patient? Did they maintain control by offering various solutions to the patient?

Tip #15: Have space available for new patients. New patients won’t wait three weeks or longer for their appointment. Try to get them in within 48 hours so they don’t move on to a competitor. (They might book but then be a no-show.)

Tip #16: Build relationships. People buy from people. Patients who do not schedule often say it’s due to a lack of attention paid to them and/or because they felt rushed or weren’t important enough.

Tip #17: Provide your team with scripts to overcome common objections. A metric we track in Practice ZEBRA is “reasons patients don’t book.” Often, it’s heavy with “insurance not accepted.” If you’re dropping or have dropped insurances, be sure to load your team up with the top three reasons patients should choose your practice despite it not being in-network. “Many out-of-network patients still choose to come to our office because of the diligent/compassionate/personalized care we provide” is a great one.

Tip #18: If you can, dedicate your top performer(s) to inbound call handling so their focus can be exclusively on new patient callers and booking appointments.

Tip 19: Be proactive in finding a solution. When listening to calls, notice if there isn’t a further attempt to schedule a new patient beyond the first inquiry. Sometimes, a little extra push in trying to schedule the patient is helpful in conversion. How can you problem-solve the objection to turn the call into an appointment?

Tip #20: Share your new patient value with your team so they know how important prioritizing inbound call answering is. On average, a new dental patient contributes $2,000 in annual production, but what is the metric at your practice? We have many clients who have much higher average new patient values. Or maybe you have an example of a recent new patient – let’s call her Margaret – who you would not have guessed on the first call would invest in her smile, but she ended up spending over $5,000 within two visits. Use her name and remember that every time a call goes to voicemail, you could be losing another “Margaret.”

Bonus Tip: Set achievable goals and bonus your team for improving call answer and conversion rates and scheduling more new patients.

At Patient NEWS, we are dedicated to helping you attract and retain quality patients. Ask your Account Manager for help if you’d like more new patients, help with call conversion, insights on how to access our Phone Power video series, and/or how to set your practice goals in Practice ZEBRA.

Joanne Bishop

Dental Production Higher Every Month in 2023

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:24:55 GMT

How we deliver results like these

Patient NEWS ^® dental clients have had another stellar month with September revenues HIGHER than the previous year – and almost 50% higher than pre-COVID!

These results just keep coming through with revenues that were higher than the previous year every single month in 2023. And these dental offices have one huge thing in common – Patient NEWS! We’d call that a testimony that consistent marketing efforts, supported by an amazing team, deliver and help practices gain momentum. In fact, from June through September, our client production has been an incredible 52% higher than pre-COVID!

OMG – don’t you want to know what they’re doing and how you can get in on this?!!

The momentum is staggering, and it’s clearly related to the efficacy of the digital and direct mail marketing strategies we provide (including the support of our amazing Account Managers and Marketing Consultants), the commitment of our clients, and the operational focus they put on key metrics and associated activities using Practice ZEBRA ^® .

If you feel like your marketing campaigns – and the support you get – could use a boost, we’d love to show you how our process could work for your practice. Before we even make a recommendation, we take the time to understand your situation and goals, review your immediate market, and how to best position your practice to maximize new-patient flow.

I am sharing our averages, and we do have ups and downs and practices at different stages of their lifecycle. It’s completely natural for production and new-patient flow to fluctuate month to month. It’s the broader trends – like year-over-year growth – that provide more meaningful insights that inform good decision-making.

One of the key strategic thrusts our clients do, with their Account Manager’s support, is work to maintain momentum . Our most successful clients don’t play hit-and-miss. They are committed to consistent communications, and that pays off – clearly. It’s that consistent focus on acquiring high-quality new patients that supports practice success.

And I can’t overstate how impactful our dedicated team is to practice results. The clients that get the best results rely on their Account Managers, and they follow our recommendations and proven processes. Our team is always reviewing results and thinking about strategies and opportunities to increase production. That’s what we do. We want our clients to do what they do best – taking care of patients and practice operations – and we take care of the marketing execution.

Having a dedicated one-on-one Account Manager to take care of the details is something our clients value and it’s something we invest in for our clients’ success. That frontline team is backed by an incredible behind-the-scenes team of experts in dental marketing, including product managers, innovators, editors, writers, designers, developers, and advanced technology professionals. Our entire team is continuously analyzing what’s working and what’s not, and our Account Managers make sure clients are following suit by prioritizing activities that will drive results and help them stay attuned to the best practices in digital and direct mail marketing – just for dental offices. Top clients trust their Account Managers and follow their guidance.

Another aspect I think is a core competency of our clients is that they’re cognizant of complacency. It’s easy to fall into a groove or relax a bit when things seem to be going well, but for dental offices, it’s particularly important to always be proactive. Our successful clients recognize that active patients contribute far less to production than new patients, including fewer referrals of higher-value new patients, and they are very aware that there will always be naturally occurring attrition. On average, it works out to be around 20% of the patient base that will leave the practice each year – and that’s not including patients who leave for other reasons. New-patient flow must, at minimum, keep up with attrition. For growth, it must outstrip it by a good margin. When things start to slide downwards, you can’t flip a switch to turn things around. It takes investment, commitment, and focus.

These clients also rely on Practice ZEBRA, our marketing software, for visibility on performance. They don’t want to turn a blind eye, and they share their metrics with their teams so that everyone can focus on improvement and growth.

Practice ZEBRA will show if the practice is starting to plateau or lag, and it can predict which metrics a practice can toggle to see an improvement in production.

What clients say:

Dr. Godbolt of Northern Peaks Dental came to us to target more quality new patients with a neighborhood newsletter campaign. He loved the results so much that he decided to move his website over. Now, in less than a year, he boasts a projected ROI of 14.6:1 and an actual of 8.7:1! “We love Patient NEWS! We have had a great experience, first with their patient newsletters, and now we are switching over our website to their control, as well. Everyone we have worked with is excellent, from the design team to our account managers. So glad we found them!”

Dr. Hazel Glasper of Revive Dental, I describe as a total powerhouse with an impressive 19:1 ROI on her neighborhood newsletter program. “Patient NEWS is a phenomenal company. Its return on investment has been impressive. My [team at Patient NEWS] demonstrates unmatched professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm. I love working with them! So glad I made this business decision.”

Dr. Ben Winters of Wincrest Orthodontics (aka The Bentist) chose Patient NEWS to manage his practice website. “Patient NEWS allowed me to have a system that captures prospective patients, gets them in the office, and gives us the necessary data to navigate our growth into the future. Highly recommend.”

The unique value that our clients get from Patient NEWS comes in the form of patient education and relationship marketing. We aren’t celebrating 30 years in the dental industry because we got lucky. We’ve worked hard to provide distinctly unique digital and direct mail programs with exceptional personal support – we are real people and we answer the phone! LOL. But more importantly, the strategies we put in place for our clients differentiate them in their local markets – and the results prove it. A commitment to patient education and providing something of value – something just a bit more – to patients is what top clients choose.

I looked back to something that Dr. Bill Dorfman, our long-time client, a friend of Patient NEWS, and one of the most successful cosmetic dentists in the world, said 20 years ago: “Patient education is a key component to any successful practice, and your own customized newsletter is one of the most effective ways to keep in regular contact with patients and prospective patients about the products and services available at your dental office, increasing lifetime value. I highly recommend Patient NEWS!”

Today, we are a full-service dental marketing agency, and those newsletters Dr. Bill referred to now feature some of the most sophisticated direct mail technologies. We have developed our own advanced dental marketing software platform, Practice ZEBRA, and offer amazing digital programs. We manage hundreds of successful dental website campaigns, with content and design that enhance the patient experience but totally focus on conversion. Every marketing campaign we create includes quality information that dental decision-makers – the female head-of-house – want to make good decisions for their families. Direct mail is the only way to reach 100% of targeted households – and the size and content of our newsletters STANDS OUT. SEO and PPC campaigns ensure clients rank and are found online. Practice ZEBRA provides clear visibility to results and supports the office team to help convert more patients from the leads the marketing campaigns drive to the practice.

In our 30 years, we have not been complacent. We help our clients continually adapt to the changing digital landscape and dental consumer buying behavior with campaigns that are proactive and goal-oriented. It’s our innovative strategies and dedicated team that ensure that our clients’ marketing programs stay ahead of industry trends and deliver these amazing results. The 2023 production metrics prove our processes work when adopted by successful dentists who want to stand out and grow. We don’t just create campaigns; our team wants to ensure that they yield long-term growth and success for our clients. Their success is our success!

So, as we head into the final leg of 2023 and prepare for 2024, we want you to reach out to Patient NEWS to help you achieve your practice goals.

Our team has the experience, and they are dedicated to our clients’ success. Schedule a call today!

Joanne Bishop

Are Patient Reviews That Important?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:22:26 GMT

Yup! For more new patients & your website ranking, too!

After analyzing, designing, creating, and managing hundreds and hundreds of successful dental websites, it’s clear that having a healthy flow of patient reviews is a powerful tool that boosts the overall web presence of a dental practice.

Attracting new patients is critical for practice growth, not only to mitigate naturally occurring attrition and related production loss but to also add strong new-patient production and referrals back into the practice. Not only do positive reviews – either on Google, social media, or your website – help attract these new patients, but they also help with web ranking, practice visibility, and solidifying your practice’s reputation in the community, which further boosts new-patient acquisition in a patient journey that comes full circle.

At Patient NEWS ^® , our experienced team of dental marketers knows how to help you improve your online presence and achieve the goals you have in mind. Call to discuss your situation today!

Understanding the patient journey and considering the appropriate strategic thrust for each touchpoint is a key component in building a practice that patients are eager to share with others.

The patient journey begins with awareness . Awareness of a dental need or desire, and awareness of your practice and its solutions that solve their pain point(s). So how do consumers become aware of a dental practice? The primary awareness-building tools for dental offices are direct mail sent to targeted homes – the only way to reach 100% of households – and paid media/PPC campaigns, which ensure your practice is visible when search is triggered.

Of course, awareness can also begin with referrals from friends and family who’ve had a positive experience at your practice and spread the good news to others.

Next comes patient research , where prospective patients form opinions about your practice through visiting your practice online and reading reviews on social media and/or Google to decide whether or not to patronize your business.
The patient then makes a buying decision and books that all-important first appointment.
A superlative patient experience secures brand loyalty.
By creating that “loyalty loop,” you then have patients who refer your practice to friends and family and post stellar reviews that others will read to form opinions of your practice. This helps them decide whether or not to choose your team.

It’s a beautiful, streamlined process that is really quite simple. For more information about how the team at Patient NEWS can help you attract and convert more new patients, just go ahead and schedule a free consultation .

There was a time not so long ago when word-of-mouth referrals were the only way to get the news out about your practice. Although they still hold an important place, online reviews are the way to go in today’s digital age. The vast majority of consumers look to reviews when selecting a healthcare provider, such as a dentist. Even after a personal referral, reviews influence 97% of consumer buying decisions!

And who are these people reading your reviews? Ninety percent of the time, it’s the female head-of-household who is responsible for making the healthcare decisions for her family. Seventy percent of these decision-makers consider a positive online reputation to be an extremely important factor in whether or not they’ll book that first appointment.

Most people are pleased and delighted to write a review when asked. But, like you and I, they may lead hectic lives and have busy schedules that can place posting a review of your practice on the back burner. If enough time is allowed to elapse, they may forget altogether. They often need a gentle nudge to get them to post that all-important review.

According to Review Trackers analysis of over 48,000 business locations:

94% of consumers say a bad review has convinced them to avoid a business
53% of consumers expect businesses to respond to a negative review within a week
63% say that at least one company they reviewed never responded
45% of consumers say they’re more likely to visit a business if it responds to negative reviews
Customers don’t trust businesses with lower than 4-star reviews, and 70% filter those out completely.

When you manage your brand reputation as a strategic part of practice growth and you let patients know you welcome referrals and appreciate their positive review, more patients will refer friends and family, and you’ll create a steady flow of great reviews.

How Review Booster Can Help

Review Booster is an automated, all-in-one reputation management system in Practice ZEBRA® that’s designed to make your practice more efficient, increase patient satisfaction, and boost production through reviews.

With Review Booster , you can:

Send out review requests by text and email, which can be automated or sent to select patients
Redirect patients who are not completely happy back to your office instead of a review site, allowing you to effectively and quickly address dissatisfaction
Manage and respond to new reviews in real-time within the Practice ZEBRA dashboard
Reduce the number of no-shows with text and email appointment reminders
Add value and create reciprocity in patients with oral health articles included in each email
Increase your steady flow of positive patient reviews. Our clients get 3X reviews after implementation!

Review Booster allows you to respond to reviews – both negative and positive – on all platforms in real time. This shows current and prospective patients that you care, which is important as 45% of people are more likely to visit a business that responds quickly to reviews.

And don’t be disheartened by those negative reviews! Even the best practices are prone to having a less-than-favorable review occasionally. With Review Booster, you can turn that negative review into an opportunity by immediately addressing the patient’s concerns. As a great dentist with a skilled team, more people need to learn about your practice!

Patient reviews are so impactful, not only because they help build a great reputation and provide terrific insight to new patients considering your practice, but they also bolster your website ranking by strengthening the credibility of your practice. In addition, they increase click-through to a website by 35%, and they feature keywords that patients naturally use, increasing the likelihood that your site will come up in search for prospective patients. You can also feature your great reviews on your website, in email/social campaigns, and in direct mail campaigns to demonstrate your expertise, which will help convert more new patients.

Studies show that 90% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal referral. Reviews are crucial and provide an excellent means of showcasing the exceptional work you and your team perform, the outstanding individuals you collaborate with, and the patient-centric care you offer. The best part is that your patients are eager to leave you a positive review.

It’s a win-win for everyone! Schedule a free consultation to find out more about Review Booster, our WebLift website programs, and how we can help you attract more new patients!

Joanne Bishop

Helping Your Dental Website Build Trust

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:21:18 GMT

An oral health survey revealed that 74% of patient respondents “strongly agreed” that the main reason they stay with their current dentist is TRUST. Interestingly, another long-term study shows that people trust each other less today than ever before.

But what does trust have to do with your practice website?

With a history of working alongside dental practices for over 30 years, Patient NEWS ^® truly understands how tricky navigating the online world can be for dentists and their marketing managers – it’s like tackling a complex dental procedure! Whether you’re a seasoned pro refining your online game or a new practice aiming to make your mark, we’re here to help.

Our mission? To equip our clients with the tools and insights they need to make their practice stand out and grow! A big part of meeting this goal means we’re helping them improve their ability to shine brighter online, generating more new patients, and watching their return on investment grow. Having a web presence that immediately builds patient confidence and trust is key.

Based on feedback from our community of dental partners, the digital squad at Patient NEWS has a strategy that works extremely well and includes several crucially crafted steps that guide dentists and their teams through the online process to ensure our clients’ websites become a beacon for prospective patients seeking quality dental care. If you’re not 100% confident in your current website, schedule a free consultation and speak with one of our dental marketing experts today!

Here’s a glimpse into four vital steps we take while developing our clients’ dental websites:

Step 1: Defining Clear Objectives & Identifying Your Audience.

The first conversation we often have with our clients is that website development is not just a digital platform to house practice details! The development of a successful website must be approached as a substantive marketing tool created to attract, retain, and convert audiences to visit your practice.

Clarify the marketing goals: Clearly defining your marketing goals is a vital step that requires thoughtful consideration. Is your aim to attract new patients and boost appointment bookings or is it to refresh your site and present your services in a more modern framework? These discussions are pivotal when making decisions for the foundation upon which your website’s core elements will be built. They lay the foundation for a strong pillar that’s set in stone – or in this case, in code!

Identify your target patients: Whether it’s demographics, oral health needs, or preferences, having a marketing partner that understands your unique target audience will improve the ideation and selection of content required for your website. A good connection between your site content and what appeals to visitors is not just about UI/UX, but it also provides an in-depth understanding of what your ideal patients are really looking for.

Understand the competition levels: As a local business, you probably have a good sense of your dental competitors in market. But what are they doing online to be at the top of search? And how will your dental website differentiate your practice and boost your search ranking? Understanding the physical locations as well as the digital activities of your competitors can reveal opportunities for your practice. This is a critical, critical element when creating digital budgets and determining how to craft content and functionality that will help ensure your website is presented on search engines when your target patient is looking.

Step 2: Crafting A Strategic Website That Establishes Credibility.

The key word here is “strategic.” Establishing credibility is not a one-day job! From the inception of your site to launch (and regular updates), your interaction with patients must be strategic, relevant, and credible.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a significant role in establishing credibility for your dental practice online. While the primary goal of SEO is to improve your website’s visibility in search engine results, the practices and strategies that contribute to effective SEO also enhance your practice’s overall credibility through:

Authoritative content: Informative, expertly written content that establishes your practice’s credibility.

Backlinks from reputable sources: High-quality links from trustworthy websites that boost your online reputation.

Positive user experience (technical SEO): A seamless, user-friendly website that enhances credibility and search rankings.

Reviews and ratings (Google Business Profile optimization): Not only do patient reviews build trust through positive patient
feedback, they also contribute to a strong online reputation. In fact, reviews boost organic page visits because they create positive content that search engines value, demonstrating that your practice is an authority in your field.
And much more!

With the fast-paced, ever-changing algorithms hitting regularly, SEO is a worry for many dentists. Patient NEWS can help with our location-based, 100% white hat SEO programs that are based on competitive levels and practice goals.

Step 3: The Importance Of A Secure Website: Are You Protecting Patient Data?

Think of your website as a digital vault for patient information. Just like you secure physical records, protecting patient data online is a must. A secure website is like a shield against cyber threats, ensuring that sensitive details stay private and away from the wrong hands.

By using strong security measures and following regulations like HIPAA (if relevant), you show patients that their information is safe. Today, every website should be HTTPS secure. This contributes to trust and reassures consumers that their privacy matters. A secure website isn’t just a technical detail – it’s a promise of safety that can make patients feel confident in choosing your dental practice.

Step 4: Consistency In Brand Messaging.

Every part of your marketing plan, from office signage to direct mail and your website, must contribute to your practice’s and consumer’s (patients and prospective patients) awareness of your brand style and services. A consistency impact study found that “consistent presentation of a brand increases revenue by 23%,” and the Oxford College of Marketing reports that “when a company’s branding is inconsistent across their communications, it breaks the link that the consumer makes in their mind with the brand.” This has an “adverse lasting impact on the customer’s loyalty and positive connection to the brand.”

Make sure that your website reflects the vision you have for your practice today. Is it clear and easy to navigate with up-to-date content that inspires new patients to book appointments? If so, it will build and strengthen trust when patients and prospective patients visit it.

If you’re not getting the results you want, our dental website design and unique digital marketing packages will help you achieve your goals. We don’t like to brag but here’s what our clients say about their experiences with our team:

“I’m so glad I stayed with Patient NEWS (14 years), as they have been so supportive, innovative, professional, and responsive. They have contributed significant values toward my success. I look forward to many more years of success from having their strong support in marketing my practices.” – Dr. Dilip Dudhat (Official Dentist of the Philadelphia Eagles)

“I first started working with Patient NEWS on an acquisition newsletter and to develop and launch my practice website. Call tracking lets me know where my calls are coming from, call scoring helps me see where my front desk team is doing great or needs help, and [Practice ZEBRA] shows my results in one easy interface! Highly recommend.” – Dr. Steve Sokolovskiy

So, whether you’re ready to fine-tune your existing strategies or embark on a new digital journey, we invite you to join us in helping propel your dental practice to new heights!

Joanne Bishop

Is Your Marketing Working As It Should?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:19:54 GMT

When There is Abundant Opportunity for Practice Growth?

As an AACD member dentist, you have a significant differentiator which can be leveraged to maximize your popularity in your market area. If you’re not certain you are getting all you can from your dental marketing programs, this article will help you determine where you might uncover the gaps.

What might be making or breaking your results right now?
Is the marketing plan you have in place the right one?
What is needed to have a more successful outcome?

At Patient NEWS we’ll hear from a potential client that they’ll have ‘a feeling’ that they could be getting more from their marketing investments. Sometimes they’re investing huge budgets into Google Ads but are attracting low-value patients, doing it “because everyone is, right?” Recently a (smart) dental colleague said, “PPC is a race to the bottom; I’m telling all my clients to shift budgets to direct mail.” Or you hear you can win the day with low-cost social marketing, or your team wants you to stop doing what you’re doing because, anecdotally, they say it’s not working. With all these influences impacting your decisions, it can be tough to figure out what’s best for your practice.

Sometimes a gap analysis can help. What is the barrier to adding more new patients and increasing production? It’s usually not just your marketing that isn’t working – there are many factors that can make or break practice results.

Ensure Your Team Is Aware Of The Value Of A NEW Patient

For our average client, new patients contribute an average of $1,800 in production versus active patients that contribute $1,100. For cosmetic dentists, the average new patient can be much, much more valuable – and almost always contributes twice as much production as an average patient. Practice ZEBRA ^® is a game changer the first time a practice sees its metrics in black and white. It’s the only dental marketing software that provides the actual value of NEW patients over existing active patients, allowing dentists to make good decisions with their marketing spend and strategic focus, and with the predictive analytics module, you can run your number to see the production impact of adding just a few more new patients. What would your team do if they knew that if you added just one more new patient each week you could add at least $100,000 in revenue? This metric is impactful.

Answer The Phone

Every time the phone goes unanswered, it costs money. When you are investing in marketing to make the phone ring, answer it. Otherwise, marketing results are sacrificed. The average dental practice answers 75% of their calls, while top practices capture over 90%. This one metric dramatically improves marketing results. It’s often the result of office staff not understanding the value of new patients, and assuming voice mail will handle it and new patients will wait. But most new patients won’t leave a message, and they will move on to the next office. To convert more valuable new patients, provide the service they expect.

Wait – do you hear your phone ringing in the background? Go answer it!

Isn’t it nice when someone picks up the phone and helps you right away? This metric is one of the most important things a cosmetic, or any, practice can focus on to improve results.

Make Room For New Patients

I was on a call with a successful dentist who wanted to bring in new, higher-quality production. She felt that her active patients had had the treatment they were going to take, and she wasn’t going to grow without adding more new. When I asked her to look at her schedule and tell me – if I was a new patient on the phone – when I could have an appointment, it was two months away! Her team had overzealously scheduled lower-value active patients back for recall and she was not in a position to advertise and onboard a steady flow of new patients.

Script Your Team With Talking Points

Another client dropped all insurance – fast – and the practice team hasn’t yet become savvy on how to convert new patients using their membership plan, or on selling the benefits of the outstanding practice. Because of this, the team is only converting 25% of their inbound calls, dramatically hurting practice production. A team needs support to mitigate the impact of certain business decisions and find a way to become successful. Imagine how disheartening it is for the front office call handlers when they don’t know how to overcome objections. Offer help to your team.

Understand The Competitive Level

When your practice is up against 50 other dental offices in your market range, you can’t get away with hit-and-miss marketing or underinvest in digital and expect good results. To get the attention of a few thousand people around your practice that are ideal for you – when all the other businesses are also vying for their attention – you must invest in a consistent plan. People get thousands of ad messages daily and guess what … dental treatment is not high on the list for most. Breaking through the noise takes consistency. These days, marketing communications that are sent every other month or here and there just aren’t enough. That’s if you have higher expectations for your results. If you’re okay with lower results, great. If not, and you have 70 dentists competing for 30,000 families, you need to outspend the competition and be the practice consumers notice and recognize as the authority in your field.

Understand The Practice Demographic

At Patient NEWS ^® , we work with the top dentists in dentistry. On average, our clients produce $1.8 million annually – that’s just the average. These are successful dental offices that want to stand out in their communities, and they understand the value of patient education. You can get a postcard anywhere; you can get a low-cost website. But that’s often not the ticket to attracting the quality new patients you want. Instead of postcards, consider that newsletters drive 170% higher response, and a high-functioning, quality-rich website will outrank the competition. But that aside, just consider how little dental education consumers have access to. There isn’t an oral health article or interview on the weekly news. Your marketing partner must understand your patient demographic and help you target like-minded people with the content required to break through and stand out from competitors. Content marketing that tells your story and highlights your competitive advantages delivers greater results.

The Mix

An omnichannel approach is critical for overall practice awareness and growth, and it starts by considering the patient journey. We hear it all the time: Digital is the place to be because who reads mail anymore… Guess what? It’s likely that your ideal patient does. We aren’t bashing digital – we are an exclusively dental omnichannel marketing agency, and we have hundreds of clients running successful website and PPC campaigns with us. A great online presence is absolutely critical to converting quality new patients. However, what is ground zero to drive search? Consumers need to be triggered to want to search. Direct mail is the biggest driver of new patients because it is where awareness, interest, and prioritization are triggered on the patient journey. Direct mail is proactive, and it works.

Some people perceive that print marketing is a thing of the past and old-fashioned. Who reads it, they ask. The thing is, most people read their mail – every day. And neuroscience proves that direct mail has incredible, motivating, response-driving power. In fact, when you combine the power of print and digital ads, you boost response by 400%. Over 80% of consumers trust PRINT ads the most when making a buying decision, 80% act on direct mail ads, and 70% of households with an income above $100k are newspaper readers.

Direct mail is proven to drive significantly higher levels of brand recall (77% vs. 46%), and that’s such an important metric for dental offices to consider. As a consumer yourself, think about receiving something tangible that you handle, like mail. You feel it, you smell it, and you engage with it. It impacts.

A well-executed dental marketing “program” that includes a full marketing mix and is backed by a practice that has covered their gaps will have a more successful campaign. Speaking as an agency that builds awesome websites for dentists, it’s proven that direct mail provides a level of credibility, authority, and trustworthiness that digital channels cannot. The thing is, direct mail is easier to understand, is tangible, and triggers emotion. And this type of impact is especially important for cosmetic dentists to consider when crafting their overall marketing strategy when there isn’t as much awareness and brand recognition vs. larger companies that can invest in digital ads. And consider Google, Amazon, and Wayfair … these massive online companies have massive print marketing budgets!

So, wherever you’re at right now, there is abundant opportunity to attract more quality new patients into your practice. You just need the right partner with the right understanding, commitment, and dedication to help steer you toward better results and not just a bigger budget to get more clicks.

I encourage you to schedule a free consultation to discuss your current situation and goals. Why not explore your options and ensure you have the right plan in place to achieve your goals, help improve the visibility of your brand and services, and gain a competitive edge in your market area?

As the rock stars of dentistry, AACD members are an exclusive group with abundant opportunities for practice growth. We are so proud to have worked with many of your colleagues over the past 30 years, great AACD dentists like Dr. Bill Dorfman, Dr. Tom Trinkner, Dr. Guy Lewis, Dr. Mike Malone, and many more, and today new rockstars like Dr. Ben Winters, (AKA The Bentist with 20 Million SM followers) who says “Patient NEWS allowed me to have a system that captures prospective patients, gets them in the office, and gives us the necessary data to navigate our growth into the future. Highly recommend.”

If you want to attract high-quality patients, increase awareness among targeted households, stand out amongst the array of other dental offices, and differentiate from the 10,000 ads those households each get hit with per day – call us and we’ll help you with a plan that will help your practice stand out and grow! We answer the phone!

Joanne Bishop

Reconnect With Your Inactive Patients

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:18:25 GMT

An Alarming Number Have Lapsed

Creating an insanely positive and reassuring experience for dental patients has been tough over the last three years, but the dental industry has done an amazing job in recovery.

Now, analysis of hundreds of different dental offices from across the country that utilize Practice ZEBRA ^® software has revealed that, on average, dental offices have OVER 2,000 patients coded “active” in their practice management system, yet those patients have NOT been in for an appointment or had a transaction with the practice in 18 to 36 months.

Zero. Nada. No visit. AKA “no production.”

These independent dental locations are successful practices with an average annual production of over $1.8 million. Are you aware of how many “active” patients your PMS shows that haven’t had a transaction with you in that timeframe?

You can find out with Practice ZEBRA, and Patient NEWS ^® has a very customized and targeted solution to help you recoup some of that lost production. We answer our phone, so call us for more information anytime!

This extensive quantitative data is a crucial reveal that demonstrates the impact that Covid has had on dental visits, as well as how the digital shift in patient communications has impacted patient behavior. You know, it’s not “new” news that patients lapse due to perceived indifference. Or that sometimes automated reminders and email reactivation messages can make you feel less than appreciated. Combine those factors with some old anxiety and maybe a bit of embarrassment about not keeping appointments … and now you have a sizable h ow.

Let’s quantify further. The average active patient contributes $1,100 in production annually. What if you could reactivate 10% of the patients who haven’t been to your practice in over 18 months? For the average office, that could contribute $250,000. Is that worth a strategic push? We think so.

That’s why we created a customized, targeted patient newsletter to be mailed professionally in envelopes to these patient households. Featuring a warmhearted welcome back message, this campaign will help dental offices reach and obtain this essentially “low-hanging” production back to the practice.

To discuss newsletter content, call 1-888-291-6753 and speak with your Account Manager

There’s a long-standing statistic that reports that retaining just 5% of existing clients impacts profit by 25%. That’s because existing clients tend to spend more over time and refer others to the company. Today, those people also leave positive Google reviews! If you could invest $10,000 and get $200,000 back over the following year, would you?

Clearly, automated reminders and reactivation programs do a good job. But email and text do not reach 100% of patients. Nor do the “best” open rates indicate you can ever expect to reach 100% of your email list. And if those communications go to the guarantor only (and not the head-of-household decision-maker), they are even less effective over time. Hey – I’m not bashing automated communications. We have fantastic email and text appointment reminders, recall reminders, reactivations, eNewsletters, and custom digital promotions, but even with our amazing open rates, it’s just a fact that you can’t reach 100% of patients using email and text. Over time, automation loses impact. For sure digital feels like less of an investment, but print has much more brand-building power. It physically lasts longer (17 days on average in homes vs. eight seconds in inboxes), is easier to understand, has more engagement, and is perceived as special – to consumers of ALL ages. A neuro study proved that print mail is 49% more memorable than email.

Also, on average, 2,081 “active” patients haven’t been active in 18-36 months … so digital efforts aren’t working.

Patient NEWS was founded on the need for printed and tangible patient newsletters – for dentists. Just for dentists since 1993. That’s when many offices didn’t even have an electronic list of patient mailing addresses (LOL) and they would send us a big printout that we manually would enter into our system to mail. Remember those days?!! It was a long time ago BUT guess what? Your patients might be automatically receiving email or text from you but that’s not making them feel special the way dentists used to make patients feel special when they received their quarterly patient newsletter.

We do have hundreds of clients who still mail their printed, quarterly patient newsletter. And they love them! 85% of patients surveyed report appreciating receiving their dental newsletter in the mail.

Seriously, call your Account Manager and get a patient newsletter on the go. We have thousands of articles and images, and with a full editorial and design team, you don’t have to worry about any of it. We will take care of the entire process – including putting together your mailing list, incorporating your logo, staff images, and even creating personal messages. It’s hardly any work for our clients these days. Your patients and lapsing patients will hear about what’s new at your practice, the elective services you’ve got that will benefit them, and just be reminded that you care in a real, tangible way. And “what if” you could bring back 50, 75, or 100 of your quality patients? Would it be worth it? Yes, it would.

This analysis of patients who have been inactive for 18 to 36 months was a special report (which we can provide you for your practice), but what Practice ZEBRA typically tracks in an easily clickable report is “danger” patients. Those who haven’t had a transaction in 9 to 24 months. The industry average for that category floats around 25%.

So, if your practice has 2,000 patients (average), that means around 500 patients are lapsing. And when you consider naturally occurring attrition of 15-20% annually, this doesn’t seem outrageous. Although I should mention that dental offices that are top performers in retention have just 6% in danger. (This percentage doesn’t mean their production is tops, though. New patients add a lot of high-value production, so you have to have appointment space for them in your schedule.)

But, if your practice is sitting with 2,081 patients who haven’t had a visit in 18 to 36 months and those patients haven’t seen another dentist marketing , there is likely some good production waiting to be completed.

We’ve created a special, four-page, customizable, and fun “welcome back” newsletter to be mailed to these patient homes to reactivate them for you. And it’s available at a very reasonable rate based on volume that includes content development, printing, envelopes, postage, and mailing.

This program is a WIN-WIN for your practice!

A patient newsletter , mailed to patient homes, is the only way to reach 100% of patients.
Compare that with email reminders, which have an average open rate of 25-45% (and reach only one person).
Your lapsing patients will appreciate your outreach , boosting patient satisfaction.
It will remind and show patients you care, improving retention.
It’s likely to generate referrals of additional family members.
Value-added educational content will boost elective services.
With minimal investment, attracting back just a few patients will more than pay for your campaign. (Average patient annual value is $1,100.) Plus, there’s opportunity for more treatment for reactivated patients who haven’t seen you in 18 to 36 months!

To find out how many of your “active” patients haven’t been in to see your practice, call us today at 1-888-291-6753 or contact your Account Manager directly. Use PROMO CODE: INACTIVE.

Joanne Bishop

A Look Into How To Leverage GA4 For Dental Practices

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:17:23 GMT

Website Analytics for Dentists

11 years after the introduction of Universal Analytics, Google has introduced Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and we believe this is a game-changer for dental marketing.

Since the shutdown of Universal Analytics on June 30 ^th , 2023, the introduction of the new analytics platform, GA4, has brought new metrics, expanded sources, and detailed insights. And with it, some mixed reviews!

A few days ago on Twitter, a marketer commented on GA4 being like “An overzealous personal trainer who keeps pushing you to achieve unrealistic goals. It bombards you with data and insights, making you feel guilty for not being able to decipher all those charts and graphs.”

And I just want to say, we understand the sentiment! But it goes to show how important it is to make sure your dental marketing agency knows what they’re doing.

According to Google , “Google Analytics 4 has the flexibility to measure many different kinds of data, delivering a strong analytics experience that’s designed for the future.”

“…designed for the future.” We agree!

While the latest iteration of Google Analytics is a whole new level for web analytics, it’s important to understand that its advanced tracking capabilities and improved data analysis tools actually enable dental marketing professionals to better understand how users interact with their campaigns, websites, and content. This allows for better optimization strategies, more targeted marketing efforts – and greater results for our clients.

GA4 offers several benefits over traditional Google Analytics. The new metrics tracked in GA4, such as engagement rate, scroll depth, and video engagement, provide deeper insights into user behavior as well as content performance. We have already had the opportunity to dig in and apply further enhancements to our clients’ websites.

These metrics can be such powerful tools for dental practices aiming to increase patient acquisition through digital marketing efforts. Not happy with your website’s performance? Please contact my team for a free consultation and web audit. We’ll share with you where we see opportunities for improvement and what we can do to boost your web presence.

By using the new user behavior data, we can provide even more valuable insights for improving a website (through tailored website audits ), the dental patient journey, and increasing patient acquisition at your practice.

How To Use Web Analytics For Patient Acquisition (With Real Strategies!)

Through the analysis of web analytics data, we can gain valuable insights into user behavior on dental practice websites, including page visits, interaction patterns, and conversion drop-off points. This information allows us to identify areas of improvement and customize your digital marketing strategies from SEO campaigns to Paid Media (Google’s pay-per-click campaign) and drive successful patient acquisition.

Here’s a sneak peek into how we use web analytics on GA4 at Patient NEWS ^® :

Strategy #1: Bounce Rate

Definition: Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page, indicating the lack of further interaction.

Example: Through web analytics, it may be discovered that a significant number of users leave the website after visiting the appointment booking page. This leads to user journeys remaining incomplete without conversion. By examining user behavior data, we can identify a complex form and lengthy process as potential barriers. With this insight, we’d suggest an optimization of your appointment booking form by simplifying it, possibly reducing the number of required fields, and making the appointment booking process more user-friendly and frictionless.

Strategy #2: Audience Demographics

Definition: Audience demographics refers to the characteristics and traits of website visitors, such as age, gender, and location.

Example: Web analytics can uncover valuable demographic information about your practice’s website visitors. We often find that a specific age group or geographic location shows a higher engagement rate and conversion. With this data, we can create targeted marketing campaigns tailored to that specific demographic , resulting in more effective patient acquisition strategies.

Strategy #3: Session Duration

Definition: The session duration refers to the amount of time a user spends on a website during a single visit, measuring when a user arrives on a page and when they leave.

Example: Understanding the average session duration can help us gauge the level of engagement users have with the website. Longer session durations indicate that visitors are spending more time exploring the content and finding value in it.

By analyzing the pages with the highest session durations, we can identify popular content and replicate its success in other areas. In addition, we can also identify pages with the lowest session durations and optimize them to make them more engaging and informative, thus increasing the chances of converting visitors into patients!

Strategy #4: Conversion Funnels

Definition: Conversion funnels in GA4 track the steps or stages that users go through on a website to complete an action, such as making a purchase or submitting a form.

Example: Mapping out and analyzing the conversion funnels on a dental practice’s website can help identify areas where visitors drop off in the conversion process. For instance, if there is a high drop-off rate during the appointment booking process, it may indicate a complex or confusing form.

By simplifying the booking process or providing clear instructions, dental practices can streamline the conversion funnel and increase the likelihood of visitors becoming patients. Analyzing the conversion funnels can also highlight areas where visitors tend to convert more, enabling dental practices to optimize those areas and replicate their success throughout the website.

Our team strongly believes GA4 now allows dental marketers to identify and address pain points in the patient experience, optimize website content, and streamline the conversion process. By embracing advanced analytics, we are building digital marketing campaigns that are a whole lot more successful!

At Patient NEWS, we prioritize taking a data-driven approach by incorporating diverse GA4 (web analytics) metrics into our dental website builds and marketing campaigns. This approach aims to boost audience engagement, deliver personalized content, and create shorter user journeys that encourage swift conversions and benefit our clients!

Joanne Bishop

Postcard Users: Stop Advertising & Start Educating

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:16:01 GMT

Advertising versus marketing. It matters.

In today’s highly competitive business landscape, marketing and advertising play integral roles in promoting products and services. While they may seem synonymous, they have distinct characteristics and objectives.

This blog explores the differences between marketing and advertising, highlighting the advantages of Patient NEWS ^® educational newsletters as a marketing tool over postcards, which primarily serve advertising purposes. This may explain why newsletters drive a 70% higher response.

The importance of local authority and brand awareness cannot be underestimated, and that’s why “marketing” versus “advertising” has a more substantial and positive impact on dental practice growth.

Marketing & Advertising: A Brief Overview

Marketing encompasses a broad spectrum of activities to identify, anticipate, and satisfy patient needs. It involves strategic planning, market research, and patient journey management. Conversely, advertising is a subset of marketing that focuses on promoting services through single channels, such as television, radio, print media, and online platforms.

Advantages Of Educational Marketing

Our educational newsletter format exemplifies the power of marketing in several ways, as it provides valuable content to readers with educational resources, tips, and insights related to dental care while highlighting services provided by the dental office . It also speaks to all consumers, including dental-avoiders, new movers, families, singles, and all generations.

The format is an authoritative source of information, fostering trust and credibility, and in fact, is the most trusted format during decision-making.

By tailoring content to address the specific needs and interests of the audience demographic and promoting practice services, our neighborhood newsletter program stands out in mailboxes. Not only because it’s 300% larger but because it’s relevant to the community. Through segmentation and targeting strategies, dental practices (and DSOs working to support their affiliates) can reach the right audience with the right message, maximizing the impact of their marketing efforts. Our proven formula drives a 6:1 ROI within 6-12 months.

Postcard Advertising

In contrast to a 4-page educational newsletter campaign, a postcard primarily serves as an advertising tool. Postcards, like newsletters, are effective in reaching a broad audience, but they lack a newsletter’s personalized touch and interactive capabilities. They are often centered around limited-time offers or promotions to grab the recipient’s attention within a brief encounter.

With a shelf life that’s much shorter than a newsletter – 72 hours compared to 17 days – the postcard may initially seem like a good stand-in, but the data proves it’s not. One of the most extensive studies of its kind, A Bias For Action, confirmed that the postcard was the ONLY type of print marketing with a lower motivation score than digital marketing.

We also consistently see that the new patient value generated from a newsletter campaign is significantly higher than both the average new patient value and the value generated from postcard campaigns. This is likely because the postcard attracts shoppers looking for the best new patient offer versus those who will trust a dental office and accept a higher level of recommended treatment.

The Power Of Relationship-Building In Marketing

Unlike advertising, which often focuses on driving immediate sales, marketing aims to build the brand, enhance awareness, improve reputation, and establish and nurture long-term patient connections. By prioritizing patient satisfaction related to your brand, mission, and vision for your practice, relationship-building marketing strategies create a foundation for sustained production growth.

By leveraging the format of an educational newsletter, dental offices can create an ongoing dialogue with their target audience, building awareness, providing value, attracting higher quality new patients, reactivating patients, and strengthening patient loyalty and referrals of family and friends.

Do You Use Postcards?

99% of our clients utilize neighborhood newsletters rather than postcards. Here are their results:

Our clients have recovered from Covid closures at a pace that is 40% higher than the average dental practice.
Our clients’ average production is MORE THAN DOUBLE that of the average dental practice.
In 2023, our clients have posted production that’s been HIGHER EVERY MONTH versus the same period over the last four years!

My team does fantastic work helping our clients uncover their unique differentiators to tailor newsletter content; we deep dive into the demographic and practice draw area and develop a program and distribution strategy to deliver consistent practice growth.

In summary, marketing and advertising differ in their scope and objectives. Marketing encompasses a broader range of activities that includes advertising and focuses on building relationships, trust, and long-term patient loyalty.

I welcome your call personally any time, or you can schedule a free consultation and find out how you can get better results from a neighborhood newsletter program.

And with Patient NEWS, programs are further enhanced by digital printing, which enables campaigns to be personalized to the household name and include dynamic QR codes to track scans down to the address. Coupled with call tracking and Practice ZEBRA ^® , our clients can track new patient production from their newsletter.

If you’re a successful dental practice interested in growth, it’s worth looking at a newsletter campaign for your office.

Is Your Marketing Working As Good As It Can?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:14:36 GMT

Uncovering Gaps You Might Not Realize

There are abundant opportunities for growth for dental offices. Given that the average dental practice has around 2,000 patients in a market opportunity of 50,000, 60,000, or more (I’m talking within a few miles at most), you really can’t market enough to increase awareness for the practice among those important households. Not only to make the practice stand out amongst the array of other dental offices but to also differentiate from the other 10,000 ads those household members each get hit with per day.

While you’re at it, can you add this sentence to the paragraph that ends “Go answer it!” Isn’t it nice when someone picks up the phone and helps you right away? This metric is one of the most important things your practice can focus on.

Are you getting all you can from your dental marketing program?

Is the marketing program you’ve designated for your practice the right one? Is it bringing in the results you want? Have you done the analysis of what is needed to have a more successful outcome? Have you identified the gaps and barriers, and what might make or break your results?

Oftentimes, we’ll speak to a potential client, and they’ll have ‘a feeling’ that they could be getting more from their marketing investments. Sometimes they’re investing huge budgets into Google Ads but are attracting low-value patients, or they’re doing it “because everyone is, right?” Recently a (smart) dental colleague said, “PPC is a race to the bottom; I’m telling all my clients to shift budgets to direct mail.” With all these influences impacting your decisions, it can be tough to figure out what’s best for your practice.

So, what about your results? Do you want more new patients and to grow production, but your healthy marketing budget and current strategy aren’t yielding the results you want?

Sometimes a gap analysis can help. What is the barrier to adding more new patients? It’s usually not just the marketing that isn’t working – there are many factors that can make or break practice results.

Make Room For New Patients

I was on a call with a super successful dentist who knew she wanted to bring in new, higher-quality production. She felt that her active patients had had the treatment they were going to take, and she wasn’t going to grow without adding more new. When I asked her to look at her schedule and tell me – if I was a new patient on the phone – when I could have an appointment, it was two months away! Her team had overzealously scheduled lower-value active patients back for recall and she was not in a position to advertise to and onboard a steady flow of new patients. The toughest thing is, she was right. Her active patients, like most dental practices, contributed half the production of new patients. And without new patients, referrals of friends and family slow down. She had to come up with a solution to fix the scheduling issue and add more convenient and fast availability.

Script Your Team With Talking Points

Another client dropped all insurance – fast – and the practice team hasn’t yet become savvy on how to convert new patients using their membership plan, or on selling the benefits of the outstanding practice. It ends up that the team is only converting around 25% of their inbound calls. This is dramatically hurting practice production, so the team needs support to mitigate the business decision and find a way to become successful. Imagine how disheartening it is for the front office call handlers when they don’t know how to overcome objections. Offer help to your team.

Make Your Team Aware Of The Value Of New Patients

New patients contribute an average of $1800 in production versus active patients that contribute a thousand. Every time the phone goes unanswered, it costs money. When you are investing in marketing to make the phone ring, answer it. When you don’t, marketing results are sacrificed. The average dental practice answers 75% of their calls, while top practices capture over 90%. This dramatically improves marketing results. And sometimes, the doctor needs to be aware that this should be a priority. Wait – do you hear your phone ringing in the background? Go answer it!

Isn’t it nice when someone picks up the phone and helps you right away? This metric is one of the most important things your practice can focus on.

Understand The Competitive Level

Understand The Practice Demographic

At Patient NEWS ^® , we work with the top dentists in dentistry. On average, our clients produce $1.8 million annually – that’s just the average. These are successful dental offices that want to stand out in their communities, and they understand the value of patient education. You know, you can get a postcard anywhere, but that’s often not the ticket to attracting the quality new patients you want. In fact, we know that newsletters drive 170% higher response than a postcard. But that aside, just consider how little dental education consumers have access to. There isn’t an oral health article or interview on the weekly news. So, when you understand your patient demographic and you’re targeting like-minded people, you understand the messaging required to break through and stand out from competitors.

Speaking Of The Practice Demographic …

Don’t try to reach into a market that is outside of your practice draw area because you perceive higher value. That 100% never works on a scale that supports a dental office marketing budget – unless you have unlimited budgets to test these areas. Every dental practice has a core draw area and a ton of opportunity within it.

Understand New-Patient Value

It’s super interesting for us to see the metrics in Practice ZEBRA ^® and understand new-patient value – and the production directly generated by specific marketing campaigns. We are the only dental marketing software to provide you with your average new-patient value. What we do with this is two-fold. One, we can project what each new patient should end up contributing to your practice based on your actual average value, and two, we also track the actual production generated. It’s very cool to see that patients generated from a newsletter campaign – where educational content is shared – often outspend what an average new patient will contribute to the practice. So again, for our average clients, a new patient contributes close to $2,000 per year. And that’s with new patient offers, low point-of-entry membership plans, etc. New patients spend more almost 100% of the time. That’s where you can look at treatment presentation. Dr. Hazel Glasper, one of our great clients, once said to me that it is a disservice to the patient to not tell them about everything they need and could have. She believes in comprehensive care and that an educated patient is a better patient. And we see the metrics to prove that. As a non-dentist dental consumer, I can tell you I want to know my options, and I’ll prioritize if I want to budget them in. You’d be surprised who will spend what!

The Mix

Don’t underestimate the mix of marketing formats required for a top-producing marketing program. We hear it all the time: Digital is the place to be because who reads mail anymore… Guess what? It’s likely that your ideal patient does. Don’t feel like I’m bashing digital – we have hundreds of clients running successful website and PPC campaigns with us and we know it’s super important to have a great online presence and be there when people are searching. However, what is ground zero to drive search? Consumers need to be triggered to want to search. That’s where direct mail comes into play. It’s proactive and it works.

A well-executed dental marketing “program” that includes a full marketing mix and is backed by a practice that has covered their gaps will have a more successful campaign. Speaking as an agency that builds awesome websites for dentists, it’s proven that direct mail provides a level of credibility, authority, and trustworthiness that digital channels cannot. The thing is, direct mail is easier to understand, is tangible, and triggers emotion. And this type of impact is especially important for small businesses, like dental practices, to consider when crafting their overall marketing strategy when there isn’t as much awareness and brand recognition vs. larger companies that can invest in digital ads. And consider Google, Amazon, and Wayfair … these massive online companies have massive print marketing budgets!

I encourage you to speak with one of our Account Managers about your marketing program. They’ll ensure you have the right plan in place to achieve your goals, help you improve the visibility of your brand and services, and gain a competitive edge in your market area.

We’ve been the trusted marketing partner for thousands of dental offices and DSOs just like you. Give us a call today!

Joanne Bishop

You’re Halfway Through The Year – Are You Where You Want To Be?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:13:26 GMT

As a successful dentist or dental office/DSO manager, who would you like managing your direct mail or website campaign? A jack-of-all-trades company or a DENTAL marketing expert?

My question was spurred by a conversation with my daughter, who works at a very specialized firm within her (not dental) industry. When I referred to another company in that industry as a competitor of hers, she was not pleased. “Mom,” she said firmly. “That’s like comparing any jack-of-all-trades marketing company that works for auto dealers, veterinarians, real estate agents, dentists, whatever, to Patient NEWS! Those companies can’t be EXPERTS in dental like Patient NEWS. Dental is your complete focus. Those others dabble. Patient NEWS is SKILLED and brings more to the table than any of the others. How many create superior dental educational content? How many work with the leaders in your field? You should emphasize that more in your marketing!”

She’s right, and it’s true. We have dedicated our careers to the dental industry. We’ve worked with some of the most successful dentists around. We have focused exclusively on helping dental offices attract and retain patients for the past 30 years with proven results and a pretty good reputation! We are real people who care about our business and our clients’ success. We like to say we are dental people, too, because we are!

Now we are halfway through the year, are you headed where you want? And will it be a jack-of-all or a dental expert to help you achieve your goals? Here’s what you can expect from the dental marketing experts at Patient NEWS:

On average, our clients produce over a million dollars more annually than the average dental practice – that’s MORE THAN double industry average.
Our clients have had higher-than-average recovery results since reopening after COVID.
As of May 2023, our clients are 40% ahead of the industry recovery rate.
Our client production has been higher every month in 2023 versus the same period in the previous four years.

We’ve worked with hundreds of dental offices on thousands of successful (and a few not-so-successful) marketing campaigns – direct mail newsletters , postcards, websites , paid media – and we’ve listened to and scored millions (literally) of new-patient calls, with thousands of offices connected to Practice ZEBRA ^® , our marketing software, and reported on the real results of every campaign.

This means our Patient NEWS ^® team has very unique knowledge of what works and what does not with access to hard data – not anecdotal commentary, not pulling patient lists, and not guessing at average production. This allows us to see the actual new-patient production per campaign and beyond.

It also lets us in on what it takes to be successful with marketing and why some programs aren’t so successful. This means we can help guide your dental practice by applying the proven methodologies we’ve crafted and refined and analyzed to ensure that your programs are successful in making your practice stand out in the community and driving your production UP.

We know you have lots of choice when it comes to your marketing partners, but consider the unique benefits of an exclusively dental marketing agency! We very much value the dentists and DSOs that choose us and work very hard to deliver on our brand promise – to make your practice or DSO stand out and grow!

One of the biggest things we do differently is education. We can do postcards, but they just don’t work as well as educational neighborhood newsletters that have a 2X impact over digital marketing AND postcards! My CEO, Wayne Lavery, said today that we should say, “Stop marketing and start educating!” Given that 35-40% of the population haven’t seen a dentist in the last year – some of that is based on uneducated worries about cost, assuming their teeth are “healthy,” or an outdated fear of the visit – and dentists are complaining that not enough patients are booking appointments, doesn’t it make sense that using our formula and format for including educational content will set your practice up to attract the quality new patients you want while simultaneously boosting production?

Again, we are halfway through the year and we see reports from dentists that they don’t have enough patients making appointments and this is something the team at Patient NEWS can really help change if this is a problem at your practice.

Every market has abundant production opportunities! Consider this: The average dental practice has around 2,000 active patients or around 1,500 households – and for most, there are 15,000 households within their realistic drive time and target audience. With natural patient attrition eating away at production, there really are lots of opportunities to add more high-value new patients to your practice – and grow production. Our clients’ stats prove it. When consumers learn more about their oral health via your educational newsletters, they feel closer to you and choose your dental practice. On average, our clients achieve a 6:1 ROI within the first 6-12 months when they run our program as directed.

Building trust is one of the most important things your marketing plan must do. I’m sure you’ve had a myriad of training on how to build trust as a practitioner.

The question is, are those trust-building concepts playing out in your marketing programs? Are you consistently:

Visible to your target audience? Visibility, awareness, and being there when others are not – these tactics help build consumer trust.
Showing that you care? You can do this by providing a great onboarding experience, proactive value-added direct mail, and a fast, user-friendly website with easy and convenient scheduling.
Being helpful? Educational formats, like our newsletters, allow you to share content, share your knowledge, and become recognized, known, and trusted as a dental authority by your community. Not just the shop that has a $1 exam.
Being honest? Collect reviews from patients and respond to them – reviews can share your value prop and differentiate your practice.
Communicating effectively? Find the households that matter to your practice and be there consistently.

Building trust with patients is a long-game program, just as it is in any relationship. When considering your marketing strategy, consider the “plan” and what you want to communicate to the households surrounding your practice. What do they need to know? How will you set your dental practice apart?

Our tracking and analysis capabilities provide us with very unique insights into what works to drive practice production – insights based on real data and not anecdotal information. We know that for most markets, educational newsletters attract patients far more effectively than postcards. That’s likely because the household decision-maker wants quality information to make good decisions for their family. We also know what doesn’t work.

We are at the halfway point of 2023. Six months from now, we’ll be organizing holiday events and wondering what we’re doing for New Year’s Eve.

Are you on track to hit the production number you set for your practice this year?

If yes, keep doing more of what you’re doing now.

If not, we can help you reassess your plan, find opportunities, and get your boost into play. Here’s why you should listen to the team at Patient NEWS:

On average, our clients produce over a million dollars more annually than the average dental practice – that’s MORE THAN double industry average.
Our clients have had higher-than-average recovery results since reopening after COVID.
As of May 2023, our clients are 40% ahead of the industry recovery rate.
Our client production has been higher every month in 2023 versus the same period in the previous four years.

Want to get in on this action? Schedule a FREE CONSULT now!

Joanne Bishop

The KPIs Dentists Should Care About But Don’t Always Know

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:12:17 GMT

Today, I heard someone say that missed calls at a dental office are an epidemic, which is dramatic, but it’s kinda true. Call handling metrics are something we’ve been analyzing since 2013. After scoring something like 2 million dental patient phone calls, we can tell you that around 400,000 were missed. Yikes.

There are 4 KPIs dentists should care about but don’t always know “for sure:”

The value the average single new patient contributes to practice production
The practice call conversion rate
The practice call answer rate
The impact hit-and-miss marketing has on new-patient flow.

We welcome you to experience a live, free demo of Practice ZEBRA ^® , our innovative, leading-edge marketing software, and you can find out the KPI for #1 and #4 for your practice with call handling rates coming after we track marketing. Schedule a free consultation and find out more.

Let’s tackle it in reverse order and start with #4.Here’s a practice that mails every other month for budget reasons (when they don’t really need to budget). You can see that their new-patient results are up and down. If this office had a more consistent approach, they would have a much more consistent new-patient flow.

#3: Call answer.

Another factor holding that practice back is call answer. This same practice is answering calls at a pace that is far below industry average.

That is a 27% variance below industry average on answering calls. That means on 100 calls, they miss 52! That is HUGE and has a significantly negative impact on practice production.

Across the industry, the average dental office answers 75% of calls, but our most successful clients focus on this key metric and work hard to answer over 90% of inbound calls.

#2: Call conversion is a tough one.

You want to give your team all the support they can get to convert calls, but sometimes you’ve made insurance decisions that just can’t be overcome. Sometimes a membership plan can work wonders, but you do need a really savvy sales-oriented person answering the phone to work on that.

I always say that you can work on conversion, but if the practice just answers more calls live, new patients will automatically go up.

#1: The biggie. New-patient value.

This is the metric that is the reason you want to work on answering more calls live. Every call could be another “Jeff,” the patient who spends $7,500 on an elective service.

The average new dental patient contributes $1,700 – $1,800 in the first year (top offices exceed $4,000). The only dental software I know that calculates the average value a new patient contributes to your practice is Practice ZEBRA. This is a critical metric needed to calculate marketing ROI accurately … Although Practice ZEBRA doesn’t require averages for that – it calculates ROI down to the penny on what new patients actually spend in production, so you know your exact ROI from your web or direct mail campaign. Pretty amazing stuff. Anyone can have a free demo with their data live in ZEBRA to capture their practice’s new-patient value.

Let’s say you’re similar to the typical successful dentists we work with – production around $1.7 million annually with a new patient value around $2,000. And then let’s say your office team is also typical and answers 75% of inbound calls.

Each month you get a couple hundred new-patient calls. Let’s call it 50 per week. 25% are unanswered. Just 12 calls are missed each week. Not much, right?

Except, let’s say 6 of those calls would have converted to appointments.

Each week: 6 x $2000 = $12,000

Each month: 24 x $2,000 = $48,000

Annually: $576,000 in missed production… not to mention family and friend referrals…

The call answer metric is CRITICAL for a dental office. Could you add one more new patient to your schedule each day? To contribute that kind of revenue?

Call answer rates have declined since the pandemic from around 80% to the current 75%. So, our average client is missing around 25% of their inbound new-patient calls. And those practices are actively marketing and working to onboard more new patients. Imagine what the stat is for dental offices that aren’t focused on this metric! It’s probably staggering, and accepting a 50% answer rate is hard to understand because there are solutions to improve.

Moreover, poor call answer rates will reflect on the practice’s reputation in the community. “Oh, I called that practice; they never answer.” It not only costs your dental practice missed opportunity production, but it also impacts your reputation, which affects everyone working at the office, holding them back from better earning opportunities and security!

Another metric I mentioned above is knowing the average value of a new patient. Most often, a new patient is worth over 60% more than an average patient, and a steady flow of new patients injects fresh, new production into the practice.

Our marketing software, Practice ZEBRA, is unique in that it provides your key marketing performance indicators – KPIs – that include call answer, conversion, and accurate attribution by call, form, and address match – down to the penny on what patients spend in production.

These are metrics we’ve been coaching our clients on since 2013, when we launched call scoring, and were able to help clients get more from their marketing campaigns by revealing the issue of missed calls. Back then, these insights were so new that when we uncovered the issue for a large group client missing 40% of calls, they then asked us what WE were going to do about it! LOL. So, we have identified the issue, but now it’s about training clients on the importance of this metric.

The significance of answering calls live cannot be underestimated. It’s one of the most critical tasks your practice can complete when you’re working to attract and convert more new patients. When we look at the marketing campaigns that garnered the greatest ROI, the call answer rate for the practice always plays a key role, as does new-patient value, which includes treatment planning for the wellness of the patient and the practice.

According to the latest ADA HPI survey results, not enough new patients asking for appointments is preventing average dentists from getting back to pre-Covid production. That is related to not enough proactive and consistent marketing, but it can also be attributed to just missing too many calls.

When we asked one of our longtime, favorite clients how she manages her very busy practice and call handling – she runs a powerhouse solo and SUCCESSFUL practice with a huge team, so I recommend you read this – here’s what she said:

“We work to be fully staffed 80 to 100% of the time, and we have a dedicated call office with 1 or 2 front desk team members in there to answer incoming calls first, to try to get phones off of the front desk – not that we can always achieve that. Additional overflow then goes to the team members working at the front desk.

We have a system in the order of:

Call handlers in the dedicated office answer first
Front desk check-in positions answer second
Front desk checkout position answer third.

As you can easily predict, if an office is short-staffed, you will definitely see a reduced amount of answered calls. When we have too many team members gone due to illness or vacations, it does affect our ability to answer our phones. ��

TIP: We also keep at least 1 to 2 front desk team members working during times we are no longer seeing patients. These are very important times to answer your phones. For example: We are done seeing patients at 4:00 pm on Wednesdays but keep a team member at the front desk until 5:00 pm. We do expect them to answer calls up until 5:00 pm, so sometimes they are here until 5:15. We stop seeing patients on Fridays at 2:00 pm, but staff the front desk until 5:00 pm. You would be surprised at how many calls come in at 4:55 pm! New patient calls especially. ��

In my opinion, it is always a good idea to have someone answering your phones – even if your office is closed one day a week. Suggestion: Have a front desk team member answering phones for all or part of those hours. It is a great opportunity to book new patients and fill the schedule for the next day or upcoming week.”

At the end of the day, it’s imperative to do what you can to get calls answered live. I remember another powerhouse, super-successful client who saw her call answer rate in PZ and said: “How are top practices getting their numbers? I’m pretty competitive …” And then she made it happen!

Bring your goals into focus, and you will prioritize them to happen.

If you’re not getting enough new patients or you’re lacking a steady flow of new patients, talk to our team. They will get you on a program that will drive results!

Joanne Bishop

4 Ways To Supercharge Your Website

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:11:09 GMT

Are you struggling to attract more patients to your dental practice through your website?

To ensure you’re maximizing your web traffic and conversions, it’s essential that your site is optimized to attract and convert potential patients using best practices and effective optimization programs.

Here are four top strategies to help you dominate your online space and get more new patients from your website.

#1 Create A Digital Front Door That Wows Potential Patients.

There is the traffic piece, but before you worry about attracting more visitors to your site, make sure it’s highly functioning. You want it to be easier than ever for potential patients to find what they need on your website when they land there. Streamline your design and navigation for lightning-fast load times, utilize responsive and mobile-friendly layouts, and make sure your messaging provides crystal-clear readability.

Let’s look at some ways to optimize the user experience on your practice website so potential patients can find what they need with ease and speed:

Use a clean and simple design: This approach helps visitors navigate the website with ease. Avoid clutter that distracts the eye, causes confusion, and interrupts the decision-making process. You want your design to be visually appealing , of course, but make sure it functions properly and provides easy-to-read content that directs the visitor to do what you want – call or schedule an appointment! That means ensuring that the site navigation isn’t hidden or confusing and that it’s easy to use for all ages. Keep in mind that a website’s design is a reflection of a dental practice’s brand and that it can influence potential patients’ first impressions of the practice.
Make your website mobile-friendly: With more and more people accessing the internet from their mobile devices, it’s crucial to optimize your website for mobile. This ensures that visitors can easily navigate and access information, no matter what device they are using, because the website adjusts to the user’s screen and provides a seamless browsing experience.
Optimize website speed: Slow-loading websites can lead to a negative user experience and cause visitors to leave the website or “bounce.” Speed is gained when images are optimized, unnecessary website elements are reduced, and website caching is utilized. A fast-loading website not only improves user experience, it can also improve search engine rankings. Our Turbo Technology ensures that the websites we create for dentists are the fastest in dentistry!
Ensure crystal-clear readability: Website content should be presented in a clear and concise manner with easily readable fonts and proper line spacing. The information should be easy to comprehend (i.e., grade 3-5 for the dental patient) and visually appealing. Easy-to-understand content increases the likelihood of visitors following the directed action – scheduling an appointment – and becoming potential patients.
Have fun for engagement: Showing the practice’s personality on your website is proven to yield results. Beyond the landing page, most visitors will immediately check out your About Us section. They want to see who they’ll be working with at your practice, so include smiling, happy images of all team members. There are also fun tools you can use, like FlashSmile ^® , our proprietary and interactive application, to engage patients in whitening their smile via their own selfie, which can lead them to schedule an appointment!

#2 Showcase Your Happy Patients To Win Over New Ones.

Build Trust with Reviews and Testimonials

You can impress potential patients by showcasing your happy patients’ stories and experiences. Gather glowing reviews and testimonials and display them prominently on your practice website.

Reviews serve as powerful tools to build trust and credibility with customers. By showcasing satisfied patients’ feedback, dental practices impress potential patients and win them over. Displaying prominent reviews on the website goes a long way toward building trust and reassuring potential patients that they are making the right choice.

Pro-tip: To get the most out of reviews and testimonials, ensure that they’re from a range of patients, including those who have had a variety of dental treatments. This can include routine checkups, cleanings, fillings, root canals, orthodontic treatment, and more. You can then showcase the breadth of services you offer and demonstrate your expertise in a variety of areas.

Dental practices should also encourage patients to leave feedback after their visit. This can be done through follow-up emails and texts and by having a review section on the website. Once the reviews and testimonials are gathered, they should be displayed prominently on the website, ideally on the homepage or a dedicated testimonials page. Review BOOSTER from Patient NEWS ^® is best-in-class, and users generate 3X the reviews after launching.

It’s also important to ensure that your reviews and testimonials are genuine and trustworthy . Never include fake reviews, and use a display widget to present real reviews from Google, Facebook, or those collected through your trusted review sites. This will help maintain the practice’s credibility so that potential patients see they can trust the feedback they read. Google is still the number one go-to for reviews.

Review interaction is up by 50% since the pandemic, so it’s important to manage your review program effectively. 53% of consumers feel that companies don’t respond fast enough to all reviews. We know that automating reviews can be scary for dental offices, but when you understand that people can use good judgment when reading reviews, you can embrace the process. One critical element is to always respond to reviews as it shows potential patients that the practice cares, and you can redirect reviewers to contact you directly to resolve any issues. Responding to feedback makes a real, positive, and measurable impact on your practice. In fact, 45% of consumers say they are more likely to visit a business if it responds to negative reviews. Embrace reviews! This strategic activity reflects well on the practice and will assist in generating more new patients from your website (and all marketing initiatives).

The team at Patient NEWS is experienced in all things digital, so why not schedule a FREE CONSULTATION now and find out how we can help you improve your online presence?!

#3 Recognize The Importance Of Instant Responsiveness In The Digital Age.

Increase Accessibility and Responsiveness

Be there when patients need you the most! Stay connected and accessible to potential patients with instant response times, and make sure your website is designed for smooth and speedy communication.

Today, instant responsiveness is crucial for dental practices to stay competitive. The increase in connectedness has also decreased people’s patience. Consumer attention spans are dropping, and that old goldfish might have a longer attention span than visitors to your website!

Patients want a quick and seamless experience when searching for dental services online. By staying connected and accessible to potential patients with instant response times, dental practices can increase their chances of converting website visitors into patients.

One way to increase accessibility and responsiveness is by providing multiple ways for potential patients to contact the dental practice , such as phone, email, or online chat. Our call tracking lines include instant missed alerts, so the office can respond quickly when a call isn’t answered – and when a quality patient hangs up without scheduling. You can no longer wait 30 minutes after a voicemail and expect to capture that new patient who’s worth an average of $1800 per year. Instant responsiveness contributes big value to annual production.

It’s also important to make sure that the practice website is designed for smooth and speedy communication. This means optimizing load times, ensuring that website forms are easy to fill out and submit, and providing clear and concise information throughout the site. By doing so, potential patients will be more likely to reach out and schedule an appointment.

#4 Crafting A Compelling Online Presence That Converts Visitors Into Patients.

Analyze and Improve Conversion Rates

Crafting a compelling online presence is essential for any dental practice looking to attract and retain patients. You want great headlines as these are points of entry for the consumer to understand your content, and they need to be compelling to click. Content should be brief but emotionally engaging. An effective online presence is not just about having a website; it’s about creating a website that engages and motivates and is optimized to convert visitors into patients.

One of the key elements of a successful website is a strong focus on conversion rate optimization (CRO) . CRO involves analyzing and improving the percentage of visitors who take a desired action on your website, such as scheduling an appointment or filling out a contact form.

By optimizing your website’s conversion funnels , you can maximize the number of patients who come through your door.

To improve conversion rates, it’s also essential to craft persuasive content that speaks directly to your potential patients. This means identifying their pain points, desires, and motivations and using that information to create content that resonates with them.

Finally, it’s important to use tracking technology to monitor your website’s performance, as well as new patient call handling, in order to gather data on user behavior. By analyzing this data, you can identify areas for improvement and continuously refine your website – and internal practice processes – to better meet the needs of your potential patients and increase new-patient flow.

BONUS STRATEGY #5!

Hire the experienced team at Patient NEWS to deliver a rock-solid, supercharged web presence for your dental practice. Celebrating 30 years of helping dentists and DSOs stand out and grow means we’ve learned a thing or two that you can leverage instead of worrying about learning by trial and error.

Building a strong online presence requires both effort and patience, but the rewards are definitely worth it. By following these strategies and regularly monitoring and improving your online presence, you can take your dental practice to new heights and enjoy long-term success.

Seriously, there is no need for you to worry about these tactics and strategies – we are here to help you build a robust online presence for your dental practice! Our experienced team wants to work with you to develop and implement a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that will help you attract more patients. From website design and SEO to social media and online reputation management, we offer a range of services to help you achieve your online marketing goals.

Schedule a free consultation today!

Joanne Bishop

3 Ways To Get More New Patients

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:09:54 GMT

Are you looking for ways to boost your new patient flow and add production? Direct mail is the number one way to build awareness and attract more new patients to your practice. And then, there are three distinct ways you can get more from your current neighborhood direct mail program (and a fourth – if you’re using postcards – switch to newsletters)!

Here are three ways to attract more new patients and get better results.

1. Increase direct mail frequency

Regardless of how effective your practice is at converting new patient inquiries into appointments, when you generate more inquiries, you will add more new patients. If your team generally converts 50% into appointments, you’ll get five from 10 or 10 from 20.

Mail frequency matters. To build awareness of your practice and develop a RECOGNIZABLE brand, your practice communications should be hitting area mailboxes every month. It’s not just that we say to mail monthly – it’s a proven tactic with visible, tracked results. Twice a month would be overkill, but if you space mailings out too long and aren’t making your monthly house call, residents may forget about you when they have a dental need or are ready to make a buying decision.

Why listen to what I’m writing? Here are the stats:

Patient NEWS® client production has recovered from the pandemic at a pace that is 25% higher than industry average.
Patient NEWS’ average client practice production is more than TWICE that of an average dental office.

The dental offices that are working with us are achieving better than industry-average results – in both COVID recovery and overall production!

At Patient NEWS, clients get transparent results via Practice ZEBRA® marketing software, which also allows us to see results and how they vary for the dental offices that stick to their monthly new-patient plan versus those that space out mailings or are hit-and-miss. We literally watch new-patient flow fluctuate when the plan isn’t executed per our proven process, and that’s as frustrating for us as it is for the client.

When implementing any marketing program, for sure you want to track your results and watch that ROI. Make sure you have a system in place to track calls, web activity, and results from the targeted addresses you’re going after.

With proper tracking, you will see that monthly targeted mail programs are the proven winner. It’s a system that must be followed, and frequency is literally one of the items on the direct mail checklist for success. Just last week, a dental hygienist said to me, “I love checklists – that’s how we operate in practice!” So, if that’s how every dental procedure works, with detailed processes and checkpoints, why wouldn’t you apply the same principles to your direct mail marketing program?

Of course, you want your mailer to be high-quality, and you want it to demonstrate your unique value proposition. Neighborhood newsletters do exactly that while attracting more quality patients than postcards. But it’s vital to send it to precisely targeted homes every month to facilitate a consistent and healthy new-patient flow.

2. Increase your direct mail quantity

The budget debate! Reach or frequency? Frequency rules, but a critical consideration is quantity or “reach.” If you’re already being consistent with a monthly target of 5,000 households and want more new-patient activity, consider expanding to 7,500 or 10,000 households.

For most dental offices, we find that, generally, anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 households monthly delivers a very good result, with around a 6:1 ROI in the first 6 to 12 months. However, if you’re looking for increased growth, you’re supporting more than one dentist, and/or the market is competitive, a further investment in quantity (combined with frequency) may need to be considered.

Don’t expand with a hit-and-miss plan to “test” – ensure that you are precisely targeting households primed to respond and then be consistent. Go after like audiences in areas that the practice currently draws patients from. Don’t reach outside of the draw area because another neighborhood might be higher-end – that’s always a waste of time and money – and don’t randomly expand into different areas from one month to the next. The key to expansion is the frequency factor – you must get in front of residents monthly and stay consistent. Consistency moves your practice from recognition to brand recall, and the right messaging and format keeps your business top of mind and generates a feeling of preference for your practice over others.

If your brick-and-mortar office is staying in its current location, then consider that households in your practice neighborhood are yours. That’s your backyard, and you want to own it. There are pockets of the neighborhoods that you WANT to know your office; those are the households you want to choose your practice. And remember: homeowners change. Dental needs change. Consumer priorities change. Your patients are lapsing, changing providers, moving away, etc. Mailing to those targeted households every month puts your practice there, in front of your prospects, with quality information and a gentle reminder that you are there for them. Direct mail is the only method of marketing that provides you with 100% reach of your audience, and it keeps your practice visible on a consistent basis. You can be more visible and make a more positive impression by providing value in your mailings with educational articles and healthy recipes, along with information on why potential patients should choose your dental services. These strategies will build and strengthen your practice reputation and set you apart as an authority in your field.

By taking a strategic approach to building relationships with your market area and nurturing them over time, you will ramp up the number of new patients that choose your practice.

Frequency comes first.

3. Answer more calls live

As Karen Galley, President of Patient NEWS, recently commented, “There is a customer service crisis, and it’s AI that’s doing us a disservice.”

Think about it yourself. When was the last time you had a great customer service experience?

When you pick up the phone and provide a level of service, you offer patients a better experience, the trusted relationship begins, and the entire patient journey is positively impacted. Every touchpoint matters.

As I stated at the beginning of this blog, regardless of your call conversion rate, if you answer more calls, you’ll schedule more patients. Clients that get better results and higher marketing ROI answer more calls live. In today’s AI-driven chat and messaging world, just picking up the phone adds value.

Consumers appreciate their business being appreciated.

The average dental practice answers 72% of calls live, and they convert 56% to appointments. What’s the reverse math on that?

For every 10 calls, three are missed.

Of the seven answered, less than four book an appointment.

Those three missed new patients? They contribute an average of $1800 in production.

That’s $5,000 missed dollars.

So, answering the phone can be a valuable differentiator for your practice. Others aren’t doing it. But let’s look at this incrementally. Say you answer the phone a bit more and end up adding another two or three new patients per week … it starts to snowball. On a monthly basis, you could contribute an extra $20,000 to the topline … do that every month, and now we’re getting close to a quarter of a million in added production annually. And don’t forget to respond fast to online form fills with requests for appointments. That one overlooked form represents $1800.

With a slight focus, you can add hundreds of thousands in production, just by taking a small step each day. That’s with the same team, facing the same objections, and converting at a pace of 56%. Conversion is a different story, with top practices achieving 83% conversion, but that is an entirely different bucket of fish based on scripting, insurance participation, market pressures, etc.

So, a) increase direct mail frequency, b) add further reach if needed, and c) answer more calls. All of a sudden, you’re going to find yourself ahead of your goals and relaxing with some new toys!

Frequency
Reach
Customer Service

At the end of the day, Patient NEWS clients are ahead of industry average production recovery and production itself. For more information on our winning checklist, call now or schedule a free consultation and find out how our proven process works and how it can benefit your practice.

Thanks for reading!

Joanne Bishop

Unlocking The Secret To Google’s First Page

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:08:46 GMT

The past decade has seen search engines become an essential tool in our daily lives. We’ve grown accustomed to turning to Google for guidance on everything from where to eat to where to send our children to school. Google’s vast database of information has become a primary source of knowledge and greatly influences our decision-making.

Why would the process of selecting a dentist be any different?

As a dental marketing company with over 30 years of expertise, we’ve seen firsthand how important a dental practice’s online presence is in today’s digital age.

Google’s search results page (SERP) displays millions of business listings worldwide, and the results are tailored to the user’s location and search history. Businesses use filters to target specific audiences and show up in the most relevant search results.

According to the American Dental Association, there are over 200,000 practicing dentists in North America. That’s a lot of competition! With so many dentists vying for patients’ attention and an estimated 7% of Google’s daily searches (a billion a day) being health-related, it’s more important than ever to have a strong online presence. And when it comes to online presence, website ranking is key.

Think about it: How often do you click through to the second or third page of Google results? Not very often. In fact, studies have shown that the first page of Google results gets 91% of all clicks. This means if your dental practice isn’t on that coveted first page, you’re missing out on a lot of potential patients.

If you’ve been concerned that your website is sitting stagnant and missing out on important new-patient traffic, we can help. Our website and SEO programs have been exclusively developed for dental offices. As an exclusively dental marketing agency, we understand how to improve both your website ranking and new-patient conversions.

Insights and Strategies for Elevating Your Dental Practice’s Search Engine Ranking

The importance of a strong digital presence for dental practices cannot be overstated – especially when it comes to search engine ranking. As the first page of Google results garners the majority of clicks, it’s crucial that dental practices aim to secure a spot on that page.

Simply having a website is not enough – your website must be continually optimized for search engines in order to show up. That’s the work we web developers do behind the scenes specifically for search engines like Google and not necessarily visitor-facing elements. Factors such as search history and online activity are taken into account by Google when determining the most relevant results to display, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that will signal Google effectively so that it recognizes the relevance and chooses to present that website in the search result.

Have you ever run a search from two different devices and seen different results? This is because Google reads your search history and online activity before determining the most relevant results to display.

Search engines use a complex algorithm to determine the most relevant search results based on a variety of factors, including a person’s search history, location, and keywords used in the query. For example, if you search for “dentist near me” from your mobile phone, the search engine will use your location data to display a list of dental practices that are geographically close to you. Similarly, if you search for “teeth whitening” from your laptop, the search engine may use your laptop search history to display results most relevant to your previous search queries on that device.

Now, the longer you neglect the SEO component of your website, the longer competing dental websites in your local market have to win more keywords and relevance to local search. Website ranking is a long game of technical and creative tactics to improve effectiveness. When approached consistently, results should improve.

Understanding why and how search engines use all the various factors in play to display search results can help you optimize your website and online presence to better align with the needs and preferences of the ideal potential patients in the market area you want to attract. At the end of the day, SEO is a points game. The more points you have, the better your ranking. So how do we gain points, make your dental website stand out against others, and win the search war?

Use relevant keywords: We work with clients to identify keywords potential patients might use when searching for dental services and incorporate them into your website’s unique content.
Optimize your website: We ensure that your website is user-friendly, fast, and mobile-responsive, with easy navigation and clear calls to action.
Build quality backlinks: Using 100% white hat methodologies, we acquire backlinks from reputable websites to establish your practice as an authority in the field.
Leverage local SEO: We optimize your website for local searches by including location-specific keywords and ensuring consistency across all online listings.
Create quality content: By publishing informative and engaging content that is unique to your practice, we help showcase your expertise and provide value to your audience while demonstrating to Google that your website is relevant for dental-related searches in your area.
Encourage patient reviews: Positive reviews can enhance your practice’s online reputation and increase your visibility in search results. We present patient reviews on your website, and our reputation software, Review BOOSTER, makes getting more patient reviews easy.
Monitor your analytics: We regularly track the website’s performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly.

What Really Matters When Patients Choose a Practice

While there are several factors that influence a patient’s choice of dental practice, it’s important to remember that your online presence plays a significant role in this decision. A well-optimized website not only helps you rank higher on search engines, it also helps build trust and credibility with potential patients. Think of it as a virtual handshake – the first impression that can make or break a patient’s decision to choose your practice!

Here are some key factors to consider when optimizing your dental practice’s website:

Mobile Optimization: In this day and age, almost everyone uses their mobile devices to search for services, including dental practices. A mobile-friendly website is no longer a luxury but a necessity. That said, desktop still battles it out month over month, with research reflecting higher conversion from a desktop search

When it comes to optimizing a website for both desktop and mobile, it’s important to keep in mind that desktop and mobile usage patterns may differ, but one doesn’t override the other.

As you can see from the StatCounter graph, it’s a 50/50 race that fluctuates based on timeline and consumer behaviors, with mobile spiking in summer months when people are off work and school, and desktop spiking during buying seasons.

Google reports that 61% of mobile users are unlikely to return to a website they had trouble accessing from their phone, and 40% will go to a competitor’s website instead. Another survey found that 72% of patients used their mobile device to search for health information, including dental services, and another found that 97% of consumers searched for local businesses online, including dental practices.

These references demonstrate that a significant portion of dental patients use search engines and mobile devices to search for dental services, and the majority of consumers use the internet to find local businesses. Therefore, it’s essential for dental practices to have a well-optimized desktop and mobile website to provide a positive user experience and attract potential patients.

What else does this mean you’ll want your marketing partner to consider?

2. Local SEO: As a dental practice, you’re targeting patients in your local area. Optimizing your website for local SEO helps you rank higher on search engines when patients search for dental services in your area.

3. User Experience: Google takes this into account for rank points with its page experience signal. A website that is secure, easy to navigate, uses high-quality imagery, embraces whitespace, loads quickly, and is visually appealing is more likely to keep visitors engaged and interested in your practice. This matters because Google wants to present content that is more than just keyword based, but that also answers the query with good information – to make their users happy – which makes your patients and potential patients happy too! When you work the rules, they work for everyone!

4. Content: The content on your website should not only be informative but also engaging and relevant to your target audience. Include patient reviews, answer what you know are your frequently asked questions in the copy, and include educational resources on dental health.

5. Online Reputation: In today’s digital age, patient reviews and ratings can make or break a practice’s reputation. Encourage satisfied patients to leave reviews, always post a response and thank them for their time and feedback, and respond promptly and professionally to any negative comments. It might surprise you to know that by displaying reviews on your website, you add more relevant content and keywords that other patients may be looking for, and this will signal to Google, again, that your content should be ranked better.

By focusing on these factors, you can optimize your dental practice’s website to rank higher on search engines and make a lasting impression on potential patients.

At Patient NEWS®, we understand the importance of a strong digital presence for dental practices. Our team of experts have over 30 years of dental marketing expertise and can help elevate your practice’s search engine ranking. Always be careful who you choose to manage your website. With us, you won’t lose any of your pre-existing strong SEO work when we take over your site. We consider SEO from the start of every project, follow best practices, and we have a great reputation in the dental industry (30 years of only working with dentists)! We’ll identify relevant keywords, build quality backlinks, and help ensure all the important factors that determine your practice’s visibility on Google are covered to help you make a lasting impression on potential patients and STAND OUT.

Call today and start a discussion with our team to determine where improvements can be made to your website rank – and patient experience!

Joanne Bishop

What is the DSO industry talking about?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:07:04 GMT

After listening to many of the panel discussions at the Women in DSO conference, I love that everyone felt that their organization is better with women! We certainly agree!

Some of the panel topics consistently shared:

Growth & benchmarking – against yourself
Not having enough “good” information to make decisions
Looking forward & what technology to choose
People & loyalty & culture
How to help the people in practice drive revenue.

As one presenter pointed out, there are a lot of industry statistics that you can benchmark your practice against, but what about benchmarking against yourself? I love this. Practice ZEBRA® provides our dental offices with the ability to do both! Not only that, but it enables you to benchmark each KPI directly against industry average – and against the top 10% of practices!

Here are a couple of metrics from ZEBRA for you to check out:

Average annual production: $1,615,000

Top 10% annual production: $4,572,000

Average calls answered live: 73%

Average new patient value: $1,715

Top 10% new patient value: $4,171

YTD, our clients, on average, continue to post revenue that’s higher than pre-COVID and more than 25% ahead of industry average. That’s an industry stat. Benchmark yourself. How were your February revenues? Were they higher or lower than February 2020? That’s actionable.

I wasn’t sure about the discussion around not having enough good information to make decisions, but I assume some of the practices being acquired don’t have a good accounting setup, and that can be a real challenge. I guess because we work with the top dentists and DSOs in the industry, we don’t run into that issue very often. We are in a great place where there is so much good data available, but sometimes there can be too many metrics. Who needs 100 different KPIs? It only distracts from the ones that really matter. Honestly, this is one of the reasons we’ve kept Practice ZEBRA so zeroed in on marketing. The metrics that matter all relate to production and where that number is trending – and what impacts it: new patients/marketing, scheduling/call conversion, retention, and case acceptance.

You can have good information for good decision-making with a clear view of “key” metrics. The ones that will move the needle. The predictive analytics module in Practice ZEBRA can show a practice how just a few tweaks can impact production. The following graph is a screen capture of an actual client with a high-value/low-volume practice. If they improved the call answer rate by 10% (this metric is too low at its current 61%), they could add five more new patients per month – and impact revenue positively by over $400,000! Just a few simple metrics, and you have a potential strategic focus.

Consider this tidbit: Regardless of your team’s conversion rate on new-patient calls, if they just answer more calls live, they will schedule more new patients. That’s a key metric. Answer calls live. Don’t let them go to voice mail.

That is good information you can use today to impact your 2023 production. Just answer the phone live more. Make it a priority. After scoring thousands upon thousands of new-patient calls, I guarantee this one tactic will help you add more new patients.

Looking forward and determining what technology to use. I get it; it’s tough. We have a bevy of tech at Patient NEWS® and tons of dashboards, reports, and automation ourselves. They are all critical for looking at and operating the business efficiently and effectively. In 2023, it’s very likely that a dental practice needs to have multiple software each doing its own thing – you want the best of the best working for you. Practice ZEBRA is in that world of technology for dental offices, but we’re lucky that ZEBRA is truly different from all others in that it is MARKETING SOFTWARE. It focuses on the patient journey and supports marketing success throughout. It’s software for practice intelligence, intelligence for call conversion and more new patients, intelligence for marketing ROI, and efficiency and effectiveness for patient communications.

So why do solo practices and DSOs choose Practice ZEBRA?

“It’s like having an x-ray of your practice.” – Dr. Michael Rodriguez

“The practice intelligence and marketing automation software, Practice ZEBRA, is a game changer for dental offices.” – Dr. Chris Phelps

“Practice ZEBRA is a second-to-none platform dentists can use to hone in on how to improve their business.” – David Raborn

“I need to have a clear pulse on the performance of each affiliate – from scheduling and handling calls to case acceptance and production – with comparable and actionable KPIs across locations and at the enterprise level. Practice ZEBRA from Patient NEWS has given me exactly what I need to manage, train, coach, develop a varied and widespread team, as well as monitor and predict trends.” – Jeff Longfield

“My team loves the visibility into campaign results through Practice ZEBRA. Roll-up reports by practice and group make it easy to find opportunities and make good decisions.” – Dr. Alex Giannini

Intrigued? Why not try Practice ZEBRA today? Call my team and schedule a demo. One difference you’ll notice about us is that we are real people who really care about our clients, and we ANSWER THE PHONE! Lol. In a world of technology, chat, tickets, automation, and texting, this makes us pretty cool.

People, loyalty, & culture. Across the board, we’ve heard about the challenges associated with getting and keeping good staff, and it’s impacting hygiene and admin. I have to admit I did find it interesting that the very panel presenters talking about hiring and retention challenges – and what they needed to do in their culture to attract and keep employees – were sharing their own journey, and many had jumped around quite a bit from organization to organization. I’m very proud of our tenured and loyal team at Patient NEWS and their dedication to our company and our clients. The culture of an organization makes a huge difference in whom you attract – and keep – and that is really important to define in order to attract team members that like your vision, your style, whatever your “it” is.

We have always focused on culture at Patient NEWS. Culture is fully part of our core value statement, which was set well over 20 years ago. (Yup, that’s right, it’s our 30th anniversary this year!) We also use the book Traction by Gino Wickman to drive our executive meetings, and we consistently keep culture on our list as a top priority. Events, team meetings, recognition, wellness, social, communications, and information sharing – it’s important to involve everyone in your projects, goals, and challenges, and to celebrate accomplishments.

Speaking of communication and engaging your people, we used to have a “tip” for our marketing clients – to review their marketing content with teams at their huddles. It was just horrible (and it happened a lot) when we would hear new patients call regarding a newsletter or special offer, and the person who answered the phone had no idea what they were calling about – and would blow the new-patient call! Yikes. We know it can be so busy in the practice with the day-to-day functions and that it’s hard to remember to share everything you’re implementing. But it’s important and needs to be on your list of to-dos. Our CEO, Wayne Lavery, always reminds us that it’s easy to get busy working in the business versus on the business. Make a point of setting the strategy and sharing your goals, your wins, your excitement, your vision, your marketing program content, and special offers with everyone on your team so they can support those goals, feel like they’re part of something special, talk you up in your community, and help convert and upsell more patients.

That leads me to how to help the people in the practice drive more revenue. Clearly, communication is a biggie, as is providing the tools and opportunities to drive revenue.

Great dental marketing is always consistent. It’s not last minute. It’s planned and organized. It’s branded. It’s tracked and reviewed. Driving a steady flow of new-patient opportunities is critical to driving practice revenue. Unfortunately, we’ve seen the impact of inconsistency too many times, and the outcomes are not good and can often immediately negatively impact new-patient flow.

There are important tools required to attract and convert more high-producing new patients. The practice needs a lot of positive reviews, and they’re easy to garner with great software like Review Booster from Practice ZEBRA. The practice needs good awareness in the community in targeted households (the right targeted households – use technology for that, too), direct mail (the only way to reach 100% of the practice market area), paid media, a great website, signage, and event participation. The team that answers the phone must be skilled in directing new-patient calls and overcoming objections with professional dental-industry training (phone power in Practice ZEBRA). Onboarding a new patient needs to be fast and convenient. There are so many items that they can’t all be listed!

Be sure to know the numbers in order to find and keep revenue. There is a big exodus from insurance participation happening currently, but your practice needs to know the value of each insurance provider before making the leap. It’s very interesting to look at your metrics by insurance. Just as a membership plan patient who pays $325 per year for that plan then averages 2x the value of a non-insured patient (industry average), different insurance plan patients will contribute more revenue than you might realize. And you can cut off your nose to spite your face by exiting the plan versus adjusting your fees internally – this is knowledge you want. We recently onboarded a new client who had decided to exit all insurance and go fee-for-service prior to talking to us about marketing – and revenue had started declining. When we took a look via Practice ZEBRA, we could see that while the average patient value of the entire practice was $1,800, and membership patients were coming in at $2,200, the value of a Dxxxa Dxxxxl patient was actually $4,600 and represented almost 40% of the patient base. You want these insights before making that insurance decision, so you can effectively strategize the best way to handle the challenges insurance participation creates.

Unaccepted treatment follow-up programs can be a gold mine. Why don’t patients accept treatment? It’s often because they simply can’t prioritize it at the moment due to inconvenient timing, they’re worried or scared of pain, or it’s a money thing. A follow-up plan that includes education, reminders of the benefits of treatment, and the importance of the treatment can subsequently get in front of that patient at just the right time, and then – boom! – treatment is a go! Use modules like unaccepted treatment in Practice ZEBRA, sort by highest value outstanding, and then access the email anytime templates to call blitz and educate. BTW: Perceived indifference is the number one reason patients lapse. If you consider this, it could be impacted by unaccepted treatment … it doesn’t take much sometimes for a patient to feel overlooked. But there are some tactics you can implement at the practice level to educate patients on a more regular basis, so they not only start considering treatment but also feel appreciated by the practice and dentist. Here’s a hint: A mailed patient newsletter is an amazing thing that really differentiates a practice.

At the end of the day, everyone at this meeting was expecting more consolidation (of course), but whether you’re a solo practice, small group, or DSO, the aspects listed above impact growth and success. There was a good amount of discussion about relationships, what vendors to choose, and how they fit different goals.

At Patient NEWS, we are different. We value the relationships we have with our clients, whether you’re using our marketing software, Practice ZEBRA, or our digital or direct mail marketing services. It’s a real relationship throughout our tenure together. One panel presenter talked about the consideration of how your partners will ultimately support your team at the practice. Especially as a DSO manager, you have to turn around and sell what you’re buying to the affiliate – and then the affiliate has to successfully implement. Will the company/partner you choose be just as good with your team as the sales team was for you? That’s what you get with Patient NEWS – full service. Dedicated account management. Real people who care. We make your job easier – for you and your team. We are rooting hard for our clients’ success. We know our 30 years of experience and expertise will alleviate the stress and hassle you have with reporting, marketing, results, team training, and managing multiple projects.

We make dental offices and DSOs stand out and grow! Scroll up and call today for a free consultation.

“The service, guidance, and, more importantly, the ROI we have received over the years from Patient NEWS is outstanding to say the least. We continue to see a substantial increase in our new-patient database with a customized mailer that reaches our targeted community. The extensive reporting capabilities, along with the support from Carrie, continue to supersede our expectations. Well worth your hard-earned marketing dollars!” – Dr. N. Kennedy

Joanne Bishop

Ways To Strengthen Brand & Reputation

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:05:32 GMT

And STAND OUT As the Dental Practice Of Choice

As I begin to craft this article about brand and reputation and how important these elements are to a highly successful dental practice , I can’t help but consider the 30 years we have been in business at Patient NEWS ^® and what it’s taken to develop our brand and reputation. Many small steps and big commitments have gone into it all. We’ve learned a lot.

A positive reputation is possibly the number one key to being a successful dental practice , and there are many simple ways marketing can help enhance and strengthen a brand to improve patient confidence and increase practice production. Simple things that you might not even consider when thinking about how to market your practice to enhance your brand reputation.

Why not schedule a free consultation with the dental experts at Patient NEWS today to request a complimentary brochure package and find out how you can leverage our 30 years of exclusively dental experience to augment your community reputation and attract more quality new patients?

Building a brand and reputation does circle back to the company vision. Have you established your vision, core purpose, and core values, and do they guide business decision-making?

Our purpose (to help dental offices stand out and grow) and our values (innovation and product quality, service with honesty and integrity, and corporate culture) certainly guide our decisions. That can include all sorts of decisions, including who our clients are, how to market, the presentation of our materials, the quality of all aspects of our products and services, which organizations we partner with, the team members we hire and retain, our work environment, our team reward programs, how we take care of clients, and how we react when things don’t go exactly as planned. These values are so ingrained that our team members ask each other: Does that make sense and line up with innovation? Does that answer align with service with honesty and integrity? These questions help us ensure that we’re following the right path. Ben Franklin said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one to lose it.” Funny how these quotes from many moons ago hold relevance today.

Having earned a great reputation over the past 30 years is something we really value. It means a lot. We are proud of our status as one of North America’s best dental marketing agencies. I know that clients, past and present, dental consultants, DSO managers, and industry partners will all say we’re “great” to work with. Heck ya! We are pretty fun while still taking our work very seriously. Our leaders, Wayne Lavery and Karen Galley, are awesome and have set the stage for the culture and top-shelf products and services we provide. But achieving a great reputation doesn’t come from wanting one. It comes from living your vision, purpose, and values. It means you’ve set and are delivering the right expectations for the product/service offering and the client experience.

We’ve always said that repetition builds recognition (which is why Doritos and Dunkin’ Donuts don’t stop advertising), but Elizabeth Arden famously said, “Repetition makes reputation, and reputation makes customers.”

Here are a few things your dental office can do to repeat, enhance, and build your reputation.

Be there in a quality way.
There’s no doubt that successful dental practices need a steady flow of new patients to increase production. More new patients mean more treatment, more referrals, more reviews – more revenue – which results in a healthy, thriving practice. As Arden said, recognition builds reputation, so you want to “be in homes” on a monthly basis with your name visible to your target market. We make that easy.
The reason why Patient NEWS clients are significantly ahead of industry average production (25% ahead) is because they work to attract new patients using our best-in-class websites and our high-quality educational newsletter, which is mailed monthly to targeted homes. Repetition builds … reputation! But more than that, digital printing on bright white, 80 lb paper (something you might not even consider that makes a huge difference) with consistently great educational content that’s branded and customized to the buyer demographic – with variable data and all the latest direct mail elements – make these dental practices stand out in their local community. This makes it the most impactful type of marketing on a deep-seated neurological level.
High-quality newsletters build recognition and reputation and significantly impact consumers’ perceptions (for both existing and prospective patients) who live in the practice neighborhood draw area. They also affect how consumers innately feel about the service the practice will provide. Consider that most people perceive that all dentists offer basically the same thing. This is one of the biggest pet peeves in the industry, so when your practice can stand out and be distinctive, more consumers will choose you. According to Business Chief, over 70% will pay more for a brand they like and trust. FYI: Our newsletter format is THE MOST TRUSTED AD FORMAT across all mediums.
When your practice reaches out to households by offering dental/health/wellness education month after month (and not just the $29 cleaning on a postcard that goes into the pizza coupon pile or a $99 cleaning ad on Google), consumer perception is significantly enhanced. Dental consumers want good information to make good decisions, so a reputation for quality and caring dentistry is emphasized. In turn, the consistency of quality and visibility proactively creates a practice brand that patients care about, making the practice their top choice for dental services.

Make the experience good for your patients and team.
Brand and reputation will change how people perceive your practice. Do your patients expect anything extra beyond the transaction in the office? Does your team think it’s great to work with you? Do you recognize top performers, even if they’ve worked with you forever, and you feel they should “just know” you appreciate them? What about top-value patients and those who review and refer? Consider the concept of surprise and delight. What if “your peeps” received tangible recognition for being part of your practice? (If you’re marketing with us, do you like your socks?! Our Practice Performance newsletter package is en route to your office now as well.) What simple things can you do for your patients? A holiday gift (that’s more than a card – no one really likes generic cards signed with scribble scratches we can’t read), something special with an elective service, or a quarterly patient newsletter? It should be tangible, not transactional, and it should be part of and reflect your brand and the reputation you want to strengthen.
Doesn’t providing patients and team members with a good experience sound like a no-brainer? It’s not. It’s hard. It takes commitment and dedication (with reminders) to make sure that everyone will feel good about their decision to choose your practice, that they are listened to, and that they feel valued and will WANT to spend their time and money at your practice. That everyone walks the walk! Great teeth, great smiles, and great welcomes.
Convenience is extremely important. This includes ease of booking, speed to secure an appointment that suits, easy physical access to the location, fast help during web chats or phone calls, convenient payment methods, membership plans, insurance processing, reminders, confirmations, and education about options (patient newsletters). You want to make it easy for patients to do what you want, whether that is accepting treatment, referring family, or posting a Google review. Our Review Booster ^® platform is da bomb – “the” best for dental offices.
When patients post a review, thank them. People are happy to post one when asked, and new patients really check these things out. Show that the experience they’ll have at your practice will be what they want via your reviews, and that element of reputation building will attract a lot more new patients. And guess what? Prospective staff will also check out your reputation online before choosing to work with you. Google reviews affect both new patients and hiring effectiveness.
Take a second look when you walk around your practice. How is your curb appeal? Good signage? Clean entry? Does it need a new coat of paint or a bigger refresh? Are the chairs and fixtures spotless? Is the office technology up to date? Uniforms consistent, branded, and crisp? Is everything as pristine and modern as it can be? Do you have nice amenities? Does it smell good?! These can be simple touches that will make a world of difference to the patient, your team, and their overall experience.
And social media? It’s not enough to just have a Facebook page and have a company post generic posts for you. We do that part so there is a steady stream of quality posts to support your online presence, but making your social pages engaging and entertaining (which is what social is for) requires 100% personal effort. You’ll enhance everyone’s experience of your practice. Of course, we get that this isn’t always easy – not everyone is another Dr. Ben Winters, TikTok’s The Bentist with over 13 million followers, which is more than Rhianna, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, or Kane Brown! We manage Dr. Winters’ website, so we’re pretty into him, his team, and the spectacular practice they have. So, what can you do if you’re not a social media player? Someone at your practice will be! Assign a team lead – ideally, someone who would love the role of taking pics and videos (while adhering to brand guidelines) and HAVE FUN while showing the personality of your practice. This makes the world of difference on social.
Prioritize customer service and patient satisfaction. After listening to thousands of dental patient calls, we’ve overheard some awful phone experiences with potential patients who then choose not to schedule an appointment. That’s just a shame after investing in quality marketing to attract new patients to your office, and there’s no need for it. We provide best-in-class new-patient call training to help convert calls, and it boils down to having the right people with the right toolkit to answer questions and overcome objections quickly and efficiently while providing a very engaged and enthusiastic welcome to the practice. The people who answer the phone at your dental practice are critical to your success. It’s one of the most important jobs and is often underestimated. Consider that a great new-patient experience on the phone not only leads to more production coming into your practice but also to more positive community awareness and reputation building. Commit to team training to ensure a fabulous onboarding experience for new patients.

At the end of the day, as reported in Harvard Business Review, businesses “with strong, positive reputations attract better people.” Patients that perceive a better connection and a higher-value experience will spend more and be more loyal.

We love supporting your positive – branded – reputation through our high-quality services and solutions:

Strong online presence (our websites are the fastest in dentistry with a modern user experience)
Top-quality, targeted, and branded direct mail campaigns featuring customized newsletters that are 283% larger than a jumbo postcard and are mailed flat, making them more visible, generating a 170% higher response
Best-in-class automated communications, like Review Booster, to increase your positive reviews
Supporting you and your team with call tracking, live scoring, and team training
Providing clear visibility to results via Practice ZEBRA ^® , our marketing software for dentists

And, of course, our dedicated, experienced team of dental marketers who care about your success.

Our client production is 25% ahead of industry average. Book a FREE CONSULTATION today.

Joanne Bishop

What Dental Patients Want … & Care About

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:02:52 GMT

What do patients want in a dentist? Is it rocket science? Not at all. But are you hitting all the marks when it comes to giving the quality patients you want what they want? Ten years ago, I wrote a blog about what dental patients want , and here’s the updated news: people are pretty consistent. Tendencies are tough to change, and what dental patients want today hasn’t really changed much from what dental patients wanted 10 years ago.

It’s what you can give them that’s changed 10 years later.

When I wrote the article back then, I asked a simple question: What do YOU want when choosing a service?

And we all know the answer. Great customer service. Quality service. Convenient service. Patients want the same things. They want to know their business is appreciated, and they want to know their options.

Think of the services you use today and how frustrated you get when a business doesn’t make it easy for you. I’ve been building a new house over the past year and the number of choices, decisions, companies, services, professionals, people, and items I’ve had to select, reject, approve, remove, buy, return, re-order, and replace has been crazy. The companies that made my life easy have my full appreciation. Those that made me feel like their number one customer got my loyalty. Because the companies that made it hard to get things done – or didn’t appreciate the investment of time or money I was making – really made me peeved.

You are the same. Patients are the same. We all want our expectations met.

So, then, here’s what patients want:

Convenience
Value for money
Appreciation
Kindness

There are a few reasons that patients are lapsing right now – no-shows and cancelations have become a real issue for many dental offices. The pandemic changed mindset on one hand, and on the other, the industry is forecasted to grow exponentially over the next few years, with one of the reasons behind the growth being that more people are aware of the link between oral health and overall health. Our clients are playing a great part in increasing that understanding with their strategic decision to choose marketing formats that include educational content. That strategy pays off in many ways, elevating the practice brand reputation, improving practice awareness as an authority in the field, and also in attracting a lot more new patients to the office.

By way of example, Patient NEWS ^® ’ client production is 25% ahead of industry average – and January’s results were a whopping 11% higher in 2023 than in 2022. The year has started off with a bang.

CONVENIENCE:

Appointments within 48 hours of calling
No wait times
Shorter appointment times (within reason) or one-stop visits (are you referring out treatment you could do in-house?)
Membership plans or insurance processing
Ease of booking – answer the phone live!

50% of new patients are lost because the phone wasn’t answered live. This is a key metric every dental office manager should have eyes on for 2023. It’s amazing how impactful this ONE KPI can be to practice performance.

Value for money – and how that links to EDUCATION:

Many patients “think” they’re healthy. They need to know that gum disease is a silent disease, so they prioritize their oral health … that leads to treatment acceptance.
Patients want to know their options. I don’t know how many times we’ve heard a new client say they were peeved when an active patient arrived for recall having had an elective procedure at another practice because the patient “didn’t know they offered the service.” How frustrating is that?
The primary dental decision-maker wants quality information to make good decisions for their families. Take a content marketing approach to new-patient generation and you will win!
Share with patients all the things your practice does to invest and benefit patients – simple things can become brand differentiators!

APPRECIATION:

Ten years ago, when I wrote this blog, almost all of our clients mailed a dedicated patient newsletter quarterly. Mailed. A. Patient. Newsletter. To patient homes.

Today, our clients’ focus on direct mail for new patients, websites, SEO, paid media, and patient communications has very much shifted to automation. Appointment reminders, recall reminders, reactivations, email newsletters, and review generation. Email and text. Those are all great and important aspects of running a successful dental practice, but, in my opinion, a mailed practice newsletter to patient homes really stands out – and more than ever in 2023.

Did you know that our clients who also incorporate a mailed patient newsletter 3-4 times per year (in addition to direct mail and SEO – not in place of) are the clients with the highest production results? Because a mailed patient newsletter that hits doorsteps:

Shows your patients you care
Educates patients about your elective services
Strengthens your patient relationships and improves satisfaction
Increases the likelihood that patients will refer and review
Increases retention and production!

The average active dental patient contributes around $1,000 to topline revenue annually. So, if a quarterly patient newsletter was a $10,000 investment for your practice, and that campaign pulled in a dozen lapsing patients per quarter (the average practice has around 500 patients lapsing right now so I’m being conservative), and any of those patients then also referred a friend or family member, you would very quickly have a very strong ROI. Plus, think about the elective services you want to get patients to accept. A patient newsletter can pre-educate and motivate interest in the services you offer.

Besides a moment in the chair with you – or with your treatment coordinator in the office – how else do you think your patients will find out what options they have for their smile? Not with your appointment reminder.

The front desk team is probably frustrated with patients always asking about insurance. But effectively handling these inquiries goes hand in hand with excellent customer service and increasing new-patient appointments. This is one of the most important factors for patients when choosing a dental practice. Therefore, if new patients are your goal, this is an area you absolutely must build a strategy around.

Can you:

Promote that you accept most insurance plans, even if you aren’t “in plan”?
Offer your own in-house membership plan? We’ve found that these patients are often 2X as valuable as non-insured patients (although not consistently higher value than overall new patients in some insurances).
Make things easier for patients and process claims for them?
Offer to help patients understand their insurance coverage and get the most from their benefits?
Offer additional and alternative payment options?

No matter how your office handles insurance, we don’t want to answer, “Do you accept my insurance?” with a “yes” or “no.” Here are a couple of quick script tips for your team:

Even if your practice never accepts assignment of benefits, a simple “no” without explanation will lose patients unnecessarily. If you do accept assignment, a “yes” can be misleading without determining what the patient is really asking, which could be one of three entirely different questions:

“Are you a participating provider?”
“Will you accept whatever my insurance company pays as full payment and not charge me the difference? Or will you charge me the difference?”
“I think I have a certain plan, but who knows what it really is?”

Once you get a better understanding of the above, you will still need to book the appointment to determine diagnosis and identify coverage … always be understanding … “Insurance coverage seems to become more confusing as time goes by. At your appointment, we’ll help you determine the coverage you can expect, and we’ll fill out and file your forms for you. We always provide a quote in advance and can get pre-approval for you. We believe our patients should be able to concentrate on their dental health without worrying about confusing paperwork.”

Do not assume that their plan cannot be used in your office. Many patients can go out of their network, be your patient, and still receive some benefits. Give such good service that patients can’t help but tell others about you.

Some dental offices have excellent scripting for their front office teams around the membership program – and have it priced significantly less than what patients will pay for another insurance … “You’re currently paying $500/year for your coverage with XYZ, but with our membership program, you’ll get ABC for only $325/year and we make sure you get the treatments you need on our plan.” It gives the team that answers your phone something to work with to overcome objections.

Ten years ago, I wrote … People will spend to lose weight, look younger, be healthier, and save their lives … That hasn’t changed and that’s your big in. You just need to communicate to patients what you’ve got and how that benefits THEM.

Kindness? Yes, of course, you are kind and caring.

But not everyone on every team is caring and kind. We’ve listened to enough patient phone calls and spoken with enough dental team members and dentists to know that not everyone is as kind as they could be all the time. It’s pretty difficult to always remember to be kind when you’re busy with 17 different things coming at you. Those that are always kind are very special people. But the word “kindness” might not exactly be what I’m describing. When it comes to patients wanting kindness, it can mean being listened to, offering a back-and-forth relationship of trust, and repeating what a patient says in your words so they feel heard. Taking a beat. When you are open to listening, patients will feel the difference between your practice and other providers. They’ll automatically feel better and more appreciated.

Our dental marketing campaigns, from direct mail newsletters to patient newsletters to websites to automated communications, ensure that you clearly communicate your value prop to new and existing patients, alleviate concerns and overcome obstacles, make financial and insurance aspects clear, and help equip your teams to effectively handle inquiries with a more educated patient.

And today, we have more than just great dental marketing. Today, we have Practice ZEBRA ^® , which means we can show you patient behavior, what they’re spending, where they live, where the low-hanging opportunities lie, and where more “like” audiences reside to help you attract more quality patients .

Ultimately, you need to offer people what they want, not what they need. Content marketing helps patients get to know you better and come to ‘want’ what you have to offer.

For more information on content strategy, team training, and related scripting, please call your Account Manager. They’re available for unlimited free advice, from Monday to Friday, 9am – 5:30pm EST.

Joanne Bishop

Digital Tools & Tips for Dental Offices In 2023

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:58:33 GMT

Have you wondered what other dentists or marketing teams use to ensure sustainable online growth? Here I’ll outline a few digital tools we use to help our dental clients create and maintain a strong digital marketing strategy for production growth!

As most of us are aware, a website is the second point of contact for potential patients. As such, we can’t stress enough how important it is to regularly analyze your website for performance to ensure both technical and search efficiency!

Search efficiency with respect to digital marketing involves the use of effective content and search terms on your website to ensure it is attracting the right group of users with higher purchase intent. At Patient NEWS ^® , we’ve been writing superior, high-quality, educational content for dentists since 1993. We continue to invest in and prioritize writing effective, unique, customized, and relevant content when building websites for dentists.

If you’ve been considering a better online presence and are wondering how to boost new-patient numbers, call for a free consultation today. Our team works exclusively with dentists, and we’d love to take your call! As mentioned, we’re celebrating our 30 ^th anniversary this year, so rather than worry about how to DIY, leverage our 30 years and proven processes!

While it is a process, online tools provide insights into whether the right target audiences are visiting your website, and they help guide decision-making to improve results.

Analyze your website performance:

Google Analytics – As part of Google’s marketing platform, Google Analytics is a web analytics platform that allows the tracking and reporting of website traffic. The platform shows various demographic data like user location/region (where are my website visitors located?), search keywords (what are my website visitors searching for to reach my page?), and page drop-off rates (which pages are audiences leaving my site from?). Statistics from a web traffic report allow marketers to update and optimize their marketing campaigns to target a more effective audience set.

GT Metrix – To test your website’s technical efficiency, GT Metrix is a free online tool that quickly shows important data like speed, structure, image sizes, etc., that are related to your website performance. Finding out how fast your website loads is much needed to make sure an aspect like web speed does not become a bottleneck for online booking!

Pro tip: Ensure your website has the right technology to make your website load fast. Google ranks fast websites higher, and patients like the smooth experience a fast site provides. Patient NEWS employs Turbo Technology to ensure our dental websites are the fastest in dentistry.

Search engine optimization (SEO):

Having heard about SEO multiple times from your marketing team or a digital agency encouraging SEO services, the prime narrative usually is: “It’s a long-game investment.” True, but did you know you can track how well your SEO efforts are going?

From link building to organic traffic growth, your dental practice does not need to stay in the dark when it comes to SEO. Here are some of the tools we use to manage our dentists’ websites that can give you the insight you’ve been looking for:

Google Search Console – While a bit technical in nature, you can ask your webmaster to use this free tool to check indexing status, search queries, and crawling errors to optimize website visibility.

Semrush – A strong SEO strategy stems from conducting keyword research, tracking your competitors’ keyword strategy, running SEO audits for your blog, identifying backlinking opportunities, and much more. Semrush is an all-encompassing SEM tool that can do all this for you!

Ahrefs – The Ahrefs tool is an SEO specialist’s best friend. A detailed SEO dashboard on Ahrefs provides marketers with all the important metrics to establish and sustain a strong search engine optimization strategy for your dental practice.

Online design & content development:

Almost every marketing company that works on a local level (marketing in a local area surrounding a small business – like a dental practice) refers to the importance of omnichannel marketing.

Omnichannel marketing is a marketing strategy involving the integration of online and offline channels to interact with your customers. Most dental offices adopt this strategy through the use of direct mail, practice website, email marketing, social media pages, and more.

When developing your marketing strategies, it’s important to factor in the dental patient journey. Did you know that a business can negatively impact client loyalty with inconsistent brand messaging between channels? Conversely, brand consistency builds brand recognition, which leads to confidence and trust in the brand.

When patients have positive associations with your brand across all channels, you’re more likely to attract and retain them. When considering your various digital marketing platforms, consider how they will work in concert with other marketing strategies. How will the entire marketing mix support and reflect your brand identity, mission, vision, core values, and brand promise to not only your clients but also your team and community?

Having an experienced, omnichannel dental marketing agency on your side, like Patient NEWS, will take all the worry out of managing your patient experience across channels.

Online advertising platforms for dentists:

With intense competition across every industry, online advertising has become a means of standing out amongst the multiple options patients have to choose from in a dental practice. In order to create a strong online promotion strategy, it’s important to know and prioritize what works for your office.

Here are a few recommendations:

Google Reviews

Ah, reviews … need ‘em, hate ‘em … they are here to stay. According to the latest research, 49% of consumers trust reviews as much as a personal recommendation, and that number jumps to 91% for the 18- to 34-year-old crowd. The factors that are most important to patients are:

85% – overall star rating
73% – recency of latest review
60% – number of reviews is critical – a high number of reviews can positively impact a consumer’s likelihood to purchase.

Not only are reviews important to convert more new patients, but they are also a significant factor for people looking for work. If your practice is one of those challenged to hire more staff, take a look at your Google review state.

Another important stat for dentists: Two-thirds of consumers EXPECT businesses to respond to reviews, yet less than 50% of dentists report doing that. Use software that makes getting and responding to reviews easy, like Review Booster from Practice ZEBRA.

This proven tool is designed specifically for dentists to generate more patient reviews. Review Booster makes reputation management easy for dental offices:

Best-in-class solution for dental offices
Includes value-add educational content
Includes convenient patient updates, like next appointment dates
Includes response dashboard to respond to reviews (64% say it’s important that healthcare providers respond to reviews, yet many dentists say they haven’t responded to theirs)
Users generated three times more reviews after implementation than before.

If you’re using standalone review software, Review Booster beats them all and provides so much more to the dental practice to manage marketing. Call for a free consultation and find out more.

Social Media Marketing

As most of us are aware, social media has become the go-to for consumers making service decisions. Popular opinions from influencers with a large following across the globe highly influence purchase decisions. While organic social media (posts without paid promotions) are helpful in maintaining an online presence, these posts are unable to reach a wider and new population specifically interested in your services.

Pro tip: Personalize your social media posts by getting your entire team involved in posting, participating, and building community awareness. When you are genuine on social, your patients and community will build and strengthen your practice reputation and attract more like audiences.

Paid social media allows in-depth targeting of customers using specific demographics to ensure your communication reaches the right target audience. With a more detailed target market, social media advertising becomes a strong means of connecting users with a high interest in what your practice has to offer. While ad spend is likely best allocated to Google Ads for local businesses, and particularly dentists, Facebook Ads are second in line if budgets allow increasing both your dental brand’s popularity as well as your patient volume!

Google Search and Display Ads

Pro tip: Use Google Trends to up your marketing game!

As per Google Search Statistics 2023, more than 3.7 billion Google searches are conducted every day. Over 90% of searches take place on Google! That’s why limited online ad spend should focus on Google versus social media.

Using Google tools like Google Trends, you can see which terms users are searching for and adapt your Google PPC Ads efficiently. The image below is an example of the data Google Trends allows you to see.

With multiple filter options, narrow down a search term on the basis of region, time span, category, and more. Trends also allows you to compare more than one option for search terms so you can zero in on creating an optimal ad copy (ad content) with the largest reach.

From GT Metrix to Google Trends, these digital tools can help strengthen your overall digital strategy. Stay informed about your online presence and improve your marketing campaigns every day!

As always, call Patient NEWS if you want to improve your online presence, attract more new patients, and grow your practice production. Our team is here to answer your call, and we care about your success!

Joanne Bishop

2023 Outlook: Positive Dental Office Growth

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:55:24 GMT

As we launch 2023, the outlook looks very positive for dental office growth.

Dentistry has always been resilient. People need dental care, and the pandemic forced governments to acknowledge that dental care is essential.
The dental industry is projected to reach incredible growth numbers in the next few years. Billions. Dental entrepreneurs who continue to proactively go after their target market will garner their fair share.
The results of our client marketing campaigns since COVID recovery and through the end of 2022 demonstrate that those who invest in gaining ground reap the rewards, posting production numbers that are 25% ahead of the industry average.
The December 2022 ADA HPI Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry report indicated that dentist confidence in economic recovery has improved from a low point last June. Practice schedules continue to trend around 85% of pre-pandemic levels with patient no-shows and late cancelations continuing to be the biggest obstacles, but these issues can be overcome with better communications.
According to the president of Small Business, Bank of America, “Entrepreneurs are focusing their efforts on marketing and promoting their businesses, investing in technology, and boosting headcount.” This aligns with the ADA HPI findings, which report that 42% of dentists will be hiring more staff, 72% raising fees, and 36% planning to drop out of some insurance. These activities will require finely tuned education to attract and retain good patients.

There are a few easy moves that dental offices and DSOs can incorporate into their marketing strategy for 2023. Number one: Schedule a fast, 15-minute discovery call with one of our experts to discuss your situation and find out how we can help you generate the type of results our clients are experiencing. 2023 marks our 30 ^th anniversary, which is pretty amazing. For 30 years, we’ve been helping dentists stand out and grow. You don’t have to learn by trial and error – leverage our 30 years of expertise!

The director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact says that small businesses must “…improve the way they communicate with customers … lean into their strengths – their connection to their communities and the great experiences they can give customers.” Successful dentists understand and prioritize educating current patients and prospective patients on the importance of dental care, and this will be a key strategic move for offices in 2023. Not that we’re having one, but during past recessions, not only did non-insured patients cut dental spending, but even consumers with insurance cut back simply because of a saving mindset. Being proactive with the patient base around their practice will help dental offices continue to attract and maintain a steady flow of quality patients.

Here’s what a few of our clients have to say about practice marketing and success for 2023:

“It’s always most important to be consistent with your marketing! You have to commit and trust that this is the best way to have the best results from your dollars spent!” – Dr. A. Sielicki, DDS, AZ

“It’s vital that you have excellent branding and do everything you can to ensure that brand is put out there in as many ways and in as many places as possible so that you, your office, and your brand are always top of mind for prospective patients. People may not be ready for a dentist when they receive your first newsletter or marketing material, but when they are, if they have seen your logo, your face, or the faces of your team month after month, it will make sense to them to call you.” – Dr. S. Friedman, DDS, ON

“Make sure you have a solid Google presence, along with an updated, clean, and effective website.” Amy Pennino, IL

“It is most important for practices to do what others are not: direct mail marketing and providing patients with an exceptional patient experience.” – Lauren Johnson, Bizrock, GA

Considering what all these very smart people are predicting, recommending, and forecasting for 2023, dental offices looking for growth and improved valuation will want to consider an omnichannel marketing approach.

PRINT advertising is the most trusted medium among consumers, and when making a buying decision, the newsletter format we feature the most is the top of the top TRUSTED ad channel. Direct mail very consistently is the number one driver of high-value new patients for dental offices, and it results in our clients averaging a 6:1 ROI within 6 to 12 months. Where else do you get a 6:1 return on investment?
Digital marketing will continue to evolve, but one thing is certain: patients will continue to go online to research dental. Users want a convenient, fast experience with good and recent online reviews. In fact, consider that online reviews will support differentiation, which is why it is important to continue to focus on a strong online presence that includes a steady flow of patient reviews. Our clients generate three times as many reviews after implementing Review Booster, our best-in-class review tool. It’s the cat’s ass – ask for a sample!

As recently covered in Dental Economics, dental office owners “will face the same challenges as other industries or sectors of the healthcare industry” in 2023. Meaning consumers will continue to be fickle, open to options, and looking for a superior and convenient dental experience, which will lead to an increase of inadvertent competition if patients aren’t engaged and connected to their office. This also provides market share that’s prime for the picking for offices that implement a good new-patient acquisition campaign with an exceptional onboarding experience.

A consistent strategy that includes practice visibility – both online and off – with positive and relevant content and messaging that resonates with the target audience will return the biggest gains.

In addition, omnichannel marketing will be critical for a local dental business. It might sound like “lingo” coming from a dental marketing agency, but it simply boils down to using various channels, from print to digital, to reach your target audience in a way that provides convenience, consistency in brand and messaging, and a seamless patient experience that allows patients to respond and refer. The more your marketing materials can get current and prospective patients to feel like they know your practice, and that your style/vision/philosophy (whatever you want to call it!) resonates with them, the more likely they are to appreciate the efforts your office is making to communicate, educate and provide value to their lives. And ultimately the more likely they are to select your office!

Dentists will not find any marketing expert in dental, or local, who is not promoting an omnichannel approach that includes digital, social, and direct mail. Recently Karen Galley, president of Patient NEWS®, was at The Making of a StartUp’s annual retreat, where Scott Leune of Breakaway Practice stated that “direct mail is king” of new-patient acquisition.

Now marketers will have to weigh the extraordinary ability to target direct mail to the right audiences with the right message at the right time, against digital marketing investments with the pending removal of cookies for online privacy. This move will significantly impact digital marketing, making it even more clear that for dental offices that want to “own their backyard,” direct mail IS king.

Does your:

New-patient acquisition and awareness campaign use the right format to gain attention, enhance practice reputation, and get responses from targeted households – with branding and messaging that is consistent with your online presence and vice versa?
Website provide a great user experience with a strong local strategy?
Practice make it easy for patients to post Google reviews?

A successful dental marketing plan for 2023 for your practice or group of dental offices should begin at the local level and include direct mail, social, and web. What is your brand promise and how does that align with the practice area demographic? Which households choose the practice and are these the same folks the practice wants to attract? Where are quality potential patients searching or finding dental services? How can your practice be more proactive in reaching both patients and potential patients, pre-educating them, improving engagement, and winning them so that more visit your website, check out your location, and schedule with your practice What will the best combination of strategies be for your practice or group in order to gain the most market share and keep production steady and growing?

Start with a free discovery call and see what the possibilities are.

A successful dental marketing plan for 2023 will be clearly tracked to continue to improve results and boost overall practice production. The number one way to reach 100% of a target audience is direct mail, but not all direct mail works the same. Is every neighborhood responding? What happens to new-patient flow when marketing campaigns start and stop? Where do like-audiences (of your best patients) reside? Is your website converting as much as your direct mail campaign? Is everyone on your team effectively converting new-patient calls? What are the reasons quality patients don’t schedule? If you haven’t started, it’s time to track your marketing campaigns using marketing technology that provides accurate attribution so you know where you’re gaining and where your leads drop off. Practice ZEBRA® is the software you want running alongside your marketing campaigns to maximize results.

A successful dental marketing plan for 2023 will focus on the patient experience. Consider the experience of a new patient versus an existing patient. There is a lot of focus on that first visit, as well as diagnosis during the initial “dating” phase with a new patient. Because of that, it is the ideal time to ask for referrals and reviews – but successful dental teams don’t forget the lifetime experience. The average dental practice has 25% of their patients in what we call “danger” status. Meaning they haven’t had a transaction with the practice for somewhere between nine months and two years. Those are lapsing patients. They’ve been forgotten, they’re mostly not scheduled, and they are primed to select a different dental office if they don’t hear from the one they’re lapsing on. Ongoing communications – by mail, email, and text – keep the practice visible to patients. When you make it easy for patients to remember you, post positive reviews, and refer, they will and they’ll do it more when the effort is reciprocal.

Interestingly, the ADA HPI report also found that almost 90% of respondents indicated they had received online patient reviews (3% weren’t sure), but only 50% responded to a review. How about you? Not only will those responsive patients feel unappreciated, but new patients who look at your reviews will notice if you’re not bothering to respond. Respect goes both ways. Take the time to say thank you for every review.

While digital fatigue is real, your practice website has to be great and reviews have to be plentiful and positive. From educating consumers who “think” they’re healthy and not in need of dental care, to making lapsing patients aware of the potential impacts skipping appointments can have on their smile, there are a bounty of opportunities for dental entrepreneurs to capitalize on with an omnichannel approach… with direct mail being your big hitter.

It’s the most trusted channel, and dental offices need patient trust.
It’s the most targeted channel and it enables dental offices to target more high-value patients.
It’s been driving a 6:1 ROI for our clients, who are achieving production that’s 25% higher than industry average. Clearly, our proven system works!

On average, 6:1 ROI is what our clients generate within 6 to 12 months of launching their direct mail campaigns – and today I just looked at a client that’s achieved 30:1 over three years. Consistency is also key! Direct mail works, but there is a system to it. When you leverage our 30 years of experience, you don’t need to go through trial and error. Leverage our expertise!.

With a 6:1 ROI, why wouldn’t every dentist be going for it?! Incredibly, many dentists aren’t, and that’s leaving their market wide open for competitors to pluck all the quality patients that live around their office. Consumers are LOOKING for companies that treat them better, and dentists who use our proven, scientifically designed formula with value-added educational content are hitting the mark – big time – with their audience.

Book a free discovery call today. We are dental people and we’ve been doing this for 30 years. You will get value from us whether you choose to work with us or not. We just want to help!

Joanne Bishop

What more can I do online to market my dental practice?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:53:04 GMT

For the past 30 years , Patient NEWS has dedicated its efforts in improving patient acquisition and retention in the dental industry. From innovations in dental marketing to improving product quality, our 360-degree experience with dental practices across Canada and the USA has proven to be an inspirational journey with an abundance of learning!

During this period, we studied the evolution of dental marketing (as well as marketing as a whole) and its dramatic changes year after year ranging from the discovery of new online consumer trends to the use of unique digital platforms. The opportunity to explore these trends allowed us to answer some important questions.

What factors influence audience decisions in choosing a dental practice?
How can practices efficiently reach their potential customers online?
Is it important to build a relationship with your audiences?
Where are audiences searching for dentistry services?

Over the years, we’ve come across dentists and dental administration teams that often claim they believe their efforts are sufficient in terms of online marketing. But our question here is not “how much you are doing” but “how effective is it”? Has the required research been done to ensure all your bases are being covered when it comes to patient attraction?

After 30 years in the industry, we understand the ins and outs of both dental practices as well as what patients really want. If you’re intrigued to know where you can take your online presence, start with a fast, 10-minute discovery call at 1-888-377-2404 , or sign up for a free consultation .

Here are a few trends we would like to share. These are:

Digital marketing consumer trends that dentists MUST know

Consumer trends can largely be defined as the behaviors, attitudes, and opinions that customers may form about a product or service which directly influence their buying decisions. By understanding these trends, marketers can build strong and sustainable strategies for both the acquisition and retention of customers.

And if that’s not motivation enough to keep reading, think of it this way, these are insights your competitors likely already have, and they are working hard to reach the same audiences you are!

#1 Data-driven marketing

Data-driven marketing simply means advertising to your audiences with a granular understanding of your customers’ buying habits and lifestyles. Tools like Google Analytics and most of your social media dashboards are already collecting data about your audiences from their digital footprints. Leveraging these details can help you learn more about your audiences and the more you know about your potential customers, the more successfully you will be at predicting their online behavior.

Wait a minute, can I predict consumer buying behaviours?

The study of online consumer trends isn’t a mundane analysis that includes more digital marketing jargon that can only be used as part of a slow and gradual process. Online trends have the potential to tell you what your patients are looking for, where they are looking for it, and how to persuade them via effective communication to choose you; right then and there!

It’s almost like having your own marketing psychic!

Studying consumer behavior thereby does allow marketers to predict future buying behaviors through the identification of patterns in their online activity. That’s what we do when it comes specifically to dental marketing and websites for dentists.

Intelligent marketing includes identifying buyer personas of a specific target audience to make sure your marketing efforts (communication and promotions) have the potential to reach and make an impact on a highly interested audience as opposed to a broader group.

Tip: Run a competitive analysis to understand who your competition’s target audiences are, compare that to your market share and demographics, and build your buyer personas. Ensure your communication is then appropriate to each persona, and based on your competitive advantages for the best results from your marketing campaign. Your team at Patient NEWS will take care of this for you. Call in and find out more!

#2 Marketing Automation- Automated Email Marketing

Choosing a dentist for a patient or their family is far from an impulse decision. There are a number of factors that influence choosing the right dental practice regardless of which service the patient seeks. Agreed? In such a case, it is important to understand that communication with such prospects should also be customized; it must include content that resonates with them enough to take the next step like making the first call, filling out a form, or booking an appointment directly with your practice.

Frequenting your communication through automated email campaigns can help you generate a highly interested audience pool (based on your data collection and analysis). Automated email marketing supports both building and maintaining positive relationships through regular communication with your audiences.

As per a recent article by SuperOffice , email marketing outperforms all online marketing strategies including SEO, PPC and content marketing. The statistics say, for every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect a $42 return! That’s the power of automation.

Tip: Use email regularly, from monthly patient newsletters to custom content for patients at each stage of the buying journey. From awareness of services to consideration to conversation, automate emails to speak to patients consistently, as repetition builds recognition and trust.

#3 Omnichannel marketing

The digital marketing landscape includes multiple platforms for advertising promotion across the internet. From a post on social media to a personal message in your target audiences’ email inbox, it’s all digital!

Omnichannel marketing means bringing together both digital and traditional efforts (including direct mail for dental offices). For example, neighborhood newsletters from Patient NEWS are a highly effective way of driving traffic online and leveraging the online presence. With the right online activities in place, you can leverage multiple mediums to build trust, promote services and engage customers, all at once. This also helps consumers interact in the way they prefer. Through intelligent research and a strategic approach, your dental practice can obtain high visibility and in turn higher conversions – and more new patients – by choosing an omnichannel approach to be present where patients are present.

Apart from visibility, omnichannel marketing also helps boost sales through constant engagement, encouraging a positive relationship amongst your audiences. Effective content and customer-centric communication further support in building trust and loyalty throughout these efforts.

#4 Customer-centric marketing and patient convenience

While a comfortable couch at your practice waiting area would have been ideal, how do you provide convenience online?

Since the pandemic (and likely even prior to it), customer convenience has become a make or break for many practices. In the digital world, this means your audiences will not be spending too much time on your website if it lacks performance capabilities.

In an article recently published by Devrix , it was stated that the average user attention span on a webpage in 2022 is only 8 seconds! From a fast website to an ease in navigation, positive web accessibility can directly help your practice stand out.

Along with technical components under a microscope, the quality of your content plays a big role here as well. Word-of-mouth marketing is said to have evolved into “marketing with meaning” with an increased focus on nurturing customer experiences and relationship building instead of quick conversions with every PPC ad you run!

Customer-centric marketing and communication give readers an immediate clear picture of your service and how it can fulfill their needs as opposed to keyword-stuffed content that the SEO team asked you to host. Enhance your patient experience with both an easy-to-navigate and visually appealing website with high quality, relevant content.

Tip: Study online consumer and marketing trends to build a strategic marketing plan for your practice! Reach out to an executive on the Patient News team for support in building a tailored marketing plan for your practice.

Remember, Patient NEWS client production (revenue) has trended 25% higher than industry-average through 2022 and into 2023. We can help you improve your digital and traditional marketing strategies, including dental social media marketing , to boost production through 2023. Our proven techniques in both digital and conventional channels have helped many dental practices enhance their visibility and patient engagement, leading to increased revenue. Let us leverage our extensive experience to help your practice achieve similar success.. Start with a fast, 10-minute discovery call, and see if we’re a fit for your practice. We love working with successful dental teams! As Dr. Alex Giannini says “I can attest to the quality of this organization. If you want a trusted dental marketing partner, contact Patient NEWS.”

Happy holidays!

Joanne Bishop

Leverage our 30 years of dental marketing know-how

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:50:15 GMT

1993 - 2023

2023 marks 30 years that Patient NEWS ^® has been helping dentists stand out and grow. THIRTY YEARS! You would never guess it when you look at Wayne Lavery, CEO, and Karen Galley, President. First, they look awesome, and second, they are as engaged, interested, and dedicated to the success of Patient NEWS, our team, and our dental clients as they were when the company was launched in 1993. Yes, we like to laugh at the fact that we are older than Google!

Most of that tenure has been spent perfecting direct mail for dentists. That means three decades of trial and error, research, analysis, testing, and refreshing. We have continually worked on innovation, product quality, and delivering results. You can’t accomplish 30 years of success, having worked with over 7,000 dental offices, executing more than 75,000 campaigns, and not have something pretty darn great to offer. And right now, our clients are trending 25% ahead of industry average production.

We also launched our dental website division over five years ago to incredible success, with hundreds of not only beautiful but highly effective sites. And we developed Practice ZEBRA ^® , our dental marketing software, that provides completely transparent results for great decision-making, along with a wealth of additional benefits and functionality.

All of this means we’ve learned a thing or three (or a hundred!) about dental marketing … so you don’t have to waste your time or money. You don’t have to learn by trial and error. You can leverage our 30 years of experience.

This is a quick read with our top three list of do-it-or-fail direct mail advice. If you’d like a personal one-to-one to talk about your 2023 goals and see how you can leverage our tenure, please schedule a free consultation appointment now.

Know – and love – your actual market.
Follow a proven formula.
Be consistent.

Know – and love – your actual market.

A dental practice has a brick-and-mortar location, which means it will attract patients from certain neighborhoods in a certain radius around that location. Period. We have accommodated too many clients over the years that wanted to target patients outside of their reasonable drive area and would not budge. Guess what? Nada. Or the results weren’t enough to justify the investment. Patients generally won’t travel outside of their neighborhoods – and past 27 other dental clinics – to reach one, and therefore those efforts end up being wasted marketing dollars.

We are direct with our clients about this, too, because we know the reach is too far and we’ve seen this mistake too many times. And today, using ZEBRA, we can plot the exact practice market share area compared to drive time so it’s very visible – this is certainly helping to target more effectively. If your practice is somehow determined that the higher-end residents that live outside your practice’s extended neighborhood will travel for services, learn from us: Most of them will not.

Leverage our 30 years of experience. Precisely target your campaigns with:

Market share analysis
Get this via Practice ZEBRA and see where patients and new patients are coming from and understand the value of the patients from each neighborhood pocket for better targeting of ideal patients.
Competitor analysis
Know where competing dental offices are located in comparison with your market share to better target marketing efforts and draw from consumers who are most likely to choose your practice.
Drive time
When you know how far your patients are willing to travel to get to you, you’ll understand the parameters of your backyard so you can work to “own it.”

That’s not to say that some practices don’t commit to a very wide target area because they want to be known. But they commit to that as their “backyard” and back up that commitment with strong budgets for consistent campaigns that build awareness over time. We have a handful of very successful high-volume practices that take this widespread tactic. That said, most individual local dental offices don’t have the type of budget that sustains a broader reach, and that’s where we have learned that precise targeting that is in line with available budgets is critical.

There are a smattering of amazing, highly skilled dentists out there that have patients who will travel from other locations just to see them. But those patients are few and they’re outliers. Even those dentists still generate their bread-and-butter core revenue from the households situated around the practice. Because let’s face it: People are lazy. They want convenience and good service.

If you’ve heard a dentist say, “Direct mail doesn’t work for me,” one of the reasons will be because they tried to mail too far and they didn’t decide to own their own backyard with any consistency. Our proven direct mail formula works in 99% of the markets we work with.

Follow a proven formula.

We have stamped out enough dental marketing campaigns to know exactly what components are required to drive results. What is going to resonate with the audience and what will not. We have worked with thousands of dental offices so we know that when the formula isn’t followed – including content, campaign structure, or having the right team in place to answer calls and convert appointments – then the “proven” system is flawed and results will fluctuate because the practice deviated. Let me ask: Are you allowed to deviate from process when it comes to an intricate dental procedure and still expect a great outcome for the patient?

Leverage our 30 years of experience. Don’t waste time and money on trial and error.

Content
Over 90% of all dental buying decisions are made by the female head-of-household. It’s proven that women want quality information to make good decisions for their families. Patient NEWS was founded on patient newsletters for dentists, so our content focus for both digital and direct mail campaigns has never wavered. It’s called relationship marketing. Consumers/patients receive very little in the way of oral health education outside of their dental visits. This is where having great content, written for the consumer at the consumer level, can make a dental marketing campaign stand out.

Campaign structure
When it comes to structuring any dental marketing campaign, it’s important to follow a consistent approach. Website navigation must be straightforward and easy to use. Bounce rates are incredible when consumers can’t immediately find what they want. For a dental website, it’s site speed and ability to see dentist/team, services, and to quickly and easily contact or request an appointment that matters. All direct mail formats have a distinct structure, whether newsletter, brochure, or postcard. The newsletter format offers a much better experience for consumers (driving 170% higher response), allowing readers to peruse offerings and added-value content, but there is a proven structure to how any content is presented. We use neuroscience testing for all our products to ensure content is structured in a way that impacts the consumer and drives action.

The right team with the right training
This is touchy territory, but dental marketing investments and associated results are directly impacted by the frontline team at every dental office. How fast new patients are responded to, how effectively they’re greeted, and how skilled the team is at converting to an appointment are absolutely critical. We’ve heard everything from the nicest greeting that never asks for an appointment to the lowest whisper greeting that’s “supposed” to be classy to the abrupt “dental office hold,” leaving the patient to sit listening to music, waiting and waiting, forever, without having said a word. We’ve heard receptionists get into so much treatment detail that they discourage the patient from their interest altogether. We’ve seen offices that don’t even look at form-fill requests for new-patient appointments and others that let all calls go to voicemail. It’s not anyone’s fault, it’s just a component with required associated processes that are important for marketing and practice success.

It’s proven that roughly 50% of all new patients are lost at the front desk. When a new patient is worth an average of $1800 to the topline, each call or appointment request that’s missed is a big lost financial opportunity. Have you had an experience like this in your own personal life? Left on hold. Ignored. Felt like you’re imposing. Only to reach voicemail. Doesn’t feel great, does it? It doesn’t bolster your confidence in your decision to choose that business. It’s important to track the practice conversion metrics so that actions can be put in place to improve new-patient scheduling.

Be consistent.

By far, the number one thing our most successful clients are is consistent. They’re committed to their goals and focused on the actions that will help them get there. They are open, interested, and nice! Becoming a dentist and practice owner required a great deal of consistency of effort with the long-term goal in view. With that drive in mind – that singular focus for success – all dentists understand the commitment to consistency. Why then, doesn’t that always translate to marketing? When consistency is proven to create momentum. As a dental marketing company celebrating our 30 ^th anniversary, we aren’t just trying to sell more by saying that a consistent long-term campaign is the one that will work. We tell you that because it IS the one that will work.

Leverage our 30 years of experience. Don’t waste time and money on hit-and-miss efforts.

Direct mail must be consistent
The famous Dan Kennedy has stated that every dentist should be hitting patients’ doorsteps once a month, preferably with a printed newsletter. He’s right. The clients we work with that are committed to being visible to their target audience end up achieving at least a 6:1 ROI … an ROI that continues to grow over time. It’s just like your exercise regime and your diet: consistency reaps rewards.
Your brand must be consistent
Consistency is key in brand messaging – and smaller budgets. According to a brand consistency study, consistent presentation of brand increases revenue by 23%. And, in fact, when a company’s brand is inconsistent, it breaks the link that consumers make in their minds, which can have an adverse and lasting negative impact on consumer loyalty and positive connection. When patients experience a different message from your dental office via different mediums – i.e., your direct mail campaign is fresh and new, but your website is outdated – patients feel conflicted.
Repetition leads to results
Study after study reveals the same thing. Send the same print piece multiple times to your niche; keep the same visual and ad copy on billboards and digital advertising, and increase the number of times you touch your target audience on all channels. Repetition builds recognition and results. This contributes to brand awareness, awareness builds trust, and trust leads to conversion.

Most dental offices don’t have a trained and skilled marketing manager, and that’s why it’s great that you can trust a partner like Patient NEWS. With 30 years of training and experience, you can rely on us to deliver great results for your dental office or group of practices. All in all, you can leverage our 30 years to your benefit. Right now, we’re working through 2023 planning with most offices, so if you haven’t started yet and would like a hand with any of the things covered in this post, please call our team today.

Here’s to a rawkin’ 2023 and to helping your dental practice or group stand out and grow!

Joanne Bishop

Do you want more production?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:48:21 GMT

How traditional ads are beating digital

Oh boy, time flies! It’s November, every day seems busier than the last, and now the holidays are fast approaching. Which means plans and projects could begin to stall or be waylaid – but they don’t have to! Knowing the upcoming season could be distracting with of-the-moment events and time off, it’s not too late to be proactive and set aside some time now for a planning session to ensure your practice or group continues to move along positively and doesn’t get caught in a quagmire of holiday madness.

Patient NEWS ^® President, Karen Galley, pointed me to the current issue of HBR (Harvard Business Review) titled “Marketing in the Age of Connection.” In it, there is an article that’s important and relevant for dental offices that want production growth: Why Marketers Are Returning to Traditional Advertising.

The article reveals that “consumers becoming increasingly numb to digital advertising” and “report frustration and negative brand association,” but the gem in there is “traditional ads experiencing increased engagement”.

Businesses are doing what we know works best for growth because we see it with our dental clients. They are moving back to traditional marketing, like print advertising, at a higher-than-ever pace. The move is being led by B2C companies, and somewhat amusingly, the companies at the helm of the shift earn 100% of their revenue online! Because traditional marketing is very effective, it breaks through digital clutter and delivers a strong ROI.

Further, the article quoted results from a MarketingSherpa survey, which found that the top 5 most trusted ad formats are all traditional, with print advertising ranking the highest at 82%. If you’ve stared at that “skip add in 3 seconds” to click it fast, and if you pick up your mail and scan through it almost daily, then you get it. You are more likely to spend time with something tangible.

When you’re running a dental practice – where growth, security, and patient trust are paramount – these are impactful statistics. And then bundle in the fact that direct mail is the only format to offer 100% reach –it’s also welcomed and preferred by consumers of all ages – we’re building good odds for a dental office.

That said, I must say that any direct mail isn’t always the best. Hit-and-miss campaigns, inconsistency, and poor call handling can and do negatively impact results. But when done correctly, it’s extremely effective. And there are more statistics that support this – relative to the dental industry.

Considering that our clients more often than not do include a direct mail strategy in their overall marketing mix, I just checked in on industry production results as of October end.

Patient NEWS client production is 14% higher than 2019 vs. industry-average that’s been hovering 10-15% below
Our clients continued on their upswing through October … meaning if they remain consistent with the efforts that have brought them to now, trends indicate continued strong growth and recovery.
The tactics they use are consistent, targeted, and customized. With clear visibility to results powered by the marketing software Practice ZEBRA ^® and our incredible team of account success managers.

Yes! Congratulations are due to our clients who remain over 25% ahead of industry-average production.

Six out of 10 months year-to-date had higher production in 2022 than any of the past four years.

So, traditional marketing is working, more and more B2C companies are moving to it (including your competitors), and Patient NEWS clients are pacing well ahead of industry average production.

Hmmm. Food for thought? What if your production is not where you want it? Do you feel like you’re just holding steady and not making the headway you want? I promise we can really help. Why not schedule a free 2023 planning session with your Account Manager? We’ll include complimentary benchmark reports, market share, an online audit, and a run-through of Predictive Analytics. Use the free consultation link above, or call your Account Manager directly, at 888-377-2404.

Here are a couple of items you could consider for your planning agenda:

Determine YTD 2022 production levels compared to pre-COVID 2019.
Benchmark key performance indicators and how they will impact production in the coming months.
Identify realistic and desired production goals for 2023.
Establish the strategies needed to reach those goals; what tactics will be put into play.

What is it that we’re doing to drive these results for our clients? It’s what we value. We:

Continue to provide excellence in product quality and innovation.
Continue to provide superior customer service, with honesty, integrity and professionalism.

That means we are constantly – I mean constantly – staying on top of metrics and trends, and we’re researching the best dental marketing strategies for our clients.

We continue to invest in the development of Practice ZEBRA, the dental marketing software platform, with regular new releases. If you haven’t seen Predictive Analytics, this is one you can’t miss. I recently ran the module for a couple of practices that were producing around $1.6 million per year (our client average), and a minuscule adjustment of adding just three more new patients per week would add another $250,000 to topline production. Another client reduced their lost patients just by a few points to industry average and improved retention by 3%. This added over $100,000 in production. We can also play with case acceptance, scheduling, call handling, attrition, and lapsing patients. It’s amazing what you can impact when you see where you can focus to make improvements to production. These are often tiny things that can have a big impact. That’s the thing – things you might think are nothing can amount to something. Three points here or there and you have hundreds of thousands in production within your reach.

Predictive Analytics takes past performance to predict future outcomes, making strategic planning so much easier. That’s just a bonus for your planning session. I recommend you try it when planning your 2023 strategies.

What else are we doing for our clients to drive this record production?

When it comes to direct mail (and we have amazing websites for dentists, with white hat SEO, targeted PPC, etc.), we do recommend the newsletter format. It’s proven to drive better response than postcards in 99% of markets, it elevates practice reputation, provides value-added educational content to recipients (who want good information to make good decisions for their families), and it gives us the real estate to enhance the benefits of our clients’ practices. And now these large-format newsletters feature personalized variable data, which really grabs consumer attention and stands out in the mailbox.

In addition, we’re rolling out dynamic QR codes (US*), enabling attribution to get super granular to the household where someone scans your code to look you up online for more information. The level of tracking and attribution our print campaigns provide is above and beyond a click and impression. We track and match calls, scans, and addresses so that our clients know down to the penny what patients spend in production, providing clear understanding of the campaign ROI (on average around 6:1 in the first year). *Simply because advertising mail is addressed in the US, versus unaddressed admail in Canada. Otherwise we’d be doing this for Canadian mail, too!

We continue to add enhancements to our WebLift website programs, with killer SEO strategies that are moving the needle for hundreds of dental offices, all featuring unique content that educates patients and highlights why our clients are the dentist of choice in their communities.

The exhaustive and continuing development of Practice ZEBRA, our dental marketing software, tracks results, finds opportunities, and helps dental teams better acquire and retain quality patients. It is a game-changer in the eyes of industry leaders. I can’t even count the number of new releases we issued this year; including predictive analytics, goal setting, fantastic, automated patient communications (as a marketing agency, I think ours are the best because the content is the best). Plus, weekly KPI push reports, benchmark reports, and enterprise views/reporting make it just the best little dental software going – specially designed for marketing management.

That’s what we’re doing to help our clients add more quality new patients and production to their practices.

Whether you have a high-volume or high-value practice model, adding more quality new patients is the key to consistently growing practice production. We have found that targeted, effectively designed direct mail is the best way to attract more new patients.

The latest ADA findings continue to report that low patient demand is what is holding the average dental practice back – stating that average schedules are down again to the low 80 percentile against pre-Covid. Again, our clients are up by 14%, so that’s a big gap that can be closed with the right strategies in place.

If lack of patient demand is an issue at your office, let me assure you that you can create demand with direct mail. 100% guaranteed. Research shows traditional media, like print, outperforms digital in terms of reach, interest, and engagement.

If you’ve been busy in the business and haven’t considered your 2023 plans, it’s time for a strat session. Our experts are at the ready to schedule a comprehensive tutorial reviewing your market share and opportunities, and the marketing strategies that might be ideal to help you achieve your goals.

No time for it? I hear you. At Patient NEWS, we implemented the formula from the book Traction, which guides you to set up annual and quarterly goals “rocks” – those 3-7 things that must happen to move the business forward in achieving goals. We then meet weekly to keep everyone on track, identify any issues that are bottlenecking progress, and assign tasks to resolve issues. Half the time I feel so busy I don’t want to stop for the meeting, but honestly, it’s been very effective for us because it has helped us avoid just staying busy with “busy work” and those problems or issues that inevitably take you off course and divert your attention. Coming back to our rocks consistently keeps us accountable to the projects and plans that are going to MOVE THE COMPANY FORWARD, instead of being stuck and spinning our wheels.

So, what about your business? What are your goals? Our clients are focused on production growth, improved valuation, and successful results. And they’re getting it. If I was going to describe the most successful … I’d say they have:

A positive mindset
Commitment to their vision – time, energy, and investment
Determination and strength
An open attitude to learning
Ability to adopt change
A great team to support these processes.

And they make time to plan for success and then commit to letting the experts take care of it for them. Book your free 2023 planning session and check out what opportunities you have at your fingertips.

In a very digital world, print is your number one marketing channel to become known to patients in your community. Our clients are harnessing the power of direct mail, specifically neighborhood newsletters, for their dental offices, and they’re reaping the rewards – with production that’s 25% above the norm. We’d love to help your practice, too! Call today!

Joanne Bishop

3 (un) popular opinions by dental practices on digital marketing

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:44:45 GMT

As part of the ‘Fast Forecasts’ list of 2023 by Quantumrun, a consulting and research firm that uses long-range strategic foresight to help corporations thrive, 80% of people on earth will have a digital presence by 2023 and 90% of the global population will have a supercomputer in their pocket.

It’s 2022 and we’re two months away from 2023. The year of technology. The year of transformation. The upward digital marketing trend for business in the post-pandemic era has evolved into a necessity as we come close to the end of 2022.

Dental Practices Go Digital As Intelligent Patient Search Increases

77% of prospective patients do their research online with search engines
52% of prospective patients are researching their health care options through general information health sites.

This means your patients and prospective patients are using search engines like Google to directly influence their purchasing decisions.

Like every other industry, a digital presence has become of prime importance for dental practices. But is it sufficient to just be ‘present’ online? When the days of personal word of mouth as the only way your dental practice got some credit are gone, and online reviews are trusted as much as a personal recommendation?

That’s right. It’s no longer enough to just be there with whatever.

According to Think with Google, consumers have become more intentional with search and they’re planning ahead for purchase decisions. In fact, 43% of consumers like to keep an eye out for new brands, even if they’re not planning to buy immediately. Your online presence informs, educates, differentiates, and builds patient relationships – one way or another.

Given that dental offices must overcome consumers’ preconceived feelings of fear or cost-whether true or not – having a stellar online presence is an absolute necessity to continue fueling practice growth.

If you have an inkling that your website, social sites, and overall online presence needs a fresh boost, please reach out to my team to schedule a free consultation now .

Did You Know?

42% of people won’t go to a dentist with less than a three-star rating and 70% of patients say online reviews are as important as a dentist’s credentials! From an assessment of Google Reviews to checking your practice’s Facebook page and social footprint, potential customers are using intelligent search online to find the service best suited to their needs.

We asked our experts to address some popular opinions of dental practices with an online presence.

Popular Opinion 1:

“Digital marketing is a slow, long-term process. It doesn’t bring instant business.”

Imagine having the superpower to get your practice on the first page of Google SERP (search engine results page) in one day . Google Ads campaigns allow exactly this!

Alternatively, when your practice is in a highly competitive location and you want your services to be the most searched, most clicked, and most booked – that’s what a mid-to-long term SEO strategy can contribute to.

The Power of Digital Marketing for Dentists

Digital marketing helps target specific buyer personas and allows your practice to Stand Out amongst users with direct purchase intent. This is especially important when over 25% of organic search clicks go to the first link on the first page in search engine queries. Patient NEWS ^® has helped dozens of dental practices increase patient growth through the execution of various digital marketing activities.

Digital marketing has evolved from simply ensuring a digital presence to a strategic process of establishing a positive consumer buying journey. At Patient NEWS, we talk a lot about the dental patient journey because of its importance in mapping out a marketing strategy to reach the right person at the right time.

Dr. Douglas Pennino from Pennino Family Dentistry comments:

“Since I started working with Patient NEWS in 2015, practice revenue has increased by 30%, our new patients per month have increased, and our patients-of-record have increased by [thousands]. Our hygiene team is thrilled to have a fuller schedule, we have increased website views, and our new patients are referring friends and family.”

Popular Opinion 2:

“I already have a website for digital presence; I don’t need pay-per-click (PPC) ads.”

Newsflash! Studies show PPC visitors are 50% more likely to take an action, such as visit your website, call your practice, or book an appointment directly from Google compared to organic visitors.

Paid Media for Dental Practices

There are many ins and outs of paid media and its various components. Pay-per-click ads (Google Ads) allow you to target specific audiences looking for the exact service your practice offers.

Google PPC Ads are not just about pumping money into your marketing strategy, it’s about connecting the right people with the right results. While organic search results may or may not match the exact requirements of the user, PPC ads allow your practice to show up for an exact search query that matches your service.

Running a successful campaign on Google considers a range of metrics from click-through rate (CTR) to cost-per-click (CPC) to ensure you’re getting the most out of your investment. While CTR is a percentage of impressions that resulted in a click (views vs. engagements), CPC is derived from your total cost of advertising divided by the number of clicks/actions taken, giving you an accurate representation of your spend. And that’s why you don’t pay until someone clicks through to your website, ensuring that you only ‘pay-per-click’!

When discussing PPC, it is also important to mention how trends in specific industries can affect visibility and reach by using Google Ads’ auction-based advertising model, which focuses on keywords. For example, some of the most competitive words in the dental industry are: dental clinic, dental crowns, root canals, cracked tooth, tooth repair, dentist near me. Tracking these trends to research high-volume keywords is crucial for your SEO strategy.

Popular Opinion 3:

“My website looks beautiful; I don’t need to think of improvements there.”

Ever crawled a website without really knowing where to go to find what you’re looking for?

Your practice may have one of the most attractive websites ever seen, but is that what’s going to bring your practice more new patients? Poor navigation is the most common reason for low conversion and bounce rate. If the phone number or contact information isn’t easy to find or your beautiful images take too long to load on mobile devices, this will lead to poor conversion. A needle in the haystack website is something you want to avoid when your business relies on it!

Website Conversion Optimization for Dentists

Website conversion for dental practices refers to the collection of contact leads, calls, appointment booking form completions, consultations, and any other actions you want visitors to take online. Increasing these opportunities for visitors to complete such tasks is known as ‘website conversion optimization.’

This is where web design and user experiences play a vital role!

Here are some of the numbers:

38% of website visitors will likely disengage with a website if it has unattractive content or layout
48% of visitors consider a website’s design the number one factor in determining a business’s credibility
Over 50% of web browsing happens on mobile devices vs desktops
Most visitors leave a website after eight seconds, so designers must prioritize user interfaces and content to meet users’ needs.

When users come across your site, they want to find what they’re looking for – and quickly.

Conversion-focused web design includes various aspects such as the color palettes used, positioning of CTAs, and ease of navigation.

With an abundance of consumers relying on internet searches, website design plays a vital role in the satisfaction of current and potential consumers. For example, a call to action such as “Book Appointment” or “Call Now” should be positioned at the top of your website’s first fold and look like a button for higher conversions.

Alternatively, if your practice website is difficult to grasp and simple actions such as “Book an Appointment,” “Practice Locations,” and “Dental Services” are complicated to find, a consumer may feel dissatisfied and lost, leading to rejection.

Don’t let website “staleness” or lack of current tactics and strategies that are easily available to you inhibit your new-patient success. New patients are the lifeblood that fuels growth and profitability, and your brand reputation online and offline will impact that success.

Digital marketing is constantly evolving, meaning strategies and approaches should, too. From web development focused on positive user experiences to effective online marketing strategies, give your practice the boost it needs to be discovered online.

Get in touch with an expert at Patient NEWS for more tips on web marketing for dental practices to optimize your conversions. We are here to help you take your online presence to the next level as we head into 2023 so schedule a FREE CONSULTATION and my team will show you the opportunities your practice has to make headway in your specific digital landscape.

Joanne Bishop

ADA Q3 results & what you can do

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:42:37 GMT

Direct mail newsletters make a big impact!

The ADA HPI Q3 report just hit and it reveals some important metrics for dental practitioners and office owners. After all, with knowledge comes the ability to act proactively to improve your practice results.

The report finds that the overall outlook of dentists is somewhat positive for their own dental practice . It has “slightly” improved since a low in the summer, but thoughts on the economy are not so great.

Schedules continue to hover at 86% full, with the following factors listed as the main reasons for their unfilled schedules:

Patient no-shows & cancelations.
Not enough patients making appointments.

But here’s some good news: the difficulty with finding staff has declined. And with our help, you can successfully overcome these scheduling challenges. Keep reading to see our solutions below!

Overall healthcare spending has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and while dental spending is up significantly over the previous year, it’s still below pre-pandemic levels by 9% (though this isn’t the case for Patient NEWS ^® clients, who have remained 25% higher than average over the past year).

The report surmises that inflation on dental services is lagging compared to the overall economy, which isn’t typical and may be caused by stagnant insurance reimbursement.

At Patient NEWS, we’ve seen our US clients benefit significantly from the introduction of their own private dental membership plans, where patients generally spend double that of non-insured patients. A great resource on these programs, How to Grow Your Dental Membership Plan, written by our long-time industry friend, Dr. Christopher Phelps, is available on Amazon. And when it comes to dental insurance in general, you’ll find a great resource in our wonderful client, Dr. Travis Campbell, with his new comprehensive book now available, https://dentalinsuranceguy.com .

Do you already have a membership plan in place? That’s great! Make sure you’re spreading the word to your patients with patient newsletters, and with Practice ZEBRA®, our automated email/text membership plan booster campaign, which will regularly get the word out to non-insured patients to boost your subscriptions. Our data shows that membership plan patients – despite the low monthly buy-in – are more valuable to a practice and contribute much more production than non-insured patients.

Not Enough Patients Making Appointments

If this issue is plaguing your practice, that means you have capacity. Now’s the perfect time to invest in new-patient generation. You add production without an increase in overhead.

We are currently experiencing the greatest transfer of patients with average practices lagging in recovery while others pace well ahead. The decision is yours: which end of that spectrum are you on, and which end do you want to be on? The variance is the result of successful practices continuing to focus on both retention of patients and acquisition of new patients. Many of our clients never stopped marketing despite COVID closures and struggles to ramp up right after. And their decision to keep plugging away and investing in their success continues to pay off.

New patients bring more production and more referrals than active patients. They are “fresh blood,” so to speak. When you consider the fact that most of our clients are running new-patient acquisition programs, and that their revenue has steadily been tracking 25% higher than industry average, this strategy is effective – and it adds up to big bucks.

The average new patient contributes $1700 to $1800 per year in production, while an active patient hovers around $1000. Top-performing practices have average patient values of over $4,000 and higher. So, if a marketing investment to acquire quality new patients was around $3500 per month and it added just two more new patients to your roster per week, the average practice would add $14,000 in production each month. That’s an annualized increase of $160,000 for just two new patients each week. This is a very conservative example of how few new patients the average dental practice needs to generate a terrific ROI and easily cover the cost of an acquisition marketing program. And right now, with active patients not making enough appointments, this is a proven investment. On average, our long-term clients experience a 6:1++ ROI on new-patient acquisition.

If you’re curious about how this would work for your practice and community, give us a call today and let’s discuss your situation. We’ll provide you with a free market area analysis and see where your best opportunities lie. It’s easy and there’s no obligation. Go for it!

1-888-377-2404

Patient No-Shows & Cancelations

Do your patients know you care? Maybe. Probably when they’re in your office. But stop for a sec and list the ways you show them you care when they’re not at an appointment.

I recently had my teeth cleaned. The experience was great, and I love my hygienist. Everyone in the office was super nice and friendly. But my transaction is over and I won’t hear from them again until my next reminder. That’s just the way they are. It’s okay because I live in a non-competitive dental environment . But, if a new office opened that did something special, they might lose my business. I know they care on some level, but I don’t feel appreciated when I’m not in their office.

When you think of what you do for patients after appointments, are your methods mostly email- and text-based? That’s not how all patients will stay connected and come back. I know we’re all tired of hearing about pandemic impact, but patients have changed because of the pandemic. And this is especially true in highly competitive areas with less than 600 to 800 families per dentist. People want to feel more appreciated by the brands they’re loyal to. A great and VERY EASY way to make a positive impact on your patients – right now – is to send a holiday newsletter. It isn’t hard when you hire a Patient NEWS Account Manager to help you create the whole thing!

I just checked the stats. Across the industry, 25% of active patients have not been seen by their dentist in over nine months. That doesn’t count patients who have not visited their dentist in over 24 months. After 24 months, patients are gone. And FYI, you can’t reach those patients by email anymore.

Top practices only have 6% of patients at risk, and those might be ones they don’t care to lose! But for an average practice with 2,100 patients, 25% over nine months means 525 patients have not been in for a visit in 2022!

Do you have more than an average number of patients? Top practices have over 6,000. I’ll meet you in the middle. If you have 4,000 patients, this could mean that you have 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) that have not visited in 2022! 25% is the average. That means half of you have more than that in danger of not returning. Yikes. But the almighty patient newsletter can change all that!

Consider for a moment the dental patient journey and the touchpoints patients have before contacting you. First, they need to know they need a new dentist. Then they must want to take action. Next, they have to find out you exist. Doing research and overcoming any preconceived notions they have follows. Next comes the call, which may take a lot of courage to follow through with. Maybe they’ve just been busy and haven’t prioritized their oral health, but now they’re ready and so they contact you.

From start to finish, the patient journey can take a lot of time, consideration, money, and effort … but now they’re your patient and it’s all about cultivating a great patient experience. How do they “feel” about you and your services? How do they feel when they’re in your office, when they leave your office, and when they’re not thinking about you at all? This is where you can STAND OUT in your community and connect in a meaningful way – a way that most other medical/dental professionals do not bother to consider or prioritize.

With all that in mind, how can you reach all your active patients in a positive, impactful, meaningful way – RIGHT NOW? With a printed and mailed holiday newsletter. It’s easy, personalized, and connects with patients in a way that other marketing materials can’t.

Interested in learning more? We’re here to help.

Dan Kennedy, the marketing guru many of you LOVE, says that every dentist should be hitting patient doorsteps with a PRINTED newsletter every month. Why? Because it has a higher perceived value. It lingers in households as an ongoing reminder of your existence. He goes on to say that [a printed newsletter] makes you “no longer a memory of some service once rendered.”

Don’t you want to remind patients that you’re their dentist in a way that adds value to your relationship outside of your practice? Mailing customized printed newsletters is an easy and cost-effective way to accomplish this.

Your Holiday Patient Newsletter can include…

A message from the dentist/team
Holiday greetings & a picture of the team
Elective service promotions/offers
Oral health education & wellness tips
Healthy recipe & seasonal content
Reminder about referrals & welcoming new patients
Your contact information & calls to action to encourage scheduling.

When you mail a printed newsletter, you reach 100% of the households on your mailing list. Compare that to email, which has a 20% to 50% open rate of only those guarantors you have on file. What if that newsletter encouraged just a few of your lapsing patients to re-engage with you? What if that newsletter encouraged an active patient to ask about more elective services? What if that newsletter helped educate and increase case acceptance when you have patients in the chair? What if that newsletter educated and created awareness of oral health and its importance, and increased referrals of friends and family? There is no ‘what if’ here – a patient newsletter will do these things and pay for itself over and over.

Best of all, you can do whatever you like with your patient newsletter. Have fun. Be serious. Send updates. Share your personality and strengthen those relationships. Newsletters reassert your position as an authority in your field, remind patients you’re an expert they can trust and rely on, and increase their connection with your awesome team!

Fill those open appointments. Here’s how you could add $120,000 in top line production this year.

When asked, most business owners say the number one thing that prevents them from taking action is time and the ability to be sure a decision will be the right one. The good news is, our team can clear that confusion. For example, with your metrics in Practice ZEBRA , you’ll gain insight into how many patients are lapsing, and the value of your new patients to determine your marketing strategies. We also provide Predictive Analytics , which allows you to see into your future! What type of revenue can you expect from adding a retention and acquisition strategy to your marketing mix?

Here’s a practice that’s doing a great job at $2 million in production but look what happens to their revenue when they simply add two new patients and save two active patients each week. It equals $120k in production! That doesn’t account for the additional new referrals you’ll get and their overall lifetime value … and that’s just for these patients this year! The results of “just two more” are exponential when you start considering the lifetime of your practice, in your location, if you’re not moving. These are the people you need to attract and keep!

Having a multi-channel, multi-pronged marketing strategy in play will help every dental practice grow production. So many of you are joining groups to learn how to build a more profitable, efficient, and successful dental office. That’s great, and the advice of those KOLs is incredible – but the onus is on you to take action. With our solutions, results are reported in black and white in Practice ZEBRA and there’s no guessing about what’s working and what isn’t. You see the impact every step of the way, from start to finish.

Practice ZEBRA empowers dentists and teams to make educated choices about which actions you need to take. AND, not only do we provide you with the metrics, we have the solutions to help you improve those numbers.

If you’re:

Experiencing too many patient cancelations – retain more with printed and emailed Patient Newsletters
Not getting enough patient appointments – add more with Neighborhood Newsletters
Not scheduling enough new patients – improve techniques with Call Coaching
Struggling to educate patients about your membership plan – our Membership Plan Booster builds awareness
Frustrated with your website provider – refresh your site with WebLift ^®
Wondering what your revenue forecast looks like – check out Predictive Analytics and see what’s possible.

No one reads to the bottom but if you have, you must call 1-888-377-2404 to schedule a free tutorial today!

Joanne Bishop

Infographic: 2023 Trends

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:35:57 GMT

Joanne Bishop

Google reviews. Dentists really can’t ignore them.

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:33:50 GMT

I stumbled into writing today’s blog post as a mom looking for a dentist for her (adult) daughter. It wasn’t something I needed to do but something I wanted to do, and what I found in the process was a reminder not only of how important the work our Patient NEWS team does for our clients is but also of how vital Google reviews are for dentists. (If you’re using our Review Booster system, don’t worry – you’ll be just fine! This story is juicy gossip about real dentists that are really in practice, so you might enjoy the read.)

My daughter is building a new home and moving to a new city, so I thought I’d do a little research on her behalf regarding dental options in her new area. Given that we work with dentists, I was curious about whether I might like a thing or two about one over another.

What I found was, honestly, quite surprising. It made it completely clear that dental offices looking to generate more production absolutely must have a modern, clean website and a bunch of great – and recent – reviews. After all, no one who wants to have a successful, growing business can ignore what’s going on online and believe that it won’t impact their results.

Not to mention how embarrassing it might be if you live where you work or are close to it. Not only will poor or lacking reviews and a clunky old website impact your practice reputation in your community, but people you know – colleagues, friends, family – they can all see those reviews, too! Your ability to attract quality team members is also likely to be impacted – it’s a common problem that many dental offices are challenged with.

The vast majority of consumers look to reviews to help them make major purchasing decisions, like selecting a healthcare provider. Can you think of a recent purchase you made WITHOUT looking at reviews? Would you choose a doctor that had a 3.4-star rating? Would you work for a practice that had a 2.5-star rating? Consider your age and gender. Not to be politically incorrect, but over 90% of all healthcare buying decisions are made by the household decision maker. I guarantee SHE is looking at reviews, like me, and guiding the family choices.

Now, I’ve seen some practices with mid-4-star reviews, and that can actually be a good thing – perfection can seem off – and we can all read through the angry patients who didn’t like treatment or the patients complaining about fees. I get it. That happens. And I don’t think I’m alone when I say I’ll often sort by bad reviews to see if I care about what others are complaining about.

But the dental practices I looked at in this case? Yikes. Not enough stars, not enough reviews, and not recent enough.

It was so shocking because it wasn’t one provider. It was multiple. One small group had a few locations with lower than 4-star reviews across locations. That is bad news bears and a leading indicator of future troubles.

I shook my head. Those dentists and practice owners have to have their heads in the sand. It also says something about their team and the company culture that someone wouldn’t be working to generate positive reviews and create a better online reputation.

An online situation like this will catch up to businesses that don’t take action. One of the offices actually looked pretty nice in their Google images and had curbside appeal – I almost wanted to call and just let them know, in a kind way, that they have a horrible website, bad reviews, and that those things are probably hurting them – but they can be fixed! I did not make the call, but I did encourage our team to reach out and see if they’d like some help without my direct negative feedback. LOL.

Maybe they’re doing okay with walk-ins and accepting the current patient activity. But it’s guaranteed that their online presence is hurting them, and prospective patients will be thinking the same thing and moving on.

The scary thing is, once new patients and production start to slide for a dental practice , it’s really hard to get the j-curve to turn back up if you wait too long.

According to ReviewTrackers analysis of over 48,000 business locations:

94% of consumers say a bad review has convinced them to avoid a business
53% of consumers expect businesses to respond to a negative review within a week
63% say that at least one company they reviewed never responded
45% of consumers say they’re more likely to visit a business if it responds to negative reviews
Customers don’t trust businesses with lower than 4-star reviews, and 70% filter those out completely.

Search Engine Land states that businesses with more reviews generate over 50% more revenue, and those with more than the average number of reviews bring in over 80% more revenue. While rating matters for consumer perception, the quantity of reviews is the factor more clearly related to revenue.

The average local business has 39 reviews, and over 80% of consumers say a review must be recent to be trustworthy. There’s a crazy stat that says consumers won’t even consider reviews if they weren’t written within 30 days!

Have you Googled “dentist near me” to see how your practice compares to others in your area? Take a look and don’t be worried. Whatever you find can be tackled, improved, and shifted to work positively for the success of your practice.

You may have a practice ambassador that would love to take on the role of review generator, and our Review Booster system can increase efficiencies and really change outcomes. It’s absolutely the best solution for dentists, and I’m not just bragging. It’s an automated system that utilizes both text and email, and because of that our clients can include value-added content in every email request. An oral health article that patients appreciate, which also helps to educate and boost elective services. Next appointment dates are noted for the family. It’s a give-and-ask system that sets dental offices apart from the typical text-and-go app. The easy-to-use dashboard collects all the practice reviews so it’s simple to respond to reviews efficiently each day, without having to log in all over the place. And, with Review Booster, you receive reports when patient email or cell contact data is missing. Our users triple their reviews – and over time that number continues to escalate! It’s the cat’s ass!

At the end of the day, Google reviews matter the most and we can help you master the art of collecting and responding to your steady flow of positive new reviews.

If you’re an amazing dentist with an amazing team, more people should know about you so you can help more people! Reviews are vital and they’re a great way to share the amazing work you do, the amazing people you work with, and the amazing dental care you provide. And guess what? Your patients are ready, willing, and happy to leave you a positive review.

It’s also important to consider recency in your considerations. I’ve seen some dentists that have a ton of good reviews, but then they just stop trying to get them. If you have 50 reviews, but your most recent one was written three months ago – that really matters too!

So, if you want to get more positive reviews, we’ve got you covered. Ask your Account Manager for a free demo of Review Booster. In fact, even if – or especially if – you’re already using any type of reputation management solution, you WANT to have a free demo of Review Booster. It’s been created by dental marketers just for dentists, so you may just like it a lot more than what you’ve got!

Average Review Booster clients have 170 reviews and have tripled their reviews since launch, and the same can happen for you. Get in touch with your AM today to discuss!

Joanne Bishop

Creating More Value For Patients

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:21:14 GMT

And more revenue for your practice

When it comes to physical health, the mouth is the gateway. What goes in affects the whole body, which is not something patients always realize. Helping them understand the connection between oral and overall health, and the fact that a healthy mouth can lead to a healthier life, is a great way to create more value for your patients – and an improved experience with your practice. This leads to improved retention, higher referral rates, increased case acceptance, better reviews, and more production.

When it comes to practice health, communication is the gateway. What goes out affects everyone associated, including staff, dentists, patients, and the community. It’s a fact that successful dental offices recognize and acknowledge.

Of course, there are a lot of important decisions patients have to make when it comes to their dental health, and one of the most important is choosing a dentist. A key tenet of practice success is to first help prospective patients understand their need to prioritize their oral health. Once you’ve accomplished this, your next task is to make your practice their obvious and standout choice for a dental care provider.. And once patients have selected your practice, your next focus should be on creating more value that will enhance their experience and ensure they stay longer and refer more. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by educating your patients about good oral hygiene habits and the treatments that can help them achieve better dental health.. By providing quality education that enables them to make informed decisions about their care, dentists can further strengthen the doctor/patient relationship while also building their reputation in the community. This also helps to attract more awesome team members.

After all, education helps keep patients engaged and committed to their oral health, and it helps generate interest in elective services. Actively engaged patients inevitably impact dental teams, prompting them to feel happy and excited about helping patients learn more and benefit more. Education is also one of the most valuable tools a dentist has in creating beautiful, bright, lasting smiles for their patients, not to mention a thriving dental office. When put simply, education is key!

And it’s not only important for the patient’s sake but also for the dental office. When patients are better informed, they are more likely to visit regularly and be compliant with treatment. This leads to increased business revenue and a more successful dental practice.

So how can you provide more value to your patients and increase business revenue? You need a consistent communication strategy for both existing and new patients, that includes educational content emphasizing the importance of great oral health – and how your services help patients achieve it.

This strategy should include:

Mailing a customized quarterly patient newsletter to patient homes that features interesting angles on oral health, health-related interest pieces, and fun stuff, like a healthy recipe or staff profile
Sending a monthly educational email to patients that highlights new products and technologies and their benefits
Mailing a monthly neighborhood newsletter to targeted households, which is similar to your patient newsletter, but with strong call-to-action content
Adding educational content to automated communications, such as a review request, to add value and improve reciprocity
Including quality educational content on your modern, fast website, which is designed to encourage readership, click-throughs, and conversions

Providing prospective and existing clients with an answer to the question: “Why should I go to the dentist?” can be tough. We understand that summing up everything that dental experts – and your practice, in particular – offer in a digestible, easily understood, and motivating way isn’t always a seamless process. That’s where our company can help! We’re experts at creating helpful, educational content that speaks to consumers and we’ve seen time and time again how finely tuned communications make a difference in practice and patient health. Patients need to know why and how regular dental visits are so important, and we not only ensure that messaging around this truth is delivered professionally and effectively – we significantly impact our clients’ practice revenue in the process!

We all know that women make the majority of household dental buying decisions. They want good information to make good decisions for their families. But consider how often you receive dental educational information as an average consumer. Not very often. You may get a random postcard from another dental office that might have an offer, a map, and a headline – but chances are it doesn’t include an article about WHY dental visits are important. You might also see a random article in the news, but there’s no mention of where the best place to get services would be.

Here’s where a dental office can really stand out in the community. Offices that commit to regular educational communications do differentiate and stand out. Think about it: If you were an average female head-of-household with no connection to the dental industry, would you understand the link between gum disease and other common diseases like diabetes, cancer, or premature birth? Or how easy teeth whitening, crowns, or an implant can be? Does the average household understand how important a great smile is for career success for young adults?

At Patient NEWS, we help dental offices and teams provide quality, reliable information about how oral health affects overall health with content-rich marketing campaigns that are developed around your competitive advantages and key services you want to promote.

If you educate patients about more than their next dental appointment date and time, they will be more likely to return, buy more, and refer their friends. This helps dental offices make more money, which can be used to invest in new technologies, continuing education, and a great environment for patients to visit. It can also be used to build and retain an awesome team!

For 30 years, we have dedicated our careers to helping dentists educate patients on the importance of oral health. Yes, for decades we’ve helped leading dental teams create unique and focused communications that work in direct mail, on custom websites, on social media, in automated patient communications – and our content yields results – our clients are producing 25% more production than the industry average!

We believe in education and we help you teach patients how their tongue affects not just themselves but also those around them. We also help coach dental offices and teams on how to best communicate with patients, how to effectively attract them to your practice, and how to convert them when they call or visit your website. Helping you succeed truly brings us joy!

Simply put, patient education in all marketing materials is a highly effective communication strategy for your dental office or group. Informative and carefully curated content helps dental offices connect with existing and prospective patients while also creating a superior experience and a stellar reputation in the community.

We’re pacing out of 2022 and into 2023 fast right now. Call to schedule a free consultation – or just order a sample kit of our content-rich dental marketing materials and see for yourself how our experience and skills can make a significant difference in your practice and your revenue, all while creating value and elevating your patient experience!

Joanne Bishop

How Do I Get More New Patients?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:19:34 GMT

Practice and DSO owners always ask, “how can we get more new patients?” After 30 years of helping dental offices and DSOs do this, we can tell you it’s straightforward.

We hear from dentists/dental managers all the time; they’ve spent countless hours and resources on various tactics that just haven’t hit the mark, looking for the fastest, the easiest, and what might be perceived as the cheapest, yet end up being a waste of time, unsuccessful – and costly, either due to resources required and wasted, or time and new patient opportunities lost.

If you’re feeling stuck or like you could be doing more to bring in new patients but don’t know where to start, we want to help. We offer a free consultation so that we can hear about your unique situation and provide tailored advice on the best way to move forward. Don’t spend another day spinning your wheels – contact us today for help getting your practice on the path to success.

There’s a proven system that our clients follow to attract more new patients and fill their schedules consistently – and it works. It’s been proven and continues to be proven. That’s why our clients are pacing 25% ahead of industry average production. And most importantly, it’s all taken care of, so you don’t have to worry about hiring another person, adding wages, or increasing overhead.

On average, for every new patient your practice misses onboarding, your practice loses around $2,000 in production. Imagine if every business day you’re open, you lost $2,000 – at minimum, that was right there for you to gain. New patients are super valuable to dental practices. They are worth investing in a proven system to get more of them – particularly if you have the capacity and open spots in the schedule. Extra new patients don’t add to overhead costs; they just add production and mostly profit.

Our system has been tested and proven by hundreds of dental offices. It’s true: it’s not for everyone. Dentists who are already on a successful path and want to be more successful definitely do the best. And this adds overall growth and security to the practice.

Why? Because they are committed to being consistent and investing in their success. They understand that nothing happens immediately and fast. Those that make “fast, quick, simple, easy” promises are just misleading – and, unfortunately, cause dental offices to waste more precious resources and lose time that could be spent gaining momentum and building practice production and security.

We offer a 100% free consultation and market area analysis – no obligation. If you’re not currently using our new patient acquisition system, book a call. Spend a few minutes finding out more about how our reliable, customized, branded solution can work to boost your new patients.

A consistent new patient strategy is important for dental offices. New patients increase production, which in turn allows dental practices to invest in better technology and continued education opportunities for the staff. Additionally, consistent new patient advertising strengthens the dental practice’s reputation within the local community. Dental practices that focus on consistent communication with new patients see an overall increase in production values.

Our system includes:

free consultation and strategic planning sessions
comprehensive demographic analysis to generate a precisely targeted mailing list of households most likely to respond to your practice, including drive time, buying preferences, existing market share, competitors, and more
access to customized content unique to your practice in a large, four-page newsletter format, the most trusted form of advertising, which DIFFERENTIATES YOUR PRACTICE from every other in your community
campaign management, your “marketing CEO,” who takes care of creative and deployment and coaches on tactics, messaging, and coaches your team to convert more calls
campaign ROI reporting, providing visible results right now to the penny patients spend in production from your campaign
joining hundreds of other successful dental teams and benefiting from the insights gained from industry knowledge and experience.

Any business will tell you that customer acquisition is important. But in the dental industry, it’s especially crucial to keep up a consistent stream of new patients. Even if your retention rate is strong, if you’re not focused on acquiring new patients, your practice’s revenue will eventually stagnate or even decline. This flattening of revenue can be imperceptible at first, but over time the effects will pick up speed – like a stone rolling downhill. That’s why it’s essential to always keep new patient acquisition in your marketing plan. Consistent communication with your community will make a big difference in keeping your practice thriving for years to come.

So, if you’re looking for a fast cure to generate new patients, we hate to break it to you – but that doesn’t exist. However, implementing the systems and strategies we’ve outlined in this blog post is an easy way to get on track for 2022 and beyond.

If you have any questions or want help getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out! We would be happy to chat with you about your specific practice goals and how we can help you achieve them. Thanks for reading, and best of luck as you work towards finishing 2022 stronger than ever before.

Joanne Bishop

Get a valuation increase with Patient NEWS

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:17:28 GMT

4 ways to increase production

In the 30 years we have been helping dental offices attract new patients and retain existing ones, we have never seen successful results from a one-hit wonder or urgent, kneejerk reaction marketing effort to fill the schedule.

You know your patients and the new patients that visit you. You’re all too familiar with the methodical, and often too slow, consideration patients put into choosing your dental office before contacting you. It takes time to educate and motivate patients.

Consistent dental marketing is important for several reasons. First, it helps to improve practice valuation. A dental office that is consistently marketing itself will be seen as more valuable than one that is not. Second, dental marketing helps to attract new patients. A dental office that is visible and active in its marketing efforts is more likely to attract new patients than one that is not. Finally, dental marketing helps to keep existing patients. Patients who see that their dental office is constantly working to improve its reputation and grow its customer base are more likely to stay with the dental office than those who do not see such efforts being made. As such, dental marketing is essential for any dental office that wants to succeed in the long term.

And then there is the data. At Patient NEWS, we’ve seen the impact of consistent marketing efforts to new patient numbers. It’s not anecdotal. Here’s an office that hadn’t been marketing in their area consistently until February of this year. The result did not happen overnight, but the upswing is on the move.

Dental practices that struggle the most often hop in and out of marketing, identifying too late that their schedules have open blocks, and flying by the seat of their pants to figure out a fast and cheap way to get butts in chairs results in a bumpy up and down flow to new patient numbers.

You would never tell a patient that they should floss this month and then wait to see the results and then floss again in three months if they thought they needed it.

Dental patients need confidence builders, familiarity builders, and trust builders before making a dental buying decision. The most successful dental practices understand that more positive marketing impressions mean the practice is more memorable with its target audience. Creating and sustaining success requires a proven, sound, branded marketing strategy that is executed across channels consistently. This approach is what has driven our client production 25% ahead of industry average.

According to the ADA HPI poll last month, dentists’ confidence in economic recovery continues to drop, down 7% from the previous poll. Practice production is static at 85%.

It’s been proven that dropping in a fast one-time postcard into market is as good as flushing the money down the toilet. One and done never works. It takes time and repetition to build recognition, and that’s true of the overall brand message for a dental practice online, in homes, and in office. Branding and messaging need to be consistent at every patient touchpoint, and, in fact, when there is any discrepancy along the way, it detracts trust points for the dental practice, even among existing patients that you may assume are loyal clients.

What can a dental office do?

Ensure the practice website and overall online presence (social sites, listings, GMB) are up-to-date, fast, and modern, and that all contact links and phone numbers are working and being responded to.
Keep a consistent direct mail program rolling into top targeted homes monthly. Results build over time with direct mail.
Make sure your automated communications are adding value and generating interest.
Ask for and respond to patient reviews.
Review the patient journey, look at your possible touchpoints, and make sure your “patient experience” is at the level you would expect for yourself.
Track marketing results using advanced methodologies, including phone, address, and form attribution.

Consider your own experiences. When someone asks you for something once and then isn’t around at all, does that leave a great impression? It’s so important to be consistent, whether you’re trying to build a personal relationship or grow a business. When you make an effort to keep in touch with someone regularly, it shows you care about them and value their friendship or business. Something as simple as sending a monthly newsletter and just saying thank you for a referral can make a big impression. Patients love receiving their neighborhood newsletter, and it’s a great way to stay top of mind. Plus, it’s a long-term investment that pays off when patients are ready to proceed with treatment. If you’re consistent with your communication, you’re more likely to build strong relationships that last.

It’s no secret that one-hit wonder marketing efforts don’t work. You have to put in the time and energy to reap the rewards. But with best practices and proven systems, you can make your marketing investments go further. We can help you finish 2022 stronger and achieve even more success for your dental practice. Schedule a consultation today!

Joanne Bishop

Perfect time to hit the pause button

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:13:04 GMT

4 ways to increase production

We have closed off the first 6 months of the year. Are you trending towards achievement of the production goal you set for this fiscal? Are you ahead, or are things lagging?

It’s not a bad time to hit pause for a moment, take a beat, and look to reset. To spend time considering what your practice has done well so far (so you can do more of that) and what you could be doing differently for the rest of the year in order to yield better results.

There are 4 key areas to increase production:

Add more new patients
Increase patient spend
Reduce patient attrition
Revisit pricing.

DENTAL OFFICES ALWAYS NEED TO ADD MORE NEW PATIENTS

The average dental office that uses Patient NEWS generates $1.6 million in production, have an active patient base of 2,000, and they add around 50 new patients per month. Those new patients contribute an average of $1,800 to production annually.

A steady flow of new patients is essential in every business model.

New patients bring solid new production to a dental office. They have a value that’s almost 2X of an active patient because they need dental treatment and they’re engaged when they are new to you. And, when you consider that the average dental office hasn’t seen roughly 25% of active patients in over 9 months, and will have 15-20% patient attrition each month, adding new patients really becomes absolutely essential for revenue security, and more important if you’re looking for production growth.

Do you have a new-patient program in place that’s working well? (Our neighborhood newsletters are the number-one driver of new dental patients.)
Can you expand your current marketing investment in order to add more high-value new patients?
Do you have capacity, or can you make room, to add more new patients?
Do you know how much more valuable a new patient is to your practice versus an active? On average, an active patient contributes $1000, and a new patient contributes $1800, AND in addition, a new patient is likely to refer more new patients to you!
Have you exhausted patient referrals? Do your existing patients know you want more new patients? Spread the word!
CASE ACCEPTANCE TO INCREASE PATIENT SPEND

More visits don’t always equal more production or higher spend. To increase the average value a patient spends with your practice, consider your upselling and cross selling opportunities.
Look at your customer servicing. There is nothing that will kill patient spending more that poor service, or even just a perceived indifference of their value to you. If you’re not enthusiastic when greeting, by phone or in person, when your team won’t bend or get creative to solve scheduling problems, when the dentist doesn’t look the patient in the eye, a myriad of little misses can lead to patients feeling underappreciated, so they stop coming and don’t buy into the treatment presented.
That said, with a great team and everyone happy, helpful, and welcoming … patients spend more with dentists and teams who appear to have their best interest at heart. Patients like to know all of their treatment options so they can improve their looks and health. One of our VIP clients, Dr. Hazel Glasper, who may have the highest new-patient value I’ve ever seen, will tell you that when you diagnose more and present more, you’ll schedule more. Patients want to spend money on themselves, which leads to a more profitable practice for you. If you haven’t seen Dr. Glasper present, search her out. She is a powerhouse.
Offer incentives. Add a low-cost high-value item to a high-cost procedure, and hold that in your back pocket when presenting … after you’ve identified the problem, shared the solution, identified any objections, you’ve pushed the pain-point no-change button, and still feel a hold back…
Circle back to your patients with unaccepted treatment list. Sometimes people just need a moment to think about things before they make a decision – that’s why you follow up! According to a study, 80% of sales require an average of five – or more – follow-up messages. And, when you follow up at least a bit, you show patients you care. Look at the top cases in the unaccepted list – those are probably worth the dentist’s time to make a few personal phone calls. For the rest, make sure you’re communicating via all channels with educational information about your services.
REDUCING ATTRITION & WHY ITS IMPORTANT TOO

First of all, patient newsletters are what we were founded on – and our clients currently are 10% ahead of 2021 production and 25% ahead of pre-COVID production. Talk about “proven.” Don’t get me wrong, we manage digital campaigns, websites, landing pages, SEO, PPC/paid media, automated communications, social marketing, the full gamut today … AND direct mail. Every dental practice should invest in a quarterly patient newsletter. Seriously. It’s not that hard. It’s doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It’s not expensive in the grand scheme of things. And I’ll bet the majority of dental offices aren’t sending something so simple, yet so impactful. If you’re not doing it, you need to. Doesn’t this ring of a golden opportunity for your practice to stand out amongst all the automated messages, emails, texts, and artificial communications? Hey, those are great, don’t get me wrong. But when was the last time you received something from one of your own healthcare providers that rang of a value-added effort?

Listen… 25% of active patients have not visited their dental office in somewhere between 9-12 months. That’s the average, and our clients are above average, so you’re somewhere in there. The average practice has just over 2,000 active patients – which means 500 patients aren’t currently connected.

One of our colleagues, Kelly Schwartz of Schwartz Consulting, says that it can actually be a good thing to “love some patients out the door” to make room for high-value new patients. So it’s not all about retaining every twice a year cleaning patient, or those GenZs and getting them into your schedule. It is, however, about ensuring that the patients that do spend (most often that’s GenX and up), are feeling very connected to you, and appreciated by you. Active patients provide that secure and steady monthly income so that you can invest in new-patient activities to increase practice production and improve valuation.

How do you improve retention?
Mail a printed patient newsletter. Adults of ALL ages welcome mail from their providers, they want to receive mail, and it helps them making buying decisions. And you’ll stand out. Look what’s in your mailbox. It’s a very low-cost high-value way to show patients you care.
Are your patients happy and excited when they come to see you? I realize that’s not going to happen all the time, there are “those” clients, but do you feel happiness from most of your patients when they see you? Your service should trigger a positive emotional response.
Make sure everyone on your team is living up to your vision so that you’re delivering what you’ve promised your patients. It’s really important when onboarding new team members that they get your culture, understand what patients expect, and what you expect them to provide in terms of patient experience. Training courses are everywhere to help brush up skills; take advantage of them. Our free Phone Power system is a great resource for call handling.
Be genuine. Trust is the number-one thing you need from patients, and nothing will kill that more than a gut feeling that the person you’re dealing with isn’t being genuine. Only give a compliment when you really mean it. People can tell phony.
Great service is a significant driver of internal practice growth. Patients want superior experience, and they’re getting pickier by the moment. They want to be treated like they’re special and not a one-size-fits-all get-‘em-in-get-‘em-out – unless that’s your value prop – people want you to understand their needs and expectations. It’s about prioritizing the patient experience. Look at the modern patient journey… What are the touchpoints and what are the conveniences you can offer. How can you make the patient experience better than any other option around you?
PRICING. THE TRICKY BALANCE OF VALUE DELIVERED.

With average patient volumes still below pre-COVID levels for the average dental office, 25% have raised fees, and more are following. Raising fees can be tricky but inflation is happening, and everyone knows it. Depending on the insurances you accept, the co-pay impact may be so minor that the majority of your patients won’t notice or really care, particularly if you can demonstrate the value you’re providing. That’s the key. If your product is adding value to your patients’ lives, and the experience they get is a great one, people are willing to pay more.
Know your costs and run the numbers, including what is happening in your market area. For example, if you’re struggling with price shoppers, maybe your fees are too low and you’re attracting the wrong patient. You must know how your practice fees compare to competitors, particularly in this dynamic time.
Consider implementing a flat X% increase across all procedures, or target new patients first (while allocating for that low-cost bonus item).
Script your team to be able to answer questions, explain the why, the value, and how the increase will benefit patients. Don’t apologize. Help everyone be prepared to overcome any objections.
If you can, assure patients that there won’t be another increase for X timeframe.
According to a DiQ article, increasing fees reasonably can keep patients loyal because they feel the practice is improving – your service must reflect that!

There is time to reset and continue your growth trajectory. Look at those goals, check your patient and new-patient key metrics, make sure you’re adding a good flow of new patients and increase that if you can, hone your retention and pricing strategies, and use effective marketing channels.

That’s where we come into play. We can help you benchmark exactly where you’re at and provide you with any combination of proven, effective, digital and direct-mail strategies that will help you build and strengthen your practice.

Call our team today and schedule a free consultation. We offer an amazing array of free reports during our consultation phase, so take advantage of these and see if we can’t help you take off to greater heights!

Joanne Bishop

Patient NEWS Client Production Is 25% Higher

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:09:50 GMT

In case you missed it, below are 5 quick links to the latest articles on dental marketing and dental consumer behavior that can help your practice get the action you want. If you feel like you’ve exhausted every method, tried every tactic, and are still not getting the results you want, check this out.

In the May 2022 ADA/HPI Outlook Report, dentists indicated that their schedules were about 86% full, with patient cancelations remaining the most common reason.

Comparatively, users of Patient NEWS® marketing services are posting production in 2022 that is 25% higher than pre-COVID 2019 and 10% higher than 2021! Rawk on Patient NEWS dentists!

Take advantage of Patient NEWS professional resources to propel your practice toward continued success.

7 Patient-Experience Mistakes You Can Fix [read now]
80% Of Patients Want Better Service – Consumer Stats [read now]
Dental Marketing 101: Right Message Right Time – Patient Journey [read now]
It’s Not Magic. It’s Training. – Call Training [read now]
10 Things Hurting Your Dental Website [read now]

Patient NEWS offers a completely complimentary market and practice analysis to help you identify the many opportunities your practice has to increase production. I guarantee you’ll benefit from this process, you’ll find immediate action items and tremendous insights, and you have no obligation to work with us.

Why not get an unbiased view of how your marketing is working and how you might be able to increase new patients, improve retention, and boost production? Especially when it’s free!

And, our clients are outpacing the industry, so don’t you want to know what they’re doing? We can show you and share how you can do it too.

Our goal is to help you build and strengthen your patient relationships, and we do that by helping your practice STAND OUT in your area.

Check out the quick links and schedule your free consultation to get started.

Joanne Bishop

7 Patient-Experience Mistakes You Can Fix

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:06:22 GMT

What prevents your patients and prospective patients from having the best experience with your practice or group? What components actually affect the “best experience”? The answers cover both internal and external factors and reveal some fixable mistakes that many small businesses make due to lack of time, resources, awareness, anecdotal information or preconceived notions or other factors that can be avoided with a little planning.

1. Being disjointed

Patients see dental providers from varied directions. Direct mail, website, signage, online, in-office, transactions, office communications, word around town, etc., and if the message isn’t consistent throughout the interactions and touchpoints, it can rattle trust and impact confidence. Similarly, if the practice has been hit and miss with marketing and communication efforts, that too can impact reputation.

By completing an analysis of past marketing, market share, current online information, area demographics, etc., practice owners and dental marketing managers can adjust and improve their presentation across channels. Who is the target patient – who will actually attend the practice – not the desired patient that lives outside of the drive radius? What are their buying preferences? What does that prime audience see and know about the practice?

Practice owners can take control and deliver a consistent, positive brand image across all channels which will help to drive more patient appointments, attract more quality new patients, and improve patient satisfaction. (Hint: we have some answers to help, and we’re already halfway through 2022.)

2. Not considering the entire patient journey

The modern patient journey starts with practice awareness and continues to research, buying decision, experience, advocacy, and the loyalty loop for practice growth.

How do patients find out about your practice? Has there been a concerted effort to work on visibility, patient referrals, direct mail, paid ads? What is the patient’s first contact and first live interaction like? Is it super welcoming, positive, and enthusiastic? Is it responsive and timely? Don’t forget the different levels of knowledge and varying degrees of experience – both good and bad, correct and incorrect, patients will have. We can all do a Google search and find answers in seconds, which means we have little patience when a company doesn’t respond fast or can’t quickly tell us what we need to know. Your communications need to account for that.

3. Excluding team members

Dental marketing campaigns often fail when the front-line team hasn’t been included in the campaign development. The people who carry the key to practice success are the people who greet, welcome, and convert patients. If they don’t understand practice production levels or practice goals, they can’t work to improve results and the patient experience. When a team member is left out, that’s when a new patient is just more work versus a fantastic win.

Being included makes everyone on the team happier – and this correlates to happier, more-satisfied patients. There have been many studies that connect the dots between happier employees and efficiency, creativity, and productivity too – so it’s a win-win to get everyone on the same page.

The average new patient is worth almost $2,000 for a dental office. And adding one more new patient a day doesn’t add any more overhead so just about all of that $2K, aside from consumables, goes straight to the bottom line. And adding “one more a day” adds $500,000 to top line projections if you’re open 5 days a week every week. Wouldn’t that be a pretty cool goal to get everyone involved in?

4. Neglecting to consider perceptions

Research shows that consumer “perceptions” hurt us more than we know. Most customers don’t tell us about their perceptions or their impressions and opinions of our business, they just don’t do business with us. The majority, 94% of people, notice the design of marketing first, then decide if they will continue or move on. They want a mobile-friendly experience which reflects how modern your practice is perceived to be. Perceived indifference is the number-one reason clients vanish. According to the Future of Customer Experience survey, 60% of people will walk after several bad experiences, and almost 20% after just one, even when they love the company!

Take a second look at your core marketing campaigns, direct mail, and your website. They should be married to each other and be professional, modern, and easy to comprehend. What about the exterior and patient areas in your offices? Patients expect a clean, modern experience from the first touchpoint to their last. And does the experience match the message? Like you and me, consumers rank speed, convenience, knowledge, help, and friendly service as top positives. Walk your talk.

5. Missing communication structures

There are best practices for the order messaging is presented to patients, both in print and digital marketing. It’s important to create an experience that makes sense for patients to navigate through when your goal is to generate an appointment with the reader. Your marketing communications must be easy to get to, easy to understand, and easy to follow the path to booking. Convoluted, outdated, overloaded, communications full of technical jargon … these just make it confusing for patients and they walk away. You’re a consumer too. If something is going to take too much of your time to figure out or get through, you’re also likely to bail.

6. Not making patients number one

Content is king and it needs to be focused on the benefits of your practice, not the features, technology, or skills.

Sometimes it can be tough to get dentists to push ego aside. The thing is, you’re great; your dedication to education is beyond most, you’ve done a ton of work learning what you know, gaining experience, being credentialed, and adding technologies to your practice. You should be able to brag, but it needs to be in a way that shows patients how THEY will benefit. Content created the wrong way may allow patients to see that you’re really smart and have a lot of tech and are leading-edge, but the information can be intimidating, and when it is about YOU and not about THEM, patients shut down and can’t connect the dots to what will benefit them.

7.Not making EACH new patient feel like they’re number one at the first live interaction.

I recently had an experience with an emergency animal hospital for my puppy Lucy that relates to this blog when you consider that dental patients perceive that dentistry is expensive, but they’re willing to pay when they get great service. Lucy is doing well now, but it was an emergency and very scary. There were lots of interactions and phone calls over the past week and every single person I spoke with from the initial call to office staff, to multiple vet techs, multiple vets, and the transactions of drop off pick up payment, etc., was patient, encouraging, knowledgeable, and helpful. Not one tried to rush me off the phone. It was curbside drop-off, waiting and pick-up, so I was there, and I saw how busy and frantic the hospital was with pet emergencies landing one after another after another. If there was ever a healthcare setting that would rush a lower-level patient off the phone it would be this one. But no, not a single interaction made me feel like I wasn’t super important, that Lucy and I weren’t the only ones they needed to speak with and take care of. The fee was highway robbery. But the service was awesome, helpful, and kind – and pawsitive! LOL. I would refer them and I’m swallowing the thousands of dollars I paid, because Lucy is back to herself, happy at home with me, and they made me feel like they really cared, and I was important. And studies show that patients are willing to pay more for a great experience. Dentists need to pay attention to this one.

Listen to a few of your inbound calls. Just do some random audits. Believe it or not, “dentist office, hold please” without letting a new patient speak is still a thing. And it’s not doing anyone any favors.

These are just a few things you can improve to provide a superior patient experience. When you make patients feel absolutely cared for and appreciated at every interaction, you’ll get more great reviews, more returning patients, more referrals, more case acceptance, and you’ll generate higher production and experience greater growth at the practice – and group – level.

Hey, the team at Patient NEWS can help you with each one of these points. Call or schedule your free consultation today.

Joanne Bishop

80% of patients want better service

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:02:11 GMT

This article is here to provide encouragement. 80% of patients want better service. We say, “No problem!” We can help you implement a couple very easy tactics that will make you stand out and your patients happier with the service from your practice.

The fact is that every little bit of movement your dental practice can, and is, making to better-communicate with and educate patients will result in less stress on you, better care for patients, and a more profitable and enjoyable practice.

50% of consumers realize they have options and won’t stick around without excellent service. Yikes.

And did you know that, for the average practice, 24% of active patients haven’t been back for 9-24 months?

These stats are hard to hear but are important. What do they mean to your dental office?

When I sat down to write this article, maybe with a little pandemic fatigue myself, given these stats about new expectations, I wondered, “What were we writing and sharing before COVID-19”? Heading into 2020, we were all on an upswing, dental offices were thriving, and marketing campaigns were cranking. But then. Wham. COVID hit, and unbelievably, dental offices were shut down across North America. It was totally freaking unbelievable. If you were one of those shutdown, just know we were in it with you; we ONLY work in the dental industry with dentists, so we came to a screeching halt right there with you. And then worked our butts off to help in any way we could. Thank goodness the shutdown didn’t last and dentistry has been confirmed essential, so it won’t happen again. And today, our clients are doing great compared to industry averages.

So … what were we talking about before COVID hit? I looked.

It was very similar. LOL.

Patient acquisition.
Patient education.
Patient retention.
Patient attrition.
Practice valuation.

Any difference? Yes. Now, the importance of patient education and consistent, quality communications is amplified because if the pandemic did anything, it made consumers reconsider everything, including their choices and priorities. It made dental office owners reconsider their commitment and approach. It created a more competitive and challenging market for dental practice owners to win. Dental offices using our solutions are winning, which is awesome. We’d like to help more!

In the last ADA HPI report, just 32% of dentists (42% of DSOs) were very confident in the recovery of their practice over the next six months. Around 13% were as low on the scale as skeptical. According to the report, the average dental office has yet to achieve pre-COVID activity levels (although our clients have been trending well over pre-COVID production ) and reports patient activity is still at 10-20% below pre-COVID levels.

Now that the dust is settling and dental offices can move out of survival mode, customer service and doing just a little bit more to impress your patients has become paramount. But … while 59% admit their expectations are higher than a year ago…

88% of patients are willing to pay more for a great customer experience.

In an era of misinformation and misunderstanding, dental offices that take a proactive approach to service standards, to delighting patients, and to personalizing themselves and their services and benefits with a multi-channel marketing mix can stand out and attract and retain more quality patients.

Wait! Don’t shut off reading this. Yes, of course I’m writing because we can help, but this article is also written to share the statistics, the industry trends, and what metrics actually matter.

There is even misinformation being produced by other industry vendors which has to make it difficult for dental office managers to make good decisions. Information that can not only be misleading but sometimes completely incorrect. At Patient NEWS ^® , we cover off everything: retention, acquisition, automated, traditional, and digital marketing communications, and we have Practice ZEBRA ^® dental software so we have clear data to help our clients succeed.

Hundreds of dental offices are connected to ZEBRA to track marketing campaigns and find improvement and production growth opportunities. Here are the actual metrics from the average client using Practice ZEBRA. These metrics show you the importance of acquisition AND retention to deliver a one-point-six-million-dollar practice.

Average active patient annual value: $1,100
Average new patient annual value: $1,900
Percentage of new patients that return: 65%
Average number of active patients: 2,000, scheduled 45%
Active patients with no activity 9+ months: 24%
Average number new patients/month: 50
Average production with these stats: $1,650,000

It is so gratifying that our clients have been able to rebound so strongly. That’s not to say they’re not struggling with the same issues, finding staff, supply chain, and increased costs, but they’ve soldiered through with consistent marketing, and the results are paying off. Compare these with your numbers. Are there areas for improvement?

The WHO has stated that dental care was among the most COVID-affected essential health service; the World Dental Federation said it’s been a “dental disaster.” That’s why dental offices are increasing their efforts to educate patients on the importance of oral health. That good old “silent disease” isn’t helping push people back to the office either. According to the ADA, the average dental office is only at 80-90% of pre-covid results, and much of the “reported” reason: patient cancellations. Keeping a steady flow of new patients helps bridge that gap, and patient education helps patients understand how essential their recall visits are and helps them visualize (and prioritize) the impact of elective services and how important timely treatment is.

85% of patients appreciate and look forward to receiving their dentist’s newsletter.

We must stay positive and optimistic and put a strategic effort forth to implement tactics that are going to positively impact patient retention and drive a consistent train of new patients to your door. Every incremental improvement you can make on both sides of the business will have a positive impact on practice health – and team satisfaction – and doctor happiness!

While some offices thrive on a high-volume patient model, it has become more challenging to maintain since the pandemic, particularly due to the current difficulty in finding and onboarding team members in a business model that requires higher labor inputs. This adds stress to doctor, existing team, and patients, and results in higher patient attrition. That said, singular focus on acquisition isn’t enough for either high-volume or high-value practice model.

On the other hand, only focusing on retention creates major challenges for production growth and profitability. Patients attrite. They lapse. They move. They change jobs. Treatment acceptance stumbles. We see practices come to us now that haven’t focused on acquisition at all, and they are in decline. And once that train is rolling downhill, it’s really hard to stop it and get it going up again. But it can be done.

When you call our office, ask for a FREE Demo of Practice ZEBRA. You’ll be able to see all of your key metrics and see how your office compares to other dental offices. You’ll be able to see your market share mapping report and your net gain/loss chart for any time period. Super impactful, and you have to check out the Predictive Analytics module.

This real-time tool pulls together the practice production trend line forecast for 2022 based on the last six months’ actuals. Again your actuals, industry averages, and top performer stats, and you can toggle your key performance metrics up or down to reveal what a minor adjustment to one of any number of metrics can do to increase practice production. Imagine seeing what an incremental change could do, and presuming you could do it with your existing overhead and team – every dollar more goes straight to the bottom line … which will lead to improved valuation!

When you consider that every little bit of movement forward can equal less stress on the doctor, less stress on the team, better care for your patients, and a more profitable and enjoyable practice, it’s pretty amazing.

So … your marketing mix should indeed be a mix of acquisition and retention tactics. If pre-pandemic consumer expectations and demands were increasing, those expectations have only amplified.

91% of consumers are more likely to stay with brands who recognize, remember and provide them with relevant offers and recommendations
Perceived indifference is the number-one reason patients leave
5% boost in retention can increase profit by 25%

In a world where you potentially don’t see clients for several months, how do you remain top-of-mind? How do you show you care? Provide value? Make your practice stand out? Heck, a custom printed newsletter comes to mind LOL!

For sure front-desk automation is amazing; there are companies popping up all over the map – everyone offers something, sort of, the same, and we too provide best-in-class patient automation tools. There is nothing better than our review automation or reactivation cadences. While automated communications are tremendous efficiency boosters, they are also expected by patients for the convenience of it all. A dental office isn’t going to stand out because of an automated reminder. But when you hit patient doorsteps with a printed, tangible, high-value piece every month, it has major impact.

Impact that is proven by science. All consumers appreciate direct mail. It’s like a physical gift and the psychological impacts are proven. It takes less cognitive load in the brain to digest, it’s more memorable, and it makes people feel valued.

Direct mail is also a driver for new patients. It brings awareness of your practice and your services, and sends readers to your website to find out more about you. Awareness doesn’t start at search. According to HubSpot, brand awareness establishes trust. By putting a face to your brand, patients can trust easier. That’s critical for dental offices. They also say that brand awareness doesn’t happen overnight and is a result of numerous efforts over time. And that storytelling can be powerful. This is all true.

Dentists who I know love to share their expertise with their patients and community. They love to explain the benefits of treatment and news of the practice. They love to share their passion. You can do that in a printed newsletter far better than you can do in any other format. And patients respond to mail. In fact, it is the most preferred and trusted format.

80% of consumers expect better service

With the renewed focus on health and wellness, and an increased awareness of the mouth/body connection, there is incredible opportunity to differentiate your dental office by doing something “just a bit more” than anyone else in your market. You can break through digital fatigue. You can make it easy and great for your dental office to be chosen. Data tells us that it will continue to be more and more important to make patient interactions more personal, more connected, and more relevant to build and strengthen your patient relationships.

Our team of dental marketing experts can, and want, to help your dental office grow and prosper.

Book a free consultation, get a free demo of Practice ZEBRA, check out your predictive analytics, and look at all the opportunities available to your practice to grow production, profits, and valuation.

Joanne Bishop

Dental Marketing 101: Right message right time

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 21:56:03 GMT

You’ve probably heard snippets here and there about the importance of the consumer buying journey. We talk a lot about the dental patient journey at Patient NEWS®. That’s because it’s so useful in mapping out marketing strategy. It’s also because dental patients don’t buy and return on a whim. It takes nurturing throughout their entire “journey” or path to purchase.

When you consider where and who your patients and potential patients are, what motivates them, and how you can mold each possible touchpoint in their decision-making process, you’ll be able to better understand your overall target audience, invest in the right communication channels, and “be there” meeting their preferences and expectations so that patients think of you first and choose you – again and again.

Consider this though. Potential dental patients complete around 90% of the initial phases of buying journey before they ever book an appointment. And then there’s the “loyalty loop,” meaning that because the recurring business model of dentistry, patients have to go through the consideration/buying-decision phase every time they re-engage with your practice.

That means dental offices that want to attract and retain more patients must delve into the journey, find ways to break through the noise, and find important and impactful touchpoints particularly at the awareness and decision-making stages.

The dental patient buying journey really is complex. That’s why it is a vital and important exercise for dental office owners and managers to take a good look at their patient journey and determine what tactics could improve the experience at every touchpoint.

Think about how your potential patients find out about your practice. Where do they see your name? Where they do their research? What do they read? This all shapes their journey.

Using the dental patient path-to-purchase, the journey, you can identify all of the touchpoints you need to enhance to maximize results and success for your practice. There are always more opportunities to attract and retain more patients.

We used to see a TV commercial or hear a radio ad and then go to purchase. When Google released the zero-moment-of-truth buying process, it revealed that consumers consulted over 10 digital or traditional sources before purchasing, which was twice as much as the year prior. That was 2011. Imagine how those numbers have exponentially multiplied today where we have a mixture of many, many, many layers of information that lead to a buying decision.

Here’s a few suggestions to chart out your patient journey…

What triggers awareness of your practice; how could potential patients find out about you?
What is the call to action, the reason or urgency, to contact your office over another?
What can and do patients find out about you online, where do they look, and are you there?
What methods can/do they use to contact you (the more options you provide, the more likely a response)?
What is the new-patient welcome like, via website or call handling?
What is the in-office experience, does the office exterior match marketing, is the entrance as expected, who interacts, and what is the patient supposed to feel?
What makes patients return and refer … and review with 5 stars, and how do you stay engaged when they’re not in office?

Consider all of this in relation to the type of patients that currently choose your practice (that you want more of) and why they choose you.

Who is the primary decision-maker for your services?
What are all the available touchpoints at each phase of their journey?
What channels of communication do they prefer?
How can you improve at every touch?

And all of your patients – active, lapsing, inactive, prospective – all of them have choice … lots of choice. As part of your drill-down into your patient journey, determine what your competitors are doing in comparison with you at each phase.

What dental practices are your potential patient considering and how can you show you’re better? How can you do a better job than those competitors?

You’ll have some good insights there. For sure, you have patients who have switched from a competitor to you. Why did they? For example, we know that many of our clients come to us because of our personal service; having a live person available means a lot to our clients. Our clients have nothing but great things to say about their Account Managers. So what was it that drove patients away from your competitor and over to you? Bounce on that, emphasize it in your new-patient marketing for dentists campaigns, and make sure you have that part of the patient experience covered off and enhanced.

Phase 1 – Practice Awareness

This is where you need to make it easy for your consumers to find you. Do you find yourself hearing new patients say, “I didn’t even know you were here!” … or do you KNOW your practice is off the beaten path and you need to do something to generate more awareness? We work with many dentists that are two streets up and one street across from the main traffic zone in their area.

Create practice awareness
Tailor messaging
Include a strong call-to-action

Don’t rule out awareness campaigns you’ve been running for some time, or campaigns you ran in the past thinking that your area is saturated with your message. Short bursts and one-hit-wonders never work. The most successful offices know they need consistency at the awareness phase. Consumers need to be constantly reminded about dental care. Consider even what it takes for you to remind your existing patients to re-book and engage. The consumers that reside around your practice come and go, those who weren’t previously ready to convert might be ready to engage now, and existing patients need education and reinforcement so that they make good decision. Consider the stats.

The average dental practice has 2,000 active patients
That’s around 800 households
25% of active patients, on average, have not seen their dentist in over 9 months
That equals 200 homes (off the 800 active patient households) that are at risk of never returning
Average target market area for a single dental practice is 5,000-10,000 households

This means that the average dental office has around 10% of their target audience actively engaged. What is your market share? Are you confident that you’re doing enough consistent, targeted awareness marketing to hold existing market share and gain more?

Phase 2 – Research

People find out about you in a whole host of ways and avenues. New patients respond to direct mail by checking your dental practice website design online. There are many traditional and digital paths that will influence their decisions. What will they find about you online? Lots of recent and positive reviews? A user-friendly website that’s easy to navigate? Accurate information and branding that matches your reputation, signage, or other campaigns?

Invest in your online presence with an updated website, accurate listings, SEO, and current reviews
Seriously focus on adding positive patient reviews
Provide educational materials that allow patients to get to know you and get to trust your expertise

Phase 3 – Decision Making

Studies show over 80% of consumers choose companies that they know and like. This is where campaigns like monthly newsletters can really play a role in shaping the patient experience because you can help your target audience get to know you, to make your brand a known household name, and to become familiar with you, your practice, and your services. The importance of building trust is critical to a dental office and developing good recognition will set the stage when it comes to the buying decision and conversion. This enthusiasm, welcome, and knowledgeable greeting is critical at the first live interaction.

Have new-patient scheduling blocks so you’re ready to make it easy for patients to get to you
Invest in call coaching for everyone who answers your phone
Educate your team about the benefits of your expertise and your services so they can speak enthusiastically about you
Make sure that everyone wants to WOW new patients.

Phase 4 – Experience

Consumers want a superior experience. They just do. We all do. People have so much choice today you can’t afford to slip up. Make the experience great. Make it stand out. What do patients say after a visit at your practice? Do they rave about your staff to you?

Make it easy to continue to work with you. On-time appointments. Convenient options. Friendly team.
Be proactive with scheduling: reminders, recall, and reactivations
Offer up every elective solution and option to enhance health and smiles. Patients WANT to know what’s available to them. Even if they’re not ready to take you up on it immediately, keep it up, and in combination with your monthly/quarterly educational mailings, you’ll boost your patient experience and you’ll boost practice production

Post-purchase (i.e. that first appointment), patients are receptive to upsell. And a new patient wants to tell others about their experience because they want to reinforce the good decision they made. Make a great first impression and keep it rolling at every visit.

Phase 5 – Loyalty

The journey never ends for dentistry. You have a recurring revenue model and you want to focus on that loyalty loop. You need those patients of yours to stay patients of yours, so there is always opportunity to better engage patients and provide superior value when they’re in your chair and when they’re at home in their own chairs!

Make sure everyone on your team makes each patient feel important to your practice. The number-one reason patients lapse or leave a dental practice is “perceived indifference.” You don’t want your patients to feel that way. It’s not a good feeling and it’s understandable that this would sway patients in another direction. Often those patients don’t immediately choose another provider, so you have a chance to win them back with great communications.
Implement a multi-channel patient loyalty campaign
Ask for patient feedback and reviews, listen, read between the lines, respond, and say thank you
Send a printed patient newsletter to patient households every quarter which will make you stand out with a superior value-add.

At the end of the day, you always want to think about your full patient journey. You’ll be able to monitor the touchpoints that have the greatest impact on patients and your practice and make informed decisions for practice growth. Using the patient journey is guaranteed to have a positive impact on production and profits. Happy patients = happy staff = happy owners!

Talk to your Account Manager about the dental patient journey, look at the touchpoints your marketing strategy might be missing, and we can help you out!

Joanne Bishop

It’s not magic. It’s training.

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:17:14 GMT

Easy way to get more new dental patients

So you’ve got a great dental clinic, great doctors, a great hygiene team, and great support staff. But you’re just not scheduling as many new patients as you’d like. You’re scratching your head. Every patient you see says they love you. What’s up?

A couple of things…

You’re not using direct mail. Not to sound self-serving, but mail is the only way to reach 100% of your market area and it’s the number-one driver of practice visibility and overall new-patient growth for most dentists. Direct mail grabs “mind share,” and the practice with the most, wins the most.
You’re not pumping patient reviews. These days your reviews have to be plenty, positive, and recent.
You’re not answering patient calls live – or with enthusiasm.

Let’s focus on #3. Call handling.

On average, one new patient contributes $2,000 in first-year production. This value is often close to double that of an active patient which is why a steady flow of new patients will stabilize and boost production. To ensure practice revenue stays consistent, new patients must beat lost-patient production each month. For growth, new-patient conversion must outstrip attrition by a good margin.

Pre-pandemic, there was a basic industry average that a practice needed 50 new patients per month per doctor. Adding 600 new patients per year is a pretty good pace for an average clinic, but you’ll want to review your metrics to see if that number has changed now that many patients have lapsed and new-patient acquisition efforts were hit and miss over the past two years. Remember practice valuation is based on tangible and intangible activity and production growth.

With so much on the line then, in terms of revenue, practice security, and valuation, isn’t a focus on call handling – and training your receptionist to not only to delight new-patient callers, but to also be skilled in building trust and belief in your services, skilled in call control and obtaining new appointments, and at a strong pace – one of the most critical areas to ensure practice stability, security, and growth?

Yes. 100%.

As stated, you can have a great clinic and a great doctor, but when a new patient calls and the person answering the phone sounds ho-hum … put yourself in the consumer role… Would you want to schedule?

We can help you with Phone Power telephone training. Its included with your Practice ZEBRA.

Patients have choice. They need to hear gratitude when they call your practice. They need enthusiasm about the great choice they’ve made, and they great care they will receive. This is one of the most important patient touchpoints in the patient journey.

As with everything, it’s often not WHAT you say but HOW you say it. If the call handler sounds miserable, why would a new patient think your practice is great place to go?

Consider your own recent experiences as a consumer. Especially in a digital world, should your phone call ever be taken lightly? When you phone a new business, there’s a good chance it will be your first live experience with that business, and what happens on that phone call will make or break your decision to work with that company.

For example, if it takes too many rings before your call is answered, you might hang up, think there is something wrong with the business, that it’s disorganized or out-of-business. If voicemail answers at a company you haven’t worked with before, and you’re like most new clients, you’re unlikely to leave a message.

Being a receptionist in a dental practice isn’t easy with so many distractions and competing priorities: doctors, staff, patients, supplies, vendors, insurance processing, walk-ins, check-ins, check-outs, and … the phone. Without knowledge of new-patient value, behavior, and expectations, without training, reward, or understanding which calls matter, many new-patient calls are either missed, mismanaged, or viewed as more work.

I asked our Account Managers for feedback on this topic. Universally they all responded that the dental offices with the best marketing and new-patient results make call handling a priority. They work the phones. They train. They roll play. They rehearse. They study and know practice benefits. They are enthusiastic about their dentists. They take calls from anywhere and everywhere, in the car driving to and from the office, at home, on weekends; they simply don’t miss a call. I remember when one of our favorite clients was first introduced to Practice ZEBRA, she said, “When I saw that top practices answer over 90% of calls, I said, we can do that.” And with that, she got to work on her team and boosted her answer rates – which automatically boosts new-patient bookings!

And when these successful practices answer calls, they sound upbeat and eager on every call and promote the benefits of the practice and offer suggestions to overcome objections, like explaining a membership program or offering up a free consultation appointment. And they use our magic trick to book more new patients – once they get the first patient scheduled, they ask the magic question to increase from 1 new patient to multiple: “While I have you, do you have any other family members who also need a dental appointment? I can schedule them today too!” Implement that tactic. You’ll be amazed!

We’ve listened to and scored thousands of dental calls, and when the team that answers the phone shares their dedication to the doctors and is eager to share this good news, they book more new patients. You can literally hear it when a staff member loves their job and has the best interest of the doctor and practice and patients at heart. It shines through over the phone.

Right now, many offices are facing staffing challenges and using new and temporary staff to answer phones. These folks still need to be trained because you’re literally handing them $2,000 of potential practice production to play with every time they answer a new-patient call. Phone Power telephone training is included with your Practice ZEBRA subscription. Use it to help and support the team that is there to help and support your practice.

How your new-patient calls are handled sets the stage for a superior experience with your practice. Not only is it very professional and personalized, as a result, patients feel appreciated, valued, and are more likely to book with your practice.

The benefits of focusing on this single activity in your practice are astronomical. As I mentioned, the average new patient contributes almost $2,000 to production – using the same overhead you are already paying for – so missing just 1 new patient conversion per day, 5 per week, 20 per month … quickly adds up to losing out on half a million in production a year. And the majority of those dollars go straight to the bottom line because you’re not adding operatories or more staff to take on one more new patient a day.

Seriously. Do the math for your practice. Your average new-patient value is on your Practice ZEBRA dashboard. If you haven’t pulled your ZebraBite Benchmark report yet this year, do it. All of this data and your trends are there.

Joanne Bishop

What to do when people move

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:15:59 GMT

According to a recent survey by Lendingtree, over 40% of consumers are considering a move in 2022, half within their current city. Those moving further are going warmer!

There are tactics you can implement and/or strengthen now to secure the patient base you have, control potential practice production losses, capture more new patients as they move into your area, and increase profit.

Realtor data shows that inventory is increasing which will make it a more buyer-friendly market. People hoping to move, more housing inventory availability, work from home, the great resignation … these things mean that your patients will be on the move.

USPS data shows that over 80% of people who moved last year moved within the same area – but that doesn’t mean their former dental office is still close by and that they won’t be lured by competitive offers that are closer to their new home.

This also means you could have many new residents around your practice that don’t even know about you yet – unless you’re actively engaged in direct mail marketing to every household nearby.

That’s right. To combat the fluctuation of people in and people out of an area, direct mail will ensure that your practice OWNS your area. The single most effective way to BE THE DENTIST that is recognized and respected is to target your prime households with quality direct mailings each month.

Why? Because it’s the only way to reach 100% of households. Let me say it again. Direct mail is the only way to reach 100% of the households that house your current patients, and the households of people you want to be your patients. And, when your name is in that mailbox month after month, it doesn’t matter if people come or go. That household gets to know your name.

And over 90% of people read their mail daily. Consumers of all ages look forward to daily mail. Here’s an example of one practice that hadn’t been focused on direct mail prior to, or post, pandemic, but when they recommitted to their community last June, have had an incredible response to their newsletters and average monthly new patient numbers.

The impact of this increase in new patients virtually DOUBLED their average monthly production, and that is growing because of the influx of new dentistry into the office. Their average new patient adds $2600 in revenue. For the average dental practice a new patient is valued just under $2,000. It’s truly worth investing in direct mail to attract more of those high value patients in now, not to mention staving off the competition.

The exit from city center to suburbia is expected to continue. During the pandemic something like 80% of cities saw more people leave than enter, versus 90% of suburbs which saw more incoming than outgoing. If you are in a suburban location and you have capacity, you are set for success.

Dental offices that sent monthly direct mail during 2021 reported 25% higher production than industry average. Even today the ADA is reporting that the average dental practice is only at 90% of pre-pandemic activity levels. A lot of this is staff driven, but you’ll want to run the numbers and look at potential new patient blocks and what you can manage to add so that you continue to bring in strong revenue patients versus filling time with lower value visits that won’t contribute to bottom-line profits … and growth.

Millennials are also starting to spend on dental, so now you have Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials driving practice production. They’re all looking at positive lifestyle changes, to areas with good schools, outdoor spaces, and quality, accessible healthcare – and working from home allows for choice.

This provides dental offices with a tremendous opportunity to be noticed in mailboxes.

People want to buy from people. They want to get to know their providers, connect with the values of the organization, learn benefits, and trust who they choose. Consumer expectations really have been shaped by the pandemic. A Mastercard ^® study showed that 74% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that demonstrated concern and provided excellent care during the pandemic – you did just that. Your community should know about it.

Content marketing, like you get with an educational newsletter format versus a quick and dirty postcard, will improve brand awareness, strengthen patient relationships, and elevate the practice reputation in the targeted area.

There are excellent opportunities for growth for dental offices that take action. Celebrate your practice and the people in it and share the benefits of your services with households in your area. Dan Kennedy published that every dentist should be hitting patient doorsteps with a newsletter every month – “preferably a real, printed, newsletter,” he says, because print has more value than other types of advertising. Not that a multi-channel approach isn’t important – but direct mail is tangible, it’s long-lasting, and it’s appreciated. It’s truly proven to have more than double the impact of any other type of advertising.

Then also consider the people in your community and their access to dental education. Maybe they find out something when they visit their dental office. Or on a toothpaste ad. But outside of that, how often is a consumer learning how oral health affects their heart health, or how gum disease relates breast cancer. Truly, consumers have very few opportunities to receive quality oral health information, true education about the importance of oral health, and its impact on overall health.

Investing in a monthly newsletter program to households IN YOUR TARGET AREA can not only make a massive difference to the health and prosperity of your dental office and team, YOU can make a true and impactful difference to the overall dental health in the community that you serve.

Direct mail marketing has a response rate that’s 10-30 times higher than digital, and right now digital fatigue is a factor.

This is why more and more dental offices are investing in mail, so to succeed and stay ahead of the competition, you want to make sure your practice is there and more than visible. You can truly stand out with a monthly newsletter and set your practice apart. Direct mail mistakes are made by many of your competitors, cheap postcards that fall under the pizza flyers, mailing haphazardly, not presenting a quality, consistent image. Not mailing quality content that is so great that patients keep it around for many months and even save parts of the content.

The fact is, more and more people are moving or considering a move, consumer fickleness for service and quality is increasing, and dental offices can be proactive.

It’s not only homes that are flipping owners. Dental offices are changing hands. Group ownership is expanding. That dental office down the street that hasn’t been bothering you too much up until now could switch hands next week and, all of a sudden, be offering convenient after-hours appointments and new elective options.

The right direct mail strategy can not only hold practice production steady but increase production and market share – which will increase practice valuation, because, at the end of the day, every practice owner is thinking about that one. The things your potential buyer will be looking at are gross production, active patients, monthly new patients, area demographics, and opportunity. We can help with all of that.

Work now to own your backyard (your prime target area), generate a growing patient base, add a steady flow of high-value new patients every month, and you will build practice security and profit – in the short and long term.

Direct mail works. We do it the best for dentists. Contact us for a free market evaluation and find out what your direct mail strategy could look like.

Joanne Bishop

10 things hurting your dental website

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:15:14 GMT

Managing a great dental website is one challenge. Managing one that gets great results is another.

A high-performing website isn’t just a nice-to-have in 2022, it’s imperative if you want to maximize practice success, profits, and valuation. Scan through this blog to get the statistics that really matter when it comes to a dental website; stats that could help decision-making.

The problem is, an outdated, low-performing website could be hurting your practice in ways you don’t even realize, quite likely even working against practice success.

Technology waits for no one, and digital best practices are constantly, I mean constantly, advancing. This requires constant maintenance of all aspects of a modern website to stay ahead. If your website is over 3 years old, and/or is not being efficiently managed and updated from a technical, SEO, and user experience standpoint, it’s probably ancient in the eyes of Google, and what you don’t want to hear, in the eyes of patients too.

Results aren’t cut and dry as to how, when, or why it comes to getting ranked, how new patients find you, and when and why they convert – or don’t. But an outdated website is not doing you any favors. Some of the most common problems include:

Disorganization and bad flow; information is there but with no hierarchy, user experience is difficult.
An older site often just isn’t built for mobile and lacks a fluid user experience. This is a major problem as you’ll read further down – 70% of people are more likely to choose a provider that offers a mobile experience.
An older site looks haphazard with an attempt of update, with a new logo plopped in instead of rebranding and updating the entire site.
Content and design look like they’re from the ’90s – yes, haha my team said “the ’90s.” If you’re my age, that might feel like 10 years ago but it’s actually 30! If content just does not look and feel modern, then that reflects on the dental practice and what patients perceive office technology may be like.
And then there is the templated site with no personalization or personal images. Patients want to see and get to know who they’re choosing as their dental provider.

Here’s a common scenario that leads to an outdated, sometimes broken, and definitely weakening website. Dentist paid thousands to have website built – loved it at the time, still loves some aspects of it. But now, it’s barely been touched, the user experience is clunky, technology is outdated, pages break anytime they try to add or do something new, content is old, and off-page activity has been non-existent (to help Google and search engines see the site). BUT there is a feeling of ownership, of investment, and a hesitance to move to a new site.

That’s no good. If this describes you in any way, it’s time to let that old site go, and here’s why:

Not responsive or mobile first. At least 50% of traffic is mobile, and for urban/suburban areas, the rate can be over 85%.
Almost 70% say they’re more likely to purchase if the website is easy to use on mobile. When it’s not, it’s the second highest reason people leave a site.
Poor visitor experience. Patients go to your site for very specific reasons. If they can’t find what they want quickly and easily, they will leave. Do you find yourself having your web developers “fixing” broken pages and links? This is a sign you need to change your strategy.
It takes less than ½ a second for a user to form an impression – speed matters, slow loading is the #1 reason people leave a site.
Not SSL certified. If you care about your data or have any forms fills, you need that little lock icon to show that your site is trustworthy – and protects you and your patients.
High bounce rate. Lack of click throughs could be caused by a myriad of issues like page not found and crawl errors – and these all hurt Google’s ranking of your site.
Lack of updates. Nothing more embarrassing than your last blog dated 2019. Right now you probably don’t need that 2020 message stating you’ve “re-opened” to serve patients!
Missing or hidden call to action. Does the new-patient phone number stand out? Can patients quickly find your contact or book appointment buttons?
No social. Social is an opportunity to show patients inside your practice and how great it is, it’s the place to show that your practice is modern and trusted by others. This is another place to monitor – your last post can’t be from a year ago!
Slow page load times – this is the most damaging. Google likes fast sites and ranks them better, and patients, your web visitors, have no patience. How long are you willing to wait for a website when you’re searching for a new provider of any kind?

Don’t underestimate the importance of good web design and professional, experienced, management to get better results, to lift up your practice online, to improve your patient experience, and to help attract and keep good employees. Your practice philosophy, reputation, and service is something your employees are proud of (which improves morale and engagement, and creates an awesome patient experience), and having a great online presence truly boosts morale and it helps you attract the type of team members you want – but it does the opposite if it’s not great.

With the major issue of recruiting team members across the industry, doesn’t that make you take a moment and look at your overall online presence? If it does, fill out that free consult form on this page and we’ll talk with you about where you can make improvements. We make it super easy and affordable to have a FANTASTIC dental website and online presence.

Now for the patient experience. When you search “dentists near me” do you show up? Do you have 100 4.9-star reviews?

Then navigate to your website and BE a patient. Does it give a great impression of your practice as it stands today? Can you quickly see how to contact your office? What happens when you search on mobile? Does it reflect your brand? Is content current? Do pages load quickly?

Again, free consultation, we can help!

Google uses hundreds of factors which impact the algorithms that rank your site and make it visible to search. They’re looking for a combination of topic authority, expertise, site functionality, and overall online presence. That’s because Google wants to provide great service to their users and present what they deem as “the authority” of the topic searched.

For website success, marketing to Google while providing a great user experience is paramount. Google owns almost 92% of search engine market share. Your site should include subject matter expert (SME) content, relevant high-quality, keyword-rich on-page content that is focused on your audience, as well as off-page content that Google is looking for behind the scenes that allows them to recognize your site as authoritative. Successful sites have an ongoing link-building strategy targeting quality links that Google can deem relevant, therefore gaining your site more ground – and authority.

The other challenge in the effective management of a dental website is that results tracking hasn’t been clear.

Are you one of the offices that has been using a manual process of tracking, including asking patients how they found the office? This never works no matter how diligent a front office team may be. Things get busy, scripts get lost, new staff come in, and the patient answer will never reveal their total journey.

After listening to literally thousands and thousands of dental telephone calls, I can tell you that new-patient welcome scripting is often overlooked, isn’t used, and goes by the wayside. Adhering to process is very difficult, which means that only a small portion of patients will get a random question from a hygienist that might uncover highly suspect data.

This means anecdotal results and guessing when it comes to decision-making. Maybe you’ll get clicks and impressions analytics reports from your web provider, or you have basic call tracking, but not the clear picture that call scoring and telephone and email attribution can provide.

Dedicated call tracking and call scoring and the use of AI technologies attribute new patients by phone and email data so that you know precisely how much new business is coming from your website. There is absolutely no need to not know exactly what your website is delivering in 2022.

With dedicated optimization efforts, we are able to see an 83% increase in keywords on the first page in just 6 months. It takes time for website to earn its way to the top, this is one of the reasons we call our solution a WebLift!

Rankings can suffer due to many issues; an older, outdated site could also be slow, there could be a lack of recent patient reviews, and you could have duplicate content that you might not even realize is duplicated from other sites, and perhaps without being penalized because the content is simply no longer considered unique in the eyes of Google.

Here are some stats for 2022 and your website that you can’t ignore:

Organic search drives over 53% of all website traffic
60% off people prefer beautiful and well-designed sites over basic ones
First impressions are design related 94% of the time
Decreasing speed load time by 1/10 of a second results in 8-10% increase in conversion.

So, as tough as it may seem, if any of this resonates with your current dental website situation, it’s time to face facts and get a new site. When you choose Patient NEWS, you’ll have an amazing, modern, professional design, content written by dental experts (we have been writing content exclusively for dentists since “the ’90s,” 2023 will be our 30th anniversary – meaning you probably know we’re a great company), an incredible system for constant technology updates, a super-fast site (we beat 6 top dental web companies for desktop AND mobile speed), really cool features like our proprietary FlashSmile™ application where patients can whiten their teeth to preview how you can help, on-page and off-page optimized content, link-building, video, press releases, etc., call tracking, scoring, and call coaching, and a “real” account manager (joking, not joking), who will actually be available to help you get great results!

Call in now to get a free report on the state of your current website.

Joanne Bishop

Do you know a bad dentist?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:14:29 GMT

In the world of dentistry, where our focus is often on celebrating the excellent work of dedicated dental teams and implementing innovative dental marketing ideas , it's easy to overlook the reality that not all dentists meet these high standards. Recently, an eye-opening account highlighted a concerning issue: the need to dismiss a dental associate due to subpar performance, who has now decided to open their own practice. This situation underscores a critical concern in the dental industry—the potential for poor-quality dentistry and its impact on patients and professional standards.

The idea that anyone, regardless of their skill level, can provide dental services is alarming, especially when patients often assume all dentists offer comparable quality. This misconception can lead to substandard dental care, reinforcing negative stereotypes about the profession and discouraging people from seeking necessary treatment. In fact, up to 50% of the population avoids dental visits due to misconceptions and past negative experiences.

However, proactive dental marketing ideas can be taken to mitigate these risks and distinguish your practice as a beacon of quality:

Elevate Your First Impressions : Ensure every aspect of your practice, from direct mail to digital presence, reflects the high standard of your services. Move away from generic advertising and invest in high-quality, educational materials that resonate with professionalism and care.
Maintain Impeccable In-House Standards : It's crucial that every team member exemplifies excellent oral health—poor dental hygiene among staff can significantly tarnish a practice’s reputation.
Build and Protect Your Online Reputation : Regularly gather positive patient reviews and manage your online presence diligently to establish a trustworthy image.
Educate Through Comprehensive Communication : Utilize print and digital platforms to educate your patients on the importance of comprehensive dental care, emphasizing how it integrates into overall health.
Innovate with Latest Technologies : Stay updated with the latest advancements in dental technology to enhance patient comfort and care, making sure to highlight these investments in your patient communications.
Offer Second Opinions and Consultations : Encourage patients to seek second opinions if they feel uncertain about their dental care, providing a pathway to discuss treatment options and build trust.
Emphasize Convenience and Affordability : Highlight how your practice makes dental visits convenient through one-visit treatments and respects patient time with punctual appointments.

Moreover, it's essential to continually assess the competitive landscape. Understand what other local dental practices offer and tailor your marketing strategies to emphasize the unique benefits of choosing your practice. Whether it's through superior technology, a compassionate team, or flexible payment options, make it clear why your practice stands out.

Lastly, always focus on the positive impact you can have on your community's health. While it’s disheartening to know there are less competent professionals in the field, concentrate on providing exceptional care and educating the public about the importance of quality dental health practices.

While we cannot control every aspect of the industry, we can strive to be leaders in quality care and patient education. Our dedication to supporting dental teams in being examples of excellence and integrity in dentistry is unwavering. We take pride in our role in educating and enhancing dental care standards, which has proven crucial, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 recovery, where our efforts have led to significant advancements in industry standards. Thank you for your dedication to superior dental care and patient education.

Joanne Bishop

Wordle for dentists!

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:13:27 GMT

Wordle is the talk of the world, so this blog is just for dental marketing fun.

Have you gotten caught up in the new online sensation “Wordle”? There’s no app, you simply go to the URL (link below) and with zero clues, determine the 5-letter word of the day. The entire world must figure out the same word and it’s available in almost 40 languages. Wordle has taken my household by storm – it’s silly, distracting, fun, and for some, quite competitive – how many tries did today’s puzzle take you?! ��

I haven’t had a loss day yet, but a friend did, and it was a very sad day LOL!

I didn’t want to give anything away for today’s word, but the screen caps show how it works – the green T means it’s the right letter in the right spot, yellow E & H mean right letter but in the wrong spot, and the gray E & T mean not part of the word. Now you can try again, and you have 5 more attempts.

If words aren’t your game, I get it, numbers aren’t mine – that’s why Patient NEWS is here for dentists! We’ve been the best source for wordles for dentists for almost 30 years. We figure out the best words to use to help educate your patients, improve retention, patient satisfaction, and increase elective services, and the best wordles to help your practice stand out in your community and attract quality new patients.

As a dental professional, you have an immensely difficult role dealing with many different patient personas. First, we have fear, and statistics reveal that up to 50% of the population has some level of fear of their dental visit. Then you have others, who can afford dentistry, even have insurance benefits, who perceive costs as a barrier. Then we have the oblivious patients who are smart, but they’re just not dentally educated and they “think” they’re healthy. Because gum disease is the silent disease. Even today the ADA HPI released the latest stats reporting that dental cancelations were at an all time high for January, visits dropped to less than 80% capacity, and now just 70% of dentists are confident in their recovery in the next six months.

Good patient communication and education about the importance of oral health can make a huge difference.

But it’s not just any wordle that make a difference to patient visits (did I just go too far there)? There is a distinct skill in writing for marketing and particularly dental marketing. We’re not writing for dental professionals who are interested in the technical details and intricate components of dentistry. In dental marketing, you’re writing at a middle-school level, grade 5-7, maybe even lower – so that content isn’t so complicated, overwhelming in detail, or too difficult for most dental patients to understand and positively respond to. Some say to write at the lowest level that won’t insult readers! The Content Marketing Institute says that readability is proven to lead to marketing success. The AMA, Institute of Health, and US Department of Health advocate for patient education to be written at 4th-6th grade reading levels so that patients don’t have any difficulty reading patient-specific education materials!

We help you help patients get more care by writing content in a way that gets your patients and community to read, digest, and understand the benefits of your care in a way that’s professional, informative, educational, and not condescending. The American Dental Association defines oral health literacy as the ability for patients to obtain, process, and understand basic oral health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. It also recognizes that simple communication helps make the dental office and dental care easier for patients to navigate and that helps them make better decisions for their own health.

Last month I quoted Dan Kennedy, marketing guru, who said that every dental practice should have some type of patient newsletter hitting patients’ doorsteps every month. He said that for the success of your business – but there is also the health of your patients. We can help you communicate and educate your patients with great content on your website, your email campaigns, your print newsletters, social media posts, and more.

Call today if you need help with your wordles – our amazing team will take great care of you!

Joanne Bishop

Retain More Patients

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:12:39 GMT

Patient newsletters work for dentists

Direct marketing expert, author, and speaker, Dan Kennedy, says “Every dental practice should have some kind of patient newsletter, that, at a minimum, hit their [patients’] doorstep once a month. Preferably it would be a real, printed newsletter.”

Why is that? He describes that a physical patient newsletter has a better perceived value, it plain “looks like” it has more value than an email, and it is more likely to be consumed. Email is good; our email patient-newsletter product gets you in homes every month (with open rates twice industry average), which supplements what we recommend, and that’s a QUARTERLY print mailing to patient homes.

Because that’s what our 28+ years of dental patient newsletter campaigns have informed. Our team is here and ready to help you – we can have your patient newsletter mailed next month! Call today for ideas on content and get started having fun with your newsletter again!

Did you know that people need to see a message something like 9-15 times before taking action? That’s why marketing is all about repetition and consistently “being there.” This is true for your own active patient base. They need to be reminded that you’re their dental home (no kidding), they need to be reminded and educated about your services – the best example we had was a client that was miffed when a patient arrived for their cleaning with Zoom-whitened teeth – from another provider! Because the patient “didn’t realize they offered teeth whitening.” Patients don’t really pay attention. They need education and prompting.

If you used to send a patient newsletter but let it lapse because you redirected marketing dollars, the data tells us to stop and reconsider. Did you stop using a patient newsletter, that was actually consistently working for you?

Keeping your patients informed of all you do is a proactive step that makes it easier for them to stay with you, take advantage of your elective services, refer, and review. And to get to know you on a personal level. You can share things like personal hobbies, interests, travel, updates on your family and pets – people love to hear about pets! You can share team personalities and fun facts, letting patients see behind the mask that you’re real people, just like them, people who like to have fun, work hard, deliver great dentistry, and that care.

That type of brand building cannot happen effectively using digital strategies alone. Digital consumption accelerated so much during the pandemic that businesses everywhere are dealing with online fatigue and considering tactics that can break through that digital noise. Dental offices, in particular, need to create a better connection with patients to build trust. Getting – and staying – in front of patients and their evolving expectations might just include back-to-basics approach with traditional mail.

The physicality of a printed patient newsletter is proven to have twice the impact on consumer brains over digital, and they assign more credibility and importance to the content. Plus when you hit the doorstep, you’re hitting the location where more than 90% of household decisions are made.

Almost 40% of people are MORE EXCITED to receive their mail every day, versus pre-pandemic
76% of people TRUST mail when they want to make a purchase decision, over digital
Response rates are 9X higher than email, paid search, and social media

For dental offices, putting a stronger patient retention strategy into play for 2022 is almost as important as the focus on acquiring new patients. I say it like that not to downplay patient retention, you need both acquisition and retention, but new patients bring strong production and lively new business, adding a level of security and boosting long-term valuation, which cannot be underestimated or achieved with retention alone.

Every dental office loses 15-20% of their patient base annually due to natural attrition. A strong acquisition strategy is CRITICAL for growth and prosperity, but at the same time dental offices must block the backdoor – and a fairly simple and cost-effective campaign using patient newsletters is one key part of a good retention strategy. Truly, probably one of the easiest ways to add extra value to your patient experience, one that will also set you apart in the eyes of patients.

The pandemic has driven unprecedented movement of patients. Almost 30% didn’t or forgot to schedule an appointment, others shifted and are shifting providers. Right now, today as I type, the average dental practice has 25% of patients that have not returned for an appointment in over 9 months.

Could lapsing and non-scheduled patients be related to the front office staff survey data released by DentalPost this month?

65% of dental office managers developed skills on the job with no formal dental practice management training
57% are dissatisfied with their income
20% also have a side-gig
Overall, the front office team respondents reporting feeling underpaid and underappreciated.

One of the leading industry consultants we work with recently said, “dentists have to pay above grade right now.” Dental offices are struggling to get and keep great talent. This is important. Disenchanted team members can have a negative impact on the customer experience and cost the practice in lost opportunity. Way back when Patient NEWS was starting out, one of our older and wiser business advisors told us to “always be culling.” Sounds harsh, but he said you can never have 100% happy and engaged staff. There will always be someone that’s a covert critic and those who lack engagement and effort. Great employees are brought down by these individuals when managers tolerate it – patients don’t want to be taken care of by people they feel don’t care.

As business owners, we can only do our best to find the best people that fit our culture in the first place, and then create a great environment. Thriving dental offices boost team morale with involvement and openness; good communications, involvement in goals and achievements, training, bonus and recognition awards, fun committees, team events, etc., and with improved morale and engagement, patients always have a better experience. Meaning company culture and team morale are part of your retention strategy.

That said, we have amazing clients and we work with many, many awesome, dedicated, and engaged front office teams all the time. You know who you are and we love you – you make our marketing work great!

So back to the 25% of lapsing patients. That means, the average dental office that has 2000 active patients – FIVE HUNDRED – are not attached. Those patients are floating out there deciding what to do next.

Imagine if those 500 patients received your beautiful patient newsletter by mail this week? I bet at least 10 would schedule!

Oh, ten patients? Who cares? You care! With an annual contribution to revenue of $1065 each, that’s another $11k you just added to your year, which would be somewhere around a 5:1 ROI! And I’m being totally conservative. Tell me, right now:

How many of your patients haven’t visited in 9 months? (You can easily find out in Practice ZEBRA.)
How many patients aren’t even scheduled?

Oh, and on average, a dental office is missing 35% of guarantor email addresses and 10% of cell phones, which means, if you’re not mailing a newsletter and they’re not scheduled, these patients are unlikely to be getting any contact from your practice. Industry-wide well over 50% of patients ARE NOT SCHEDULED. Uh oh.

Scary if you want to not only hold your own, but also see growth in 2022.

And that “old-fashioned” patient newsletter – it reaches 100% of your patients.

Some dentists and consultants get frustrated that our dental software, Practice ZEBRA, classifies a patient that hasn’t had a transaction in 24 months as “lost.” Well, I think they’re pretty well lost if they haven’t been in for 2 years, and due to email regulations, you can’t email those people. But you can mail your newsletter to them to reactivate!

Patient retention tactics, like patient newsletters, help to maximize patient lifetime value. You want patients to talk you up, refer, and post positive reviews. Word-of-mouth is still a very important component of practice success in 2022, and a patient newsletter is like a surprise and delight item when mailed quarterly. It’s something “exclusive” for your patients, making them feel recognized, respected, appreciated, and happier.

Kennedy says, “If you get something in the mail that you have to open up and look at, and it’s at least minimally fun and interesting, then it’s far more likely to get read and possibly even retained.” At Patient NEWS, your patient newsletters are mailed in bright-white #10 envelope, imprinted with your logo in color – yes, a very professional presentation – but also this package yields some of the highest open rates in direct mail!

And in thousands of patient surveys over the years, it averaged that over 85% of patients enjoyed and appreciated receiving their dentist’s newsletter. Newsletters really do stand out, they add value, and they differentiate your services. That’s why so many top practices still send a print patient newsletter each quarter.

Kennedy lists many benefits of mailing a patient newsletter. When it’s around in the home, the dental office is no longer a distant memory. You’ve shown patients that you care and that you’re different than other practitioners they or their family deals with.

You can’t have the excuse that it’s too much work; we take care of it all. With content that highlights your unique patient benefits, your personality, your services, and new features. With COVID, patients still want to know about protocols, their safety – they remain cautious, but they still want and enjoy fun content, like the delicious recipe we include in each edition. Those recipes are real recipes that we use and enjoy, and our editorial team always includes a little tidbit about an ingredient that helps oral health – isn’t that cool for a dental office? So easy.

And patients need oral health education. Gum disease is the silent disease, so we feel really great about our products because through our awesome patient-centric dental offices, we’re helping to education millions of people every year about the importance of oral health. The impact that good (or poor) oral health has on individuals to fight infections (or not) like COVID-19 is wildly impactful. You can tell your patients about this in your newsletters.

You know, when you email your patient newsletter monthly (we take care of all that with great content too), and mail your quarterly patient newsletter (and we take care of all the hassle), patients won’t be able to resist telling others about how great you and your team are – because this communication is VALUE-ADDED, not transactional, aka “reminder you’re due for …,” but truly a value-added effort you are making just for your patients.

There has never been a better time to secure your patient base. The dental industry is forecasted to grow exponentially in the next 5 years, and that means more competition, more special offers, and more price cutting.

When you show patients you care now, whether they’re in your office or at home, then you’ll do a better job of retaining them through a flood of competing offers. Your patients see and hear from many dental offices – driving and walking around your neighborhood, signage and billboards, from friends and family who have a stellar dental experience, online search and ads that flow into their feeds – a patient newsletter can combat all of this by “being there” with good information, valuable informational content that you drive, not what patients find online or read from a competitor. YOUR patient newsletter reaffirms that their dental office (aka you) is the authority in their field, reaffirms their dental choice is the right one, and that they want to stay connected to you.

Your quarterly customized patient newsletter, supported by your monthly email newsletter will DELIGHT YOUR PATIENTS, they reduce churn, and increase satisfaction and referrals. They work, and we provide the BEST patient newsletter system in dentistry.

So, what would you like to tell patients about in your next patient newsletter? New products, update on current services, revised policies, new staff, something about referrals, highlights about 2021 in review, your last adventure or training … we have you covered. Just call. We’re here for you!

Joanne Bishop

Happy Dental Marketing New Year!

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:11:46 GMT

Well, it’s 2022, 22 years after the start of the new millennium. At Patient NEWS, in 1999, we were excited because we added silver to our then two-color newsletters and watched the clock for the Internet to break at midnight! That was just a bad rumor, but it was the chatter at the end of 1999!

2021 was a recovery year for dental offices, and the end-of-year activity has been incredible as more and more dental offices and groups line up to set stronger and more aggressive marketing strategies in place for 2022. There is a HUGE opportunity. Experts say the dental market is expected to grow by an incredible $15 billion by 2027.

At the same time, consumer expectations have dramatically changed. Consumers want to feel more appreciated and understood, they want better communications, and they want ease of use. Two-thirds of consumers change companies because of a less-than-stellar experience.

As you look back on 2021, what happened in your world? What do you want more of and what less?

For us, “supply-chain” became a term we were forced to get intimate with. Paper! It became a scarce commodity everyone wanted – LOL – because direct mail is more appreciated and more effective than ever, and our team had to work their butts off finding paper to deliver our mail. They did it. They rawk! The job isn’t over, but we’re fighting a good fight. Heads up – get your approval to your account manager sooner than later to guarantee your mailings go on time. Don’t delay.

And vaccines, Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca … and “boosters,” molecular, PCR, antigen, rapid-test, workplace COVID-19 policies. What did you get? When’s your appointment? Where’s your passport? Let me see your ID. We are so proud of our industry; our dentists, hygienists, assistants, and teams are infection control kings, keeping everyone safe and delivering important, “essential” (yes!) dental care.

QR Codes. They’re a thing again! Which means you really need to remember your glasses when you go to a restaurant now! QR codes are also bringing offline and online marketing together and helping to maximize ROI! Just don’t try putting a code on your highway billboard. Yes, I’ve seen that. Haha.

TikTok, I’m addicted. It’s like bad television that’s great! And, so proud that TikTok’s The Bentist, Dr. Ben Winters, with 11.5 million followers, chose Patient NEWS to build his dental website. That’s a pretty cool thing that happened to us! We love you, Ben & Megan!

Captain Kirk went into space. Kim divorced Kanye. Friends reunited. Bennifer is back. “Levitating” was the #1 billboard song of the year. I got a new puppy ��, and our holiday gift celebrates the DAWG (dogs at work group) philosophy of Patient NEWS, started in 1997 with iconic Bernese/border crosses Henry & Heidi.

Economists are optimistic that price surges will subside, operations will return to a new normal, and there will continue to be growth in 2022. And we see that with our client production – significant month-over-month growth (with only a slight dip in September) since December of 2020. Staffing shortages are affecting dental offices across the country – dental consultants recommend that dental owners pay above grade to get solid team members. The most successful dental offices have always done this, and they add incentives for call handling and appointment conversion. A great investment when you consider that each new patient contributes around $1,800 annually to the top line. And adding about 50 new patients per month per practitioner really strengthens practice results and valuation.

Industry consolidation and the rise of group organizations continue. Per ADA, back in 1999, two-thirds of dental offices were solo, now just half are, and DSO participation has grown by 40% in just the last three years. That makes a very competitive landscape to deal with, especially for solo dentists. We are here for you solo doctors, and we are here for our emerging groups and DSO clients. What we aren’t here for – anything not dental – we are EXCLUSIVE to the dental industry ��.

The patient journey is an important consideration for dental practice growth in 2022. From awareness to lifelong advocates who post positive reviews, practice communication must be spot on. You want to target your best prospects and provide a winning experience offline and online. A survey by AAE revealed that 28% of patients didn’t schedule or forgot to schedule a dental visit due to the pandemic. Our client data shows that 25% of patients are currently lapsing, having had no transaction with their dentist in the past nine months. Are you reaching 100% of your patients through your current marketing strategies?

Here’s what to do for 2022 on that front:

Work to obtain over 90% of all patient email and cell contact information so that your automated communications can reach them.
Schedule patients to return before they leave an appointment.
Make sure you have a fast website that’s up to date, clean, and modern.
MAIL a patient (quarterly) and targeted neighborhood (monthly) newsletter consistently. This is THE ONLY WAY TO REACH 100% of YOUR patients and community. And it’s educational, so it’s the right thing to do for your patients and community, and because of that, YOU stand out as the expert in your field that people should turn to first.

So good news, dentists, over 30% of consumers snacked on more sweets due to the pandemic, so they will probably hit new year’s resolutions with a bang. Get your communications out to your patients and area residents when they’re in that mode, before they drop off and forget resolutions. You can be the dentist they notice when they decide to get back to the gym and take their health more seriously. Don’t forget gum disease is called the silent disease because people don’t notice it until it’s a big deal. Patients need education, and you have the platform to help.

OK, this blog post is all over the map – but hey, it’s 2022, it’s a new year, and it’s going to be another fun ride. Enjoy. Work hard. Play hard. Laugh. Life will unfold. Choose to be positive. You can do what you can do with what you know and learn. Because, as Karen Galley, President, said at our holiday event in December (after recently losing her mom), “it’s all over far too soon.” Here’s to a great 2022! Cheers.

Joanne Bishop

40% of dentists report lower volumes

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:10:49 GMT

Are your savings costing you?

I recently read a promotion that stated it “costs” 7x less to retain a patient than to attract a new one. And there’s a pretty standard message for marketers and business owners that acquiring a new customer can “cost” 5x more than retaining an existing customer.

Except dentistry is different.

The “cost” of NOT acquiring a steady flow of new patients is far more severe than saving some marketing dollars. It costs practice profits, impacts growth, staggers security, and it can really devastate valuation.

Hey, don’t get me wrong – we’re in the retention business too! Increasing retention by 5% can increase profits by 25% or more, BUT you cannot grow practice results with retention alone. In fact, dental offices that haven’t focused on new-patient generation over the past 18 months are struggling to regain previous production levels. The industry average remains below pre-COVID activity.

In fact, as of November 15th, the ADA survey results revealed that just 62.5% of dental offices are open with business as usual and 36.5% are experiencing lower than usual patient volumes. Group organizations are doing a little better, while solo offices are experiencing a tougher time with 40.3% reporting lower than usual volumes.

Comparatively, Patient NEWS’ client production is trending at 11% higher for 2021 than 2019, almost 30% higher than 2020, and clients have been experiencing consistently growing results since June of this year.

How have they done it? By focusing on the patient experience with a multi-channel communication mix, complimented with results tracking in Practice ZEBRA . Communicating consistently with your community, using both print and digital means, and including quality educational information builds patient trust, shapes patient behavior, and stages the way for improved case acceptance.

That’s why it cannot be about one thing costing less or one thing costing more. It’s about looking at the true “cost” of neglecting acquisition AND/OR retention.

Here’s how you can assess your situation (and if you don’t have these answers at your fingertips, ask your Patient NEWS representative to help you with Practice ZEBRA):

Did you add roughly 600 new patients per practitioner in 2021?
How many patients did you lose in 2021?
Did you end up with a net gain or and net loss in active patients?
Is your active patient count higher now than it was in January 2021?
Is 2021 production higher than 2019, is it flat or … declining?

Again, our client production is 11% higher YTD than it was in 2019. They are ’WAY ahead of the industry. And there is more we can do to help you educate your patients and get those butts in chairs and getting the care they so urgently need.

According to a survey by AAE, over 50% of the population say the pandemic has caused them to put off checkups. We know this will impact overall health, and the stats prove that people with gum disease are not only more likely to be hospitalized when they contract Covid-19, they are more likely to DIE from its effects. And 28% of consumers say they didn’t, or forgot, to schedule a visit.

These numbers are reflected in the industry data. On average, even for our super-productive clients, 25% of what you’d call “active patients” haven’t actually had any activity in the past 9 months. Those patients are lapsing and probably out of your reminder programs. On the other hand, the top 10% of practices have only 5% in a lapsed state. And hygiene reappointment … it’s averaging 53%. Yikes. Although it’s totally possible to get patients scheduled – that stat is at 84% for top-performing practices. Again, not sure of your metrics? We can help with a quick view in Practice ZEBRA.

It’s a “right now” situation to implement an improved strategy for 2022. Schedule a free consultation today and talk to your account manager about your situation. It could be a few very simple small steps that we can take care of for you that will make a huge impact on your 2022 results.

Whether it’s communication to build awareness and start the conversation for new patients, or communication to increase efficiency, or to improve patient outcomes and patient satisfaction – so patients return and refer – we have you covered.

And we are the best when it comes to this stuff. We’ve been creating and curating content for dental offices since 1993. Our content is top-quality and will make you look awesome in your community.

Quarterly patient newsletters mailed to patient homes (the only way to reach 100% of patients) – isn’t that just the right thing to do? I’ve heard that marketing legend Dan Kennedy says that the primary way dentists should communicate with patients is through print. Probably because it’s most effective, most appreciated, and most trusted of all mediums.
Monthly email newsletters (with open rates double that of industry average) – we make them super-easy. You don’t have to worry about a thing, they just happen.
Direct mail newsletters to targeted homes within market area to support your brand reputation as the expert in your field, to build awareness, reactivate lapsing patients, and attract a steady flow of high-value new patients (worth almost 2X that of an active patient).
Updated, modern, fast websites for a great patient experience.
Paid media (PPC) campaigns to capture patients at search.
Review Booster to generate more positive reviews (and provide value added educational content).
Automated patient communications for all the right touchpoints.
Phone Power telephone training to improve the patient experience and schedule more visits.
And get your eye on key performance metrics with automated weekly reports.

There is a cda-adc research guide that confirms the impact of dentist-patient communications and its direct bearing on patient perceptions of the care provided, the level of trust placed, and the success of treatment.

100% of our clients confirm that an educated patient is a better patient.

And you need to acquire and retain, and content marketing is the best way. Naturally occurring attrition takes out 15-20% of an active patient base annually. Competitive markets, over-confident adults (who “think” their mouth is healthy), and a lack of good patient communication result in further attrition. And a new patient brings in strong new-production opportunities and they bring new referrals.

What does this mean for dentists?

If you’re sitting with a strong $1.5 million dollar practice and 2,000 active patients and are feeling great – consider that these statistics mean that 500 patients aren’t connected, and unless you’re bringing in at least 40-50 new patients each month, you’ll be in a negative net patient count by year end.

So it’s not what costs less, it’s what actually COSTS MORE. The lack of focus on new patients will COST a lot more to practice security, the ability to invest in new technologies and continuing education, and to make practice improvements you want and need to secure the practice future and improve valuation.

Speaking of valuation and transition, we’ve seen a lot over our 28 years, but oh my goodness have we seen a ton in the past year! And the practices that are getting the best bang for their buck are those dental offices that have invested heavily in a marketing mix that includes actions and tactics to attract new patients AND retain existing patients.

Joanne Bishop

Is an educated patient a better patient?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:10:08 GMT

Yes, 100% of our clients say yes.

Patient NEWS clients are killing it with production levels 25% above industry average. Our clients have consistently improved on their pre-COVID production. That’s because marketing works. Because a focus on key actionable metrics and improved call handling works.

Dental offices that proactively communicate consistently and effectively, through ALL channels, with patients and new patients, get better results.

The market is showing that dentists can expect a bit of a downturn in dental visits due to the opening of activities, holidays, travel, events, and other luxury items. You might already be feeling the pinch. This will push dental care down on the consumer spending list.

To counteract the turn of consumer attention, dental offices are (or will want to asap) proactively working to gain attention of households in area neighborhoods to fill the coffers with fresh blood, if you will ��, which contributes to growing revenue and profits.

Many successful dental teams do this using an effective direct mail campaign, precisely targeted to hot neighborhood areas, helping to secure market share, add high-value new patients, and reactivate lapsing patients. Our average client generates a 686% ROI after just 6 months.

Here are 7 stats to consider:

70% of consumers PREFER traditional mail for cold, unsolicited offers
76% of consumers trust direct mail over digital channels when they want to make a purchasing decision
Direct mail outperforms all digital channels combined by 600%
Direct mail response rates are 9x higher than email, paid search, and social with patients-of-record, and 5x greater for prospective patients
80-90% of direct mail gets opened, compared to 15-20% for email (although email newsletters from Patient News boast a 45% open rate)
Over 70% of consumers say they prefer to connect through multiple channels before making a purchase
90% of Millennials feel direct mail is reliable and 82% feel it’s MORE trustworthy than digital.

The key is, not all direct mail is the same. Women, the primary decision-maker for healthcare services for the household, want quality information to make good decisions for their family. That’s why dental newsletters yield 170% higher response than a jumbo postcard.

In a recent survey, 100% of our clients agreed that an educated patient is a better patient and that the educational content in their newsletters sets their practice apart in their communities.

Newsletters help dentists overcome common barriers faced in motivating patients to choose their practice and continue to return. Things like patient and family attitudes towards dentistry, preconceived and outdated fears, and financial concerns. They help you explain to patients the serious link between oral health and overall health. A newsletter allows you to be empathetic AND provide solutions, exactly what dental patients need.

Not only is direct mail the most trusted of all channels, the newsletter format is the most trusted of all direct mail styles, providing stellar exposure as the expert in your field. You’ll build rapport, establish trust, and forge a unique connection that stands out from the competition. This type of campaign allows you to positively impact your community while driving great results for your practice.

And guess what? Because mail volumes are declining (we no longer receive all our bills and statements in the mail), advertising mail gets more attention and appreciation. In 2021, open rates for direct mail exceeded 90%, which means dental offices have an incredible opportunity to put the spotlight on their services, in the place where patients feel most comfortable and where the majority of buying decisions are made. In the home. Direct mail is the only way to reach 100% of your target audience. It will help you own your backyard, which you want to do, unless you’re planning on moving your location anytime soon!

Marketing through a downturn gets results.

Why not schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced team members? Talk about your current situation and your goals for 2022. See all of the types of strategic plans you can choose from to beat last year’s numbers and significantly improve practice valuation.

Joanne Bishop

Dental marketing trends to maximize 2022 profits

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:09:29 GMT

If you haven’t yet, it’s time to look at current business results, the latest consumer trends, and begin to formulate your plan for what changes or improvements can be made to make 2022 different. And better. For your practice, your team, your patients.

Our team works hard to continually make what we do better. To make better things happen for our clients. Clients who are experiencing record revenue as we come to the close of 2021.

The past year took putting customers first to a new level due to rapidly changing consumer expectations. Shifting work and home lives have created better opportunities for growth for our dental clients.

For 2022, according to Forbes, providing an easy experience between channels, where patients can move effortlessly between direct mail to digital and have a cohesive experience, is priority. Making people feel special, as we reported in a recent blog, needs to be part of your strategy. Consumers of all ages are looking for more meaningful connections with brands, particularly your highest value demographics, and they want to use local businesses.

The latest from Forrester research shows weary consumers, a reset of expectations, and some lingering fear around physical and financial health, tempered with optimism about post-pandemic recovery – they also report that consumers are looking to find brands, products, and experiences that provide an immediate sense of happiness, comfort, and relief.

The circumstances of the past 18 months have greatly changed us in the dental industry. But it’s a new day, with new possibilities, so as you look at driving growth and success, you don’t have to let those circumstances impact the opportunities that these trends reveal – very specifically for successful dental offices looking to go to the next level.

Here’s how one client reacted to these circumstances with a targeted direct mail campaign that took their practice from flatlining and decline to growth. Pre-pandemic they had achieved over $1 million in production and were quite comfortable. However, they are in a competitive market, off the beaten path with no great area visibility, and had never marketed to attract new patients (which can often make it an even more intense commitment to wait for awareness to build). And to top it off, they were dealing with lack of hygiene and front office support (like so many of you) and the desire to drop insurances. The pandemic hit them hard. It was a big leap to invest in direct mail to the area and to patients-of-record, but the dentist didn’t let past fears or circumstance hold them back. Since launch in June, they’ve increased new-patient flow by 70% and are on track to hit $1.5 Million in 2021 – their best year ever!

At Patient NEWS, we are more enthusiastic, objective, and results-driven than we’ve ever been.

What do you want for your dental office or DSO in 2022?
What is possible to achieve based on your current situation?
What tactics will help you get there?
Are you committed to making it happen?

It’s a time for re-set. Call 1-888-377-2404 to discuss your situation. I know we can help any dental office, dental consultant, or DSO stand out and grow. Whatever you think can’t be done, somebody else will come along and do it. We’ve seen this with the surge in group practice growth and activity, and with the stellar growth our active marketing clients are experiencing.

In the 17 months since recovery started in June 2020 our clients have had production that’s HIGHER than the past TWO years of revenue in 14 of those months. And the other 3 months were “right there.” These dental offices are 25% ahead of 2020 and 10% higher than 2019 as of the end of October.

So what is the potential for your practice or DSO growth? There’s lots of market out there to be taken. Dental offices that aren’t actively marketing to attract new patients AND to retain existing patients are missing out on available production and potentially hurting practice valuation.

Patients will respond. They just need to be aware and constantly reminded that you’re putting their needs first for convenience, safety, and overall wellbeing.
Patients need to be educated and constantly reminded about the importance of oral health and the link between oral and overall health.

When patients and prospective patients receive good information from your dental office on a regular basis, it reinforces your patient-centric approach. Good information helps them make good decisions for their families, and that sets dental offices apart. And when your messaging can also reinforce the self-improvement and confidence building side of dentistry, it’s a win-win. And those client growth stats prove it.

What do you feel will make a better experience for everyone, for your practice, your team, your patients?

Strong leaders know that it’s about making better connection, encouraging better involvement, and showing appreciation. You can easily inspire and encourage good things to happen for the health of your practice and your patients with enhanced communication.

What we do better at Patient NEWS is patient communication, in every sense. Direct mail to neighborhood residents that stands out and gets results. Patient newsletters by mail that reach 100% of your patient base help you connect and stand out. Automated communications provide a seamless and efficient system for your team, improving practice productivity and happiness of team and patients. Artificial intelligence (AI) finds opportunities and enhances service to maximize production. Our systems and solutions enable you and your team to show the value of what you bring to your community, both active patients and residents that reside around you. We enable you to share “big picture benefits” of your dental services. When you share information from your vantage point and help patients be more informed, they’ll know they’re better with you (or without you – but they will remember you). It’s a good thing to do.

It always makes us feel really great about what we do at Patient NEWS when we consider that we touch millions of households every year through our dental clients, with excellent oral health education – benefiting millions and millions of consumers and benefiting our clients with positive practice growth and security.

So what does 2022 bring?

For you, schedule a strategy session with your Account Manager or Marketing Consultant – 1-888-377-2404. We’ll update your benchmark reports, market share analysis, competitor research, and online audit so you have the metrics and data you want to make an objective decision about your strategy. On us. No fees to you.

For us, at Patient NEWS, it’s continued dedication to our core purpose and values. And continued use of the EOS system (entrepreneurial operating system) outlined in the book Traction by Gino Wickman, which we implemented over a year ago. We love it so much that we send it with every new client welcome box. We prioritize our decisions using Traction and being guided by our values.

Our Purpose:

To contribute to our clients’ success by providing customized solutions that will build and strengthen their patient relationships.

Our Values:

Excellence in innovation and product quality
Service with honesty, integrity, and professionalism
Our corporate culture, that intangible spirit, supported by our working and living environment, and through the respect and empowerment of employees as a team and as individuals
The environment and green business practices
Our fun, positive, creative, and energizing workplace
Community involvement and contribution at the employee and corporate level.

We’ll help you leverage your strengths and propel your practice to even greater success and growth in 2022. Delegate marketing to us and we’ll give you the traction you need!

Joanne Bishop

10 Statistics For Direct Mail & Dental Offices

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:05:20 GMT

Direct mail has a 90% open rate, 70% of consumers say direct mail is more personal than online interactions, and over 50% of consumers want direct mail.

Thriving dental offices recognize the important role direct mail plays in their success, but we also come across our fair share of skeptics. Direct mail drives more activity to all marketing channels and increases purchasing rates.
Direct mail statistics:

1. Direct mail is far more persuasive than digital media, with motivation response 1.75x higher from newsletters

Dental office marketing needs to be persuasive. More than ever. Traditionally 50% of consumers had some level of fear and avoidance of dentistry, and the pandemic hasn’t helped. Direct mail taps into deep neurological paths that trigger action.

2. Direct mail is more easily understood than digital channels

Digital messages require more brain power than direct mail, meaning the message gets across faster with mail, and since almost 90% of key purchase decisions are made in the home, there is no better method for a dentist to communicate.

3. Direct mail has an open rate that’s 4.5x that of email

Emailing and texting messages to patients might seem less costly but consider the “cost.” Direct mail reaches 100% of homes, has a 90% open rate, is seen by multiple people in a household, and has a shelf life of at least 3 weeks (the longest of any medium). Conversely the average dental office has 65% of patient email addresses, with a 15-20% open rate, by a single viewer, only 10% of patients are reached with any important marketing messages.

4. Gen X & Millennials, like Boomers, prefer direct mail

Consumers of all ages feel positive about direct mail. In fact, Gen Z are highest to report feeling overwhelmed by the number of digital ads they see, followed by Millennials and Gen X. Direct mail drives action:

5. Direct mail is more action-oriented because physicality stimulates underlying mental processes that guide behavior

Senses reign supreme. Research has proven that direct mail is more effective at driving behavior than digital media, and 30–49-year-olds exhibit the highest response to direct mail and lowest response to digital media.

6. Recall is 70% higher from direct mail versus digital ads

Because physical mail is more memorable (requiring 20% less cognitive power to process), it stimulates much greater brand recall. With competitors clamoring for attention, offering a memorable, educational, relevant mailed resource helps dental offices be more recognized and remembered.

7. Direct mail drives brand education

Brand experience happens “in the mind.” Direct mail is the most trusted ad channel before purchasing, but not all direct mail is the same. When using a larger newsletter format, perceived as magazine style, the consumer brain assigns more credibility and importance to the content. Consistent presentation of brand increases revenue by 23%, on average.

8. 72% of consumers feel positive about marketing mail

That said, they engage with 3 out of 10 pieces of mail they receive by visiting a website, inquiring, or making a purchase. This is significantly better than the clicks ratio on PPC ads or email, and also demonstrates the importance of “right person, right message, right time” and the use of quality information, effective targeting, and consistency.

9. Consumers are fatigued by pandemic-driven digital marketing

75% of consumers are overwhelmed by the number of digital ads they see each day, and almost half are frustrated with the interference of their online experience. 57% of people say that receiving mail makes them feel more valued and 79% say that reading mail is more convenient that going online.

10. Direct mail is the only way to reach 100% of your target audience

There isn’t a single dental office that has 100% email or mobile records, so this is a very important statistic to consider. And, according to Small Business Trends, direct mail marketing earns an average of $2095 per person. Over 90% read direct mail, and 71% share it.

Direct mail drives action for dental offices. It’s an important touchpoint on the patient journey that attracts new patients and retains existing patients. Patient NEWS’ clients are achieving record production using data-driven, precisely targeted neighborhood newsletters and personalized patient newsletters – their year-to-date production is well over 30% higher than 2020, and outpacing 2019 by 11%. So, it’s not just direct mail, it’s also the science behind it.

Call (888) 377-2404 and find out how you can benefit from direct mail for your dental practice. We’re ROYALTY when it comes to direct mail for dentists. If you want only the best for your practice and your patients, call today!

It’s all summed up in this recent client review…

“Here at Dr. Marea White’s office, we have had nothing but positive experiences with everyone at Patient NEWS. Our monthly newsletters are our #1 advertising tool. Month after month we get more new patients from the newsletter than anything else we use. I always get an immediate response when I reach out to [Patient NEWS]. I would highly recommend that you check them out!” – Susan Cooper, Office Manager

Joanne Bishop

Dental Marketing To Help You STAND OUT & Grow

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:04:29 GMT

Welcome to Patient NEWS dental marketing!

I recently signed up for a new app and a few days later a “tips & tricks” email came through asking me if I was getting the most out of the system, with a link to check out a blog post that was sort of a welcome to their service with highlights about exactly what it offered. That inspired me to do the same for Patient NEWS, for our clients, and for potential clients who might be perusing our site, especially since we have so much available that you might not realize everything you can benefit from. We are really awesome!

And always, per my first bullet (below), you can call us at 888-377-2404 and talk to a real person or schedule a consultation meeting that’s convenient for you!

So here’s how we help dental offices & DSOs STAND OUT & Grow!

1. Dedicated dental marketing experts.

With Patient NEWS, you’re not stuck with a ticket system or only using chat to solve your issues. You have a dedicated team of experts who spend time to get to know you and your team, and because of our almost 29 years exclusively working in the dental industry, we understand the various goals of solo and group practices.

We are real people, we answer the phone, you can call our President, our CEO, anyone on our team, anytime. Our entire team, both front- and back-of-house, are dedicated to providing 100% client satisfaction. We respond quickly to email or text, and we love to ZOOM! We are dental people too! We love dentistry!

a) Tip: Communication is critical for success. Your Account Manager is here to assist and help you achieve your goals. Always reach out; no question is too silly or too small.

b) Tip: We care about your success. Bigtime. Ask for any type of market analysis, competitor review, online audit, market share report, or practice benchmark reports to better strategize how easy-breezy it can be to retain more patients and attract more new ones.

2. Demographics for a dental practice location

To create the most effective marketing campaigns, direct mail, websites, and paid media, we utilize many leading technologies, like Esri demographics, to really understand your demographic, buying personas, competitive landscape, online presence, and market area. We give you much more than a typical report with general data; we provide insights that help build the best dental website for your practice.

You’ll see some of this during your initial consultation and onboarding period (if you haven’t started with us, call today to request a market area analysis – it’s actually completely complimentary for everyone). And when you’re engaged in direct mail with us, your Account Manager regularly reviews this detailed market data to ensure precise targeting and messaging for your core audience and to ensure you’re not missing out on core areas.

a) Tip: Dentist-to-Family ratio really impacts awareness and marketing results. When you understand this, you can implement strategies to overcome the challenge.

b) Tip: Drive-time and current market share are closely related and can help precisely target areas primed for success. Your Account Manager can show you both and how they compare.

3. Practice ZEBRA, dental software

It’s sometimes been hard to describe Practice ZEBRA because the technology offers so much. It truly is an enhancement tool to the other software you use in your practice. It brings your critical metrics to the forefront in an easy-to-use interface, like patient values (do you know how much more a new patient is worth to your practice versus an existing patient and how that could impact production?), scheduling, attrition, insurance, and it provides marketing intelligence like patient demographics, market share, call metrics, conversion data, and ROI per campaign tied right to actual patient production. It also has a full suite of automated patient communications, with targeted emails to patients at various stages with your practice.

a) Tip: For your patient or neighborhood newsletters, you can have any article or bio customized, written by our experienced editorial team. You can even get our Managing Editor to work on your unique piece. Just ask your Account Manager.

b) Tip: An educated patient is a more valuable patient. New patients generated from our neighborhood newsletters typically contribute more production than other new patients.

4. Dental marketing expertise

As I mentioned in bullet 1., we have been creating marketing campaigns for dentists since 1993. Yes, we feel like we’re getting up there. I love it that we existed before Google, before Facebook, before Amazon, before Harry Potter. You know what this means to you? We are here for you. We have tenure, we have a reputation (that’s great), we aren’t a brand-new dental marketing agency. We have a researched, proven, and tested system for helping dentists acquire new patients and retain existing patients. And we’re so perfect for the dental industry because the foundation of our marketing programs is PATIENT EDUCATION. No one does dental content like Patient NEWS.

a) Tip: Pull a ZEBRAbite benchmark report and then track your progress. This report offers incredible insights, industry comparables, and helps you see opportunities clearly.

b) Tip: All automated patient communications available in ZEBRA are free with your subscription. You could save hundreds of dollars being spent on other software that you really don’t need when you can consolidate your communications via ZEBRA.

5. Targeted dental marketing strategies for dentists

The dental patient journey doesn’t start at online search. It starts with awareness of the dental need and awareness of your practice as the solution. And it doesn’t end with search; it extends into the patient experience through their lifetime of doing business with your practice.

Today’s dental consumer has high expectations, they have choice at their fingertips, and unfortunately, there is a perception that all dentists offer the same thing. Hey, that’s why our mantra is to help dentists who want to stand out. We are here to differentiate your practice throughout the patient journey.

Practice Awareness: Customized direct mail, neighborhood newsletters, postcards, paid ads

Patient Research: Modern, fast websites (the fastest in dentistry), 100% white-hat SEO, patient reviews, listings, social media

Buying Decision: Call tracking, recording & scoring, instant alerts, texting, call coaching, dental brochures

Patient Experience: Newsletters, email, referrals, reactivations, reminders, scheduling, patient education

a) Tip: Ask your Account Manager what your marketing plan is missing, and where your opportunities lie, to generate more advocacy and growth for your practice.

b) Tip: Are you really happy with your current website? Request a free web audit & consultation.

6. Training & resources

We work hard on our blog to try to provide value each time we post and email. Use the search icon on our website to look for the topic you’re interested in. We share industry metrics, client stories, and things that we continue to learn about practice management, improving marketing results, finding opportunities, and improving patient care. Our regular emails are designed to educate you on the results we’re seeing, industry trends we identify, and solutions we have to help your practice experience more success.

Phone Power call coaching is free in Practice ZEBRA for anyone on your team to take, anytime. It’s a pretty quick video series, and hey, if you get one more tip that helps you book one more new patient (that’s around $1800 more production for the average practice in exchange for an hour in training). This program is best-in-class when it comes to converting a new dental patient.

Take advantage of these resources and let your Account Manager know if you want more information about a challenge you’re facing. We can’t help with things like staffing shortages, but we can help you with topics related to better patient communications and marketing results.

I think there are some insights in some of the Google reviews we’ve received…

“…they’ve been so supportive, innovative, professional, and responsive…” – Dilip Dudhat, Dudhat Dental Group & Philadelphia Eagles official dentist

“…thank you for always making a difference and treating your customers to extreme value…” – Dr. Jason Monroe, Village Green Dental Center

“…so willing to help in which ever way they can …” – Megan Winters, Wincrest Orthodontics, home of TikTok’s massive dental star, The Bentist

“…Patient News does everything right …” – Chris McClure, Co-Founder, Aligned Dental Partners

I’m sure I have missed a boatload of items that our Account Managers would yell out at me that we do for our clients. They are quite an awesome team who is passionate, I mean passionate, about getting what they need and want for their clients. I don’t think any client who has worked with us can really comprehend how hard our team works on their behalf. I’m amazed by the work they do, and I tip my hat to them. That’s something that’s unique in today’s B2B environment, they CARE! And the entire team behind them hustles every day to deliver.

So here we are, little Patient NEWS that launched in 1993 with patient newsletters for dentists – do you know how many people are amazed that that could become a business?!! When I tell people what I do outside of our industry, an eyebrow always raises! LOL. And here we are in 2021, survivors of COVID closures of 100% of our client base in March/April 2020 – can you imagine?!! We are still owned and operated by Wayne Lavery, CEO and Karen Galley, President, and love the thousands of dentists and industry relationships we’ve built in all that time. We’ve worked hard, and will continue to work hard, to invest, innovate, deliver exceptional service, and help our clients to differentiate and stand out and grow with a myriad of supporting tools.

Here’s to your dental office or group being more successful and differentiated in your local market. Call your Account Manager today for more information about any of the items noted in this blog! Cheers. JB

Joanne Bishop

Dental Health, Money, & Digital “Seniors”

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:03:52 GMT

Boomers, Gen X – What’s a senior?!

Google commissioned a research study to collect qualitative and quantitative data on the digital habits of boomers and “seniors.” According to WHO, most developed countries characterize old age starting at 60. Boomers, Seniors, and Gen X. This data is important to dentists because these generations have historically been the patients that contribute the highest value in production to a dental practice and knowing their buying preferences is key to an effective dental marketing strategy.

Google found that 86% of online seniors spend up to 6 hours a day online and own an average of 5 devices. They are sophisticated, engaged folks, 80% educated beyond high school, and more than 80% use their smartphone every day.

Why are they online (and say that the pandemic ending will not change their habits)?

To stay in touch with friends/family (91%)

Organize finances (87%)

Improve health and wellness (73%).

Many said being online and staying up to date with technology is an imperative.

Find out your patient generation mix and patient values in Practice ZEBRA dental software. Schedule a free demo today.

SCHEDULE FREE DEMO

This information indicates that having a multi-channel marketing program in place is key for attracting both Boomers and Gen X. Boomers like to get direct mail and trust it more than online ads, but they will also go online to research your dental practice and check reviews and comments in relation to your direct messaging. Gen X heavily dig into research and reviews before purchasing and want to trust their local provider.

Smart, successful dentists recognized the impact of Boomer spending power when the oldest Boomers began hitting their 50s in the 1990s … but as Boomers get older, is their spending slowing down? And where does Gen X play now that they’re hitting 55?

Here’s the thing. Both Boomers and Gen Xers have money for dentistry. They’re typically the highest-revenue patients for our clients. These generations are working longer, they’re focused on health and wellness, and want to look great as they age. They’re getting divorced, married, going back to school, traveling, becoming grandparents, starting new careers, and are really staying active. According to Nielsen, Boomers spend more than the average consumer in almost every category. That’s why Boomers remain a critical group to continue to target with your dental marketing campaign.

Boomers respond to a multi-channel marketing mix because they’ve grown up with newspapers, TV, and technology. Your niche dental newsletter is more likely to engage a Boomer, who also puts more trust in print than online ads, but who will then also look you up online before calling to book an appointment.

So what about Gen X now that they’re hitting the 55+ age category?

Like Boomers, Gen Xers come with significant spending power: in the prime of their careers with higher-than-average household income, they aren’t slowing down. A study from Generation Pay shows that Gen X likes to shop locally and using a known and trusted brand is an extremely important factor in retail choice.

There’s an opportunity to target your direct mail to your Gen X and Boomer population, but just remember that Gen X and Boomers both read online reviews, so include positive reviews in your direct mail, have a dedicated page on your website, and work to obtain more reviews from patients.

A study by the University of Michigan revealed that 82% of people over 50 experience at least one type of ageism every day, and 65% said they’re exposed to messages (like older adults and aging) that are unattractive or undesirable.

Doesn’t this give a dental office a niche opportunity for positive communications to these big spenders in your target area? It’s another way to become THE known and trusted and STAND OUT dental provider in your local area for what you might call your “ideal” patient, because they want to look good, they want to be healthy, and they have the money to pay.

Do you know your generation stats and patient values? You can find out the value of each demographic in Practice ZEBRA, our dental software, where you can benchmark patient values and see exactly where those good-value patients live with our GEO mapping – just a click away. A great tool for targeting your marketing campaign effectively.

Here’s a sample of the type of information you can look at in Practice ZEBRA. Patient value by generation and patient households geo-plotted on live mapping (patient value indicated by the pin-point color dots which allow you to click/sort and see where your most valuable patients are located). This is an amazing tool to assist with targeting your dental marketing campaigns to attract more patients like your highest-value patients.

So, who are YOUR most valuable patients? Do you feel like you should be attracting a younger crowd just because your younger team thinks you should? Think again. “Seniors” are online, they’re savvy, they’re spending, and they want to feel great and look great. Are you inadvertently attracting a ton of Millennials when your Boomer patients spend twice as much?

You can know exactly what you should be doing by using the data in Practice ZEBRA.

When you know exactly who you want to attract, you open up a tremendous opportunity for production growth at your dental office. Maybe it’s not all about your case acceptance numbers; maybe it’s just going after the right patient to start with.

So before you say, “I’d like a younger demographic” … know who you are attracting to your practice now, what they are contributing to it financially, and which demographics live around your practice, and then design your marketing plan around that.

Talk to your Account Manager or Marketing Consultant about your demographics and ensure your marketing plan is on target.

SCHEDULE FREE DEMO

We’re here to help you STAND OUT & Grow by creating campaigns that resonate specifically with your targeted audience.

Joanne Bishop

Walking On Dental Sunshine

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:02:46 GMT

Writing a dental marketing blog week after week, month after month, year after year is hard! What do we know or what have we learned that will share insight? What will provide value to our clients and industry colleagues? And be entertaining! Today I was blank, so I went back in my archives to look at what I was writing about 10 years ago. Low and behold, my September 1, 2011 blog is very relevant – maybe even more relevant on September 1, 2021.

And this story will help you get more new patients for your dental office. Want more new patients for your dental practice? Schedule a free consultation today.

That September 2011 blog was all about how to say things on the phone. As a dental professional, you’ve probably had reams of training and know it’s not what you say, but how you say it. Isn’t that message even more important as we live through this current pandemic where people are craving positive connection and can’t be in person very often?

A UCLA study revealed that when speaking, gestures account for 55% of impact, tone of voice 38%, and words … a tiny 7%. So, since a smile can be heard on the phone and gestures can’t be seen … imagine how important tone is for every new-patient phone call.

When I wrote that blog 10 years ago, we had just conducted a training session with our sales team on how to deliver an effective online presentation (can you imagine, we were just implementing PowerPoint in our sales process) and I was sharing the tips from that training session related to new-dental-patient call handling.

At Patient NEWS, we have always only been face-to-face with clients at events and tradeshows, and otherwise we only interact personally by phone (and now by Zoom), so the importance of voice inflection, being present, and focusing on the call and smiling while we’re on the phone were and are central to our training and relate 100% to handling a new-patient call at a dental office. These factors are a big part of our Phone Power call coaching program that supports new-patient direct mail and website campaigns.

The thing is, when you do something day in and day out, like answer the phone or giving another PowerPoint presentation, and you’re very busy with other tasks, being present, energetic, and happy can slip into not paying complete attention and coming off as indifferent.

At that training session, we were given an exercise that was fun, and it worked. It’s sure to make your team smile, maybe even laugh out loud. The trainer asked us to say a statement in a few different ways – as if we were bored, flirtatious, angry, sexy, excited – you get the idea!

At your next team huddle try this. You’ll need a volunteer to get your started!

First, as if you’re BORED and busy elsewhere say (out loud):

“Good morning, Dr. Smith’s office. Yes, we have one-hour whitening. We can fit you in at 2.”

Then, think of something that makes you FEEL GOOD. What makes you happy? Your child? Your favorite sports team winning? Taking the dog for a walk? Dancing? Take that feeling and, as if you’re really happy and excited, say (out loud):

“Good morning, Dr. Smith’s office. Yes, we have one-hour whitening. We can fit you in at 2.”

The point is the words don’t change, but the “feeling” you give the listener completely changes.

Every dental office wants to make sure that they have the right welcome script for a new dental patient that everyone who answers the phone follows – but then, beyond those words, apply a welcoming happy feeling and tone into the words. Be present. You want every new patient to feel like they’ve called the right place, that it’s safe, happy, and welcoming, and that their business is valued and appreciated. When you sound confident, happy to represent the practice, and welcoming, you build patient trust.

After scoring and coaching thousands of dental offices on call handling, we can confirm that these basics really do make a huge difference in new-patient bookings.

Smile

Answer live – don’t let a call go to voicemail

Be enthusiastic about your doctor and your practice

Be present, caring, and helpful

Have energy throughout the call and say thank you.

I know it’s hard to stay in your happy zone all day long and for every interaction. Especially when you’re dealing with a myriad of patients, colleagues and their moods, the pressure of your to-do list, and everything else going on behind the scenes at home and at work – but just remember, it’s a choice. We can all choose our attitudes. We can’t control others and what they do, only ourselves. It’s your choice. Focus on positive.

When wanting to attract and convert more new patients to your dental office, paying attention to tone, enthusiasm, and sincerity will affect the number of patients that trust you, trust your practice, and schedule with you. Dental office managers and receptionists have a tough job. They’re busy keeping everything humming, which means that calls aren’t always top priority. We’ve heard our fair share of poor call handlers. Make sure everyone on your team knows that new patients are critical (to practice success, job security, new opportunities, new technologies, giving all patients better care, etc.,), and ensure your call handling team is equipped with best-practice call coaching (like Phone Power from Patient NEWS), with scripts ready that support your brand message and help overcome objections.

There is a lot to that tone on the phone! Speed of speech can indicate tedium or impatience. Pitch can be perceived as disengaged or annoyance, even untrustworthy. Energy reflects attitude. Pulling it all together takes skill, and that’s very important when you want to build trust and confidence in your dental practice. How a new-patient call is handled is part of your dental marketing program, it’s part of the patient journey and patient experience, and will help you maximize every new-patient opportunity. We’ve always said that the person who answers the phone IS the practice to the new patient.

What’s the big deal over one more new patient? One new patient, on average, contributes $1800 in production in year one, so it’s a very big deal when you add up what you could be losing or winning on the daily. A coaching and bonus structure for the team that’s responsible for answering calls and scheduling new patients at your practice could and does mean mega dollars and mega-competitive advantage. You don’t want one new patient to slip away from your practice and choose another. If training and incentives could add just 3 more new patients per week, conservatively, for 48 weeks per year, that would add over $250,000 in topline revenue. Just three more!
Here’s a final little interesting tidbit from my blog 10 years ago. It starts with a question about Walking On Sunshine (Katrina & The Waves) and whether it creates happy feelings because I was heading into the conversation about using something to bring out your happy. It’s one song that always gets me smiling. When I searched feel-good songs today, I found that Walking On Sunshine has since been identified, based on neuroscience research, as one of the top 10 feel-good songs! The list also includes a few that might make you smile … including Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen), Dancing Queen (Abba), Good Vibrations (Beach Boys), Uptown Girl (Billy Joel), Eye of the Tiger (Survivor), I’m A Believer (Monkeys), Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper), Livin’ On A Prayer (Bon Jovi), I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor) … any of those make you smile? You might want to look up the Walking On Sunshine playlist for your practice (it’s a thing)! Whatever tune puts a grin on your face, enjoy and bring that feeling to others!

So SMILE. It will make you and those around you smile too! Want more information on how to get more new patients for your dental office – schedule a free consultation!

Joanne Bishop

8 Ways To Get More New Patients

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:01:49 GMT

More new patients. When they call us, that’s what almost every dentist says. As one of the leading dental marketing agencies in the industry, getting more new business for our clients and helping their dental practices (and group organizations) grow is our number-one task.

Here are 8 ways to get more new business:

Promote your differentiating features to your community
Offer incentives for new patients
Re-contact lapsing patients
Ask patients for referrals
Improve your web presence
Work with referring doctors and businesses
Leverage positive patient reviews
Get involved in your practice community.

Promote your differentiators

You want your dental practice marketing to be visible where your patients are located. That will be both in their homes around your practice and online. But how do you make your practice stand out? This is one of the biggest challenges dentists face – consumers perceive that most dentists offer the same thing, so differentiating your expertise, your team, your services, and your practice is so important and can help you cut through the noise of all the competing dental offices.

We work hard to create brand differentiation as part of your overall dental marketing strategy. We promote your unique products, services, and patient experiences to build great direct mail campaigns and great websites, paid media and patient newsletters. It’s our mission to help our dentists and DSOs to “stand out & grow.” If you’ve seen our group of zebras, you’ll see that only one stands out. That’s what we do for you.

Differentiating your practice in your community will boost team morale, increase new patients, and improve practice productivity and profits.

SCHEDULE FREE DEMO

Offer incentives for new patients

It’s funny when I think back over the years of all the dentists who said they didn’t want to discount their services, didn’t want to offer new-patient specials, or consider a membership program. It’s funny because now that we have the data in Practice ZEBRA from thousands of dental offices, we can see that special offers actually have the opposite effect of reducing revenue. New patients contribute often 2X that of an existing patient, and membership patients are the same in that they contribute 2X that of a non-insured patient.

Offers trigger something of urgency that get people to act – bringing new patients to your chair, new patients that need additional services above and beyond the cleaning offer you provided. And, maybe, because they feel they’re getting good value and have the opportunity to get to know you and trust you, they accept more treatment than the average patient. Incentives work to attract new patients and drive practice growth.

Re-contact lapsing patients

The average practice has a quarter of their “assumed active” patient base in the lapsed category. That means 25% of active patients haven’t had a return visit for any treatment in over 9 months. That’s big for the average practice with 2000 patients. Do you have 2000 patients? If yes, you could have 500 patients that are over-due and possibly open to a competitor offer.

How are you reaching out to lapsing patients? Based on the stats we see in Practice ZEBRA, we can confidently state that the reactivation programs generally available with reminder services aren’t all that great. Our automated reactivation cadence is amazing, maybe because it’s been designed by dental MARKETERS (and not techies – no offense tech folks), it’s more eye-catching to patients. Success has been great, driving 70% more daily bookings at launch! You’ll also reactivate patients with a good direct mail campaign, and we can help with that too! Why not book a free demo with our awesome team to find out more.

Ask for referrals

We recommend that you ask patients for referrals in every patient newsletter – email and printed and mailed. When you receive a compliment from a patient, thank them, and they say, “Hey, by the way, that was so nice to hear and since you feel that way I thought you should know we’re welcoming new patients and would love it if you would refer your friends and family to us…” Expand this if you have a referral incentive you can tell them about.

It’s simple, it’s not overbearing, and it works. Getting patients to act as your ambassadors is so important for practice growth and security. Everyone on your team should be proud of the work you do and be confident to ask for referrals. You can also include care-to-share type referral cards in your quarterly patient newsletter (which is the ONLY way to reach 100% of patients with your important messages) to help spread word-of-mouth advertising.

Improve your web presence

What patients and new patients find when they look you up online – and they will be doing so to find your number quickly – will impact buying decisions. Is your website out of date? Is it SLOOOOOWWWWWWWW? Are you proud of it? And what about reviews? New patients will read reviews before making a buying decision. They want to see volume, rating, recency, and 9 out of 10 read through reviews – most look at lower reviews to see if the complaints are things they care about.

Even better than referrals, patients will leave a review when asked – and when it’s made convenient to do so. Our Review Booster product is best-in-class (and we’re dental only), so it makes sense to ditch the amount you’re paying to Birdeye, Podium, or Swell to use our solution in Practice ZEBRA. Not only will you boost reviews, but our program will elevate your practice reputation in the eyes of patients because it provides VALUE to your patients at a critical moment when you’re asking for a favor. Get a free demo to find out more.

Referring doctors and businesses

You already have good relationships with other medical services in your area where you refer patients back and forth. Maybe you have special arrangements with other non-healthcare businesses in your area. You can leverage these relationships by having them include your web URL on their site, linking back to your website, and by providing them with brochures and special offers to promote your services in their locations.

Leverage your great reviews

Make sure you’re pulling your great reviews from Google, sharing them with your team, thanking your team for doing such a great job, and using these referrals across all marketing platforms. Include them on your website, in PPC campaigns, in your printed materials, practice brochures, neighborhood newsletters and postcards, even in your patient newsletters. “We’re sending a shout out to Amber M who left us this great review on Google” … include the review and ask other patients to post reviews to your site.

Let everyone know what patients love about your practice so they can repeat the messages to others.

Get involved in community

This is a fun one for many dental teams. I love seeing the photos come in for patient newsletters showing dental teams at charity events, all wearing their team colors, smiling, and having fun. Ask your team which events they’d all like to participate in and get visible. In our local community, one of our dentists does an incredible job with what they’ve named Volunteer Dental Outreach. For the past 10 years they’ve been providing dental services to those who can’t afford needed treatment (well over 1,000 patients) and $3 million in free dentistry. With social sites, local PR, and supporting events like an annual golf tournament that attracts local residents and businesses, the community outreach is not only a great thing, but it also keeps the founder’s dental practice highly visible in the community. This type of activity is really important because we hear from many dental owners that practice awareness is an issue for them. Find your niche and start playing to keep your practice visible.

Here we are mid-August. How are you at making decisions? If nothing changes at your practice, you can’t expect to magically get more new patients. We have a step by step process that can help you uncover your best opportunities for practice growth that will help you make more confident decisions using relevant information and data. The key is to start now so that you can get what you want when you want it.

Here’s one metric to get you thinking about calling us. If your practice is losing one new patient booking per day that you’re open, you could be missing out on roughly 250 new patients added to your roster. That’s 5 per week. Not much, right? Except that the average new patient contributes $1800 per year. Missing 1 patient per day adds up to a loss of $450,000 to your topline annually.

If you’d like a piece of that revenue – schedule a FREE DEMO now.

Joanne Bishop

Increase Your Dental Practice Valuation

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:01:00 GMT

The ADA reports that dental-patient volume continues to pace at about 85% of pre-pandemic levels, while Patient NEWS dental marketing clients are at 115% of pre-covid numbers. That is going to help them build an improved practice valuation and successful sale … the long-term goal of just about every dentist.

The truth behind what keeps these practices humming well ahead of industry average really boils down to strength, commitment, belief, passion, and very often, great personalities! We’ve been at this dental thing for 28 years, and consistently our most successful clients are the nicest and most interested folks! They know what they want and are committed to and invest in great patient and community communication, typically have a higher focus on maintaining a great team, one that is involved in practice goals, and they ALL monitor their key performance metrics. Not every metric, every time, but a good enough mix of the key metrics that it all comes together.

We’re on the downhill side of 2021, so you have to ask yourself how you are pacing to end the year. Have you checked your metrics and trends recently? Since we work with busy, successful dental leaders, we get it. Sometimes your schedule doesn’t allow you to stop and take a 30,000-foot view, no matter how important that is.

So hold up right now. Check out the industry metrics I’m sharing below and get your motor running.

As someone who is working to maximize practice production, do you know what high-leverage opportunities are at your fingertips right now? For sure, there is a tremendous opportunity for practice growth with people’s focus on their overall health and well-being, and the fact that many are at home – where 90% of buying-decisions are made.

To that end we have many innovative solutions that will help you attract more patients, retain your good patients, and increase elective services. And then there is Practice ZEBRA, the dental marketer’s software platform that spotlights important metrics that allow dental teams to take advantage of opportunities in their book of business. This is where the magic happens … you can truly take this data and boost production fast.

Can you increase patient spend per visit?

Which patients are most valuable and how can you find more like them?

Should you invest more in new patients?

How many patients are at risk of never returning?

Are you even connected to your patients due to missing contact data?

How easy would it be to implement some focused campaigns?

Where is production trending at the 7-month mark for 2021?

Below I’m sharing some industry statistics that I know you’ll find interesting … once you check it all out, and you’d like to see your own practice benchmark report, patient data, insurance values, current market share geo plotted, dentist/patient ratios … so much more … we share all this free with our clients to help them succeed. Schedule a free demo.

SCHEDULE FREE DEMO

Recently WHO declared oral health a global health priority due to the importance of oral health on overall health. We’ve been helping our clients educate their patients about this very link for decades. Just as there is a link between oral and overall health, and there is a link between patient education and practice production – the reason our clients are 30% ahead of industry average.

Here is a snapshot of the dental industry data for your comparison.

Patient education, as one of my favorite clients always says, is the “right thing to do.” When you educate patients, you build confidence, certainty, and long-term commitment because you’re offering best-in-class service. That results in being one of those Top 10% of dentists with great metrics.

Patient communication builds health for your patients and health for your practice.

The future of your practice is happening now. The decisions you make today, guided by the data you have, will drive practice valuation one way or the other. Take the next step toward getting more value from your metrics and practice data with a free demo today.
If you click the button below, you’ll get a FREE connection of your own practice hooked up to Practice ZEBRA, the dental marketer’s software platform. This includes benchmarking of all the important metrics I shared today.

Live Demo of Practice ZEBRA for FREEO

Joanne Bishop

6 Parts To SEO Success – Just 4 Dentists!

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:00:10 GMT

Every dental procedure is made up of a series of components that makes it all come together. The same can be said for dental marketing, right down to a dental office website and its related search engine optimization (SEO) for dentists.

Taking a holistic approach to SEO is a key step for any local business – in our case, dental offices – to compete in their geo area and show up for their targeted audience. That means coordination of on-page and off-page content, optimization using best-practices, and link building with focused keywords all in a way that sends the right signals to Google and other search engines. And with the fast-paced, ever-changing algorithms hitting regularly, SEO is a worry for many dentists.

We can help.

FREE WEB AUDIT

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it accessible and USEFUL. We all appreciate their commitment to making our search results hyper-relevant to what we’re looking for. There is NOTHING more frustrating than searching for something specific and not getting the results you expect or want!

As dental marketers, we must help search engines know what our keywords are so that they will present us online when our audience searches. That’s where SEO comes into play.

There are a series of components that are necessary to boost web results from a search optimization perspective. SEO is long-haul business, so it’s not going to get you to page one tomorrow – the best way to give your web presence immediate prominence is both paid media and direct mail to targeted households featuring your URL and promoting your positive reviews, which will drive more visitors to your site (and also help convert). Long-haul SEO is the stuff you just have to invest in for the long-term health of your web presence.

6 Components Of SEO For Dentists

Reviews
Website optimization
Off-page optimization & listings
On-page optimization
Link-building
Site speed.

Did you know that it’s estimated that reviews account for over 15% of how Google ranks your business? That’s right, and Google also says that responding to your reviews improves your SEO. They like that you’re working to enhance your patient experience. Take a look at your Google My Business page and see how your reviews look.

Do you have a good quantity of reviews?
Do you have “close” to a 5-star average? (As a dental practitioner you definitely want to be over 4.7.)
Do you have a steady flow of recent reviews?
Have you responded to every review?

So … not to mention that 90% of patients will check your reviews before choosing your practice … reviews boost SEO!!

Our reputation management system is best-in-class – designed exclusively for DENTISTS. I like to emphasize in my blogs that we ONLY WORK WITH DENTISTS. We are exclusive to the dental industry, unlike many of our competitors, so why not use us?!

Review BOOSTER™ helps you obtain reviews without effort, with components designed to really make you stand out with patients – more than just “hey leave us a review,” our system offers value-added benefits that make you look great to patients at the moment you’re asking for a favor – and it redirects not-so-happy patients back to you, rather than straight to a review site. The dashboard in Practice ZEBRA allows you to easily respond to reviews and tracks your results. On average, users of Review BOOSTER gained almost 3X the amount of reviews after launch versus prior.

FREE WEB AUDIT

Website optimization makes sure the backend of your site, the code, is written in a way that Google needs to see it in order to index pages for ranking. This optimization ensures that Google understands the content and its intent, so it can be useful to end users searching for that type of content. These are things like title tags, alt tags, meta descriptions, site maps, etc. which must be present to help Google navigate the site. Ongoing optimization by a quality partner makes sure that all of these elements are present and written in best-practice format.

Off-page content is content submitted to local or industry websites or directories relevant to the top keywords. This is totally SEO content and not meant for patients to view, but key content for a powerful linking strategy. You can also be looking for ways to get inbound links for your practice, e.g. your local chamber of commerce, local associations you’re a part of, local businesses you refer to, and other local directories. You also want your website listed on all key online directories, and you want to ensure they are constantly synced back to your correct Google My Business listing. Incorrect name and place information (it happens over the years) can negatively impact. Talk to your web provider to ensure your listings are all up to date (or talk to us and get a free web audit)!

On-page content is patient facing, but again, you must ensure that you have enough relevant and related content to your top keywords. As long as your website was written by a dental marketing expert, most sites have sufficient content for SEO purposes. If you’re writing your own content, just make sure that it’s relevant to both your targeted keywords, and your local area, news, events, etc., related to your practice focus and industry.

Website speed is just critical. Google likes fast sites and ranks them better, and consumers have less patience than a goldfish, so you better make sure your site is fast on desktop and mobile. How patient are you when you get the loading circle? Not very. WebLift by Patient NEWS offers the FASTEST websites in dentistry, and they’re SSL secure, and mobile optimized. Don’t waste any more time with your old, outdated website. We can help you improve your online presence asap!

If you're looking to optimize your dental website, understanding SEO for dentists can significantly enhance your online presence. To get a comprehensive insight into this process, consider reaching out to our team for a free consultation. Our experts are ready to provide a detailed demographic and competitor analysis along with a thorough web audit, all at no cost! This opportunity will allow you to grasp the nuances of SEO specifically tailored for dental practices, ensuring your site attracts and engages more potential patients effectively.

FREE WEB AUDIT

Joanne Bishop

Dentists – Do You Take Your Own Advice?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:59:26 GMT

Time for your 6-month check-up?

We’re halfway through the year, so it’s time for a 6-month check-up on practice performance.

Is everything healthy and thriving? What’s under the tongue or along the gumline? Any spots or weaknesses?

Just like a 6-month dental check-up, your business should have a good examination. It’s so easy to get into the weeds of the demands of your daily operations and what just needs to get done versus taking the time to step back and examine where things are. This process will help you act more quickly to ensure you’re on the right track to achieve your goals for 2021.

There are many key indicators a dental office has access to, so what should you monitor and benchmark to ensure you’re where you should be? It can depend on what is important to you … for clients of Patient NEWS, it’s practice security, growth, and a positive valuation down the line.

Here are 7 questions you can ask yourself…

Is production growing?
Are visits strong?
Do we have a steady and increasing new patient flow?
Are we holding attrition at a minimum?
Is patient spend at or above industry average?
Is the team happy and productive?
Could we be improving in any revenue-generating area?

New from Practice ZEBRA is our ZEBRAbite Benchmark Report. At the click of a button, a dental office can pull key performance metrics for any time frame and see industry comparables and trend charts.

Gross production
Patient/new patient yearly value
Current active patients
Active/new patients scheduled
New patients per month
Lost patients per month
Hygiene capacity
Production by provider/department
Procedure mix
Patient demographics
New patients & production by generation

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ZEBRAbite report provides fast and easy visual pinpoints of opportunities for growth. It’s there in black and white and will help you stay ahead of the curve and identify any possible issues stalling practice growth. Regular benchmarking will provide clarity on what you’re doing that’s working and what isn’t and needs to be tweaked.

For example, to write this blog, I pulled up an actual ZEBRAbite benchmark report, and I’ll try to describe how this might feel when you look at your own practice. The report I’m viewing is for a successful client with a $1.4 million practice. That’s great, right? But then I notice the industry average is $1.55 million, and the Top 10% are at $4.45 million … so what other metrics could positively impact their revenue?
Well, ZEBRAbite shows their active patient count is lower than average; they have less than 50% scheduled to come back and 27% of patients in danger status. That’s a lot of patients not connected and in danger of lapsing and never returning. On the positive side, their active patient count is growing. So, if they continue to work on new patient acquisition and also add a push on scheduling and reactivations, they could easily realize a lot more production.

So that brings me to the next question to ask yourself.
Are you being thoughtful about the modern dental patient journey and your marketing and patient communication strategy? There is a lot of focus on new patient acquisition, and that is critical for practice security and growth, but once those patients are in, they need to come back over and over!

PATIENT RETENTION. If you don’t have one already, implement a patient newsletter program. It may seem old-fashioned, but it isn’t. It’s a highly effective way to stay visible with patients, to add value to your patient experience, and to keep patients coming back and referring. Our solution is the best in the industry and includes quarterly print mailings and monthly email newsletters. It’s a “just do it” for the benefit of your patients and your practice kind of thing!

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SCHEDULING: To keep patients scheduled, they should have their next appointment identified before they leave the last. We have a process at Patient NEWS that the next call or meeting must be scheduled on the current call – even if things need to be rescheduled, at least you’re visible. And then make sure you have a sound appointment reminder system in place.

APPOINTMENT REMINDERS. Practice ZEBRA features a terrific Appointment Reminder system for the dental office. Depending on what system you’re currently using, you may want to shift over to ZEBRA Reminder and save on your monthly expenses – it’s included with everything else in ZEBRA. Our reminders are branded like your other marketing with us, and with auto-sync right into your practice management system, it does the trick.

Now, an automated reminder system only works when patients are scheduled. So, what about the 27% of patients who are scheduled and haven’t been in for nine months? Or the 990 patients past due for hygiene? Call blitzes are good – and you have easy-to-pull, non-scheduled patient reports from ZEBRA to make that easy. Plus…
REACTIVATIONS.

We have a great reactivation program. In Practice ZEBRA, you’ll find an automated reactivation cadence for patients who haven’t been in for 9-24 months. When we created this reactivation system for dental offices, we looked at the solutions available, all with their boring, conservative standard messaging. And we said, we’re marketers, let’s create something that will have a positive impact on these patients who are lapsing and not really engaged with the practice. I’m so proud of our solution. Not only is it fun, but patients respond! Beta users had an increase in daily scheduling of 70% after implementation. Try something new, switch up your boring old reactivation program, and try our Reactivation BOOSTER.

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So, that’s just a little blog about your 6-month recare appointment for your dental office. Always benchmark where you’re at, look at trending, do more of what’s working, and change or slightly adjust what’s not. Your Account Success Manager is available to help you review your key indicators and help strategize on what to do

Joanne Bishop

5+ Reasons Brand Matters & What You Should Do!

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:58:34 GMT

The immeasurable impact of branding for a dental office

Did you know that approximately 60% of consumers opt to buy from companies they recognize via marketing and advertising initiatives and are far less likely to invest in an unknown?

This makes increasing your brand visibility via a variety of promotional mediums paramount to practice success. Make 2021 the year to focus on brand and increasing awareness with your intended audience. And do it across all channels. Presenting your brand consistently across all platforms can increase revenue by up to 23%!

How you approach your brand, on a consistent basis, is what will actively impact how your target audience perceives your dental office – and how they interact with you. Do new patients flock? Are active patients connected? Is production on the upward trend? This is one of the beauties of working with Patient NEWS – we make certain that our clients’ brand images are consistent on all channels from print to digital – to in-office – professionally and positively, and we provide easy and convenient visibility to the actionable insights you want.

When you think about your practice brand, from the direct mail that hits area households, to your website, your paid media campaigns, your automated patient communications like reviews, appointment reminders, reactivations, patient newsletters … are you happy with the consistency patients are experiencing?

Is your brand recognizable? Do area residents know you’re there?

I can’t remember how many times new clients have said to us over the years, we needed a way to get our name into the homes around our practice. Too many new patients came in and said, “I didn’t even know you were here.” Does that sound like your office?

Here are some fun consumer & brand stats dental offices should consider:

It takes 5-7 impressions for people to remember a brand
Color improves brand recognition by up to 80%
A third of the world’s top brands include the color blue in their logos
89% of consumers stay loyal to brands that share their values*
82% of consumers feel more positive about a brand after reading customized content.

Branding builds revenue. Dental offices can strengthen their brand and practice awareness with a:

Focus on sharing values in marketing to strengthen trust
Increase in positive reviews with word-of-mouth campaigns
Positive focus on social media & in-person connections.

For a local business, like a dental office, building brand awareness starts with core activities; distinguishable name/logo – visible signage (does your street front sign say “dentist” – so do 100s of others), direct mail to targeted households, paid media, community events, and strong word-of-mouth from existing patients.

Our team can help your dental office do all this, easily, to enhance your brand in a way that gets the positive attention of patients and area residents, to help your office be more known, more trusted, and to be the preferred choice. And despite my subtitle, this is all very measurable!

Another statistic that I’m sure we’ll all agree on is the power of positivity and its impact on who we choose to do business with. Your brand is made up of all the experiences patients have with your brand, from an exceptional introduction from your content rich direct-mail newsletter, or referral from a friend to the kind and helpful service patients receive when they’re in contact with your dental office – the first time and every time after that. Phone Power telephone training from Patient NEWS supports your marketing efforts. Phone Power provides dental teams with the supports they want to improve call handling and convert more new patients. 73% of us love a brand with helpful service – I bet it’s even higher than that, with brand experience taking over as the number-one expectation of consumers in 2021/22.

Almost 90% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding on brands they like and support. What better way to share exactly who you are with your target audience than customized neighborhood newsletters? Direct mail from dentists resonates with all important buying groups: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and even Gen Z! Millennials prefer direct mail over email and are more engaged with their mail and like to actually read it, and this demographic is moving into the phase where elective dentistry is becoming more important. Boomers, of course, long-time high-value patients, like digital advertising, but print influences their behavior more strongly.

Mail is a powerful way to do so many positive things for your dental office. It educates, it influences, it’s memorable, you can mold it to say exactly what you want to say about your practice, and it’s trusted. Consumers welcome direct mail as a reliable source of information. For sure you want your direct mail to be a customized newsletter format from Patient NEWS – the larger format, high-quality FSC approved paper stock, brilliant print quality – wham – puts you well ahead of competitors using postcards (although, we do those too, they work in some markets and can look beautiful when well designed).
And if you’re building your brand, you must focus on your online reputation. Social proofing involves increasing positive reviews and managing your online reputation, particularly important when new patients look to your brand and are in the decision-making mode.
Generating patient reviews is a given – you must do it, and it works so well to incorporate an automated review tool into your marketing plan. Clients using our solution, Review BOOSTER, gain well over double, almost triple, the amount of reviews after activating the automated cadence. It’s one of the best solutions in the industry and is just one single tiny part of Practice ZEBRA, our dental software, so you get it at a fraction of the cost of some of the other services out there. Check it out. 90% of consumers read reviews before purchasing, and the same won’t take action without reading them.

Using social media to further your branding efforts can seem like a pain, but it’s something we all need to incorporate. Our WebLift program has a great system for dental offices to keep it simple, while keeping it custom and personal. As a local business, dental teams have a great opportunity to build a nice little social community that will enhance positive practice branding. Not only does social media help show “behind-the-scenes” to prospective patients, it reaffirms to existing patients that they have made a good choice, increasing their likelihood to return and refer, a positive social presence will help you attract good team members who like the culture your practice reflects.

So that’s part of the immeasurable impact of branding. More new patients. More quality active patients. More great team members. This all equals increased production, practice security, and long-term valuation.

Before I end, I’m circling back to 89% of consumers stay loyal to a brand that shares their values, so let me remind you of ours at Patient NEWS. We committed these to paper back in the year 2000 and they have guided the way we do business.

Excellence in innovation and product quality
Service with honesty, integrity and professionalism
Our corporate culture, that intangible spirit, supported by our working and living environment, and through the respect and empowerment of employees as a team and individuals
The environment and green business practices
Our fun, positive, creative, and energizing workplace
Community involvement and contribution at the employee and corporate level.

We are a great company to work with! If you’re a solo dentist, dental office manager, dental consultant, dental marketing or operations manager, group or DSO CEO and you like and respect those values, we’d love to connect. Call in today!

Joanne Bishop

How New Patient Acquisition (Done Well) Magically Props Production

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:57:47 GMT

The graphs in this blog are actual results from our current active dental clients, pulled directly from Practice ZEBRA dental software. This data reveals the relationship between consistency in marketing and the impact it has on the consistency of new-patient activity.
With ZEBRA dental software, no one must rely on anecdotal information, manual tracking, or guesswork to understand if marketing efforts are working.

What’s really cool is that it doesn’t matter if you’re currently connected to ZEBRA or not. The moment you get connected, you’re able to view any date range for any metric you want to measure. ZEBRA is the coolest dental software on that front because it focuses on key actionable metrics and doesn’t overwhelm. You’re able to see all your past trending metrics in easy-to-understand graphs, which allows for a 30,000-foot view. It’s always great to pull yourself back and take an overall look at what happened in your practice while you were engaged in different marketing activities and while you were busy running your business to take the time to deeply analyze what impacted one month’s results versus another. This truly makes a much easier and much more effective decision-making process for the longer-term growth, security, and positive valuation of your dental practice.

Practice valuation is all about beating last year’s numbers. And beating last year’s numbers takes a good flow of new high-value patients. New patients are important to dental offices because existing patients move, change providers, or leave the practice for various reasons. Pre-covid average attrition was around 20% annually. On an active base of 2000 – that’s at least 400 patients that need to be replaced just to stay status quo. And new patients contribute much higher revenue to the practice than existing. On average, an active patient is worth $1000/year, while a new patient is worth $1800. Not only do new patients drive revenue, but a steady flow also helps build brand awareness and brings more high-value new patient referrals. The importance and contribution of new patients can’t be underestimated.

Scan down to check actual client results. If you ran direct mail in the past and wonder if it worked – you can know for sure by connecting to Practice ZEBRA and checking out all trending graphs for your practice. Practice ZEBRA dental software isn’t called a game-changer by industry leading dentists and consultants for no reason. And we offer FREE connection so you can check it out.

According to an article in Inc. by Eric Holtzclaw, “consistency” is the difference between failure and success for five key reasons:

Measurement
Accountability
Reputation
Relevance
Your Voice

Holtzclaw says, “Until you have tried something new for a period of time and in a consistent manner, you can’t decide if it works or not. Business growth requires a track record of success. You can’t establish a track record if you are constantly shifting gears or trying new tactics. Many efforts fail before they get to the finish line, not because the tactic was flawed or goals weren’t clear. All too often I see businesses adopt a campaign or initiative only to end it before it gains traction. When something doesn’t work, I look back and ask some serious questions. Most of the time, the reason tracks back to lack of consistency.”
Does this resonate with you? It’s hard work to be consistent in everything you do. That’s why New Year’s resolutions are often never achieved. 50% of us make resolutions and 80% of them fail. You see it all the time in practice with patients’ oral health, their fitness, the recommendations you’ve given that are not followed through for brushing, flossing, quitting smoking, etc. But what about your consistency when it comes to business? When it comes to marketing and new-patient growth?
As a dental marketing agency, we have seen hundreds of times the impact that consistency can have on dental practice success and growth. Repetition builds recognition and that has a major impact on the success of a dental office and their marketing results. According to leadership guru John Maxwell, “Small disciplines repeated with consistency everyday lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”
When it comes to direct mail, you may or may not have been consistent. If you have been consistent, your practice will be reaping the rewards right now … and our clients are reaping! On average, Patient NEWS’ dental clients are pacing at production that’s 30% HIGHER than industry average. That’s our “average,” meaning we have clients doing much better than that, and some, sadly, due to inconsistency, are much lower.
Let’s take a look at the impact of consistent direct mail marketing versus inconsistent.
CLIENT A: This client has consistently mailed monthly coming out of COVID closures … some ups and downs, but a very steady flow of new patients and an excellent flow of reactivated patients (those who had not had an appointment in over 2 years)!
Think direct mail for dentists is dead? Think again!

CLIENT B: Below are the results for a dental office that launched their first mailing in July and carried on for 6 months, not an even keel but GOOD trendlines, but … they pushed the hold button in February, and what happened? Decline. So now, after three declining months, they have decided to get back to it monthly, with added targeted households, to help pull their numbers back up.

CLIENT C: This example is a client that’s been an on-again and off-again mailer, which is hard to understand when you look at how dramatically their new-patient flow is impacted every time they skip a mailing or two. They must feel it in the practice because when they remain consistent, trends are upward, and every dip – no newsletter in market.

CLIENT D: This final example is a rawkstar dentist who is focused and consistent. They have been consistently committed to their marketing campaigns for the long-term, and in December of 2020, increased their targeted distribution list. You can see the ebbs and flows of patient activity, that’s normal, the impact of covid, yet they stayed the course through out and have realized steady growth – and solid market share gains.

And with this consistent effort toward new-patient generation via consistent (well-done) direct mail, it has “magically” led to production growth, practice security, and a thriving practice that is consistently beating last year’s numbers.

If you want your production trend line to look like that, you need your active patient trend lines to look like this.

Client D is hitting on all metrics. The average patient value is $1800 per year, their new-patient contribution $2500 per year. They schedule at almost top-industry average of 66%, and their front desk team does a phenomenal job answering over 90% of their inbound calls and converting 61%. This dental office is rawking it out of the park with consistency.
The team at Patient NEWS is standing by to help your practice stand out in your community with consistency. There is incredible opportunity for dental offices to gain market share and grow practice production RIGHT NOW! Start by scheduling a FREE DEMO of your practice in ZEBRA and check out your KPIs and trend lines.

According to an article in Inc. by Eric Holtzclaw, “consistency” is the difference between failure and success for five key reasons:

Measurement
Accountability
Reputation
Relevance
Your Voice

Does this resonate with you? It’s hard work to be consistent in everything you do. That’s why New Year’s resolutions are often never achieved. 50% of us make resolutions and 80% of them fail. You see it all the time in practice with patients’ oral health, their fitness, the recommendations you’ve given that are not followed through for brushing, flossing, quitting smoking, etc. But what about your consistency when it comes to business? When it comes to marketing and new-patient growth?

As a dental marketing agency, we have seen hundreds of times the impact that consistency can have on dental practice success and growth. Repetition builds recognition and that has a major impact on the success of a dental office and their marketing results. According to leadership guru John Maxwell, “Small disciplines repeated with consistency everyday lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”

When it comes to direct mail, you may or may not have been consistent. If you have been consistent, your practice will be reaping the rewards right now … and our clients are reaping! On average, Patient NEWS’ dental clients are pacing at production that’s 30% HIGHER than industry average. That’s our “average,” meaning we have clients doing much better than that, and some, sadly, due to inconsistency, are much lower.

Let’s take a look at the impact of consistent direct mail marketing versus inconsistent.

CLIENT A: This client has consistently mailed monthly coming out of COVID closures … some ups and downs, but a very steady flow of new patients and an excellent flow of reactivated patients (those who had not had an appointment in over 2 years)!

Think direct mail for dentists is dead? Think again!

If you want your production trend line to look like that, you need your active patient trend lines to look like this.

The team at Patient NEWS is standing by to help your practice stand out in your community with consistency. There is incredible opportunity for dental offices to gain market share and grow practice production RIGHT NOW! Start by scheduling a FREE DEMO of your practice in ZEBRA and check out your KPIs and trend lines.

Joanne Bishop

Think Direct Mail Is Old Fashioned? Think Again.

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:57:06 GMT

Doesn’t it bug you that consumers PERCEIVE that all dentists offer the same thing? It’s totally just a perception, we all know it, and it’s one of the most bothersome things dentists and dental teams deal with. Dentists want patients to understand that they are different, and that’s why you’re always trying to figure out the best ways to differentiate.

Honestly, it’s kind of the same thing for direct mail. Some people PERCEIVE that direct mail is old-fashioned when it’s truly the furthest thing from that. In fact, direct mail is so current that it is the cornerstone of marketing plans for most successful organizations and dental offices. And it’s attracting a ton of high-value new patients who contribute, on average, around $1800/year for our direct mail clients.

Direct mail is the most effective way for a local business, like a dental office, to increase awareness and new patients. There is NO OTHER WAY to reach 100% of a target audience for a local business. It is the only way to reach 100% of your active and inactive patients. It is the only way to get into every household that you want to know your office, to trust your services, and to choose to schedule with your practice. Here’s why it’s working so well:

Consumers are AT HOME. They are spending more time WITH THEIR MAIL than they ever have in the last 10 years, and 95% have a positive response to receiving mail.
It’s more impactful and more memorable than digital marketing – and when it’s larger in size, twice as impactful. This allows dentists to share the information they want their audience to know.
Record economic growth is happening so people are open and ready to make buying decisions for things they need and want. Direct mail educates and motivates consumers to prioritize oral health.
Record home sales have people on the move. Patients are moving, new patients are coming in. They’re looking for new providers and good options for their families.

Patient News clients are achieving production levels that are 30% higher than reported industry averages. The numbers don’t lie. Not only is direct mail not passé, it’s en vogue. It’s lit!

As a dental marketing agency, we are trusted advisors for many dentists, office managers, consultants, marketing and operational managers… What we sometimes see is that dentists can be impatient and quick to try different marketing options and want to focus on the latest and greatest digital or tech thing … over the years we’ve talked to many dentists who fail to see the opportunities related to how they implement marketing and effectively utilize a full marketing mix.

Direct mail accounts for the largest local ad spend and that’s because it’s working. Consumers are responding and feel it’s more personal than digital media. It works. On average, just one new dental patient will contribute $1800 to annual revenue. It’s worth working to attract more of those high-value patients.

If you added just one more new patient per day that you’re open, at industry average, you would add over $400k to your topline. Maybe more if your new-patient value is higher – $1800 is our industry average. For example, one of our favorite clients, Dr. Hazel Glasper, boasts a new-patient average over $8,000 per year (her model is high-value versus high-volume, and she loves her newsletters for educating patients and attracting the quality patient she desires). You can find out your exact patient values with your free consultation.

So, for certain you will boost practice recovery and production and profits and practice valuation – with direct mail. It is PROVEN to be the best way to get more new patients. Take a moment to slow down and consider the facts regarding direct mail marketing for your dental practice. It works for successful practices. It’s driving HUGE returns for many offices right now. Ask yourself if you’re where you want to be, production-wise, right now in 2021. Do you have room to add a few more new patients each week? Many dentists do. We have more past clients coming back to direct mail now than we’ve had in years. Direct mail is driving patient activity and production growth. Why not check out our latest system with a free consultation. If we’ve worked with you in the past, we would totally love to welcome you back.
Local businesses that know their target markets are including print advertising as part of their overall marketing strategy. A recent poll revealed an ongoing problem with digital and online promotions failing to capture people’s attention, with print ads garnering increased consumer attention. And, according to inkit, open rates for direct mail can be as high as 90%.

Why choose Patient NEWS for your dental direct mail campaign?

Leaders in print. Best format. Best content. Best implementation. Best service. Why go anywhere else?!

Exclusively dental. 28 years. Just writing marketing campaigns for dental offices. Nothing else. We are dental. We know the industry and how to help you better communicate your value proposition to your audience.

Large format. The 11×17” newsletter format clearly shares your value proposition, making your practice stand out in mailboxes – never to be lumped in with pizza postcards!

We only use FSC-approved bright white 100lb stock, so you look progressive to your audience.

All inclusive. From content to deployment to tracking and account management. We are awesome!

Food & Wine magazine experiencing growth across its brand in print. You’ll have a new recipe in every newsletter edition and value-added oral health information to boost response.

Every campaign is fully researched, analyzed, and put through a series of neuromarketing tests. Hundreds of dental offices are growing and gaining momentum using our proven formula.

Precision-targeted reach. You should never use radius mailings (like you get with EDDM) – now that’s old-fashioned! We use advanced analytics to develop the right target for your direct mail campaigns.

Client results are 30% higher than industry average. Client revenue is 15% higher than 2019 (and way higher than 2020), and that’s 30% higher than the average office as reported by the ADA!

This might make you uncomfortable but let me ask. In the past did you do “one (or 3) and done”? Did you use the wrong format or frequency? Did you follow recommendations of the dental marketing experts? Did you target the right households? Did you track results? Did you answer your calls? At the time, did your team know how to convert calls to appointments?

We like to provide a ton of resources to boost the impact your direct mail campaigns can have on overall practice production and profits by supporting every aspect you need for success with proven techniques, systems, and processes.

“This marketing has done what I needed. I am a woman who knows what I want. Quality patients, revenue generation, and relevant information about practice metrics. Patient NEWS delivered all three.” – Dr. Hazel Glasper

Your dental office has an incredible opportunity, right now, to gain more market share, add to your active patient roster, and increase production … and ultimately grow future practice valuation.

Forward-thinking dentists and group organizations know that direct mail works better than most might assume. The perception that direct mail is old-fashioned is not only baseless, but uninformed. COVID-19 pushed people to digital media more than ever, which made our brains gloss over what we’re seeing. This has put direct mail in the position it is in right now, which is exceptional, to make your practice standout in area homes.

Direct mail spending is on the rise. That means that more and more dental offices will be implementing direct mail campaigns and gaining market share. You do have an amazing opportunity right now to be first, to be ahead, and to hurdle the competition.

Direct mail is tangible, tactile, it triggers a surge of neurological reactions that subconsciously influence emotions which directly influence our buying decisions. The team at Patient NEWS has spent the last 28 years investing in providing the industry-leading direct mail solution for dentists. There is nothing else like what we can provide.

At the same time, consumers want content that connects through storytelling, provides useful information and creates entertaining experiences. Because our dental direct mail neighborhood newsletters include both text and imagery, the brain easily identifies and relates to the content, which adds to the positivity of the emotional response. Your neighborhood newsletter campaign from Patient NEWS will make your practice stand out and grow.

“I love working with Patient NEWS. You can trust their knowledgeable team to help you put the best patient communication strategies in place. If you’re looking to recover from COVID faster, give Patient NEWS a call.” – Dr. Hiren Patel

Joanne Bishop

It’s May. Month 5. It’s gonna be June soon.

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:56:04 GMT

Are you on the 2021 growth wave?

It’s May. It’ll be June soon. The year and the opportunity to sail past previous revenues will be half over.

With record GDP and home sales growth in 2021, your dental practice or group has an incredible opportunity, RIGHT NOW, to differentiate, stand out, and acquire more patients than ever before.

3 Top Things Dental Offices Are Doing Now to Maximize Success

The US economy is on fire; on its way back to pre-pandemic levels by summer with an upward V through the year! With home sales at record levels, patients are also on the move, so dental offices that are marketing and positioned for growth will take biggest slice of the cake. Many people we work with say they have never seen so many patients changing providers.

Here are 3 Bs to do RIGHT NOW:

Bolster positive patient reviews
Benchmark your key performance metrics
Be seen, known, and trusted by area home owners.

BOLSTER Patient Reviews
With patients on the move and changing providers, they will be looking at your reviews. In general, the importance of reviews is on the rise.

89% of customers won’t take action until they read reviews.
100 reviews can raise your conversion rates by 37%. You want a minimum of 40 as a local business.
People could spend 30% more on your services when you have great reviews.

With direct mail on the rise and successful dental practices investing in print marketing, your patients and your potential patients will be checking things out online. Review generation must be part of your dental marketing plan.
Consumers trust reviews as much as a personal referral and they have become a major part of the dental buying decision. I know I’m not making any important buying decisions without checking reviews; what about you? Does your spouse or the main decision-maker in your home? Even my daughter is telling me how to better analyze reviews, how to look at poor reviews to see if those are complaints I care about, and how the business responds to comments…
9 out of 10 consumers read reviews before making a purchase. They want to see activity and recency.
Review Booster™ from Patient NEWS is best in class – and exclusive to dentists!

Super-easy, high-quality, created for dentists by dental people
Fast, lasting results
Easily integrates with the software you’re already using.

QUICK QUESTION … from one dental person to another. If you’re using a service like Birdeye or Podium, or any review tool that is NOT exclusive to dentists, why would you support that company versus Patient NEWS? We ONLY work with dentists and dental teams and we only work in the dental industry. This industry is all we have invested in for the past 28 years. We are dental people! Review Booster is BEST-IN-CLASS and you’ll save money by ditching others in favor of supporting a dental colleague.

BENCHMARK Key Performance Metrics
Correctly forecasting plays a major role in the success of any organization. It impacts budgets for hiring, purchasing, operational decisions, and other production-impacting activities. The right decisions now will help your dental office achieve the goals you have in mind for 2021. Assessing past trends and benchmarking where you are now becomes the foundation for good forecasting and decision-making.

Benchmarking is a means of finding a gauge for your dental marketing and practice processes, and Practice ZEBRA can help you do that. ZEBRA dental software has been rated as the best tool available by industry-leading consultants for the cleanest, easiest way to get the metrics you need without being overloaded with so many that you don’t know what to focus on. With at-a-glance reports, clean graphs, and dashboards, ZEBRA can instantaneously show you:

Practice production trends
Average patient & new-patient value
Current active patients, patient demographics
Average new patients per month and lost patients per month
Patient, new-patient & hygiene scheduling
Hygiene capacity, production by provider, procedure mix
Patient visits, lost patients, patients in danger of dropping off

And so much more … but how much more do you really need for decision making?

Practice ZEBRA is an all around best-in-industry dental software solution, and the ONLY one to provide ACCURATE attribution and ROI with business intelligence, marketing analytics, artificial intelligence, call tracking, recording and live call scoring, instant alerts, push reports, plus all key automated patient communication modules.

Check it out with a free consultation.

“Patient News does everything right. My consulting firm works with emerging DSOs, group practices, and entrepreneurial dentists. We needed a marketing firm to support our clients and started working with Patient NEWS, dental marketing, and Practice ZEBRA, dental software, in 2018. The high-quality digital and direct mail marketing solutions hit the mark for our clients. In addition, ZEBRA technology, with business and marketing intelligence, call tracking, scoring, and coaching has helped our clients to become more productive and efficient. – Chris McClure, Co-Founder, Aligned Dental Partners

BE SEEN, known, and trusted in area homes

Your patients and prospects are AT HOME. Record home sales have people on the move. That means your patients are moving and new patients are coming in and looking for a new dentist. BE the dentist they hear from the most. Direct mail is the only way to reach 100% of these homes, and with a high-quality message and format, your practice will be memorable.

Direct mail campaigns are an investment. No doubt. There is content development, paper, printing, postage, mailing, tracking … but the ROI on direct mail is incredible (particularly our newsletter format). Direct mail requires 21% less effort to understand than digital media, creates 70% higher brand recall, and 91% of families with young kids engage with print promotions. Just take a look at what happened to this practice when they engaged in direct mail.

This wasn’t a particularly aggressive campaign, and it took their new patient average from 36 per month to 79 per month. And with their new patient average rate of $2700, that added annualized revenue of $1.4 million to the practice. Direct ROI from their campaign was 9:1. This is the result of precise targeting, expert content development, and consistency.

For your dental marketing investment, I’m a little biased, but I confidently state, as do hundreds of dental offices, that Patient NEWS direct mail is best-in-industry. We have exclusively operated in the dental industry for 28 years, we have worked with thousands of dentists, and we work very hard to continually give the best. We never stop analyzing, researching, and improving results.

We have generated millions of new patients for dentists across North America. And we make it easy. We take care of it all. Demographic analysis for precise targeting and list development, newsletter or postcard options, custom content with your competitive advantages, call tracking, recording and live scoring, instant missed call and missed opportunity alerts (the only INSTANT alerts in the industry like this), telephone training plus accurate attribution with address and phone matching – all presented in Practice ZEBRA to maximize production.
You cannot over-communicate to your community about your value proposition, the safety of your office, or the importance of oral health. Direct mail is increasing in effectiveness as digital channels become overwhelmed, and consumers are spending more time with their mail, at home, where 90% of buying decisions are made.

Just this week a dental consultant and speaker we were meeting with via Zoom held up one of our newsletters that had arrived at her home. Prior to the pandemic, she said, she may not have noticed the newsletter with all her travels, business meetings, and socializing … but now, she’s at home and it stood out and was noticeable. And she thought she would make the berry crumble recipe this weekend! Clients tell us all the time that patients LOVE the recipe in every edition.

Have you been holding off investing in direct mail, trying to cut costs, and be conservative? Now is the time to get going. If you’re not convinced, take a look at the production trends for our clients during this time period over the last three years.

GREEN is 2019. Steady growth. GOLD is 2020. The first few months were strong, with year over year increases over 10%. And then imposed closures killed dental production in April. ORANGE is 2021. Our clients continue to grow and outshine the average dental practice by over 25% in production! Now posting revenues well over 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Direct marketing and consistent patient communications work.

Joanne Bishop

5 Reasons To Double Down

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:55:18 GMT

Dental marketing growth opportunity

Many dentists and groups come to us because they are frustrated with a similar issue – they want to better differentiate their dental offices in the eyes of patients and potential patients – and they struggle with how best to do that.

In 2007 a market research firm estimated that the average person saw up to 5,000 ads per day, and now, in 2021, that estimate has increased to somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 ads EVERY SINGLE DAY. In 2007 ad revenue on Google was $16 billion versus $135 billion in 2019, with Facebook advertising at $69 billion. And we know that the pandemic has pushed people to digital media more than ever. So how can your dental office differentiate?

In 2021, the “how” for differentiation is rising up across industries. It’s tried, true, and proven. The best way to elevate brand awareness and make your business stand out is direct mail marketing.

Direct mail use is on the rise, at a significant pace
Consumers are spending more time with mail, at home, where 90% of buying decisions are made
Consumers are frustrated as digital channels get overwhelmed
USPS delivers over 400+ million pieces per day & Amazon 15 million packages per day
Direct mail is more trustworthy & can be twice as impactful & more memorable than digital ads.

Think about the psychology of attracting a dental patient. They have often-unmitigated fears, add in COVID fears, they perceive cost as an issue – even when they have insurance, adults “think” they’re healthy (because gum disease is the silent disease), and they don’t know which office, exactly, to choose since consumers perceive that all dentists offer basically the same thing.

Record GDP Growth in 2021 and Home Sales Your dental practice or group has an incredible opportunity, RIGHT NOW, to differentiate, stand out, and acquire more patients than ever before.

The US economy is on fire, and the current V-shaped recovery will continue through the end of the year. And though no one predicted home sales to be at record levels as well. Patients are on the move, and practices that are marketing and positioned for growth will take the lion’s share. Many of the consultants we work with say they have never witnessed so many patients changing providers.

Now is the time to double-down on direct mail marketing for your dental office.

The ADA reports that consumer confidence continues to grow, with 88% of respondents saying they have already been back or are ready to go to the dentist. However, the ADA also states that average practice recovery is lagging at 80% of pre-COVID levels. They also suggest that full recovery is not anticipated until the summer or fall.

Compare that to Patient NEWS’ clients who have achieved well over 100% year-over-year production for months, and that adds to the truth of direct mail effectiveness for dentists.

Have you compared your monthly revenue from 2019 to date? Are you back up to 100% or higher from pre-COVID? If you’re not quite there, or you know that you have capacity to grow even more, listen to this. Industry experts anticipate that there is to be more downward pressure on production and they are seeing a growing divide between those practices that are coming out of the pandemic successfully and those that are not.

Direct mail is poised to take dental production to the next level for many practices, and we are helping our clients with a SUMMER BOOST program to reach more area households through the summer months. This is designed to help you double-down on results and build momentum into traditionally tougher months of August and September. Now is the time to set your strategy and get going.

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So, ADA has the average dental office operating at 80% of pre-covid levels, Patient NEWS has clients averaging at 108% and growing. That’s a 25% variance on success, and that the divide is going to continue as our clients double-down on their campaigns and continue to win more patients from their target areas.
Which side of these industry average recovery rates do you find your practice on?
Would you like your recovery to be swifter and stronger?
It can be, and direct mail may just be the ticket to filling your books making you (and your dentists) happier because direct mail is proving its value and effectiveness across industries and with consumers.

Here’s another metric to help you along. Since everything tanked for dentists last March (when we thought we’d be closed and work offsite for a few weeks), it wouldn’t be fair to start chalking up year-over-year gains from 2020. So I took a look at March 2021 versus 2019. Our clients BEAT their numbers with massive production gains.

Patient NEWS’ clients posted 29% higher revenue in March 2021 than in March 2019. Did you?
Successful dentists are looking at their metrics and investing in their success with direct mail. And with good reason.

Direct mail reminds us of a personal connection that we don’t have right now
People are spending more time with their mail
People aren’t as busy, so instead of setting aside mail for later, it’s being read now
Chances of getting read by the decision-maker are higher
High likelihood of hitting joint decision-makers
It’s highly trackable
It portrays the reputation & brand message you want.

Direct mail is tangible; it’s more believable, more trustworthy, and more respected. It helps your practice be visible and elevates your authority as an expert in your field.

And print marketing is growing! After years in a relatively flat (but strong) usage trend line, direct mail volumes are projected to increase through 2026 substantially as other digital channels become overwhelmed.

More and more retail businesses are including print advertising as part of their overall marketing plan. That means your competitors could be hitting YOUR area households – and your patients – with print advertising and impacting your recovery.

Online businesses are turning to print – didn’t you just get your promotional mailer from Wayfair and Amazon?! Tech giants like Google do a ton of direct mail. A recent Adobe poll of US consumers underlined an ongoing issue of digital or online promotions failing to catch people’s attention, with print-based ads earning increased consumer attention.

As a local business, dental offices can take advantage of this knowledge, get ahead of the trend, and hurdle the competition.
The pandemic pushed consumers to digital media more than ever in history, which has put direct mail in an exceptional position to drive results over digital BECAUSE direct mail triggers a surge of neurological reactions that subconsciously influence emotions and directly influence purchasing behavior.

You can’t over-communicate to your community about your value proposition, the safety of your office, or the importance of oral health. Studies have revealed that patients with gum disease are 3.5 times more likely to get COVID-19, 4.5 time more likely to be admitted to the ICU, and 9 times more likely to DIE.

Patients need to know that dentistry is ESSENTIAL to their oral health, and that’s why you will never be shut down again.
With continued downward pressure, we are here to help facilitate these communications for your practice.

83% of purchases are directly influenced by relevant direct mail

80% of millennials report being attentive to direct mail, while 50% say they ignore digital ads
Versus 100 emails & 50 display ads, most of us only get 2-4 marketing mailings per day – your practice will stand out – especially with Patient NEWS on your side!

It’s no secret that we promote the newsletter format, because it’s been proven to influence patient behavior more than postcard mailers (which do work in some limited markets, so we do those too), but the newsletter is perceived differently than a postcard due to its size and weight. It is perceived as magazine style, and therefore consumers’ brains assign more credibility and importance to the content. Things like our newsletters, received in the mail, are rated as the MOST TRUSTED ad channel before purchasing.

Every Patient NEWS newsletter is customized to the individual practice brand (which makes us a great solution for groups and DSOs that manage multiple brands), and we identify and highlight key competitive advantages. The beautiful, high-quality presentation is appreciated and respected by area homes. That’s why our clients are experiencing incredible production growth. Does it get better than that?

Yes, because of the pandemic, people are AT HOME. Not just one decision-maker, but BOTH household decision makers. Your area residents are spending more time with their mail, so they’ll enjoy your newsletter, in homes, where 90% of buying decisions are made.
Add a SUMMER BOOST to your new-patient flow and get your direct mail campaign into a precisely selected and targeted group of households. This will help keep patient flow moving through summer months and build momentum into those tougher months of August and September.

SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION

Since industry leaders are seeing a growing divide between those practices that are coming out of the pandemic successfully and those that are not, it really is time to take stock. Based on the ADA reported average return to 80% of pre-COVID levels, “average” means there are a TON of practices that are not coming out successfully. If your location is on the cusp, you can impact results with direct mail.
It’s also true that they’re likely to be further downward pressure on production. Scheduling, average rates, patient spend … these are all suffering.

For our clients, scheduling is down by 5% – another important reason to focus on your new-patient efforts.

For real success, a strong and steady flow of new patients with almost double production value needs to be added to your book. And, right now, you can do that with a solid direct mail campaign targeted to the right households. The truths are in black and white.
There is a lot to be optimistic about for the dental industry and we applaud the progress we have all made. As Dr. Tony Stefanou pointed out at a session with our team recently, the team at Patient NEWS ARE DENTAL PEOPLE TOO! We’ve been working exclusively in the industry for over 28 years and we’ve worked with thousands of awesome dentists over that lifetime, and because of our exclusivity, we went through the worst of the pandemic with you. That means we know what you’ve been through, the layers of stress, pressure, challenges, protocols, processes, communications, all that you’re still going through, and the hard work you’ve put into recovery as well as team and patient safety. Dental offices have always been one of the most stringently safe places to visit, yet you’ve had to do more in terms of security than almost any other business out there. We tip our hat to you. We’ve been on this ride with you.

We want to help facilitate your recovery and success.

I’ve written a lot about direct mail in this blog, and that’s because the latest news on the impact of direct mail is very important and there is an urgency to help dental offices take advantage of these latest findings. That doesn’t mean we don’t also have tremendous digital marketing solutions, like the fastest websites in dentistry, awesome PPC paid media campaigns, SEO content marketing, social campaigns, and reviews. In fact … let me add one more thing to your direct mail campaign, and that is online reviews.

Our Review BOOSTER is an industry-best online review tool. Having great reviews when you’re engaged in direct mail will help overall practice results.

Our live call scoring … and instant new patient missed opportunity alerts (industry-first) and missed call text alert (to the caller and the office) all ensure you maximize your marketing efforts and onboard more new patients. You want this support from your marketing partner, because missing just one new patient per day adds up to a loss of $35,000 per month, or OVER $400,000 NOT being contributed to your annual revenue. We’ve got you covered!

Your dental practice can grow through 2021 and have your best year ever. You will definitely beat last years numbers, but will you beat 2019? The patient is in control and 90% of the buying decision happens before they contact you. It’s about positioning your brand, having top-of-mind awareness, and building patient trust. (We’ve already blogged about trust as the new competitive advantage for 2021.) Implement direct mail marketing now and start building more awareness and authority in your community.

We don’t start any direct mail campaign without deep demographic and market area analysis. You’ll know exactly where your best patients reside, what their buying preferences look like, and where competitors are situated, so that your campaigns are precisely targeted at the areas primed to respond to your service offering. And we do all of this analysis before you commit to any campaign. So why not start with a FREE consultation and find out more about all of this.

According to the CDC, the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person to person, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Spread is more likely when people are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet). “COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person-to-person in respiratory droplets from someone who is infected.” The CDC recognizes that while it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Coronavirus doesn’t like elements, it doesn’t like porous paper, it only likes smooth even things. It is unlikely to be spread from domestic or international mail, products, or packaging.

And so much more … but how much more do you really need for decision making?

Check it out with a free consultation.

Joanne Bishop

Get Better New Patients By Knowing This

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:54:33 GMT

It’s cool if you’re a cool cat, but be a smart cat too.

In the business of dentistry, smart cats want to know where their best patients come from and what channels impacted the patient decision to choose the practice so that activities that attracted quality patients can be replicated to get more like them.

This business intelligence (BI) information is critically important for decision-making, for marketing success, and practice growth. That’s why we do such deep analysis around the current practice metrics, patient values, existing practice market share, and the demographics of the areas, and work hard to precisely target on and offline campaigns, and then to accurately attribute results. It’s an ongoing process that doesn’t stop.

In a recent Adweek article, Stephen Yu, President and Chief Consultant at a data strategy firm stated that transactional data is the most powerful, definitely stronger indicator than clicks, views, calls, and visits when predicting future customer behavior. We’ve often joked that clicks aren’t calls – but guess what, calls aren’t appointments either – and that’s where good tracking and financial attribution comes into play.

Today, sophisticated tracking and artificial intelligence is applied to help understand dental consumer behavior and to match calls, clicks, and addresses to various marketing campaigns. This allows for good decision-making, much better targeting, and significantly better long-term results.

At Patient NEWS, we are smart cats, but we’ve earned our stripes with Practice ZEBRA. ZEBRA gives solo dentists and group managers the breadth of technology that dental marketing managers need to get clearer visibility of the patient journey and the financial impact and effectiveness of their dental marketing campaigns and team training.

Marketing attribution is one of the toughest things we, as marketing managers and business owners, deal with. I’m often jealous of the clear visibility that local marketers, like our dental clients, can get with tools like Practice ZEBRA. For me, it’s a manual process of checking the call tracking number, listening to the call, assigning the referral source and monitoring campaign results using a myriad of platforms, spreadsheets, and reports. Ugh. If you know my pain, and you’re running a dental office – you have a great solution with Practice ZEBRA. I suggest you call for a free demo now to find out more. I promise you it will be your “aha” moment of the week when you see what it can do for you.

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Direct Mail & Attribution Of Dental Patient Activity

Do you know where all of your active patients live, i.e. have you seen their households plotted on an area map
Do you know where your top-value patients live in comparison?
Would you like to see this information?

Using Practice ZEBRA, not only can you see where your patients live, but for your marketing, you can select pockets by value. In addition to this information, we also review competitor locations and demographics.

See how valuable being able to understand patient value and demographics is to target the best new patients? If you had access to maps like these for your dental location, where would you target your direct mail? What type of buyers live in those households and what type of messaging would best attract them to you?

Yu says, without a doubt, monetary transactions are stronger – whenever available – than other behaviors. So, in addition to this analysis, the AI in ZEBRA tracks and matches patients by form fill, phone, and address for the most accurate attribution possible – down to the penny patients spend with your office. It also tells you how many phone calls your practice received, how many were answered, and how many patients converted to appointment … and then how much production each patient spends with the practice.

So, you might be doing a ton of marketing and getting a good flow of new patients, but are they the best patients you could have? Or maybe you’re not generating the activity and new patients you want.
What would you say are your top challenges?

Getting enough quality new patients
Proving results to stakeholders
Training call handlers to convert more new patients
Confidently investing budget to certain marketing campaigns
Choosing which households to invest in?

You’re not alone. These are consistent challenges for solo dentists and group marketing managers. Which campaigns to prioritize, which to optimize and how, and what to eliminate.

Without clear visibility of key metrics like these, even if you have been successful, it may be hard to maintain growth momentum if you don’t know where to focus.

The answer. Good analytics for each marketing campaign – these will be slightly different for digital versus direct mail campaigns. Practice ZEBRA can help you focus and measure the effectiveness of every marketing campaign. ZEBRA is truly at the core of the patient journey. It’s the only dental software that tracks, measures, and facilitates every phase of the journey from awareness through practice growth and advocacy.

With ZEBRA you can spend more time moving forward and reaping rewards than guessing. You want to give credit to the campaigns that are driving overall practice growth. Different types of marketers will give different types of attribution, first click, last click, this click, that click, but at the end of the day, it’s all about patient value and production. That’s why you’re searching for new patients in the first place.
Here’s an example of a practice that implemented no new marketing campaigns – except direct mail – through the pandemic.

You can see in this actual graph from Practice ZEBRA (which integrates seamlessly with any pms) that this location was established and had been averaging 40 new patients per month pre-mailing. This office has an average new-patient value over $2700, so with exceptional targeting they were able to boost new patients by 40+ per month which has added over $1.4 million in annualized revenue to the practice. Through the pandemic.

The key is clear visibility of their metrics. Valuable information to increase practice production and profit.

Another big issue I’ve blogged about many times is call conversion. Clicks aren’t calls, and calls aren’t appointments. Too many calls are missed across the board at every dental office and Practice ZEBRA can significantly help your practice with clear visibility on this metric – calls, answer rate, conversion rate, by practice, by call handler, right down to each section of the call and where it went wrong – plus, again, the artificial intelligence in ZEBRA gives your team instant alerts on new-patient calls so you can capture patients while they’re hot and before they move to a competitor.

And we’re back to transactional data … when you know that a new patient is worth $1600 to your office (you’ll know this metric in Practice ZEBRA, along with industry-average comparables and what the top 10% of dentists pull in) … then you’ll be able to elevate the importance of call handling and conversion. One missed new patient per week might be costing you $100,000 in lost revenue. Just one new patient.
What is your new-patient value?

What percentage of calls does your practice answer on average?

These are additional attribution metrics per marketing campaign that are critical to know, optimize, and improve. Yes, they’re available in Practice ZEBRA. Have I mentioned it enough – it’s the most amazing dental software for dental offices, DSO managers, and dental consultants to use.

Practice ZEBRA dental software maximizes practice production and profit. It’s seamless. It’s easy to implement. It connects to any practice management system and brings key metrics to the forefront. Leading consultants say it blows everything else like it out of the water. It’s a small investment that will drive BIG GAINS to your dental office.

SCHEDULE FREE DEMO

I guarantee, 100%, that you will have an “aha” moment when you see your practice in ZEBRA. Schedule the demo. You’ll see:

Patient & new-patient values – compared to industry average and top 10% – see what other dentists are billing
Patients & new-patient mapping – by production value
Patients & new-patients schedule percentages
Patient demographics & value by insurance provider
Percentage of missing & incorrect contact data, cell, email, & address.

And you can implement tracking on any marketing campaign and start seeing attribution data now so that you can make good decisions through the year. This will help you get more and better new patients. Practice ZEBRA will give you the transactional data you need to make good decisions for your practice. With so many choices, so many channels, and so many different demographic pockets around your practice, getting clear visibility will help you know where and how to focus your efforts.

SCHEDULE FREE DEMO

P.S. Practice ZEBRA includes all practice and marketing intelligence noted in this blog, plus call tracking, scoring, and telephone training, and all key automated patient communication modules, appointment reminders, reactivations, monthly newsletters, promotional emails, reviews, and more. It’s available with Enterprise views too. Be a smart cat. CHECK IT OUT.

Joanne Bishop

Is Your Marketing Agency A Trusted Member Of Your Team…

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:53:39 GMT

Or are they inadvertently hindering your growth?

With so much activity in the M&A market, it is important to determine who is on your bus – meaning, are the people you work with aligned with your vision and positively contributing to the overall development of your organization? Or are they off the bus, meaning that they somehow negatively impact your progress and impede growth.

Many smaller groups that I work with experience significant growing pains through the 5-25 affiliate range because smaller inefficiencies that could once be lived with become larger obstacles as the group continues to grow. This is a critical period for the organization because (a) how you set up your practice sets the template for the progression of your org chart and ensures you have the right people in the right place to ensure your vision is met, and (b) the people you have in place will begin to include outsourced services that need to understand your objectives for long-term growth.

Accurately and smartly determining what outsourced services you require is vital and will ensure that the companies you employ are able to embrace your vision and ensure scalability. Although the company may be very good at what they do, are well-intentioned, and have a good track record, at a certain point, you may find their services limiting, and as you evolve and grow, you need to continually ask whether they still suit your needs. Are they on your bus?

A perfect example is within your marketing plan. There are many critical points along the patient journey – the path a patient takes to consider, find, schedule, and stay long-term at your practice – and without an overall cohesive strategy, this path can become disjointed, full of gaps, and marred by inconsistency … or worse, suffer from a duplication of effort as different companies implement similar or redundant features.

Having multiple providers helping with different stages of this journey can be beneficial when your organization is small, but as you grow, consider how these multiple touchpoints are compounded by the number of affiliates, each with different providers, using different yet similar strategies.

Knowing this to be an area of concern, many growing groups will hire a Marketing Manager to coordinate the multitude of efforts by the different providers, which may relieve issues for a small period of time. As you continue to grow though, the Marketing Manager will face increased pressure to connect-the-dots between the different service-offerings at each company and the preference of each affiliate.
As an example, I recently started working with a small group in the Southwest. The Marketing Manager was tasked to source a new business intelligence (BI) platform and consolidate the KPI reporting at the executive level. She began by vetting five different companies, sitting through five different introductory meetings, participating in five presentations, and then considering five different proposals. Each company offered varying degrees of marketing automation tools which forced her to investigate the tools already in place at each affiliate and consider the ramifications of replacing them. If you are reading this, you probably have had a similar experience. Near the end of the process, I asked how she was progressing, and she admitted the process was exhausting and that she was more confused on how to proceed than when she started!

At the end of the day, you need to be able to scale your process for successful onboarding of new affiliates and you need to have scalable marketing strategies for the practices you manage, which means that eventually you will need to consolidate and find providers who have the ability to grow with you.

Here are 6 Key Questions To Answer When Consolidating & Choosing A Marketing Service:

1. How wide and varied are the product offerings within the marketing company?
Are they a one-size-fits-all proposition? Do they fall back on the same solution or offer different solutions depending on the circumstance? Do they offer online and offline strategies for growth? No company offers everything you may need, but do they check the boxes on a minimum of 80% of the services you require in order to consolidate?

2. Are they responsive?
Are you able to connect with someone directly, or do you have to process requests through a ticketing system? How quickly can you get hold of someone should an emergency arise? Do you have a team dedicated to your account that understand the specific needs and goals of what you are hoping to achieve? Are they proactively servicing your campaigns by offering suggestions on how to improve the results, or waiting for you to ask questions before engaging? Are they making your life easier, or do you feel like you are “doing all the work” and constantly following up?

3. Are they experienced in working with groups that are a similar size as you?
Can they outline a detailed onboarding process with set timelines and clear steps? Are they agile and able to adapt to your evolving needs? Are they able to adapt to different, and unique scenarios that may arise? Do they take the time to truly understand the big picture – your unique big picture – or do you feel like they are trying to fit you into their pre-defined solutions?

4. Are they, as a marketing company, continuing to evolve?
Do they continue to stay ahead of, or on top of, ongoing trends within the industry? Can they speak skillfully and knowledgably to new technologies/marketing strategies and are they able to consult with you rather then talk at you? Are they able to recommend knowledge experts within or outside the company to help you to navigate possible strategies?

5. Do they communicate a clear and measurable return on investment?

Are they able to clearly communicate the return on investment in an accessible and consistent way? Do they work with you to report on the KPIs you and your executive team wants to see? Are you able to view results at a granular and an enterprise level? Do they work with you to improve results, and do they strategize with your team to optimize returns?
6. Do you trust them?

Besides results, do you truly feel that they have your best interest in mind? Are they showing you, in action and deed, that they want your organization to exceed its goals? Have they displayed the qualities you are looking for in a long-term member of your team?

These are just some of the many factors you will need to consider as you look to consolidate your marketing efforts. Finding an outside marketing agency to be an extended member of your team may take a few tries before you finally land the right one, but once you do, you should feel confident that they are in lockstep with your overall vision – that they’re on the bus – and that they are working hard to help you exceed your goals.

Instead of constantly working with multiple vendors in trying to align efforts, your Marketing Manager can now move on to “trust-but-measure mode,” ensuring the results are their primary focus.

If you are in this position – consolidating and choosing a leading-edge, responsive, experienced marketing service – please reach out to me. I would be happy to consult with you and your Marketing Manager to see if we might be the great fit you need.

Dental consumers. Covid. Opportunity.

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:52:48 GMT

We have a pretty cool story

When opportunity knocks, it’s not a bad thing to take advantage. And opportunity is now when it comes to building better practice awareness in your community and confirming your position as THE dental office your neighbors should choose.
The coronavirus pushed people to digital media more than ever in history, so now direct mail for dental offices is in an exceptional position to drive results over digital because it triggers a surge of neurological reactions that subconsciously influence emotions and directly influences purchasing behaviors.

The pandemic has been tough on dentistry, but our clients are rebounding and have experienced record year-over-year production over the past few months. Is that because most of our clients engage in print marketing? They proactively communicated with patients-of-record and with their communities. I believe, and the data proves it, that a proactive approach to patient and neighborhood mailings is the differentiator that has pushed Patient NEWS clients production levels to 25% ++ higher than the ADA reported industry average production.

As published in What They Think, customer journeys have become much more important because of the pandemic, and direct mail has and does play an integral role in making the dental patient journey a positive one. We’ve been long talking about the importance of the modern patient journey, from brand awareness (which happens because of location, direct mail, paid media, and word of mouth) through to patient advocacy and the loyalty loop. Direct mail plays an integral part because it is the ONLY medium that can reach 100% of your target audience. The ONLY medium for 100% reach. The only

way for your dental office to directly speak with area households and rise above competing dental offices. The only way to share your message with 100% of homes.

SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION

Direct mail has been proven, over and over, to be more tactile, more tangible, and more impactful that digital marketing, creating a more memorable impression on human brains. Not only that, it’s highly trackable.

And today, people are spending more time with their mail, in homes, where 90% of buying decisions are made.

There is a BIG OPPORTUNITY for dental offices to engage in direct mail marketing and win more market share. Your neighbors, who live in the homes around your practice, are AT HOME more than they’ve ever been. And they’re looking for connection. Direct mail is reliable. It’s recognized. It’s trustworthy. It’s welcomed.

This all adds up to opportunity for the dental office that takes action. But just any direct mail isn’t the answer. You’re a professional, and you need a newsletter. BECAUSE the 11×17” format of our newsletter is perceived as “magazine-style,” consumers brains assign more credibility and importance to the content. This is GREAT NEWS because print ads, like magazines and newsletters, received in the mail are the MOST TRUSTED AD CHANNEL BEFORE PURCHASING.

Now you know that your direct mail campaign will have a much higher likelihood of being read by head-of-household decision makers than it did pre-pandemic – and our client results are proving this to be true. And not only is a single decision-maker at home, you have both decision-makers at home. When could you find that audience in the past?

So is your direct mail presentation up to snuff? Schedule a free consultation and find out more about our new and improved neighborhood newsletter programs.

SCHEDULE A FREE consultation

Your practice. Your brand. Your message. On average, our clients are +108% over last year’s production – despite the pandemic. Targeted direct mail works, and our neighborhood newsletters are the BEST way to build practice awareness and get more new patients.

Noticeable in 3-5 seconds to establish relevance
Easy to understand and memorable
Optimized content will differentiate your practice so you stand out
Higher motivation-to-act scores than postcards or digital marketing – almost 2X
Large format is more tactile, tangible, and has more emotional appeal – with content patients love, like a new recipe each month – clients rave at how patients rave about the recipes!

Direct mail is in an exceptional position to drive results over digital marketing because it triggers a surge of neurological reactions that subconsciously influence emotions and directly influence purchasing behaviors. This is not to say anything against digital marketing – we do it all, websites, paid media, email marketing – just that there is a BIG opportunity to increase new patient flow by adding direct mail or increasing your direct mail campaign right now.

As we do with all of our marketing solutions, we recently re-engaged True Impact, the leading neuromarketing research and strategy firm, to conduct a study to quantify the effectiveness of our physical piece, design elements, and positioning. We ensure that our clients marketing campaigns are optimized to quickly establish relevance with the target audience – dentistry is an emotional buying-decision – so understanding the dental-consumer mind is imperative for success. You can count on your marketing campaigns, and specifically in this blog, your dental neighborhood newsletters to be more impactful, eye-catching, and relevant. We create custom, branded content that is easier for dental consumers to enjoy and understand. And because of the large format and great content, your direct mail campaigns get higher engagement, are more memorable, and more likely to drive the actions you want – a visit to your website, a call to your phone, and an appointment booked!

Plus, Practice ZEBRA, our proprietary dental software, tracks your new-patient activity so you know exactly how impactful your campaigns are – right down to the penny that new patients spend with your practice. The results are visible and impressive.

I’m super excited about the results our clients are experiencing, and the opportunity we have to help more dental offices regain their footing, take their existing success to the next level, and secure practice production and profit. After all, it’s all about practice security and valuation, and a steady flow of new patients and market gain makes the books look pretty great.

Schedule a free consultation, see a free demo of Practice ZEBRA if you’re not already connected, and my team will prepare a detailed demographic report to show you the opportunities that await your practice.

Direct mail for dentists. We do it better than anyone in the dental industry. Call today.

Because a newsletter contains both text and imagery, it’s very important that attention goes to the right regions (the areas where you want people to look), i.e. phone number, call-to-action, and that our images add texture which the brain can easily identify, i.e. “people,” which adds to the positivity of emotional response.

Dental patients are more emotional than any target audience. With brand experience happening “in the mind,” we’ve applied every direct mail methodology to impact patients and get them to ACT.

In addition to all this, our neighborhood newsletter campaigns include:

Market area demographic, competitor, market share analysis, and TARGETED list development
Custom messaging and imagery suited to the demographic buying preferences
Refreshed quality, educational content monthly, with a new recipe patients love
100 lb top-quality bright white FSC-approved paper
Call tracking, recording, and scoring – and call coaching with Phone Power
INSTANT missed opportunity alerts (catch patients BEFORE they move on to a competitor)
Missed call alerts – to you and courtesy text to patients for great customer service
ROI analysis and accurate attribution down to the penny patients spend in actual production in Practice ZEBRA
Campaign management, printing, distribution, and postage
Personal account success manager to help every step of the way.

Take advantage of a free consultation and find out more. No obligation. Tons to learn and gain for free. Call now.

Joanne Bishop

3 Fast Tips To Increase Production

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:52:01 GMT

I had a dental appointment this week and my hygienist told me that they’re experiencing a definite increase of patient cancelations at the last minute. People are making excuses, she said, and giving various reasons, but the office does feel it’s COVID-related reluctance that is causing more holes in the planned schedule than usual. We are seeing a bit of this trend across the industry. Scheduling is an issue for many. Is it for you?

BUT – could those scheduling gaps provide you with an opportunity to increase new patients into the practice, and an opportunity to offer a true value proposition to new patients – “new patients seen within 48 hours” – people want things the moment they want them, and convenience is SUPER-important to all of us.

As a practice owner or manager, don’t you like the feel of that value offer going out far and wide? That just the offer to help patients with a dental need or want fast could make your practice stand out in your community? Especially when you include messaging about how safe it is to visit. With quick appointment times, you will have a real revenue winner on your hands (as long as you answer your phones).

Scan down to read my top tip to add more new patients immediately, with no additional expense.

So scheduling gaps bugging your team? It is a hassle to fill them and juggle patients. Why not make lemons out of lemonade!

Get your neighborhood newsletter and paid media campaign going hard! Already sending direct mail – increase the distribution (make sure it’s still highly targeted) to attract more quality patient calls. Not sure where your best target market is? Ask your key contact at Patient NEWS to assist with a complimentary demographic and competitor analysis and find out.

In a recent survey, 38% of practices consider marketing important to improve production and productivity in 2021, so it’s likely going to get more competitive for your practice to attract patients that are open to a new dental provider. With Patient NEWS you can add direct mail and Practice ZEBRA’s artificial intelligence (AI) and other practice performance enhancement tools to increase your success. The dentists who are doing this are exceeding 100% of pre-covid monthly production – which is more than 20% OVER industry average!

Start with a FREE DEMO

In the same survey, what jumped out is that dental offices are focusing on technology and NOT enhancing the patient experience – which should be #1! Technology is advancing rapidly and it’s extremely important to have the right technology in place for your practice (i.e. Practice ZEBRA, it’s AI and automated patient communication modules), but don’t forget the live patient experience. Patients are linear – they’ve been through unprecedented change, and when coming back to the dental office, they want familiar, they want compassion, they want a great experience.

Consider this opportunity.

Could your practice be more visible and differentiated in your community?

Which competitors are popping up and getting in your way – stealing your patients or grabbing new prospective patients from you – and what’s the best way to get ahead of them?

Have patient cancelations provided scheduling gaps that you could reposition for new patient convenience?

Do you want to mitigate the negative-revenue impact of the lack of new patients due to COVID?

Will it be important for your practice recovery through 2021 to start adding more new patients now?

If you said yes to even one of those questions, we can help. And we want you to see how for FREE. No pressure, no hassle. Get a practice snapshot using Practice ZEBRA and you’ll easily see what opportunities you have. Schedule a free, no-obligation, demo now!

FREE DEMO

Where are the quick opportunities? Here’s a big one. Answer more inbound calls live.

Every one of us wants to believe that all our new-client calls are being answered live. But the reality is, they’re not. The average dental office misses over 30% of their new-patient calls, and these missed new-patient calls are an asset your practice cannot afford to ignore.
That’s a particularly important metric that dental offices need to watch … on average, new patients contribute twice (2X) and sometimes three times as much revenue as an average active patient. Industry average: active patient contributes $1,021 annually and new patients contribute $1,777 (and Top 10% of practices’ new-patient value is $4500 annually). Just answering more calls with current conversion rates will add exponential revenue – and profit.

Therefore, with active patients becoming hesitant (without regular communication and education), when a high-value new patient makes contact with your practice, you want to welcome them with enthusiasm and capture every opportunity to increase production and improve long-term practice security and value.

If answering live is an issue at your practice, you want a solution that will allow your team to be super responsive and catch new patients after they hang up but BEFORE they move to a competitor.

Practice ZEBRA’s instant calls alerts will save your bacon! Make sure you have them activated for your practice – or contact your key contact at Patient News for more information.

ZEBRA’s AI Instant alerts – not only will your designated office recipients get an email or text with the patient contact data, your prospective patient will instantly receive a text from your office acknowledging their call which improves the patient experience and increases their patience to wait for your return call. And ZEBRA’s AI can also give you INSTANT Missed Opportunity alerts for quality patients that speak with your team but don’t schedule for some reason – so you can review and capture those new patients too! Patients will only wait around 15 minutes for your call back – ZEBRA’s AI helps you capture every new patient!

CHECK IT OUT WITH A FREE DEMO

As business owners and managers, we never want to worry about missing important calls, and we don’t want our new clients to have a poor first-inquiry experience. But unfortunately, I’m writing this blog to give you anxiety over the number of new patients you are losing because your practice is simply not answering the phone 100% of the time a new patient calls.

This could be, and likely is, significantly impacting the potential success you could be getting from your dental marketing campaigns. It could be impacting your overall new-patient flow without even investing more in marketing for your dental office.

We can help you remove that anxiety entirely and help you increase new patients and improve their satisfaction with their first interaction with your dental office. And increase revenue.

Schedule a free demo of ZEBRA to see these cool features, and then read on for industry data and metrics in the rest of the blog.

SCHEDULE FREE DEMO

You know that colleague or practice that seems to be doing everything you’re doing but is just a bit more successful? I bet they’re answering their calls and responding to patients quickly! Top dental practices answer almost 99% of their calls live – so it can be done, but this isn’t realistic for the average dental practice with only so many hands at reception. So what can you do at your dental office?

This is where artificial intelligence comes into play.

At your practice, no missed call needs to be a missed opportunity again. Today, AI (artificial intelligence) gives you real-time missed call and missed opportunity notifications, and Practice ZEBRA offers you the best solution.

Schedule a FREE DEMO

According to an HBR study, after analyzing 1.25 million leads, replying back to customers within one hour makes it 7x more likely you’ll close a sale than if you reply within two hours. However top owners interviewed by Inc., say that 15 minutes is the window that business are most likely able to get the sale.

Time for a little spring cleaning?

Check your direct mail program to increase practice awareness

Answer more calls live

Implement Practice ZEBRA’s Instant Call/Patient Alerts.

Check your processes, your plans, and rely on expert support like the team at Patient NEWS. We’ll help you ensure you’re capturing all revenue opportunities at your fingertips.

Joanne Bishop

Top 5 Reasons Your Practice Needs Google Ads

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:51:19 GMT

Dental marketing for dentists

SQUIRREL! If you are like many business owners, distractions and shiny tools can take you off course, pulling you down a rabbit hole spending money on anything that sounds like it will get you some traction. Digital Marketing tends to be the worst for “shiny new widgets,” and due to new technologies popping up everywhere, how do you know which one will bring you the best results?

Listings, social media, paid media, local SEO, keywords, meta descriptions, rankings, analytics, online ads, reputation management, blogging, linking… it goes on and on. What strategies will get you the results you need? What strategies will help you reach your goals?

Today I am going to discuss paid media also known as pay-per-click (PPC), AdWords, or Google Ads.

What is Paid Media?

Definition: Paid media refers to external marketing efforts that involve a paid ad placement. Paid media includes PPC advertising, branded content, and display ads.

For the purpose of this blog, I will discuss the paid media product called Google Ads.

What is Google Ads?

Taken directly from Google: “Google Ads is Google’s online advertising program. The program allows you to create online ads to reach audiences that are interested in the products and services you offer. The Google Ads platform runs on pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, i.e. [if you’ve placed a Google Ad,] you pay every time a visitor clicks your ad.”

Why do I need Google Ads?

1.Quicker results over & above SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a foundational strategy that any great-performing dental practice website will have in place. With that said, it can take years to rank for a highly competitive keyword. Some businesses just will never see page-one rankings because other competitors are spending thousands per month to optimize.

When you implement a Google Ads strategy, you can leapfrog the organic SEO winners by running ads targeting the keywords you can’t rank for organically.

2.Earn more conversions

Conversions, in the dental industry, are appointment requests. Either by phone or through a form on your website. A Google Ads strategy is based on conversions. This (along with brand awareness) is why you spend marketing dollars on Google Ads – to generate more conversions that result in more business.

IMPORTANT: Conversions are optimized and more likely to happen when there are landing pages created specifically for your Google Ads campaign. You can rely on Patient NEWS to ensure that this is taken care of for you!

3.Throttle your budget to meet your goals

There is no minimum or maximum spend on Google Ads. With that said, our strategists will suggest a budget that will meet the conversion goals your practice is seeking. A great component, however, is that you can raise this budget as you grow or lower it when you are looking to scale back.

Request a free consultation from one of our marketing consultants to get a free comprehensive report on Google Ads spend and what we suggest for your practice.

4.Target your ideal patient

Google Ads targeting capabilities are wide-ranging. Demographics, location, and proximity will all factor into the strategy. What is important is that Google Ads allows you to capture prospects who are searching for specific services.

For example, if you are looking to target more cosmetic cases, or more families, both require different strategies. What you need to know is that you can target your budget to the ideal new patient! Even better, all the results are trackable in a simple-to-understand format. Every month you will know how many impressions, clicks, and conversions you received.

At Patient NEWS, we take it a step further and track exactly how much each patient who came from Google Ads spent at their appointment, giving you a true ROI.

5.Win over competitors

There is nothing worse than having your competitors rank better than your practice does because Google feels they should win in organic rankings just because their practice has been operating longer than yours or they have a few more reviews. It especially rankles when you know your practice has a unique value proposition that is far more advanced and fitting for these patients.

Google has made the choice to rank your competition higher due to 200+ different reasons that you can’t control. With Google Ads, you can quickly leap over your competitors by allocating a budget specific to the services and keywords for which you want the traffic.

At Patient NEWS, we will help you identify which keywords are your best choice and which ad placements will bring you the best results.

In conclusion…

This all sounds great, right? More conversions, more new patients, trackable ROI… But wait! Google Ads is like any other marketing. You must make educated decisions backed by true market analysis data to get the predictable results we understand.

You see, purchasing clicks on non-relevant searches can actually negatively affect your practice. Your website will experience high traffic with little conversion. We suggest consistent, ongoing tracking and management to ensure your hard-earned marketing dollars are not only spent correctly, but are tracked to provide you with reporting that is transparent.

It’s all about EXPECTATIONS!

Have you ever been told by an agency that you will achieve an SEO goal (page one rankings) or more conversions or more traffic or… This is par for the course to hear these types of statements. Materializing this is another conversation.

At Patient NEWS, we analyze your market area and give you the information you need to make budget decisions that will help you reach your goal. You will fully understand what will type of strategy and budget you need you need to win new patients in your market.

Paid Media is fast, but takes investment. SEO is a foundational strategy that takes time but will pull results as you build authority and a digital footprint. We will set these expectations with you.

Don’t be in a position where you are guessing or relying on promises. Get the data you need from a market analysis to make the right decision.

At Patient NEWS, we have worked with dental practices for over 28 years. Not only do we understand Google Ads strategy, but we understand the types of content and deliverables that will bring you the ideal patient.

Reach out today and request a free consultation. Let’s discuss how we can implement a paid media strategy that brings you conversions with an ROI, month after month!

Top 5 Dental Website Design Tips 2021

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:49:02 GMT

What will make your website stand out? When does it need a refresh?

Here we are … 2021. Hope the door doesn’t hit 2020 on the way out!

Let’s bring some positivity into 2021 with these awesome g for dental websites. In this blog, I am going to cover 5 new dental website design trends and why they are important.

Your dental website is a strategic marketing campaign directed at prospects and patients to enhance practice visibility and promote your expertise as an authority in your field. We know it’s hard to face a refresh of your web presence – but my team at Patient NEWS makes it super-easy. Take advantage of a free consultation and find out what we might be able to do for you!

5 Tips to Improve Your Website

Professional Vibe
Clean & Comfortable
Custom In-Office Imagery
Parallax
Accessibility

1. A Professional Vibe

An element of value that patients always look for when choosing a dentist is professionalism. Patients want to know that they are making a good choice in a dental care provider and this means choosing a dentist who exudes a professional image. Your website must include design elements that align with convey your expert vibe.Ensure clear, crisp imagery. Busy images and designs will look unprofessional

Use a favicon (an icon or logo that is associated with a URL and displays in the browser address bar or next to the site name in a bookmark list)

Choose large memorable images that tell a story or add a component of emotion (happy patients with their family, a mom and daughter that resonates emotionally with the female head of household, people smiling into the camera, family members hugging).

2. Clean & Comfortable

Clean and comfortable means a simple UX (user experience) that removes question marks from the user’s mind when they are browsing your site. When a prospective patient reaches your website, they are far enough along in their patient journey that they are close to making a decision on what practice to call. If your website is the opposite of clean and comfortable (messy, jumbled, illogical, or overwhelming), you will lose the patient long before they even think of making the phone call to your practice.

What is a simple, clean, comfortable user experience? Use whitespace. It allows the important items to stand out. Steve Jobs said that the best designers know what to remove, not what to add. “Simplicity,” he said, “is the ultimate sophistication. ”Make sure buttons are in a contrasting color so that they stand out clearly and are consistent throughout the site. This will ensure they are instantly recognizable as “action items.”

Easy-to-find phone number, map, appointment request, and services.

No images of sharp tools or dental equipment – scary or not. Your potential patients are interested in what you can do for them – benefits – and not how you do it. Always be sensitive to dental anxiety; it must be taken into consideration.

3. Use Custom In-Office Imagery

Use your own excellent professional photos as much as you can to personalize your site. Stock images must be used sparingly… The days of stock-imagery-only websites are getting old, predictable, and cliché. And there’s a very good chance they look like (or are even on!) your competitors’ websites. True-to-life in-office imagery on every webpage is proven to win more engagement which means potential patients will spend more time on your site and are more likely to engage with you by calling your practice. Use practice images that introduce elements of emotional warmth to your website. Carefully composed imagery and design will translate to prospects the feeling of what it will be like for them to be in your practice. If you include a front-desk shot, be sure to have your smiling team (albeit behind PPE) in the photo. You don’t want to show an empty practice!

If you have a gorgeous office, reception area, or operatories, don’t feature them completely empty. Get in there with your team with big smiling faces to make patients feel like they will be welcomed into that gorgeous space.
Include real-life scenarios or action shots of your team and doctors. Be sure to get a written patient image release or have a staff member pose as a patient.
People want to know what to expect. Use photos of the practice that show off your carefully designed environment that prospective patients are curious to see and that they’ll want to experience!

4. Parallax

Parallax scrolling has been around and popular for a few years now – I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s where, in a website layout, the background of the web page moves at a slower rate than the foreground, causing a 3D effect. Introducing a parallax element into your website, when done right, can give a nice, subtle, and distinctive depth. Quickly though, this technology becomes overbearing and causes nausea if you’re not careful. The goal is to use this design style with a light hand … and class.

Why is Parallax a nice feature for a dental website?

When parallax is done right, it will guide your visitors through your website towards a call to action using the depth feature, or it will tell a story with the design features on the page.

CAUTION: Use parallax sparingly! A dental website is a service-based information engine. Much of the time users know what they are looking for, they just need to find it! We don’t want the patient to be scrolling through a site filled with over-used and distracting story-telling elements, especially when using parallax, just to find an address!

5. Accessibility

Website accessibility for people with disabilities has always been important, and now in 2021, it is critical! Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) both provide guidelines that incorporate the standards necessary to make websites accessible to people with disabilities. Not only is this about avoiding possible lawsuits; it’s about better serving your patients and prospects.

Some website accessibility standards to consider:

Navigation: Clear navigation is an important component of any website. Be careful when using new types of navigations. They may be sleek and modern, but are they accessible? A professional web designer understands this clearly.
Text: Use an ideal font and the font size that makes your text readable on all platforms, devices, and browsers. A professional designer will nail this.
Forms: Make sure to add labels to each field to make forms more accessible.
Buttons & Links: Avoid using images for buttons. And make links with clearly legible text, use consistent stand-out color, and ensure URLs are correct and functioning.

Website Refreshes – The importance of keeping your site relevant, modern, and up to date!

Is your website a part of your business that makes you proud? Are you embarrassed to show it to your friends? Frustrated with your current provider? Looking for higher interaction and conversion?

Keeping relevant content tells your prospective patients that you are on the leading edge of technology and that you care about the image your brand is projecting. It tells them you’re serious about keeping them informed, communicating clearly, and that you want their business. By staying modern and relevant to new design technology, your website will begin to build patient trust before patients even arrive at your practice.

With Patient NEWS , a website refresh will improve some of its most important aspects, increasing the value of this critical marketing tool.

Patient NEWS Website Refreshes Include…

Up-to-date content & messaging
Navigation that is clear & easy
Modern look that reflects your modern practice – equipment, techniques, skills, mission, & more!
New services & supporting educational content
Your personalized tagline, motto, or mission
Updating old messaging you’re no longer in love with
Assurance that your website looks great on all devices for the best UX
Call tracking & call scoring for real-time, data-supported performance & conversion results
Links to current patient forms for patient convenience & ease.

Have you heard of digital empathy? This is when your website uses compassion, cognition, and emotion to enhance user experience. That’s what a Patient NEWS website refresh does, plus it eliminates digital friction (the unnecessary effort exerted by patients and potential patients to get the information they need from your website). Put yourself in the patients’ shoes. They don’t want to be scrambling to find information they are looking for. And you don’t want them to be scrambling to find information that “clinches the sale.”

When you refresh your website to speak your brand voice and eliminate digital friction, you will win over patients. Patient NEWS can help!

Answer This & You Can Achieve More!

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:48:14 GMT

What do you really want?

If anything, 2020 showed us all that we’re stronger and more resilient than we may have thought. Dentists and their teams pivoted business processes – quickly – and are safely seeing patients.

There has been no reported dentist-to-patient transmission of COVID-19. The dental office is one of the safest places to visit for patients. That’s fantastic, and we applaud our industry. You are all amazing.

Dental offices that made a concerted effort to maintain communications to both their patients-of-record and area households and monitor their key metrics, realized production beyond pre-COVID levels, into growth mode – 10% over previous September–December!

And now it’s reset time for all. Do you have new aspirations for your practice? Are you hungry for more?

You can have a year that excites you, is full of achievement, even more than you thought possible.

Schedule a FREE 2021 Planning Session & get connected to Practice ZEBRA for a FREE Demo

To turn your thoughts that are simmering in the back of your mind into reality and to have another breakthrough year, you will need an actionable plan. It can begin by answering a few key questions, putting the answers to paper, assigning goals and priorities to each, and then strategically and constantly monitoring implementation.

No matter how uncertain the current situation may feel, we must put one foot in front of the other with positive, firm plans for success for your practice and team.

Let’s break this down to a few questions that may help guide your planning process.

What challenges are you facing?

Production consistency and growth
Patient scheduling/attrition & re-engaging patients yet to return
Acquiring enough new patients
Increasing case acceptance
Patient knowledge, misinformation, and the need for education and reassurance.

What increments will work best for you to get started?

Monthly and quarterly goals
Patient appointments & improved scheduling percentages
Reduced danger patients
Increased new patients
Increased case acceptance.

Where do you want and NEED your practice to be trending at the end of Q1?

What is the practice capacity to see patients daily?

Do you need to open another chair?
Do you need more designated “new patient” appointment times?
Do you need to expand operational hours or adjust to provide more convenience to patients with before-work and after-work/weekend availability?
Do you need to adjust call answer hours?
Do you need to adopt new payment options?

Marketing budget.

COVID slammed 2020, and maybe your monthly, quarterly/annual budget hasn’t been re-established.
If looking quarter to quarter, are you implementing enough to achieve the new quarterly goals?
Are you doubling down on what works and looking for new opportunities?
Do you know where results are coming from and re-targeting effectively?
When you reach the quarterly goal, does the marketing budget open-up for next quarter?

There is never too much information going out to patients and prospects. People crave quality information and want it to make good decisions for their families. As the trusted dental provider in your area, you and your practice can be a calming voice, the expert that educates your patients and community about the importance of oral health.

Dentistry is an essential service because of the significant impact it has on overall health and the ability to fight infections, like COVID-19. Patients are beginning to get the mouth/body link, but more patients need to know, and recognition and understanding take repetition. And one thing is for sure… the only way to reach 100% of your target audience is by direct mail, which is appreciated and consumed by ALL adult age groups daily.

And then there is accountability.

Are you ready to review and accept your current results and implement change?
How will you measure the achievement of goals?
When will you measure the achievement of goals?
What happens when you achieve your quarterly goals? Does this make room for additional investments in team reward, patient communications, or marketing in the following quarter?
What priorities HAVE TO happen each month or quarter, or growth could be compromised instead of realized?

Schedule a FREE 2021 Planning Session & get connected to Practice ZEBRA for a FREE Demo

Here are 5 better metrics for dental offices to focus on for 2021 success:

New patients versus net new patients
Average patient value versus new patient value
Patients scheduled versus patients lost
Active patients versus patients in danger of leaving
Inbound calls versus successful calls

With Practice ZEBRA, you can benchmark these 5 key performance indicators and monitor your progress towards goal achievement.

With Practice ZEBRA, you’ll also see how you stack up against industry average and top-performing dental offices when goal setting.

There are different practice models, some are high patient value, and others are high patient volume; others are steady as she goes. While one practice may have a patient value of $3500 and only 500 patients, another will have a patient value of $1000 and 2500 patients. Yet, another will be regularly onboarding over 50 new patients per month with annual contributing revenue of $2000 each. Some dental offices are looking at new opportunities for growth, and others just want stability.

The key here is to get visibility to your current metrics and situation so that you can set your own applicable goals, monitor progress, and actually get what you want in 2021.

Doing the same thing will bring about the same thing. Teams need and want to understand practice goals, understand the plan, and cheer successes. According to McKinsey & Co., breakaway companies scale by significantly outperforming in three categories; aligning on strategy, building the right foundations of data, technology, and people, and embedding analytics into decision-making and processes.

This is true for the successful dentists that we work with. It’s all about data, the plan that aligns data to goals, and clarity of results. Like you, they want a proven systematic process to clearly understand the current practice situation, establish goals, and then implement strategies and monitor the progress.

Our team and Practice ZEBRA can help you have a year that excites you, is full of achievement, and that will help you realize even more than you thought possible. Our proven, powerful, systems and solutions, and expert, caring account managers will help you evolve your practice, identify greater opportunities, and achieve the success you desire.

And the effort doesn’t have to be uncomfortable or hard or all on your shoulders. As business owners, we need better clarity of our metrics, critical supports and inputs, and the determination to put positive plans into motion.

With Practice ZEBRA dental software to enhance practice performance and Patient NEWS dental marketing solutions to fit your exact situation, you’ll have the metrics, the critical supports, and the inputs you need to achieve your goals.

Ariane de Bonvoisin says what the heart wants to feel is a better motivator than what the ego wants to get done. So, what is that for you – more freedom, fun, recognition, security – less stress, worry, headaches? What do you most want to feel?

We can help. Imagine how you will feel when you have a partner that is here to support you. That can provide complete clarity about your practice key performance metrics, practice intelligence, marketing intelligence, call handling intelligence, and marketing solutions for patient and community communication that are the best you can get. With Practice ZEBRA and Patient NEWS, you have the ability to take action, to make data-driven secure decisions, and watch the progress month over month. You don’t need to navigate all this alone – we can definitely help, and we want you to check in with your Account Manager or Marketing Consultant for a free one-on-one conversation about where you are and where you’d like to be.

Schedule a FREE 2021 Planning Session & get connected to Practice ZEBRA for a FREE Demo

You’ll see:

Where current patients are coming from
Competitor locations that are impacting
New patients versus net new patients
Average patient value versus new patient value
Patients scheduled versus patients lost
Active patients versus patients in danger of leaving
Inbound calls versus successful calls.

You are stronger and more resilient than you may have thought.

Dental offices that made a concerted effort to maintain communications to both their patients-of-record and area households, and monitor their key metrics, realized production beyond pre-COVID levels. You can have this and more. Successful dental offices have to be predictive and proactive in decision-making to build practice security. Our lessons learned are that dental offices that invested in their patients and community have been able to reset and build resilience during the pandemic. We want to help more dental offices and teams do the same.

Schedule a FREE 2021 Planning Session & get connected to Practice ZEBRA for a FREE Demo

Joanne Bishop

Dental Website SEO In 2021

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:47:24 GMT

An analysis on trends & keywords

Finally, 2020 is on its way to a close! 2021 couldn’t come any quicker!

That means we can go back to normal right? We all know that is a far cry from the truth, but it doesn’t stop the 2021 trend reports, like the one provided in this blog.

In this blog, I will be focusing on high-volume keywords that will drive traffic to your dental website. I will also cover a key trend that will give you insight into how the patient journey has been affected by the Coronavirus. Are you ready? Let’s go!

What are keywords and why are they important?

Keyword, now officially in the Oxford & Merriam-Webster dictionaries, is described as an informative word used in an information retrieval system (Google) to indicate the content of a document. How is this relevant to your dental SEO strategy? Because your website needs to be relevant to patients when they are searching for a dental practice. You (or your dental marketing agency) needs to choose keywords that patients are researching and asking questions about and that will be used throughout your website. This way, you will generate more traffic to your website, resulting in more appointment requests and phone calls.

What keywords should my dental practice use?

Your practice must identify the keywords patients and prospects use when searching for you online. You can use Google Ads Keyword research tool (free) or you can use a paid version such as Ahrefs or SEM Rush. There are many strategies and a science behind keyword research (long-tail, low competition, high competition, etc.), but in this blog, we are going to give you a guideline.

There are three simple and important considerations when choosing keywords: local branded searches, local non-branded searches, and service-based searches.

Local Branded Keywords

Local branded search keywords are ones that include your name and have your brand associated with it. For example, this could include the doctor’s name or the practice name in any number of variations. It will be important to optimize your website with a focus on these branded terms as a basic foundation to your SEO strategy.

Local Non-Branded Keywords

Local non-branded keywords are subject to common phrases the community uses to find a dental practice (not necessarily any practice in particular). Maybe they are looking for a new dentist (more on these trends in the next section). When a prospect is looking for a dentist, they will type keywords into Google like “dentist near me” or “dentist in [city]” or “best dentist” or “new dentist.”

Service-Based Keywords

Service-based keywords are exactly as it seems and are important when a prospect or patient is researching services that your practice offers. Popular service-based keywords include “dental implants,” “emergency dentist,” and “family dentistry.”

When your website is optimized with the correct keywords, your website will begin ranking for important terms that will drive relevant traffic.

In the chart below, you will see the top 20 dental keywords (as of writing this blog) that are getting the most volume (traffic) from highest to lowest in North America. You can use these as a guideline, but it is highly suggested to work with an SEO specialist to determine the keywords that are most relevant to your practice in your area.

Trends In 2021: Keyword “NEW DENTIST”

The pandemic has created many changes in business and life. Some practices were not prepared for the overwhelming changes in closures, re-openings, scheduling, PPE, etc. This has caused patients to reconsider their options for which dental practice they will use for all their dental needs.

How do we know that? We did the research! And it’s important that you know about the results.

Google Trends has a tool that analyzes the popularity of top search queries in Google Search across various regions and languages. It uses graphs to compare the search volume of different queries over time. Knowing that patients may be looking for new dental practices as a result of the pandemic commotion, we tested the keyword “New Dentist.” You can see that there is a rise in searches since March when the pandemic started.

As we are all well aware, the pandemic has also created challenges for many businesses in all verticals. Restaurants and entertainment business have suffered terribly. Dentistry has also had their share of difficulties, however we are realizing that the dental industry is resilient.

The ADA has announced in September 2020 that, on average, practices were back to 75% of production year-over-year. But news to celebrate is that Patient NEWS clients who continued to stay focused on operations which included a sound marketing plan with Patient NEWS are back to 100% of production!

Check it out! The data below comes directly from our clients’ practice management systems, amalgamated by our business intelligence software Practice ZEBRA.

Your marketing plan has never been more important than now. Our work is cut out for us as the world works at fighting off this virus, but with a great SEO strategy and targeting the right keywords, your practice will show up when a prospect is looking for a new dentist.

To make sure you’re first in line, contact Patient NEWS today. Well provide you with a FREE Web Audit so you know exactly where you need to pick up the pace to be at the front of the pack. Together we can make a big impact and increase production and profits.

We will help you grow your practice, starting today! Call now.

Dental Email Marketing Trends You Must Know

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:45:58 GMT

How often do your patients hear from you when they’re not at your office or getting transactional communication from you? When I think of the variety of my family’s healthcare providers, it’s not that often that I get a value-add. There are a select few that do send me their email newsletters, and even if I’m not particularly interested in the monthly topic, it does put their names in front of me regularly so I don’t forget about their services, or forget to refer to them should a friend have a need.

Email Marketing Is Up To 40 Times More Effective Than Social Media

And you know what, with dental email automation, it doesn’t take a big effort to make a pretty positive impression. Especially when you don’t have to worry about content creation!

So the point of this blog is to remember not to abandon email marketing, but rather get back at it like a heavy-weight fighter! It’s one major patient communications powerhouse in your marketing arsenal, with 60% of consumers saying it influences their buying decisions , and 80% of business professionals believing it increases customer retention.

And … not to be salesy out of the gate on this blog, but for great patient engagement and retention, our super-easy, set and forget, high-quality monthly patient email newsletters get DOUBLE the industry open rate. And you can activate them FREE with your Practice ZEBRA subscription. Isn’t that just a no-brainer? You don’t have to create content, we brand the communications to you … and educational content that patients will enjoy will hit your patient households each month, setting your practice apart and helping to ensure your patients stay your patients?

99% of consumers check email every day

58% check email before news (5%), social (14%), or search (23%) combined

Therefore, with email marketing so powerful for dental offices … you’ll want to make sure that your emails are making it to your patients inbox.

Do you know how your data compare’s to the dental industry?
Did you know that the average dental practice is MISSING almost 40% of their patient email contacts?
Do you know what the stat is for your practice? Do you know that we can quickly and easily help you with all this?

A practice management enhancement tool like Practice ZEBRA provides easily clickable lists including patients with missing or incorrect emails so that you can get a clean-up crew on top of that.

Because email is such a powerful patient communication function, this task should be a goal for completion by year-end. (And it can be done, top practices maintain over 90%, missing just 7% on average). If you’re not sure how to get your lists, schedule a time to review with your Account Manager.

Setup a FREE Demo

Step 2 … implement a complete email strategy.

Email is appealing and used by patients of all ages. In fact, email engagement has increased by almost 80% over the last twelve months. I guess COVID has given people more time to check their emails and make buying decisions! We’re at home but we’re on our devices!

According to Neil Patel, “email marketing is still ranked as the most effective marketing channel, beating out social, SEO, and affiliate marketing.” And the stats concur.

Everyone expects emails from their preferred providers. Yes, our inboxes may be overflowing, but when we see a subject line that catches our attention, a provider name that we’ve been meaning to contact, or we see content relevant to something we’ve been thinking about, email gets read. When good content comes in, we continue to be subscribed. The worst thing a business can do is discount the power of email marketing due to anecdotal feelings that it won’t work or because we don’t want to be part of the clutter. Email marketing is a critical component of your marketing mix despite the overload.

Your high-quality dentist emails will trigger action. The important thing is to be there consistently so your business is seen, known and can be easily found.

Email marketing truly takes limited time and effort on your part. If you have a great marketing partner, (like us at Patient NEWS), you can set and forget much of your dental direct email marketing strategy and have your campaigns structured in a way to consistently stay connected with your patients 24/7 without even thinking about it. The most successful practices do this.

According to the Direct Mail Association , you can expect an average return of $42 for every $1 you spend on email marketing. For a dental practice, when you think of email newsletters, appointment reminders, review generation, and other sales-oriented tasks being automated by email doesn’t that seem like a pretty conservative ROI estimate? And that is huge!

Half of consumers say they would like to receive promotional emails (from their favorite brands) weekly. Maybe “the dentist” isn’t a “favorite brand” but it could be, and regardless, this statistic demonstrates that people are interested in hearing from brands they choose. When you send quality information, your patients will look forward to hearing from you, they’ll forward to friends and refer, and they’ll remain connected!

With dental software like Practice ZEBRA , you can have all of your email marketing with one convenient supplier. Email marketing doesn’t have to be complicated, you can select which patient communication modules you want, and then your Account Manager will set everything up for you, and it will all just run.

What’s in ZEBRA (so far) when it comes to dental email services & marketing automation for dentists:

Monthly Patient Email Newsletters

We are the patient newsletter gurus. Our writers are the best in the industry. All we do is create great content for dental offices to share in their newsletters, websites, social feeds and email.

Set and forget great quality dental email newsletters to reach patient inboxes monthly. Newsletters are branded, include your contact information and a reminder that you accept patient referrals. Our email newsletters boast DOUBLE the open rate over industry newsletters, and what patients click most, the practice phone number or website.

This email solution makes it super easy for your patients to reach you and stay connected.

Google/Facebook Reviews From Patients – Review BOOSTER

Reviews are becoming more and more important, and when you make it easy for patients to post a positive review, they will! Dental offices that switched to Review BOOSTER almost doubled their Google review count … and gained 52% more reviews in the period after implementation compared to the same timeframe before start.

“On Average Review BOOSTER Users Almost Doubled Google Reviews”

Plus, if you’re using Podium or Birdeye, you can replace that technology with Review BOOSTER …and gain so much more. For one thing, the email portion of your patient review communications includes a value-add educational article, and we include a function to help direct “not so great” reviews back to you instead of pushing patients online. Also…

All email automation solutions in Practice ZEBRA are included in your one low monthly fee. So you can eliminate the pain of having multiple providers and reduce your monthly costs.

Appointment Reminders

Today almost everyone has an automated appointment reminder system. Like those, ZEBRA’s reminder solution (text & email) will help your team save time, increase practice efficiencies, and reduce no-shows. With read/write capability, it makes it simple to ditch other automation budgets and your brand image will be consistent through all of your marketing automation.

Dental Membership Plan promotion.

We have found that in-house plan patients usually contribute higher revenue than non-insured patients, and in-house plans are a great way to convert more new patients. If your practice (US only) has a membership plan, you’ve probably found it difficult to promote to non-insured patients. Either the message is going to all patients, or the task is left to seeing patients when they’re in and cherry-picking who finds out about your plan. With ZEBRA’s automated DMP Booster, non-insured patients receive an automated cadence to promote your plan and remind them to consider it when their appointment is pending. In addition, we can also include reminders to boost renewals for your plan. Check out your patient values in Practice ZEBRA … you will be able to review:

Average patient value versus new patient value
Average non-insured value versus each insurance program
Average membership plan value compared to above

Email Anything Anytime

If COVID-19 taught us anything, it’s that sometimes you need to send a custom message to your patients but you don’t have time to deal with creating the message or sending it to patients. ZEBRA’s email anytime solution does just that.

All you have to do is tell your Account Manager what you want patients to know, and we’ll take care of it all for you, including the email subject lines that will increase opens. Or, of course, you can log into Practice ZEBRA and take care of it all yourself. Whatever you like, ZEBRA makes it super easy to get messages out fast.

Do take a look at your email marketing strategy and consider the various components you’d like to add to your marketing mix as we close out 2020 and head into 2021, and know that the team at Patient NEWS can help you with any dental email service.

The number one thing I recommend is to get a monthly newsletter going. It’s not a cost issue, and if you don’t want to create the content, implement our monthly patient email newsletter. I’ll bet most of the dental competitors in your area are not doing it, and with Practice ZEBRA, it’s super easy, takes no effort, and will make a positive impact on patients.

Contact your Account Manager to make sure you have this module activated.

Joanne Bishop

Culture & Unique Value Proposition For DSOs

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:45:04 GMT

How the combination can help your organization grow

At the recent Dental Entrepreneur Organization DEO Virtual Summit, many speakers addressed how important it is to have a clearly defined mission statement and corporate culture before scaling your group dental business.

When designed correctly, your mission statement will provide the foundation for future growth, guide decision-making, and provide purpose to remind not only you, but all team members, of the “why.” It will also help to refine your search criteria when making the decision to grow.

But how does your company’s mission and culture differ from the unique value proposition of the practices you merge with?

Many dentists with whom I speak originally got into dentistry to satisfy their scientific and artistic passions. It requires a unique skill set to balance the scientific aspects of dentistry with the artistry required to truly make an impact on a patient’s well-being. Where dentistry becomes frustrating for some dentists is in the business aspects of running a dental practice. Many did not consider the added burden of running a small business – HR, AR, marketing, supplies, equipment, leasing, etc. – when they first entered the profession. As the dental market became more competitive, DSOs have become an attractive option, promising to remove the headaches of having to run the day-to-day business and allowing the dentist to do what they do best – practice dentistry.

As these two archetypes come together through a potential merger or acquisition – one looking to satisfy their entrepreneurial passion to grow and another looking to scale back on the business aspects and focus on their passion for dentistry – it is important for the buyer to communicate a culture that the seller can trust.

“Culture is critical because it defines who you want to become as a company and as a team, not just what you are doing. Culture tells us how to behave when the policies and procedures don’t apply or when a global pandemic hits. Culture tells the team how to take care of customers when it goes “off script” and how to navigate team issues in a way that brings everyone to a higher level of trust. No matter how good your strategy or business acumen, if you forget that the entire business is built on human interactions, you will fail, and the way you define the human interactions is with your clear culture.” – Emmet Scott, CEO of National Dental Partners & President of ADSO.

So, if a well-defined mission and culture is the unifying force that allows dental entrepreneurs to scale from two, to six, to twenty affiliates and beyond, how does having a unique value proposition (UVP) differ and why is it important to the success of your growing organization?

Your UVP is what helps an individual dental practice stand out from other practices in your neighborhood. Within a group or DSO, the UVP of each practice can potentially vary greatly from other affiliates inside the umbrella group – one practice may have several specialties under one roof, while another may have extended hours that provide convenience to a working family. As your leadership team continues to grow, it is imperative that the UVP of each practice is clearly defined and yet still adheres to the overall culture and values as stated in your mission statement.

As a marketing agency experienced in working with groups, our first job is to help identify the UVP of each location within the group. This process helps to define the specific attributes that will attract the type of patient that the practice wants more of.

Here is a brief description of how you can help to define the UVP for each location:

Understand The Existing Patient-Base.

Start by taking a good look at the socio-economic makeup of the existing patients. What is their age range and how are they likely to pay for their services? Are they busy and prefer conveniences like extended hours, or do they appreciate the time the dentist spends with them? This will help you identify top practice draw areas and target markets including where current high-value patients reside.

Complete A Detailed Market Analysis.

It’s likely that the existing patients are a reflection of the community the office serves. By taking a deeper look into the socio-economic realities of the neighborhood, and uncovering the differences between certain areas, you can start to identify the key services and messaging that will attract the preferred segment within the overall community.

Match The Buying Preferences Of The Ideal Patient With The Locations Service Offering.

When you know who you are trying to attract to the practice, you can match the services the practice provides to match buyer preferences. These attributes become your Unique Value Proposition. Start by listing everything that would be of value to these ideal target patients (ultimately you’ll want to narrow it down to top 3-5).

The goal will be to marry the mission and defined culture of the DSO or group with the practice philosophies of the affiliate. Integrating cultures should be considered part of the acquisition process because it truly is critical to success and will allow both parties to build an organization in alignment providing a stronger likelihood for success for all involved.

To avoid uncomfortable work environments, vision clashes, or worse … acquisition failure, work to have these concepts – overall mission, corporate culture, brand voice, and unique value propositions – well defined before considering buying or selling a practice. These business “core values” will lay the groundwork so that the dentist and group business owner can work collaboratively using mutually understood commitment.

This is all about the one thing that helps any relationship. Good communication. Having the mission, culture, and UVP established allows both the DSO and affiliate locations to build and capitalize on each other’s strengths.

Joanne Bishop

Will Dental Patients Spend More For YOU? The Answer Is Yes.

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:43:34 GMT

Persuasion happens in the brain in seconds.
At this speed, do patients know why your practice is different?

A recent blog by speaker, author, and international consultant Jaynie Smith confirmed that, yes, every one of us will pay more for services, but only when the value of what we buy is defined at buying-decision time.

Don’t believe patients will pay more? Smith elaborated … do we grocery shop at the dollar store? Drive a cheap car? Have a certain cell phone?

Smith cites Peloton as an example. The company reported 172% sales surge through the pandemic and over 1 million using their monthly subscription. The only reason their results haven’t been higher is lack of product. Do you have a Peloton? It’s pretty likely. It’s the latest cool shiny toy. Peloton’s CFO reported that, while this is a high-value toy, 50% of bikes were sold to households making less than $100k. It’s just so cool to talk about your Peloton, it’s prestigious, movie stars use them. That’s why people will pay more to have one when you could have a similar experience with a good old stationary bike and your iPad!

Is dentistry like a Peloton? In that having a defined value proposition, ensuring that your target consumers know you, understand how you’re different, and why they should choose you, then yes. Your practice can and should be the Peloton of dentistry in your community.

So how do you do that? By applying a little neuroscience, a little persuasion, and a lot of visibility to your practice through your marketing initiatives. Consistency, authority, reciprocity, social proof … the right messages to the right people.

This is what we help dentists do best at Patient NEWS. There is a reason that, on average, our dental marketing clients have not only returned to pre-COVID-19 production levels but have also experienced year-over-year production gains in the last three months. If you’re not where you want to be, schedule a free consultation with our team now … then read the rest of this blog that outlines some of what we do.

Our process is proven. It works. It’s working for hundreds of dental offices just like yours. Our team can help you persuade more high-value new patients to choose your practice and appeal to pre-existing active patients that have been slow to return or slow to accept elective treatments.

To get your dental patients to spend more money with your practice, you’ll want to consider the following.

Differentiate. Do patients know how you are different or better? I can’t tell you how many dentists say, “I think we’re the best” when they’re onboarding with Patient NEWS. You probably say that too. It’s great that you think that (I think Patient NEWS is the best at what we do too), but that’s not enough. It’s important that YOUR PATIENTS perceive and believe you to be the best. The team at Patient NEWS will spend time to understand your practice, your situation, your services, your competitors, and your audience, to craft messaging for your campaigns that will be powerfully persuasive and that will help your practice truly differentiate and stand out.

Format. 100% FSC certified paper. We use high-quality jumbo postcards in some instances, but our 4-page neighborhood newsletter format truly differentiates. It’s not just the newsletter format, but also the bright white, 100lb, super-high-quality paper and printing. When Patient NEWS prepares your dental newsletters, your mailings will stand out when they arrive in homes.

Authority. The information included in your dental newsletters is complete and full. It is truthful and accurate. It is relevant to your practice and your target audience. And we write your messages so that the information is easy-to-understand, and select imagery that supports your brand, and the tone of the messaging, keeping it very relevant to your market. In this blog, I am referring to our printing and direct mail marketing, but I have to point out we do this for all digital marketing campaigns – websites, paid media, SEO content, social marketing. We are experts in authoritative dental marketing content.

Visibility & social proof. Your team at Patient NEWS will select your best patient reviews to be featured in your newsletters that speak to the needs of your target audience. With thousands of dental campaigns analyzed, we know what patients need to see and hear before selecting a dental practitioner. We understand the impressions you need to make to gain persuasion and begin to influence the actions of your market. We are all strongly influenced by others (remember your Peloton?), so by including the right messages with the right patient testimonials given by patients who are perceived as peers of your target-audience, your target audience will be influenced. This makes your practice not only more visible to prospects, but more respected as THE choice in your community. You know your market area needs your services – now you need to make them want your services.

The right market. Your team at Patient NEWS takes a deep dive into the demographics of your market area, clearly mapping out your current market share and helping you target the best households, the ones most likely to choose your dental office once they’re very aware that you’re easily accessible to them and that you have the services they need and WANT.

High-quality communications from your practice to patients and prospective patients will significantly improve your dental practice visibility and elevate your practice credibility as an authority in your field. The positive educational content builds awareness and understanding of the importance of oral health in the eyes of your audience.

You want to appeal to the needs to your target audience, whether existing patients or new patients, and reassure patients that not only is it safe to visit your dental practice marketing , it’s important that they do.

Brian Tracy has famously said, “Your ability to persuade and influence people is one of the most important skills and qualities you can develop.” This will enable your dental practice to share your skills and expertise with more patients in your community, helping them to be healthier and happier.

You and your team are experts at persuasion with patients in the chair. You find what they want and need and then you show them how they can get that with you. The team at Patient NEWS are experts in the power of persuasion in dental marketing campaigns – particularly neighborhood newsletters which allow you to communicate with patients and prospects in their homes using powerful messaging that helps patients find what they want and that shows them how you can help – in the comfort of their homes!

And no direct mail blog would be complete without mentioning Practice ZEBRA. This is how you will know, down to the penny patients spend, that your marketing investments are working to positively move the needle at your practice. With Patient NEWS and Practice ZEBRA, you truly have the BEST dental marketing partner. We’re the Peloton of dental marketing – super cool and fun – and also extremely effective and successful.

Leverage the knowledge Patient NEWS can provide to you to help your practice communicate in a positive way, differentiate your practice, and stand out within your patient community. You can grow by using Patient NEWS – production and profits (and practice valuation).

“The more people you know and who know you in a positive way, the luckier you will be.” – Brian Tracy

Joanne Bishop

5 Important Dental Website Tips

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:42:32 GMT

1. Is your content simple, digestible, and relevant to the user?
An in-home eye-tracking study performed by Facebook IQ revealed this outstanding (but believable) statistic. 94% of people have a mobile device in their hand while watching TV.
It’s proven that humans are terrible multi-taskers, so how do we expect people to digest the 25 pages of content you have on your dental website when they are busy watching Simon Cowell “X” a contestant on America’s Got Talent?
The fact is, you have seconds to convert a new patient through your website. If they can’t find what they are looking for (like a picture of the doctor or a map), you are losing the prospect before you even get a chance to convert a phone call or request an appointment.

2. Dental Websites User Experience.
When people arrive at your dental website, it’s rare they visit more than 3 pages … it’s common that they only visit one page! The reality is that human behavior today is made up of short attention spans, multi-tasking, and laziness.

As a culture, we expect information to land in our laps without having to work for it. Your long-winded website is getting lost in the shuffle. It’s time to simplify and strategize. It’s time to accept the facts of human behavior and react accordingly to our dental website strategy.

At Patient NEWS, our analytics tell us that users consistently visit 1-3 pages maximum! It’s extremely rare to see a user go to more than 3 pages in a visit on a dental website. This proves that people want information quickly. They don’t want to or need to – and won’t – read 15 pages about your services to find what they need.

3. The “About Us” page is the most-often visited page on your dental website.
In many cases, About Us is the only page visited after the home page. We’ve done the studies and have the data. Below are 3 examples of live heat maps on dental-specific websites, proving that the About Us page is clicked on the most … by a landslide. This data proves that a prospect seeking a new dentist wants to learn quickly about the doctor and their team. The navigation must be simple. You do not want a situation where a prospect is having to dig through multiple pages to find simple information about the doctors.

Heat Maps Prove “About Us” Is #1

Take this opportunity to ensure your About Us page is easy to navigate to and has all the information on it that a prospect needs to make an informed decision – doctor biographies and links to your Contact Us page.

4. Strategically placed, search-engine-optimized content is key to a successful website.

Content is king and has been since the beginning of the internet, however, the way it’s displayed and distributed is the key to a successful website campaign.

Releasing a custom blog once a month that details the services you provide and why they are valuable to your patients is a stronger strategy than a cumbersome website with copious amounts of non-engaging medical jargon.

The blog lives on your website and is keyword friendly, meaning that it contains topics that people are searching for on Google. Promoting your blogs on your social media channels will help drive more traffic, engagement, website visits … and more new-patient calls to your practice for your team to convert!

5. Keep customers informed about COVID-19 protocols and considerations.

Businesses are affected differently by the pandemic which makes it difficult for prospects and patients to understand what to expect at your practice. Are you open? Closed? Do you have safety protocols that are religiously followed by staff? What do patients need to know when they arrive? Google has made the value of certain information very clear and I have adapted them to be relevant to your dental practice:

Make sure you adjust hours of operation. Did they change as a result of COVID-19?
What are the arrival protocols for your patients? Temperature checks? Hand sanitization? Mask requirements?
Do you offer online appointments? Tele-dentistry?
Are you explaining delays on specific services as a result of COVID-19?
Ensure patients know about the extra services you are providing for the community to assist them with their dental challenges.

Final Thoughts

It’s time to simplify and create a great user experience for your prospects and patients. We are living a new normal that includes the use of a lot more technology than ever before. Your patients are relying on your website to inform them. Remove question marks from people’s minds when they land on your website.

Contact Patient NEWS today for a FREE Web Audit so you know exactly where your strengths lie and where you can improve to increase production and profits. We will help you grow your practice, starting today! Call now.

2 Surprisingly Simple Things You Can Do For Patient Engagement & Impact

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:41:24 GMT

Joanne Bishop

UPDATE: 1 Simple Thing Dentists Can Do For Big Bucks

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:39:21 GMT

How reviews & electronic word-of-mouth can tell you the full story!

If you focus on call conversion, not only will your patient get the experience you want, they’ll get the experience they want which will improve practice reputation, appointments and referrals, which in turn boosts production.

The key is acquiring good data and analytics that power informed decision-making and drive action. This single strategic decision can significantly accelerate practice recovery and growth.

We can quantify the answers to the following questions, and I’ll share some real-world examples below with actual data from actual dental practices currently connected with Practice ZEBRA (the all-in-one dental software) using our call-conversion and call-coaching technologies.

Ask yourself these questions:

What could it mean to your practice if you could identify the team members that could consistently convert over 90% of calls versus those better suited to clinical duties only?
What would it mean to your practice if you were able to more-swiftly connect with new-patient callers live?
What are the top reasons patients don’t convert?
Are you using your “gut” to make important marketing decisions and accidentally cutting off the wrong new-patient powerhouse?
Would you be surprised to learn that there’s an opportunity for your front desk team to get even better?

By focusing on these call conversion milestones, not anecdotally, but by using data and analytics, you’ll be able to confidently say, “Missed calls are at an all-time low and new appointments are at an all-time high!” Not only because it will show in your metrics reports – but also because of the significant impact to production and profits.

Across the industry, you hear experts state that 50% of new patients are lost at the front desk. And that is likely true for the average dental practice. For Practice ZEBRA users, the results are a lot more promising after getting visibility to the results.

After call tracking, scoring, and phone power telephone training, our top clients are showing well over 95% answer and conversion rates. What does this mean financially? It could be significant depending on how well your team is doing now and how excited they are to be the best.

These are actual metrics from Practice ZEBRA between our average client conversion and top-performing conversion. For ease of use, the calculation uses 100 new-patient calls per month at our client average of $1785 in first-year revenue.

The average practice onboarding 40-50 new patients per month is doing pretty well. That’s a good pace for a single practitioner. BUT what if your practice is getting far more callers who could be patients?

Realistically no one can go from average to top-performing overnight. That’s a huge leap (but the data proves it is achievable) … BUT what if you could just incrementally improve call answer and conversion by 10%? A 10% improvement goal is reasonable, right? It would mean just a few more new patients coming through each month, but a very significant bump to both your patient count and your topline production over the long term.

Quantify this at your practice.

Start with your new-patient value – the amount, on average, a new patient contributes over the first twelve-month period with your practice.

How many new patients does your office average monthly?

You can get these data points in Practice ZEBRA.

Now … what if?

What would your practice realize financially if you increased your monthly new-patient conversion by just 5%, 10%… What’s reasonable based on your marketing, your call volume, and current conversion rates? Regardless of what you’re spending on marketing, once you know your call conversion rates, you’ll be able to see whether a vast improvement is possible.

Call handling. The system in Practice ZEBRA scores call handlers on a 25-point grading system, specifically designed for new dental patients. It’s been applied to hundreds of thousands of dental-patient calls since launch in August 2013. That means that you get an objective evaluation of each employee’s telephone skills which allows targeted training (using ZEBRA’s Phone Power Tutorials) to address specific skill gaps. This saves you time and effort in evaluating your dental office’s new-patient call handling, detects changes and trends in employee performance, and helps retain good team members because the support empowers them to succeed.

One of the biggest challenges front desk teams have is getting to calls in the first place.

Many calls go to voicemail and new patients don’t often leave a message, or if they do, the return call takes too long for their patience. Maybe your office is closed on Fridays and you only have voicemail. Implement an instant alert that goes to both the patient and the office when a new patient is missed and hits voicemail.

MISSED CALL ALERTS are available in Practice ZEBRA and helps our top-performing practices to still capture those patients even though they can’t answer over 90% live. If you’re using ZEBRA now, get these activated for your account. Set it up in Account Settings or call your Account Manager now.

It’s important to quantify these callers. These are prospective patients that you’ve worked hard to generate, you’ve invested in marketing, you’ve invested in patient communications to ask for referrals – you want to capture these calls. Implement an automated alert so your team can respond fast to these high-value patients before they move to a competitor.

Practice ZEBRA’s alert not only sends your team a text/email, but you can customize a text message to your new patients – which acknowledges that you know they’re interested, that you care, and that you value their business. This helps patients be patient knowing that you’ll be back to them shortly to answer questions and schedule their appointment.

So now you know how many calls are getting answered live and you know your conversion rate. If your conversion rate is low, it’s not always just on the shoulders of your front desk team.

When you track and score calls, you’ll find the common reasons that are consistent objections to patients not scheduling. These are reasons that you could impact with a different offer strategy, retargeting of marketing, or operational adjustments to deliver the value your target audience is looking for, and to support your team in converting more patients. For example, if insurance is a problem for your team, as it is for many, maybe it’s time to consider an in-house membership plan (US only). Or maybe the primary reason is that you are booking too far in advance, so an adjustment in operating hours or dedicated new-patient times would be the fix.

You can get this data in Practice ZEBRA

And then there is gut decision-making. There is power in that for sure. But not when it comes to areas where hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue is at stake – especially when you can have clear visibility of results through call tracking, conversion, and proper attribution. When you’re spending a lot on dental advertising, you want to know your calls are being answered and converted, and you also want to know the source that’s providing the best return. Practice ZEBRA is the only dental software to provide proper attribution – down to the penny patients spend – through address/phone/web matching.

At Patient NEWS, for almost all new clients, putting a focus on call answer and conversion rates is something that has a very immediate and significant impact on revenue. And this is even when, or especially when, you have a stellar front desk team that feels they are acing every new-patient call. With Practice ZEBRA on your side, you can make training, marketing, capacity, and operational decisions with real-time data and no longer rely on anecdotal or gut decisions that might not be the best for the success of your dental practice.

If you’re just not sure about your call handling metrics, if you’re not sure why your marketing campaigns aren’t resulting in the new patients or appointments you want, then maybe it’s time to put your focus on call conversion. Making an effort to understand your call handling metrics and then improving how your inbound calls are handled may just be the part of your marketing mix that’s been missing. With Practice ZEBRA, you’ll have all of these metrics at your fingertips including industry comparisons and training support. Schedule a free demo today.

Hey, if you’re already a ZEBRA user, make sure you have missed call alerts set up for your account. And make sure you also activate missed opportunity alerts that detect when a quality new patient hangs up without scheduling. Ask your Account Manager today.

Joanne Bishop

What VALUE Is Your Dental Practice Projecting?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:37:22 GMT

How reviews & electronic word-of-mouth can tell you the full story!

“User-generated online reviews have been continuously gaining credibility in the eyes of consumers, and today they are an essential component of the consumer decision-making process.” (Proserpio et al., 2016)

As a dental practice looking to win against competitors in your community and become the dentist of choice, managing your electronic word-of-mouth is critical. Not only because consumers look to reviews before making a purchasing decision and that reviews help your practice rank online, but because reviews provide valuable insights that can drive your decision-making.

Further to the growing data that proves reputation management and review generation is critical, analysis of almost 1000 dental office reviews provides clarity for connecting the dots between reviews and an enhanced patient experience. Developing an intentional culture inside your practice to make review generation a managed strategy makes sense for the practice that wants to deliver an exceptional experience for patients who choose your practice, return and refer, and increase production and profits.

Reviews and electronic referrals don’t only help your practice prove to the community you are a professional, trusted, and friendly practice, they also give necessary feedback about how you are performing, affirmed through the sentiments of your actual patient consumers. Through understanding consumer behavior and the relationship values that drive appointments, you can better position your brand and develop strategies that convert!

88% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

As important – reviews tell you what’s working and what’s not at your practice.

This blog is written to provide you with industry research and facts revealing the values that are driving consumers to select, visit, and advocate for one dental practice over another.

Public data provided by review sources such as Google My Business were compiled for the analysis of almost 1000 reviews posted for dental practices.

So what are patient perceptions and the relationship factors that build new patients and retain active ones?

Relationship Value Drivers & Consumer Behavior

A study by McGuigan and Eisner, marketing the dental practice, 8 steps toward dental marketing success concluded that the elements that establish trust between the patient and the dental practice are critical, specifically:

competence
promptness
reliability
ability to customize solutions
politeness.

Another relevant study by Sbaraini (2012) that focused on the effects of patient relationships states that patients value having a caring, professional dentist and staff, regardless of the severity of dental treatment.

“THE MOST IMPORTANT HEALTH-SERVICE FACTOR AFFECTING PATIENT SATISFACTION IS THE QUALITY OF THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP.”

A Harvard Business Review article outlined the elements of value in a business-to-consumer (B2C) environment. The values are based off Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs, coming from 3 decades of consumer behavior analysis. The conclusion of the study is simple: The more values your practice can excel at, the more loyal your patients will be.

What elements of value does your dental practice provide?

As mentioned earlier, review sentiment is one way to understand the value your practice is providing. The study below analyzed almost 1000 reviews. There were consistencies across the board in the review sentiment. Reviews tell similar stories when it comes to patient-perceived value and it’s clear that patients are honing in on the dentist (25%), the staff (29%), and the overall experience.

What does this mean? Often we assume that patients are most interested in services and the medical technology your practice provides. Although these are important aspects of a successful practice, they are not what the data is proving most important when it comes to patients’ perception and drivers of value.

Sentiment On Staff Descriptions

Friendly, informational, kind, professional, and caring considerations/perceptions are all consistent and often brought up in review conversation. So what does all this mean?

The data, research, and facts make it clear that practice culture, the service, quality, friendliness, and relationships you have with your patients are top factors in the loyalty and retention of your patient base. You can have the best marketing in the world, but if your practice culture is not on point, there will be many lost opportunities. It will be important to tie your marketing to value drivers, to overcome negative perceptions in dentistry.

Reviews are critical to your marketing mix! They help you truly understand how patients are perceiving your practice and help convert prospects into patients. In the eyes of Google and your patients, Google reviews make your practice look like a trustworthy place to visit. You will always trust your friends or family as a referral source, however, the unbiased opinion of a patient goes a long way in the eyes of prospects.

“A TYPICAL BUSINESS RECEIVES 59 ACTIONS FROM THEIR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS LISTING EACH MONTH AND 1260 VIEWS OF THEIR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS REVIEW PAGE!” (SOURCE: BRIGHT LOCAL)

Digital Tourqe says, “56% of people will visit your website and a further 24% will actually call your business directly from the listing.”

This is no joke. Your review page may receive more visits than your web page some days. A dental practice IS a LOCAL business with, for the most part, strong competition. To stand out and receive calls from your Google My Business page, review generation is key to success. Especially now when the world is experiencing a pandemic.

We are living a new normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The world is changing rapidly around us and we need to adapt. Picture this: a prospective patient is in the evaluation stage of finding a new practice, anxious and fearful of visiting the dentist. The prospect notices that your Google review page has patients commenting on the careful attention your practice is paying to protocols, clean air, and disinfectant processes. Quickly the prospective patient is relieved of their worries and books the appointment. This is powerful. Take initiative and make review generation a component of everyday business.

Does your practice make it easy for patients to leave you a review? Do they know where you’d like them to post a review? Does your team have a process and/or script to ask patients for reviews? Not only will this improve awareness of your campaign to patients, but it also improves patient satisfaction and loyalty when they know how much you value their opinion.

Ensure you are enabling a culture in your practice by coaching your team to promote positive patient perceptions through reviews. Friendly, personable, and professional atmospheres are what patients like to talk about.

Use a management system that sends out review requests automatically, post-appointment, with a dashboard that collects all your reviews so you can easily mange and respond. We call that service Review BOOSTER: and our dentists LOVE it!

Make reviews a company habit. It will help you understand the value your practice is projecting into your community while improving your reputation online and on the ground and increasing new patients. Don’t forget to include intentional management of your campaign by reading and responding to those reviews. Almost all people who read reviews look for the businesses’ responses to them. When you understand what patients are saying, the moment it is said, you can respond, react, and ACT and BOOST your reputation!

Our team is standing by to help you manage your online reputation, easily and effectively. Call today & ask for a FREE Demo of Review BOOSTER .

Are You Facing Big Gaps In Your Future Schedule?

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 05:34:55 GMT

With months of closure, some of your active patients inevitably fell through the cracks.

Appointments were missed, many patients haven’t yet rescheduled, and that means reminders can’t go out. And then there are new patients. Months of closure have to have a significant impact on future scheduling because that previously steady flow of new patients didn’t happen for a few months.

Now we’ve had some pretty good months of patient activity. Our clients reached 100% of pre-pandemic production levels through the summer; some had their highest production months ever. Early September looked sketchy, but the last weeks of September were back up again. That has to say something about being patient- and marketing-centric. Now, once again, our clients are hovering around 100% pre-COVID production levels, while the industry as a whole is reporting 75% achievement.

So the industry chat is now an expectation for big gaps in fall/winter schedules. Will that impact Patient NEWS clients who are proactively sending patient newsletters, updating their websites and online presence, engaging in paid media, and sending direct mail to their communities? I think those practices will end up with the upper hand in their markets.

But what about you who are reading this blog?

What does your October/November schedule look like?

Are you worried about the lack of new patients?

Does it make you nervous?

Don’t let it. Put a plan in place. You’ll immediately feel better. A little action now will ensure you get patient flow and production back on track and with a trajectory of growth into 2021. It’s that time of year that we have to start considering the last quarter and how it will impact Q1 of 2021.

It just takes a pad of paper and a priority list. What do you need to do for your practice to further engage active patients and attract a few more new patients in the short to midterm?

Here are 5 things top dentists do regularly:

Refresh the practice brand & be ready to engage patients and prospects
Review competitors & look at their offers
Benchmark & monitor key performance metrics
Implement enhanced value-add patient communications
Set required new-patient goals.
The team at Patient NEWS cares. We are passionate about helping our clients improve practice performance and recover from COVID closures. We’d love to talk to you about your current situation and share what other successful offices are doing and how these ideas and solutions could help your practice.

Refreshing Your Brand

Consider these questions: What do patients find when they look us up online? Is our website as modern and up-to-date as our practice and services? Do you have a lot of new positive reviews that emphasize how safe your office is and how awesome your team are? What do people in your target audience know about your practice? Do patients know you accept referrals? Do patients know all the services you have available right now? What is your brand image? What would you like it to be? How do new patients find out about you and know your services are ideal for them?

Take a moment to refresh your brand so patients and prospects know you’re the best in your area.

Competitor Review

Consider these questions: Why would a new patient choose your practice over the office on the corner? Or the 52 others that are one block away? What new-patient offers are luring your patients back from COVID isolation to dental visits with them instead of you? What are your competitive advantages and how can you best share these with patients and prospects so that your practice stands out above the rest?

Invest the time in knowing your competitors and what may stand out to patients from your practice.

KPIs

Consider these questions: Are you worried you’re losing more patients that you’re gaining? Do you know if you had a net gain or loss of patients in the last 6 months? Do you know exactly how much a new patient contributes versus an average active patient? Do you know how to quantify your production gap and project what’s needed to determine next steps? Do you know how many treatments you presented last month and the percentage converted? Can you compare that to the past 12 months? Do you know how many patients haven’t seen you in the past 9 months? Do you know who they are?

Knowing and measuring the right KPIs will help you achieve results.

Value-added Patient Communication

Consider these questions: How can we improve our patient experience (PX) so that more patients reschedule, return, and refer? What services do we need patients to better understand so that they value what we’re investing? How can we educate our patients and reassure more patients that its safe to return. If industry-wide, 85% of patients who had a visit in 2019 are “ready” to return “with encouragement from the dentist,” what percentage of our patients have come back? Is there a gap?

Keeping existing patients engaged and connected to your practice is very important. Focus on your PX.

New Patient Goals

Consider these questions: If a new patient contributes twice as much to annual production as an active patient, how can we add more of them? If patients leave our practice due to natural causes like job change, home moves, death … at the nationwide rate of 15-20% each year, how can we maintain practice production? What happens if we don’t refresh our patient base and then the base begins to age after having been a new patient 5-10 years ago … and more start lapsing? Do we want to provide dental care to more quality patients in our neighborhood? What will happen to our schedule in 6 months if we don’t focus on new-patient flow right now? For new patients who we are seeing now, could we incentivize a second visit to turn them into practice advocates?

New patients contribute twice as much production as active patients, and for growth, the average practice needs to add around 600 new patients per year per doctor.

That’s it. It just takes a pad of paper and a priority list. Decide what you can do now to help your practice further engage active patients and attract a few more new patients in the short to midterm.

Again, the team at Patient NEWS is here to help. Our clients are posting record production and we can help you do it too.