All-In-One Dental Marketing Post-Pandemic
As a dental professional, marketing may not be on the top of your priority list.
We know the number one thing you care about is providing high-quality dentistry for your patients.
That’s what makes you a great dentist.
But:
More people need to know about your unique office decor, comfortable amenities, and skilled techniques.
Basically, they need to know what sets you apart from competing dental offices in the area.
That way, you can treat more deserving patients and help them achieve a beautiful and healthy smile.
Word-of-mouth referrals are okay.
But they’re no longer the only way to reach the audience you want to reach.
So:
How do you get the word out that you’re the best dentist over the competition?
Digital marketing.
You may be thinking, “Is there a need to learn digital marketing for dentists?”
The short answer:
Yes!
And who’s better to give you tips and tricks about dental internet marketing than a dental-focused marketing agency with a team of former dental professionals and enthusiasts?
In our blog, you’ll learn:
- Why online marketing for dentists is important
- Digital marketing solutions
- How to find the right digital marketing agency for your dental practice
Let’s dive right in.
Why do I need online marketing as a dentist?
Traditionally, dental and medical practices didn’t have to rely on a prominent digital marketing budget.
Methods like word of mouth, advertising through yellow pages, and even radio commercials have quickly been overshadowed by a power tool:
The internet.
The online world has everything you want, right at your fingertips.
You can quickly search:
- Dentists near me
- Best dentists in the area
- Cosmetic dentist near me
- Implant dentist near me
It’s so easy to find dental practices.
But – there’s the problem.
If you don’t have an online presence to show patients that you’re the best dentist in the area, how will they find your practice?
And the truth is:
Your dental office may be buried digitally under the competing dental practices with a strong marketing strategy.
The pandemic has revealed the necessity of online marketing.
If you’re not online, you’re behind the times.
Social media is the number-one tool dentists should utilize to grow their practice. As found in this survey… This text opens a new tab to the DentaVox website…, one in three dental patients believes dentists need Facebook marketing.
Dentists who utilize social media are seen as:
- Innovative
- Adaptable to changing times
- More available to help patients
The online world is intimidating.
But when used correctly, it’s a powerful tool to connect you with different people, especially your ideal patients.
Keep reading to find out how you can strengthen your online personality to convert clicks into patients.
Digital marketing solutions for dentists
Many people group “marketing” and “sales” together.
They’re not necessarily the same thing.
In fact, it gives marketing a negative connotation.
When you hear “sales,” you may think of a pushy “you need to buy this now” mentality.
That’s not the case with marketing.
It’s a personable and gentle approach to showcase your unique personalities and quality services.
Let’s talk about the solutions to your digital marketing problems:
Marketing with Love
You may think since everything is online now, people aren’t seeking genuine relationships anymore.
And that’s far from the truth!
Since the pandemic, people have been relying heavily on building and growing online relationships.
Think about it:
You couldn’t see other people outside of your immediate household, so you most likely spent a lot of time online.
That desire for genuine connections will only grow, even post-pandemic.
More than ever, patients have the ability to discern authenticity from ingenuine approaches.
Your patients are real people with real feelings – just like you!
So instead of marketing to only push your service, put yourselves in their shoes.
“What are their doubts? What’s holding them back from going to the dentist? What kind of dentist would you want to go to?”
Keeping this approach in mind will stimulate the flow of genuine marketing content. It’s what we call marketing with love.
It builds:
- Connection
- Service
- Trust
Set aside time for marketing
Okay, we know you’re probably thinking:
“How am I going to set aside time to do online marketing when I have a whole dental practice to run?! Patients to see?!”
Before you freak out, take a deep breath.
We’ll let you in on a little secret.
Digital marketing doesn’t have to be time-consuming for you or your staff.
In fact:
Depending on how frequently you want to push out content, you can get it done in just one day for every month.
How?
There are three simple steps:
- Set aside dedicated time for marketing purposes.
- Plan your content.
- Use an online publishing tool… This text opens a new tab to the Publer.io website… to schedule your posts in advance.
Seriously, that’s it.
And doing that will save you precious time for YOUR biggest priority: patient care.
Whether you choose to set time in the beginning, middle, or end of every month is up to you.
Plan out:
- How many posts you want to schedule out per week
- What kind of content you want on your page (we’ll get into this later)
- Time to interact and engage with patients online, whether it’s replying to reviews or comments
When you set aside time for your marketing efforts, it shows.
Thoughtfully planned out social content will build your connections online.
Whether it’s wishing your patients a “Happy New Year!” or a reminder to visit their dentist for a routine cleaning, it shows you care.
That leads us into the last part:
“What kind of content should I publish?
No surprises here – it ties back to marketing with love.
Choose your content
You don’t have to post the same thing every time to get engagement.
That can get tedious for you and your patients alike.
Remember:
Be you. Be personable.
Your next post can be something as simple as a quick video showing off your team’s personality.
We love this video our client, Charles Ashley Mann, DDS… This text opens a new tab to the Charles Ashley Mann website…, made about dental jokes – it’s just 40 seconds of pure fun and laughter.
That shows their personality. And that’s what will attract their ideal patient to their practice.
You can do the same thing.
Make content for your patients that will:
- Engage them to like, comment, or share the post
- Inform and educate them
- Build trust, such as posting a positive patient review or a “Get to Know Me.”
Have fun and be real with your content!
How to find a digital marketing agency for dentists
Want to expand your marketing efforts?
Roadside Dental Marketing has helped dental practices like yours grow and thrive since 1999.
Our team of dental marketing experts knows how to market with love to push your practice to its full potential.
Let’s create a custom marketing plan, budget, and timeline together to crush your business goals and show the world your unique skillset and dental practice.
Schedule your free website audit with Angela to start your digital marketing journey today.
