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How To Help Your Practice Thrive During Uncertainty

We're all in this together. Love, Roadside

Let’s take a deep breath… together.

This is an uncertain time for many of our dear friends. First and foremost, we’re sending positivity your way and a virtual hug (or elbow bump!).

Our extended Roadside Dental Marketing family means the world to us and as a small business, we understand the fear and uncertainty that many of you may be experiencing, and we want to help your business thrive.

Our leadership team has met many times over the past week to brainstorm and put into action HOW we can help our family, not just survive, but THRIVE during the current situation.

Our community of dentists, orthodontists, and specialists across the country all have the need to be able to update and reassure their communities in real-time. This week, we’ve been updating our clients’ websites with COVID-19 information and providing them with tools and resources to be able to provide the most up-to-date and reassuring information to their patients and communities, all at no charge. We view this as just one small way we can help out during this stressful time.

But beyond that…

In addition to addressing that immediate need for our clients, as a small business ourselves, we want to do all we can to support other businesses that will be affected in the days ahead.

Helping your business thrive during uncertainty

From one small business to another…

Many businesses do not yet know the full impact of how this pandemic will affect them. But there are steps you can take right now to create trust, empathy, and connection with your communities at this moment.

That’s where we can help.

We’ve put together tips, ideas, and resources to help your business create positivity, reassurance, and value for others. First and above all, we want to help you help others. ❤️

Create a personal connection with your community

As healthcare providers, you’re already focused first and foremost on helping others live their best lives. If you’re not currently able to see patients or if the number of patients you’re seeing is reduced, now is a perfect time to use your blog and social media to be a positive force within your community.

Now more than ever is the time to be a human, not just a “brand.” It’s a time to share and offer generous support.

Stay connected using your blog and social media

One great thing about social distancing? It gives you time to create some reassuring and positive content! (Hey, we’ve gotta look at the glass half full here, right?)

Here are some SIMPLE content ideas you can create for your patients and community during this time:

  • Post a personal, positive, reassuring message from the doctor.
  • Many people are experiencing elevated levels of stress and anxiety right now which can lead to nighttime teeth grinding. Share some simple at-home techniques they can try out to relieve TMJ pain.
  • Share photos of your team meeting together remotely via Zoom or Skype.
  • Explain what to do in case of a dental emergency during this time – at-home tips and when to call you for help.
  • Offer free virtual consultations for those who have questions or who may be interested in discussing a future treatment (if you’re not sure how to do this, contact us… This text opens a new tab to Roadside’s contact information… to discuss adding a Virtual Consult Page to your website).
  • Create videos showing how to keep a good dental hygiene routine even if a patient’s checkup and cleaning has had to be rescheduled – tips to floss properly, toothbrush and toothpaste recommendations, etc.
  • Share resources that can help your community ease their anxiety, such as your favorite workout routines, meditation apps, comfort food recipes, or activities to help keep kiddos occupied while at home.

Get your team involved in creating content

If your office is closed right now, ask your team to send you brief videos of what they’re up to while they’re social distancing.

  • How are they keeping busy?
  • What are they doing for self-care?
  • How are they keeping their kids (or themselves!) entertained at home?

Remember, keep the tone and message positive – now more than ever is the time to focus on the good instead of the bad. Videos of silliness and one-person dance parties are encouraged!

2 marketing ebooks - free Roadside resources

Here are two free Roadside Resources to help you and your team create content:

Use your marketing to build trust and address pain points

We love to tout the fact that we’ve been around since 1999 before Google was a verb! But in all seriousness, it means we’ve been in this business through a few economic slumps, downturns, and outright crises. We’ve learned firsthand that the practices and businesses that continue to market during recessions and downturns are the ones who come out stronger than they went in.

Help your business thrive. Marketing is the equivalent of hydration and sunlight for your business.

Think of a houseplant. Not many houseplants can survive without regular water and sunlight (I have learned this from personal experience –  #blackthumb). Dental marketing is the equivalent of hydration and sunlight for your business. Those who continue to invest in growth during difficult times not only survive but often, thrive.

Two additional advantages to maintaining your marketing include 1) strengthening the perception of your brand, and 2) gaining an edge over competitors who choose to slow their marketing efforts during a downturn.

Adjust messaging to address patients’ needs

However, that doesn’t mean it’s time to keep things status quo.

Now more than ever is a time to adjust your messaging to address patients’ pain points, show empathy, and build trust.

One way to do this is to update your website’s messaging to show empathy and break down barriers.

  • Once we’re able to return to (somewhat) normal routines, will you be offering early morning, lunchtime, evening, and/or weekend appointments to accommodate rescheduled patients?
  • Are you providing new financing options or other ways to help patients afford the care they need?
  • Think about the services that will continue to be absolutely essential and beneficial for patients. Does your website address the enormous value of these services for their costs? Do you need to shift focus to these services over others?
  • Is it a good time to breathe life into your referral program with new incentives or offers?
  • Do you offer a membership plan for those who don’t have dental insurance?
  • Are you featuring any money-saving special offers for new and current patients?

Your website needs to feature this content front and center.

Maintain solid relationships with existing patients

This is also a good time to stay in a relationship with your existing patients. Keep in contact with them regularly.

As mentioned above, your blog and social media are two highly effective ways to do this. Email is another way to do so.

Remember, it’s most cost-effective to KEEP your existing patients and their referrals, especially in an economic downturn.

Invest time in education and growth

Now is a great time to dive into some of that education you’ve been putting off!

Free education resources:

Podcast: Get Better ROI by Teaching Your Team to Market… This text opens a new tab to an AADOM Radio podcast…

In this podcast, Angela shares proven tips to get your entire team involved in creating a patient-first marketing culture within the practice.

Podcast: 10 Essentials for a Patient-First Website… This text opens a new tab to an AADOM Radio podcast…

Arron helps identify how to turn your dental website into a 2020 patient-focused hub for your marketing efforts and the top 10 website features patients love (as well as how to make Google love them too).

AADOM eCampus… This text opens a new tab to AADOM eCampus…

Learn and grow with AADOM’s comprehensive eCampus, which includes an enormous library of on-demand virtual learning – perfect for social distancing!

Let’s THRIVE through this together

Again, our extended Roadside family (which includes YOU, dear reader!) means the world to us. It’s our goal to ensure you’re able to not only weather the storm of this current COVID-19 situation, but also come out of it stronger than you were before.

We are here to support you! Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our hard-working team… This text opens to Roadside’s contact information… if you have any questions or need any help.

Peace and love,
Your Roadside Family

 

 

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