Marketing Planning: Being A Profitable Dental Practice in 2012 Through 2022

Each dentist's specific economic predicament, their community's position and the overall perspective creates many businesses challenges, but also provides opportunities of wide and prosperous potential! Therefore, dental practices needs to respond in various ways to encourage consumers to make dentistry a higher priority.

STOP: Waiting For Results, Sitting On Hands, Watching Time Go By

Dental consumers will keep delaying without reminders of value (of not waiting, of what is out there...), which is especially true in this 'manufactured' environment. Manufactured because dentistry is different, it is needed, and after a while a 'must' for those patients who would have gone to the dentist sooner without a bad 'economic climate'.

Additionally, general dental consumers and even current patients have always needed a higher level of communication. Better and more consistent dental marketing is used to upgrade their perspective to accept advanced dentistry treatments. Stronger, more comprehensive, referral skills will help patients encourage friends, family and colleagues/coworkers to consider higher level dentistry not just moving to a 'nicer dentist' or doing merely traditional drill, fill and fit only what's in their insurance till.

While regular preventive dental visits can be delayed without a short-term downside (pain), significant oral health problems (gum disease, tooth loss) and 'personal driven' reasons (replace missing, damaged teeth/tooth before job interview) will not wait for an economic recovery.

When smile emergencies arise, and toothaches flare up, dentists and dental offices should have a public presence to keep patient numbers on a upward growth trajectory as well as improve value acceptance internally.

Dentists who offer high value services such as biomimetic focused approach, comprehensive periodontal management, Invisalign braces, tooth replacing dental implants, cosmetic dentistry veneers, and life, health rejuvenating smile makeovers should make sure they are the ones these patients will know of, already 'trust', see as providing deep value, when they start looking.

For example: Sedation dental marketing is also a way to move consumers who have put off dental treatment because of fear to get the care they need now. Presenting multiple smile makeover transformations of people from various life circumstances, perspectives and situations is beneficial to making the point that better care is not just for celebrities and TV newscasters.

While specific ideas of approaching marketing is important (like above) too many dentists start out with specifics and get caught up in the details before they understand the overall picture. To that end, below find three ways dentists should know about dental marketing before jumping off.

Being a Profitable Dental Practice ELEMENTS in 2012... Beyond

The Best Dental Marketing Plan has THREE Elements

ONE: Be A Publicly, Proactive, Persistent Dental Practice

• One of the biggest areas of new dental patient development

• Also Prepares the 'attention' of patients, consumers not considering dentistry right now 

• Includes a traditional marketing element like dental postcards not just an online presence 

• People need to be made aware of the dentist's cosmetic, restorative expertise and services

• While public marketing maybe more expensive to begin, done right, dentists improve things more broadly, faster, geographically targeted

• Waiting for referrals, or consumers to think about or searchers is risky at any time, let alone a downturn

TWO: Completely Cover Each Current Dental Patient's Angle

• Patients want others to know about their dentist if they do things well

• This is hardly ever done well - it is often generic, impersonal, and infrequent

• Referrals and smile makeover case acceptance result from effectively communicating value

• Find more ways to connect with dental patients and more formats to ask for referrals

• Add elements that say something 'new/advanced' about the dentist, office

• While standard referrals still make great patients, the new landscape requires enhanced methods

• Use dental technology to better inform patient of the value dentistry services provide and the dentist's expertise

THREE: Network Your Internet Connection: Dental Website, Social Media

• Websites, Social Media (Facebook, Twitter) is where current dental patients, and consumers are, and will be looking for dentists, offices

• Thousands of ways to attract new dental care patients online

• When Online evasion is practiced, dentists shrink their community influence, referral power, expertise value

• The real 'competition' dentist's have is when they do one thing, if anything, and often haphazardly 

• Dentists must keep adding online dental marketing repertoire, weaving in your highest value services

Downturn Dental Marketing Conclusion

Comprehensive (yet affordable) assertive and persistent public and internal communication is essential for dentists, dental offices to be viable today and long term. Dental marketing is not only a good thing it is the only thing that consistently gets consumers and patients enough information in the quantity, quality, and the right time of day for them to absorb it effectively.

To achieve the success dentists want this year, or any year, requires getting the marketing they need to reach out to the community of those just waiting for someone to speak up, and say, 'Dental care value is RIGHT HERE!"

Dental Marketing Commentary by
Dick Chwalek
NicheDental.com

Niche Dental Consulting, coaching to comprehensive, is for guiding dentists (like you) to better, faster, and fit-your-needs solutions.

Original Published Version

Video Part 2 of 2: Why Are New Dental Patients 'Available' In Your Area or Not...

The second video concludes my general discussion about New Dentistry Patient Availability. This concept refers to the stable or constant number of consumers who are searching for a dentist or dental offices.

The 'Availability' number does NOT change just because another dentist moves into the area.

The ‘Availability quotient’ is changeable but only with a disruption in the environment (like a dentist building a new office--that is obvious to the consumer) or an external communication intervention using activators such as dental marketing direct mail/postcards.

Activators are combined into the Connective Communication© formula, which involves combining layers of marketing required to activate a vibrant new patient base and sustain a high level of available participants.

Dentists develop a matrix of these activators: one 'gathers' the current available group, another 'creates' more new patients and, the third improves the value of what patients request/purchase.

NOTE: Client Testimonial - Split into three parts throughout Part 2 of 2.

Video Presented by Dick Chwalek of Niche Dental
Dentistry Communication Consultant and Dentist Marketing Coach

Also visit my YouTube.com Channel for the latest Dental Marketing/Dentists video.

For more information Contact

Niche Dental

Client Liaison • Oli Gonsalves

CALL

1.888.380.0020

or SEND Email To Oli

View 1 of 2 'Availability' Video and 2 of 2 'Availability' Video on NicheDental.com

Dentists on TV & Radio: Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Profitable

Matt Wagner, Owner of

RADIO & TELEVISION EXPERTS, LLC…“I have helped dozens of clients in many industries run successful campaigns on radio. That's my best niche. Through use of testimonials, jingles, dialogue spots and well placed schedules, I've maximized dollars and results. I can truly give neutral, unbiased advice on the best stations to use (unlike stations who will always steer you their way).”

A Few TV/Radio Campaign Answers...

How much does this cost?
It depends on what market you are in – the size of each radio stations approximate audience, coupled with demand on advertising inventory are what dictate rates. In addition, rather
than buying 20-30 commercials at random times, we narrow down the time frames considerably so dentists like you standout during peak times when the most amount of listeners can be impacted.

How long until I start seeing results?
In some cases, we've had responses the first day, but I ask for 8-12 weeks before we start gauging results. Radio and TV are different than other marketing. The audience has to transfer from ‘hearing’ you to actually ‘listening’ to you.

The beautiful thing is, once that happens, you'll get new dental patient referrals from people who have never met you, but only know you through media. If after 8 weeks you don't see noticeable results, I take a closer look and make any necessary adjustments. I don't like to lose, especially since it's hard to re-convince an audience.

How does R.A.T.E. make money?
As an Advertising Agency, I am awarded a discount from the media for bringing them the business – that is my compensation.

Get More Answers By Contacting Matt…

Matt Wagner of Radio And Television Experts LLC (R.A.T.E.)
Matt is a 16-year veteran of radio, has won national sales and writing awards and has created
for dentists practicing general cosmetic dentistry as well as sleep sedation dental treatment. Wagner will identify the best stations, negotiate the most effective times, and create compelling ad copy at no additional charge to what the radio would normally cost.

Radio And Television Experts, LLC

Matt Wagner - Owner / Founder / Head Media Coach

Direct Line: 580-512-0351

Email: MW@RadioAndTelevisionExperts.com

1146 NW Cache Rd

Lawton, Ok 73505

www.RadioAndTelevisionExperts.com

Collaborate for success, visit NicheDentalCollabarate.com

Turn Around Marketing/Conclusion of Dentists Following The Sameness Stampede

Read Part One: Dentists Sap Their Value When Following The Sameness Stampede

TURN AROUND DENTAL CONSUMER MARKETING

So TURN AROUND. Go another direction. Say something different. Be something different. Don't be a dentist. Don't offer dentistry. Be an expert, a lifesaver, a people problem solver, a comfort achiever, or whatever fits your expertise, experience, personality, location, etc. Differentiate!

Simply by turning around you will get noticed. This is not about exclusivity or being a boutique dental practice. It is specificity. Be specific about who you are and what you can do for the dental consumer. Yes, this is focused mostly on people with a lot of discretionary funds. But people who want what "they now see" and would pay much more than you would ever expect -- will start coming in as well - even in this tough economy.

I have seen - how this tough economy is an opportunity for making this happen. While the go-go days are gone for now - in times like this people will think about what is really valuable to them. They are ready to change their focus.

Because everyone is chasing the same thing -- there is a lot still left on the table. Turn Around your dental marketing and you will see the rewarding banquet and so will they. Think about it. There are 75 million baby boomers and 10 of millions of even older Americans - the two groups that have all the discretionary money. Plus they have more extensive dental disease and smile makeover needs than the younger set. More dental needs, more discretionary money, not sure how things can get better than that!

More specifically, I read an article that estimated there is 0 billion in dental implants to be placed right now if everyone that needed them got them. Even if it is 0 billion - if 25,000 dentists turned around and focused on them that is 0K more per year in their pocket for 20 years. Just for dental implants. Without turn around dental marketing, most people will never "see" the value.

In reality a lot less than 10,000 dentists will turn around their dental marketing because following the marketing herd is very seductive. For example, there are oodles of low-cost "following/competing" dental postcards, websites and other marketing products online right now. Google makes it even easier to follow and consume sameness.

But let other dental practices chase the tail of sameness because that means even more money is on the table for you. Of course, being creative and changing the dynamic takes some thought and commitment. But if you want more consumers to turn around and see the value in your dental expertise, then turning around how you value communication might be worthwhile as well.

GET STARTED... 

Your Two DENTISTRY Marketing Choices

• A) To compete, go to Google.com, Yahoo.com, and MSN.com where dental marketing sameness can be searched in all its sap-a-licious splendor.


• B) To turn around, see things differently, and help your patients and consumers in this way as well, Niche Dental can help put things into focus.

Contact Niche Dental - Email or Call 866-453-1026

Dental Marketing Commentary by

Dick Chwalek

Dental Communication Integration Consultant

Value Marketing Versus Lowest Common Denominator In Dentistry

I wrote the following article to explain my theory of 'value dentistry marketing'. Yes, at some point we all go to Wal-mart for toilet paper (my shorthand for whatever we deem of minimal value). But when marketing a service based on expertise, focusing on discounts can diminish consumer respect for that expertise. 

Basically, should dentists be associated with HALF-OFF type advertising simplicity (gimmicks)  even though 'it works'? Mixing marketing simplicity with dentistry complexity has significant backfire potential. It can be used but only with a very steady hand. 

The main reason I developed this theory is the dilemma caused by dental insurance. Just ask any dentist how much influence insurance reliance has on the acceptance of their treatment recommendations. Consumers often use dental insurance coverage to dictate or control their level of acceptance. "My dentist tried to sell me on some procedure. Obviously, it was not needed - because my insurance hardly covered any of it!" 

Discount dentistry has the same potential. "The other dentist down the road has it for half price. Of course, the other dentist is charging too much. Plus he takes all insurances (even though that means he has to treat more patients - maybe not as thoroughly) to make the same amount of money." 

Read the entire article to see if my theory holds up. Just so you know, the article is mercury free and prevents dental marketing decay...

Excerpt and link to entire article on my website...

Dental Marketing Lowest Common Denominator Dilemma

Money-off dental advertising, marketing concepts don't interest me as much as they do my industry cohorts. While they 'actually work' for many consumers, it has many counterproductive elements. Who doesn't want to save a dollar or two? Unfortunately, this diversionary focus on cost means little else is being communicated effectively to the dental consumer.

After viewing four or five coupons on a dental flyer with BOLD lettering and lots of dollar signs ($500 OFF!), what else is the consumer going to remember about it? When buying garbage bags and gas, focusing on price makes a lot of sense. These are simplistic items and easily made decisions. They are ‘commodities’ of short-term value.

Dentistry is complex and always on the periphery of the consumers’ understanding so even intelligent and upscale people are often in the dark. Piling discounts on a complex service like dental care puts the learning curve on a slippery slope. It also stagnates the value of your dental expertise (or worse). For example, if the barbershop is doing coupons for haircuts AND dentists are also doing coupons for a some hair-raising procedure – is there any reason for the consumer to believe dentistry has changed much since the day when the two (hair removing and hair-raising procedures) were both under one roof?

Okay, the barber/dentist comparison is a bit of a groaner, but there is reason for concern… Maybe giving money-off is good for the lower income person who might not go to the dentist without a ‘cheaper’ version? Yet, many of these offers are for the new dental patient, which means the lower income person is often out of luck in the next round. Then patients are jumping from one deal to the next and the dentist is only providing another lily pad band-aid, not a real dental care home.

Another not-so positive way ‘it works’ is to draw in the price-conscious person—who believes in dentistry – but will wait for a ‘deal’ before they do anything. The hope here is that these patients will become better dental consumers once the practice and its team mesmerize them. It works for some dentists more than others and but mostly on the fringes. Plus it is NOT what most consumers would expect from a ‘doctor’s’ office—discount bypasses, this week only!

Businesses that know exactly who they want as a clientele, speak directly to those consumers. Dentists who want patients who will stay in the practice--but market to the discount group--will find it difficult to upgrade care to those consumers. Dentists with selling prowess will do better when starting with the discount crowd, but why put start with a deficit when it can be avoided. The dental marketing (or communication) dilemma is: how do you attract new patients without hammering the discount angle?

One thing to realize is that patients and consumers only get scraps of information during the dental visit. The dentist or dental team member presents a lot of it verbally. The dental appointment is not the best environment for absorbing complex ideas. If most of it is verbal, then 'in one ear and out the other' is usually the effect achieved.

If discounts are all they are seeing outside of the dental visit, then their concept of dentistry is not unlike the dollar store perspective. If it is not CHEAP or on SALE, it is overpriced!

With most dental marketing campaigns there usually is nothing coming their way that builds value. Once in a while a small percentage will see an ostentatious dental ad in an upscale city magazine or some dental technology news blip. The advertisements and messages have nothing in depth or value building besides cool technology or Hollywood smile makeover concepts, which an even smaller number of people will relate to. This improves advanced dentistry’s value around the edges, but for most it is pushed out into the realm of expensive, elective and extra.

To Read Remainder of Article, click...

"The Dental Marketing Lowest Common Denominator Dilemma"

Dental Coaching and Dentistry Consulting

Contact 

Dick Chwalek at Niche Dental

866-453-1026 Ext 253

Most Common Dental Marketing Questions?

What are the most common dental marketing questions? As a dental marketing coach and consultant working with many different dentists over the course of a year, I see many similarities with dentistry and marketing.

Dental patients also have many questions that my dentist clients need to answer. Some are more easily dealt with; others are more delicate or problematic. Dentists can often only answer in generalities. To dental patients, it might sound like avoidance, but usually it falls in the legitimate category of “we need to do a complete oral exam to make sure”.

Yet we all desire simple answers with an inexpensive cost to go with it. For my consumer cohorts and me, it is dental care. For you and my dentist clients, it is dental practice marketing. However, we also want to get a high level of value and realize that complexity and unknowns are part of life.

To build value and avoid causing mistrust, both of us – dentist and dental marketer – need to effectively enlighten each other’s constituencies. They need to know how to determine when value should take over from a pure cost perspective and when complexity requires us to do more than throw mud at the “solutions” wall.

Let’s see how these two perspectives, dental care and marketing, compare.

Frequently Asked Questions Comparison
--- Actual dentist provided the consumer questions for this TOP list.

1. Why doesn’t dental insurance cover more of my procedures? (I ask because because your expertise and my dental health is only valuable up to a point.)
1. How come your fees for dental marketing are higher than I was expecting to pay (and do not reflect the low value I put on this type of service)?

2. Is this dental treatment going to hurt in any way?
2. Can you guarantee that my first dental postcard mailing will work?

3. Is this dentistry procedure necessary?
3. Can I do less dental advertising and still get a good result?

4. My child needs braces. What do I need to do? (Asked before an exam)
4. I need to attract more dental patients. What do I need to do? (Asked without knowing your entire situation, real budget, etc.)

5. What age should my children start their dental care?
5. I have never marketed my dental practice at all or not very consistently or proactively; I have been opened for 2 months to 30 years. Where should I start?

6. Why do I need dental x-rays?
6. Why should I do a dental marketing plan?

7. Why do I need to come every six months to get my teeth cleaned?
7. Can I just do one direct mail dental postcard and then see what happens?

8. What is periodontal disease?
8. Why do I need consistent dental marketing to keep my practice healthy?

9. Am I a good candidate for Invisalign braces?
9. Should my dental practice just stick with the same old, same old (my dwindling referral network, etc.) and not try anything new since it could be risky?

Complexity/Value VS Simplicity/Cost
Dentistry is often complex. Yet consumers want simple answers. Your education and training, the professionals you employ, and the products and technology you use require significant financial resources – especially if you want to offer latest, greatest dental service.

And even though consumers "want" these new, amazing dental treatments, they often expect it to have very little impact (at least obvious) on their wallets. This large value and reality disconnect squeezes things quite a bit. Without assertive communication (dental marketing) the opening for success will stay very small and probably get smaller.

Dental marketing has its complexities as well. Yet almost anyone can do it, even dentists— without a state dental board and health officials requiring they do 75 hours of dental marketing CE each year. This – I can do it on my own if I want AND the reality of time needed, increased trial and error potential, and constant changes in dental marketing techniques – creates a value disconnect as well.

How many hours do dentists spend on their own marketing to "save money" but then their trial and error rate is double or triple that of a middle-of-the-road dental marketer? Yes it might cost more "out of pocket" to get the results you really want, but is that not what you tell your patients. I do have an idea of how we could make things better -- develop a dental marketing insurance plan. Think of the bureaucratic marketing bliss we could achieve. I will send you the appropriate forms as soon as they are available.

How Can We Solve This Dentistry Dilemma?

First, decide what is most important. Is it value or cost? Should we avoid complexity (and hope for simple answers when they are not there) or go beyond simplistic marketing of dentistry and be more creative in addressing the challenges?

Once you make your decision, start communicating it consistently: whatever “it” is. Dental marketing in a consistent way is 50-90% of success. Of course, “success” depends on your competition, what methods are employed, and the frequency. (That darn complexity again.)

Next, consider what your value is and what person or entity can best develop it throughout your communication system (you, someone you know, a dental marketer, dental consultant, etc.).

Finally, rather than following the herd – be creative so you standout consistently. Choosing the generic – often the cheaper but little standout value – dental marketer – means at some point you will be (or continue to be) thought of as any dentist – which means your value will be generic and only covered by dental insurance.

DENTAL FAQ #10
> Both of these are mine.

10. Is there a dentist near you that has extra training and knowledge like you do (from sources like LVI, AACD, Pankey, John Kois, Peter Dawson, AGD, and dental labs AND does smile makeovers, dental implants, neuromuscular dentistry, dental exams, crown and bridge dentistry, porcelain veneers, braces, and/or smile whitening) but charges less than you do and will achieve the same value and result as you do?

10. Is there any place I can get dental marketing cheaper – but will also put the same level of value into my message, image, dental website writing, dentist brochure, cosmetic dentistry postcards, dental practice logos, dental PPC online advertising, dentistry stationery, and dental websites SEO?

> I like building value because simplicity is boring and contributes to the dumbing down to the lowest common denominator of what is possible. More importantly, your patients deserve all dentistry has to offer. When you are ready to get them that level of care, we should talk.
Sincerely, Dick Chwalek - Niche Dental President
CALL 866-453-1026 ext 251

Dental Marketing Coach and Dentistry Consultant
www.NicheDental.com
PLUS - Build Value into, and Be Consistent with, your dental marketing...
Consistently Attract New Patients with Personalized Family or Cosmetic Dentist Postcards!
Dental Logos With Standout POWER and Custom Dentistry Websites Too!.