In an era where economic growth and stability are not a guarantee, dental practices very often need to revisit ways of marketing their practice to attract new patients.
For dental practices, working with local companies can mean fruitful relationships that create opportunities to grow their patient base and ensure a healthy local population as well as healthy profits. Here, I look at how to reach out and grow your reach…
‘Buddy up’
Consider speaking to local companies about mutual benefits for your patients. At its simplest level, this may mean exchanging flyers or posters to display in each other’s premises. Local gyms are a great place to start – gym goers are, by definition, concerned about their health, wellbeing and appearance. Offering discounted aesthetic dental treatments, such as teeth whitening, may entice them. In return, the gym can offer membership to your patients at a reduced cost. Spend time looking for businesses that have the right ‘fit’ and send out personalised emails explaining the proposition. Seek out the best prospects and be sure the companies are appropriate, i.e. where you are most likely to find new patients.
Beauty and hair salons are another great option – and this quid pro quo arrangement serves another purpose, reminding the public that teeth whitening is strictly the practise of dentistry – whereas eyebrow tints and hair bleaching are best sought with them!
Hold an open evening
Once you’ve established a relationship with local businesses, stage an open evening to showcase your practice to their clients and their families and to say ‘thank you’ to those who showed interest. A few canapés and bottles of fizz with some of the practice team on hand to answer questions puts potential patients at ease and shows a commitment beyond ‘fixing teeth’.
Get social
According to the world of social media, #SharingisCaring, so get busy on Facebook and Twitter and get your business ‘buddies’ to share content across platforms – for mutual benefit. Retweet content and post information on each other’s Facebook pages. Invite businesses to feature in your e-newsletters or on the company’s intranet and vice versa. Cross promotion benefits everyone!
Monitor uptake
In any arrangement, make sure you monitor uptake by using discount codes so that you have a measure of which businesses are biting and those that are not. Request feedback and share stories. One gym member’s success story of pre-wedding weight loss can be complemented with your bride-to-be’s newly straightened smile. Collaborate and everyone shares in the good fortune.
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