By Jayme Amos. Get free updates of posts here
Anytime you hear about 1 patient turning into 5 patients,
we call it dental practice marketing magic.
You’re about to learn the secret to 4 clever dental practice marketing techniques that turn 1 new patient into 5.
I know this 5x strategy works because it happened with my wife, at our family dentist.
Here is the true story and how it happened with my wife at our family dentist…
Lisa came home from our family dentist after she, the stroller and 2 kids all crammed into the hygiene operatory.
I’ll never forget that day because of the embarrassment that resulted…
Our baby sitter bailed on us for the day so Lisa had to take two kids in a stroller into the practice for a mid-morning appointment.
Because the kids were so little then, at just 5 years old and 2 years old, Lisa, the kids and the stroller all made their way back into the operatory for the prophy. Together. All of them with the stroller.
Crazy.
As you can imagine, it was a bit of a circus (so I’m told).
We’ve got great kids but even the best 2 year old can sit still only so long!
Nearly in tears from embarrassment, I heard about the story when I got home from work that night.
The awkward, embarrassing time in the chair had us commit to finding a better sitter.
Side note:
We never did switch sitters.
Frankly, the sitter was my mom so we stuck with her (love you mom!)
…Here comes the drama….
2 days after the embarrassing event we got a letter in the mail.
From the practice.
Would this be the end of our time there?
We’re we being dismissed?
Envelope opens.
From the envelope, fall out 4 tickets to the local zoo.
The letter inside reads:
“Dear Lisa,
It looks like you had a tough day with the kids last week.
We’re glad we get to be your dentist and we hope these tickets to the zoo help you take a light hearted trip…even with the stroller”
Wow….Dental Practice Marketing Magic!
That was a shocker – a dramatic change from what we feared coming from that letter.
And it made Lisa’s day.
Maybe her week!
In the months that followed, we referred 5 more patients.
5 good patients.
Patients who value their care, who spread the word, who trust the doctors opinion.
The practice turned 1 patient into 5. With 4 tickets to the zoo.
Do you want to multiply every new patient TIMES 5?!
I hope so.
While you’re practice is “getting busy” – that’s code for “slow” – in the first couple months, take the extra 15 minutes per patient to connect with them on a very personal level.
This is the essence of excellent dental practice marketing:
- Care for patients.
- Then, show patients THAT you care.
- Next – at EVERY opportunity – create easy, meaningful ways to help patients tell more people about YOU.
- Do this with every new patient and you’ll create new patient marketing magic, getting 5 new patients for every 1 you treat.
==> Don’t limit your connection to patients to in-office activity!
3 More Dental Practice Marketing Strategies To 5x your New Patient Numbers
Dental Practice Marketing Strategy #1
Send a personal text message to every patient who gets restorative care done.
If done right, this dental practice marketing tool will make you the dentist everyone in town will want to be cared by.
Step 1 – provide restorative care
Step 2 – send a text message from your cell phone
Step 3 – IMPORTANT – Send your text message in the evening.
This one dental marketing practice tip about the time of day will send a bold statement.
This time of day – after dinner time – shows the patient you’re caring for them even “after hours”
If you do this, they will be amazed. They’ll tell their friends.
Here is the text message you can use:
“Mrs. Smith, this is Dr X – just checking to make sure your filling/crown/implant/etc is feeling ok. Recovery times vary but I just wanted to let you know we’re here for you and want to make sure you’re doing ok. Thank you for trusting us!”
Cost: Free
Why do this?
First, it shows you care.
Second, it shows you care even “after hours”
Third, it creates a bond and a personal connection between you, the Doctor and the patient.
Text messages are personal and real. A message like this will show you care, you care about them and you’re willing to connect with them on their most personal device – their phone.
(don’t worry, patients won’t text you for annoying things…and if they ever do, just send a polite text message back that says, “this is my personal cell phone and I’m happy to help – though it rings while I’m with my family. I’ll pass on your text to the office manager and for future questions, please know we’re here for you but send your messages to Suzie the office manager. Thank you for your trust!”)
Dental Practice Marketing Strategy #2
$100 Gift Card.
Yes, you read that right.
Your patients will be shocked when they get $100 gift card from you.
Then they’ll be even more shocked when they see you send them 2 more.
But this won’t cost you $100.
This will be an in-house Restorative Care Card, good for use only at your practice.
In its basic form, this is a real-looking gift card.
And it’s really worth $100.
The gift card value will be redeemable only at your practice and only for restorative care.
If you have any concern about the gift cards being too valuable, I’ll ask you to remember that we’re going to use this dental practice marketing technique to get 5 new patients from every 1 you treat. And if each new patient is worth any more than $100 to your practice, this is a huge win!
(according to a video training from Fred Joyals, lifetime value of a patient is worth approximately $30,000)
Ask any business owner if they would invest $100 to earn $30,000.
That’s an investment most people would jump on!
With the $100 Gift Card technique, you can do this with incredible results.
How to use the 3 $100 Gift Cards:
- Mail the 3 $100 Gift Cards to EVERY new patient who had restorative care done.
- Send the gift card with a Thank You Note that Says:
“Jayme, thank you so much for trusting us with your dental care. You mentioned Lisa, your wife while you were here.
Please accept these 3 $100 Restorative Care Gift cards for our practice. One for you, one for Lisa and one for a friend.
We’re honored you would choose us and we hope you’ll share us with your friends and family!”
Here is a card vendor who will make the cards for you:
https://plastekcards.com/product-cards/discount-cards/
The cards will only be good at your practice and only good for restorative care.
If you’re reading this and thinking $100 is too much, this plan probably isn’t right for you.
But if you’re one of the doctors who “gets it” this will pay massive dividends for you.
You’ll be earning a deep amount of long-term good will from patients immediately after their first visit.
Remember, from a patient’s perspective, the first paper mail they expect to see will be a bill.
Surprise them with the unexpected.
How great will they think you are when they get 3 $100 gift cards from you?
This will create a clear, simple, compelling way for patients to tell their friends about you!
Dental Practice Marketing Strategy #3
Throw Out the No Cavity Club Board
Remember the No Cavity Club cork board?
If the year was 1986, my advice to throw out the board would be considered dental heresy.
That board is about as iconic as Trivial Pursuit and Keyboard Guitars – all great things of the 80s.
If you still have a no cavity cork board, keep it (patients will notice if Johnny disappears from the wall!)
If you don’t have one yet, don’t get one.
INSTEAD…create a digital version – and you’ll 5x your new patient numbers.
How?
Ever hear of Facebook?
It’s the perfect tool to use for today’s version of the no cavity cork board.
This dental practice marketing technique is called the Virtual Corkboard.
Use the Virtual Corkboard and your no cavity club will become a new patient factory, churning out new patients for you every month.
4 Simple Steps: the virtual corkboard
- Instead of just a picture of the kids, get a picture with them and the mom.
- Ask them for permission to post it on your facebook page
- Name the Post: “Look! Jayme made it to Dr. X’s No Cavity Club!!”
- CRUCIAL: While mom is in the office ask her to comment on the post…so it goes to all her friends. This 4th step holds all the growth power.
Real Life example of the Virtual Corkboard from a Pedo Office:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Riverdale-Pediatric-Dentistry/270992699581003
- Notice the post about a no-cavity club winner on August 4th…that happens to be my birthday!
- It also has 10 likes…imagine how many potential new patients saw that post!)
— Catch that? —
10 people Liked the post – that probably went out to 10×100 people.
Many of those people live locally!
Want some of those patients?
Now you have a chance.
Over 1000 local, similar people just hear about your post because of the Title you gave to the post (see step 3, above).
What you Get Out of the Virtual Corkboard:
- Mom will Like you on facebook. And Friend you. These are important to your practice!
- TONS of facebook publicity with all mom’s friends when she comments on the post
- Recognition from hundreds (maybe thousands) of local potential patients who see your patient trusting their child to your care
- Deeper relational connection with the new patient
A Recap:
- Connect with patients on small, personal levels – like a personal medically caring text message in the evening
- Give first, give often with things like the $100 gift card for powerful good will and relational publicity
- Get the power of a Virtual Corkboard for exponential exposure.
- Shock your patients with small, unexpected gifts and personal connections.
You’ll earn 5x patient growth and fulfillment from making a big difference in patients’ lives!
Best,
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