How to attract patients to a Dental Start-up?

Dentistry is a competitive field and it is difficult for new businesses to stand apart from established practices. You need to work hard to establish credibility and earn people’s trust. Start-up dental offices are brand new to the area. Whether you are starting construction, or purchased a brand new office with no patients, it is very hard to get patients to your doors.

One of the first steps is to create a solid marketing campaign that is not just about Paid Ads, but its a brand recognition that is built with hard work and dedication. A good campaign will build brand awareness and get your name out there so you can then start building your practice’s reputation. Here are some tips on how to attract more patients online and on-site.

Establish an Online Presence!

Most modern patients will look online to find more information on your practice. They will read reviews, explore websites, look at ratings, and perform in-depth research to find the best dental practice for their requirements. That’s why it is important to have your own online presence.

Create a website that provides accurate information and is a good representation of your brand is the first step. When you are creating your website, it is important to seek help from not a “web developer” but from someone that understands dentistry in general. There is a huge gap between dental terminology and patient terminology. This is where your “expert” can help you.

It is important that your website contains vital information for your patients; such as practice name, phone numbers, address. This information must be optimized through-out your website. It is also crucial that you have unique content! While we know that most patients do not read your website, this is very important for search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc… We usually recommend that each treatment you provide at your office has its own unique page with at least 400 words of explanation about that procedure. Remember to use keywords, but most importantly remember to write HUMAN, so people can understand your content as well.

Here are some small tips for your website:

  • Call to Action Buttons in strategic places.
  • Images with different demographics
  • Your main banner must have faces or a small video
  • Request appointment forms on every single page.
  • One page for each procedure.

Dental Websites - Geek Dental Marketing

Local SEO & Listing Optimization

Another whole side of Online presence, it’s your local listings. These are seen 2x more than your actual website, so it is a good idea to list your practice on business listing websites like Google MyBusiness, Yelp, Yellow Pages, HealthGrades, Dentist in Network, Facebook, etc. This will get the name of your practice out there and make it visible to more people.

Most dentist practices are local businesses so the best way to attract attention is to claim your practice on Google MyBusiness and your location on Google Maps. Make sure you list all your listings with the same name, address, phone number (NAP). If your Google MyBusiness is Joey’s Dental Office, your Facebook, Yelp, Yellow pages must be the same name! #Accuracy

Aside from NAP information, make sure you optimize your listings with opening and closing times, emergency numbers, emails, services offered, high-quality pictures, videos, etc. All of this information will feature prominently on the search engine results page. This will help you project a professional image (brand) and ensure more people find you.

Here are some small tips for your Listings:

  • List the right categorizations
  • Optimize them fully
  • Add high-quality Images

Social Media Engagement (Branding)

Social media is a great platform to help establish trust. You can interact with your prospective or current patients, answer their questions, handle their complaints, and showcase your authority.

Frequent social media posts also help you gain credibility in your field, especially if you create content that answers the target audience’s questions. You can also place paid ads on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to reach a wider audience.

It is very important that you post great pictures! Do not settle for less. Nowadays, most iPhones or Android phones have an amazing resolution, so take advantage of these cameras!

While you are new at Social Media, make sure you tell your story! yes, If you are a dental start-up practice, make sure you share your journey!! The thing with social media is that dentists only love postings about “teeth” and “oral health” but people do not go to social media to learn about teeth! This is the biggest mistake dentists have about social media. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are SOCIAL Platforms, which means people go to socialize with others! It’s all about life and drama, so make sure you remember to take a picture when you are having dinner with your friend (and provide a small tip about dentistry), make sure you post your vacation pictures and let people know that you are human as well.

** Do not post a thousand pictures about vacations, food, selfies and nothing about your practice…. ** 

Also, post about your staff, provide information to patients about procedures, and most importantly let them see you as a person, but also as an expert in your field.

Video Production

Offline Marketing Techniques

New dental start-ups with can’t afford to ignore offline marketing strategies. These techniques aren’t obsolete or ineffective. Distributing pamphlets, booking magazine ads, placing ads on radio, etc., are still great practices. They can help you establish authority and recognition in the local sphere. These practices make you visible to people who aren’t online often and might need dental services as well. However, do not do them on a monthly basis.

If you are a dental start-up, you should be going around the local businesses near your office and introduce yourself! Let them know about your dental office and offer them your services if they ever need anything. In addition, ask for THEIR business cards. This will help them understand you are trying to display their cards on your practice, they will be happy to provide them. After you do this, make sure you mention if you could bring your business cards as well so you can refer each other.

You may also print an excel sheet with contact information for their employees to fill out! Simple things like this will help you build your start-up faster than others.

Remember that a modern marketing strategy is more focused on being unobtrusive and bringing in organic leads. This strategy is great, but not enough. This is where you need to use guerrilla marketing strategies to gain attention.

As mentioned, this involves promoting your practice at public places like malls, supermarkets, playgrounds, and even beaches. It can involve offering free check-ups, setting up pop-up stores, and other such strategies. A multilayered marketing strategy with both online and offline campaigns will help you reach a wider audience. Be sure to research your target market thoroughly in order to craft more effective campaigns.

Anyways, we hope this gets your ideas running and if you ever need additional help with your marketing strategies, do not hesitate to reach us. GET STARTED