Marketing for Dentists The complete strategy guide
By Studio 8E8, Dentistry's Story-Driven Marketing Agency
We believe that the best marketing focuses on the long game – not overnight success tricks. Whether you’re launching a new dental practice “de novo,” or if you’ve been in business for decades, these dental marketing techniques will help you grow a healthy, successful business. If you’re ready to build a trusted brand in your community that brings in new patients year after year, and more importantly, delights and retains your existing patients, you’re in the right place!
The Foundation
Your story, brand, and budget will drive everything you do with your marketing. It can be tempting to overlook these pieces and just start advertising, but that can be a costly mistake. Just like you wouldn’t build a house before laying the foundation, you’d never want to start marketing your practice before taking the time to consider your story, brand, and budget.
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Discover Your Story
“All marketing is about telling stories. Marketers succeed when they tell us a story that fits our worldview, a story that we intuitively embrace and then share with our friends.” – Seth Godin
Stories are powerful, and they foster human connection in a way that nothing else can. It’s critical that before you start telling others about your practice, you first stop and consider what your story is. Your practice is a direct reflection of you, so to discover your story, you need to find your “why” and connect it back to your practice.
Guide To Story-Driven Marketing
We want to make it easy to implement story into your marketing, so we've written a free guide to walk you through the entire process!
Get The GuideStart With Why
If you’re not familiar with Simon Sinek’s Start With Why concept, his TED Talk and book can change the course of your business (and life)!
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Tell Your Story
Memorable marketing forms around a simple concept: storytelling. Learn how to tell your practice's story through your marketing.
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Custom Photos by Studio 8e8
Need photos of your practice? We have a team of expert photographers that specialize in presenting dental practices in the best light.
Learn MoreBuild Your Brand
“Products are made in a factory but brands are created in the mind.”– Walter Landor
When most new business owners think of “branding,” they think of a logo, but the truth is: that’s only the beginning. Your brand is your logo, your tagline, the language and images you use on social media and your website, but that too is just the beginning. In reality, every interaction you have with your patients (and potential patients) both online and offline, in-person and virtual, is your brand. Because your brand is how your customers feel about you. That’s why it’s so critical to stop and consider your brand at every phase of the marketing process.
While your practice’s logo isn’t everything, we do believe that it’s a very important thing to get right from the beginning. Your logo is likely the first impression that anyone will have of your practice. If your logo is poorly designed or looks dated, your patients will expect the same of your practice. Your logo is the “face” of your practice, and it’s important to put your best face forward.
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Branding 101
Learn about the importance of brand consistency, discover what good dental practice logos have in common and what branding mistakes to avoid.
Read ArticleNaming Your Practice
There are a few elements that make an objectively “good” practice name. Ideally, it should be searchable, memorable, and attractive to your ideal audience.
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What Makes a Great Dental Logo?
Discover some tips and questions to ask yourself when designing a logo for your practice.
Read ArticleTop 20 Dental Logos
Need some logo design inspiration? Check out this list of the best dental logos we've made.
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Logos & Branding by Studio 8e8
Need some help with your practice’s branding? Learn how our team of creative experts can help you!
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Establish A Budget
“A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.”– Henry Ford
ESTABLISHING A DENTAL MARKETING BUDGET
We all know the old adage, “it takes money to make money.” But before you start throwing your money into the proverbial wind, it only makes sense to take some time to consider how much you should spend and where you should spend it.
Read ArticleDigital Marketing
Gone are the days of phone book ads and billboards – digital marketing is the primary driver of new patients at most dental practices today. In the sections below, you'll learn how to build an effective, story-driven digital marketing strategy for your dental practice.
In This Section:
photography
“Photography is the story I fail to put into words.” – Destin Sparks
It may seem odd to list this first – but that was no accident. When you’re advertising digitally, photography is absolutely critical. Every piece of your digital presence, from your website to ads and social media, should feature professional photos of you, your team, and your practice, so people can get to know you before they see you in person. Don’t settle for stock photos of random people with cheesy smiles – make a real connection by letting people see you and your team laughing and smiling with patients.
The Power of A Content Refresh
Already have some old photos of your practice? Learn why refreshing your photography library regularly can attract new patients:
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5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO EFFECTIVELY USE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS IN YOUR DIGITAL MARKETING
Need some ideas on how to use your amazing new content online? We'll walk you through.
Read ArticleHow to prepare for your content session
If you're nervous about your upcoming session, you're not alone and we understand. We've got 10 tips to prepare for your session.
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Custom Photos by Studio 8e8
Need photos of your practice? We have a team of expert photographers that specialize in presenting dental practices in the best light.
Learn MoreVideo
“If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a video worth?”– Unknown
In case you’re curious, it’s 1.44 million words per minute (if you’re shooting 24p, that is 🤓)... but I digress. What better way could there be to literally tell your story than video? Videos can be used on your practice’s website, your social media channels, and even in digital ads. You can use videos to talk about your practice, explain different procedures, and even capture patient testimonials.
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Telling Your Story on Camera
Brave? Bashful? Learn why video is important and how to tell your story on camera.
Read ArticleCell Phone Video Tips
They say the best camera is the camera you already have. Learn some ways to make great videos with your cell phone.
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Video Production by Studio 8E8
Ready to tell your practice’s story with professional video production? We’d love to help!
Learn MoreWebsite
“Your website is the center of your digital ecosystem. Like a brick and mortar location, the experience matters once a customer enters, just as much as the perception they have of you before they walk through the door.”– Leland Dieno
We like to say it like this: your practice’s website is the hub of your digital marketing strategy. Everything else – Facebook, Instagram, Google, Yelp, you name it – points patients back to it. If your website isn’t representing you well, you could be losing potential patients before they ever have the chance to meet you.
THE ENDUSER IS #1
Websites should be made for people, not algorithms. Learn how building your website around your ideal patient is the best way to create connection and earn trust.
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Web Design Tips
The best dental websites are the perfect blend between art and science. Learn why both are important.
Read ArticleBUILDING YOUR STORYSITE WITH STUDIO 8E8
What's a storysite and why do we approach websites the way we do? Find out how building yours with us can be as fun as a day at summer camp.
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Why Websites Fail
Is your website not bringing patients in? In this article, we explain the 5 most common reasons that dental websites fail.
Read ArticleDental Website Examples
Need some inspiration? Check out this list of our favorite dental websites:
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StorySites by S8E8
If you’re ready to build a beautiful, custom, story-driven website for your practice, we’d love to help!
Learn MoreSEO
“Successful SEO is not about tricking Google. It’s about partnering with Google to provide the best search results for Google’s users.”– Phil Frost
Dental practice SEO is all about three things:
- Let Google know who you are, where you are, and what you do.
Your website should be optimized in a way that makes it abundantly clear that you are a real business, in a real place, with a team of real people. But don’t overdo it – spammy techniques like “keyword stuffing” can result in lower search rankings and a loss of patient trust. - Build third-party credibility and trust.
Make sure that your business listings on Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, and similar sites provide complete and accurate information. Build a following on these platforms by posting content and getting positive reviews. - Provide quality content that Google’s users are looking for.
Create pages for the services that people are looking for and write articles that answer frequently asked questions about dentistry and specific procedures.
5 Ways To Improve Your Local SEO
Learn how to increase website traffic by optimizing your local listings.
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SEO For Growth
There’s so much to know about good SEO strategy, you could write a book about it. In fact, someone did just that! We’re huge fans of the principles and strategies in this book.
Read ArticleSEO by Studio 8E8
Are you already an S8E8 client? Learn about the SEO services that you can add onto your StorySite.
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Digital Ads
“Nobody reads ads. People read what interests them. Sometimes, it’s an ad.”– Howard Gossage
Digital ads should be viewed as a compliment to your overall marketing strategy. Often, they’re an effective way to boost your online presence by taking up additional digital “real estate,” and they’re generally seen as a more direct-response approach to marketing.
Google Ads allow you to “pay to play” and get to the top of search results, meeting the demand of searchers and directing them to your website for a conversion. Facebook Ads allow you to engage with your target audience directly, cultivating brand reputation, name recognition, and ultimately demand for your practice, all while using compelling images and storytelling that helps your practice shine among the rest.
Ad Writing Tips for Dentists
Follow these tips to craft a creative, high-converting ad for your practice.
Read Article4 WAYS DIGITAL ADS HELP DENTAL PRACTICES GROW
Whether it’s a Google search campaign targeting new patients in your area or a Facebook or Instagram brand awareness approach, every practice should be thinking about digital ads as a requirement for growth.
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Online Reviews
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”– Warren Buffett
A solid online review strategy can boost the visibility of your online presence on search engines and social media. More importantly, positive reviews increase patient trust. Reviews are also a way to gain a deeper understanding of your customers’ experience so you can serve them better and convert them into raving fans who just can’t wait to tell their friends about you!
The Reviews Doctor
Dr. Len Tau is the foremost expert on reputation marketing in the dental space. We highly recommend watching his talks and subscribing to “The Raving Fans Podcast”.
Meet Dr. TauHandling Negative Reviews
Learn how to handle negative reviews on this episode of the 8E8 Show.
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Automated Review Collection with Swell
Want to put your review strategy on autopilot? Swell offers a really great solution to automagically collect patient reviews.
Learn MoreAnalytics & Tracking
“I know that half of my advertising dollars are wasted… I just don’t know which half.”– John Wanamaker
While modern analytics tools make it easier than ever to avoid wasting money on direct-response ads, we’ve found that sometimes they only tell part of the story. For example, you can set-up call tracking phone numbers to know who called your practice after clicking on one of your Facebook ads. However, what you can’t know is how many people saw your ad, remembered it, and then thought of you months later when they were looking for a dentist. While these tools don’t tell the entire story, they are still very helpful to get an overall picture of how effectively your various marketing campaigns are performing.
Here are a few of our favorite analytics tools to use on both digital and traditional ad campaigns:
- WhatConverts – Since most dentists connect with customers over the phone, a call tracking service like WhatConverts can give you a deeper understanding of which marketing efforts are driving phone calls. Another thing we love about WhatConverts is that it can also be set up to track form submissions, chat widgets, online schedulers, and even Facebook “lead ads.”
- Google Analytics – When set-up correctly, Google Analytics can tell you which digital sources are bringing in the most new patients. WhatConverts also offers an integration to connect the two platforms together, so you can see the same conversion data in both places.
- Google Search Console – This tool from Google gives you visibility into your search rankings and allows you to see what people are searching for when they find you. It can be linked with Google Analytics to provide insight into your SEO performance.
- Google My Business – While not specifically an analytics tool, GMB does offer some very helpful insights into how many people are searching for your practice and how many people are “discovering” your business listing.
- We also offer our clients access to a custom analytics dashboard that brings data in from these (and other) sources and displays all of the critical metrics in one place.
Offline Marketing
Offline Marketing might not be as “sexy” as Digital Marketing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. It may take a bit more work, but when done correctly, these strategies can bring many patients to your practice and make you stand out in the community for a minimal financial investment.
In This Section:
Patient Referrals
“One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising.” – Jim Rohn
People influence people, and nothing influences us more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. In fact, most existing practices could see more benefit from a well-executed patient referral strategy than from all of their other marketing efforts combined! Every patient referral strategy should focus on two things: providing an exceptional patient care experience that patients can’t wait to share and offering a clear, simple path for patients to refer their friends.
Best Ways To Create New Patient Referrals
The best ways to create a patient referral system for your practice. (DentistryIQ.com)
Read ArticleInternal Marketing
The cost to keep a patient is much lower than the cost to acquire a new one.
These internal marketing strategies will help you keep your current patients happy, coming back, and open to more comprehensive treatment plans.
- Create an amazing patient experience.
Nothing keeps customers happy like an over-the-top awesome experience! Provide this, and your customers will happily come back again. - Remind customers about upcoming hygiene visits.
Use a tool like Solutionreach or YAPI to send text and email notifications when your patients are due for a visit. - Advertise other services inside the office.
Use wall posters, screensaver slideshows, and your lobby TV as an opportunity to tell new patients about the other services you offer. - Provide offers for existing customers.
Rotate your offer every six months, and instruct team members to mention the offer to every patient who visits. It’s a great way to ask patients if they’d like in-office whitening or Invisalign without making things awkward.
Ground Marketing
“Ground marketing is a people-to-people approach using unconventional strategies and tactics designed to attract, engage, and invite your community to your practice.” – Michael Arias
If you would like to make your practice a cornerstone in your community and consistently bring in new patients, Ground Marketing is the perfect strategy. While the financial investment is low, the time investment is high, so be prepared to spend a considerable amount of time out in the community meeting new people and building relationships. For this reason, we typically recommend these strategies for startup doctors who may have more availability with their schedule, or for established practices who can dedicate staff resources to relationship building and being present at community events.
Featured Resource: Michael Arias
Learn all about ground marketing and sign up for an online course from Michael Arias.
Learn More- Want to get more involved your community? Learn how community involvement can grow your dental practice by Oral Health Group.
- Need some ideas? Check out these 30 community involvement ideas for dentists on DentalTown.
Direct Mail
In the age of digital marketing, direct mail has gotten kind of a bad rap. It’s hard to justify sending thousands of postcards to entire neighborhoods when digital ads can be targeted much more granularly for less money. However, when done correctly, under the right circumstances, direct mail can be a very effective strategy for dental practices. We’ve found that direct mail is best used to introduce a new practice to the community or to present a particular offer. Due to its direct-response, offer-based approach, direct mail works especially well for insurance-driven practices who have mass market appeal. These same reasons make it a poor fit for fee-for-service practices and specialists who would not benefit from an offer-driven approach.
- Learn what common direct mail mistakes you should avoid making.
- Check out these podcast episodes to hear about direct mail strategies and how the process worked for other practice owners.
- Want to send direct mail? MVP Mailhouse provides an excellent platform for sending and tracking direct mail for dental practices.
Social Media
With the average American spending over 1,300 hours on social media each year, it’s clear that social media has our attention. As a marketer, it’s your job to make sure your business is visible in the places that have the attention of your potential customers. Think of being on social media as essentially just beingwhere your patients are. But being on social media is just the beginning. Social media done well will not only build an audience of followers, but will then convert those followers into raving fans who can’t wait to tell their friends about how great your practice is. How do we do that? By sharing timely, relevant content, engaging with people personally, and backing that up with a fantastic patient experience.
A Beginner's Guide to Social Media for Dentists
If you need a leg up, here's all you need to know to create a consistent, on-brand presence online
Read ArticleSocial Media Content Calendar
Having trouble finding the motivation to get started with social media? Get ready to have your excuses shattered – plus a 30-day example content calendar!
Read ArticleSpring Clean Your Social Media
Ready to start? Following these 6 actionable steps will make social media work for you.
Read ArticleSocial Media Management by Studio 8E8
Need some help? We can work with your team to gather content and help you create a feed you’ll be proud of!
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