Whilst it’s true that old is gold, it’s important to continuously evolve when talking about marketing. Spending time and money on outdated and inefficient dental marketing strategies will be a waste in 2021. This new year has brought about significant changes in how patients expect to be treated by their dentists, and there is a shift towards more technologically advanced marketing methods.
Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience as a practitioner,it’s advisable to note some of the most inefficient and counter-productive strategies you should try in 2021. This way, you can avoid making them and also spot a poor marketing strategy when you see it.
Spamming Patients
Annoying your patients by filling their inboxes with spam is never a good idea. While you may have the contact information of all your patients at hand, you must ask for their permission before putting them on your marketing lists.
Adding to your patients’ full inboxes by sending them unsolicited marketing emails will only result in losing the patient for good.
Using Conventional Advertising Mediums
Using TV, Radio, or Newspapers for your advertising will only waste your money and time as over 92% of the people in the UK alone use the internet as a part of their everyday life. Besides giving you a more extensive outreach, digital marketing will also save you money with pay-per-click dental advertisements, precise targeting, and organic rankings.
Moreover, dentists all around are starting to promote their practice online, as seen in a recent study. About 77% of practitioners use their website for digital marketing, 68% use social media, 48% use email marketing, 34% resort to print mediums, 21% use online ads, and 18% use snail mail. Failing to join the online medium right now will result in greater competition in the future.
Running Short-Term Campaigns.
Keeping short-term campaigns as your primary focus will result in a low yield and fewer conversions than expected. It will take time to gain the trust of your patients and build a reputation online. Moreover, short-term campaigns don’t provide enough time for improvising based on their reception.
It is vital to focus on long-term marketing campaigns that you can modify while they’re still running and be used to nurture a long-term relationship with your patients.
Buying Followers on Social Media
Building your social media presence is effective, but only when it is done organically. You are bound to waste money by buying followers as none of them would become your potential patients. Many of your fake followers may even be from a different country. In the worst cases of getting caught while buying followers, the platform admins may ban your account, which can be disastrous for your online reputation.
Ignoring Content Marketing
Good content is the key to getting organic hits on your website, improving search engine rankings, and providing potential patients with a good experience on your website. Using generic or plagiarised content, on the other hand, can result in being penalised by search engines like Google. An easy way to drive potential patients away is by showing them the same generic content every other dental website uses.
Cold Calling
Cold calling is an outdated, expensive, and inefficient marketing strategy that is the real-life equivalent of spam emails. In 2021, calling people to promote your business is disrespectful to their time and privacy. Instead of getting you new patients, it may end up making you lose your existing ones.
Sticking to Outdated Online Presence
In 2021, your online presence is just as significant as your real one. Studies have shown that 71% of patients choose their new dentist via online reviews, and 60% of the patients who post online reviews find it essential for the practice owners to respond.
This makes it imperative to focus on building a solid and well-liked online presence for your practice. Doing so will not only bring new patients to you but will make your existing patients proud of being associated with you and maintain their loyalty.
Relying Only on Word of Mouth
Your customers’ word is a solid point to showcase the quality of your treatments; however, it is an inefficient medium for marketing. Relying only on this mode of dental advertisements will make progress unnecessarily slow.
A better strategy would be to request them to review your business online to spread their words faster. Getting referrals online is essential as 72% of dentists consider it a great way of growing their practice.
Trying Just One Strategy
While your current strategy may be effective, it is crucial to diversify your approach towards dental marketing to ensure success in the long run. If you want to stand out from the competition, it is essential not to ignore current trends in favour of what works. As technology improves, so will your competition, and you will need to constantly evolve your approach to thrive in the digital age.
Ignoring Data Insights
Ignoring data insights and not tracking the progress of your marketing campaign can cost you the knowledge of what works and what does not work. Doing so will also prevent you from making appropriate improvements to your strategies.
It isn’t enough to track the data generated from your campaigns; you need to implement the insights in your next strategy for better results.
Signs of a Bad Marketing Strategy
A bad dental marketing strategy is easy to identify as it’s bound to bring negative results. However, it is also possible to prevent a complete failure by looking for the early signs of a failing strategy and modifying it immediately.
- Losing Existing Patients
- Reduced Traffic on Your Website
- Lack of New Patients
- Poor Engagement on Social Media
- Bland Online Reputation
Dental Marketing Strategies Which are Likely to Work in 2021
Avoiding the counter-productive strategies mentioned above isn’t enough. Implementing a few of the most effective strategies recommended by dental marketing experts will ensure that you see your desired results.
- Optimize Your Practice’s Google Page
- Optimize Your Website and Invest in SEO
- Create a Consistent Content Schedule
- Include Video Marketing and Advertising
- Use PPC Dental Advertisements
- Request Patients for Reviews
- Hire an Expert to Guide You
Your Choice Will Define Your Success
With the endless array of choices for implementing your preferred strategies, it can become daunting to pick the right ones. It is essential to remember that the choices you make right now will define the future of your practice a decade down the line.
If you need the assistance of a dental marketing expert, Head45 Dental is here to provide it. We specialise in digital marketing for dental practitioners and are experienced in SEO, advertising, and social media marketing, among other strategies.