Marketing Methods For Dentists

Most dentists do not have a great deal of experience when it comes to marketing and the business side of running a dental practice so choosing the most effective marketing strategies can be difficult, especially now that there are so many different marketing methods available.

When it comes to choosing marketing avenues, it is a good idea to try a few different methods and see how you go. You need to take your budget into account as some forms of marketing, such as television advertising, may be off limits. Talk to marketing and business experts and look at examples of other practices to see how they have successfully marketed their business. You can also attend courses which will provide you with information about effective marketing strategies and equip you with the skills you need to determine the plan of action for your practice.

Which methods will work the best?

Word of mouth is still the most effective means of marketing, despite the advances in technology and communications. However, it is important to utilise modern marketing strategies to ensure you can reach more people and attract new clients.

The marketing methods you choose will probably depend on several factors including the location and size of your business, your budget and your target market. In recent years, marketing has become much more versatile and sophisticated, in line with the introduction of the internet and mobile phones.

If you have a national chain of businesses, you will probably be reliant on different methods to local businesses and you may benefit from using national newspapers, large television channels and internet marketing. Smaller businesses usually depend on local radio and newspaper adverts and internet advertising.

Moving with the times

As recently as ten years ago, people were still heavily reliant on telephone directories such as the Yellow Pages. However, most people now use the internet to search for local businesses. In order to attract new clients, it is important that your business stands out in the search engine results and you can use search engine optimisation (SEO) to promote your business and ensure that your practice appears at the top of the results list.

Recently, the iPhone has become incredibly popular and dental practices are starting to use this form of technology to communicate with existing clients and attract new clients. Practices can develop apps, which clients can then download.