Marketing an Orthodontic office is unlike marketing any other doctors office. Your demographic is very specific. While some see this smaller target audience as a negative situation, it is actually a positive situation. You know exactly who needs your services, now it comes down to finding them.
Today we are going to list the top 9 marketing ideas for orthodontic offices…
- Establish relationships with dentists in your area. Referrals are one of the best ways to gain new patients. Why? They cost you nothing. Start by reaching out to dentists in your area and offering to take them out to lunch or dinner. Don’t ask for referrals right from the start, build a professional relationship first and show them that you’re a good doctor.
- Get referrals from your patients. Creating a referral relationship with your patients is a great way to gain new patients you may have never found otherwise. The key to building a successful referral relationship with your patients is to offer them something in return. Here’s an example: for each patient they refer, you could give them $50 off of their next invoice. $50 for a new, returning patient is a steal!
- Invest in an online presence. What’s the first thing people do when looking for a new doctor? They go online and search “doctor in [city name]”. If your website isn’t showing up, you’re losing out on a lot of potential patients. Make sure you not only invest in a professional looking website but also SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
- Educate people. Many people don’t know the specific benefits as to why they might need to see an orthodontist. Schedule a time to meet with groups of people to let them know why straight teeth are more than just vanity – they help you chew your food better, prevent tooth decay, and more.
- Have past clients leave testimonials. These are a powerful way of attracting patients. They tell people looking for your service that others who have come to you were happy with the results. Ask patients to go online and leave reviews on websites like Yelp and your Google+ page. Reviews also play a big factor in where your website ranks in the search engines.
- Let your referring dentists know that you appreciate them. Nurture your most fruitful relationships. One of the best things you can do is send them thank you cards for each new patient the refer you.
- Let your patients know you appreciate them. Your loyal patients are the building blocks of your business, make sure they know that. Some orthodontist offices have games in their waiting rooms, others have big screen TV’s. Invest in something that makes your patients happy.
- Differentiate your practice. Why would someone choose to go to your practice over another? If you don’t know the answer to that, you might want to figure it out. When it comes to choosing a new doctor, many people make their decision based on their gut instinct. Do something that makes you stand out among your competitors. Here are a few ideas:
- Paint your office building a wild new color to attract attention.
- Give out free t-shirts to current patients to increase the visibility of your brand.
- Sponsor a children’s sports team and have your logo printed on their uniforms.
- Invest in local advertising. Local advertising is very important in growing your client base and it’s easier now than it ever way before. You can use tools such as AdWords and Facebook Ads to hyper-target your demographic, even if you’re on a tight budget.
Use these 9 orthodontist marketing tips to help you start attracting more patients today.
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