Patients and Profitability

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There is a positive correlation between focusing on patients and profitability. The more you can focus on the needs of your patients in unique ways, the better return you will see down the line. In practical ways, this makes sense: dental practices make their profits from the services they offer. If you have a consistent and solid relationship with your patients, especially if it’s built on mutual trust and respect, you can expect to see increased profit over time. Here are three ways that patient satisfaction and profitability are connected.

TRUST AND RELATIONSHIP

Every good relationship is based on trust. The same is true with business, especially dental practices. When it comes to establishing trust with a patient, start slow. Get to know your patients during their hygiene appointments. Learn more about them if possible before rattling off the services they might need. You can even introduce yourself quickly while a new patient is in the waiting room before their appointment. These small gestures can go a long way in building rapport and trust with your patient over time.

REPEAT BUSINESS

What’s the difference between a dental practice that’s thriving and one that’s merely surviving? In many cases, it’s the repeat business from the same patients, or who share about their experience via word of mouth or on social media. Repeat business is valuable for several reasons. The first is that a patient’s willingness to return to your practice over another shows that they trust you. Secondly, it does give you the opportunity to provide profitable services as necessary over the course of many years. If your practice treats both adult and pediatric patients, the value of established repeat patients is obvious.

NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES

It’s a good idea to keep on top of any trends or services that your competitors might offer. For example, many dental and orthodontic practices offer Invisalign as a service for patients who want to improve their smiles. If you only offer traditional braces, you might lose out on potential business from patients who want the newest and up to date products and dental technology. The same goes for services like digital video and images to give your patients a glance at their mouth in real time. These kinds of products and offerings put you in a unique position to get ahead of your competitors while providing your patients with state-of-the-art, beneficial services that include them in the process.

The relationship between patient services and profitability is clear. If you focus on your patients and their needs, you will see an increase in your bottom line. The important thing is to remember that your patients are ultimately what drive your success. For more in-depth information on how to measure your dental practice’s profitability and growth, book a consultation with Dr. Coughlin today.

Tips for a Successful Dental Practice Website

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In today’s virtual world, it’s important that your dental practice stands out and sends a clear message to potential clients. In most cases, your website is the first impression someone will see of your practice. Make sure it’s a good one! Read on to discover some of the most important features of any dental practice website to attract clients and get them in your doors.

RESPONSIVE

Now more than ever, any business website needs to be mobile responsive. Responsiveness refers to the ability to view content on any size screen, like a phone, tablet, or computer. If you only develop the website for computer viewers, mobile users may be frustrated trying to access the information about your practice. This can even lead some to search elsewhere. Since many Americans use their phones to access the Internet, having a mobile responsive design on your practice website is imperative.

CLEAR AND CONCISE

Although most people think they know what to expect when it comes to dental offices, your practice is unique. When you think about what to include on your website, what makes your practice stand out among the competition? Do you offer the newest products and services? Would a potential client be able to understand what you do by the information on your website? These are all questions to address. The clearer and more concise your content is, the more professional and credible your practice appears. That leads to more clients in your business.

SOCIAL PROOF

Social proof refers to using the positive experiences of other clients to boost your image and credibility. You can incorporate reviews from across the Internet, including Google, or ask current clients for feedback on their experience at your practice. The power of social influence should not be ignored. The more social proof your business has, the more you can expect your practice to be shared organically, resulting in more clients for your business. Whether it’s a testimonial section or a client highlight feature, make sure to have some form of social proof on your website for optimal success.

OPTIMIZE FOR CONVERSIONS

All of these tips, especially when combined, make for a website that is optimized for conversions. This means that a client who comes across your practice website is persuaded to book an appointment or just to call your office with questions. On a practical level, including a “Contact Us” box that links to the office email address is beneficial. Go a few steps further and have an appointment scheduling system directly on your website. You can also provide access to any paperwork a client might need to fill out before their first appointment.

WANT FEEDBACK OR IDEAS?

Inspired by these tips and want to learn more about how to implement them? Reach out to Dr. Coughlin today. Ensure your dental practice website is optimized to bring you success and targets your ideal clientele.

Do Your Potential Patients Know Your Dental Practice Exists?

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Effective marketing can mean the difference between a successful, thriving business and one that’s just barely making ends meet. A clear, consistent marketing plan attracts the right customers, at the right time, in the right location. If they have a good experience, these patients then share your practice with others, come back for dental services, and the cycle continues. If this happens regularly, you’re likely to have a thriving dental practice. But what happens if you don’t reach these target customers?

They don’t discover your business, so they go elsewhere. And you (and your practice) suffer for it.

Luckily, there are some surefire ways to market your business, and are well worth it because of the return on investment (ROI). Interested to know if you’re taking advantage of these effective marketing channels for your business? Read on.

 

LIST YOUR PRACTICE ON GOOGLE MY BUSINESS

If you haven’t listed your business on Google, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Customers who search for dental practices typically are from your local community. And because they’re already searching for dentists on Google, you’ll be able to see what brings your patients to your door. That information alone is beyond valuable.

 

GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Have you joined your Local Chamber of Commerce yet? Since most dental practices are based locally, this marketing strategy is a great choice for you. Once a member, most local chamber chapters give you the option to list your business in their main directory. You can also participate in networking and other organized events throughout the year for additional community exposure.

 

BE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media remains an effective and popular marketing channel for many businesses. In today’s fast-paced digital world, social media provides a way for you to keep up with your customer’s demands, expectations, and desires easily. Customer service usage options abound. You can even create targeted ads to reach your patients that perhaps may not have found you otherwise.

 

CREATE EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

While social media is great, don’t forget about tried-and-true marketing strategies like email marketing and direct mail. Did you know that a recent study showed that 99% of Americans check their email at least once a day? That’s a lot of potential eyes on your content. If you haven’t built an email list for your dental practice, start today. Email marketing can be particularly helpful for retaining current patients, which can end up being more lucrative to you and your business than acquiring new patients alone. Try sending a monthly email newsletter or put together an email drip campaign that provides recipients with valuable information.

 

INVEST IN DIRECT MAIL ADVERTISING COLLATERAL

Finally, direct mail marketing collateral can be an effective way to market your business, particularly if you target patients in and around your physical practice. Send out a basic flyer with an introductory offer or collaborate with other local businesses to cross-promote your services.

 

WANT MORE GUIDANCE?

It can be time-consuming and frustrating to try and figure out the most effective way to market your particular dental practice. If you want personalized guidance by a fellow dentist and dental practice owner that’s been there, contact Dr. Coughlin today. We will help you find the right marketing approach that’s based on your specific ideal target audience that effectively meets your business goals.