Can your dental practice really survive without ads? The hard truth is that advertising dollars can be wasted away within a blink of an eye these days, as there are so many places to allocate time, money, and effort.
We’ll dive into the nitty gritty of it, and let you in on practical dental marketing ideas that will grow your business without the need to spend on ads.
Ad Spending
The hit-or-miss nature of ads, along with the overwhelming competition from other practices, are drawbacks in terms of investing in ads. Online ads have become increasingly more costly, particularly with social media – and the reality is that there’s no guarantee of a positive outcome.
Ads depend on numerous factors, from ad designs, content, target audience, timeframe of posting, and so many other elements that come into play.
A large portion of online viewers have become immune to interruptions by online ads and frequently bypass them (particularly Google and YouTube ads). Most patients see them as an annoying interruption to what they’re trying to watch or read, and are quickly glossed over or cut off after a few seconds.
Ad-Free Marketing Ideas for Dental Office Growth
Check out 3 ad-free marketing ideas for dental office growth that bypass the headaches of running ads.
1.The Power of Reputation
Feedback from your existing patients can either build or break your business. In today’s technological climate, people leave reviews about their experience in high traffic places like Google, Facebook, and others.
Automated patient review systems go a step further, giving your practice a leading advantage by sending SMS review requests to satisfied patients at peak time, with a promising 90% open rate. It’s a minimal investment for practices, with huge payback, tripling your online 5-star reviews in no time.
Your positive reviews will advertise for you, and make people more confident in choosing your practice for their dental care.
2. Spreading the word
Satisfied patients will spread the good word about you via simple word of mouth. Again, it doesn’t hurt to remind patients that you’re always accepting new patients, and would love to extend your services to their family and friends. This method is as old as the industry itself, but it works just as well as it always has and the best part is – it’s totally free and painless.
4. Beyond the Typical Dental Office
How do you stand out from competitors? Offering unique services not commonly found at other practices is a sure way!
Paperless patient forms conveniently filled out from home, automated SMS appointment reminders with 2-way texting, 24/7 online patient self-scheduling, Automated insurance verification in ~10 seconds, ‘Quick fill’ to backfill cancelled appointments within minutes, and fast online patient payments – are all high demand features patients are crazy for that are not found in every dental office.
On top of that, all these awesome features directly integrate into major practice management software for a seamless process. These are going to be your greatest assets in building patient satisfaction, and becoming the talk of town.
Conclusion
Thinking outside the marketing box will get you more bang for your buck. Dental marketing can be effective without spending on ads. The ideas shared in this article can be more powerful than spending on ads, when implemented properly.
To get more patients in the door, learn from 5000+ practices that have already multiplied their patient growth and saved ~$60K in the process, by automating administrative operations with mConsent’s innovative software. Find out how you can make mConsent one of your most effective dental marketing ideas.
