Continuing in the same vein as before, I am writing today to you about your marketing efforts.
This is a very important area that you need to focus on so that you can get back on your feet quicker when you are finally able to get back to work.
Again, the way you are going to beat the Corona Effect is by staying ahead of the game by being prepared. This, unfortunately, is not time off for you. Marketing is like a stool. It will not work if you only have one leg. Two is better, but three is better still. The more legs you can have, the more rock-solid your foundation for your practice becomes.
It is not about marketing for now only. It is about marketing for the future too.
I am aware that some of you are trying to look at your overheads and trim them. This is all good but when it comes to the survival of your business, marketing is key.
It only becomes an unaffordable overhead if you do incorrect things or do them ineffectively.
Stopping your marketing activities like paid PPC is fine, but I advise you not to stop your SEO. This is a solid component of your marketing armamentarium.
You plan to get an ROI from SEO in the future. But you have to speak with your website/SEO people on activating a sharp, potent plan of action. Much effort and focus are needed here. This is the time to do it.
Please do not restrict your growth by operating from a place of fear. Do not be reactive.
Plan and strategise your way out of this by being Proactive.
Before the pre-corona, marketing was about showing the benefits of your services and your USPs. Although this is still important and has its place, now post-corona, it’s about reassurance, empathy, information, safety and longevity of health.
You now need to be visible to your patient family and say, “Hi, I’m here for you”. The more information, for example on corona and protocols you provide, the more of the “go-to” dentist you appear.
Some marketing ideas that I think you should try and instigate over this time:
- Your Metrics. Conduct online audits of what is working and what isn’t.
- Your Website. Create additional content for your websites, especially for SEO – you can never have enough.
- Your Marketing Plan. Go through all the online, offline, internal and external marketing activities. What do you want to do now, and what will you do after?
- Online Consultations. Research how to integrate Online Virtual Consultations for now and subsequently the future as a standard tool in your marketing.
- Patient Communication. Continue keeping in touch with your patients over this period to show you care and to stay in touch with valuable updates.
- Social Media Posts. It would be helpful to for you to maintain constant communication with your patients via social media during this time too.
- Patient Offers. Improve templates for patient promotional letters.
- Your Practice Manager Role. Stay in touch with your practice manager to keep ahead in your Marketing Plan.
- Teamwork. Use any un-furloughed staff to help in growth activities like follow-up with patients and answering email communications/inquiries.
- DWB Online Resources. Use the online resources I have for you on Marketing.
- Referral Practices. For any Referral Practices – contact Referring Dentists to stay in touch and communication with them.
- Market To Specialist Practices. Occasionally referral practices get patients that do not have a dentist of their own, and they often are unsure which restorative or general dentist to refer to. Hence, it is also worth having some communication with Specialist Practices. Just be visible and seen (or heard).
If any of you need to have a conversation on this topic or any other, just let me know. I would be happy to arrange a complimentary consultation. Get in touch with us today.
Also, click here for other dental marketing resources.
Best, Bhavna.
