How to Add to Your Profitability—Without Adding Patients!
We all love to get new patients, but a lot of the dentists I consult with aren't aware of the gold mine they're sitting on: high value current patients!
Where our office is located, in California's Wine Country, the marketing of wine is a Great Big Deal. Did you know that less than 10% of the population purchases more than 80% of all wine sold? That's a critical core consumer group. You find it mirrored again and again in other industries and enterprises. Even dentistry.
No—especially dentistry.
There are five basic components of a successful internal dental marketing strategy:
- Information value (keep your patients up-to-date on what you offer)
- Educational value (teach your patient about important health issues)
- Repetition value (remind your patient that you are their dentist--they might be past due for recare)
- Consistency, and
- Consistency.
We are so inundated with information these days that people forget faster than ever. That's why it's never been more important to have an ongoing internal marketing program—and a realistic idea of what it can accomplish.
As an example, consider a quarterly newsletter to your entire patient base. Such a strategy provides:
- Information and educational value
- Repeated name recognition
- A tangible link to your practice
- Flexibility of involvement (your office can be closely tied to development of the materials or not involved at all)
- Cost-effective promotion to high-value current patients.
I'm often asked, "Do patients read newsletters?" I'll be honest. Chances are a quarter of them will toss it without reading a word. But they will recall your name and know it came from you. Maybe half will read some of the newsletter with your name reminding them that you are their dentist. Maybe a quarter will read it cover to cover and be stimulated!
I'd compare this strategy to a political campaign. How could signs reading ROSS FOR GOVERNOR—absent any information about ROSS—motivate a vote? It's the accumulative effect of these reminders on an individual's memory that stimulates action.
That is the effect a sustained internal marketing effort can have on growing the productivity of your existing patient base.
Give us a toll-free call to discuss planning your own internal marketing strategy: (800) 523-6961.
