There’s a belief in the U.S and other countries that hard work is the key to success. While there are certainly industries where that’s true, dentistry isn’t one of them.
Dentists are an elite group providing elite, often life-changing services. There’s absolutely no reason why dentistry should be reduced to a “grind it out” formula for success. And yet, that’s the approach that far too many dentists still take. That’s a shame, because SmartBox has proven that there’s a far better way to succeed in dentistry.
Work Richer, Not Harder
The key to making more money while working less is to get better patients. That’s not to say that one patient is more worthy of your services than another. It’s the fact that patients who stay, pay, and refer are crucial to your success. And among those better patients, you’ll get a higher number with more involved dental needs which equates to higher average case value.
With an average higher case value, you can make more money while seeing fewer patients. You have the freedom to decide how hard and how long you and your staff are going to work.
Of course, you’ll have to continue to attract new prospects; patient attrition is a fact of life. Hopefully, you’ll be able to replace those lost patients with ones who provide a greater return for your time and effort. But it’s not likely that you’ll be able to get many of those better patients with a traditional dental marketing approach. Why? Because the vast majority of dentists still chase patients by advertising low price, specials, and discounts.
What kinds of patients will “bite” on those lures? Price-shoppers, one-and-dones, and insurance-driven patients. That’s practically the formula for “grind-it-out” dentistry. The better patients in your market – about 20 percent of your prospects, usually – aren’t much influenced by low price and specials. You need a different lure.
Market Smarter, Not Harder
Your better prospect are looking for different things in their dentist. Your marketing has to provide those things. You have to position yourself as different from the other dentists in your market by focusing on three things:
- Providing the most useful, easy-to-understand information about dental problems and solutions.
- Portraying yourself as the likable, trustworthy, dental expert.
- Emphasizing the superior experience that your prospects will have in your practice.
Your website content will help achieve those goals, but it needs to be reinforced by a strong media presence. Your blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr are all good options provided you furnish a steady stream of relatable, relevant content.
If you’re thinking that sounds like a lot of work, you’re right. Most dentists won’t have the bandwidth or inclination to tackle the job. That’s where a trusted vendor who understands the fears, hopes, and needs unique to dental patients can be very useful.
Done correctly, your better prospects will come to view you as the only logical choice to solve their dental problems. And with more of those patients in your chairs, you’ll be working richer, not harder.