Marketing is always a difficult subject to discuss with small business owners. As a dentist, you might not even see the need. Any expenditure you make getting a client is a necessary evil, right? This is why bensalembucksdental.com is there to help you with all that you need.
How you view marketing expenses is vital to see their worth. If you view it as slapping an advertisement into the local rag to keep your name out there, then yes, it is probably a necessary evil that you will resent from the day you start marketing or advertising your dental practice until the day you stop doing so. If, however, you view marketing as a way to bolster clientele, increase walk-ins, and get your name out there, marketing and advertising are actually one of the lower-cost investments you make in your business.
As a dentist, you already have invested thousands of dollars in equipment and tools. You also have invested thousands in liability insurance and other necessary costs to protect you from emergencies, catastrophes, or mistakes. Most of all, you have invested uncountable hours in school, with your patients and at seminars keeping your knowledge and skillset up to speed.
After all that, measly marketing, advertising, and sales plan seem like peanuts. Of course, if you are thinking of advertising during the halftime show of the Super Bowl, you are absolutely correct, marketing and advertising are very expensive. If, however, you are like every other dentist in the country, the little money you spend locally only serves to help you in the long run at a fraction of the cost it took to get you where you are.
Assuming you are with me so far, how can you most effectively market your services?
Marketing skill requires a little bit of savvy and a lot of common sense. The first, bedrock rule of marketing is that your goal is not the slickest or most expensive plan out there, but the plan that in the most cost-effective manner attracts the largest audience, in a positive manner. It does not matter if your audience views your marketing efforts as outdated or even “hokey” if the message gets across.
That, however, is the second rule of marketing: Know your audience. Advertise the wrong dental service to the wrong crowd and you have just wasted your money. Advertise age, demographic or lifestyle appropriate dental services to the proper market and your results will be astounding and steady.
The third major rule is that you have to view your marketing plans and efforts as an investment for the future. Sure, it takes money to get your name out, but done the right way, that investment is not a cost to your bottom line so much as a process of “spending money to earn money.” This can be a difficult thing to remember if your plan does not generate immediate results, but think of this, even if your plan needs tinkering, you still have gotten your name out so the next time, you are reaffirming your position as opposed to introducing yourself to potential customers.
These are just a few simple things to remember as you prepare to market your services as a dentist. It goes without saying that you have to be able to back up your promises. After that, however, your investment in marketing is an investment that reaps dividends for years to come.
