If you assume marketing is only for corporations, think again.
Marketing is not taught in dental school; in fact, there is not much emphasis placed on the business component of owning a dental practice, so it is understandable that we dentists are sometimes skeptical of marketing. However, many dentists are operating under false assumptions. Here are a few common myths when it comes to dental practice marketing:
Myth #1: Patients should ask for dental services; I shouldn’t have to sell them.
In fact, the true art of selling is simply enabling your patients to make the decision to accept the treatment that they want and/or need. Selling is not a bad thing. It’s a discussion with a goal. That’s all it is! Approach your case presentation as a conversation between you and your patients.
Myth #2: Advertising will make me seem desperate.
Think of advertising and marketing as “education.” You are educating the public on what services you offer and what makes your practice unique. People may know that you’re there – or they may not. Either way, advertising is not begging, it’s informing people that you exist and enabling more people in your community to opt in to oral health.
Myth #3: Marketing is expensive.
The opportunity cost associated with not marketing is the real expense; when you lose a patient, you lose their entire lifetime value. This means losing out on any future work, or referrals they may send on to you over the years. Investing in dental practice marketing systems that work is not only inexpensive, but is essential to attracting new patients and generating increased revenue.
Myth #4: Marketing and sales are optional.
This is like your patients believing that hygiene is optional. Sure, they may get along just fine for a while, but eventually something bad is going to happen, and then they’re going to be scrambling and paying far more money than they would have if they had just come in for preventive care. Only by regularly marketing your business can you ensure that your practice is growing and healthy enough to weather the natural ups and downs of the economy.
Myth #5: All marketing solutions are the same.
There are actually endless choices where it comes to marketing, and the sheer number of options can be confusing and daunting. But QDP is clearly a winning proposition. QDP works by tapping into proven buyer behavior and by creating value for the services you already provide. It puts the “private” back into your private practice, grows your business, increases case acceptance and decreases or eliminates the need for insurance. Our system is different because of how it taps into the wellspring of new and uninsured patients, which make up nearly 50% of Americans. And it’s been proven to work in a variety of practices across the country.