Dentists and doctors all over the nation are closing their practices during the COVID-19 outbreak. You can use this time to strengthen your practice, so that you return stronger than you were before. Now is the perfect time to think about marketing, and how to attract more patients, while your schedule isn’t filled with patient work.
Even if you were happy with the number of new patients before this outbreak started, there might be a drop off as the economy lags. Take a moment and think about all of your current marketing processes. If you’re already blogging and creating some online content, it might be time to expand those efforts and try something new. This newfound block of time presents the perfect opportunity to experiment with more ways to reach your audience. It may be the time to think about your community involvement for when the quarantine is over, too.
Let’s look at some fresh ways that you can easily expand your marketing efforts. If you’re just starting out with marketing, or looking for a way to discover a fresh appeal, it may be time to speak with a dental marketing company.
Expand Your Marketing Efforts
Animated Explainer Videos – Here are a few questions that dentists may spend a lot of time answering one-on-one: How long does it take for the bacteria to build up in your mouth? Can brushing your teeth help prevent you from getting sick? How does flossing improve the health of your teeth and gums?
These questions can also be answered through animated explainer videos, that educate and entertain your patients. When you share some of this knowledge online in new and invigorating ways, it increases the visibility of your practice, and helps you to build trust.
Start a Podcast – This is a little more involved, but it can have a tremendous payoff if you put the work into it. A podcast can be a great way to educate patients and the general public about the importance of health related to your specialty.
You may want to have other guests from your industry on to share their knowledge with your audience, or you could take the time to answer common patient questions. For instance, a dentist could explain what happens during a root canal, or what circumstances necessitate a bridge. You could also give patients preventative care tips that make them healthier. The possibilities are endless with this, and it’s an opportunity to get creative.
Remix Past Content into Other Formats – If you’ve been blogging or writing articles for any length of time, you’re creating a valuable asset for your business. That content can be used in other formats, and across different mediums. For instance, if you have a blog post on the benefits of flossing, it might make the basis for a strong explainer video. That explainer video might come in handy for establishing a YouTube channel. But it doesn’t stop there.
Think about the paid ads that you’re running. The claims that you make in those paid ads can come from the educational articles that you’ve completed. In other words, your message can stay consistent across the various platforms and mediums that you’re having conversations. Think about how to use the material that you’re creating more than once.
Expand Your Community Presence – Now is a difficult time to make face-to-face connections within your community. But what you can do is call or message key business leaders within the community and foster relationships. You can conduct a simple Google search to discover what networking groups, volunteer opportunities, or sponsorship opportunities might be available to you.
Another way to increase community visibility may also be to evaluate your signage. Is your exterior signage large enough for people driving by to know that you’re there? Is the name of your practice on display, or does it just say “Dentist?” It may be time to place a larger, more professional sign in front of your practice.
Marketing is an Ongoing Process
It’s important to remember that whatever marketing options you utilize for your practice, that it’s an ongoing process, and an investment. Your marketing strengthens your brand, and hopefully improves your patient relationships. When you invest in your marketing, you strengthen your business.
Apex Design Build has an established reputation as a top-quality healthcare facility design build firm. The Apex Continuum combines focused healthcare expertise with a comprehensive, one stop solution for design, architecture and construction to ultimately provide a best in class experience for every client we partner with. To discover how Apex can take your vision of the perfect healthcare facility and bring it to life, contact our integrated team today.