Case acceptance is one of the biggest challenges in the dental industry. If you want your patients to accept a treatment plan, they have to trust you. This trust builds from every interaction a patient has with your practice and starts to form at the beginning of their first interaction with your business. That first impression can be pivotal to how a patient views your practice, and once that impression has been made, for good or bad, it can influence all future interactions that person has with your office. Read on as Bryant Consultants examines four paths to increase your rate of case acceptance.
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A referral from one of your existing patients
Even with the advance in technology and social media, and online research, old-fashioned word of mouth is by far the best marketing tool. A direct referral from a current patient is going to be a more powerful influence than any other way a prospective patient learns about your practice. Certain referrals carry more weight than others, though. For example, if a current patient recommends your dentist because you helped solve a problem that was causing them pain, that’s a much stronger recommendation than one related to cost, such as noting the discounts you offer or that they see you because your office accepts their insurance plan.
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An online review
These days, when people need some sort of professional service, including healthcare, they’re likely to research online before finding a provider. Any online review is written by someone who’s got experience with your practice, either as a former patient or the parent or guardian of a child that is a patient. Once a review is posted online, whether it is good or bad, that review is going to pop up with every relevant Internet search. You want to stay aware of what people are saying about your practice in online reviews. Be responsive to all reviews—especially the negative ones. When a bad review does get posted, comment by addressing the situation and encourage the patient to reach out in private to try and resolve whatever their grievance may be. Even if they do not respond or you’re unable to restore the relationship successfully, others can see your thoughtful response and attempt to reconcile the issue, which means a lot to viewers.
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Your website
In this digital age, your website represents the online storefront of your practice. You want your site to show up in searches relevant to your geographic area and the services you provide—that’s where search engine optimization is so important, by the way. You never get a second chance to make that first impression. That’s why you want to have a website that showcases your specialties in dentistry and communicates your practice philosophy while also being user-friendly and appealing to the eye. If your site is generic, filled with typos and grammatical mistakes, or hasn’t been updated in quite some time, it’s as bad a look for your practice as having worn-down and broken furniture in your office lobby.
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Paid marketing
This refers to any other components of your marketing strategy outside of your website. The platforms for marketing your practice may include social media on networks such as Facebook or Instagram, advertisements in newspapers or billboards, or buying time for a commercial on the radio or TV channels in your area. Perception is reality, and how you market your practice helps determine how your practice is portrayed to your audience. If you’re often advertising coupons and discounts, or several discounts at the same time, it suggests that economic value is the biggest advantage of your office—and that patients will think they can haggle with you on prices. If you promote all the procedures that you do, like the menu at a restaurant, patients might think they can pick and choose the treatments they receive, rather than trusting the case plan they receive regardless of what’s entailed.
Dental marketing for a digital age
The process of boosting your case acceptance rate begins long before the patient is actually in the dental chair, forged from that first impression. Crafting the first impression you want for your practice takes time and involves ensuring several components of your marketing strategy are working together to provide a cohesive message of your practice philosophy and your core values as a healthcare provider. At Bryant Consultants, we can help you ensure the message you’re communicating to your patients is the desired one. Our staff of dental industry experts provides consulting services for dentists to manage all aspects of your practice. Find out more by calling (877) 768-4799 to schedule your consultation today.
