Suggestions for marketing to Dentists

14 years ago

Originally Posted by pplbronx2

Please provide any suggestions or hints to marketing to Dentists. I noticed that a lot of them do not have websites and was wondering the best way to approach them. I understand that dentists are a good market to go after. Thanks in advance

There is no best way.
What way works for you?

Let's get you thinking a little bit.

What forms of marketing can you think of?

I'll start you off with one idea.

1. Direct mail
2.
3.
...

Thanks

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Martin Brock

14 years ago

Call one and tell him/her you have a hole... in your pocket

Personally I wouldn't go down the road of offering dentists a standard presentation website. I would offer them potential clients, and they would only have to pay if it actually worked out.

I would find a local practice and offer to build them a website (probably using Wordpress and applying good SEO) and then focus on making the site a success - you could offer them the first few leads for free, and discuss pay-per-lead model after that.

If you could pull that off, you'd be able to attract new clients with less effort because you've got a good case study. I'm not an expert on how to contact offline businesses, but regardless of how you contact them, it will always be a game of numbers - how many of those you do contact will you be able to get aboard - if you can crack that one, how you actually go about contacting them will be less relevant, as long as you don't follow my initial suggestion

Originally Posted by pplbronx2

Please provide any suggestions or hints to marketing to Dentists. I noticed that a lot of them do not have websites and was wondering the best way to approach them. I understand that dentists are a good market to go after. Thanks in advance

Thanks

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Gary King

14 years ago

@Blase is right, there is no BEST way.

It depends on your personality, drive, etc. - just like it does marketing to grandmothers or any other market.

I can tell you this... It's typically difficult to get in front of a dentist, doctor, etc.

Obviously they are busy, so if you do get in front of them, you had best be brief and to the point.

You'll likely encounter several gate keepers along the way (people that prevent others from "getting" to the doc). Gain the trust of these people, and you're on your way.

The next level of resistance you'll probably run up against is the office manager. She or he will usually be the one that sets up the appointment if they choose to grant it.

Side note: You can sometimes end-run it around the front-desk person and go straight to the office manager, but tread lightly. Most offices are tight-knit and stepping on one person's toes will get ya banned.

My experience is that general practitioners want nothing to do with you if you are charging any decent amount of money. I only target the ones that do higher-end services, like cosmetic dentistry, etc.

Some are tight-wads, some are more than willing to throw money at stuff if you can persuade them they can get more business for it.

All success,

Gary

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qvalpro 14 years ago

You got to try all the possibilities. You can start by doing an email blast if you have their marketing list
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- 2 replies
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- Blase 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by qvalpro
  
  You got to try all the possibilities. You can start by doing an email blast if you have their marketing list
  
  Let's think about sending email for a minute.
  
  pplbronx2, said in his question that he has
  been told that dentists are a good market to
  go after.
  
  I think we would all agree that if you have
  any courses on offline marketing you have been told
  about dentists, chiropractors, attorneys and so on.
  
  Now you are the marketer approaching one of these big
  buck professions and you are going to sell them on the idea
  that you are better than any of the 100's of other advertising
  and marketing salespeople trying to get their business by....
  wait for it.... sending an email.
  
  How does that distinguish you as the "go to guy"?
  
  Again qvalpro, I am not picking on you I am trying to make you think!
  
  Because if somebody did send emails to a dentist they
  will be back on this forum telling everybody how they sent out
  10 emails and didn't get a response, and how offline marketing
  doesn't work.
  
  [ 4 ] Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  Rich Blondi 14 years ago
  
  Dentists love exit pop-ups. Try that.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  Gary King 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Rich Blondi
  
  Dentists love exit pop-ups. Try that.
  
  Hey Rich Blondi, I'm not denying this, but where did you get this information? It's a pretty blanket statement. Have you tested this with a market?
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  Rich Blondi 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Gary King
  
  Hey Rich Blondi, I'm not denying this, but where did you get this information? It's a pretty blanket statement. Have you tested this with a market?
  
  I was being sarcastic. My point is that dentists are just people like everyone else and every other market. You need to find what they need and give it to them. You market to dentists the same way as you market to garbagemen, gynecologists, and stockbrokers, you put together an offer and start testing what works. You can't separate the market from the product.
  
  For instance, will marketing on Facebook work for dentists? Not if you're selling peppermint foot cream. Will PPC work if you're selling a 20 page ebook on how to collect from their deadbeat clients who got root canals they couldn't pay for? Quite possibly.
  
  and NOBODY likes exit pop-ops.
  
  Thanks
  
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- TheMagicShow 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by qvalpro
  
  You got to try all the possibilities. You can start by doing an email blast if you have their marketing list
  
  Using someone else's list to promote yourself/business, to dentists will not win you over many clients. Also, do expect lots of complaints.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  " You can either give a man a fish and feed him for a day OR teach him how to catch a fish and it will feed him for a lifetime"
  
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  JDArchitecture 14 years ago
  
  Facebook ads. There are nearly 37,000 dentists on facebook.
  
  Thanks
  
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MilesT

14 years ago

Here's what an associate of mine and I do for the Dr. crowd and other professionals....

* Buy a local / region specific domain.
* Build a nice site.
* Add 10-20 pages of quality content (localized).
* Tweak it till its on page 1 (above the fold) of google.
* Track and increase traffic over a couple of months till it's getting solid hits.
* Sell it. An attractive website with active, specific traffic ready to go is worth about 3-5 more sales a month for most pros, which can equate to 25k+ a month more in revenue , so charge a pretty penny.

We play in smaller markets to ensure a faster turn around time.

HOW we sell specifically (method and value adds) is kind of a secret, but what we do is certainly not rocket science.

Cheers
Miles

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magicjg

14 years ago

Create an autoblog geared towards dentists, dentistry, braces, orthodontics and any other related niche terms. Rank the website locally, then approach dentists with advertising or sell the website alltogether. The nice thing about having the website ranked prior to you approaching them is you start with showing them results. Capture leads prior to showing dentists and you have a winner.

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pplbronx2

14 years ago

Thanks guys for your advice. I appreciate it.

Thanks

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yours2u

14 years ago

Get a great ranking on a google geo-based site for dentists then send an email to everyone in that area showing them what you can do - only one can win, who wants it sort of thing

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jamesburchill

14 years ago

Dentists don't want marketing, or websites or popups or direct mail ...

They want paying patients - preferably with well funded insurance.

Yes there are lots of ways to market to dentists, been there, done that and then some. But at the end of the day - like all businesses - they want more business. They typically don't care a hoot HOW it happens, just that it happens.

If you can provide a service that provides Dentists with qualified leads then you are onto a winner ... Rinse, repeat and then you can retire

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Keith Boisvert 14 years ago

One of my first clients was a dentist. Service based businesses are tough to market because there are a lot of variables that go into making their business successful...and a lot rides on them.

First off, their website needs to be highly effective. Especially dentists! People are hesitant when it comes to certain things, and "social proof" or "word-of-mouth" goes a long way when it comes to getting them customers.

Yes, people may find them online, but once they get to the site it needs to convey something that will give the visitor piece of mind. I don't know about you, but if I had to pick a dentist, I would prefer to go to someone I either know, or one that someone I know goes to.

So portraying that online is a little tough. Of course in the end it IS all about leads, but are you in the lead business? If so, then that's fine, just be prepared to have to show HOW you can increase their business.

For me, I put together a nice presentation (in print) and dropped it off with the receptionist. The presentation explained who I was, examples of my work, and HOW I intended to help get them clients.

I don't use the "lead only" approach, I offer a full range of marketing tactics, some of which requires some participation on their part. Not much, but some.

I dropped off probably about 15 packets to various dentists, 4 replied. 3 were turned off by price and didn't want to do squat to help themselves. The other was on board and still today is doing very well.

So to make a short story long, I guess in answer to your question of HOW to approach them...I would say to get your offering together and present it in a way that will make them want to call you. Trust me, if you present yourself and your offering correctly...they will call you. Its all about ensuring that in the end they get what they want...which is more clients. How you go about it is up to you.

keith
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patadeperro

14 years ago

ok, what I would do to attract some dentist would be this:

a) I would create a little report or video about "how to get more customers", in this video you will explain them how with a well design and optimized webpage they can get a lot of new customers.

b) You look on google for newsletter for dentists.

c) You contact the owner of the newsletter and buy a little add on his newsletter and your ad would be like this:"Free video about how to get more customers"

d) when they click on the add, you exchange the info for their data.

You got there a nice amount of leads that I am sure are very hungry for your services.

Hope it helps

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thesweetspot

14 years ago

Make a list of the people that are already on the first page...get your feet wet and your confidence up. After you get the hang of speaking to them and the way they talk. Go for the clients you really want.

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Marhelper

14 years ago

I know most people hate it and try to avoid it like the plague but the best way is face to face IMO. Go out and meet with them and LISTEN to them. The answers are all in what they say. Be a good and caring active listener and it will come across ... the rest is gravy.

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Blase

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Marhelper

I know most people hate it and try to avoid it like the plague but the best way is face to face IMO. Go out and meet with them and LISTEN to them. The answers are all in what they say. Be a good and caring active listener and it will come across ... the rest is gravy.

Marhelper,

I totally agree that you have to go face to face to
be successful in offline marketing.

But, how do you propose that "pplbronx2" approaches
them to get an appointment?

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kbs

14 years ago

I would suggest that you market your services as "easier than pulling teeth" or something like that.

My dad's a dentist and he has a great sign on his roof; it says "Eat Candy Support Your Local Dentist".

Just my $0.02

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JohnMcCabe

14 years ago

James Burchill comes very close to the answer for dentists or any other professional practice.

> They want more leads
> They want those leads to make appointments
> They want their practice to run smoothly
> They usually want to sell more than cleanings and fillings

The hacks and wannabes pitch websites and Google rankings. No dentist ever made a payment on their office with a website or a Google ranking - mortgage companies and leasing companies usually want money.

Most marketers focus on the first two, if that. They completely ignore the benefits of a proper website for making a practice run more smoothly and effectively.

Things like offering PDF versions of initial paperwork so patients can take their time filling out the forms in comfort, rather than trying to balance that $*%*^ clipboard on their lap in the waiting room.

Things like making appointments, confirming appointments and sending reminders via the website/email database.

If you can figure out how to use a website to save the dentist and his staff a few hours of hassle, you don't need a Google ranking to make the site worthwhile.

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Gary King

14 years ago

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

Things like offering PDF versions of initial paperwork so patients can take their time filling out the forms in comfort, rather than trying to balance that $*%*^ clipboard on their lap in the waiting room.

Things like making appointments, confirming appointments and sending reminders via the website/email database.

If you can figure out how to use a website to save the dentist and his staff a few hours of hassle, you don't need a Google ranking to make the site worthwhile.

The dentists (and other professional services people) I've worked with are *absolutely* about this.

When someone calls to schedule an appointment, they ask them if they can get on a computer. If so, they guide them to their web site to download (or fill out online) their new patient forms, medical history, etc.

They bring the completed forms with them to the appointment vs filling them out in the lobby.

This has an AMAZING result on their daily schedule - patients usually show up a few minutes before their appointment, say 8:50 for a 9:00 appointment. If they have 25 minutes worth of new patient forms to complete, the doc is *already* 15 minutes behind schedule. Multiply that by lots of patients and they are way behind and people are frustrated.

FWIW, all the offices I've worked with have a proprietary system for scheduling. Some use their own email system (or a hosted one) for sending patient reminders - many use that same scheduling system (i.e., the email is sent from it).

All success,

Gary

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Suggestions for marketing to Dentists

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