Getting dentists to join my directory

by calvin1993

Posted: 8 years ago 16 replies

OFFLINE MARKETING

Hi,

I started an online directory about 2 years ago, which has now grown to having over 1 million views a year.

I have just started targeting emergency dentists on the website and will get roughly 80,000 views for dentists per year, most of which are in London.

I have tried contacting dentists to see whether they wanted to be listed on the directory for it but nobody wishes to try.

Also I was wondering if I can persuade dentists to go on the site how much to charge them.

I know the average price to see an emergency dentist in London is £150 an hour minimum. Google also currently charges £5.00+ on PPC for dentists in London

I have even offered a free trial.

Calvin

#dentists #directory #join

MindShifted

8 years ago

Without knowing how many times you've tried to contact these dentists, and what method you're using to contact them, I'd say that maybe you need to reach out them multiple times. 1-2 tries is barely getting warmed up.

Secondly, are you giving them clear and tangible incentives for signing up? How many leads/sales does the average dentist get on your directory? 80K potential views is irrelevant. You have to be able to translate that into potential leads.

How will being listed in your directory increase their bookings? How will it affect their bottom line?

Thanks
1 reply

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calvin1993

8 years ago

Thank you for the reply.

I have tried ringing them but I guess you are correct about me barely getting warmed up as I haven't called them more than twice.

All the dentists that I have contacted I have put them on as a free trial myself anyway and sending on average 200 conversions from my website to theirs. I don't know how many sales this converts to.

I guess if all of them converted it would give them an increase of revenue of 200 X £150 = 30,000 a month.

Any other thoughts would be great.

Thanks
1 reply

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Jeremiah Walsh

8 years ago

You aren't even on the radar until call #4. It typically takes at least 7 touches to make an impact.

Originally Posted by calvin1993

[ 1 ] Thanks
2 replies

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Brand Whisperer 8 years ago

Hiya Calvin,

Can you describe what you say when you contact them?
- Thanks
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Matthew North

8 years ago

Originally Posted by Jeremiah Walsh

You aren't even on the radar until call #4. It typically takes at least 7 touches to make an impact.

Really? So if someone tells you they aren't interested 5-6 times suddenly something will change on the 7th time? Really? Seems insane to me and never understood that old' chestnut

Wouldn't it be better to instead call someone else who actually is interested?

Thanks
1 reply

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savidge4

8 years ago

Originally Posted by Matthew North

Really? So if someone tells you they aren't interested 5-6 times suddenly something will change on the 7th time? Really? Seems insane to me and never understood that old' chestnut

Wouldn't it be better to instead call someone else who actually is interested?

If you specifically have a local Directory, and within that directory your bit of authority is with "Dentist" the "List" of possible contacts is only going to be so long... so moving on to lower laying fruit depending on the specific situation may not always be the "best" option, or even an option at all.

There is NOTHING wrong with calling to the point that they get REAL mad and start yelling at you and tell you to never call again.. from there, you proceed to hang up.. and then call right back and apologize.

Thanks
1 reply

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arrival7 8 years ago

Why not just make it free just to get them in, not a free trial but free. Once you get them in for free, you can monetize later. Remember how Facebook did not know how they were going to make money about 3 years ago? Just continue to grow your directory, you can always get advertising dollars per page in the future. You may get some of the dentist to pay you a monthly fee to have ads show. My advice is to continue to grow by allowing the dentist to get in for free.
- Thanks
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Joe Stewart 8 years ago

[DELETED]

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- calvin1993 8 years ago
  
  Hi Joe,
  
  Thank you for the response, I appreciate the effort you put into trying to help me out. I am definitely going to use your ideas and see how it goes.
  
  Calvin
  
  Thanks
  
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mustafavanancio 8 years ago

Have you had your sales copy critiqued or reviewed by someone? Maybe your results could improve with a little tweaking?

Are using an email follow up series?

Are you clearly spelling out the benefits of the free offer and of listing with you?

Are you using video as part of your marketing? Video has been proven by some marketers to convert by up to 300%?

Have you tried using Direct Mail? Direct Mail has been proven to be very successful for some marketers?

What about traffic sources?
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- calvin1993 8 years ago
  
  Thanks for the response.
  
  I haven't tried emailed them as they just have a generic email to the dental clinic, which I assume the owner doesn't see.
  
  I am tempted by sending emails and direct mail, any ideas how I could structure an email or direct mail that may convert well, what sort of subject heading for the email.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  ShayB 8 years ago
  
  What are the benefits for the dentists? That's where you start.
  
  Views aren't a benefit.
  
  Imagine going to the dentist and saying, "I can guarantee that 500 people a day will walk up to your window, stare inside and look at your waiting room for 10 seconds, and then move on." Those are the offline equivalent of views.
  
  That won't get them excited. New clients get them excited. Calls and inquiries get them excited. People booking appointments get them excited.
  
  What are they saying when they turn you down?
  
  [ 1 ] Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  Signature
  
  "Fate protects fools, little children, and ships called Enterprise." ~Commander Riker
  
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  calvin1993 8 years ago
  
  Any idea how I can add a benefit than just views?
  
  Currently the customers searching for the dentists are for emergency appointments at a last minute basis or out of hours in the night.
  
  Of all the people who visit my site just over 50% of them search with their postcode find a dentist and then follow on to the dentists page to get details.
  
  How can i track the call and inquiries that my website generates?
  
  Currently I am getting turned down because I can only get through to the receptionist. Maybe if I can get to the owner then I will be more likely to covert.
  
  [ 1 ] Thanks
  
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smilealot 8 years ago

Hi Calvin, you might want to try a service like CallFire or Twilio for tracking phone calls if that's what you're after. If it's website stats you're after, then Google Analytics will give you more than you need.
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bananapeel

8 years ago

Give the big dog in specific cities a free listing then hit up his competitors and be like look what so and so is doing...

[ 2 ] Thanks
1 reply

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savidge4

8 years ago

You have a directory.. you are sending each dentist about 200 visitors ( day month year? ) and this is currently free... you are sending this with a link that ends in "?yoursitename" correct? ( so on their end they could either themselves or whoever is doing their web stuff confirm the number )

I would start with a letter from your company to theirs. Explain they currently have a free listing on your site. give them a list of a couple months worth of traffic data June July Aug we sent X amount each month.

We are currently running a special $X per month to maintain this listing. To maintain this listing call or visit yada yada.

Here is where I might.. well I would get a bit punchy. I would further communicate in the letter that there is banner space available as well on pages xyz of your site with a compbine monthly average of X traffic. This is available for $X per month. this offer is being sent to

Dentist #1
#2
#3
#4
#5

This offer is on a first come first serve basis.

Look forward to hearing from you

CHEERS!

At this point... how fast do you think your phone will ring? one of the bloody *******s will call trust me!

[ 2 ] Thanks
1 reply

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Success is an ACT not an idea

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calvin1993

8 years ago

Originally Posted by savidge4

You have a directory.. you are sending each dentist about 200 visitors ( day month year? ) and this is currently free... you are sending this with a link that ends in "?yoursitename" correct? ( so on their end they could either themselves or whoever is doing their web stuff confirm the number )

I would start with a letter from your company to theirs. Explain they currently have a free listing on your site. give them a list of a couple months worth of traffic data June July Aug we sent X amount each month.

We are currently running a special per month to maintain this listing. To maintain this listing call or visit yada yada.

Here is where I might.. well I would get a bit punchy. I would further communicate in the letter that there is banner space available as well on pages xyz of your site with a compbine monthly average of X traffic. This is available for per month. this offer is being sent to

Dentist #1
#2
#3
#4
#5

This offer is on a first come first serve basis.

Look forward to hearing from you

CHEERS!

At this point... how fast do you think your phone will ring? one of the bloody *******s will call trust me!

Thanks for the reply.

Currently the site is for companies that open on a Sunday within the UK, as it very hard to find businesses open on a Sunday in the UK.

I am sending them 200 each month.

I do like your idea and will give it a go.

Thank you for your input

Thanks

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Getting dentists to join my directory

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