SmartBox Dental Marketing

When Dentists’ Retirement Is Just a Fading Dream

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Patient Attraction Episode 1120

The Great Recession forced many baby boomer dentists to delay their retirement plans. But the effects of that downturn lingered for years, and it’s only been in the last 2 years or so that dentists’ incomes have begun to recover. That may not be a pressing concern for you right now, but the lesson from 2008 to 2010 should be clear. Any dentist’s retirement plans can be derailed if the economy goes south. After the break, I’ll tell you how you can insulate your dental practice against economic downturns. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– The lessons of the Great Recession are fading slowly while the country enjoys the longest economic boom in many decades.

– But one thing is clear: History teaches that every boom is followed by a bust.

– And when things go smash, people hoard money.

– They opt for only maintenance dental care and defer or cancel any optional work.

– People without enough money during a recession spend what they have on food, clothing, shelter, and utilities.

– Any dental care moves way down the list.

– That’s why dentists’ incomes nosedive during downturns.

– Dentists who market to prospects who are strongly motivated by low price, specials, and insurance acceptance will be hit the worst.

– Unfortunately, that includes most dentists, if not the vast majority.

– It probably includes you.

– Let’s be clear – I’m not saying that the sky is going to fall any time soon.

– But the economic downturn, if not an outright recession, is coming.

– It’s only a question of when, and whether you’ll be ready for it.

– If your retirement projections are based on a certain income level and practice growth per year, those projections will need to be reset – unless you take steps soon to safeguard your practice.

– Certainly you should consult your accountant, financial advisor, and attorney.

– But those steps alone won’t assure your future.

– Changing how you market your practice, and the prospects you’re marketing to, is the solution.

– In almost any market, a significant segment of prospects are willing to pay more for the right dentist.

– And they have the resources to keep paying even in the face of an economic downturn.

– Those better patients aren’t attracted by discounts, specials, and low prices.

– You won’t attract them by pursuing traditional dental marketing.

– You have to give them reasons to choose you over your competitors.

– You have to position yourself as the best and only logical choice to solve their dental problems.

– You’ll need a strong and consistent media presence …

– A website with excellent navigation and helpful, authoritative content …

– High-quality doctor and patient testimonial videos …

– And dedicated, condition-specific email streams.

– That’s a lot of work, probably too much for most dentists.

– But everything I’ve just mentioned, and much more, is what SmartBox provides for more than 550 dentists on 3 continents.

– SmartBox dentists not only get more patients; they get better patients.

– Those better patients will help protect their practices against the next economic downturn.

– Learn what our industry-leading Patient Attraction System can do for your practice.

– Visit smartboxdentalmarketing.com and reserve your free Practice Discovery Session.

– Free means free – no cost, no obligation of any kind.

– In exchange for a small amount of your time, we’ll show you a Patient Attraction System that can double or even triple your practice.

– And you’ll receive your free, individualized Patient Attraction Roadmap.

– You can get more patients, more profits, and more f[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1119

Testimonials and online reviews are the new “social proof” for dentists. They take the place that used to be occupied almost exclusively by word-of-mouth referrals. But just like in-person recommendations vary in their quality and believability, so do your testimonial videos. Most dentists have too many low-quality, generic testimonial videos that don’t speak to the specific needs and wants of dental prospects. After the break, I’ll tell what makes a great dental testimonial video. And I’ll show you how to get more specific testimonials that will influence more prospects to choose your practice.

- I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

- Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

- Dental patient testimonial videos are a mainstay of online marketing.

- Practically every dentist has a website featuring those testimonials.

- More and more dentists are discovering YouTube as a platform for their testimonials.

- Videos harness the power of sight and sound to influence prospects to choose you.

- But way too many dental testimonial videos miss the mark.

- To be fair, it’s hard to go wrong with “Gee, everybody at X Dental is wonderful” videos.

- But if that’s all you have on your website or YouTube channel, you’re not getting everything you could be.

- Here’s why: People with dental problems – not just those looking for routine care – have specific concerns.

- They’re looking for solutions to those problems.

- “Gee whiz” testimonials don’t speak to those specific concerns.

- They certainly don’t provide the answers that your prospects need and want.

- Your online marketing has to help prospects make the mental leap from problem to embracing the solution.

- That’s not something you should leave to chance.

- It really doesn’t matter what kind of practice you have.

- Specialized practices such as orthodontics or cosmetic dentistry treat many, many patients with specific dental issues.

- But almost every general practice has performed emergency dentistry or come up with an elegant solution to a patient’s specific need.

- Those are the stories your prospects need and want to hear – directly from the patients themselves.

- Your prospects want to know how those patients’ lives were improved through your actions.

- They want to know that, like other patients, they can count on you and your staff to help them eat without pain, smile without embarrassment, and laugh freely.

- Your prospects want to know that they can trust you to make their lives better.

- That is the single most important point your marketing can accomplish.

- It’s far more important than testimonials talking about how nice everyone is.

- Nice is expected these days and does nothing to influence prospects to choose you.

- It’s not always easy to get better testimonials.

- A lot of dentists make mistakes in how the videos are shot.

- A quick hallway interview shot on a handheld smartphone rarely comes off well.

- Dentists also make mistakes in the timing of when they ask for the interview.

- People who still have a mouth full of procaine are unlikely to say yes to appearing on camera.

- Other mistakes include choosing people your prospects have trouble relating to, and failing to guide patients to tell a good and credible story.

- The bottom line is that there are a lot of ways testimonial videos can go wrong.

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Patient Attraction Episode 1119

Testimonials and online reviews are the new “social proof” for dentists. They take the place that used to be occupied almost exclusively by word-of-mouth referrals. But just like in-person recommendations vary in their quality and believability, so do your testimonial videos. Most dentists have too many low-quality, generic testimonial videos that don’t speak to the specific needs and wants of dental prospects. After the break, I’ll tell what makes a great dental testimonial video. And I’ll show you how to get more specific testimonials that will influence more prospects to choose your practice.

– I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– Dental patient testimonial videos are a mainstay of online marketing.

– Practically every dentist has a website featuring those testimonials.

– More and more dentists are discovering YouTube as a platform for their testimonials.

– Videos harness the power of sight and sound to influence prospects to choose you.

– But way too many dental testimonial videos miss the mark.

– To be fair, it’s hard to go wrong with “Gee, everybody at X Dental is wonderful” videos.

– But if that’s all you have on your website or YouTube channel, you’re not getting everything you could be.

– Here’s why: People with dental problems – not just those looking for routine care – have specific concerns.

– They’re looking for solutions to those problems.

– “Gee whiz” testimonials don’t speak to those specific concerns.

– They certainly don’t provide the answers that your prospects need and want.

– Your online marketing has to help prospects make the mental leap from problem to embracing the solution.

– That’s not something you should leave to chance.

– It really doesn’t matter what kind of practice you have.

– Specialized practices such as orthodontics or cosmetic dentistry treat many, many patients with specific dental issues.

– But almost every general practice has performed emergency dentistry or come up with an elegant solution to a patient’s specific need.

– Those are the stories your prospects need and want to hear – directly from the patients themselves.

– Your prospects want to know how those patients’ lives were improved through your actions.

– They want to know that, like other patients, they can count on you and your staff to help them eat without pain, smile without embarrassment, and laugh freely.

– Your prospects want to know that they can trust you to make their lives better.

– That is the single most important point your marketing can accomplish.

– It’s far more important than testimonials talking about how nice everyone is.

– Nice is expected these days and does nothing to influence prospects to choose you.

– It’s not always easy to get better testimonials.

– A lot of dentists make mistakes in how the videos are shot.

– A quick hallway interview shot on a handheld smartphone rarely comes off well.

– Dentists also make mistakes in the timing of when they ask for the interview.

– People who still have a mouth full of procaine are unlikely to say yes to appearing on camera.

– Other mistakes include choosing people your prospects have trouble relating to, and failing to guide patients to tell a good and credible story.

– The bottom line is that there are a lot of ways testimonial videos can go wrong.

– Careful dentists plan extensively to get everything right in their testimonials.

– That often includes extensive editing, because patients aren’t professional on-camera spokespeople.

– It is a huge time commitment, but an effective testimonial video gives your prospects reasons to choose you.

– On the other hand, a poorly done video gives them reasons to choose som[...]

Why Your Dental Marketing “Puzzle” Doesn’t Make Sense

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Patient Attraction Episode 1118

When you look for your dental practice online, are you feeling like “Dr. Invisible”? That happens to way too many dentists, and it’s usually due to drinking the search engine optimization Kool-Aid®. Optimizing your website is absolutely necessary for you to compete in the online arena, but it’s not enough – no matter what some SEO company might have told you. After the break, I’ll tell why those big bucks you spent to optimize your site aren’t returning enough new patients. And what it really takes to get more and better patients in today’s hypercompetitive environment. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– SmartBox believes strongly in the power of search engine optimization.

– Every SmartBox dentist gets a brand-new, fully optimized website.

– And they get ongoing SEO to make sure that it continues to achieve a superior search engine results page ranking.

– But optimizing just the website is only part of the puzzle.

– And that’s what most dentists miss.

– Google is still the overwhelming power in online search.

– And Google’s algorithms have evolved to look at, and for, more than just a website.

– No one outside Google knows exactly what the web crawlers are looking for.

– But SmartBox’s extensive experience shows that having optimized content in online locations other than your website is vital.

– Google is looking at the sum total of your online presence.

– That includes your website, your blog, your online reviews, your photos, and even your social media.

– If those aren’t optimized for search, you lose.

– And when it comes to your online content, it’s not just the back-end SEO that’s crucial.

– Google strongly favors content that is fresh and/or updated.

– It’s looking for authoritative, expert content that provides the best answers to searchers’ questions.

– Most SEO providers don’t extend their efforts to optimizing that kind of content, much less producing and updating it.

– SmartBox does all of that, and more.

– Our dentists are free to get back to seeing patients and solving their dental problems.

– They get to do what they trained for and love to do.

– SmartBox takes care of every aspect of attracting more and better patients.

– You won’t get that from an SEO provider.

– No matter how good that SEO person or company might be, you’ll get less than you could get.

– And you may remain the Invisible Dentist online.

– Or, you can enjoy the same benefits as more than 550 SmartBox dentists on 3 continents.

– If you’re serious about growing your practice and succeeding on your own terms, here’s what you should do.

– Visit smartboxdentalmarketing.com and reserve your free Practice Discovery Session.

– We’ll show you a Patient Attraction System that can double or even triple your practice.

– And you’ll receive your free, individualized Patient Attraction Roadmap.

– You can have more patients, more profits, and more freedom because you’ll never be the Invisible Dentist again.

– Join me for our next podcast.

– Until then, keep moving forward.

The post Why Your Dental Marketing “Puzzle” Doesn’t Make Sense appeared first on SmartBox » The Patient Attraction Podcast.

The post Why Your Dental Marketing “Puzzle” Doesn’t Make Sense appeared first on SmartBox » The Patient Attraction Podcast.

Dentistry on Wheels Is Bad News

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Patient Attraction Episode 1117

What’s one of the biggest reasons your prospects give for not wanting to book an appointment? Odds are good it’s that they can’t take enough time away from work, or that they have to drive too far. Somebody’s been listening, and that somebody has decided to take dentistry – and upscale dentistry at that – to the workplace. After the break, I’ll tell about the groundbreaking dentistry-on-wheels model that could spell trouble for your dental practice. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– When you really don’t want to do something, almost any reason is good enough.

– And boy, is that true for people who need dental care.

– The list of excuses is incredibly long, and most of them aren’t very credible.

– But one reason that can be valid is that it’s hard to take that much time away from work.

– In October 2017, Harvard MBA Justin Joffe had the bright idea to provide dental services next to corporate offices.

– His company spent a year designing a tricked-out, luxury mobile dental clinic named HENRY The Dentist.

– And they hired some serious talent to staff it.

– The company works with corporate HR offices to schedule appearances at various New Jersey businesses.

– That lets time-pressed corporate employees get needed dental care right outside the front door, cutting travel time to practically nothing.

– There goes that excuse.

– Not only is HENRY convenient, but the clinic is appointed to meet the expectations of those corporate workers.

– According to the press release, each HENRY The Dentist clinic offers:

– Panoramic X-ray, massage dental chairs, Apple TVs with access to Netflix and HBO, and a team of world-class dental professionals.

– The company is aligned with most of the major dental insurance carriers, which is another incentive for workers to use its services.

– Obviously, this isn’t the setting to have oral surgery.

– But the variety of services offered is impressive: X-rays, exams, cleanings, fillings, nightguards, teeth whitening, and Invisalign, among others.

– Right now, the company is offering services in New Jersey with plans to expand to 3 HENRYs by 2018.

– Granted, this is pretty much concierge dentistry, and the concept won’t fly in a lot of markets.

– But if you’re in a larger market with a significant higher-income segment, HENRY could be your next competitor.

– There are any number of ways this model could go wrong, but it’s clear that Justin Joffe has done his homework.

– So if the concept proves out in corporate settings, it’s going to encourage imitators.

– The model appears to be scalable to different financial segments – just adjust the amenities and services offered.

– Those HENRY imitators won’t target highly paid corporate employees only but middle-income dental patients as well.

– There is a way to combat the HENRYs of the world before they ever arrive in your market.

– And that’s to position yourself as the best and only logical choice for your higher- and middle-income dental prospects.

– Those better prospects are far less motivated by price and insurance acceptance than they are by having a dentist they like and trust.

– And as a group, they’re extremely loyal to the dentist they choose to solve their dental problems.

– It’s not yet clear whether the HENRY model is going to do much to foster long-term relationships.

– It may fall prey to the same weakness that corporate dentistry has – patients usually can’t see the same dentist twice.

– That’s a weakness you can exploit.

– You should be getting better patients right now.

– If you’re not, it’s because you’re using the wrong marketing approach.

– SmartBox helps more than[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1116

You might think you’re getting a good number of new dental patients from your marketing. But have you ever wondered how many prospects you’re not getting? That includes prospects who are going to your competition because they’re not finding you online. Or because your online marketing just doesn’t answer their questions or give them reasons to choose you. Or because you need more consistency in how you approach the issue of attracting new dental patients. After the break, I’ll tell you how to gain consistency and new patients through the correct marketing approach. Stay tuned.

- I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

- Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

- I know thousands of dentists, and I know how they promote their practices.

- And based on my experience, I can tell you that it’s the exception when a dental practice has a consistent approach to marketing.

- I’ve seen it all:

- Dentists who try to attract big dental cases by advertising low price.

- Dentists who try to be everything to everybody but wind up being very little to very few people.

- Dentists whose online marketing contradicts their offline marketing.

- Dentists who essentially do no marketing and wonder why they’re not getting enough new patients.

- If there’s one thing that distinguishes most dentists’ approach to marketing, it’s inconsistency.

- There’s a reason for that.

- The vast majority of dentists market on price, discounts, and insurance acceptance.

- They market that way because that’s what the other dentists in their area are doing.

- Dentists who market on price wind up offering a variety of discounts and specials over the course of a year.

- So they become the free-exam, free-X-ray, have-a-gift-bag, warm-blanket dentist.

- Basically, they become nobody because they don’t have a firm online identity.

- Those dentists pigeonhole themselves as “just another dentist.”

- They’re not giving prospects any reason to choose them over the competition – which is increasing all the time.

- So each dentist gets a smaller slice of the pie.

- Just as a side note, it’s always amazed me how much dentists will spend, and keep spending, on crap marketing.

- This is not the way to build your business.

- You don’t need low-value patients with no loyalty to your practice.

- But what are you doing to attract people who are willing to spend thousands or tens of thousands on implants, cosmetic dentistry, or full-mouth reconstruction?

- Those better patients are a significant segment of almost every market.

- But you can’t be the discount dentist and the high-end, preferred dentist at the same time.

- If you truly enjoy an endless stream of routine exams and drill-and-fills, more power to you.

- But if you’re serious about your practice’s success, you’ve got to stop marketing to everybody and market to the patients you want to attract.

- That’s the essence of SmartBox’s industry-leading Patient Attraction System™.

- We help more than 550 dentists on 3 continents get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

- SmartBox helps position dentists as the best and only logical choice to solve their prospects’ dental problems.

- We position each dentist as the likeable, relatable, trustworthy dental expert.

- We give them a consistent online identity and marketing approach.

- That’s what we did for Dr. Thomas Feder of Belleville, Illinois.

Why You’re Bleeding Dental Prospects

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Patient Attraction Episode 1116

You might think you’re getting a good number of new dental patients from your marketing. But have you ever wondered how many prospects you’re not getting? That includes prospects who are going to your competition because they’re not finding you online. Or because your online marketing just doesn’t answer their questions or give them reasons to choose you. Or because you need more consistency in how you approach the issue of attracting new dental patients. After the break, I’ll tell you how to gain consistency and new patients through the correct marketing approach. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I know thousands of dentists, and I know how they promote their practices.

– And based on my experience, I can tell you that it’s the exception when a dental practice has a consistent approach to marketing.

– I’ve seen it all:

– Dentists who try to attract big dental cases by advertising low price.

– Dentists who try to be everything to everybody but wind up being very little to very few people.

– Dentists whose online marketing contradicts their offline marketing.

– Dentists who essentially do no marketing and wonder why they’re not getting enough new patients.

– If there’s one thing that distinguishes most dentists’ approach to marketing, it’s inconsistency.

– There’s a reason for that.

– The vast majority of dentists market on price, discounts, and insurance acceptance.

– They market that way because that’s what the other dentists in their area are doing.

– Dentists who market on price wind up offering a variety of discounts and specials over the course of a year.

– So they become the free-exam, free-X-ray, have-a-gift-bag, warm-blanket dentist.

– Basically, they become nobody because they don’t have a firm online identity.

– Those dentists pigeonhole themselves as “just another dentist.”

– They’re not giving prospects any reason to choose them over the competition – which is increasing all the time.

– So each dentist gets a smaller slice of the pie.

– Just as a side note, it’s always amazed me how much dentists will spend, and keep spending, on crap marketing.

– This is not the way to build your business.

– You don’t need low-value patients with no loyalty to your practice.

– But what are you doing to attract people who are willing to spend thousands or tens of thousands on implants, cosmetic dentistry, or full-mouth reconstruction?

– Those better patients are a significant segment of almost every market.

– But you can’t be the discount dentist and the high-end, preferred dentist at the same time.

– If you truly enjoy an endless stream of routine exams and drill-and-fills, more power to you.

– But if you’re serious about your practice’s success, you’ve got to stop marketing to everybody and market to the patients you want to attract.

– That’s the essence of SmartBox’s industry-leading Patient Attraction System.

– We help more than 550 dentists on 3 continents get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

– SmartBox helps position dentists as the best and only logical choice to solve their prospects’ dental problems.

– We position each dentist as the likeable, relatable, trustworthy dental expert.

– We give them a consistent online identity and marketing approach.

– That’s what we did for Dr. Thomas Feder of Belleville, Illinois.

– Amazingly, he had done almost no marketing in nearly 40 years of practice.

– But he needed better patients to realize his dream of transitioning out and enjoying his retirement.

– Once he became a SmartBox dentist, here’s what he found.

– He told us,

“Our average case value has increased[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1115

At it’s core, dentistry is a trust-based business. Smile Direct Club is trying to change that model, asking patients to put their trust in a company rather than a dentist. However, all is not well in Smile Direct Club land. The company may be facing extensive investigation by a number of state dental associations and attorneys general. But is Smile Direct Club the tip of the spear when it comes to taking practicing dentists out of direct patient care? After the break, I’ll tell why the future of dentistry may be less certain than ever and how to prepare your practice to thrive.

- Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

- I’m Colin Receveur.

- Invisalign revolutionized the treatment of mild to moderate orthodontic problems.

- The company opened up orthodontic treatment to any dentist who’s willing to complete their provider course.

- All of a sudden, general dentists could offer clear aligner treatment for their patients.

- And orthodontists felt the hit and are still feeling it.

- Smile Direct Club is taking the clear aligner business a step further.

- It offers significantly discounted clear aligners directly to the consumer.

- The customer receives a kit that allows them to take their own dental impressions and ship them back to the company.

- The aligners are produced using those impressions and sent back to the customer.

- The customer can also go to one of nearly 30 “SmileShops” where teeth are digitally scanned rather than taking impressions.

- Smile Direct Club has been in business for only about 3 years, but it’s already grown to over 1,000 employees and reportedly tens of thousands of customers.

- It’s fair to say that the business model seems to be working.

- And even Invisalign has taken note.

- Invisalign is now Smile Direct’s exclusive supplier and owns a chunk of the company.

- But it’s not all smooth sailing for Smile Direct.

- The company has been plagued by delivery issues and customer complaints.

- According to one source, there are also allegations that the company is having problems with customer service and product performance.

- But most worrying is that the American Association of Orthodontists has filed complaints against the company in 36 states.

- Those complaints allege that Smile Direct’s model is illegal and creates medical risks for patients.

- At least 3 states have opened investigations, and Alaska’s dental board voted to send a cease-and-desist letter to the company.

- For its part, Smile Direct claims to be a middleman in terms of delivering a product to consumers.

- It also claims to facilitate contact between customers and licensed orthodontists who actually design the clear aligners.

- It seems likely that the matter will be in the courts for a long time since Smile Direct’s model strikes at the very heart of dentistry: the relationship between the patient and a licensed dentist.

- It’s anyone’s guess how this will play out, but it would be foolish not to think of the direct-to-consumer model as a taste of things to come.

- As technology continues to develop, more and more patients will take advantage of the convenience and lower cost.

- For instance, telemedicine is catching on in a number of states that have a medical practitioner shortage.

- That doesn’t take the professional out of the equation, but it removes the in-person examination.

- Warby Parker is now offering eyeglasses through a customer’s computer with no in-office exam neede...

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Patient Attraction Episode 1115

At it’s core, dentistry is a trust-based business. Smile Direct Club is trying to change that model, asking patients to put their trust in a company rather than a dentist. However, all is not well in Smile Direct Club land. The company may be facing extensive investigation by a number of state dental associations and attorneys general. But is Smile Direct Club the tip of the spear when it comes to taking practicing dentists out of direct patient care? After the break, I’ll tell why the future of dentistry may be less certain than ever and how to prepare your practice to thrive.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– Invisalign revolutionized the treatment of mild to moderate orthodontic problems.

– The company opened up orthodontic treatment to any dentist who’s willing to complete their provider course.

– All of a sudden, general dentists could offer clear aligner treatment for their patients.

– And orthodontists felt the hit and are still feeling it.

– Smile Direct Club is taking the clear aligner business a step further.

– It offers significantly discounted clear aligners directly to the consumer.

– The customer receives a kit that allows them to take their own dental impressions and ship them back to the company.

– The aligners are produced using those impressions and sent back to the customer.

– The customer can also go to one of nearly 30 “SmileShops” where teeth are digitally scanned rather than taking impressions.

– Smile Direct Club has been in business for only about 3 years, but it’s already grown to over 1,000 employees and reportedly tens of thousands of customers.

– It’s fair to say that the business model seems to be working.

– And even Invisalign has taken note.

– Invisalign is now Smile Direct’s exclusive supplier and owns a chunk of the company.

– But it’s not all smooth sailing for Smile Direct.

– The company has been plagued by delivery issues and customer complaints.

– According to one source, there are also allegations that the company is having problems with customer service and product performance.

– But most worrying is that the American Association of Orthodontists has filed complaints against the company in 36 states.

– Those complaints allege that Smile Direct’s model is illegal and creates medical risks for patients.

– At least 3 states have opened investigations, and Alaska’s dental board voted to send a cease-and-desist letter to the company.

– For its part, Smile Direct claims to be a middleman in terms of delivering a product to consumers.

– It also claims to facilitate contact between customers and licensed orthodontists who actually design the clear aligners.

– It seems likely that the matter will be in the courts for a long time since Smile Direct’s model strikes at the very heart of dentistry: the relationship between the patient and a licensed dentist.

– It’s anyone’s guess how this will play out, but it would be foolish not to think of the direct-to-consumer model as a taste of things to come.

– As technology continues to develop, more and more patients will take advantage of the convenience and lower cost.

– For instance, telemedicine is catching on in a number of states that have a medical practitioner shortage.

– That doesn’t take the professional out of the equation, but it removes the in-person examination.

– Warby Parker is now offering eyeglasses through a customer’s computer with no in-office exam needed.

– That model may also be challenged down the road, but it’s clear that business is looking to profit by eliminating the on-site professional.

– How will your dental practice respond to the challenge?

– This is one time where you can get ahead of the curve and seize an [...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1114

This is the last of a series of podcasts in which I’ve looked at how dentists can apply Robert Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Influence to get more new patients. Today’s podcast is on a subject near and dear to my heart – Consensus, or social proof, as it’s also called. Social proof is a powerful recruitment tool for dentists who want more new patients … if it’s handled right. Online reputation management is absolutely essential these days, because a handful of negative reviews can cause you to lose patients you’d otherwise get. After the break, I’ll be back to tell you how to make social proof work for you rather than against you. Stay tuned.

- Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

- I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

- As the saying goes these days, if you’re not on Google, you’re nowhere.

- Getting found online is crucial because that’s where more than 90 percent of prospects begin their search for a dentist.

- But when prospects find you, what will they see people saying about you and your practice?

- Patient reviews on your website, on Yelp, on Google +, and on other review sites constitute social proof.

- Enough very positive reviews, and prospects will take that as confirmation that you’re the right dentist for them.

- But online reputations these days are measured in fractions of stars.

- Most review sites offer reviewers the chance to assign a star rating, usually from 1 to 5.

- It takes very few 1-star ratings to knock down your overall rating.

- And when prospects can choose between a 5-star dentist and 4.2-star dentist, which do you think they’ll select?

- Many prospects don’t even read the reviews if the dentist’s rating is too low.

- But a low rating is usually accompanied by negative reviews.

- And when your prospects read those reviews, they’ll definitely click away and choose another dentist.

- Dentists who ignore their online reviews and ratings are asking for trouble.

- And yet, all too many of them do.

- Managing your online reputation is essential, but it’s also an enormous time suck.

- There are ways to make the job of overseeing your reviews easier.

- You can set Google My Business to notify you automatically when a new review is posted.

- You can do the same for Yelp and other review sites.

- I recommend enabling those notifications, because a large part of recruiting patients online is interacting with them.

- Be sure to thank everyone who leaves a positive review.

- And emphasize that everyone who visits your practice can expect the same good experience.

- But even more important is dealing with negative reviews.

- You simply can’t afford to let those remain unaddressed.

- But you also can’t afford knee-jerk reactions online.

- Since bad online reviews can be personal, it’s often best to let someone else respond.

- And you need to have a carefully considered plan in place before anyone from your practice addresses the review.

- If at all possible, try to take the conversation offline.

- If you can resolve the issue with the unhappy patient, consider asking them to post a retraction online.

- So, interact with admirers and minimize the damage from disgruntled posters.

- But the very best way to maximize your star rating is to request reviews from your patients.

- The timing on asking is a bit sensitive.

- If someone has been in the chair for an hour and still has a numb jaw whe...