SmartBox Dental Marketing

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Patient Attraction Episode 1060

I know thousands of dentists, and I know that too many of them have no idea what parts of their marketing are bringing in new patients. Even worse, too many of them don’t know what their marketing return on investment is. You might be one of those dentists, and it’s almost certainly hurting your bottom line. As a small business owner, like you, let me tell you that’s no way to run things. When we come back, I’ll tell how to know exactly what parts of your marketing are working and which aren’t.

– I’m Colin Receveur, founder and CEO of SmartBox Web Marketing.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– The common wisdom is that marketing is an inexact science at best.

– In years past, that was true because determining return on investment was a hit-or-miss business at best.

– For dentists, there was always the question of whether an increase in new patients was just a normal fluctuation, or whether the marketing was working.

– And forget about trying to figure out how patients chose that practice.

– Studies have shown that new dental patients are notorious for not accurately remembering what ad or online marketing piece they saw before calling.

– Some marketing firms that work with dentists are still doing “voodoo” marketing.

– The thing about voodoo is that sometimes it seems to work and other times not.

– But there’s no explanation for either outcome.

– I think that’s deplorable, because there’s a way to determine your exact ROI.

– And there’s also a way to determine what parts of your marketing are bringing in the most new patients.

– When I talk with dentists, I get responses like, “Well, our marketing seems to be working.”

– Or, “Well, we have more patients this month than last, so …”

– That’s the “feelings” approach to marketing, and it’s the dentist equivalent of voodoo marketing.

– You might feel that you newspaper ads are bringing in the most new patients when it’s actually your dental emails.

– Or something else entirely.

– Feelings are no substitute for hard data.

– Accurate data allows you to put more of your hard-earned marketing dollars where they’ll do the most good – and to pull money from channels that aren’t producing.

– Few dental practices can afford to waste marketing funds.

– That’s likely what you’re doing right now.

– How’s that working out for you?

– Are your growth numbers where you need and want them to be?

– Or are you struggling to fill your chairs?

– Then there’s the question of overall ROI.

– A lot of dentists would be thrilled with a confirmed return on investment of 5 to 1.

– Many of our SmartBox dentists are getting ROIs between 17 to 1 and 46 to 1.

– We know this because of phone tracking.

– Our dentists enjoy the benefits of our exclusive Zetetics® phone tracking system.  

– Here’s how it works.

– Every piece of your marketing is assigned a unique phone number, and calls to those numbers are forwarded to your office.

– The source of the incoming call, and the call itself, are automatically recorded and stored on a database.

– SmartBox’s dedicated team of Call Quality Analysts listens to every call for every dentist every month.

– That’s how we can determine exactly where your new patients found your practice.

– But there’s one other issue – how many prospects who call your practice are never appointed?

– Most dentists think their phone answerers walk on water, but we’ve got hard data to show otherwise.

– You’d be appalled at how many calls to the practice during business hours are never answered.

– Our Call Quality Analysts identify new patients who are not appointed and the errors that phone answerers made.

– We also offer dental practice–specific phone training t[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1059

I know thousands of dentists, and I have a good idea of what the arc of dentistry is like. I’ve seen young, enthusiastic dentists gradually wear down over time. Usually, that’s due to the unrewarding nature of drill-and-fill dentistry. If you’re feeling the weight of countless fillings and crowns, it’s time to change the nature of your cases. I’ll be back after the break to tell you how to do that.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– My dad is a very successful dentist in the greater Louisville, Kentucky, area.

– One of the things I really admire about him is that he’s just as enthusiastic about dentistry as he was 25 years ago.

– He’s doing what he loves rather than what he has to do.

– He can do that because he’s getting the patients whose dental problems demand and challenge his highly developed skills.

– Dr. Receveur owns and operates New Albany Implants.

– He does more than just implants, of course, but implants are what really get him out of bed in the morning.

– He has that kind of enthusiasm because he’s getting the high-quality, high-value cases he loves to do.

– And I’m happy to say that SmartBox Web Marketing has a lot to do with that.

– That’s right – my dad is a SmartBox dentist.

– If you’ve been in practice for 15 or 20 years, or more, my guess is that you’re not too excited about getting out of bed in the morning.

– You might be dreading how your back will feel after bending over a chair for 6 or 8 hours.

– Maybe you’re wondering whether dentistry is really a younger person’s game.  

– Can’t say I blame you.

– So, what are you going to do about it?

– Are you able to retire?

– And if you can retire, are you ready?

– If not, you’d better shake things up.

– And the place to start is with your marketing.

– There are two questions, and the first is, What kind of patient are you marketing to?

– And the second question is, What kind of patient are you getting?

– If you’ve convinced yourself that all you can get are low-case-value patients, you’re probably marketing on price, specials, and discounts.

– Guess who’s attracted to that kind of marketing?

– Price shoppers, insurance-driven patients, and one-and-dones.

– You have an unending string of not very interesting or very lucrative cases.

– You’re working longer hours to make the practice profitable – if your practice IS profitable.

– What would happen if you marketed to a different kind of patient?

– 20 percent of your market has the ability and willingness to pay more for a dentist they like.

– Don’t believe that?

– I’ve got more than 550 SmartBox dentists who would disagree with you.

– Because they’re killing it on their marketing.

– They’re not just getting more new patients; they’re getting better patients.

– And I have it on good authority that a great many of them have found a new zest for dentistry.

– Quite a few of them have even arranged to cut back their hours.

– If you want what those dentists have, and you’re serious about making some changes, here’s what you should do.

– Schedule a Patient Attraction System Blueprint Session.

– You can do that by going to smartboxdentalmarketing.com/blueprint.

– We reserve these sessions only for serious dentists.

– I’m talking about dentists who want to see a patient attraction system that can double their practice.

– You can get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

– Dr. CJ Landry of Marrero, Louisiana, is a case in point.  

– Here’s his report of how things are going.

– “With SmartBox, they really followed up.

– “They’re putting in content that’s relevant to our practice.

– “Nowadays, our practice is more [...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1057

This isn’t your father’s dentistry, and it’s not your father’s dental marketing, either. For people who aren’t trained in marketing, there’s a bewildering sea of unfamiliar terms and practices. It’s harder than ever before for dentists to keep control of their marketing because a lot of marketing companies are happy to sell you what you don’t need. I’ll be back after the break to tell you more. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I know thousands of dentists, and very few of them are savvy about digital marketing.

– If you’re one of them, that’s not surprising because marketing isn’t one of the subjects you studied in dental school.

– And while marketing isn’t rocket science, it’s still incredibly complex in today’s hypercompetitive online world.

– If you’ve outsourced your efforts to attract new patients to a marketing firm, I congratulate you.

– I’m a firm believer that dentists do much better when they focus on what they’ve trained to do and love to do: seeing patients and solving their dental problems.

– But how do you know whether you’ve chosen the right firm?

– Your marketing firm has probably thrown all kinds of unfamiliar terms at you and not explained them well … if at all.

– Are you clear about what your marketing firm is doing for you?

– Do you know exactly what you’re getting for investing your hard-earned marketing dollars with them?

– Trust me, the vast majority of marketers don’t have a clue about the technical aspects of dentistry.

– They have even less of a clue than you do about search engine optimization, long-tail keywords, Accelerated Mobile Pages, pay-per-click campaigns, and everything else.

– So how are they going to convey what you do to your prospects in such a way that those people are motivated to pick up the phone and book an appointment?

– Your marketing firm might have promised you clicks, impressions, longer dwell times on your website, or something equally technical.

– Are they promising you the one thing that truly matters?

– That’s more new patient butts in your chairs.

– Everything else is just a means to that all-important end.

– Because seeing new patients and solving their dental problems is what makes you the money you need to operate and grow your practice.

– If you are getting a reasonable number of new patients, do you know what’s bringing them in?

– Is your marketing firm providing you with exact figures on what parts of your marketing are working to generate the most new patients?

– And for that matter, are they guaranteeing they’ll do what they say they’ll do?

– Almost certainly not, on all counts.

– If most of what I just discussed is true for you, your dental marketing is out of control.

– You deserve better from the company that’s handling the money you entrust to them.

– In fact, I’d argue that you don’t need a dental marketing firm.

– Most, if not all, of your competitors have one, and they’re all doing the same thing.

– Why play on a level field if you can get an overwhelming advantage?

– SmartBox Web Marketing isn’t a dental marketing firm.

– We’re a dental patient attraction company, and we provide dental patient attraction services.

– That may sound like I’m splitting hairs, but the truth is that our approach to putting more new patient butts in chairs is completely different.

– Our industry-leading Patient Attraction System is proven to return outstanding results for our doctors.

– And we work with more than 550 dentists on three continents.

– Our total focus is getting you more and better dental patients.

– And we back up our work with our SmartBox 10 thousand dollar Guarantee.

– Basically, if we don’t get you the result[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1056

It can be really aggravating to suffer through 4 long years of dental school only to realize that you’re just another dentist to your prospects. But the odds are good that you have your marketing to blame for that. When we come back, I’ll tell you how to position yourself online so that your prospects think you’re the dentist who walks on water. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur, founder and CEO of SmartBox Web Marketing.

– I’m also the originator of the industry-leading Patient Attraction System.

– There are several reasons that I developed a better way of attracting new dental patients.

– One reason is that I have a soft spot for dentists.

– My dad is a very successful dentist in the greater Louisville, Kentucky, area.

– I practically grew up in his practice, so I know the struggles that dentists go through.

– I’m happy to say that I played a role in his success, and still do.

– But to do that, I had to reimagine what effective dental marketing looked like.

– I took a look around and discovered that practically every dentist was doing exactly the same thing.

– They were chasing patients by advertising low prices, discounts, and specials.

– And they were getting bottom-of-the-barrel patients in terms of loyalty and case value.

– And when I realized that, I realized something else.

– Not one of them was giving their prospects a reason to prefer a particular dentist.

– And that led to another idea: that all dentists are considered the same.

– They’re all seen as being competent – tooth technicians, so to speak.

– So I knew that to attract more patients, better patients, dentists would have to find a way to stand out.

– I wondered what was important to dental patients besides low price when they chose a dentist.

– It’s the relationship that patients have with the doctor and the staff.

– So the key to attracting new dental prospects was to convince them that the dentist was an expert and someone they would like, relate to, and trust.

– And finally, the Patient Attraction System was born when I knew that establishing a solid online presence mattered far more than traditional advertising.

– And it’s been proven by more than 550 dentists on three continents.

– Granted, the practice has to live up to those expectations.

– For most offices, that’s not really a problem.

– Courtesy, friendliness, expertise, consideration, and a nice facility are all your prospects need to keep coming back and to refer friends and family.

– If your practice doesn’t have those qualities, you’re in trouble no matter what new patient recruitment techniques you use.

– The Patient Attraction System has four Pillars: Attraction, Conversion, Follow-up, and Tracking.

– Attraction means you’re on your prospects’ radar, and they want to know more about you and how you can help them.

– Conversion is when your prospects opt-in to receive additional, condition-focused communications from you.

– Follow-up is the process of staying in front of your prospects until they’re ready to choose you.

– And Tracking is recording new patient calls and analyzing them to determine exactly what parts of your marketing are generating the most new patients.

– That may sound simple, but a whole lot of things have to happen behind the scenes to make the system work.

– Search engine optimization, content writing, testimonial and doctor videos, email drip marketing, and much, much more.

– SmartBox has a huge team dedicated to helping doctors get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

– And many of the dentists who work with us enjoy outstanding returns on their marketing investments.

– Is your current marketing bringing you a retu[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1055

Having empty chairs is one of the worst things that can happen to a dental practice. It’s demoralizing for everyone in the practice. Even worse, that attitude will be conveyed to the patients you do have. If your practice has a good reputation, there’s really only one reason for empty chairs: You’re not giving your prospects a reason to choose you over someone else. You need to make sure your prospects not only know your name but that they prefer you over your competitors. I’ll be back after the break to tell you how.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– If you’re one of only a few dentists in your market, your prospects almost certainly know who you are.

– But if your market has a dozen or more dentists, you’ve got to take action to stand out from the crowd.

– Otherwise, you’ll have lots of empty chairs.

– Dentists are advance-degreed professionals who are assumed to be competent.

– Your average prospect can’t tell the difference between a DDS and a DMD, and they wouldn’t care if they knew.

– So the fact that you’re a licensed dentist just levels the playing field.

– It doesn’t give your prospects a reason to choose you.

– And advertising like all your competitors won’t give them a reason, either.

– The vast majority of dentists chase new patients by offering discounts, coupons, and specials.

– Again, there’s nothing to differentiate you as a dentist from any other dentist.

– So the large majority of your prospects will choose the cheapest dentist.

– Advertising appeals to price shoppers, insurance-driven patients, and one-and-dones.

– It’s basically a race to the bottom that only the practices with the deepest pockets will win.

– These days, corporate dentistry has the deepest pockets around.

– They’ll cheerfully undercut you on price, and they’ll kill you on availability.

– So going head-to-head with corporate dentistry is a losing proposition.

– And it helps explain why you have empty chairs.

– You’re competing for the same pool of low-value dental patients, and corporate is better at it than you are.

– Can you see the handwriting on the wall?

– You’ll lose this game, so if you’re going to succeed, you’ve got to change how you play.

– It always amazes me how many dentists who are in trouble are unwilling to do things differently.

– They’re looking for the next magical marketing bullet that will make everything okay.

– There are plenty of so-called marketing firms that are more than happy to sell you their magic bullet, or at least rent it to you.

– But the magic is an illusion.

– There’s no such thing as a magic marketing bullet; there’s only something that will work for a while … if you’re lucky.

– And that will leave you searching for the next magic bullet.

– But there is a proven way to stop playing corporate’s game.

– And that’s to appeal to 20 percent of your market who would never be caught dead in a corporate practice.

– You won’t get those better patients by being the low-price dentist.

– You have to give them a reason to choose you to solve their dental problems.

– You need a system that positions you as the only logical choice to solve your better prospects’ dental problems.

– Dr. Mitchel Friedman of Lincroft, New Jersey, is the beneficiary of just such a system.

– Here’s what he said.

–  “I’ve been a client of Colin Receveur since 2013.

– “I already had a prominent web presence.

– “Colin and his brilliant team were quickly able to consolidate and automate our online programs …

– “… email responses, phone tracking and recording, press releases, blog posts, and Infusionsoft® integration with ortho and implant campaign sequences.

– “Our case size[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1054

If you’ve been in practice more than 10 years, you’ve had to radically change your approach to dental marketing. Forget the idea of getting patients through the Yellow Pages. Today’s marketing is focused on the online experience. But there’s so much that goes into being found on Google that many dentists feel overwhelmed and make some bad marketing decisions that come back to haunt them. You don’t have to live in fear of your past decisions. I’ll be back after the break to tell you more.

– I’m Colin Receveur, founder and CEO of SmartBox Web Marketing.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

– I’m the son of a very successful dentist in the greater Louisville, Kentucky, area.

– But he wasn’t always so successful, and I watched him struggling with his marketing at times.

– Now, my company works with more than 550 dentists on three continents to help them get more and better dental patients.

– So, I know thousands of dentists, and I know that the struggle is real and it isn’t over.

– Frankly, most dentists have absolutely no clue when it comes to promoting their practices.

– They do what everybody else is doing – postcard campaigns, newspaper ads, and maybe a couple of radio and TV spots.

– If they’re lucky, they get what everybody else gets: a lot of low-case-value patients with absolutely no loyalty.

– They’ll get a lot of price-driven, insurance-driven one-and-dones.

– Get enough of those and you can keep your practice afloat.

– Don’t get enough of those, and you fail.

– The upshot is that you’re constantly chasing after new patients.

– In today’s interconnected online world, that’s no way to run a business.

– You new dental patients are looking for you online.

– In fact, at least 80 percent of people begin their search for a dentist by going online.

– They’re not looking at your print ads or postcards.

– The competition for high ranking on Google is unbelievable.

– And what dentists need to do get those high-ranking spots is complex, to say the least.

– Maybe you’re handling your own search engine optimization, or SEO.

– If so, my compliments, but I seriously doubt you’re doing it right.

– SEO is one of the fastest-evolving fields on the planet.

– Even professionals have trouble keeping up.

– Someone who does it part-time has no chance of staying current.

– So your SEO that was state-of-the-art last month is killing you online this month.

– And then there’s pay-per-click ads, and content optimization, and mobile search, and Accelerated Mobile Pages.

– The list goes on and on.

– And all of that doesn’t make you a single dime.

– So, maybe you decided to outsource your SEO work.

– But does the company or individual you hired specialize in dentists?

– Dental prospects have specific, particular motivations for seeking a dentist.

– It takes a different understanding and a different approach than selling widgets.

– In fact, your website might be an absolute mess from an SEO standpoint.

– So, there are several ways you might have made bad marketing decisions.

– They could include advertising like everybody else, doing your own SEO work, or outsourcing it to the wrong vendor.

– Those are the kinds of mistakes that can keep you up at night – and even more so if you’re still making one or more of those errors.

– But you don’t have to be haunted by your marketing missteps.

– SmartBox Web Marketing works only with dentist practices to help them get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

– We have world-class SEO specialists, content writers, pay-per-click campaign managers, and much more.

– We also provide our exclusive, industry-leading Patient Attraction System™.

– When you work with Sm[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1053

Like all industries, dentistry has a business cycle. And within that industry, individual practices also have cycles. If your practice used to be making money hand over fist, but now you’re just coasting along, that’s not good. In today’s hypercompetitive market, if you’re not gaining ground, you’re losing ground. I’ll be right back to tell you how to regain your winning ways. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur, founder and CEO of SmartBox Web Marketing.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

– Dentistry isn’t what it used to be, and that’s both a good thing and a bad thing.

– It’s good in the sense that equipment, materials, and techniques have evolved tremendously over the past 20 or 30 years.

– It’s bad in the sense that the competition is fierce – and getting worse.

– And other, major forces are in play that can absolutely devastate the dental industry.

– Here’s what I mean by that.

– Dental competition is fueled by several factors.

– One is corporate dentistry.

– Corporate chains have efficiencies and economies of scale that you can’t hope to match.

– They’ll kill you on price and availability.

– Corporate is growing steadily by opening new practices and acquiring existing ones.

– If they’re not in your market yet, just wait.

– Another game-changer is that dentistry has been named one of, if not the, best profession for a number of years.

– The earnings potential is high, and the working environment is agreeable.

– So more people are entering dental school.

– And more dental schools are opening.

– There is already a flood of debt-laden dental graduates entering practice.

– And a lot of them are joining corporate dentistry to pay down that school debt.

– New dental school graduates are the second force that will reshape dentistry.

– The third force is the decline in dental insurance reimbursements.

– Delta Dental is a major driver of that trend.

– Delta gutted insurance reimbursements for Massachusetts dentists this year.

– It’s just the latest move to increase Delta’s profitability.

– And since Delta covers more than 70 million people in this country, the odds are good that you’ll feel the hit, too.

– And the fourth force is economic uncertainty.

– All the signs point to another market collapse.

– The only question is when that will happen.

– The Great Recession of 2009 took a heavy toll on dentists’ incomes.

– There’s no telling whether the next downturn will be better or worse than the last.

– But it is coming.

– Those four forces are what I call the Four Horsemen of Dentistry.

– And yes, those forces have the potential to become a Dental Apocalypse.

– In fact, I’ve written a book about it, and I’ll tell you at the end of this podcast how you can get a copy.

– These forces have been in play for some time, and you might not have noticed all of them.

– It’s very possible that these industry forces are partly responsible for the fact that your practice isn’t growing.

– You’ve probably been advertising like the vast majority of dentists – on price, specials, coupons, and discounts.

– But in today’s dental industry, you can’t succeed through old-fashioned advertising.

– And it certainly won’t prepare your practice to withstand the coming Dental Apocalypse.  

– I mentioned at the beginning of this episode that there’s a way to put your practice back on a winning trajectory.

– And that’s to stop chasing patients through advertising and start attracting them.

– In any given market, 20 percent of your prospects can and will pay more for a dentist they like, relate to, and trust.

– You can’t convey those qualities effectively through one-off advertising.

– In fact, it t[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1052

People get into dentistry because they love helping other people and want to make a lot of money while doing it. But after a number of years as a practicing dentist, some of the shine can wear off your profession. You just don’t look forward to subjecting your aching back to any more abuse. If you’re ready to expand your practice and only handle the cases you love to do, you’ll need considerable capital and lots more new patients. After the break, I’ll tell you how you can save your back and start enjoying life more. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– I’m a growth-oriented kind of guy, so I understand dentists who feel the same way.

– I used to do absolutely everything myself for SmartBox clients.

– Then I finally decided I’d had enough and began hiring employees.

– The company’s growth has been phenomenal, and it shows no signs of slowing.

– I’m very lucky in that respect.

– But if you’re looking for more out of your career than doing the next root canal, I understand.

– There’s more to life than spending 30 or 40 hours a week hunched over.

– You may be to the point where you’d like to hire some associates and maybe open another office or two.

– How will you make that happen?

– Is your current marketing generating enough new quality patients to pay for new equipment, new facilities, and new staff?

– Unless you’re the only practicing dentist in your market, probably not.

– Of course, you could borrow a boatload of cash to fund your expansion.

– That may not sound like a bad idea since interest rates remain so low.

– But once you do go into debt to fund your expansion, how will you fill those chairs?

– If you’re not going to significantly strain your finances, those new facilities need to begin paying for themselves almost from the minute you open the doors.

– So, maybe you want to expand, but you’re feeling stuck.

– You don’t want to, but you’re half-resigned to another 20 or 30 years of bending over dental chairs … and hoping your back will hold up.

– But you don’t have to be stuck, because there’s a proven system to help dentists attract more and better patients.

– It’s the industry-leading Patient Attraction System™ from SmartBox Web Marketing.

– And it’s transforming the practices of more than 550 dentists on three continents.

– The Patient Attraction System™ works to attract better-qualified new patients to your practice.

– It’s the opposite of quick-hit advertising that leaves you on a monthly treadmill of “What’ll we do for this month’s offer?”

– SmartBox dentists get new patients who are willing and able to pay more for a dentist they like, relate to, and trust.

– Dentists get those patients because we position our doctors as the best and only logical choice to solve their prospects’ dental problems.

– The result is increased numbers of new, qualified dental patients month after month.

– That is exactly the new patient flow you need to hire more help … and to stop feeling like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

– With the Patient Attraction System™, you can get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

– That includes the freedom to handle the cases you really enjoy doing.

– And to take some more time off, if that’s what you want.

– So if you’re ready to stop making your living at the expense of your back, here’s what you should do.

– Go to smartboxdentalmarketing.com/blueprint and schedule a Patient Attraction System Blueprint™ Session.

– We reserve these sessions only for serious dentists, the kind who want to see a patient attraction system that can double their practice.

– More and better patients can be yours – if you’re serious about making a change.

– Dr. Thom[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1051

If your dental practice’s growth curve looks more like a flat line, you’re actually losing ground. New dental patients are out there, but someone else is getting them. Better dental patients are out there, but they’re not coming to you. Those other dentists are getting richer and even more competitive as a result. You, on the other hand, aren’t. After the break, I’ll tell you how to get your growth curve pointed in the right direction. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur, founder and CEO of SmartBox Web Marketing.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

– I know thousands of dentists, and too many of them are working too hard, too long, for too little.

– Basically, they’re treading water.

– Treading water will keep you afloat, but it won’t get you anywhere.  

– And no matter how good you are at treading water, you’ll get tired eventually.

– The same goes with running as fast as you can to stay in one place.

– No matter how much you give to the effort, you’ll give out.

– Are you tired of giving everything to your practice but getting too little in return?

– Are you dreading the years until retirement?

– Or are you even thinking of selling your practice and doing something else?

– I can’t say that I blame you.

– But I do blame your marketing.

– If you’re not getting the new patients you need, the first place to look is at your marketing.

– Are you advertising like every other dentist in your market?

– Are you trying to get new patients based on price, specials, discounts, or coupons?

– Then you’re all competing for the same pool of low-case-value patients.

– When those are the vast majority of your practice, getting fewer of them will definitely hit your bottom line.

– So, what do you do when you’re not getting enough patients?

– You cut your rates even further, leading other dentists in your area to do the same thing.

– All of a sudden, you’re racing to the bottom.

– Maybe that’s where you still are – sitting at the bottom of your market but still advertising on price.

– And getting less and less in return.

– No wonder things look dark down there.

– Or maybe you haven’t hit rock bottom but all you’re doing is treading water and not going anywhere.

– It doesn’t have to remain that way.

– More than 550 dentists on three continents have discovered a new and much better way of filling their dental chairs.

– It’s called the Patient Attraction System™ and it’s available only from SmartBox Web Marketing.

– Our industry-leading system is designed to help dentists get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

– It’s not another form of advertising.

– Advertising chases patients by offering incentives to call for an appointment right now, or at least soon.  

– The Patient Attraction System™ takes a completely different approach.

– We position you as the only logical choice to solve your prospects’ dental problems.

– Not only do you attract more new patients; you attract better patients.

– In any given market, some 20 percent of prospects have the willingness and the ability to pay more for a dentist they like, relate to, and trust.

– Those are the patients who will help you grow your practice, not the one-and-dones, price shoppers, and insurance-driven patients you get now.

– But our Patient Attraction System™ isn’t for everyone.

– If you’re committed to being hands-on with your marketing, we’re not a good fit for you.

– If you can’t let go of the need to get patients right now, we’re not a good fit for you.

– Our approach attracts increasing numbers of qualified patients over time.

– Dr. Matthew Burton of Clearwater, Florida, was a very good fit.

– Here’s what he said.

–  “Our n[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1050

Retirement is looming for a lot of baby boomer dentists. If you’re one of them, you don’t have a lot of time to make sure you can spend retirement the way you’ve always dreamed about. After the break, I’ll be back to tell you why time is even shorter than you think. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

– Dentists’ incomes took a hit during the Great Recession.

– Many dentists who were planning on retiring had to delay their plans.

– Now, those dentists are considering retirement again.

– You might be one of those dentists.

– But consumer spending on dentistry has basically been flat since 2008.

– Have you made up that missing income?

– Will you be able to sell your practice for what you need to retire comfortably?

– That’s becoming an urgent question for reasons you might not be aware of.

– There are forces at work that can usher in another downturn for dentists.

– One that could rival or even surpass the effects of the Great Recession.

– And if those forces converge before you sell your practice, your retirement will be derailed – again.

– Those forces are the rise of corporate dentistry, new dental school graduates, declining insurance reimbursements, and economic uncertainty.

– In fact, I’ve even written a book about these “Four Horsemen of Dentistry,” but I’ll give you the short version here.

– Corporate dentistry continues to grow, and that’s bad news for your practice.

– If there’s money to be made in your market, one or more corporate dental chains will be there.

– And they can undercut your practice on everything.

– Not to mention the advertising blitz that can and will make your practice an afterthought.

– The corporate dental machine is fueled by an increasing number of new dental graduates.

– Those debt-laden graduates are choosing to pay off that debt by going to work for corporate dentistry.

– Sooner or later, though, they’ll pay off that debt and open their own practices.

– So you’ve got growth in two different kinds of competitors.

– And all the while, your reimbursement from dental insurance isn’t keeping pace with your cost of providing services.

– In some states, like Massachusetts, reimbursement is being slashed by Delta Dental.

– With insurance reimbursement down, more of the cost is shifted to patients.

– They’ll be looking for adequate work at the lowest cost, which plays right into corporate dentistry’s strength.

– And the last force is economic uncertainty.

– Memories of the last Great Recession are still fresh in the minds of dental patients.

– The economic indicators are making a lot of people uneasy.

– And uneasy people start squirreling away money in case they wind up losing their jobs … again.

– Nobody knows which way the economy is going to go, which is why it’s so hard to plan.

– But the markets that took down the country a few years ago are overvalued.

– Put those four forces together, and it’s not looking good for the near future of dentistry.

– If your practice is going to survive and thrive so that you can retire comfortably, you need a strategy.

– The traditional approach to dental marketing didn’t save dentists last time, and it won’t save you this time.

– So it’s time to get serious.

– There’s a way to protect your practice and your retirement, and it’s called the Patient Attraction System™.

– SmartBox Web Marketing has proven the effectiveness of this system in our work with more than 550 dentists on three continents.

– And you can put the power of our industry-leading Patient Attraction System™ to work for your practice.

– Go to smartboxdentalmarketing.com/blueprint.

– Schedule a Patient Attraction System[...]