SmartBox Dental Marketing

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Patient Attraction Episode 1160

There’s an old saying – be careful what you wish for. I’ll add another, not so old saying – be careful what you market for. Too many dentists are still advertising like their competitors – on low price, insurance acceptance, and specials. If you’re one of those doctors, the types of patients you get probably don’t exactly rock the cash register, if you know what I mean. After the break, I’ll tell you how to market to better patients who will let you work less and earn more.

– I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– Let me ask you a question.

– When was the last time you saw an orthopedic surgeon advertising a special offer?

– Never, that’s when.

– Orthopedic surgeons are pretty much an elite group, and they expect to command hefty fees for their work – even for relatively minor procedures.

– That’s not to say that a patient couldn’t price-shop among surgeons, but that hardly ever happens.

– What I’m getting at is that those doctors recognize the value of the services they provide and charge accordingly.

– Now, dentistry isn’t orthopedic surgery, but dentists are also an elite group.

– So why don’t they act like it?

– That’s always puzzled me.

– If you don’t recognize the value of what you do and charge accordingly, you’re selling yourself short.

– If you see yourself as a commodity provider, you’ll earn a lot less than you could.

– In almost any given market, some 20 to 30 percent of dental prospects have the ability and willingness to pay more for the right dentist.

– It’s true that some markets just won’t support premium pricing, so to speak.

– But those are the exceptions rather than the rule.

– The road to better patients and more money begins with you.

– If you’ve been running a volume dental practice, you have to make the decision to evolve.

– That begins with assessing what you offer to patients.

– Not just the services, but also the experience you provide while they’re communicating with or actually inside your practice.

– Better patients are motivated more by the relationship they establish with the practice than by financial concerns.

– Once you’ve zeroed in on the unique value you offer, you need to communicate that in every aspect of your marketing.

– That’s not an easy thing to do for dentists who are used to advertising low price.

– Your website will almost certainly need a rewrite.

– Your social media and blog will need to adopt the new approach.

– And any offline advertising such as newspaper ads or postcard campaigns must include some mention of the advantages of choosing you.

– That applies even if you continue advertising low price for a while longer.

– Like I said, it’s not easy for a volume dental practice to embrace a new marketing approach.

– Everyone in the practice is busy, and there’s not a lot of time for all the writing.

– Not to mention all the planning, search engine optimization, and other work that goes into the new marketing strategy.

– Most dentists will do better to outsource their marketing and focus on their patients.

– That’s what Dr. Jonathan Gilbart of Hagerstown, Maryland, did.

– Here’s what he said.

– “I’ve had different companies in the past.

– “They’re good at this, they’re good at that, but they don’t put it all together.

– “I don’t have time to put it all together.

– “I want to focus on my patients and focus on what their needs are.

– “I like to tinker with the stuff, but to be honest, I’m not that great at it.

– “So, I wanted to find a company that could do everything, as far as marketing, for me.

– “I decided to make the leap of faith, and I’m glad that I did.

– “Because I’ve been very happy with SmartB[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1159

If there’s one thing that drives dental practices to distraction, it’s dental insurance. It’s really a love/hate kind of thing. Without dental insurance, many patients wouldn’t get dental care. But companies like Delta Dental are shifting more of the cost burden to patients. Many people now want only the care that insurance will cover. And the insurance companies are pushing back against even reasonable procedures while making billing more complicated than ever. After the break, I’ll tell you how you can avoid the hassle of dental insurance and earn more than you are now. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

– The current state of dental insurance probably isn’t sustainable in the long run.

– Companies like Delta Dental reportedly give lip service to the idea of better patient outcomes.

– But they’re focused much more on shareholder value and C-suite bonuses.

– In many ways, dental insurance has become as much or more of a barrier to care than it is a help.

– Just ask the 1500 Washington State member dentists who filed a vote of no confidence petition with Delta Dental, also known as Washington Dental Service or WDS.

– They’re asking that the WDS board remove the current CEO, Jim Dwyer, who’s scheduled to retire next January.

– Dr. Cynthia Pauley, the current president of the Washington State Dental Association, said, “Under Mr. Dwyer’s tenure, Washington Dental Service …

– “… which should be a key partner with our profession in driving better patient outcomes …

– “… has instead become a barrier and antagonist to the dental profession.”

– Things have been brewing between Delta and its member dentists in Washington for some time, so this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

– Those dentists are fed up with unresponsive, profit-focused dental insurance companies.

– You probably are, too.

– We’re used to seeing dental insurance as just a fact of life, but we forget that the horse and buggy used to be a fact of life.

– Then something better came along, and the horse and buggy became a footnote in history.

– There’s no way to know for sure how dental insurance will evolve.

– But there is a way to make it pretty much irrelevant to your practice’s success.

– And that is to attract patients who really don’t care much about what their dental insurance policy will cover.

– Instead of operating a quantity practice, switch to a quality approach by getting better patients.

– You might be thinking that’s impossible.

– It’s true that making that switch relies in part on your market’s demographics.

– But SmartBox has helped hundreds of dentists make the transition to a “better patient” practice.

– One of those dentists is Dr. James Kiehl of southern New Hampshire.

– He told us, “Some of the advertising I’ve done in the past was more offer-driven, free exam, X-ray kinds of things.

– “When you bring patients in that way, you’re chasing them with the next offer or they’re chasing you for the next offer, all the way down the line.

– “With the Patient Attraction System, a lot of the new patients already are very knowledgeable about what they’re looking for.

– “Just the other day, I had a patient come in specifically wanting to talk about implants. – “He had heard us talk about implants and was ready to move forward.

– “That’s been nice to have them come in already pre-educated as to what we do here.

– “Since we’ve implemented our SmartBox Patient Attraction System, we’re definitely getting the quality patients that I want to see come into my practice.”

– Discover whether you can make dental insurance irrelevant to your practice’s success.

– Visit smartboxdentalmarketing.com and reserve your free, n[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1158

Corporate dental practices are eating independent dentists’ lunch all over the country. If you don’t have one or more of the dental chains in your market, it’s only a matter of time until you’ll be facing competition that can undercut you on price at every turn. However, you don’t have to go without lunch if you learn how to work less, earn more, and enjoy life again. Does that sound like a fairy tale? After the break, I’ll tell you how to shift your practice to the high ground that corporate practices can’t occupy. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I talk with dentists from every part of the United States.

– And I hear the horror stories about what happens when corporate dentistry establishes a strong presence in a market.

– Don’t get me wrong – corporate dentistry isn’t necessarily causing dentists to close shop, although it does happen.

– But most dentists find that their revenues take a beating from being undercut by the chains.

– Look, aside from a few billionaires with more money than God, nobody thinks they’re overpaid.

– And dentists work hard for their money.

– Working hard for less doesn’t make sense.

– But it’s going to happen if you try to compete where the dental chains are strong.

– So it’s time to change the playing field to something that favors your team.

– There’s a higher ground in almost every market.

– If your practice is going to thrive in the face of increased competition, you’ve got to move to that higher ground and stake your claim.

– The higher ground is composed of dental patients who wouldn’t be caught dead in a corporate practice.

– Those prospects have the discretionary income to be choosy about the dentist they select.

– They’re not motivated very much by discounts or insurance.

– And as a rule, they’re fiercely loyal to the right dentist.

– They value relationship just as much as they do expertise.

– Corporate dentistry has problems with doctor-patient relationships.

– It’s fairly common for a patient to never see the same dentist twice.

– You won’t be competing against the dental chains if you can refocus your marketing to attract the better prospects in your market.

– Your marketing has to convince them that you’re not only the expert – you’re also likeable, relatable, and trustworthy.

– All your marketing has to convey that message – your website, your blog, your social media, and your offline marketing.

– If you’ve been competing on price, specials, discounts, and insurance, it may be hard to adopt a different marketing mindset.

– But honestly, what’s the alternative in the face of all this competition?

– You can keep working too hard for too little, or you can change.

– But there is a guide to help you make that change.

– I know, because I wrote it and it was just published in April.

– It’s called Rise UP! The Keys to Ultimate  Dental Practice Success.

– This book will tell you everything involved in switching from a volume-based practice to a practice based on attracting better patients representing greater case value.

– You’re probably familiar with Dr. David Moffet of the Ultimate Patient Experience.

– He was kind enough to contribute the foreword to this book, and here’s part of what he wrote.

– “I’m excited about this book …

– “… and I’m looking forward to seeing the growth of the dental offices that apply the principles and systems that are explained on the pages inside.

– “This book is a game-changer.

– “Read it once, and then reread it. Then read it again.

– “Highlight it. Write in it. Bend the corners of the pages.

– “But most importantly, use the information inside this book.

– “Put the ide[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1157

This is one of those “be careful what you wish for” situations. Every dentist wants to be successful. SmartBox has worked with many hundreds of dentists to help them get more new patients. But it turns out that having an abundance of patients can be a mixed blessing for a lot of doctors. If your daily schedule is looking more and more like a train wreck than something you look forward to doing, stay tuned. When we come back, I’ll tell you the secret to working less while earning more. Stay tuned!

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur, CEO of SmartBox.

– It’s funny how things turn out.

– I set out years ago to help dentists get more and better patients.

– I’m happy to report that’s succeeded beyond my expectations.

– But I’ve been talking with a lot of dentists recently.

– Know what they’re telling me?

– They say something like, “Colin, I don’t need more patients.

– “I’m practically on roller skates, running between operatories while trying to keep to something like a schedule.

– “I need fewer patients who pay more!”

– I know there are a lot of dentists who would love to have the problem of too many patients.

– And I’ll bet that when they got there, it wouldn’t be long before they’d say they were working too hard.

– And that they didn’t have any time or energy to actually enjoy life.

– I get it: those dentists need better patients.

– Maybe you do, too.

– What are you willing to do differently to get them?

– A general dentistry approach isn’t going to get you there.

– Look, general dentistry is what it is – a stream of relatively low case value patients with the occasional more profitable patient.

– I can’t change that, and neither can you.

– But getting you better patients is well within SmartBox’s wheelhouse …

– … if you’re a dentist who’s willing and able to emphasize more lucrative revenue streams.

– That doesn’t necessarily mean getting rid of the oral hygiene department.

– It doesn’t mean not doing routine exams.

– It does mean that you need to make the decision to no longer work yourself half to death.

– Think it can’t happen?

– One of our SmartBox dentists, with our help, transformed his practice from general dentistry only to a premier implant practice.

– That doctor hired an associate to handle the general dentistry side.

– He works 3 days a week doing only the cases he loves.

– He enjoys going into the practice.

– And in 4 years, the practice has grown from 1.8 million to over 4 million a year.

– SmartBox helped  him, and if you’re a dentist who wants to stop skating between operatories, we can help you.

–  So, let me ask: Do you want to work less but earn more?

– Do you want to be able to enjoy life outside of the practice?

– Do you want to have the confidence to (gasp) take a few days off once in a while?

– Do you want to be able to spend your time handling the cases you love to do?

– Are you willing to do what’s necessary to emphasize more lucrative revenue streams?

– Then here’s what you need to do.

– Visit smartboxdentalmarketing.com and reserve your no-cost, no-obligation Practice Discovery Session.

– We’ll discuss your goals, your capabilities, and your particular market.

– After the session, you’ll receive your free Patient Attraction Roadmap as well.

– Now, let’s be clear – not every dentist who wants to focus on better patients is going to be able to do it.

– You may need additional training or equipment to pursue a more focused area of practice.

– But it’s an investment well worth making if you know you have the better patients to make it pay off.

– Join me for our next podcast.

– Until then, keep moving forward.

Th[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1156

According to a recent report, realizing a retirement income of 100 thousand dollars requires $2.5 million in retirement investments. How’s your retirement looking? If you’re like most dentists who are anywhere near retirement age, you’re probably wondering whether you’ll be able to retire as and when you wish. There is a proven way to shore up your retirement savings, and I’ll tell all about it after the break. This is one podcast you’ll definitely want to watch. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

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

– According to the ADA, the average retirement age for dentists in 2015 was 68.8, up from 66.1 in 2005.

– The Great Recession certainly had an impact on dentists’ incomes and, by extension, their retirement savings.

– Practice valuations declined, meaning that dentists who were ready to retire couldn’t get the prices they needed for their practices.

– At this point, practice incomes and valuations have largely recovered from the recession.

– If you’re in your 30s or 40s, you still have plenty of time to put your retirement on a firm footing.

– If you’re in your early 50s, you probably have time, barring another recession between now and your retirement age.

– If you’re in your late 50s or 60s, you could have a serious problem.

– Being able to retire as and when  you want is one thing.

– What about the years leading up to retirement?

– Do you really want to wear out your back and neck hunching over the chair 35 hours a week?

– Do you enjoy an endless procession of drill-and-fills, routine exams, and one-offs?

– Or would you rather spend your time handling the cases you love to do?

– Dr. Travis Watson of Marietta, Georgia, has been pondering that question, and he has his answer.

– He said,  “A consistent goal that we have is to continue to have the new patients come in that are high-quality …

– “… who are interested in comprehensive dentistry, and really just want something better for themselves and aren’t just what we call single-tooth type situations.

– “They’re more of the fine cases that we enjoy doing, so that’s always going to be a goal for us as we move forward with a company like SmartBox to help us with that.” 

– Dr. Scott Watterson probably isn’t looking at retirement any time soon, but he’s looking hard at his current quality of life.

– He said,  “I have 4 kids and a wife and we’re all busy, but sometimes, being busy practicing dentistry is not what I want to be busy doing.

– “I coach soccer, I am involved with my kids’ lives, I value my marriage, and we spend a lot of time together, but not enough.

– “And so, at the end of the day, at the end of life, I want to be able to look back and say I spent the time I needed to with those that mattered most.” 

– So, are you interested in ensuring a very comfortable retirement?

– Or do you want to enjoy life more now?

– If you don’t have a solid plan to accomplish either of those in a reasonable time frame, you’ll need to do something different.

– There’s a reason SmartBox has said that we help dentists get more patients, more profits, and more freedom.

– Our industry-leading Patient Attraction System provides a steady stream of new patients so our doctors can focus on doing the dentistry.

– And as I discussed in an earlier podcast, the best time to put your practice on a solid footing is while the economy is good.

– Taking action now can give you more time to use as you wish.

– More time to handle the cases you love.

– More time to spend outside the office.

– And the time to prepare for the retirement you deserve.

– Discover what our Patient Attraction System can do for your practice.

– Visit smartboxdentalmarketin[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1155

Now that the country appears to be on a spending spree and wages are rising, more and more dental patients will be looking for elective procedures. Teeth whitening, veneers, implants, and more are on the table. There’s considerable money to be made in these non-insurance, high-margin cases. Savvy dentists will take steps to position themselves as the dentist of choice in their markets. After the break, I’ll tell you the proven strategy to make sure those better prospects elect you as their dentist. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– Last year, dental industry pundits identified growth in elective procedures as one of 2018’s opportunities.

– Since the federal government has passed tax reform, higher-income prospects will have even more money to pay for elective dental procedures.

– A significant number of teeth whitening treatments, veneers, implants, and full-mouth reconstructions can do wonders for a practice’s bottom line.

– But first, you have to get those cases.

– However, the other practices in your market will also be trying to attract those prospects.

– What will you do differently in your marketing approach?

– For most dentists, the first thought is to offer a lower price.

– Of course, it’s almost certain that one or more practices will undercut your price, which puts you and them into a price war.

– You can bleed away a lot of profit by trying to be the discount dentist.

– But that’s not the only problem with that strategy.

– As a dentist, you likely have a lot more discretionary income than the average person.

– When you go on vacation, are you looking for discount hotels?

– Probably not, because you’re more focused on comfort and amenities.

– You’re interested in having a great experience while you’re on vacation.

– Now, all things being equal, if two hotels in the same area offer comparable amenities, you might go for the cheaper one.

– But that’s a secondary consideration.

– Your better prospects with discretionary income aren’t clipping coupons.

– They’re looking for a superior experience.

– A superior omutcome is expected regardless of which dentist they choose.

– So, forget price as a motivator.

– You’ll just shoot yourself in the foot.

– Your marketing needs to take a broader approach that makes you the only logical choice for prospects with money to spend.

– To accomplish that, you need to invest heavily in reworking your online presence.

– Too many dentists talk about themselves, their training, and their publications.

– Few prospects understand the difference among postdoctoral training programs.

– Practically none of them will read your papers.

– They really don’t care about you.

– They care about what you can do for them and how you’ll treat them during their experiences in your practice.

– So, you’ll probably have to rework your website copy and your social media to emphasize the benefits of choosing you and your staff.

– The same goes for your email marketing newsletter if you have one, and even your postcard campaigns.

– That’s a time-intensive prospect, and it requires a different mindset to write all that copy to put the patient first.

– Not all dental practices have the bandwidth to handle that huge amount of writing.

– So this is something you might want to outsource.

– Just make sure you choose a provider with a proven track record of attracting better patients.

– That way, you can reposition your practice to attract prospects with the ability and willingness to pay more for the right dentist … while you continue to focus on making money.

– SmartBox works with dentists on 3 continents to help them succeed on their own terms.

– W[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1154

Dentists don’t have to be students of history, but there’s one place they should pay close attention. No one can say with any certainty when the next economic downturn will come, but history strongly shows that what goes up does come down. One of the best ways to insulate your dental practice against the slow times is to capitalize on the good times. That’s the thrust of my new book, Rise Up! The Keys to Ultimate Dental Practice Success. When we come back, I’ll tell you why you absolutely must read it. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

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

– In 2017, I became concerned over some macroeconomic trends that had the potential to strongly impact dental practices.

– I wrote The Four Horsemen of Dentistry: Survival Strategies for the Private Dental Practice Under Siege to help dentists cope with those trends.

– And it served as a warning that what goes up must come down.

– At this point, it looks like economic expansion is going to continue.

– The economic recovery has turned into an economic boom, but history is a harsh teacher.

– There will be a downturn, so it only makes sense to maximize your profits and put your practice on a sustainable footing while things are good.

– Competing in the same way that the other dental practices in your area, or the specialty practices, compete is not how you make your practice sustainable.

– If you’re spending 5 thousand a month on marketing right now, what will you have to spend when 2, or 5, orm 10 other local practices open their doors?

– Long-term sustainability in good times and bad requires a different approach.

– Rise UP! The Keys to Ultimate Dental Practice Success will tell you how to move to the higher ground in your market and keep control of it.

– Because as dentists discovered during the Great Recession, you don’t want to be on the lower ground when the economic flood comes.

– When you own the higher ground, you’ve got a huge number of competitive advantages.

– One of the greatest advantages is that your dependence on dental insurance is reduced.

– Another is that the patients you get will be far more accepting of your case solutions.

– That’s a godsend for dentists who are tired of selling.

– The patients you get on the higher ground tend to be fiercely loyal, which means you won’t have to spend as much on marketing.

– Rise UP! will show you how to move to the higher ground, plant your flag there, patrol your territory, and gather intelligence to keep you firmly in control.

– And I’m practically giving the book away for just a couple of bucks shipping and handling.

– I’ve said this many times before on the podcast, but I want all dentists to be successful – whether they work with SmartBox or not.

– Either way, you can’t lose when you order Rise UP!

– You’ll know how to implement this strategy yourself.

– Or you’ll decide that you’d rather focus on doing the dentistry and let SmartBox take care of getting you a steady stream of new patients.

– Here’s how you can get your copy for a lousy 2 bucks.

– Visit 

– We’ve made it easy to order, and we’ll ship your copy promptly.

– So, seriously, what do you have to lose?

– 2 bucks and some reading time, against the keys to ultimate dental practice success.

– But if you want to position your practice on the higher ground without having to do the work, here’s your other option.

– Discover what our Patient Attraction System can do for your practice.

– Visit smartboxdentalmarketing.com and reserve your no-cost, no-obligation Practice Discovery Session.

– After the session, you’ll receive your free Patient Attraction Roadmap as well.

– We’ll show you how SmartBox provides a steady str[...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1153

As a business owner, you’ve almost certainly had to dial in some aspects of running a dental practice. Things like front-end procedures, HIPAA compliance, and sterilization procedures are all part of the big picture. But there are other areas that probably haven’t come up on your radar that could also use expert attention. Most of those have to do with promoting your practice. When we come back, I’ll tell you about a suite of amazingly affordable new products from SmartBox that will help you get more new patients in your chairs.   

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

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

– SmartBox was founded on the idea of helping dentists get more and better patients.

– As with everything else, our approach has evolved as the internet and marketing practices have evolved.

– Within the last 16 months, we noted some areas where dentists were losing prospects.

– So the world-class talent at SmartBox put their thinking caps on and created a suite of very affordable products that we call our Practice Perfection Suite.

– Just as you had to streamline youmr practice’s operations, these new products will streamline several areas of attracting new patients.

– Let’s take them one at a time.

– Being seen online is vital, but few dental practices devote the resources needed to keep their search engine optimization up-to-date.

– Our Local360 Search Optimization is a done-for-you, ongoing optimization service to keep your listing visible in local search across all devices.

– We’ll manage your listings on Google, Bing, Apple Maps, YP.com, and many other places around the net.

– We’ll also get you listed in various directories, including dental-specific directories.

– Local360 integrates seamlessly into your website.

– Once prospects see your listing, they’ll look at your reviews.

– Online reviews are the new word-of-mouth advertising, and they’re trusted just as much as personal recommendations.

– Keeping your online reputation in sterling condition is vital to getting more new patients.

– Our RAVE Reputation Management System does just that.

– It automatically notifies your practice via email of a new review.

– 4- and 5-star reviews are automatically promoted to popular review sites, while lower reviews are parked.

– There’s also a “one-touch Respond” option so that your practice can maintain high engagement levels with the people you want to attract.

– Just as important, RAVE uses SMS messaging to solicit reviews from your patients following each appointment.

– When prospects decide to book an appointment, they’ll do 1 of 2 things.

– They’ll either book online, or they’ll call your practice.

– We’ve got both options covered.

– APOINT displays only the appointments you want to fill.

– Prospects choose the day and time that works best for them from the open slots.

– You’re notified via email of each new appointment.

– The result is an increase in your online appointment rate of between 35 and 70 percent, and much higher “show” rates!

– APOINT absolutely will not slow down your practice management software.

– It’s also scalable for any size dental practice.

– Finally, prospects who call your office for an appointment should be appointed, but too many of them aren’t.

– Front office staff do their best, but few people are naturals at discovering the objection behind the objection.

– Even fewer are skilled at taking control of the call and asking for the appointment at exactly the right time.

– SmartBox’s Patient Attraction Phone Training and Certification program will turn your front office staff into a new patient-appointing powerhouse.

– Our proprietary training program is designed specifically to [...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1152

It’s a great time to be a dentist. The time to make money and grow your dental practice is when the economy is rolling along, wages are up, and people have the funds to spend on discretionary dentistry. I don’t claim to be a seer, but you don’t have to be to realize that now is the time for success-minded dentists. There’s an old saying: When times are bad, you need to market. When times are good, you really need to market. When we come back, I’ll tell the most efficient and consistent way to ensure a steady stream of new patients. Stay tuned.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– It’s easy to get distracted by the antics of the stock market.

– The roller-coaster ride that began in January took a lot of people’s eyes off the fundamentals.

– There’s almost universal agreement that everything looks good for the economy.

– Taxes are down, wages are up, and we’re experiencing a very healthy growth rate.

– The one worry continues to be inflation, and that is something to keep an eye on.

– When everything becomes more expensive, dental care often gets bumped down the list for consumers.

– But overall, this is the time when dental practices should  raking it in.

– There are a few things that can get in the way of that.

– One is the overall level of competition, which is at an all-time high.

– More new dentists are graduating, new practices are opening, practices are being sold, and corporate practices are springing up in more markets.

– It’s easy for one doctor’s advertising to get lost in the shuffle.

– That’s especially true if what they’re offering is the same as everyone else – low price, discounts, and insurance acceptance.

– Which brings up the second problem – the dental insurance plans are shifting more of the payment burden to patients.

– Treatment that patients might have accepted in the past may be beyond their ability to pay for now.

– And the third thing is that price advertising doesn’t give prospects a reason to choose you … unless yours is the lowest price, which cuts deep into your margins.

– Dentistry shouldn’t be a commodity business, but low-price advertising sure makes it look that way to prospects.

– If you want to thrive during these boom times, you’ll need to take a different approach.

– You can learn from what the marketing powerhouses have done.

– Apple is a great example.

– It’s hard to say whether Apple’s phones are better than Samsung’s in any meaningful way.

– But Apple has done a great job selling the experience and the status of owning an iPhone.

– They might have hit a wall by trying to upsell a thousand-dollar pocket computer, the iPhone 10.

– But that’s only because they’re in a commodity business and need huge sales.

– You don’t need huge sales, you just need to keep your chairs full.

– The lesson here is that promoting the experience is the way to go.

– By taking that different approach to marketing your practice, you can set yourself apart from the great mass of dentists.

– Standing out in your market is a key factor in getting more patients and, just as important, better patients.

– That’s the essence of what SmartBox does with its industry-leading Patient Attraction System.

– We provide systems-based, comprehensive marketing that works 24/7 to a steady stream of new patients so our doctors can focus on doing the dentistry.

– Dr. Sean Hanson of Salem, Oregon, is a believer in the power of our Patient Attraction System.

– He said, “We had probably 20-30 (new patients), maybe 40 before SmartBox per month.

– “Last month, we almost hit 70. We were at 69. Before that, our highest total was 57.

– “Definitely, we’ve seen the influx of new patients.  

– “The fact [...]

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Patient Attraction Episode 1151

I’m a small business owner, and I know that it often feels like larger forces are trying to knock my company around. As business owners, there’s not much we can do to influence macro-economic factors. But there is something we can do to safeguard our businesses. That something is to adopt a model for attracting new customers that is both effective and sustainable. When we come back, I’ll tell you how dentists can take their future into their own hands.

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

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast.

– It’s not an exaggeration to say that a dental practice’s future depends on the quantity and quality of its new patient stream.

– And realistically, a practice needs both kinds of patients:

– A certain number of short-term patients and a good number of long-term patients who represent a much higher lifetime value.

– The vast majority of dentists promote their practices by advertising low price, specials, and insurance acceptance.

– Sure, there’s information on their websites about the services and comfort features they offer, but that’s mostly background information.

– The main thrust, and the major marketing expense, goes toward advertising to bring in new patients right now, or at least soon.

– It’s an approach that works fairly well, except when it doesn’t.

– That’s the way most successful dental practices operate.

– Their success level depends on market demographics and the level of competition they face.

– So there are variables that are pretty much out of their control.

– But what about the really successful practices?

– I’m talking about practices that are on a strong growth trajectory – practices whose bottom lines are consistently fatter month after month.

– And practices whose new patient stream is constantly improving in terms of both quantity and quality.

– Those practices are doimng something very different.

– They’ve decided to take a different approach to getting new patients.

– Rather than focusing on price and insurance, they’ve chosen to become the only logical choice for dental prospects.

– Dr. Katie Post in Rochester, Minnesota, is one such dentist.

– She said,  “Since 2002 to 2008, my practice was slowly growing.

– “Unfortunately, when you looked at the total collections for the practice, it had been at 2.1 million when I came and slowly had dropped every year.

– “And the year I bought in, it was at 1.8 million.

– “SmartBox has been very instrumental in the growth of our practice going from 250 to 300 to 350 new patients per month …

– “… contributing ideas to us on marketing techniques, helping us evaluate the effectiveness of how much money I’m spending …

– “… and where I should effectively spend that to make it the most effective.”

– Dr. Post brings up a good point.

– You can throw a lot of mo–ney away on multi-channel marketing that doesn’t work.

– Research shows that dental patients are very bad at recalling which advertisement motivated them to pick up the phone.

– You might have 4 or 5 marketing channels working, but only 2 are returning enough new patients.

– Practically no dental practices can afford to waste marketing dollars.

– So if you’re not tracking your marketing to determine which channel is giving you the highest return on investment, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.

– SmartBox provides phone tracking for our dentists, like Dr. Post.

– And our team of Call Quality Analysts listens to every recorded phone call every month.

– We know which channels are producing and how well.

– And we can advise dentists when there’s a problem with their front office’s phone technique that’s costing them new patients.

– It’s all part [...]