We speak with LOTS of dentists and field lots of dental marketing questions. Often, queries are about a dentist’s specific market, current trends, or asking what other dentists are doing that is working so well. But one question that pops up more than any other is something along the lines of this-
“How do I attract more of the type of patients that I actually want?”
Almost always, the dentist asking this is trying to promote a specific treatment — whether it be sleep apnea, veneers, implants, Invisalign, etc. The dentist has invested heavily in the training and technology to offer said treatment and are now seeking to fill their seats with patients interested in that treatment.
To answer this, you must start by understanding that most people who are interested in your treatment and are actually in a position of being able to afford it are looking for the best their money can buy. YOU may know that you have the best schooling, equipment, protocols, and success rate of any dentist in your city. But the patients you would like to attract do NOT. That is, unless you utilize the three steps below:
1) BECOME THE BEST
Many frauds “make it” momentarily with grand promises and unmerited hype. But there is a reason con artists have to jump from town to town — once they are discovered, business shuts down. In order to develop a sustainable flow of the best patients wanting the best treatment, you need to be the best treatment provider. Or at the very least, have a defensible case to make the claim.
If you are in a competitive market with many specialists and you just learned how to place dental implants, you probably can’t in good conscience proclaim to your market that you are the best implant dentist – UNLESS you leverage some sort of technology or training that truly is better. What’s important here is that you truly become the best. Your market will respond positively when they sense that you’ve reached that status.
2) SAY YOU’RE THE BEST
You may know that you are the best cosmetic dentist in your market. Your peers may even acknowledge that you are the best in your market. But how will your ideal patients know you’re the best? Do you think your competitors (who are not as good as you) will pay to promote you as the best? Negatory.
YOU AND YOUR PATIENTS must tell your market that you are the best. Most dentists don’t understand that building your brand is building your reputation. You are trying to actively influence what your market thinks and feels about you. If you say nothing, you aren’t really on your market’s radar for anything. If you say you’re the best, they will believe you and file that info away for when they need it. Or, they might be skeptical and look into the matter if they care enough. When they learn that you really are the best (see Step #1 above), they will then acquiesce and file you away in their mental folder as the best.
3) SHOW YOU’RE THE BEST
It may seem tedious, but you must be the source of a constant stream of evidence that you are indeed the best. Look at the social media feeds of dentists who excel with a specific treatment. You will often see a constant flow of successful cases bearing witness to the “bestness” of the dentist.
What do we learn? You cannot rest on your laurels and expect the same flow of patients for your favorite treatment unless you consistently show that you are still the best. Saying it is talking the talk. Showing it is walking the walk. You’ll have the strongest street cred for being the best if you do both.
SUMMARY
People who want high value elective dentistry often want to find the best dentist to do it. To attract them you must convince them you are the best. You do that with these three steps:
Be the best
Say you’re the best
Show you’re the best
We can’t help you with #1. But we can definitely help you with #2 and #3. Book a free consult today and learn how we can show you in the best light!