As a dental practice owner, you are probably looking for ways to increase patient volume while reducing operating expenses. Some of the best dentist marketing strategies involve leveraging the latest technology to attract and retain patients. These include digital marketing, social media engagement, content creation, SEO, and video campaigns. These strategies should be measurable and tracked over time to see how they affect your bottom line.

While marketing efforts need to be targeted and specific, they also need to be consistent to ensure long-term success. Unfortunately, many dentists squander their marketing budget by trying the next “hot” marketing technique that they hear about at a conference. It is akin to playing whack-a-mole, attempting the latest marketing scheme without a clear strategy and direction.

One of the best ways to make your dental office stand out in the community is by participating in a local charity or event. People tend to give their business to those that care about the community. Sponsoring a Little League team, offering free workshops on dental health, or co-sponsoring a local health fair are some of the best ways to gain brand awareness and get new patients through the door.

Another good way to market your dental office is by leveraging social media. Use Facebook to share interesting information about your dental services and encourage patients to visit the office. Many of the social media channels are mobile-friendly, making them easy for busy families to engage with your content on the go.

Email marketing is an effective tool for dentists to use to communicate with patients. Many dentists have a subscriber list of patients who can be notified about special offers or events. A well-designed email newsletter can help to improve the patient experience and drive revenue.

A dental website should be a keystone of any practice’s online presence. It should offer a clear call-to-action and be optimized for search engine visibility. In addition, a website should showcase the unique dental services and improvements in patient experience offered by your practice.

Creating a strong foundation for your dental business starts with a great website and continues with stellar new-patient phone handling. Oftentimes, calls to the dental office go unanswered or are routed to voicemail or staff members that aren’t trained to schedule or accept new appointments. A skilled dental marketing partner can ensure your office is set up for success by training new-patient calls and implementing an easy-to-use patient communication platform like Weave.

Lastly, it is important to emphasize the benefits of your dental office rather than its features. Educate prospective patients on how your office can save them time, money and hassle. This is especially true when it comes to promoting your new patient specials or dental financing options. It is also important to respond to Google reviews and use them as a testimonial for your business. Whether the patient is raving about how much they love your work or complaining about an abrasive dentist, these testimonials are an effective way to bring in new patients and improve your reputation.