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Issue #46 - 5.27.08
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Does Marketing Belong in the Treatment Room?
First of all, let me answer the title question of this article with a resounding YES. In every dental practice there are multiple opportunities to utilize basic marketing tactics to improve patient flow, referrals and image. However, the most overlooked area to implement well-executed marketing tactics is in the treatment room with the patient in the chair. This is your chance to really “sell” the advantages of dental health and proper oral care. Many dentists find, though, that their marketing efforts here are not successful. Here is why it fails so often:
Consumers are conditioned to block out boring advertising messages and complex or confusing information. If it’s funny, exciting, sexy, offensive or otherwise emotionally potent, consumers will focus for a brief moment. After that brief moment they’ll move on to one of the other thousands of marketing traps set every day and everywhere. As dentists, you are competing for “consumer attention” with the most sophisticated and brilliant marketing experts in the world. New cars, boats, vacations, college tuition, high-def TV, Gucci handbags and Rolex watches are just a few of the reasons that a consumer may delay their dental care. The list of reasons is enormous and growing daily.
I am convinced that delaying or ignoring dental care is more related to consumer spending habits than to fear of going to the dentist. This is mostly due to the amazing success of consumer advertising in contrast with the failure by many dental practices in case presentation. Patients aren’t afraid. They’re pre-occupied with the financial pressure to pay the mortgage, travel, drive the cool car and have the perfect life that is driven by buying and acquiring more stuff. A root canal and two crowns on teeth that don’t hurt yet are way down on the list.
When a consumer walks into an Apple Store, they immediately fall into a state of buying hypnosis. Apple stores are built to catch consumers like rats in a trap. BMW dealerships, Barnes & Noble bookstores, Krispy Kreme donuts and even the convenience store on the corner know how to get consumers to buy. You can dramatically improve the number of buying patients in your practice by applying the same marketing and selling principles that these companies have all learned, by following some of their rules:
1. Looking successful. Image is everything in the age of the consumer. If your image doesn’t seem professional you’re already off to a poor start.
2. Beautifully displayed products and services. I’m not talking about a set of crowns on a velvet pillow under glass. I’m talking about beautiful wall art of people with perfect smiles in the treatment room. Your product is a great smile, so don’t be afraid to sell it. Also remember that your own teeth and the teeth of your team members will be scrutinized by most patients.
3. Easy ways to pay. Do everything you can to promote easy payment terms by working with finance companies that have good approval rates and creative payment plans. Then, promote your product and services like a car dealer would.
4. Up-selling at the register. Retailers sell dozens of high-profit incidentals at the register. Consumer electronics always come with a sales pitch for an extended warranty. You can do the same with whitening kits, Sonicare toothbrushes or hygiene products. It will surprise you how much merchandise you can sell in a year just by doing what the grocery stores do.
5. Beautifully designed sales tools. High-ticket consumer products and services almost always have very expensive brochures and other printed materials to keep consumers’ interest level high if they leave without buying. Some dental treatments are considerably more expensive than a hot tub or a big screen TV, yet some patients who don’t accept treatment leave the practice with nothing but a business card and a treatment estimate. No wonder the hot tub usually wins.
6. Higher profit hiding in bundles. This retail method has been used for years. Dentists that bundle or package services together instead of billing for them individually can add value to the package of services while making more money by selling more to each patient. One example is combining a professional teeth cleaning with fluoride, x-rays and oral hygiene instructions in one attractive package. In fact, giving such a package a creative name enhances the value. Selling in-office whitening at a substantial discount to patients receiving any restorative procedure over $1,000 is another example of creative bundling.
7. The $99 trick. What's the big secret about ending prices in 9? Research shows that people process information from left to right. In other words, the "1" in $19.99 is more appealing than the "2" in $20. Most dentists round their treatment price up to nearest dollar. Don’t make the mistake of thinking dental services are different than other consumer purchases.
8. Selling products with a wide variety of price options. Consumers love to upgrade to more expensive services and products. Some of them want the “best.” Make sure your fee schedule gives these consumers the option to upgrade.
Joel Harris is CEO of ADAIntelligent Dental Marketing, one of the nation’s leading dental marketing companies. It is focused exclusively on dental practices. ADAIntelligent Dental Marketing provides powerful marketing tools to help dentists grow their patient base, increase their profit and improve their image. Joel can be reached directly at 877.942.8855.
Interested in speaking to Joel about your marketing concerns? Email him at joel@thedentistsnetwork.net.
Interested in having Joel speak to your dental society or study club? Click here.