7 Marketing Missteps That Could Haunt Your Dental Practice
As we move into the season of tricks and treats, it’s a good time to shine a light on some of the marketing missteps that could be sneaking up on your dental practice. While we’re not talking about things that go bump in the night, these marketing mistakes can definitely give your business a fright!
Don’t worry—we’ve got tips to help you face these common issues head-on.
1. A Non-Responsive Website
Imagine a potential patient visiting your website on their mobile phone, only to be met with tiny text, jumbled layouts, and slow loading times. Yikes! A non-responsive website can quickly turn interested visitors into lost opportunities.
With so many people searching on their mobile devices, having a responsive, mobile-friendly website is no longer optional. Not only does it provide a better experience for your users, but it can also help boost your SEO rankings. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, it’s time to fix this haunting issue before it scares away more potential patients.
2. Few or No Reviews
One of the scariest sights for any business is an empty review section. Imagine someone checking out your practice online only to find… crickets. It’s like a ghost town!
Reviews are more than just nice-to-haves—they’re essential. Studies show that 87% of buying decisions begin with online research, and most people read around 10 reviews before making a choice. If your practice doesn’t have reviews, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful ways to build trust and attract new patients. Encourage your happy patients to leave reviews, and watch your online presence come alive.
3. Neglecting Prospect Follow-Up
You’ve worked hard to capture leads, but without a proper follow-up system, those leads might vanish into thin air. Consider this spooky statistic: up to 80% of leads are never followed up on—talk about a disappearing act!
To ensure that interested prospects turn into loyal patients, it’s important to follow up quickly and consistently once they fill out an online schedule an appointment form. Whether through email, text, or a phone call (or ideally all three), staying in touch and doing so promptly is the key to keeping them engaged. A well-planned, multi-channel follow-up strategy helps prevent your leads from becoming ghosts and increases the likelihood of them becoming patients.
4. The “Set It and Forget It” Trap
Automation can be a lifesaver, but the real horror story begins when businesses go on autopilot, setting their marketing up once and never checking in again. Unmaintained websites, outdated ads, and stale social media accounts can do more harm than good.
Marketing plans don’t run themselves. Regularly reviewing your strategies ensures that your campaigns are effective and that you’re not wasting time and money. Social media, especially, needs consistent engagement to build your brand. Posting without interacting is like shouting into the void. To keep your marketing fresh and relevant, you must stay active and involved in the process.
6. Not Personalizing the New Patient Experience
The experience you provide for new patients can make or break their decision to return. A generic or impersonal onboarding experience might leave them feeling like just another name on a list. On the other hand, a personalized approach can turn first-time visitors into loyal patients.
Make sure your practice is welcoming new patients in a thoughtful, personalized way. This can include sending customized emails welcoming them to your practice, providing a tour of your office, or following up after their first visit to see how they’re feeling. By creating a memorable and positive experience from the start, you’ll leave a lasting impression that encourages them to come back.
7. Not Leveraging Your Existing Patients
Your current patients are one of your most valuable marketing assets, but many practices fail to tap into this resource. If you’re not leveraging the power of patient referrals, you’re missing out on a key opportunity to grow your practice.
Encourage happy patients to refer their friends and family. You can do this by offering referral incentives, creating shareable content for them to pass along, or simply asking for their recommendation. Word-of-mouth remains one of the most powerful marketing tools, and your existing patients can help you expand your reach if you give them the tools to do so.
Don’t Let These Marketing Missteps Linger!
Marketing your dental practice doesn’t have to be a horror show. By addressing these common issues—whether it’s an outdated website, a lack of reviews, or a forgotten follow-up system—you can turn your practice into a well-oiled machine that attracts and retains patients.
So, if you’ve noticed any of these “spooky” problems creeping into your marketing efforts, now is the perfect time to take action. With a few adjustments, you’ll have your practice running smoothly and ready to meet the needs of today’s digital-savvy patients.
