You see them on your daily commute, hear them on the radio, and see them on TV: political ads. No matter which side of the aisle we sit on, most of us can’t wait for November 6 to come and go so we can move past the partisanship and return to good old fashioned billboards, radio spots, and television commercials. Before you discount all political ads and campaigns as pandering and futile, you might want to consider what politics teaches us from one election to the next. From our perspective, it’s marketing gold.
Lesson 1 — Be a Problem Solver
When it comes right down to it, the politicians who have a concrete and realistic way to solve problems are the ones who get elected. When current and prospective patients struggle with the function, feel, and appearance of their teeth, they want to know that you are someone they can turn to for a solution. How will they know? Through your marketing! Be sure that those who count on you know about all of the treatments you offer so they continue to turn to you for help.
Lesson 2 — Don’t Go On the Attack
NOBODY enjoys political ads or campaigns that attack others. The same goes for your patients. When they tell you about something they heard or read, don’t immediately attack their source. Yes, it is your job to educate them, but it’s important to find a way to do so without speaking negatively about the person, magazine, or website that provided them with misinformation. Simply correct what you know is wrong and offer more reliable sources (yourself included) for them to use the next time they’re curious about anything related to dentistry.
Lesson 3 — Connect With Your Constituents
When you consider the politicians who get elected, they are not the ones who flaunt their superiority, but the ones who connect with their constituents. Most people are easily intimidated by those who have more education, life experience, and money than they do; what makes them comfortable is knowing that despite those things, you are just like them. How can you convey this? Make sure your website features real pictures of you interacting with patients, not just posed shots. Every time you have an opportunity, post pictures to Facebook that show you and being human instead of an inaccessible and stuffy intellectual. When you email your patients, be sure to use first person so that the message is coming directly from you instead of a template.
We know you’re not a politician, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn something valuable from them. Give these ideas a try and you just might be elected to the position of BEST DENTIST EVER. We’re My Dental Agency, and we approve this message.