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Category: Dental

The Reason Why Your Marketing Campaigns May Be Failing

Are you always looking to keep your winning marketing campaigns fresh, interesting, and new? Surprisingly you may be doing far more harm than good. Before you make another change to your ads read the below!

Recently I had a healthcare practice owner client tell us that he’d never done more than 75 new patients in a month. He was hoping we could help him reach that goal and exceed it.

Of course, if I’m telling you the story then you know we did hit that goal and exceeded it a few months later.

Then came the most surprising request I’ve ever gotten from a client:

He asked us to change the campaign completely for the new month because he wanted to make sure it stayed “new” and “fresh” and besides he was tired of seeing the old ads himself and figured everybody else was tired of them too.

While there is the truth that prospective new patients may go “blind” to seeing your old ads too many times, there is a deeper truth in that you only make changes to the campaign based on what the data is telling you.

In a case where you are seeing highest-ever production, you leave it alone. If it’s winning, let it ride!

However, it is human nature to want to change things. Some of the worst offenders are marketers who, when they’re faced with a campaign that is winning and running on its own, feel like they have to be “doing something” in order to justify their positions.

In the marking business, it is a well-known joke that an idle marketer is the biggest danger to a successful campaign.

The moral of the story is that your marketing is not for you, it’s for your prospects. Only their opinion matters. A pro knows to curb the instinct to over-adjust the campaign as you might accidentally kill the goose that’s laying the golden eggs!

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 16, 2023
(Research Results!) How New Patients Expect A Healthcare Practitioner To Dress

Most practitioners try to strike a balance with how they dress somewhere between comfortable and professional.

New research indicates that most practitioners get this wrong and in doing so erode the trust they could otherwise have with new patients.

In popular culture and in business settings the trend has definitely been toward a much more casual dress code.

Whereas in the past business people had a mandatory uniform of a business suit we’re going to work this is much more relaxed now.

And of course, those working from home can sometimes work in sweats or yoga pants (or less) and no one cares.

However, when it comes to in-person meetings business attire is still held to a higher standard.

So how does this relate to the practitioner’s new patient relationship?

What most practice owners are not going to be happy to hear is that the public still associates a white lab coat with competent healthcare.

A polo shirt, button-down shirt, or similar casual option does not give the same subconscious reassurance that an old-school lab coat gives.

New patients reported that they are less likely to trust advice coming from someone who is underdressed. It is clearly the result of more than a hundred years of cultural conditioning and is not likely to change quickly.

Realize that people will see you long before they hear you and often there’s a snap judgment made on the value of your information based on how you present yourself.

As a practice owner, it’s your decision on the dress code you want to establish for yourself and your associates.

I’m just sharing this research which indicated that if you care to wear a lab coat when meeting with patients, you may see a rise in care acceptance and compliance.

Besides appearances, one important thing to have in any practice is, of course, new patients. There are many things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 16, 2023
How To Attract Qualified New Patients Who Will Show, Stay, And Pay

Urgent! Before you waste another dime attracting new patient leads who are unqualified or unmotivated for care, make sure you are not wasting your time targeting the wrong people with your ads.
A key mind shift to make is that rather than trying to reach more people with your advertising, you’re better off reaching the right people, more often.
Identify the ideal client: Consider the lifestyle, interests, and income level of your favorite and most successful patients. Envision their daily activities, hobbies, and where they shop.
For example, Wholefoods shoppers are more likely to be health motivated than many others and tend to be more likely to accept and complete care.
Target patients with fewer financial barriers: This may sound crass, but it increases the chances of securing patients who can comfortably afford your service.
Use a landing page: Sending ad clickers to your website gives them too many opportunities to become distracted or confused. Using a dedicated landing page that continues to conversation from the ad will get a much higher number of people choosing to schedule an appointment with you.
Don’t make the offer too attractive: Offers that are too good may attract bargain hunters who are just there for the deal and will then disappear. Your offer only has to be good enough to give someone who is truly health-motivated a reason to act now. Don’t cheapen your brand.
Remember, presentation and closing skills play a significant role in securing patients. Adjust your marketing strategies to filter potential patients, ensuring your approach doesn’t repel the desired audience.
By being disciplined in your targeting and improving your closing skills, you can attract the right patients to grow your practice.
Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.
To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.
To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call.
Find out more at:
TheCustomerFactory.com
P.S. If you want to hear a more in-depth breakdown of the marketing methods million dollar practices use, watch my new webinar “The Social Media Strategy that Attracts Qualified New Patients Who Show, Pay, And Stay” Click Here

May 16, 2023
How To End New Patient No-Shows (Hint: It’s Not Your Marketing)

Joy! The prospective new patient responded to your marketing and set an appointment but when the time came they were nowhere to be found.

What went wrong and more importantly how do you reduce or eliminate no-shows in the future?

Detailed research shows that even with identical marketing campaigns one practice can achieve an 80% or 90% show-up rate with new patients while another might only see a 5 or 10% show-up rate!

With paid marketing the initial relationship is based almost completely on the skill of the person doing the scheduling.

The most effective new patient schedulers accomplish the following when scheduling a new patient:

1. Hope.

Empathizing with the patient and assuring them that they have made the right decision in contacting the practice and that there’s a good chance something can be done to improve their condition.

2. Authority.

The scheduler talks up the credentials and reputation of the practitioner so that the prospective new patient views them as a type of celebrity and feels fortunate to have an opportunity to meet with the doctor.

3. Scarcity.

By offering limited appointment slots, they increase the perceived value of the appointment and thus the likelihood of patients attending and keeping them.

4. Curiosity.

This is established by carefully not answering the person’s questions on the phone call but rather assuring them that all their questions will be answered during the office visit. Psychologically, the need to have questions answered is a powerful motivator.

5. Friendliness.

By generating sincere rapport with the prospect so that by the end of the scheduling conversation the prospect feels that they have a new friend already at the practice.

It’s all taught in the New Patient Scheduler’s Course put out by The Customer Factory exclusively for clients.

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call. You could have new patients coming in as soon as this time next week.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 16, 2023
Using Einstein’s Method To Evaluate Your New Patient Campaigns

When asked, “Is your marketing working for you?” the most common response from practice owners is a sheepish, “I’m not sure.” Who can blame them for being uncertain when there are so many factors and potential confusion about how to evaluate a new patient marketing program?

Here is a simple framework that has been used to estimate the success of thousands of new patient marketing programs in order to determine if they are being financially successful for the practice owner.

This evaluation framework is called the “Einstein Method” because it involves modeling the campaign as a thought experiment. This is much the same way that Albert Einstein could sit in his office and tease out the secrets of the universe.

If it was good enough for him then it should be good enough to help us with our new patient marketing!

Start by determining the average case value for a patient in the first 90 days or on the first visit. Next, calculate the cost per lead and the number of leads generated per advertising spend. Estimate the percentage of leads that will become patients.

For example, if the average case value is $2,500, and $50 per day generates 30 appointment requests with a 30% conversion rate, that would result in nine new patients worth $22,500 in gross revenue.

The monthly ad spend would be $1,500. If you pay a marketing company an additional $2,500, the total investment would be $4000.

The monthly ROI (excluding operational costs) would be $19,000.

Adjust the numbers to estimate low, medium, and high scenarios.

Then run all of your new patient marketing campaigns through the same process.

If after this evaluation a campaign is profitable, continue running it. If it’s not then modify or cancel it.

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call. You could have new patients coming in as soon as this time next week.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 16, 2023
Facebook VS. Instagram: Which is Best For Getting New Patients?

Facebook and Instagram, although both platforms are owned by the same company and have an integrated ad system, they function very differently when it comes to new patient acquisition.

Both platforms have sizeable user bases and allow a practice owner to target just the people who are most likely to become new patients.

Just because Instagram has a younger average demographic doesn’t change the fact that you can target only the older people who are using it.

Comparing the two, Facebook is more effective at providing a consistent flow of new patient requests, reaching a larger audience, and maintaining that flow over time. It is the workhorse of a successful new patient campaign.

On the other hand, Instagram tends to have a lower volume of new patient requests and is generally more expensive per patient.

However, Instagram users are more likely to show up for appointments and accept care, with less effort required for scheduling and follow-up.

The reason behind this difference could be the nature of the platforms themselves. Instagram focuses on visuals and actions, with users sharing their activities and experiences, while Facebook leans more towards sharing thoughts, opinions, and personal updates.

So, should you abandon Facebook advertising and focus solely on Instagram?

The answer is no.

The best approach is to find a balance between the two platforms, maximizing Instagram’s potential and supplementing it with Facebook advertising.

A crucial tip for running ads on both platforms is not to use the integrated “cross-post” button in Facebook’s ad manager. Instead, create separate campaigns tailored to each platform’s unique format and requirements. For example, Instagram ads do not have headlines so they have to be written differently.

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 16, 2023
The Secret “80/20 Rule” For New Patient Facebook Ads

Your new patient ads may have the right offer, the right images, the right headline, and even the right ad copy and still fail all because you’re not aware of this one simple rule that professional marketing companies and top practice owners all know and follow.

Long ago the simplest and only way to geo-target a new patient ad was by drawing a radius bubble around the practice. Typically 10 or 20 miles.

While seemingly intuitive, this strategy was terribly wasteful owing to the reality that traffic patterns and city layouts don’t adhere to perfect circles. So typically an advertiser using the “bubble method” would be wasting a very significant portion of their ad budget on people who are not likely to respond. And wasted money is lost money.

Along with this were the all-too-common errors of being either overly aggressive (targeting too wide an area) or not aggressive enough (too small an area) and missing out on easy-to-get patients.

The solution to perfect geo-targeting is simple, easy to do, and practically foolproof. You don’t even need a map!

A practice owner needs only to pull a list of their last 100 new patients and sort them by zip code. Discover where 80% of the new patients are coming from and then target only those zip codes with your new patient Facebook ads.

Taking this data-driven approach gets rid of any bias or guesswork on the part of the practice owner or marketer. It makes your geo-targeting 100% perfect, 100% of the time and you can be sure that your ad budget is being spent where it is most likely the best bang for the buck.

Later on, when you’re looking for ways to expand your marketing you can test running ads in the 20% areas and see if they are viable.

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call. You could have new patients coming in as soon as this time next week.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 16, 2023
10X Your New Patient Referrals With These Insider Tips
Every successful patient has the potential to generate multiple referrals. Unfortunately, most practices only generate 10% of their potential referrals.

Here’s how the top practices make millions by consistently getting their happy patients to enthusiastically send their family and friends.

The most important thing to know about generating more referrals is:
1. The more you ask, the more referrals you receive. Make asking for referrals a routine part of your office interactions. Train your staff to request referrals in a natural and comfortable manner. The frequency of asking for referrals matters more than the exact phrasing. Odds are you are not asking nearly often enough.
1. Automate the referral process: Integrate the referral process into your office’s daily operations. One fantastic way is to have an automatic text and email sequence that goes out when a patient is marked as happy in your database. Simply prompting them for a referral at the right time is half the battle.
1. Promote new patient successes: Sharing success stories of your patients can stimulate referrals. Utilize mailing lists, social media, or even display posters in your office showcasing successful patient outcomes. By highlighting how your practice has helped patients overcome their challenges, you encourage others to think of friends or family members who might also benefit from your services.
Remember, the key to generating more referrals lies in consistently asking for them, automating the referral process, and promoting your practice’s success stories. Following these basic strategies will help you attract more referrals and grow your patient base without relying only on costly advertising.

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call. You could have new patients coming in as soon as this time next week.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com
May 16, 2023
Why Your New Patient Ads Cost More Than Everyone Else’s

Yes, the cost of Facebook ads has risen over time, however, if your ad costs have jumped up significantly, or the same budget is not getting nearly the same results it used to, then you have probably hit a Facebook landmine.

Nearly always the damage is self-inflicted either by the practice owner or their marketer.

The number one trigger is trying to trick Facebook’s algorithms into bending or breaking their rules. This can result in severe consequences for your marketing efforts. For instance, some practices try to advertise prohibited services by not mentioning them directly in the ad or using alternate words and spellings.

However, Facebook’s AI also checks your website and landing pages and is not easily fooled. If they catch a whiff of deception that can be all it takes to receive an account suspension or even a personal ban from ever-running ads.

Facebook’s punishment mechanisms have evolved over time. Initially, they would simply ban ads that didn’t comply with their guidelines. However, they now allow some non-compliant ads to run but significantly increase their costs. This way, they still generate revenue while penalizing those who try to game the system.

Instead of attempting to outsmart Facebook, work with the platform and follow its guidelines. Facebook’s suggestions are usually accurate and can help improve ad performance. Recognize that Facebook has a vested interest in your advertising success.

Trying to trick Facebook is like declaring war on your biggest ally and becoming their enemy. By working in partnership with Facebook and abiding by their rules, you’re more likely to achieve marketing success.

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call. You could have new patients coming in as soon as this time next week.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 16, 2023
Why Practice Owners Regret Using a 3rd Party Scheduling Service

Outsourcing appointment scheduling to third-party services may initially appear as a convenient and cost-effective solution. However, numerous practice owners have come to regret this decision due to the negative impact on their reputation and patient relationships.

The most significant issue with third-party schedulers is the potential for misrepresentation of your practice. As the first point of contact, these interactions are crucial in shaping a potential patient’s impression of your practice. Often 3rd party schedulers’ unfamiliarity with your practice’s culture, location, and demographic may lead to misunderstandings, awkward interactions, and an inauthentic experience for your patients.

For example, 3rd party schedulers don’t know simple details a local would know. “Are you next to the Chic-Fil-A?” is a question that would leave them stumped.

Patients may perceive these shortcomings as indicators of poor service or unprofessionalism, harming your practice’s reputation before the patient even walks through the door.

By contrast, investing in your own in-house scheduling staff allows you to maintain control over your practice’s representation and ensure a high standard of service. Properly trained in-house staff will be familiar with your practice’s culture, location, and demographic, providing an authentic and seamless experience for your patients.

Factually, your own staff will always be more successful at starting that relationship with a new patient.

Practice owners should focus on hiring and training their own in-house scheduling staff to guarantee an authentic, professional, and consistent patient experience. This strategy not only protects your practice’s reputation but also sets the stage for long-term success and growth.

Of course, there are many more things to know in order to create a consistent flow of qualified new patients for your practice.

To save time, many practitioners choose to partner with my agency, The Customer Factory.

To find out if our marketing program is a good fit for your practice visit our website and book a 15-minute Discovery call.

Find out more at:

TheCustomerFactory.com

May 10, 2023