If you own a dental practice and want to increase the number of patients and retain them successfully then you need to look at social media as a venue to market your dental office. This is because the global dentistry is projected to grow over $60 billion by 2024 due to increased awareness of the importance of oral health.
Social media marketing is an effective way of putting the spotlight on your practice and this type of marketing can no longer be ignored. Many dentists still ask “ Do I really need social media for my dental practice?” Just like flossing the answer is a resounding yes.
Social media provides a great avenue for converting followers into patients. In this article, we crack the code of social media and dentistry so that you can attract new patients and retain them for good.
How does social media and dentistry go hand in hand?
Managing social media marketing correctly is essential to increase the awareness of your dental practice. We have discussed the different aspects of the social media marketing that can bring the right attention to your dental office.
Influence Matters
Did you know that 71% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product or service based on social media referrals? Out of which 78% say that companies’ social media posts have an impact on their purchases.
Build Credibility and Trust
Using social media channels like Facebook and Instagram you can build relationships even before you have met a potential patient. Establishing credibility online is similar to doing the same offline – Be genuine, consistent, and open.
Educate patients about new procedures, give your professional opinion on dental products and services and provide unique insights. Additionally offer a perspective of your dental practice, showcase your team and their expertise.
Establish a reliable brand voice
Using your expertise you can become an authority on the latest dental practices, technologies, and trends. This will benefit you in many ways and you will slowly start building patient trust and credibility from peers who in turn will validate your insights via engagement.’
You can do this by following these steps:
- Showcase new dental treatments using the latest technology offered at your dental office
- Discuss the latest innovations in dentistry
- Share educational articles written by experts
- Share pictures or videos of your dental team communicating with your patient
Have a continuous flow of content that establishes you as a dental expert differentiating you from your competition.
Harness the power of word of mouth
Old is Gold for a reason. Word of mouth may be a traditional way of marketing but with social media, it can become an important tool of marketing. A patient will generate close to $900-$1000 per year in billings and will stick to the same general dentistry clinic for nearly 10 years.
They also bring in a lot of referrals and a lifetime value of a patient can be valued at $10000 on an average. With such a large figure, harnessing the power of word of mouth through social media is no laughing gas matter.
The best way to retain current patients
Social media is a great way to retain your patients as you can constantly be in touch with them and stay on their minds by posting quality and engaging content on your social media channels. Social media marketing makes it creative and easy for you to constantly engage your target audience.
Using Facebook and Instagram you can answer all questions and comments left regarding your content. You can start dental newsletters sharing your interest in current practices of the dental industry.
What about attracting new patients?
By posting quality content on social media you are influencing the purchase decision of your potential patients and this is when the word of mouth becomes pivotal. If your content is good then your patients will share it further with their family and friends and that is how your reach /influence increases.
When your influence increases, converting your followers into new patients is easy and retaining them becomes even easier when you provide quality dental services to them.
Manage your online reputation
In today’s digital age it is not enough if you have a stellar reputation offline. You need to have a great reputation as a dentist online as well. This is because statistics show that people trust online reviews as much as peer reviews.
You need to manage your online reputation by monitoring the reviews posted by your patients. Acknowledging both the negative and the positive reviews and replying politely to the negative feedback will show that you care about your patients. It will also show that you are proactive in resolving an issue by displaying your professional side.
Conclusion
Social media gets you the kind of coverage no traditional marketing can provide. It brings you close to your current patients, successfully attracts new patients, helps you establish professional relationships with your fellow dentists, and increases the reputation of your dental practice online.
Of course, all this takes time and consistency. And if you aren’t able to spare time for social media marketing then we suggest you get in touch with a dental digital marketing company that can do all this for you. Helenzys Dent is an exclusive dental digital marketing company that provides quality social media marketing services along with time tested digital marketing strategies.
So, if you want to reap the benefits of social media marketing at the earliest then get in touch with us and see your practice grow manifolds.