Dental Marketing

Reflecting back on the time when I first opened LA Dental Clinic (over a decade ago – wow, time sure flies!), it still amazes me that it’s become the success story that it is. Knowing what I do now, I was practically clueless from a business standpoint back then – I wasn’t sure where to start or how to attract patients to my dental clinic. I have learned many things from working with different marketing agencies over the years and I have been able to dramatically grow my business as a result. I want to share the 5 key aspects that worked when marketing my clinic that I think every dentist should use to get started. 

1. Update Your Website

Your website is your digital storefront and most potential leads these days will initially discover your dental clinic by searching online. That is why it is so important to set a good first impression with a modern, user friendly website that is easy to navigate. You want your site to clearly educate your potential clients on your services, your mission statement and your clinic. 

You also want to make it easy for leads to contact you, and locate your office if they are interested in booking an appointment. A website re-design is one of the first steps to successfully marketing your dental practice. Think about it this way, you will be directing potential clients to your website from all of the other marketing channels, be it social media, Google Ads or your email list. This is where clients will get to know you and determine whether or not you would be a good fit as their dentist. Take the time to make your website a unique reflection of yourself and your clinic. 

2. Social Media Presence 

People of all ages are on social media these days and if you have not set up accounts for your dental clinic, it’s time to get started. All of the mainstream social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube have options for business accounts. You can see useful insights such as user engagement, demographics and key days to post within your social accounts. 

In order to attract new patients to your dental clinic, think of your social media channels as an extension of your website. They are a place to connect directly with your clients, show them your clinic and post behind the scenes content. Show your potential leads what it is like to visit your clinic, the atmosphere and staff. Do not be shy on your channel and get creative with posting video content, images of the clinic itself, before and after photos of clients and client reviews. Your social media channels are an extension of you and your voice online, so be sure to post frequently and use this free marketing resource to your advantage. 

One excellent way to grow your social media accounts online, once you have created profiles and started posting consistently, is to experiment with cross promoting. If there is a local business or influencer in your area that has a large social media presence, see if they can feature you on their accounts by running a special offer or promotion specifically through your social channels. This is a great way to gain local exposure and get in front of leads who may be interested in your dental clinic. 

3. Ask for Online Reviews

A 5-star review on Google can make a huge difference when clients are deciding which dental clinic to choose. Reviews have become much more important in recent years and they play a big impact in client decision making. They offer the social proof that many patients look for when they are making a buying decision. Just like when you are shopping online, or trying to determine a new restaurant to visit, you check the reviews to learn more about other people’s experiences at that establishment, or with that product. 

There is a saying that people only leave reviews when they have a bad experience, and for many companies, a collection of negative reviews can cost them business, and even put them out of work. An excellent way to combat the naysayers, or beat them to it, is to ask your patients for reviews online after they have visited your dental clinic. This way, you have a steady stream of reviews coming in from all of your patients. If you do happen to get a low review online, be sure to reply to it and address it publicly. This shows that you care about your clients experience at your clinic and are willing to rectify the situation. 

4. Create a Monthly Newsletter 

A monthly newsletter is a great way to market to the clients that you already have. It is also a way for interested clients to learn more about your dental clinic before booking an appointment. Be sure that your website has a clear form to sign up for your mailing list, and gather the emails of your existing clients, with their consent, to start advertising to them via email. 

Sending out monthly newsletters is a great way to start marketing to your mailing list. You can update your leads on any news going on in the clinic, exclusive promotions you are offering and important updates as needed. You can also take it a step further and use email marketing as a way to remind patients about their upcoming appointments.  Email marketing is a simple way to stay connected to your patients and keep top of mind. 

5. Digital Advertising on Google 

There are many ways to promote yourself online but advertising on Google is one of the fastest and most time tested methods of attracting interested new patients to your business right away. Google Ads are based on the concept of user intent. You need to think carefully about what someone will be searching online when they are looking for a good dentist. 

When someone searches “dental emergency” chances are, they are in need of a dentist right away. Likewise, when someone searches “family dentist in Los Angeles” it is likely they are looking for options for a new long term family dentist. Depending on the clients you are looking to attract, you can set up your ads to rank for different terms that are relevant to your business. 

You can create Google Ads so your dental clinic will show up as an option in search results, and get in front of patients who have a high intent to visit your clinic. Most people do not scroll past the first page on Google, and if you are a new clinic, chances are, your website will not be ranking organically on the first page in search results. Google Ads are an easy way to get around this dilemma, you can pay to be first for certain key terms potential clients are searching. You will show up front and centre online. 

Download The Ebook for More Tips

Those are the top 5 best ways to market your dental practice in the modern digital world. If you are interested in learning more about the things that I did to market my clinic in Los Angeles, be sure to download and read my e-book and visit EPIC: Empower Practice Inner Circle. It’s completely free and was designed to help dentists and owners like yourself make informed decisions when navigating the world of business and lead generation online. Boost your clinic’s bottom line today with EPIC. Join our official Facebook group to learn more.

Excitement. Just pure, unbridled excitement. That’s what I remember feeling as – after years of planning and anticipation – I finally got to watch my dream of “LA Dental Clinic” come true. It had always been my goal to own and operate a thriving clinic in the heart of California, and at that moment, I was filled with a sense of personal triumph. 

However, as someone with a background in dentistry, rather than business management I felt a bit overwhelmed with where to start. I was unsure about the best ways to attract clients. With high rent and high competition locally, I needed a way to set myself apart from other clinics. Upon reflection, I wish I had known about these tips when I was just starting out, and that’s why I want to share, from my experience, how to grow your dental practice in Los Angeles. 

Define Your Niche

The dental industry in Los Angeles is thriving, the city is home to thousands of dental professionals, all with different specialties. There are clinics that focus purely on cosmetic procedures such as veneers and whitening, clinics that attract repeat customers and families as well as those that practise restorative treatments such as implants. 

The first step to success in this city is to determine what makes your clinic unique and double down on presenting that to the public. In return, once you have defined your niche, you will be able to focus on attracting the clients you want who also fit your niche.  

Establish Your Core Values

Every owner has a reason for going into business. I found it really useful to connect with my core values and clearly define my mission statement for my dental clinic. 

I decided that, at the core, I wanted to change my patients’ lives and help to transform their smiles while preventing future dental problems. I wanted to provide friendly, high-quality services and focus on family dental patients. 

After defining the values for my clinic, I found it much easier to take the next steps in marketing my company, hiring staff and taking on new clients. I made sure that everything I did going forward tied back to my goal and my reason for being in business. 

Stay Present Online

One of the first things I did as a dental clinic owner in Los Angeles was to hire a digital marketing agency. I knew that in this modern world, digital advertising was the way to go. It took some trial and error, but I was finally able to find a marketing agency that worked well for me and my clinic. My marketing agency valued and understood my business and they sought out to create a digital presence that reflected my companies core values online.

They created my website, ran targeted ads to attract leads, monitored reviews, my online reputation and managed my social media accounts. As a dental professional, I was extremely busy working with clients to do all of this on my own, and I was very thankful to have an agency that was aligned with my values to help promote my clinic online. 

Measure Key Metrics 

One of the key ways to measure the success of your clinic is to dive into the numbers. Programs such as Google Analytics and Facebook analytics can help give you insight into important marketing metrics. Whether you are working with a marketing agency or running your own marketing,  make a habit of tracking the success of your campaigns and report on the results monthly. 

Reporting is an excellent way to determine what is and isn’t working for your company. For those of you who aren’t sure where to start, the key metrics you want to track are your conversions. These are clients who have visited your clinic and paid for a service. Conversions are directly related to your revenue and are thus, the best way to measure your return on marketing investment. 

Join a Support Group 

When I first opened my dental clinic, I felt like I was on my own. I worked with many people who claimed to help, such as life coaches, growth experts and various marketing agencies. I found that initially, many of these experts did not see my vision and did not have my best interests in mind. When finally, my sister joined my practice and became a co-owner, I felt such a sense of clarity. 

I finally had someone who could understand my problems on a more personal level. Both as a business owner as a friend and as a mother. Together with my sister Azy we grew the business into a six-figure company. We hired an incredible team and finally were able to attract the clients we were looking for in Los Angeles.  

I founded EPIC – Empower Practice Inner Circle so that every female dentist can feel like she has the help of a sister. I know what it’s like to feel alone and overwhelmed in this industry, EPIC is a support group that offers guidance and mentorship through sisterhood. Learn more and join our Facebook group to become a part of our community. 

Download The Ebook for More Tips 

My sister and I have written a comprehensive e-book that documents our journey and some of the keys to success we encountered when growing our dental clinic in Los Angeles. The e-book is completely free to download and is meant as a way to get started and triple your profits for your dental practice. Find the link on our website and download the e-book today.