Looking Ahead at Dental Marketing in 2023

As we prepare to usher in a new year, there are many unknown variables to consider in the dental industry. Economic uncertainty and ongoing staffing concerns continue to impact practices around the country, and some dentists may react by making preemptive cuts to their marketing budget.

Don’t make that mistake.

Reducing marketing expenditures is counterproductive to a successful business of any kind. What’s important is making sure that those dollars are spent wisely, and time is invested effectively. Here are some of RAMP’s suggestions as we look ahead at dental marketing in 2023.

Set Your Goals

Before any strategizing can take place, you have to know what the objectives are for your practice. Look at goals you may have for the future such as adding staff and new services, increasing productivity, bringing in an associate, and then calculate what these changes may cost.

Determining these intentions ahead of time will highlight what needs to be targeted in your annual marketing budget.

Patient Experience

Naturally, every dentist wants to provide the best treatment for their patients, however expectations and priorities may have shifted for people following the pandemic. Potential patients are now seeking convenience starting from their web search to their first visit and beyond. And because dentists rely on word-of-mouth – aka online reviews – it’s important to create a positive customer experience wherever possible.

Services like teledentistry or sedation dentistry can create more access to a larger patient base which can only improve acquisition and retention. Customer relationship management systems (CRMs) can enhance the patient experience with automation.

Web Presence

These days, it takes more than a professionally designed website to capitalize on your online presence. It needs to be user-friendly for all platforms and scalable for growing practices.

With billions of global users spending time on at least one social media platform, it’s become a necessary tool for all businesses, including dental practices. Use Facebook, YouTube or Instagram to connect with prospective patients and generate referrals.

Mastering Digital Marketing

Legacy tools such as newspaper and radio advertising still have their place in a balanced marketing strategy, depending on location, specialties, and target demographics. However, it’s vital in 2023 to incorporate cutting edge digital marketing tools into your overall strategy.

There are many tools and new technology that can do the marketing work for you. Website retargeting, geofencing, keyword targeting, and others have the ability to “grab” the attention of those searching for a dentist and serve them up your curated online campaign.

Are you using the ideal tools for your practice and location?

Proactive Content

Content is still king, but it needs to more robust than simply incorporating SEO keywords. Rather than just providing a list of services and hours, include web content that addresses the questions potential patients may have:

• Do you take new patients?
• Do you provide sedation?
• Which insurance plans do you accept?
• What do other patients think? (Include testimonials.)

Another form of creative content that can showcase your expertise, is the addition of a blog to your website and email campaigns. With little time involved, you can educate, engage, and drive traffic to your site.

Recruitment Tools

Although there has been some indication that the staffing woes of 2021 are easing up, dentists may still want the ability to help them find the most qualified assistants, hygienists, and dentists available. Thanks to new digital tools, RAMP is able to target your ads to those dental professionals and let them know what you have to offer. Ask us how!

Seek Professional Help

While our marketing team at RAMP has decades of experience in helping dentists grow their practice, we are still unable to perform endodontic care. Likewise, you didn’t go into dentistry to focus on your Facebook advertising or postcard design.

The best way to guarantee growth and success is to partner with a marketing team with expertise in your industry. We’d love to discuss your goals for the New Year and offer solution-based strategies. Contact us for a free consultation and hit the ground running in 2023.

Wishing you happy holidays and a successful new year!