How To Start A Successful Dental Practice

Creating a Dental Marketing Plan in 2022

As little as 30 years ago, the marketing world was entirely different. Previously there were three marketing channels, and now there are 300 different ways to market your product, service, or brand. In addition to the breadth of different marketing channels, it takes more than just a clever tagline to reign in business. If you’ve been consulting with veterans in the dental industry on how to build a new practice, they probably don’t have any idea about the best ways to approach today’s marketing channels. 

Why Has Marketing Changed So Much?

Technology. With more ways to connect with people, there is now an infinite number of ways to market to them. The increase in the number of marketing channels has also changed how we market. More than ever, marketing relies on understanding human nature and targeting the right audience. 

Today’s consumers are more intelligent, more sophisticated, and expect more from advertising. To effectively market to today’s consumers, you can’t just use old-fashioned spray and pray techniques and hope to meet your business goals. An effective dental marketing strategy begins with understanding your market and knowing how to reach the right people. This helps to optimize your marketing campaigns, making them more effective. 

Instead of traditional marketing methods like billboards and TV commercials, we now have content marketing. Instead of just seeing your ad in a magazine or your listing in a phone book, prospective patients can and expect to learn everything about you via the internet. Hanging a sign or putting your name on a billboard is no longer adequate for bringing in new dental patients. Because of this, marketing yourself as a new dentist can quickly become overwhelming. While offline strategies are still effective in creating brand awareness, having an online presence via organic search, Google Ads, or social media platforms is crucial. So how do you decide where to invest your budget?

How Do You Learn About A Market?

Data analysis allows dental practice startups to learn about their market before getting a loan or signing a lease. By understanding critical elements of consumer behavior, such as buying trends, income, new movers, etc., you can learn which locations have your ideal patient. 

EOS Healthcare Marketing provides viability studies using 68 real-time data sources to analyze your prospective market to determine your potential success in any given area. Before signing your lease, you want to be sure that you are within reach of your potential patient base. Real-time data engages with predictive analytics to show you where your dental office will thrive. Not only does data help with finding the perfect place to open your practice, but it tells you how to best market your practice to new patients. 

What is Real-Time Data?

The right data will tell you everything you need to know. No two markets are the same. While some dentists experience tons of success with social media marketing, others might find that direct mail is the best way to reach potential patients. 

Real-time data is a lens that helps you see how your market communicates, makes decisions, and what’s important to them. To market effectively, start by knowing what specific audience you need to reach and how to speak in a way that resonates with them. As a dental practice, your target audience should be your ideal patient. Your practice should be located in an area with an abundance of those ideal patients, making data a crucial aspect of planning the business. 

Real-time data can tell you how your perspective market is most likely to encounter or seek out your practice. If a particular marketing channel doesn’t typically influence the market’s purchasing behavior, spending time or money there doesn’t make sense.