Orthodontic marketing can be very exciting; however, with any business, some issues are unavoidable. While you want to be on top of marketing development and new trends, always be aware of potential pitfalls so that you do not fall into them. Below are six common orthodontic marketing issues that you should be cautious about when developing your orthodontic marketing campaign.
1. Being too pushy.
When it comes to orthodontic marketing, being overly pushy is a common mistake people make – one that will cause a lot of damage to your business if you’re not careful. When patients think of orthodontists as pushy, it drives a negative impression. When people have negative impressions about someone or something, they tend to avoid it at all costs. When patients avoid you, your practice suffers, which can lead to financial losses in the long run. The best way to prevent this is by avoiding high-pressure tactics and aggressive marketing practices altogether. You need to find ways to attract prospects through high-quality content rather than through cheap gimmicks and tricks.
Remember, your clients don’t like to be sold. The orthodontic profession has a hard time embracing the concept of marketing. This is probably due to the fact that we were taught that the best professionals don’t need to market themselves because they will be successful regardless. However, since most consumers are inundated with marketing messages daily and are more knowledgeable about dentists and orthodontic providers than ever before, this isn’t necessarily true anymore.
2. You don’t have a website.
The Internet is where most people find information and make decisions about their health care, including orthodontic treatment. Your practice needs a website that accurately represents your practice and provides an avenue for new patients to contact you. It should be easy for someone to find your practice’s hours, location, and contact information.
Without a website, you’ll never reach your full orthodontic marketing potential. A website is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal, allowing you to present yourself as an industry leader and command more patient loyalty. It’s especially powerful for orthodontists interested in getting more leads and maintaining their practice afloat.
3. Marketing doesn’t work.
Another reason for the resistance to marketing is that many people have tried it and failed. They focus too much on discounting or finding new patients through expensive TV or radio ads and then give up when they don’t see an immediate return on their investment. Marketing works when you make it part of your total business strategy and as an integral part of your practice management system. Below are some reasons why your marketing strategy is not working:
- The orthodontic marketing plan is not focused on the end-user. If a marketing plan isn’t designed for the consumer, then it’s not effective. A marketing plan should be designed to interest patients in the orthodontist and ultimately get them in the door.
- Using outdated marketing techniques. If you are still using traditional techniques such as print ads and billboards for your practice’s marketing campaigns.
- You don’t have a strong marketing plan. Whether you are a solo or multi-office orthodontic practice, you should have a comprehensive marketing plan in place that includes goals, budget, and measurable outcomes.
- The orthodontic practice is not committed to growing the business. Too many practices settle for what they’ve got and stop trying after a few months of bad results.
- Unqualified Prospects. When approaching potential patients, your staff should be able to identify potential clients’ needs and assign them an appointment at a convenient time. If they can’t, then you need to rethink your appointment setting process.
4. Poor website traffic.
One of the most common orthodontic marketing issues I’ve discovered is a poor website conversion rate. That term gets tossed around a lot, so I’ll get more specific: your website is not converting enough visitors into patients. The reason for this might be that you don’t have enough traffic coming to your site. Simply having a website is not enough; your website should drive visitors. Your website is the best way for current and potential patients to learn about your services and connect with you. If you have a poorly designed website or no website at all, then you are missing out on a huge opportunity.
If your website is not driving traffic, it’s time to call SEO experts or a marketing agency specializing in your practice. So many people overlook the power of SEO, and it’s no wonder. It’s a complicated process that involves a lot of moving parts. When you’re opening your practice, you want to focus on getting patients in your door. To learn more, check out this helpful Orthodontic Marketing Resources here at https://hip.agency/specialties/orthodontics/.
5. You’re not on Social Media.
Although the popularity of social media sites may shift over time, your practice must be represented on major social media sites, such as Facebook and Google +.
The first thing you should do is create an account on Facebook and Twitter. Research your target audience and try to find specific groups they are spending time on. Then start interacting with them, listen to their concerns, and answer their questions. Try to find out what they would like from an orthodontist and see if you can take care of that for them.
6 . Your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices.
Is your website mobile-friendly? Lots of practices are still sitting on their original websites from when they opened years ago. Today, more than 50 percent of all internet traffic comes from mobile devices. If your website is not optimized for mobile, you’re missing out on a massive chunk of your potential patients. If it takes too long to load or has images that are hard to see on a small screen, you’re going to turn people off and lose them as potential new patients. Keep in mind that Google’s algorithm for organic searches favors responsive websites over separate websites for mobile devices. Is yours up-to-date?
It’s essential these days for your website to work well on any device, but especially mobile phones and tablets. If your site doesn’t work well with mobile devices, people won’t be able to share your content with others or find your contact information. They also might think that your business is behind the times, which means they may not want to spend money there. Many people use their mobile phones to search for local businesses now, so make sure your website is ready for them by making sure.
Final Thoughts
Orthodontists, dentists, and other allied dental professionals are putting greater thought and planning into their advertising these days. The tips we talked about center on simplifying your message, offering more than just “straightening teeth” or fixing an “awkward bite,” and staying consistent with your ad copy/design over time. Knowing about these potential problems can help you avoid them when doing your orthodontics practice marketing. Hopefully, this advice was helpful in helping you prepare for your next marketing campaign!