Going into a new year can be challenging for medical practices. While patients still need the same care, the ways in which they’re finding it and where they’re choosing to receive that care can vary as trends change over time. The coronavirus pandemic also changed the game for dental practices. Many patients may have lost healthcare coverage due to job layoffs. Or they may have been fearful of keeping up with medical appointments during the pandemic.
President Biden officially declared the pandemic to be over in September 2022. And more patients may be searching again for the right place to get back on track with medical care. If you’re feeling unsure of how to bring in more patients and begin growing your practice for 2023, check out these tips to get ready for the upcoming year.
Digital Marketing
Knowing how to market yourself in a world that has gone digital is one of the best things you can do for your dental practice. In the past, your name may have gotten out to the public through Yellow Pages or word of mouth. When your practice has an online presence, it can be one of the most powerful tools you can use to draw patients in. With a website, you can share important information like what kind of insurance your practice accepts all the way to simple but necessary things such as business hours and holiday schedules.
Patients are also likely to be viewing information about your practice while scrolling through smartphones, so a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or multiple other forms of social media can allow you to share high-quality videos and pictures that show off what you want to highlight about your practice.
Testimonials and Reviews
The first step in any good relationship, whether it’s personal or professional, is to build rapport. Receiving medical care of any kind can be nerve-wracking because patients are trusting you with their bodies. In this case, they’re trusting you to get up close and personal with their mouth. Which is a scary thought for some.
Try requesting more testimonials and reviews from your regular patients. Reading about others’ positive experiences with your practice is a good way to begin building trust and setting the expectation of high-quality work a patient will receive in your care. A testimonial and review can be posted with a patient’s consent to enhance a website homepage, or when patients leave reviews on Google or Angie’s List it may drive traffic to your website and encourage customers to reach out and begin scheduling appointments with your practice.
Asking customers to leave a review doesn’t have to be difficult or awkward. It can be as simple as leaving business cards at check in and check out desks, letting patients know where they can leave a review for your practice and other ways they can share feedback about their experiences.
Easy Financing
Aside from counting on your customers to follow you on social media and share their experiences online, there’s another important thing you can do. One sure way to grow your dental practice is to offer multiple types of financing options. When patients don’t feel worried they won’t be able to afford their care with your practice, they’re more likely to schedule an appointment and keep returning to you for all their dental care.
Whether you are arranging payment schedules with patients in-house, arranging payment through a third-party lender, or researching more forms of insurance your practice may not yet accept, all of these options may help patients to feel they have the most opportunities to get the kind and quality of care they need when using your practice.
It’s also important to review your rates for the treatments and procedures your practice provides. Compare your rates to that of competing practices. Consider if you’re giving patients the best rates for your services or if there’s room for improvement. Quality care that is also budget-friendly is important to customers everywhere, and the dentist’s office is no exception.
Expand and improve on the care you’re able to provide existing and future patients in the upcoming year. Consider these ways in welcoming 2023:
- A change in your marketing strategy
- increasing the amount of patient feedback
- changing the options patients have to pay for their care may help your business to thrive in the new year
If you’re looking for more strategies to grow your dental practice and be your most successful, Strategic Practice Solutions can help. Contact us today for a consultation to discuss the needs of your dental practice. We offer coaching and support to help meet any need that will ensure your practice is the best yet in 2023.
Strategic Practice Solutions, LLC