We know the public’s usual stereotypes about paying a visit to the dentist don’t make dental marketing any easier on you. When you already have your hands full with your practice, you shouldn’t have to think too much about it—you should always reach out to a content marketing agency for help when you’re short on time, you need your focus to be on your patients, or you feel your strategy could be getting a little stale. Due to some unfortunate negative feelings people often have about going to the dentist, one of the main tasks you’re left with is changing this pre-determined mindset.

You'll want to make sure potential patients know that not only is there no reason to be nervous, but that visiting the dentist can actually be quite a pleasant experience. Below are a couple of our favorite strategies that can put you on the path to standing out, in a good way. They can help you make sure your dental marketing gets people to feel good about staying on top of their oral health, and make sure that they are directed to the right place (your practice)! 

Start off by being the same… then focus on being different!

Unfortunately, there are most likely hundreds if not thousands of dentists in your area. That may seem handy to those looking for a new dentist because they feel they have many options, but it will make it hard for them to find your practice before they find your many competitors. The not-so-dirty trick? Arm yourself with great SEO. For this, you will want to do some research and see what everyone else is doing in terms of keyword usage (don’t forget to put them in blogs, too, and not just into your website’s page content).

Once you begin to rise up through the ranks in search engines and people start seeing more of your company’s name, you will need to start implementing more interesting tactics to get people to visit your practice and not the others! Try social media contests, polls, giveaways, really anything that is fun and engaging for people. If you’ve been looking to highlight your practice, you simply cannot afford to ignore your website and let yourself get lost in the abyss that is the Internet (a common mistake of many medical professionals).

Maintain winning personalities and top-notch customer service:

Being in the medical industry, it is of the utmost importance that you and your staff make your patients feel safe and comfortable. These people are trusting you, and as mentioned, there will always be those that come with fears from the get-go. Design your website in a way that portrays a friendly and inviting environment and provides clear information on your practice and procedures so they can have an idea of what to expect, in advance. If you have bi-lingual staff, great—make sure to mention that directly on your page and in your dental marketing materials, as it will alert patients who may have had frustrations trying to understanding their previous doctor—communication is key. In addition, on your site, adding a “team page”—a short bio and an accompanying photo of a smiling face for each of your staff—can help a potential patient feel as if they are getting to know you before they even walk through the door.

While your office should remain professional, and serious, to an extent, you can still give people the sense of having a uniquely relaxing atmosphere and personable receptionists. Include some fun images of your space on your site—even a quick virtual tour set to music (feel free to use a little humor and put it up on YouTube. One practice became a viral Internet sensation because they gave the impression that they were fun). This will give patients an idea of whether your office is somewhere they will feel comfortable and somewhere they are less likely to feel intimidated. 

If you see any complaints on Google or Facebook, remember you have the right to respond—this will show you care. Even if you don’t agree with some of the comments, you can still apologize for any experience patients felt did not quite meet their standards and invite them back. You might want to throw in a small discount to make it up to them so they feel special and that you listened to them.  Plus promotions are a big part of inbound marketing, so we are a big fan of these. It is always important to offer something of value to the customer, whether it’s information, 10% off for referring a friend, or even a free cleaning. Being active on social media also gives you the opportunity to answer questions, framing your practice and staff in a responsive, approachable, and helpful light.

Follow these dental marketing tips (and others we have waiting for you on the other end of the line for when you call) so that people who are doing research on where to go for their next checkup don't feel the need to ever go elsewhere. Remember, if they read and see things that make them feel comfortable, you know your practice is coming across as trustworthy and experienced. If you are offering benefits that other practices may not and you get people to feel that they are getting a better experience at your location, you are on the right track.