Are you using marketing as a cover up?

The has been a massive boom in marketing services for dentists and in many practices, marketing is being used as a sticking plaster to cover up underlying problems.

Underlying problems are like a damp patch; irrespective of how many times you paint over it, the damp still comes through. Painting over the damp is not the solution, eliminating the cause of the damp is.

 

When it comes to money there is a saying

“Income is vanity

Profit is sanity

Cash is king”

For patients we could also say

“Enquiries are vanity

Consultations are sanity

Conversion and retention is king”

There may be really valid reasons that you want to market your practice and I am sure that you are aware the only the 3 reasons are,

• Brand awareness
• List building
• Conversion

What is you reason for considering marketing?

For many practices marketing is a knee jerk reaction when there are white spaces in the appointment book or insufficient money to pay the bills or to invest in new.

White spaces in appointment books and insufficient money are signs and symptoms of other problems  that are not resolved by marketing.

The situations that result in you looking to market for new patients will usually prevent your marketing from working, making any marketing campaign and expensive failure. Can you afford that cost?

Before you invest in marketing whether it be online, off-line, internal or external, please make sure that you are building on solid foundations.

 

Common reasons why practices are short of patients and money include;

• Ill-defined and poorly executed patient journey
• Poor customer service
• Not delivering what the patient wants, needs, expectations
• Perceived indifference
• Inadequate conversation structure to deliver patient Centred Sales and BEST CHOICES treatment plan discussions
• Patients being confused / talked out of treatment
• Not following up treatment plans
• Dentists and other team members not listening to the patients
• Poor time keeping, rushed, running late, long waiting times for appointments, inconvenient appointment availability etc
• Incorrect pricing structures, especially plans, and free consultations
• Principals and team not understanding the finances of the practice
• Errors in invoicing and claims
• Discounts and freebies
• Mistakes in taking payments
• Wastage of time and materials
• Poor quality poor equipment, breakdowns
• Inconsistent service

None of these problems will be resolved by marketing. Moreover, until these situations have been addressed your marketing won’t deliver the results you are hoping for.

Before you are frivolous with your time and money trying to attract new patients, invest time and money getting your practice organised performing well and look after your existing loyal patients.

When you practice is healthy, with a fresh pair of eyes there is much more profit and far fewer marketing costs in your existing list that already knows, you, likes you and trusts you.

If you would like to avoid wasting time and money on ill-timed marketing, you can use our online Brilliant Practice Evaluation   and check that you are building on solid foundations.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Brilliant-Practice-Evaluation-BPE

Invest your time and money wisely, don’t waste it