Joy Gendusa
If you’re looking for dental marketing strategies that have been through the ringer and come out on top, you’re in the right place.
But before we jump in, there’s some good news and bad news. Let’s start with the bad news. The average dental practice can expect to lose at least 8%–10% of its patient base annually just through normal attrition.1 That means if you want to maintain your status quo revenue-wise, you need at least that many new patients to set up appointments.
Now the good news: There is a lot of proven data out there about what works. You can use this data to avoid a trial-and-error marketing process and get right to elevated profits. I encourage you to borrow good marketing ideas when you find them—all the best marketers do it! In fact, that’s the purpose of this article—to help you adopt the best dental marketing ideas. I’ve rummaged through my company’s successful dental campaigns and chosen a few of my favorites. I’m going to share the results of each one and highlight a notable strategy of each campaign that contributed to its success. Let’s get going!
There you have it—just a few successful campaigns from our database broken down for you. But before I go, did you notice that every single one of these campaigns has three offers? If you did, well done! In fact, 62% of our cataloged successful dental campaigns feature two or more offers. Borrow this idea and the others shown here to create a success story of your own!
Author’s note: Go to postcardmania.com/dentaldesigns to find additional successful campaigns and request free samples of successful postcards.
Reference
1. Joyal F. 7 real-life reasons your patients leave. 1-800-Dentist website. http://www.1800dentist.com/7-reallife-reasons-your-patients-leave/. Published August 2007.
Joy Gendusa is the founder and CEO of PostcardMania. Using just postcards, a phone, and a computer, Joy built PostcardMania from a one-person start-up into an industry leader. PostcardMania serves 82,401 clients, including 5,750 dentists. Need help promoting your practice? Call one of PostcardMania’s dental marketing consultants at (844) 269-1836 or email Joy at [email protected].
Campaign No. 1: ARCADIA DENTAL
$300,000 in revenue after just four mailings
How we set up the campaign
The results: After just four mailings, Arcadia Dental has generated more than $300,000 in collections. That’s a 906% return on investment—with more yet to come!
What I love most about this campaign: The row of big-discount offers in a bright color with lots of freebies—it really draws in the eye! (We all love free stuff, right?)
Campaign No. 2: Hall FAMILY DENTISTRY
Went from 15–20 new patients per month to 40–60
How we set up the campaign
- Mailing list: Households in a specific area with a median annual income of $50,000 or more
- Mailing frequency: 5,000 postcards per month with high-volume drops of 20,000 and 45,000 scheduled around special promotions
- Digital integration: Call tracking and recording services
The results: A year after mailing postcards monthly, new patients for Hall Family Dentistry increased 156%. It went from hovering around 15–20 new patients a month to consistently hitting 40–60 new patients a month, peaking at 64 in December.
What I love most about this campaign: First, I love the consistency. This is key! Second, Hall Family Dentistry didn’t just stop at a testimonial; it added a five-star graphic that really grabs your attention. The rise of Amazon and Google reviews has primed us to pay more attention to starred review graphics. Utilize this trend on your postcard!
Campaign NO. 3:
BOREALIS Dental STUDIO
48 new patients in three months and a new associate
How we set up the campaign
- Mailing list: Radius around the practice
- Mailing frequency: 6,000 postcards per month for six months, then 12,000 postcards per month consistently
- Digital integration: Mail tracking, call tracking and recording, and Google online ads (packaged together via DirectMail2.0)
The results: Monthly new patients for Borealis Dental Studio jumped from 28 at the end of 2016 to 68 by December 2017. And because it continued to mail consistently, leads and new-patient numbers today continue to grow. The practice recently hired a new associate to keep up with demand.The return on their investment clocked 998%. Wow!
What I love most about this campaign: The best thing is the absolute consistency. This practice is saturating an entire area with postcards every month, and that same message is echoed all over the Google Ad Network with matching display ads. The practice looks like it’s everywhere!
