Part 1 of this series focused on choosing what you want to advertise. Let’s say you choose to advertise that you treat sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apnea. Now it’s time to address the question, “Who are your potential prospects and how can you reach them?”
Demographic, socioeconomic, and gender considerations
There is a wide range of demographic and socioeconomic factors to take into account when advertising. For example, you might find through research on the Internet that the target market for sleep disorders is people between the ages of 38 and 75. Are there gender differences? Maybe you’ll find that sleep problems are more prevalent in men than women. The Web is a wonderful tool. In just a few minutes, you can find useful data to shape your plan.
Identify geographic target
You must take into account whether there is a specific geographic region in which you want to reach prospects. If you are advertising for a single dental practice, the profitability of your advertising will be enhanced by geographic restriction, with rare exceptions. The dis-tance you reach out to will vary depending on whether your office is rural, suburban, or urban.
A common advertising mistake is to waste dollars trying to reach beyond the area your patients travel. Most of us have made that mistake at one time or another. However, it does make sense to attract people in an adjacent upscale neighborhood, doesn’t it? If you look at your existing demographics and find a scarcity of patients from a certain zip code, you may at first assume that the certain zip code is in an untapped target area and it might be potentially lucrative. Test cautiously, as there may be reasons why you will not be able to attract sufficient numbers of patients from that area while maintaining a positive ROI.
Another excellent place to begin marketing is with the satisfied patients in your chair, who can spread the word about your practice to people like them. Let these patients know you want more patients like them in your practice and that you would appreciate it if they would refer their friends and other family members to you. Replicate your existing successes!
Putting it all together
In the sleep disorder example, we may choose to send a mailing to all male residents above the age of 38 within a seven-mile radius of the office. We may limit the mailing to households whose income exceeds $120,000 per year. This may not sound like rocket science, but it is light years beyond what most dentists - and most businesses - take the time and effort to do when choosing a target for their marketing campaign. The broad-brush shotgun, or “let’s hope something sticks,” approach to marketing is a waste of precious ad dollars and will result in decreased profits and a burned-out entrepreneur.
Don’t waste your time, effort, or ad dollars beyond the geographic, socioeconomic, or demographic profile of your most likely prospects. A demographic analysis of your practice is a smart way to figure out to whom you should market.
Dr. Tom Orent, the “Gems Guy,” is a founding member and past president of the New England Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. His “1000 Gems Seminars™” span five countries and 48 states. He is the author of five books and hundreds of articles on practice management, TMJ, and “Extreme Customer Service.” To receive three free issues of his “Independent Dentist,” “Mastermind of the Month” CDs, and other special offers available for 21 days after this article appears in Dental Economics®, go to www.GemsInsidersCircle.com, and type “DentalEcon” in the yellow “Special Code” box at the top. You may also call (888) 880-4367 and ask for the “Free GIC Silver Test Drive.”
