Dos and don'ts for practice marketing

Who are your new patients? And where are they coming from?

Most dental practices can determine the number of new patients they see in any given period of time (monthly, annually), but many offices don't know the sources of these new patients. Practices may think they have an idea where they come from, but in reality it is based more on guesswork rather than actual data.

Knowing the sources of new patients can not only increase the number of new patients, but also help you better target your marketing efforts, saving you time and money in the process.

Ask the referral question. A critical question when a new patient calls is, "Whom may we thank for referring you to our office?" This will enable you to track where your new patients are coming from. Over time, this valuable information will help you identify your most effective marketing sources and enable you to devise appropriate strategies.

Don't ignore scripting. Marketing is designed to make your phone ring. From there, it is up to the verbal skills of your front desk staff to motivate prospective patients to schedule appointments. Give your team the customer service training they need to convert callers into patients!