We have recently discussed how dental implant practices can set themselves apart in a competitive market through unique sales propositions. By differentiating themselves, practices will enjoy more implant leads and a higher case acceptance rate.
We’ve explained differentiation in terms of cost position, or demonstrating your practice’s authority. The tactic we’re tackling in this post takes the ideas of authority marketing one step further: in addition to demonstrating authority through content marketing and social media engagement, successful implant practices use their real-life results as a marketing tool.
Results Marketing Showcases Case Studies to Attract New Patients
Results marketing requires looking at everything you have accomplished as a dentist and a practice in a new light. Instead of resting on your laurels, you attempt to leverage the momentum each accomplishment has given you. This is closely related to use-case marketing, whereby businesses take a poignant success story, turn it into a written article, and promote it through all of their media channels.
In the world of results marketing, every win you get can be used to attract more patients. This is no cheap trick, either; the motivation to turn every patient into a potential success story or case study motivates you and your team to go above and beyond with everyone you help.
Every Win You Get Can Be Used To Attract More Patients. You Don’t Have To Prove Every Qualification To Perform Every Procedure But Showcasing Results Goes A Long Way To Building Confidence In Patients.
Results marketing is especially helpful in outpatient health services for two primary reasons. First, a dentist typically has to prove their competency in a way that, say, airline pilots don’t. Nobody sits outside the loading gate and asks to see the pilot’s degree and proof of supervised hours. With dentistry, it’s different. You don’t have to prove every qualification to perform every procedure but showcasing results goes a long way to building confidence in patients. And that leads directly to higher case acceptance (and profits).
Second, it’s true in every profession that people typically buy from a business only after they know and trust you. These factors combined mean you need to demonstrate your competence as an implant dentist long before the moment of decision.
As discussed below, results marketing works by promising high levels of service, showcasing past results and credentials to demonstrate your ability to provide that level of service, and then following through on your promises to turn new patients into brand advocates. Here’s how to get started doing just that in your practice.
The Four Pieces of “Results Marketing” Branding
To begin differentiating your practice based on results marketing, implement these four practices into your business. Together, these four practices will position you a go-to implant dentist based on your credentials, quality of service, past results, and in-office experience.
1. Offer A Guarantee Of Service
Invite your most trusted team members to meet with you and decide what are the minimum guarantees of service you should offer to every single patient. Some examples could be a less-than-24-hour response time to inquiries, unlimited consultation time, free follow-up care, a gift pack you give to every patient after treatment, or anything else important to your practice. Make sure they are realistic and measurable guarantees.
Then, write out your list of guarantees and make the prospective patient aware of them early into the process. This is essentially “calling your shot” and then following through. Over time, you gain the reputation of a practice committed to specific results.
2. Gather Social Proof
“Social proof” in this context means positive testimonials, reviews, before-and-after photos, and long-form case studies that you can share with your entire audience. When you gather enough social proof, it helps implant leads trust your practice before they even initiate contact with you. Human beings are wired to trust the opinions of others when those opinions become plentiful.
A practical way to begin gathering social proof is to conduct exit interviews with patients, in which you ask them for the experience and feedback, and ask whether their stories can be shared with others. Some may not be comfortable with that, but if you get in the habit of asking every patient, you’ll soon gain an abundance of social proof to use on your website and social media.
3. Feature Your Credentials And Awards
Most medical professionals display their licenses and degrees on the office wall. This is good, but it isn’t going far enough. Make sure all your credentials are plainly visible on your website as well. Additionally, whenever your practice receives an award of any kind, make sure to share it on all your channels.
Your credentials and awards are results, whether you think of them that way or not. This means that they can be used for effective results marketing.
4. Set High Professional Standards
Finally, set high professional standards for speech, dress code, and your office space. When you want to distinguish your practice as the best of the best, the little things matter. Additionally, appearances matter. It’s strange to see an influential public figure wearing jeans and a T-shirt when you’re used to seeing them in business attire.
Writing out a code of conduct, a dress code, and language guides for your employees helps your team operate smoothly, but it also helps outsiders see that you mean business. You can follow up on the results you promise, because you look, talk, and act the part.