Get direct results with external promotions [VIDEO]

As part of our new Morning Huddle e-newsletter, DPR partnered with notable practice management consultants to provide quick video tips to get your team talking.

Here, Misty Absher Clark of Jameson Consulting explains how, when done effectively, efficiently and ethically, external promotions are a great tool when it comes to promoting and marketing your practice.

From hosting an open house to attending community presentations and from gaining media exposure to sending direct mail, you can use promotional ideas to achieve excellent results.

Move forward with external promotional and take a deeper look at additional marketing tactics.

External promotions. Are you ready for this? Some of you may find it uncomfortable to even consider external promotions. However, with solid, ethical, effective external marketing programs, you will see direct results that will take your practice to the next level.

External promotions involve any activities that take place outside of your office and involve people who are not presently in your active patient family. Most of your new patients, about 70% for a general practice, will come to you as a personal referral. So, your internal promotions protocols are critical to your practice’s health and well-being.

However, going outside of your immediate practice is beneficial not only to your practice but also to your community. Through external promotions, you will be educating your community about the benefits of oral health and the opportunities available in dentistry today.

Click here for more great advice from Jameson Consulting.

In fact, the main reason that people do not go to the dentist in the first place or do not accept treatment is a lack of dental education. Accept the role of educator, not just for your patient family but also for your community.

Even though the ways in which you can promote externally are numerous, here are just a few recommendations.

• Open Houses: Invite people from your community to visit your office. If you are using modern technology, be demonstrating that technology, including patient education programming. Have packets put together with information regarding your practice and the services you are offering.

• Community Presentations: Contact the civic and school organizations in your area. Let them know that you are available for a 20-30 minute educational program about oral health and dental opportunities. Use visual aids and make the program educational rather than self-serving.

• Media Exposure: Newspaper, television, radio and magazines are great ways to introduce yourself and your services to your community. Access the assistance of professionals to help you in the development of these media pieces. You are going to invest significant money and want to make sure that you gain excellent results and revenues. Carefully track your results to make sure that your investment is working and working well.

• Whitening Programs: The new patients and the revenue generated by tooth-whitening programs are both quite significant. The data shows that most people who come in for a tooth whitening procedure often go ahead with other kinds of necessary or desired types of treatment. 

External promotions are becoming a more pronounced part of dentistry. It has its place. Excellent results can be achieved as you invest in external promotions and make this a great week.