Have your marketing techniques kept up with your competitors’? A joint study by Officite and Dental Economicsi revealed that the top three influences on new patients are referrals, insurance and Google. In addition, they found that search engines and online review sites like Yelp are more effective than advertising, direct-mail coupons and Yellow Pages listings combined. 

You can attract new patients by focusing on five types of new people looking for you online. 

1. The Newcomer 

Starting point: Search engine 

Must-haves: First-page Google ranking 

Midpoint: Website comparison 

Deal breakers: Unprofessional or dated website 

Appeal to the Newcomer by focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) so you rank higher in Google results. You can get on the first page of Google results with organic SEO (using key words to increase rankings over time) or pay-per-click advertising, which puts your practice at the top almost instantly. 

2. The Dissatisfied Patient 

Starting point: Looks at your website  

Must-haves: Positive reviews 

Midpoint: Social media 

Deal breakers: Negative reviews 

You can attract this patient type by improving your online reviews, which is today’s trusted word-of-mouth. Software such as Demandforce simplifies the complex task of reputation management by enabling dental practices to request, publish and monitor online reviews in one place. 

3. The Patient Who Needs a Specialist  

Starting point: Referral 

Must-haves: Outstanding patient education 

Midpoint: Search engine 

Deal breakers: Their required specialty not mentioned on your website 

Show this patient that you’re an expert in your area by including a patient education page on your website. Including blog articles or videos that demonstrate your skill and knowledge helps make your practice stand out. 

4. The Millennial Patient 

Starting point: Social media 

Must-haves: Good website, online scheduling 

Midpoint: Search engine, reviews site 

Deal breakers: Lack of social proof 

To appeal to the Millennial Patient, focus on social media. Your reputation management software can help by automatically soliciting reviews from patients and posting them on social and other sites where you need more of a presence. 

5. The Insured Patient 

Starting point: Insurance company provider list 

Must-haves: Excellent website first impression  

Midpoint: Reviews, search engine, social media 

Deal breakers: Insurance compatibility 

This patient is looking for the best provider on their insurance plan. Focus on making a quality first impression by using a service like Officite to create an attractive and mobile-friendly website, where many insurance-conscious patients are directed from their carrier’s site. 

The Right Tools Help You Get Patients 

The right tools can make attracting patients a lot easier. Henry Schein One offers complete marketing solutions to help you keep your practice productive and profitable. Get a free marketing assessment to find out how you can expand your web presence, improve your online reputation and attract more new patients online. Visit  Assessment.HenryScheinOne.com or talk to a specialist at 833.897.9003.