Ask yourself this question: Why do patients choose you over other doctors in your area?
Your answer to that question is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). In dentistry, your USP should be the foundation of your brand and reputation. For instance, if your answer is, “Patients choose me because I’m the friendly, personable, and reliable dentist,” then all of your marketing efforts should emphasize the brand, “friendly, personable, and reliable.” Solidifying your brand is crucial to consistently attracting new patients. Ultimately, that brand will serve as a cornerstone for all of your marketing efforts.
Furthermore, take a note out of Simon Sinek’s Start with Why and deeply consider this: why do you do what you do? In an age where most patients turn to Google for answers, your online presence, specifically, your dental practice’s website, must reinforce your established brand and clearly articulate your why. Otherwise, you risk being overlooked. Once your website clearly reflects your brand and your why, it will not only inspire patients to want the dentistry they need but also make them want that dentistry specifically from you. Ultimately, the site should feel like an extension of “you.” Whoever designs your website needs to understand why and what specifically differentiates your practice from others. Investing in a custom website design that reflects and enhances your brand will help attract the ideal new patients for your practice.
When faced with the choice between a template website and a custom website design, doctors must consider two key factors: time and money. Template websites have a very quick turnaround time, which makes them enticing, but they rarely work effectively in communicating your USP. Ensure the marketing company you work with has a seamless process that allows for quick approval points to keep the process of developing a custom website moving along. Before entering into an agreement, ask your marketing company how much time will be involved in creating your custom site from start to finish, and decide if the extra time investment makes sense for you. Regarding pricing, many believe template sites are less expensive and are enticed by this assumption, along with the quick turnaround period. However, you usually don’t own your template site and are limited in SEO capabilities, ultimately limiting the site’s long-term ROI. Although the template site is seemingly less expensive initially, recurring monthly maintenance fees often make it a more expensive long-term investment than its higher quality counterparts. A custom website is generally a better investment than a template site when considering maintenance fees and the higher ROI from increased SEO capability, overall quality, and personalization.
If you take the time to get to know your patients, consider video marketing. Create a welcome video for your homepage and another video where you answer patients’ frequently asked questions. These videos will establish a connection, make you seem approachable, and can be easily shared with your patients’ friends and family. If you’re a perfectionist who is proud of the gorgeous dentistry you create, let your dentistry do the talking. Include multiple before and after photos on your website, showcasing your most stunning work on the front page. Consider video testimonials of smiling, happy patients. If you’re a beloved pedodontist, ask your little patients to film a testimonial with their parents about their dental experience. This cute spin on the traditional patient testimonial video will amplify your ability to deliver quality, parent-approved dental care while debunking the myth that “the dentist is scary.” If you’re actively involved in your community, dedicate a specific page on your website to your philanthropic work. Include photos from events, links to organizations you are passionate about, and documentation of in-office charity initiatives. This authentic branding will showcase you as a dentist dedicated to making a difference.
The bottom line is: Use custom marketing solutions to highlight your personal strengths and your brand. Use them to communicate why.
If you have any questions regarding a custom website design, please call Grace at Identity Dental Marketing at (847) 629-4646.