November 19, 2008
- Last Minute Orthodontic Marketing Holiday Gift Ideas
Are you ready for your holiday marketing deliveries to referring practices? If not… here's
a few last minute ideas that will make you look like you planned for monthsSometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to find the time or the right gift for referring doctors and staff for holiday gift giving. Over the years I found some unique items that made lasting impressions. This year, especially with the poor economy, make a statement with your holiday gifts to referring staff of general dental offices.
Listed below are gifts that received raved reviews from referring offices in previous years:
November 7, 2008
- 7 Promotional Orthodontic Marketing Pick Me Ups In a Down Economy
There are some traditional orthodontic marketing strategies of old which will never die, even in a down economy..Free promotional items which fill a need or create excitement in the lives of your patients is one of them. Potential patients are more appreciative of the free items received during a new patient exam than colorful printed information and marketing materials. The print materials eventually end up in the trash after consumers have read them, while promotional items are a constant reminder that elicits brand recall over a much longer period of time. For existing patients, promotional items are a constant reminder of your community presence. Step up your marketing promotions during tough economic times to impress new patients and engage your current patients to promote new referrals. Promotional marketing gives patients reasons to talk about you with friends and family, especially when they are out and about and on the go.
October 13, 2008
- Marry Your Website And Treatment Services on the Internet To Attract More New Patients During Tough Economic Times
A Web 2.0 marketing strategy will increase new patients referrals along with a synergistic Internal, External, and Internet marketing plan…
In today's tough economic climate, the first place patients go to research orthodontic and dental treatment providers is online. Tech savvy generations don't look in the phone book anymore for contact information, they ask their dentist for referrals, depend upon recommendations from friends and family when considering choices, and then go to the Internet to research treatment providers for themselves… or… they just go to the Internet.
September 29, 2008
- Can A Patient Find You Online In Less Than 10 Seconds?
Internet Web 2.0 Marketing For Dental Professionals Blows The Doors Off Traditional Orthodontic Marketing…I was watching the news this morning and a banner popped up across the bottom of my TV announcing that Paul Newman was dead. That was all it said. Since he and Robert Redford have always been two of my favorite actors…I wanted more info. None was forthcoming on the TV which was very frustrating. How could they say he was dead and not say when, why or how?
September 18, 2008
- 10 SEO Video Marketing Tips to Jump Start Your Orthodontic Online Marketing Plan
Your Website with Video Is A Key Component in Orthodontic Marketing Online… More and more orthodontic, dental, and professional practices are implementing the latest in online marketing strategies to increase new patient referrals. Using video as a marketing tool not only grabs the attention of viewers when they click on your website, it increases the SEO (search engine optimization), if set up correctly, to improve page ranking on the search engines. Unfortunately, I've noticed many videos on You Tube, Google Video, My Space, and Facebook are not set up properly with SEO to attract new patients. This is something that every Internet marketing beginner and advanced marketer should know how to do, especially after spending thousands of dollars on a professional video production as part of a marketing strategy.
September 11, 2008
- Stay On Top Of The Wave Now… To Build Your Orthdontic Practice In The Future
The Internet is ever changing. Don't be washed away by the learning curve.
Take a few minutes to watch the video below that offers a simple and easy to understand explanation of the Internet network infrastructure and how your practice website is found in the search engines. A more efficient way to cope with the growing demand for information and the delivery of content online was needed to handle the rapid and exploding growth of the Internet. Web 2.0 Social Networking and SEO has evolved to organize the work load and more efficiently deliver content. It affords your online marketing plan greater visibility through page ranking. A static information website is no longer leading edge and can easily be lost in cyberspace if not optimize correctly.. Adding the latest in Web 2.0 marketing will set the stage for Semantics coming in the future. If you still don't think you need a website… well, I'm not going to waste my time… or yours… discussing that topic.
September 4, 2008
- Hot Inexpensive Source For Halloween Bags - Don't Wait!
Brand Your Practice Door To Door On Halloween
I received an email today from a practice using the Creepy Crawler Contest from our Marketing In Minutes Contest Kit. The contest is a big hit with patients. As part of the Halloween theme, we discussed adding Halloween candy bags as another great opportunity to get patients and parents talking. I came across a new source of Halloween bags worth looking into, aplasticbag.com. They offer a huge selection in plastic and paper bags that includes both printed with your logo and non printed. The collection is much better than sources I have used in previous years. Of course, I recommend you do it right and purchase the printed bags with your name and logo on the front for all to see.
September 2, 2008
- Be Remarkable With Branded Gifts During The Holidays
I can never emphasize enough the importance of "Presentation is Everything".During the Christmas holidays, every specialist is bombarding referring dentists and their staff with goodies. It becomes more difficult every year to find something unique that will impress them. My motto has always been "If you are going to do it, do it right". And to do it right, include a branded item or two that will make your gift more memorable than your competitors and other specialty practices. Don't kid yourself that Drs and staff don't compare your gifts to your competition and every other specialty practice ….they do. I did for over 30 years. Your gift elicits an emotional response from every member of the referring team. The question will be… is it worth remembering, will the response be positive, and do they feel appreciated? Market your practice "through the eyes" of your referring Drs and teams. Think about:
August 17, 2008
- Internet Cowboys Are Rounding Up Social Networking and Web 2.0 As An Effective Marketing Tool
The Internet world of Social Networking, You Tube, My Space, and Web 2.0 are the "New Frontier" in PR marketing for orthodontic and professional practices. Marketing savvy professionals that are willing to venture outside their comfort zone and embrace the new age of online marketing for small businesses, will lead the way, guaranteeing their future positioning in online marketing.Knowing how to correctly combine online and offline marketing strategies to effectively market your practice to the current tech savvy generations, requires a synergy of marketing modalities. Capturing the attention of the most entrepreneurial, overstressed and skeptical generations to date, requires a new way of thinking on the part of professionals practices.
August 7, 2008
- Acceptx - An Internal Orthodontic Marketing Tool That Saves Times And Impresses Patients
For those that haven't seen seen the announcement, Acceptx Financial Solutions, Inc. sent out a press release yesterday announcing its partnership with Industry financial expert Paul Zuelke, of Zuelke & Associates to automate Zuelke’s proven technique of assessing patient financing risk. The web-based online service will be called the Zuelke Automated Credit Coach (ZACC) and is expected to be available soon.Acceptx is an online automated financial solution for medical and dental practices across the US and… a TC's or financial co-ordinator's dream come true. I had the opportunity to sit through a private demonstration of the online system at the AAO in Denver in May. Where was this service when I was a TC for over 20 years?
July 30, 2008
- Make Sure Your Tires Are Safe!
Eliminating bad press is obviously one of the first considerations when dealing with the public. In orthodontics, recycled brackets are a no.. no in the eyes of any consumer. I know I wouldn't want to be treated with recycled brackets. If word got out your practice was placing used brackets, you can kiss your credibility goodbye. Unfortunately for the orthodontic consumer, few are aware of the possibility of this happening and it would be tough proving they were used, once in the mouth, if they did.
July 28, 2008
- Orthodontic Perfection - Reduce Error And Improve Job Satisfaction To Build Your Practice
At the NESO meeting in Boston last fall, I was fortunate enough to sit in on the lecture by Tim Autrey, Founder and President of the Practicing Perfection Institute. He discussed the need to understand the current strengths, challenges and issues of your particular practice situation. By peeling back the layers of your practice and giving everyone a voice, you specifically target three areas that are critical to achieving excellence:- Interpersonal communications - How staff members relate to one another and your patients… can make or break your practice.
July 15, 2008
- Level The Field With Online Orthodontic Marketing Tactics
One of the great advantages of orthodontic marketing online is that no matter how big or small your practice, the playing field is level. This particularly is true if you add video to your orthodontic website.Visit You Tube or any of the other social media sites and you will see that no matter how big or small the video maker is, if the video is good, it will get exposure.
July 7, 2008
- You Can Not Fix What You Do Not Know! Build Your Orthodontic Practice With Patient Surveys…
“The desire to improve is the starting point of all achievement.” Napoleon Hill
The other day, a big company sent me an email, asking for feedback about my recent purchase experience. Even though marketing gurus always recommend gathering customer feedback, I'm rarely asked… except by someone who wants to add me to their never ending email lists. When a legitimate request arrives, I always consider it and most times… respond.
Unfortunately, this particular survey was way too long and it didn't ask me the most important question of all… Would I recommend them?
June 16, 2008
- Target All Ages With Your Orthodontic Marketing Strategies
It is much easier to market orthodontics to both tweens and adults than it was in the past… especially if you understand that tweens today do not want to be treated like kids. The average age for a tween patient is 11-14, in full treatment. Homework is done on computers, projects presented with PowerPoint, ipods growing out their ears and cell phones in their backpacks. They are 12 going on 20…which is a young adult mindset.When targeting perspective patients, create marketing tactics that target both tech savvy tweens and adults. In my experience…if you treat all patients like young intelligent adults…its a win, win all the way around.
May 7, 2008
- Orthodontic Marketing - What Defines Your Actions In Life?
During the past year, I have been on the fast track learning how to master the art of marketing on the Internet and completing my eBook "Marketing Your Practice Through Different Eyes" A Multi-Media Team Guide - How To Recession Proof Your Practice To Increase Referrals and New Patient Starts.As you all know…I am releasing my book this month at the AAO meeting in Denver, as a FREE download to all my following. (If you aren't attending the meeting…no problem… I will forward you the link to download the book, after I get back. If you are going…stop by and introduce yourself to me and my husband Jack, at booth 2036. I have some great new ideas and products to show you.)
April 17, 2008
- Bill Gates Hits It Right On With Today's Generations…
Both my brothers are school teachers, one retired and one still going strong with over 25 years of experience . But one thing they both have in common is their frustration with the attitudes and entitlement issues of today's generations. This includes both parents and students. It is difficult for teachers to educate students when they are constantly confronted with skeptical parental support and the entitlement attitude of Gen Y and Global Tweens can be very trying, to say the least. When we get together, this is often the topic of conversation. I have a 25 year old myself who has a warped sense of entitlement when it comes to life and I only have myself to blame…
April 4, 2008
- FREE HUGS Or Beautiful Smiles..It's all the same
I was reviewing a collection of YouTube videos I bookmarked for my free multi-media marketing book I will be releasing at the AAO Convention in Denver in May…when I came across this video. I decided not to wait and write this blog post instead. It had an impact on me when I watched it 3 months ago and it obviously had a viral impact on the 25,649,101 that have watched it to date. There were no where near that many viewers three months ago when I first viewed it….it's gone viral because of the emotional affect it has on our own perceptions and what we, as individuals, need more of in life.
March 19, 2008
- Beautiful Smiles Are Like Diamonds in Orthodontic Marketing
Buying decisions, no matter what the product or service, is based on emotion…DeBeers, who is responsible for 40% of world wide diamond productions and has a retail presence in 25 countries world wide, did extensive research on why men and woman buy diamonds. Their research shows that men and woman buy diamonds for totally different reasons. And though their reasons are different, they are both based on emotion, not on size, color, clarity and long term value. The same is true when patients and parents are seeking the services of an orthodontic provider. They are looking for a beautiful smile and straight teeth. They aren't looking for perfection, but the emotional feeling and self confidence one feels after their teeth are straightened.
March 6, 2008
- Dwight Howard Created His Own Unexpected Marketing Event - Why Not You?
Whether or not you know who Dwight Howard is, it doesn't matter.
Even if you don't know that he donned a superman cape and completed a super-human dunk in the NBA All-Star game…it just doesn't matter.
What does matter is that you and your team discover how to win over your patients just like Dwight did on live TV and before tens of millions of fans.
Use an UNEXPECTED MARKETING STRATEGY to engage your patients, parents or referring dentists just like I did here with this blog post today.
