Dental professionals face many challenges in the fast-evolving landscape that is orthodontics today. Not least of these is the need to run a profitable business while providing the highest standard of care and treatment to a wide range of patients with different needs. Success is not a matter of luck – it requires careful design and then effective implementation and adjustment of the plan throughout the year.
The orthodontic landscape
There is definitely demand for orthodontic treatment in today’s society. In the past, the majority of comprehensive orthodontics has been offered to children under the NHS. However, this has changed significantly in recent years. The innovative products and systems on the modern market combined with an increased awareness among patients of the services available to them means the advantages of orthodontic treatment are now sought by people of all ages. A survey by the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) in July 2016 confirmed a rising number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment in the UK, with 75 per cent of respondents already having witnessed this change for themselves. This change brings new opportunities for dental professionals to deliver the services their patients desire, while growing the business at the same time.
Fulfilling the potential
With so many people looking for orthodontic treatment, it is essential that they know what you can offer them. Regardless of whether you work within a general or a specialist practice, if your patients, and indeed your local community, are not aware of the different orthodontic appliances you provide, they are unlikely to come to you looking for treatment.
To avoid such a situation, effective marketing is key. Promoting your services in the right way, to the right people is the foundation for success in modern dentistry. With access to a wealth of information on the internet, patients are not afraid to shop around and research their options before they decide which practice to visit. If you can create a persona that promises to meet, if not exceed patients’ expectations, you will quickly encourage more and more through your door.
The seven steps
In order to devise an effective marketing strategy for orthodontic treatment, the process can be split into seven steps, as shown in the Practice Marketing Guide created by 3M Unitek. These are:
Step 1: Vision and passion statement
Step 2: Growth objectives and strategic planning
Step 3: Practice branding
Step 4: Internal marketing
Step 5: Patient education
Step 6: External marketing
Step 7: Monitor, evaluate and evolve
In this article series, we will look at each of the stages involved and offer some advice to help you improve your promotional activity and drive your practice forward.
Step 1
The very first step, before you even start thinking about how and what you wish to market, is to establish a vision for the future and create an energising passion statement. Applicable to every aspect of personal and professional life, success is more achievable if you envisage that success and then plan to make it happen. Doing so sparks a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes and can help to provide focus, determination and motivation to push forward every day. Sharing this vision with the whole team will also make sure everyone is on the same page and inspire all to work towards a common goal.
To visualise your future success, ask yourself the following questions:
- What kind of patients are you seeing?
- Why have these patients chosen you/your practice for treatment?
- What does your practice look like on the inside and outside? (This is applicable whether you work from the same practice every day or visit various different premises throughout the month)
- How are you and your team(s) working and how does this affect the customer service/patient journey provided?
To bring your vision to life, it is important to draft a passion statement that summarises your core values and highlights your intentions. You could use the same statement as a strapline for your practice or your services, providing a brief description of what makes you stand apart from others. You just need to consider what it is that you are most passionate about when it comes to providing orthodontic treatment. This might be linked to anything from extensive expertise and experience to optimal patient comfort, innovative materials and techniques, or even improving patients’ quality of life. The key is to make sure your statement is personal to you or your practice.
Once you’re satisfied with your vision and passion statement, it’s time to move on through the rest of the steps for effective marketing.
References available on request.