People didn’t have the internet back then. It used to be that they rely on word-of-mouth reviews and recommendations. They ask their friends and family about dentists who they’ve already tried. They ask them if the dentist explains the diagnosis well and if the dentist discusses in detail whatever procedure that needs to be done. This is how dental marketing worked before. Today, patients check the reviews and recommendations online before they even inquire.
But one of the best marketing strategies is the referral programs. Patients love them because they are rewarded for every referral that they make. It’s traditional word-of-mouth marketing, and it still works in this digital age. It’s also the best kind of recommendation because your patients are putting their name on the line for you. Can you imagine anyone else doing that for your practice? That’s why you have to reward them back.
Referral Cards
You can hand referral cards to your patients. Every time they go to your clinic for a procedure or consultation, you can put a sticker on their card until they fill it up with stickers. Once they reach the goal, they’ll get a prize such as a free service or a gift. Don’t forget to remind your patients to write their names on the card so even if you lose it, anyone who finds it can still get it back to you.
Thank-you Notes
You can give your current patients a kind of thank-you note that they can pass to a referred friend or family member. When the new patient comes in and hands your receptionist the card, a code there should lead you to who referred these new patients. You can then add the appropriate points to the referrer’s name.
Points System
Your patients can rack up points and reach milestones. Once they have reached a particular milestone, they’ll get a free service from you. Some examples of free services are consultation, teeth cleaning, and teeth whitening. You can also give them discounts on various other services such as root canal, tooth extraction, implants, and orthodontics.
Discounts
You should provide discounts to the person who referred the new patient to you. It should be a pretty big discount so your current patients will be encouraged to find friends and family who they can persuade to set an appointment with you. You have to be so convincing that your patients will want to put their name on the line for you.
These dental marketing strategies will make sure to drive patients to your dental clinic. There’s nothing more that these patients love than getting discounts and free services.