It is intimidating to negotiate with a dental marketing company. After all, they negotiate for a living. Negotiating with a marketing company is like striking a deal with the devil; you don’t really know if you won or you have just handed over your soul. That’s why it is important to choose a dental marketing company that is reputable, professional, has a good track record, is goal-oriented, and isn’t unreasonable in their pricing.
Find a common ground
The fact that they are a dental marketing company and they promote dental services for a living is a good start. Your common ground is dentistry. Maybe one of the founders of the company has a background in dentistry? There is a common ground between your practice and the marketing company.
Find out what this is so you can work it to your advantage. You can be located in the same building or you can employ the same accounting services. However vague and generic you think the common denominator is, learn how to use it to your advantage.
Work your strength
Your strength will determine your negotiating power. As a dental clinic, your strength lies in your dental ability. You can join community events and offer your professional expertise to explain some concepts. You can sponsor a little league team and also teach them the basics of good oral hygiene.
You can reach out to a lot of sectors in your community even before you contact a dental marketing company. This will show them you are well aware of what your strengths are, but you need a reputable firm to market to the stakeholders.
Offer something in return
If you are asking for a discount from a dental marketing company, you should be ready to give one yourself. Dental services are expensive and most insurance policies don’t cover even dental emergencies.
If you want to receive a discount from a marketing company, you can offer something in exchange such as free consultations to their employees or free one-time oral prophylaxis. Dental marketing companies would jump at the idea of providing dental services to their employees without necessarily having to dip into their own pockets.
Negotiating with a dental marketing company shouldn’t be scary or intimidating at all. With the right tools and the right arguments, you might even win your case against these professional negotiators. Besides, you can never go wrong with hiring a dedicated marketing company for your dental practice.