It can be easy to get lost in all of the details that come with running a successful dental practice. There are your patients to think about, new advancements in equipment, and keeping your staff happy and productive. However, one aspect that you should never let pass you by is how successful promotions can increase your revenue. These can bring you new patients, while keeping your regular patients happy. Here are a few tips to successfully use special offers to promote your dental practice.
Use all of your media outlets
Each patient looks to different media outlets to get their information. You'll have some patients who will only look to social media, while others will still go straight to a newspaper. Some people will use Twitter, but not Facebook. And don't forget traditional mail. While many think this method is going by the wayside, it's actually a very productive way to reach people and promote your special offers.
It's up to you if you want to share the same promotion across all media outlets, or if you want to choose different offers for each unique way of reaching your optimal customer. You can have a Facebook promotion one month and then a traditional mail promotion the next. You can also call current patients to inform them of a special offer that you feel would apply to them and their specific needs.
Have specific dates for special offers
Pay close attention to what is going on in your community when you are planning special offers. If you live in an area that has a big draw for St. Patrick's Day, you can feed off of that and send out mailers describing your Paddy's Day sales. You can choose the entire month, or just a week, to run the special. Be sure your guidelines are specific and that your employees work to get everyone included in being able to enjoy the promotion. The more people you get involved in the first promotion you offer, the better chance you'll have of success as your run other offers throughout the year.
Get the community involved
Using the example above, if you have a community that enjoys celebrating a specific holiday such as St. Patrick's Day, then find surrounding businesses that you can collaborate with. Perhaps there is an orthodontist in your area that would be interested in offering a special promotion. Not only is this a great way to network with other people in the industry, it could result in gaining some more clientele through referrals.
Take your time
Don't just dive right in and start throwing special offers around every week. First, having a good promotion that people value will take time and energy on your part. Think of something that would benefit your patients, and go from there. The most important thing here is to provide your patients with a positive experience. This will make them want to check their Facebook feed and mailbox to hear what you've got going on next.