9 Ways to Attract New Patients To Your Dental Practice
The success or failure of every dental practice and health establishment depends on the number of clients visiting it. In this post, we will read about 9 ways that every dentist can use to get new people to visit their dental clinic.
We are discussing the best ways to attract new patients to your dental practice.
7. Pay Attention to Google Reviews
Online review systems are more important than ever. For every local business including a dental/health practice, it is necessary to garner positive reviews in Google search listings.
When you click on any particular practice name, you will go to the next page with detail consumer reviews.
In this internet era, consumers have become aware. Therefore, before visiting any dental practice, they go through the reviews. If any dental practice has low ratings and many negative/unsatisfied reviews from the consumers, then the chances of that practice getting new patients reduce drastically.
How to get positive reviews on google searches?
- When the patients are happy with your practice in real life, then that happiness will translate into good online reviews and ratings. If you are not good in your work or your mannerisms with your patients, you will only get negative reviews.
- Encourage all your patients after their treatment is over to add their reviews to your website or Google listing.
- Do not try to cheat Google by fabricating positive reviews. That is against their TOS. If you manufacture good ratings by asking or paying people to leave good reviews/ratings, you may escape in the short term. But, if the high scores are contrary to the poor quality work at your practice, then any consumer can complain to Google. In such a case Google will prohibit you from advertising your dental practice on Google search.
- Learn how to deal with the negative reviews: One of the issues of review system is the negative reviews. The best way to tackle negative reviews is not to ignore them. That can lead to cascading the issue. It is always advisable to deal with negative reviews as quickly as possible. Address the matter promptly with proper explanations and reasoning. That goes a great way in sorting out the disagreements.
- Respond to all the positive reviews: Be prompt in responding to positive reviews. Give sincere thanks to the patients for their cooperation.
How to tackle fake negative reviews on your dental practice?
Just like there are fake positive reviews, there are also the chances of fake negative reviews. Yes, it is a reality of online rating system.
Who can post fake reviews against your dental practice?
In most typical scenario it will be disgruntled former employees, and business competitors. They can post fake reviews which have the potential to reduce the online reputation of your dental practice.
Why should you worry?
You should promptly deal with any such reviews as soon as you find them. If neglected, they can create a very negative impression about your dental/health practice in the mind of your patients/clients.
What can you do about such fake reviews?
Respond to the fake review:
- Stay calm, control your anger and DO NOT abuse the false report in your response.
- Calmly mention in detail that regarding the person who has given the fake review has never visited your dental/health practice.
- If the individual is a former employee then categorically mention that in your response.
- Politely and coldly state all the facts and evidence for your statements. If you are sure about your facts, then add to your answer that you are going to take legal course of against the fake reviews and the person posting such reviews.
Report to Google:
- Next, to every review, you will find a flag button. This feature has been specifically provided to act the review that you find fake or inappropriate.
- Once you click on the flag, you will be directed to google policy page where you can file a formal complaint against the fake review.
It is the initial approach to tackle fake reviews. You can read this article to know few more details on taking action against the negative fake reviews.
8. List your Dental Practice in the local directories
One of the major ways to gain new patients for a dentist is also the simplest and easiest. But in the effort to achieve complex solutions, they tend to neglect the most straightforward route – Marketing of dental practice in the local directories.
Irrespective of where you reside, you must always list your practice in the local directories and yellow pages. A majority of the people are still in the habit of checking out the printed yellow pages to find businesses and services in their locality. So not listing your practice in the local directories can be a marketing mistake.
- Make it a point to list your dental practice in all the major online directories in your country. There are two clear benefits of this approach.
- One, you get noticed by Google, and your practice gets listed in google search much better.
- Two, the local population can provide positive reviews (based on your excellent work).
- That works as a referral system by making a positive impression about your practice among the local population.
Also, take help of mediums like the radio that has the power to reach the local community and put the word about your dental practice.
Use the local TV channels to play advertisements about your dental practice. It can be a simple information ad about your practice. Or if you have an adequate budget then you can create a professional ad by hiring professionals. In any case, this is another direct way to get the attention of the local population.
The article continues in the next slide. Press next to go to the next slide to know the point Number 9 on How to get new patients for your dental practice?
