Nine steps to becoming a recognized
authority
For more on this topic, go to www.dentaleconomics.com
and search using the following key words: advertising,
ROI, marketing, marketing survey, new patients.
In dental marketing, we’re passionate
about knowing the source of new patIents. It’s
the clarity needed to drive a successful program and
keep a bundle of marketing dollars from being wasted.
What troubled us recently in the results
we reported from the “State of Dental Marketing
Survey” (September 2008 Dental Economics) is that,
for a lot of practices, vital tracking is lacking:
Over 50% of practices don’t
reliably monitor and evaluate the results of their marketing,
advertising, or promotional efforts. Only a few (3%)
use an online call tracking system, while some say they
try, but are inconsistent or irregular (36.5%). Still
others (21.3%) are totally in the dark, saying they
don’t have time or simply don’t know what’s
working or not.
Having and using a system to identify
the source of new patients is the only way to know the
effectiveness of what you’re spending on marketing.
Repeat after me: You’ve got to track!
For practices that are serious about advertising, there’s
an easy-to-use technology that represents one of the
biggest developments in dental marketing, but unfortunately,
it’s all-too-often overlooked.
The ‘fully automated’
alternative
For dentists who reported in the survey
that they “don’t know” or “don’t
have time,” this is a nearly effortless option
— maybe the best method we’ve seen to track
inbound calls accurately, automatically, and consistently.
Here’s how it works:
For a low monthly fee, a service provider
will create a seamless tracking and reporting system
for your marketing program. They’ll provide a
different local or toll-free track•ing number
for each promotional channel — one number for
the Yellow Pages ad, a different number for your Web
site, and so on.
These calls are transparently connected
to your office, and all call details are documented
and reported to you in real time online. The system
reports caller ID, the number, date and time, call duration,
and other details, so you know exactly when and how
many people called in response to your ads. You can
also detect front desk problems such as unanswered calls,
calls put “on hold” for long periods, and
more.
There’s a further bonus —
the system has a recording feature. With the proper
permissions and respect for privacy issues, the word-for-word
manner that calls are properly or poorly handled is
a highly effective training aid for the entire staff.
If you would like a free copy of our
white paper, with details about the features and benefits
of a call tracking system, just send me an e-mail at
stewart@healthcaresuccess.com.
Ask and ye shall receive
If you have no other system, the “old
days” routine works if you faithfully ask each
new pa•tient. The approach depends on asking at
the first incoming phone call — don’t delay
until the new patient comes into the office, or he/she
fills in a blank on your patient intake form days later.
The easiest way is to ask every caller on the first
call, “Whom may we thank for referring you?”
If the patient was referred by a patient,
he or she will tell you. If the patient says something
like “Yellow Pages” or “an ad,”
ask for ad specifics to credit the marketing tool that
caused your phone to ring. (Hint: Ask for a page number
or insert “tracking codes” or the name and
date of the publication.)
It sounds simple, but even well-intended
dental practices neglect manual tracking. In a busy
office, tracking falls off the priority list. Reality
intrudes ... people forget to ask ... more than one
person answers the phone ... data is not recorded or
is lost … a new person handles the phones. (All
reasons to automate the process.)
There are other ways to help the staff
and trap the needed information. Yellow Pages publishers
often have unique numbers available to help advertisers
with YP ad tracking. You can borrow the idea by signing
up for local or toll-free phone numbers and utilize
each for specific ads, but you’ll need to review
your monthly phone bills to match calls to ads. It’s
not perfect, but it’s better than no tracking.
It’s no contest
Dedicated phone numbers tied to automatic
tracking moves the responsibility off your front desk,
eliminates having the staff report “there were
no calls,” or keeps you from discovering too late
that you were getting inbound calls but not setting
appointments. With an ad-tracking phone number, you
can know the actual performance results and ROI of your
marketing effort.
Stewart Gandolf, MBA, and Lonnie
Hirsch are cofounders of Healthcare Success Strategies,
and two of America's most experienced practice marketers.
They have worked with dentists for a combined 30 years,
have written numerous articles on practice marketing,
and have consulted with more than 3,000 private health–care
practices. They may be reached by calling (888) 679–0050,
through their Web site at www.healthcaresuccess.com,
or via e–mail at info@healthcaresuccess.com.
Source:Dental Economics
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