6 Lead Generation Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Dentists

It doesn’t matter your industry, product, or experience – the key to growing a business and generating sustainable revenue is a consistent commitment to lead generation

As the owner of a dental practice, lead generation is especially important. New practices are always opening up and, as frustrating as it may be, people are using their dentists less and less. This means competition is stronger than it’s ever been. And if you want to onboard new clients and retain them, a commitment to sound lead generation principles is a must.

You’ll obviously need to optimize your efforts to align with your brand strategy and vision, but here are some basic lead generation tips, tricks, and techniques to help you consistently reach new and prospective patients in a digitally-savvy marketplace:

1. Design a Compelling Website

Your dental practice website is your little slice of digital real estate. It’s the one thing you have total control over on the internet and you need to treat it as a central component of your overall lead generation strategy.

A compelling website is sleek, branded, and engaging. In an industry where patients often have some anxiety over being treated, your website needs to establish trust, build confidence, and address any fears, worries, or concerns that could hold people back from becoming patients.

A simple, yet professional website will do the trick. Among other things, this site should be uncluttered, mobile-friendly, fast, and simple to navigate. You also want fresh content (via a regularly updated blog), plenty of pictures and videos, reviews and testimonials, and prominent contact information.

2. Invest in SEO

“A sleek design and the information your patients need will be vital to your success online, but that’s not all you’ll need,” ApricotDental explains. “You’ll need a solid backlink profile with diverse anchor text, plenty of directory listings, razor-sharp meta titles and descriptions, an active blog, and a host of other dental SEO considerations.”

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing your website so that your pages show up higher in Google search results. A well-developed SEO strategy amplifies visibility, drives traffic, and plays a critically important role in generating new patient leads. If you don’t feel comfortable tackling SEO on your own, consider hiring an SEO company to help you get the results you need.

3. Get Positive Social Proof

The dental industry is a lot like other service industries in that people don’t typically stumble through your doors without a recommendation. Trust is huge in this industry. You can accelerate your lead generation efforts by proactively seeking social proof in the form of positive reviews and ratings on third-party websites.

Because of the prominence of the search engine, Google reviews are extremely important. Take the time to ask your existing clients for reviews – you might even show them how to post reviews while they’re in your practice. You may also find it helpful to develop some testimonials and case studies that can be shared on your website or via social media.

4. Generate More Content

The more visible you are in the dental space, the more likely it is that people will trust you with their teeth. In today’s world, visibility is most easily generated via digital content platforms like social media and blogging. You can also get your name out there by being a guest on podcasts or a resource for healthcare journalists.

5. Develop a Patient Referral Program

“Many dentists rely on referral marketing—and with good reason. Referrals are the easiest and cheapest leads to acquire,” Joy Gendusa writes for Dental Economics. “But while 83% of happy customers say they are willing to give referrals, only 29% of them actually do. That means you need to ask for them!”

A strategic patient referral program will work wonders for your practice. This can be as simple as asking your customers to recommend your practice to their friends, or as complex as developing a formal referral system where you actually reward clients for each new lead they bring to you.

6. Engage the Community

There’s something to be said for a lead generation strategy that accounts for both online and offline methods. Don’t dismiss the power of engaging the local community through fundraising events, sponsorships, and other activities. This is your customer base and you need to meet them face to face!

Give Your Dental Practice a Boost

Lead generation is just one component of building a thriving dental practice – but it’s certainly one of the most important. Without new patients, your practice will wither within a matter of years. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to proactively bring new patients in so that your practice can enjoy success for years to come.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/seo/6-lead-generation-tips-tricks-and-strategies-for-dentists/