Top tips for effective marketing

Petya Ivanova shares five marketing ideas for practices to mark the changing of the seasons.

The dental practice is not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the summer. For most patients, enjoying the sunny weather and a well-deserved vacation are much higher on the priority list. So, as we bid the season farewell, it is a good time to get back in patients’ attention.

Here are some fresh ideas to power up your marketing at the end of the summer.

Say cheese

Have a photo contest on social media. Photos from fun activities are a favourite way to relive the joyful moments later. You can use this to your advantage and get in the spotlight with a summer photo contest. Ask patients to share the glowing smiles from their summer holidays or special get togethers over the warmer months.

Have a laugh

Shoot a funny video with the team. Don’t be afraid to show yourself and your dental team in another light. Summer is the season of good mood and linking back to it can be a great way to use humour in your social media videos. Dental treatment is a dreaded experience for many patients and a cheerful video can help them feel more at ease, and book their next visit.

Extend summer specials

In case of gaps in the appointment schedule as life gets busier when summer ends, a special promo offers valid till the end of the month can be a life saver. The options depend on the specifics of your patient base but here are some ideas:

• Free check-up and treatment plan – this will get you new treatments in the next week
• Discounted offer for teeth cleaning
• Refer a friend reward.

‘Goodbye summer’ event

Most often, the focus of marketing activities is on patients – the ‘external’ customers of the dental practice. But with this event, you can address your team – the ‘internal’ audience. The team is often neglected, but let’s not forget that they are the people who deliver what is promised to patients by promotional campaigns.

According to the Harvard Business Review, without connection to the brand, employees can easily undermine the expectations set by your adverts. A company event to celebrate the end of summer and start of autumn can be a great way to strengthen the relationship with your team. It will make them feel closer to the organisational values of your dental practice.

Get prepared

The back-to-school theme is often used in promotional campaigns during the autumn. While it is a good strategy to catch a parent’s attention, it is not so easy to differentiate from other dental practices offering the same type of promo. It’s worth taking the time to plan for a more creative approach.

What’s more, kids are not the only ones going back after the holidays. Often, adults also take time off over the summer, making the beginning of autumn a suitable time to target them with ‘back-to-office’ promotions too.