Sidekick - Winter 2013 - (Page 71)

Do You Need a Marketing Plan? Can you think of anything in business that works better when it’s not planned? Do you have a marketing plan? Most doctors will agree that shotgun marketing isn’t effective, and it is crucial to success to have a marketing plan in place. So why do so few practices have one? DOUGLAS SLIGTING President Dental Branding What kind of growth are you looking for? Be specific in terms of both growth and profitability. The main reason we’ve found is because most doctors simply don’t know how to create one. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the right way to create an effective marketing plan. 1. tart with the past: What has happened in S the past is the best indicator of what will happen in the future. Take a look at all of your current and past marketing efforts for the following criteria: a. What message have you been communi- cating? Is your branding consistent and does it tell a compelling story that differ- entiates you from other dentists? If not, you will need to define your messaging strategy. b. How effective was each effort? Have you been tracking your marketing results in a way that allows you to understand their true effectiveness? Be sure to track both the number of patients and the revenue produced per patient for each marketing effort. If a marketing effort was effective in the past, it will likely be effective in the future. 2. dentify specific goals: What kind of growth I are you looking for? Be specific in terms of both growth and profitability. Once you have identified these goals, you can understand how much marketing you will need to achieve your goals. 3. lan a budget: Your budget should be based P on two key factors: 1) the amount of growth you are trying to achieve and 2) how much money you can afford to spend. Sometimes these two numbers align and other times available funds do not match stated goals. If funds and goals don’t align, either temper your goals or increase funds. Your budget should be determined by the amount of growth you want to achieve. Once you have a confident understanding of the previous three steps, you are ready to develop the plan. Your plan should identify the following: • Strategy: Start with the lowest hanging fruit. • imeline: Plan to implement a new system or T tool each month. • ools: Which tools will best deliver on T your goals? • onthly budget: This will help you plan for M your financial commitment. Stick to it. Consistency is key to effective marketing. Finally, track your results effectively and check them on a monthly basis. We recommend committing to a six-month plan. Six months is enough time to give you accurate results based on patterns, but it isn’t so long that you can’t be nimble enough to make adjustments. Every six months, you should do an in-depth review and develop a new plan based on what you learned from your previous plan(s). Douglas Sligting is President and CEO of Dental Branding. With over 20 years of brand and marketing experience, the past six specifically focused on practice marketing, Doug is uniquely qualified and possesses a rare understanding of the correct way to market your practice in the dental industry. Sidekick | Winter 2013 71

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sidekick - Winter 2013

Sidekick - Winter 2013
Table of Contents
Kokodynski Orthodontics
Privileges
Insurance Coding Changes for 2013
Digital Imaging: Enhancing the Delivery of Health and Happiness
Back to Basics: What Do You Need in a Laser?
Same-Day Crowns with the 3M True Definition Scanner and E4D
20/20 Dentistry
Featured Designs
East Kentucky Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, PSC
Exclusive Tx STUDIO Software for i-CAT Debuts New Version
Embracing Technology to Streamline Your Practice
Small Town, Big Surprise: 2012 Gendex Sweepstakes Winner
Why Your Team Hates You
TechCentral
The Science of Early Detection
Henry Schein Service
Hutchinson Family Dentistry
Henry Schein Nationwide Dental Opportunities
Your First Associate…Growing Successfully
Do You Need a Marketing Plan?
The Dawson Academy’s Unique Collaboration
Professional Practice Transitions

Sidekick - Winter 2013