The internet has quickly become the primary method of communication throughout the dental industry. Here are some important ways in which marketing online increases the efficiency of patient communication for dental practices:

1. Communicate Faster Than Ever

Thanks to the reach of the internet, patients today often expect to know about the latest technologies and techniques among the dental industry. With email marketing, you can send your patients information covering the latest developments in your dental practice. This is a simple way of letting them know that your practice is up to date with cutting-edge dental industry standards. 72% of consumers prefer email as their source of business communication,* so reaching them will best be done through email campaigns. This kind of speedy communication with your patients helps to keep you top of mind and to reach your patients with the most relevant information. Take advantage of this trend by establishing a recurring email communication strategy for your practice.

2. Reduced Cost of Engagement

Phone and direct mail communication can only reach a limited number of patients in a short amount of time. With this handicap, your practice’s patient engagement ratio will remain low while acquisition and communication costs will remain high. The internet increases your communication options and lowers cost dramatically. You have the option of sending a message to all your patients at the same time. You can also put up general information on your website for patients to study at their leisure. By automating large parts of the process, the cost of engagement goes down significantly while efficiency is increased. In fact, email marketing has become one of the best values for your money. For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average $38 ROI.*

3. A Newsletter That Reaches Everyone

Newsletters can be an important part of your practice’s communication strategy. It allows you to promote the most important and relevant information coming out of your practice every couple of months. 55% of dental practices still issue their newsletter on a monthly basis.**  In today’s world, the best way to package this information is in an easy-to-understand e-newsletter that goes out to every person on your mailing list. With time, you gather a loyal following that can translate into regular patients. Advertisements, articles, and human interest stories all can be promoted to keep your patients informed with the latest dental industry trends.

4. Keep Track Of Audience Engagement

One of the best ways to improve your practice’s performance is to learn from past campaigns.  By keeping track of every interaction your email campaign receives, you can study a campaign's popularity and use this information to design better content and improve future results. When reviewing campaigns, key metrics include tracking the campaign’s open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. One way to track these rates is to utilize some new tools such as call tracking which automates the attribution and analysis of your campaigns through a trackable phone number and provides useful patient data like call duration and associated campaign type.  These tools provide insight into know what’s driving your success and improve your quality of service to grow your business.

Incorporating these latest methods into your practice's communication strategy is the best way to ensure you take full advantage of the benefits of the internet revolution. Your practice can implement these improvements through a software solution, like Demandforce. To learn more about modernizing your communication methods, visit demandforce.com/VirginiaDental, or call (877) 360-3869.

Neeraj Chand is a former mechanical engineer who later discovered his passion for writing.  His article contributions span a variety of topics, including technology news and entertainment insights.

References:

*Constant Contact 10-Eye Opening Email Marketing Stats you need to know, 2017 -- https://blogs.constantcontact.com/email-marketing-stats/

**Benchmark Industry Statistics: Dental & Orthodontic Email Marketing -- https://www.benchmarkemail.com/resources/manuals/dental-and-orthodontic/industry-statistics