Dental Copywriting

April 24, 2019 Content marketing, Dental blog, Dental blogging, Dental content, Dental Copywriting, Dental marketing strategies, Uncategorized No Comments

How to Become a “Thought-Leader” with Your Dental Content and Increase Your Influence

Recent collaboration with a dental industry client revealed something about their content. And the principle has value for how you view your dental content and copy across all your platforms.

We were importing a new template on our project management platform. Time came to label a category having to do with our editorial calendar. “Thought leadership” appeared to be the obvious tag.

That got me to thinking about the attitude you should have about the content you create to market your dental practice or dental industry services.

It’s about being a thought-leader.

Not all “thought leadership” is worthy

You might have seen a viral video a few months ago. It featured a baby bear attempting to navigate a steep, snow packed cliff to reach its mother.

Millions of people saw the video and were inspired by it. Such triumph and strength against the odds of nature.

That was one perspective…shared by millions!

A contrary opinion was formed. It separated one thought leader from the crowd of admirers.

”Science writer Ed Yong saw it differently… Writing in The Atlantic, he described it as a worrisome example of drone-mounted cameras harassing wildlife. To animal experts, several moments in the video show the mother bear reacting to the too-close drone rather than interacting with her cub.

Marketing expert and mentor, Marcia Yudkin, continues her observation of Yong’s perspective,

I appreciate Yong’s article because it provided unexpected perspective on a seemingly harmless story or idea.

And here’s the jewel…

If you can dish up those kind of ‘Yes, but…’ insights to your audience, you’ll attract thoughtful fans and experience growing influence.

Yong did this without scolding the uninformed admirers of the video, and you should do so as well.

Identify a popular or trending belief that doesn’t mesh with what you know.

Explain your deeper angle in the tone of ‘What you probably didn’t realize is…,’ ‘Unfortunately…’ or ‘The problem here is…’

This is thought leadership at its finest.” 1

How “Yes…But” Thought Leadership Turns Contrary Ideas Into Useful Content That Builds Loyalty with Your “Tribe”

Identify, clarify, and leverage your unique point-of-view (POV)

You have solutions to problems…answers to questions…and more. Therein lies the core of your dental content strategy.

Gone are the days of writing to an “empty room.” The dental seeking public is rich with questions you can answer and problems begging for a solution.

You’re the expert. And more important – you have a POV!

  • Start with the question. Thought leadership has as much or more to do with listening than it does sounding-off on dental-speak. Harvest as many questions as possible (by listening) through conversations, consultations, email, and social media.
  • Share your answers and solve problems. Thought leadership is relevant to what your patients want to know and need to know. Create content that relieves the tension and emotional needs of your audience.

Think of your content like a tribal fire. Your “tribe” will feel safe in the warmth of your expertise.

The good news…they could look no further than YOUR thought-leadership!

Take a contrarian approach and fearlessly share your POV (without judgement)

The recent Netflix root canal documentary is a good example. Sure, as a dental professional you can take offense and voice your opinion as many did. Or you can be a contrarian voice and use the albeit alleged inaccuracies as content seeds.

  • Answer the questions and doubts that emerge around dental myths, dental services, or dentistry in general. There’s plenty of related opinions. Dispel them (graciously and professionally) as a thought-leader.
  • Invite dialogue by being unafraid to take on controversial topics. But always do so not as antagonist…rather as a professional, skilled expert.

Provoke questions and create solutions to problems that compel action.

The sign of a good leader isn’t always how they respond but also the depth and compelling nature of the questions they ask. Always providing answers and opinions can shut down communication more than it opens it to opportunity.

I once heard Jim Collins (bestselling author of Good to Great and Built to Last) say during a lecture something to this effect. He viewed his skilled research and the questions it raised as the careful placement of a grain of sand in the minds of his readers. That solitary grain of sand was strategically designed to “irritate” their thinking.

Worth noting is that pearls begin that way. A grain of sand within an oyster elicits the healing process that layer upon layer forms a pearl.

Your questions are “grains of sand” not to necessarily irritate but to promote healing.

  • Ask questions that reveal the emotional desires of your patients or clients. Within their answers are content “pearls” that can lead to compelling outcomes for your audience.
  • Always be solving problems. Essentially that’s the business of thought-leadership.

Anyone can create content. But…being a thought-leader and influencer requires that you have a point-of-view that you fearlessly communicate.

  1. https://www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm ↩
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March 21, 2019 Content marketing, Copywriting, Dental content, Dental Copywriter, Dental Copywriting, Social Media, Uncategorized No Comments

One Thing That Will Make Your Dental Marketing Content Different (and Better) Than Most

It happens a lot when consulting with a dental practice or dental business about their webpage copy or other related content. They share a favorite site link or two with me and say, “We want our copy/content and/or website to look and “sound” like this…!”

My review often reveals what’s common with not just dental industry copy, but most:

  • Heavy feature focus (“Latest…greatest…best…”) less emphasis on benefits
  • Full of industry-speak
  • Written to a crowd instead of one person (lack of “you…”)

It takes courage

You must step away from the crowd. Connecting and then compelling your audience requires a new kind of fearless content.

Play it safe.

Sound like everyone else.

And you’ll be another face in the crowd!

Same sounding copy and content produces the same results. It will require more marketing dollars to get attention.

And why?

The online world is somewhat dominated by pay-to-play strategies. Create and fund a strategic enough funnel and you’ll “capture” more leads and potentially more patients and thus increase production.

Sound easy?

It is (in a way) if you have time and cash-flow to invest in it. And we’ve not even talked about the differentiating yourself from the competition and noise they’re creating.

Being different isn’t about being creative

There’s more to standing out from the crowd with your dental marketing than creative, indulgent eye-candy on your website or social media channels.

Being different has more to do with being yourself. Nick Usborne (whose content inspired this post by the way) says,

”You have to find a way to step out from behind the curtain and show yourself. Even when the services you offer are very similar to those of your competition, there is one point of real difference you can turn to.

And that point of difference is YOU.” 1

Filling your copy and content with features and professional sounding language isn’t enough…and frankly, it’s not even close to effective by comparison.

Rising above the dental marketing noise requires being unafraid to let your patients or clients see the real you.

And to see the real you your content has to sound like you!

  • Can they relate to you through your content?
  • Is it apparent that they can trust you through your content?
  • Are they put at ease enough to schedule with you through your content?

And a theme covered a lot on this blog…

If you’re hiding behind someone else’s style, voice, website design, and general content theme you’re missing a most valuable marketing asset – relatability.

Step away from the crowd with more compelling dental marketing copy and content

Write and share content in your own voice

This is the essence of writing like you talk. To do this you must get out of your head.

And to get out of your head requires that you get into the mindset of a patient or client.

  • What do they fear?
  • What’s their desired goal?
  • What’s their motivation?
  • What are their questions?

Your audience searches for you based on your expertise. But they will listen to you and stay with your copy/content when you share your expertise in conversational tone.

Why?

Because online communication these days (and I don’t suspect it will change soon) is everyday, somewhat chatty, and certainly brief and to the point.

Jargon alienates. Industry-speak confuses.

So why waste precious dollars and your audience’s time by numbing them with it?

  • Stop writing like a marketer!
  • Stop writing like a dental professional!
  • Stop writing like an educator!

Instead…

Write like you! Or hire a professional copywriter or content strategist who can tap into your voice and write accordingly.

The results?

Sure, it’s scary and feels like uncharted territory. But you will stand out from everyone else not because it’s easier but because it’s courageous, it works, and it potentially has a better return on your investment.

  1. https://conversationalcopywriting.com/your-own-voice/ ↩
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September 28, 2018 Costs, Dental Copywriter, Dental Copywriting, pricing No Comments

Some Clarity About What Dental Copywriting Costs

It’s typically the first question I’m asked when someone contacts me about my services. And I’ve preferred to answer the “what does dental copywriting cost” question later in our conversation.

I’m reconsidering.

Why the change of mind?

I’ll give credit to Marcus Sheridan. A chapter in his phenomenal book, “They Ask You Answer,” opened my thinking about why cost transparency is essential.

In fact, his findings (and experience) were confirmed through one article about pricing on his company’s website (then the pool industry). It was surprisingly effective.

Getting clear about transparency

Being transparent about pricing isn’t necessarily about a detailed price list. It’s about something more.

I’ve not been opposed to sharing the costs of my services. Yet, it’s typically been a matter of timing (when to share those details).

For example, you might contact me about the cost of webpage copy for your dental practice or dental industry business. Or you might ask how much blog content costs to consistently keep your audience educated and informed.

To date I’ve not had a “price list” on my website.

Rather, I’ll ask a series of questions designed to help me uncover the scope of your project. Such questions give me a better idea of what you’re in need of.

I realize early in our conversation that you’re after affordability based on your budget. And that’s understandable.

I, on the other hand, would prefer to probe a bit. To me, your question, “what does dental webpage copy cost?,” is premature to a core question I ask prior to quoting a fee:

What will best provide value to your dental business/practice/etc.?

“…discussing cost and price is not about affordability, it’s about psychology. It’s about trust.” – Marcus Sheridan 1

Once trust is established…

Everything revolves around trust. And trust is the mindset that drives the pricing conversation forward early in our relationship…or whenever the subject comes up.

I’ll let you in on something…

Though I’ve been doing this for years…I stress a ton over how to price a project.

Sure, projects like writing dental webpage copy or dental blog content are common in my wheelhouse. I’ve written volumes of it to the extent that when you contact me for a fee quote a few key considerations come to mind:

  • Webpage copy is fluid…unlike print copy (e.g. direct mail, a brochure, print ad, media ad, etc). That makes webpage copy a repeatable, easily renewable investment.
  • A dental website that informs and compels effectively will lead to an appointment, a product/service purchase, a longterm patient/client relationship for not one but perhaps multiple friends and family members/colleagues, etc. In essence, its value to your “business” is multiple what you pay me to create it one time.
  • Copywriting is an art that requires unique skills to tap into the mind of the dental-seeking public. To put it bluntly, you can shop online for any warm-blooded person that calls himself or herself a copywriter or content creator…but you will always get what you pay for.
  • I’m a professional copywriter (since 2007) trained in direct response principles by some of the best in the world, with thousands of pages of copy to my credit…and I’ve worked in the dental industry (at a local dental practice)…and my wife is a dental industry veteran…so, yes, I’m around dentistry every day with tons of experience on the table!

So, what does dental copywriting cost?

My answer, though surprising, might be the most helpful one you’ll hear about costs and pricing associated with professional dental copywriting and content creation.

Here’s the scoop…

Dental copywriting and content costs reflect the scope of the project

Scope could be determined by the number of pages, a page’s density (as in how much research is required to produce compelling information), the audience the copy/content is targeting, what’s being promoted or featured, etc.

Scope is important because a project takes on a life-of-it’s-own. You have something in mind but copywriting and content expertise could and probably will uncover levels of value you might not initially be aware of.

In this case, your value-investment increases.

Scope considered, a value-based price range might look like this for common online/digital projects:

  • Webpage copy – $250 to $500+ per page or $1,200 to $2,000+ for a full website
  • Blog content – $175 to $500+ per post or $375 to $750+ (per month packages)

Dental copywriting and content costs are flexible

Fee flexibility can be determined by:

  • Packaging or A la carte preference. For example, you might want a single blog post ($175 to $500+) or monthly blog content ($375 to $750+ per month).
  • An ongoing retainer relationship. These relationships are optimum for maintaining consistency (copy/content voice, service/product expansion, etc) and there-when-you-need-it services (i.e. I’m on your “speed-dial!”).

Keep this in mind when you’re wondering about the cost of dental copy and content. Dental copywriting and content cost conversations can actually be beneficial to your business or practice. And the benefits can be yours whether we establish a fee agreement or not.

Bottom-line: I’m here to provide value. Costs aside that’s good for both of us.

  1. Sheridan, Marcus. They Ask You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer (Kindle Locations 959-961). Wiley. Kindle Edition. ↩
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September 13, 2018 Buyer personas, Content marketing, Copywriting, Dental Copywriting No Comments

The Real Value of Dental Content (And Why It Matters That You Be Willing to Pay For It)

The ability to cut-to-the-chase. However you picture that phrase – apply that thought to how you create and share your dental copy and content and you’ll compel more readers.

Before I get into the nitty-gritty…I must say that economy of words (as in less words to make your point) should not be equated with lower fees.

The “Get-What-You-Pay-For” dilemma

Inquiries about copywriting or content services (aka what I do) often mistake less writing with lower fees. For example, its common for a potential client to be under the notion that because a direct mail postcard is small and has less copy that it shouldn’t cost as much.

I’ll let you in on something….

Creating your message with less words is much more strategic and requires more copywriting skill than throwing a lot of cute, creative jargon on a 4 x 6 piece of colorful card stock!

Here’s why. It’s the equivalent of someone going down a long rabbit trail of explanation to give you what could be a few simple (but compelling) words. Or someone who gives you way more backstory than necessary to give you the gist of their experience.

Copywriters and content creators are a dime-a-dozen who can throw words on a screen (page) and bill you for pennies on the dollar. No offense to those clawing their way to earn a living.

But…a core skill is required to step away from the crowded room of freelancers eager to do your copy/content bidding!

K.I.S.S

Not the 70’s rock band (though I loved those guys).

K-eep I-t S-imple S-tup… (I mean) S-illy!

You gotta K.I.S.S. your copy and content. And knowing how to do that strategically with every piece of it you create is a pro-level skill!

I’m biased because I’ve invested years in the use of words to create compelling copy and content. More specifically, within the dental industry.

Sure, I’ve written hundreds of pages for other niches too but here is where I focus a large percentage of my time.

Dentists and dental industry pros don’t make it easier, either.

How so?

As I’ve shared before, industry jargon and CE course-like copy and content seem to be the preferred choice of some.

I have good news though!

That’s changing.

Here’s how…

I get more requests for conversational copy/content these days.

Why?

Because more content seekers are beginning to understand that content that sounds like a conversation between two individuals compels better than numbing, stodgy, institutional, salesy language.

The VOICE

Again, not a pop-culture reference (as in the TV show). “Voice is about relationship, benefits, and response.

Master copywriter and direct-response professional, Paul Hollingshead explains it this way:

”Imagine the person you’re writing to. Picture him or her as a friend. Believe that the product you’re selling will improve your friend’s life. Figure out what it would take to convince you to buy the product.” fn

The essence of his perspective has to do with a one-on-one, conversational tone. It’s creating copy and content that sounds like a dialogue between two friends not an interchange with a commission-driven salesperson.

Big difference!

Three practical steps to improving the value of your dental content and copy

1-Write to one person

Before your begin writing, “picture” a person.

  • Who are they?
  • Why would they be interested in your services?
  • What would compel them to make an informed decision about your services?
  • What are their questions about your services?
  • How do they prefer to receive the information you provide about your services?

Words are not the only important part of your website, promotion, mailing, blog post, article, newsletter, email, etc.

The “person” who engages with your content is too!

2-Connect with benefits

All “selling” begins with benefits. If that’s true (and it is) why drown your audience in features?

Always talking about your latest, greatest, best, state-of-the-art-est (follow?) this or that misses the reason someone would ultimately use your services.

Benefit focused content and copy delivers value because it resonates with a person’s emotions. They get the sense that a particular service or product will improve…or potentially…change their life!

  • Inventory every service you have for the hidden or front-and-center benefit it delivers
  • List every benefit you can think of for your services beyond the tagline level (e.g Instead of “whiter teeth and fresh breath…” think job interview or date-night confidence…)
  • Include benefits as the plot-line throughout each piece of content you create

3-Compel action

What good is a one-person focused, benefit-rich piece of content or copy if it doesn’t compel a specific response. Fearlessly ask the person you’re communicating with to take action.

Once again, this is where your grasp of specific benefits counts. More so, how they directly apply to the person.

To create action in your copy/content:

  • Refer to your list of benefits
  • Recall the emotion(s) your audience is feeling related to your service(s)
  • Refine the “close” of your copy/content with a specific call-to-action

Instead of a mere “Call us…or Contact us…” add:

“Contact us now to (add specific benefit phrase)…”

Be response-able with your copy and content. Keep in mind that it’s okay to tell your audience what to do. In fact, they sort of expect it.

And remember…

Your services will be valued even more when you place a higher value on the creation of copy and content that’s required to reach them.

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August 9, 2018 Content marketing, Dental content, Dental Copywriting, Dental Industry, Dental web content that works, Uncategorized No Comments

Use a Word-of-Mouth Marketing Mindset to Give Your Dental Content an Advantage

A recent conversation with a dental professional gave me a key insight. Here it is…

There’s a big disconnect about the wording of effective dental content.

Our back-and-forth discussion via email prompted my thinking about the clinical vs. conversational tone of dental copy in general. His respectable clinical expertise was somewhat toe-to-toe with my copy and content writing expertise.

I believe there’s a win-win to be achieved. But…the ultimate “win” is for those who consume the practice’s content…or at least it should be.

It’s not about you!

Your top challenge as a dental professional (specifically with your marketing copy and content) is taking the focus off YOU! It’s easy to throw down words touting your latest…greatest…state-of-the-art…cutting edge (shall I continue) innovation or procedure. Add to that the often used technical verbiage that’s more appropriate for clinical journals and colleague conversations.

For this discussion let’s say that dental marketing copy and content has two sole purposes:

  1. To inform and educate. This is perhaps where my recent conversation ran off the rails. It’s a mistaken notion that informative must equate to industry jargon.

Which leads to the second purpose…

  1. To compel a specific action – schedule, call, contact, click, reply, etc… This assumes that the dental-services-seeking public are interested in what eliminates their pain, improves their appearance and health, or both.

Dental content is about the reader (patient). It’s their “story” that matters.

So, who are you talking to?

This question must guide every piece of content you publish. It’s where I begin when I’m writing copy and content of any scope.

It’s essential that you create a copy/content “environment” where the reader is the focus. It’s THEIR problem that requires a solution or THEIR question that needs answering.

The result of your sensitivity to them and their problems and questions is where you make connections. And when your copy/content is the vehicle that delivers you could earn a patient or client for life.

Who’s talking?

Apparently tons of people are willing to talk about businesses that make an impression on them. Forester Research confirms that approximately 500 billion word-of-mouth impressions are created daily via social media.

Social interaction is making a difference on the economy. The big question: is it positively impacting yours?

Get this…McKinsey and Company, a management consulting firm, reveal that an estimated two-thirds of the US economy is fueled by word-of-mouth. fn

Let that sink in…

  • 500 billion conversational impressions
  • Two thirds of the US economy influenced by conversations

The “talk-is-cheap” mantra might best be repackaged as talk-has-extreme-value! Today’s “water-cooler” gatherings are vastly different than a decade ago…and enhancing those connections is helped by the tone of your copy and content.

How a conversational mindset can have a longterm…viral impact on your patient or client relationships

  1. “Talk” (write) about what matters…to your reader. It’s essential that you listen and then leverage what you hear into solution oriented content. Make sure your expertise (and the language you use about it) isn’t the focus as much as how it solves their problems and/or answers their burning question(s) of the moment.
  2. Use words that resonate and those that compel your reader. Again, avoid fancy, heady, intellectual, jargon-y sounding language. Find and use relevant synonyms that create culturally appropriate images in your reader’s mind.

Word-of-mouth impressions are powerful because they’re everyday and conversationally driven. Writing like you (and your patients and/or clients) talk keeps the conversation going…and that leads to longterm, healthy relationships.

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May 24, 2018 Buyer personas, Content marketing, Dental blog, Dental content, Dental Copywriting No Comments

What to Learn from Augmented Reality That Can Improve Your Dental Content Marketing

U2 understands the value of audience engagement. Their use of augmented reality (AR) during the opening segment of their eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE tour provides perspective for how you can use dental content marketing to connect with patients.

I downloaded U2’s recommended app prior to attending the tour’s opening night concert with my wife. The overall concert experience was epic as you would expect from Bono and crew.

I pointed my iPhone’s camera at the enormous screen running the length of the arena floor. The app produced a gigantic (AR based) image of Bono performing the opening song for a few moments.

The use of AR got me to thinking about how vital it is to give your patients a fresh way to engage with your content. It’s essential that you’re a trusted guide on your patient’s encounters with your content – whatever the platform.

Let’s Get Personal

Personalization will set your dental marketing apart from the crowd. Influence is achieved according to how personally you relate to your patients via each content source.

You become a recognized influencer when your content intersects your patient’s life – including how you provide solutions to their problems. Content that sounds formal, out dated, and salesy will keep them at arms length.

If you want to pull them into your story (practice/brand) you must step into theirs (story). This helps when your content could be perceived as lacking freshness or relevance to them.

That’s not uncommon. Your patients are bombarded with buy-this, read-this, click-here content daily. Make yours standout from the crowd.

A Somewhat Different Sound

U2 combined something visually stimulating with their already captivating music. Necessary? Perhaps not – given their achieved level of influence.

For you, it’s perhaps more necessary. Why? Because patients are already dulled by all-about-us content. The kind that promotes “the latest…state-of-the-art this or that…!”

You get the picture. Sadly, your patients don’t!

Adjust your tone. Create a new sound. And you’re more likely to appeal to a crowd of tone-deaf dental patients others aren’t reaching.

Warm-up Your “Crowd” by Renewing Your Content Voice

It’s about narrowing the distance between your “audience” and your content (as U2 did with AR). Creating a new brand of intimacy with your content cannot happen on a traditional stage.

You must augment the “reality” between their need for dentistry and the services you provide. Again, it’s not about you (your services) as much as its about them and their “story” (dental problems and related questions).

1-Lose the salesperson sound

A scripted, late-night-infomercial, like-you-walked-onto-a-used-car-lot tone doesn’t build trust between their story and your services. Effective copy and content can be full of “punch” while being delivered conversationally.

Be true to yourself by creating content that sounds like a conversation…not a sales presentation! Dial-down the salesy voice and dial-up the personal, conversational voice.

In essence, write like you talk.

2-Be enthusiastic just not overly so

Content energy isn’t about hype. It’s about your genuine excitement to solve relevant problems and answer real questions.

Listen to what you’re patients are asking and what problems they’re experiencing. Tap into those and let your energy flow into how your expertise/services can deliver life and health transforming solutions.

You’ll be 90% engaged with them if you start and end there!

3-Bridge the gap between their emotional desires and your solutions

Again, listening is key here. Know your patients intimately by investing time asking probing questions. The kind of questions you’re genuinely interested in hearing their answers about.

Understand your patient’s point-of-view about how your services will impact their life. Give them control over those outcomes as the influential guide along the way.

This is the goal of your content.

4-Think long-term about your relationship with them

Dentistry is rarely one-and-done care. The quality and lifetime value of what you provide confirms this.

It’s your task to educate and inform them along the journey to good health. Ultimately the choice is theirs but you’re in a better position to influence them if you take a long-term view through your content.

This eliminates the pressure to push too hard. If your dental marketing is held hostage to costly direct mail or broadcast media campaigns you’re more likely to feel the pressure.

Content is evergreen and thus cost-effective. Plus it relies on the one thing that gives your patients a sense of control – their permission.

And that gives you access to virtually unlimited potential for influence.

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