Dental Industry
Two Strategies That Will Keep People Reading Your Dental Content
There’s a reason this adult coloring book trend is catching on. The deeper vibe you can gain from it also applies to how you position yourself in the minds of those who consume your dental marketing content.
A friend and colleague has joined the tribe of adult coloring book publishers. Hers goes beyond the simple act of coloring the stress relieving pages.
Her “Thoughtful Colouring” approach includes the refreshing aspect of coloring designs. It adds a corresponding page with an inspirational quote and blank space to process it however you choose (while you’re coloring).
Cool! I agree.
It’s that small addition to the trend that I believe offers a principle you must consider in the content you curate and create.
You increase your authority with your patients/clients when you implant value in your content.
Words, especially the common, fluff your reader is accustomed to can become numbing and an eventual turn-off.
Your content audience has too much info-noise coming at them minute by minute. It’s your task as content creator and publisher to capture their focus.
This is the precise reason I encourage dental providers to step away from a standard, brochure-like website design. Refresh your design (and with it your authority) by adding an information platform to your site (e.g a blog/article page, a newsletter portal, etc).
Your content gains traction when you list dental implants among your services. It increases in value when that page links to an archived blog post/article that answers a common question about “dental implants.”
In fact, in today’s search rankings, you might discover that the article page ranks higher than your keyword intense services/procedures page. The reason: search engines like Google place a higher priority on your value-providing intention via a blog post than on standard webpage content.
How to Add Some “Color” to Your Dental Content Marketing Strategy
Inspire your reader
How inspiring can dental content be? Appeal to your reader’s curiosity and hunger for solutions to their dental problem and your inspiration-factor increases.
You inspire by compelling your reader through the solutions you offer.
General site content promotes your services. Consistent, fresh content inspires your reader with answers to their questions and solutions to their problems.
You become a source of inspiration to your patients/clients when they get that you’re listening to them. The best proof of listening is to mirror their “pain,” “problem,” or “concern” through relevant content.
- Listen to every patient/client conversation with content in mind.
- Ask information-gathering questions: “How can I help you with…,” “What’s your biggest fear about…,” etc.
Simple, right? Inspiration shouldn’t be complicated.
Next…
Import secondary value
Think deeper benefits related to what you provide.
You deliver a primary value as a dental professional or a dental marketing professional. Respectively, you help, heal, or you promote in a way that leads to a buying decision.
Your secondary value to your patients or clients is vital too. This happens when you move from an “I’ll-call-when-I-need-you” relationship to a “Go-to-source-of-useful-shareable-information” relationship.
Secondary value rises as you become a consistent “well” of practical (not technical) information.
- Invest the time and marketing dollars in a consistent well-spring of content. Again, focus on the needs, wants, desires, questions, and problems of your patients/clients.
- Create a front-of-mind expectation. The more consistently you appear on their “radar” via a blog post, article, newsletter, social media link, etc the more influence you’ll earn.
Influence has value. Give your patients and/or clients something to value alongside the primary services you provide.
How Influence is More Vital Than Ever to Your Dental Content Marketing Strategy
Election season. You love it or hate it.
Wherever you affectionately land there’s more to the process. The same is true for having an online presence for your dental practice or dental industry business.
I don’t blame those who are a bit disinterested or jaded about American politics. And I’m not here to “stump” one way or the other.
My better point: the right to vote (however you feel about the current stable of candidates) is a privilege of citizenship. It’s a right granted you and I as result of our country’s fight for and preservation of freedom.I
What comes with the “territory”
Rights and privileges are worth protecting. Better is their ability to be used or maximized to their fullest potential.
You don’t have to agree with everything or everyone. But you do have a cause to act.
Action is the energy of your online dental marketing efforts. Succeed or fail, “casting-your-vote” is the essence of the privilege associated with having a piece of territory on the internet.
Sure, it’s a massive space. And you’re one among the billion or so.
Daunting. Yes.
But it comes down to one thing
Value. Not everyone who owns a piece of cyberspace uses it deliver value.
You? Me? I count myself among the value-delivery crowd. And hopefully you do as well.
No, not every blog post, Tweet, newsletter, email, or shared article is a world-changer. But I do approach it feeling as though I deliver something my growing “tribe” will read and be helped by.
And frankly, for starters, that’s enough!
Whatever you do online…do this as consistently as possible.
Create, Deliver, and Share Valuable Content
Increase your influence
I have a client whose influence as a consultant is on the rise. Why?
She recognizes the value, scope, and scalability of hers and her organization’s influence. The weekly content I help her create provides value to a segment of her industry target.
Notice I said, “segment.” You won’t influence everyone.
Focus on a niche within the greater industry universe you occupy. Tap into their pain, problems, and search for relevant solutions. Write, broadcast, email, market to that…consistently!
Showing up on their consciousness “radar” on a regular basis will nestle you into their thinking when they need the help you provide.
Online search these days revolves more and more around your intent. What kind of intent?
Your intent to help. Your online presence that’s branded, so to speak, with a particular library of useful content.
Invest in your influence
Desiring to have influence and being able to consistently deliver on that desire are two different things. For example, as a copy/content writer and content strategist I’m an investment to my previously mentioned consultant client.
I collaborate and create content for her “brand.” She has invested an amount of her marketing stake in my skill to research and write content.
Many dental professionals, dentists, and dental industry business owners desire to expand their influence. And they take a step into the content marketing sea.
Then they become weary. Why?
Consistent content curation, content writing, and content publishing takes time. For most, it’s time you as a professional do not have.
Outsource content curation and creation to other skilled professionals. Locate a go-to copy/content writer, resource them financially, and set them free to consistently stoke your influence via your brand’s content.
Your name is still the one in lights. The content shines on your behalf.
It’s a better approach than a random blog post or digital article here and there. Consistency reveals that you’re dialed in, available, and in tune with your “audience.”
And the quality is also no longer an issue. Although being there with consistently, useful content holds the top spot.
Influence transcends many things. And I’d have to agree that (given the current season where I live) politics is one of them.
What Simple Intuition Can Do for Your Dental Content Marketing Strategy
He’s smarter than I give him credit for. And there’s another more valuable trait that he’s developing at a young age.
I’ll let you in on our grandson’s growing personality in a moment. On a related note, there’s a trait within his intellectual development that applies to how your create your dental content.
Our grandson is six (”and a half…” as he’s quick to remind). The time I spend with him is priceless.
Being a freelancer and solopreneur has it’s perks. Especially when I can take a day off and spend time with the “B-man” as I call him.
I had that opportunity on a recent school holiday. Following breakfast, I reflexively viewed my incoming email on my iPhone as he was playing on the floor in our family room.
That’s when he schooled me…
“I thought you were taking the day off, G-pa!?”
Busted!
He made a connection that face-in-phone means work. He’s six and already more intuitive than I realize.
Intuition
Your power of observation or your ability to use your intuition can improve your dental content creation. It’s natural to make assumptions about your target audience.
After all, you’re a dental professional. You provide a certain set of services and the assumption is that people know it.
How people access your particular brand of services is the issue. Most approach who you are and what you do with questions.
Those questions – as we’ve discussed before – are your gold mine for creating compelling, useful content to promote your services.
Assume less – Intuit more
Your patients or clients are consistently in search of solutions to their “pain” or problems. And like most, they type a word or phrase in the form of a question into their chosen online search engine.
They, like you, do this more often on-the-fly via their smartphone or tablet. Pain, a problem, an unforeseen setback invades their space and they go searching for a solution.
Content Intuition and What It Can Do for Your Dental Content Marketing that Assumptions Cannot
Intuition creates real-time opportunity
Thoughts are fluid. You are always experiencing a constant stream of them.
So are your patients and clients.
It’s essential that your intuitive content finds its way to their thought consciousness. Your success rate will increase as you appear on their conscious “radar” consistently.
Monthly content…that’s a stretch. Sure, if it’s dense as in a content rich newsletter, industry case study, or informative ebook.
Start with a bi-weekly published content. But consider the opportunity-value of appearing in their space with useful content on a weekly basis – this is optimum.
Why? Your patients/clients are busy.
And volume of content they consume for information, entertainment, support, etc is off the charts.
Be there consistently. Be there usefully.
And you’ll occupy a small space in their content stream.
Intuition compels an informed response
The information your patients or clients search for depends on their current need, mood, pain, etc. Getting a response relies on your ability to intuit their condition.
How?
Listen!
- Set up listening “stations.” Encourage your business team, consultants, assistants, hygienists to develop an open-ear approach. Train them how to pick up on the signals your patients/clients are sending. Develop ways to log/archive that data.
- Create content around the questions, pains, problems, and solutions being sought by your patients/clients.
Remember that useful information compels…and “sells.”
Intuition conforms to the solutions you provide
Other “listening stations” are your online reviews, ratings, and strategic surveys. This is useful as you use your intuition to access what’s being said on and between the lines.
- Get intentional by using surveys. Brief, targeted surveys can help you tap-into the needs, wants, and desires of your patients/clients. Avoid lengthy, complicated, or irrelevant questions. Ask what you really want to know.
- Use reviews and survey data to create a content editorial list. Craft content around answering the questions and problems with solution-oriented content.
- Provide variety. Informative content can be shared via a blog, podcast, video, short courses, webinars, etc.
Give your “audience” numerous channels to connect with you. They’ll appreciate the convenience and your intuition.
How “Irritating” is Your Dental Content? And is That a Good Thing?
Years ago, I heard author/consultant, Jim Collins (Built to Last, Good to Great), speak. During his talk he said something I will always remember.
Your dental marketing influence on new patients or new clients rises and falls. It will achieve greater consistency when you create and use content according to what I remember Collins saying.
He made this statement about the sharing of ideas and principles – “I want what I share today to be like an irritating grain of sand stuck in the folds of your brain…”
Not to say that you want to “irritate” new or potential patients/clients into action. But the principle applies.
Content irritation?
The goal of your dental marketing content isn’t to irritate in the purest sense of that word. It’s more a matter of sustained front-of-mind presence.
Your potential patients/clients seek their information differently these days. It’s short of reflexive to reach for a smart phone or tablet device and “Google” the answer to their “burning” question.
What shows up in the search queue is vital to your ongoing ability to reach and compel them. More often than not a link to an article will pop-up in their search results.
Are you there?
I’m talking “there” in the sense of having a consistent presence via content that’s useful and relevant to their search. They’re looking for you, a dentist, or you as a dental industry professional and their “pain-point” is the motivation for seeking your services.
Or your new patient is sitting in your operatory following the exam, x-ray, and teeth cleaning as result of your latest promotion. Treatment is necessary.
A treatment plan is being presented. They have a decision to make.
Are they prepped and equipped with the information to make the decision?
Information flows
Your target audience makes decisions based on the compelling quality of the information presented to them. It would make sense that the more, compelling, informative, useful, and available information…the better, right?
Content creates a river effect. It flows towards expectant and otherwise seeking-to-be-informed people, not unlike yourself.
You’re reading this blog for much the same reason. A need or desire for the information prompted you to click a link and read it.
Or it was shared with you via a respected colleague, friend, or social media connection (always appreciated, by the way).
Welcome to the new era of content community.
How to Use Consistent Content to Inform and Compel New Patients or New Clients to Take Action on Your Services
Use the echo-effect.
Become a voice that “echoes” in the consciousness of your patients/clients. This happens when you show up consistently on their “radar” via compelling content.
You have limited hours of operation, marketing dollars to invest, and time to maximize your connections. Content works for you around-the-clock, so to speak.
Create “echo-points!”
- Create and send emails to your patient/client list. Link to relevant blog posts, articles, and/or social media channels. Limit how much you email promotions compared with the amount of “content-echo” you distribute to your list. A will timed email with a link to a relevant content channel could tip a new or current patient/client to take the next step.
- Use voice-mail (if you must rely on phone contact) more strategically. Craft the message (content) you leave with unavailable patients/clients to include a call to action. Avoid saying “call us back,” etc. Give them a reason to feel they’re missing out on something if they don’t return your call.
- Make audio/visual content available for after-hours “echoes.” Use short podcasts, YouTube videos, Periscope, Instagram, GIFs, SnapChat, etc.
Construct a go-to archive of valuable information.
Your online presence (via a website) should resemble a library more than a digital brochure. Archived content (blog posts, articles, videos, podcasts, etc.) set you up as an authority.
- Catalog your posts and articles by category. This improves eye-scan impact and ease of access.
- Use your content platform as reference point for patient/client questions – “What’s your email address? I’ll forward you a link to a blog post/article/podcast that will answer your question…” This gives you an opportunity to “echo.”
Release your collective influence.
This follows the previous tip. Your content becomes a second voice of influence beyond yours and that of your team.
Again, having content to share increases your authority and influence. Plus, not all of your team members (you included) are rock-stars at closing the “deal.” (treatment plans, etc.).
And content relieves all that “salesy-speak” that’s so easy to use when trying to close treatment or a sale.
Content gives you permission to keep promoting – even when you aren’t present…or as a reference point when you are.
Front-of-mind consistency is the strength of your dental content. It’s the type of “irritation” you shouldn’t mind having.
Is This Obsession “Killing” Your Dental Marketing Content?
An obsession. You probably have one (or more).
I do.
Relax. This isn’t confession time.
But I will confess to one thing. I’m obsessed these days with helping dental website owners and developers end their obsession with feature-heavy content.
Features have their place. Actually, they have one strategic purpose…and overuse isn’t one of them.
My so-called, “rant” is valid these days. It’s a “sore-spot” with me primarily because I’m still recoiling from related (“You didn’t tell people how great we are…”) push-back on a client’s web page copy I recently shipped (it’s not the first time and probably won’t be the last).
Let’s define what I mean by “features.” They are any aspect or related wording that describes your product or service.
Think color, clarity, class, or construction. Features are the easiest to spot and “spin” when writing copy.
Typically, feature-intense writing requires less creative energy. Why?
You’re merely describing what’s in front of you or how you want your reader, buyer, customer, client, or patient to see your product/service.
Features are easy to recognize because they’re commonly accented with words like “state-of-the-art,” “cutting-edge,” or any word ending in “-est” (e.g. “latest,” “greatest,” “best,” etc).
The comparative truth about features in your copy/content
Features have their place. Where?
Alongside compelling benefits.
Features appeal to your patient’s or client’s logic. Benefits connect your patient’s or client’s emotional desire with your product or service.
Compel a response with BENEFITS.
Then…
Rationalize their decision with FEATURES.
Copywriter and author, Bob Bly, shares a classic illustration of the Feature-Benefit issue in his book, The Copywriter’s Handbook.
“Features and Benefits of a #2 Pencil
Feature: The pencil is a wooden cylinder surrounded by a graphite core. Benefit: Can be re-sharpened as often as you like to ensure clean, crisp writing.
Feature: One end is capped by a rubber eraser. Benefit: Convenient eraser lets you correct writing errors cleanly and quickly.
Feature: Eraser is attached with a metal band. Benefit: Tight-fitting metal band holds eraser snugly in place – so you’ll always have an eraser when you need it.
Feature: Pencil is 7.5 inches long. Benefit: Long length ensures long writing life.
Feature: Pencil is 1/4 inch in diameter. Benefit: Slender shape makes it easy to hold and comfortable to write with.
Feature: Pencil is a #2. Benefit: Graphite core is blended so that it writes smoothly , yet is crisp and easy-to-read.
Feature: Yellow exterior. Benefit: Bright yellow exterior ensures that it’s easy to spot on a messy desk or in a crowded drawer.
Feature: Sold by the dozen. Benefit: Sold in a convenient 12-pack so if you lose one, you don’t have to run to the store for another. Also, more cost-effective.” (pp. 59-60)
Understand that features have their place in your content. But ultimately, the “selling/compelling point” is the benefit.
How to Turn Your Obsession with Features Into More Compelling, Benefit-Focused Content
For every feature – think benefit
Review Bly’s #2 pencil illustration. You’ve held a pencil, placed a pencil behind your ear, chewed on a pencil for years, right?
And you probably didn’t give thought to the benefits listed in the example. But they are present nonetheless.
The task of your copy/content is to uncover the hidden benefits, expose them to your reader, and compel them to take action as result. This is the hard work of copywriting.
- Train your senses to see, hear, smell, touch benefits. View your products/services through a sensory lens.
- List every benefit you can think of for the product/service you’re promoting. Build your content around them.
Refuse to list a feature in your copy/content unless it’s accompanied by a compelling benefit.
Ruthlessly eliminate feature-fluff in your copy. I’ll go so far as to say that using fluff words (”state-of-the-art,” “cutting-edge,” etc) is the lazy approach.
Again, it takes work to uncover and craft content around benefits. Then apply the extra effort to rationalize them with features.
Ask why your newest equipment, service, product, etc is “state-of-the-art.” How does that “fluff-wording” translate to a compelling benefit? Write to that!
Get emotional.
Compelling copy grabs your reader’s emotions. It’s not only about tears and fears (though those are strong emotional responses).
The better part of emotions involves painting a picture for your reader. It’s guiding them to see themselves using, benefiting from, and being changed by your product or service.
A feature gets their attention. A benefit compels a decision.
- Think like your reader/client/patient. What would you feel, sense, believe about the product/service?
- List the emotional triggers that your product/service touches on. Attach a benefit to that emotion.
Get obsessed about your copy/content. But make sure there’s a benefit.
How to Create Headlines That Compel a Positive Response to Your Dental Marketing Content
How important are headlines? Before I reveal how to create them, understand that your dental promotions, dental web page copy, and even your dental blog posts can succeed or fail based on the headline.
Advertising and copywriting legend, John Caples, once said they are the most important part of your advertisement. He proved his point by committing four of his 18 chapters to them in his book, Tested Advertising Methods.
Your headline copy can make or break your dental marketing. This is why they’re so difficult and occasionally time-consuming to write.
Professionally speaking, I invest the first phase of writing to the headline. You should expect to do the same if…you want to compel your reader to engage with your content.
Your headline has ONE job
Your headline MUST grab your reader’s attention.
John Caples adds this jolting perspective – “If the headline is poor, the copy will not be read. And copy that is not read does not sell goods.”
You could say, “I”m a dental provider, I don’t ‘sell’.” I encourage you to not get caught up in the semantics of what is or is not “sales.”
Bottom line, your headline compels or it doesn’t. The middle ground is littered with well intentioned, creative, salesy hype, or lame attempts at trying to be cute.
How to Create Headlines that Compel Your Readers to Keep Reading to the Point of Doing What You’re Asking Them to Do
(By the way, there are two bonus insights in that sub-heading.)
1-Promise something.
Too many promotions are vague. Vagueness should not be confused with compliance with dental industry marketing standards.
There’s a difference in making unsubstantiated claims about a treatment or service and being vague about the benefit they can potentially deliver.
Make a promise that introduces a benefit.
“Who else wants whiter teeth – in less time?”
(Promise: whiter teeth, less time)
“Great new discovery controls bad breath – makes your teeth healthier too.”
(Promise: fresher breath, healthier teeth)
Those promises include practical benefits. The stated benefits compel your reader to read deeper into your promotion to discover more.
Promised results or benefits compel your reader to stay in the conversation with you via your promotion.
- List at least 5 benefits of the service you’re promoting.
- Use specific, direct wording that establishes your service as THE solution (promised result) for taking action.
2-Embed an image in your reader’s mind.
What your reader can see themselves using, doing, etc will compel them to take action. Avoid language that’s overused, technical, industry-oriented, insider-based, etc.
You “know, like, and trust” your industry, right? This makes it natural for you to feel as though everyone else (including your patients/clients) do also.
This is where “How To…” headlines work well.
“How to [COMMON TASK] That [REWARDING BENEFIT].”
The “common task” creates an image of an action, activity, priority, etc. And again, you compel with a “rewarding benefit” – in this instance, something the reader can “see” themselves enjoying, etc.
3-”State a fact.”
Facts establish credibility. When you can highlight a fact in your content headline – do it!
Your reader will be drawn deeper in to your content. And they will begin to trust you as a credible source of information.
Select portions of your positive reviews or testimonials. Remember: You can protect the identity of your source by using their first name initial or their full name initials (e.g. “E” “ES,” etc.) for attribution.
Here’s an example:
“…I went to my high school reunion and the compliments made me feel like I’d been crowned homecoming queen!” – JS. Want the Same Results?
Research data sources of your product or service. Share benefit oriented statistics in you headline.
92% of Our Dental Patients Said This One Thing Eliminated Their [PROBLEM]
If You Do This Two Times Per Year You Could Reduce Your Dental Treatment Costs by [X]%
Facts help compel a response.
4-”Ask a question.”
Questions create curiosity. They also produce engagement with your solution or answer.
In the previous headline example using the quotation (“I went to my high school reunion and the compliments made me feel like I’d been crowned homecoming queen!” – JS Want the Same Results?) the question creates curiosity on two levels.
1) Tell me more about the “results” and 2) Give me more information about what she did to achieve them.
Questions also give your reader a way to process their assumptions. Your question-oriented headline can create a “Hmmm, I haven’t thought about that before…” response.
Your reader will begin to engage with your content by answering the question you posed. It’s important that your question headline prompts curiosity.
A question headline works for a simple reason. It creates a compelling reason to stay with your content and eventually take action as result.
There is more to a promotional headline than creativity or cuteness. Lead with benefits and you’ll win more often.
Why Consistent Content Creation is a Supremely Healthy Dental Marketing Strategy
My wife and I have done this annually for the past three years. There’s a multi-layered benefit to it and the same is true of the commitment you can choose for creating and publishing content to promote your dental services.
We begin each year in January with a 21 day “fast.” Before you picture us in a meditative pose becoming emaciated by the day as we deny ourselves basic nourishment – that’s not the deal.
Basically, a “fast” can apply to denying yourself anything from food to technology for a designated period of time. Ours fundamentally involves eliminating “junk food” (all that sugar loaded goodness we overindulge in) and eating a cleaner, high-protein and vegetable intense diet.
Our core motivation and benefit is spiritual – denying ourselves cleanses the soul and sharpens our faith. The sub-plot benefits, if you would, include a system-cleanse (body health) and establishing new, healthier habits (diet, self-control, mindset, etc.).
Core benefits
There’s a primary reason for promoting your dental services – to provide solutions or deliver relief from “pain” (physical or emotional). There are more, sure, but this is a core reminder of why you do what you do.
Now, what’s your core marketing strategy?
It’s common to default to direct mail, launching a website, upgrading your website with graphics and other “flash,” purchasing Facebook or Google ads. And there’s nothing essentially wrong with any of those.
But can we talk “denial” for a moment?
Any one of those denies what is becoming a fundamental reality about how your patients or clients are compelled to do “business” with you.
A direct mailer can add to your production schedule (if the timing is right for what you’re promoting). Your new or newly redesigned website can improve your online curb-appeal (if your website is visited). And your Facebook or Google ad dollars invested can increase your online click-throughs and again, increase your bottom-line profits (again, if the timing or appeal of your promotion is spot-on as they scroll).
The core issue that an ever increasing crowd are beginning to understand (Are you one of them?)
Content is king…IF!
If I appear biased via this blog – you’re right…I am!
Perhaps it’s because I’m an information junkie. Or maybe it’s because I have an insatiable curiosity for new knowledge and problem solving information.
Yes to those reasons and many others. But it’s more about the fact that I know and understand that one thing ultimately compels people to respond to what you promote, provide, sell, or distribute.
It’s trust!
So…what does trust have to do with “content (being) king?”
Before I continue building my case for the “content is king…IF” idea, I must say that it’s about framework or context.
Content reigns supreme in today’s marketing when it’s intentional, strategic, and useful. You will need a framework to achieve long-term, beneficial results from it.
Blog posts, email series’, social media posts, newsletter articles, podcasts, etc are all part of a bigger picture, according to Sonia Simone.
Consider this a foundational piece of a framework I’m preparing to lay down over the next few weeks on this blog. My goal is to help you establish a new way of thinking about your dental marketing strategy and to encourage you to “fast” from all those go-to, default, knee-jerk, we-gotta-increase-our-production-so-call-the-printer-for-a-new-direct-mail-flyer type of reactions that are all too typical of some dental marketing campaigns.
Build trust outside-the-box…
…And use content to do it.
Rarely does anyone, if ever, feel a bond of trust with a service business because of flyer received in the mail. Sure, the eye-catching graphics or cleverly worded copy might open the door to a relationship but the appeal can be lost quicker than it’s gained in most instances.
Instead, consider what would happen if, over time, a relevant, useful piece of content was published and easily viewed via a smartphone or tablet. If the content solves a problem or answers a question relevant to your target reader, what begins to happen?
Trust rises.
You have a better opportunity for instilling trust through a problem-solving, question-answering blog post or podcast than you do through a random, numbing piece of paper that’s included in the daily mail. Front of mind can begin with a flashy mailer but trust is sustained over time via usefulness.
And usefulness translates BEST via easy to read and easy to consume content.
I’ll crown content “king” for now with that thought. Stay tuned…