Does your dental marketing message make sense? Is it rising above the noise in today’s marketplace?

I’m referring to the impact of your product(s), services, or ideas.

As a professional copywriter it’s essential that what I create on paper or on the monitor connects. Clients pay me for the connect-ability of my writing to their target audience and market. When it connects, people buy, use their services, make an investment, etc.

After all, the essence of marketing is connection – making the sale – however you define “sale.”

Take a look at the words used to get your dental industry service point across. Word quality is important. But consider this – so is tone, quantity, and let’s not forget delivery.

Occasionally, I’m paid to talk (nearly 30 years of speaking experience).  And I’ve discovered that writing is basically talking on paper or via the computer monitor.

Conversations, whether speeches or content on a page or screen, go one of two ways: people get bored and think – “when is this person going go shut-up…,” they turn the page, or they *click* away from the website.

Or…they stay engaged – “tell me more…I’m listening…give me more information…let’s talk again soon!”

Your marketing approaches keep the conversation flowing or they’re just another piece of paper, a website or talking-head voice. Remember how Charlie Brown’s teacher sounded in the classroom. You never heard an actual voice. All you heard when ole’ Chuck or a classmate asked a question was “wah-wah-wah-wah-wah…” Seinfeld’s George Costanza would say, “Yada…yada…yada.”

Writing requires proper voice or it’s just words (yada…yada…wah…wah…wah). For maximum impact, evaluate the words you use to market and promote your dental services, products, etc.

Here’s the big idea: keep it conversational. When writing imagine you’re sitting on a barstool in a conversation with a friend, colleague, family member, or someone you just met. You’re sitting there…it’s casual…you’re comfortable…they’re comfortable and you’re just having a chat.

Five “Barstool” Copy Tips:

1–Write like you talk.

Imagine a casual moment, sitting on a barstool. If you were telling someone about your company, product, service, or idea, how would you describe it? Would you go all technical on them? Would you use big, industry words only you and a few others understand? Would you explode into a hype-driven, sales-y tone? Or would you just talk?

2–Make an impression without trying to impress.

When the person you’re talking with leaves the conversation will they remember you more for how impressive you were or will they recall the easy-going, comfortable nature of the dialogue? Would they say, “Let’s talk again soon…” or think, “Could we do this again say…during the next solar eclipse…” The impression you make brings people back for more.

3–Let communication work for you.

The goal of marketing is the sale (the impression). Merely impressive marketing efforts may or may not achieve that goal. Given the choice of being impressive or making an impression, which would you rather have in terms of the bottom-line?

4–Dress your language less formal and more casual.

Some are more comfortable in a suit, others in jeans. There’s a time and place for both but good content is comfortable like your favorite jeans.

When writing most can’t get the image of their English teacher out of their mind (I know…thanks for reminding you). You stress over crossing all your “t’s,” dotting all your “i’s,” watching your sentence structure…and don’t eeeeven get me started on grammar.

I’m not saying “slang-it-up,” get lazy or sloppy. What works on the barstool – formal or casual? Use good judgment. What’s easily read gets remembered. And what’s remembered gets purchased, used, or applied.

5–Communicate effortlessly.

Envision Tiger Woods teeing off…Kevin Durant taking the ball to hoop or sinking a 3-pointer – effortless! The skill appears second nature, fluid. Make your writing invisible.

Be aware of how writing about your product, service, and business gets in the way of the benefits or the intended result. Remember – features entice. Benefits sell!

Give your copy and dental marketing approaches the “barstool test.” Evaluating the copy/content and applying these tips to your biz communications could be the difference between increasing or decreasing profit.