marketing
How to Discover New and Compelling Benefits to Promote Your Dental Services
Being unique for the sake of…well…being unique isn’t a strategy. But there is something about a deep-dive into what makes your services and products “unique” that CAN impact your dental marketing success.
Brian Clark shared a post on Copyblogger that I must credit for “seeding” my thoughts on this one.
“In the 1920’s, Schlitz beer went from fifth in the market to a tie for first. All because a sharp copywriter named Claude Hopkins highlighted their water purification process in an advertisement.
Never mind that all beer companies used the same process. No one had told that story before.” [Read more of Brian’s post]
I’m frequently asked by clients and colleagues, “How can you write fresh content about the same ole’ services over and over again.” Their question reveals what they perceive about the dental niche and what’s somewhat accurate (i.e. how much can you write about dental implants, crowns, etc.?).
That question, perception, and Clark’s content lead to a solution and a strategy that can energize your dental marketing content.
A story that’s not been told
Your services and products are in competition. It’s not so much a competitive process that involves whether one is better than another.
The competitive advantage of your products and services has more to do with the benefit-solution outcome. It’s common in most print and online (digital) marketing promotions to highlight the features of a particular product/service.
Why?
It’s easy to throw the terms “greatest,” “state-of-the-art,” “latest,” “cutting-edge,” etc on top of a few specific technical descriptions and garnish it with a smiling-face image or three…and viola!…send it off to your assistant to post on your website. Then wait for your phone to ring off the desk with inquiries, appointments, or purchases.
What’s missing is the “story that’s not been told.” In essence this is what’s known as your “unique selling proposition” (USP).
It’s as simple an addition to your marketing content as Hopkins highlighting Schlitz’s water purification process.
How to Deep-Dive Into Your Services and Products to Discover a New “Story” That Will Deliver Compelling Solutions
List and lead with benefits.
Always be thinking, “What problem does this solve…what solution does this provide…how is this (?) different than any other approach to solving X problem?”
- Dimensional-ize every benefit you list by going even further beneath the surface. For example, teeth whitening does more than brighten your teeth up to eight shades (benefit). Teeth whitening gives you the confidence to walk into your next class reunion like you’ve just been crowned homecoming king or queen (deeper, dimensional-ized benefit).
- Find the deeper levels of solutions and benefits that tap directly into the emotions of your patients, clients, or leads.
Appeal to logic with features.
This the proper use of all those features you’re so quick to talk about. Only use them after you’ve uncovered every benefit-solution you can think of that your product/service provides.
The “story” plot thickens when you get their pulse racing with benefits (”Teeth whitening…confidence…homecoming king or queen…!, etc.”). Then you help them rationalize their decision to schedule, purchase, etc with features (”The newest…no-after-taste…teeth whitening product on the market…available in our comfortable, whitening salon…at our new dental facility…”).
Content marketing works. It’s an effective strategy that promotes your dental services and products with a fresh, new “story” that’s unique…and compelling.
Your Simple Strategy for Becoming a Memorable Dental Industry Authority
I attended a memorial service for a family member of a long time neighbor. What I encountered has been my experience many times over about leaving a legacy.
It also brought to mind a principle that can turn your dental marketing content into something memorable rather than something forgettable.
A son of the deceased offered a touching moment during his eulogy. Now in his 50’s (I assume), he recalled a moment with his dad when he was five years old.
Age five! It’s not unusual that your best memories are those simple moments that revolve around a lesson learned or practical, loving words related.
And it’s equally true that your dental marketing content, promotions, emails, whatever strategy you choose are most memorable when they do one thing.
Answer a question
Content marketing – in any niche’ – is really that simple. It’s as uncomplicated as listening to your audience – their questions, their problems, the deeper issues they face and writing useful answers to them.
A bias for helping
Marketing can easily digress into an attempt to impress. You can be lured into the latest online trend or be tempted to talk…talk…talk about all the nuances and technical eye-candy associated with your products, services, and procedures.
That’s common. But…it’s as forgettable as a laugh inducing, Super Bowl commercial that’s creative and entertaining but fails to connect you with the product and leaves you asking, “Now what was it they were promoting?”
What connects gets remembered
This is why it’s vital that you know the intrinsic value of your dental content. I’m frequently asked a couple of questions about dental industry websites.
1-“Do we really need blog posts/articles on our website?” 2-“How frequently should we publish blog/article content?”
Those questions reveal a need AND a strategy. And I’ll take a strategic approach to answering them because in essence that’s what I seek to do here on my blog each week – answer common questions (expressed or implied) with useful answers.
Your Simple Strategy for Becoming a Memorable Dental Industry Authority Whatever Your Specialty Is
1-Intentionally invest your best marketing energy (and dollars) in publishing useful information.
The simple answer to question 1 – “Do we really need blog posts/articles on our website?” – is “YES!” If for no other reason, it reveals you’re listening.
And that’s the essence of content marketing. To listen is to have no other alternative but to be useful..helpful.
As a dental professional you do not have the practical opportunity to be face-to-face for as long as it would be necessary to answer your patient or client questions. Timing is an issue as well.
Your clients and patients often do not have questions during the hours you’re available in-office or on-site. But they will search for them via their mobile devices, smartphones, tablets, and other available technology that gives them online access.
My question for you: “Will you show up in their search results?” And if you do, will they find the memorable answer(s) they’re searching for? (I’ll cover this in greater detail in future posts. Stay tuned.)
- Set up “listening outposts” throughout your dental practice or dental service business. Your dental assistants, dental hygienists, front-desk business team, customer-service reps, field consultants, managers, etc are your “ears.” Ask them to keep a running list of the relevant questions they’re asked by patients or clients. Review your list regularly.
- Hire a copywriter/content strategist to create blog/article content around simple, non-technical answers to those questions. Why hire? Because you’ll delay what you do not have the time (or expertise) to do. Content marketing is as strategic an endeavor as it is simple. There’s an art to writing an SEO optimized, practical, informative, readable, and actionable post or article.
2-Apply a publishing frequency that’s driven by your desire to establish yourself as the go-to authority.
The answer to question 2 – “How frequently should we publish blog/article content?” – is not as much about saturation as it is about being compelled to deliver valuable information.
If you’re listening…really listening to your “audience” you will always have something of importance to share. Now it’s more a question of strategic opportunity.
- Publish/post your blog/article content at a minimum every other week and at a maximum every week. Consistency plus informative value is the-new-black. Gone are the days of content mills that write a paragraph or two packed with dental keywords on a topic that is written about for the sole purpose of baiting the search engines. It’s essential that you create and deliver content that has substance. And your substance comes from “listening” to your audience.
- Monitor your published content via online tracking tools and good-old-fashioned conversation. I’ll cover the practical side of online search tools in another post. For starters, lurk around in your web hosts built-in tracking systems. Ask your IT team or an up to date, tech-savvy colleague about the best apps or software that will give you a window on your content “love.”
Really, it’s all about the “love.” Love for your audience, for your expertise, and the memorable value you consistently deliver via your content.
4 Strategies to Recover from Communication Failure in Your Dental Marketing Content
I’m close to certain that the following line is from the classic movie, Cool Hand Luke. Right or wrong it reveals something about the nature of being accurate and understood in your dental marketing content.
The line: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”
I could create the (assumed accurate) movie scenario that featured the line but…if I’m wrong that would be weird and completely send my opening story crashing to the ground. So, I’ll assume I know what I’m talking about and continue communicating something of value in this post.
That’s the thing about communication. Sometimes you enter into a conversation – one to one or with a crowd – and you think you know what you’re talking about.
Then someone steps up and says, “No, you’re not correct…!” Or more often, “I’m right…listen to me.”
Either way, communication in that moment has the potential to stall. And when that happens “…failure to communicate…” is in full-swing.
What to do?
Communication is tricky business today. There are more channels than ever.
In fact, I’m of the shared opinion that social media communication has had a groundbreaking impact on how we interact with our words. For example, what’s implied in a text message, a tweet, or Facebook post is often misunderstood.
The reason – the face-to-face element is missing. Perhaps this is fueling the current surge in live, interactive video content such as Periscope or Blab.
Your dental marketing conversations can have equal confusion. Or more than likely what’s implied misses the intended target as result of “failing” to communicate in a way that delivers your message in a compelling way.
4 Strategies to Recover from Communication Failure in Your Dental Marketing Content
1-Be urgent.
Your services, products, or resources meet a need. At least they should or you’re in for other challenges.
Realize that just because your patients or clients know they need what you produce is no guarantee that they will. It’s vital that you stay front of mind (more on how to do this in a moment).
You must give your audience a real, street-level, where-they-live reason to want (desire) your product or service today, now, right away!
If you provide dental services, a high percentage of your production relies on pain as a “reason” for your dental patient to schedule. Pain creates urgency, no doubt.
But pain is only one “reason.” It does drive production but only for those experiencing it and who choose to act on it.
- Inventory your services, products, or resources. What deeper needs do they meet? Who needs them, when, and why?
- Explore your recent reviews, consultations, contact form requests, etc. What themes do you see? Are there seasonal trends, etc., that prompted someone to request your services, schedule, etc.?
- Engage the wants and desires you hear/see. Create “urgency” through special offers, promotions, testimonials. Use “urgent” language to communicate them – “now,” “what happens if you wait…,” “too late,” “schedule/order/etc no later than…” – you get the picture.
2-Be useful.
No one has time for fluff or irrelevant content. Communicate something of value to your audience.
- Deliver value through every dental marketing channel you use. This includes your email promotions, your website content, your blog posts/articles, your newsletters, your special offers, etc.
- Reevaluate everything by asking – Is this useful? Does it deliver value?
- Be courageous enough to revise it or…trash it if it fails to communicate usefully.
3- Be unique.
This does not mean be overly creative for the mere sake of being creative. Placing a bizarre, new, flashy header on your website isn’t the essence of being unique.
Uniqueness is about solutions. Even further, being unique is offering something that’s different in some way than every other solution currently available.
- Think (because marketing requires much thinking) about your products, services, or resources as a solution more than a commodity. What problem(s) are solved when someone schedules, uses, etc.?
- Ask your audience what problems they’re facing. Use simple surveys for post-treatment, product orders, service usage, etc.
- Create and deliver content around the problem and how your service, product, or resource is THE unique solution.
Remember, your uniqueness is the result of asking the right questions to discover the most pressing problem then delivering the most unique, compelling solution.
4-Be ultra-specific.
Being specific isn’t enough. Why?
There’s too much marketing “noise” these days vying for your market’s attention. Being ultra-specific is rising above the “noise” by consistently delivering value through benefits.
Stop being vague at all costs!
- Eliminate fluff wording in your promotions. Words like, “we would like to…,” “we’re pleased to announce…,” “Introducing…” are only the beginning. Why pick on these commonly used phrases? They numb your reader because it sounds like every other promotion they read.
- Cut-to-the-chase. Tell your reader what you want them to do (specifically). Call them to action throughout your promotion and especially at the close.
- Compel with specific benefits. Avoid being feature heavy in your dental marketing content. “Latest,” “greatest,” “state-of-the-art,” are too vague. Go deeper and inform your reader about the specific benefit(s) they will receive.
“Failure to communicate…” is one failure you can’t afford to make in your dental marketing. Rise above the “noise” with clear, compelling solutions.
Where “More” is Better When Evaluating Your Dental Website Content
Who says, “More is better?” Perhaps the best discussion of “more” is…WHERE it’s better.
I hear this often, “We need MORE content on our dental website home page…on our services pages…” More. More. More.
Enough?
Again, the real issue is where to apply a “more-is-better” strategy. And there’s a strategic point of evaluation that’s often missed.
In a recent post I shared some insight regarding today’s new reality about SEO. Bottom-line: online searches these days return more links to articles/blog posts than they do actual websites.
So, wouldn’t it make sense for you to invest more dental marketing energy (and dollars) creating useful, informative article content than you would in higher word counts on standard toolbar pages (i.e., Home, About, Services/Procedures pages)?
That’s a good question. And it’s only provocative if you still aren’t sold on the strategy that – being useful online via your blog/article content is your MORE important than overly indulgent core web page content.
3 ways to apply a more-is-better strategy where it matters the most.
1-Deliver value through your online dental content
I’ll indulge your quest for “more” throughout your dental website on ONE condition. That you provide value!
What is valuable content?
Valuable content focuses on benefits more than it does features.
Don’t misunderstand. Features are important but not when they’re overused or without a compelling benefit attached.
Your dental service benefits connect with your patient’s or client’s emotional desires. Your dental service features appeal to your patient’s or client’s logic.
Both are necessary in your dental marketing content. But…
Remember to “sell” or “promote” first with benefits then help them rationalize their decision with an emphasis on features.
This takes some strategic thought. And I’ll go on record again by saying it must involve more than throwing “state-of-the-art” or “cutting-edge” ahead of your newest or greatest technology, etc.
2-Write dental content that’s readable.
Not all content will be read. But it’s certain that the time someone spends with your content will increase or decrease based on its readability.
Readable content ditches the tech-speak that’s only understood by industry insiders. Understand, your patients or clients are more than likely not up to speed on the jargon that so easily flows off your tongue at an industry trade show or event.
Readable content sounds and reads like you talk. Apply the bar stool-principle – would you say what you’re about to say in the form you’re about to say it if you were sitting on a bar stool, having a conversation with a friend, colleague, or family member?
Readable content assumes that the reader isn’t up to speed. Thus, it’s job-one of your content to help them understand what it is you want them to do.
Readable content is action oriented. Your content must include – at several points within – a clear, compelling call-to-action (i.e. tell them what to do…tell them again…and tell them again…)
3-Design your dental content to be searchable.
By design I recommend you invest more time, energy, and dollars into your blog/article pages. Why?
Again, this is where more online searches land these days.
- Listen to your patient/client questions or reviews and write content that answers their questions or insights.
- Create a content editorial calendar of topics based on what you hear your patients or clients talking about or asking about.
- Consistently publish content that helps your patients and clients. I recommend a minimum of two times per month on your blog/article page…but weekly is MORE effective.
More IS better. But make sure it’s delivered in the most strategically effective location on your dental website.
3 Strategic Dental Marketing Skills That Enable You to Know Your Audience
It’s more than a game. At least, that’s how I feel when playing “Go-Fish” with our six year old grandson.
Your dental marketing is more about strategy. How you apply a certain type of strategic skill these days can improve your outcomes.
“Go-Fish” is a simple children’s card game. It’s mostly about matching cute, aquatic characters or associated numbers from the card faces you’re dealt.
There’s nothing really complicated about it. The strategy involves your powers of observation.
Listen and learn mindset
It’s common to make assumptions when you market your dental services. For example, observe much of today’s dental practice marketing promotions and what do you hear?
Smile this, smile that, right? Sure, smiles reveal healthy teeth – that’s the core of dentistry.
Is there more? Yes, there are many deeper benefits provided by dentistry.
Strategically speaking it’s to your advantage to dive-deeper into the longings, desires, needs, hungers, you name it of your patients or clients. This is the essence of strategic observation.
3 Strategic Skills That Tap Into the Deeper Needs of Your Dental Marketing Audience
1-Listen to conversations via social media.
Communication has changed. And depending on your experience or perspective, you would have to agree that in many ways it’s improved.
Mostly the speed and access to communication has shifted dramatically. Data driven conversations (text, social media, direct messages, etc.) are somewhat more common than audible (voice) driven conversations.
This reality impacts how people are accustomed to receiving information. And you must adapt your marketing to connect.
I was recently asked via Twitter (more on that in a moment) about “the listening tools” I use. My reply was somewhat reflexive – “social media,” specifically Twitter.
People use social media to talk, chat, share, boast, sell, market, disagree, promote, preach, pundit, push, encourage, shout-out, support…you get the picture.
Between the lines of all the data driven dialog are needs, desires, frustrations, pains, likes, goals, etc. And the more industry or niche oriented your channels are the more you’ll discover that’s useful for creating compelling content.
- Establish social media connections via Twitter, Facebook, or wherever your “audience” hangs-out. Twitter and Facebook are tops. Sign up (if you’re not already).
- Get acquainted with the channel. For example, Twitter is great for following trends, sharing content, and engaging in quick conversation around content and shared interests.
- Be consistent as you can be. Monitor your social channels regularly. Respond to other’s engagement as quickly as you can. This reveals that you’re listening.
2-Leverage trends by tuning into podcasts, Periscope broadcasts, blogs, webinars, online courses, etc.
Today’s educational output flows from informed authorities across every business niche. You can subscribe to a particular podcast or follow someone’s Periscope and gain loads of insight into what’s current.
- Scan what your industry leaders are talking about, listening to, and sharing. Sign up and follow their informational streams.
- Schedule time daily or at least weekly to catch up on the valuable information you’ve subscribed to or are aware of.
- Curate the content and leverage it into useful resources for your growing “audience.” There are transferable principles across every knowledge base. Explore, find, and share them.
3-Lean into “influencers.”
What’s more important than following your industry leaders? Following their leaders!
Leaning into the crowd exposes you to the person, people, idea, or information at the center of the conversation. Lean in to gain all you can.
Again, physical presence isn’t always necessary, especially in this age of access. I have tons of virtual mentors/influencers that stoke my thinking consistently.
- Use social media to get acquainted with influential industry leaders. Follow, share, and curate what they’re talking about.
- Take a risk and reach out. An authentic, brief comment on a podcast rating or a direct message on Twitter or Facebook could open a door to a new relationship.
- Be grateful for what you gain. Say thanks by sharing their content or referring their services/expertise.
Being more strategic can match you with beneficial outcomes. Otherwise, all I can say is “go-fish!”
Why You Should Change Your Thinking About Dental SEO and What You Should Do Now via Your Dental Website
Right off the top, I give credit where it’s due. Before I give my shout-out, I want you to take a deep breath and repeat after me, “Dental SEO is not dead, it’s just evolved.”
I give due credit to Ryan Stewart for the stream of thought in this post. His related article on Moz.com was spot on.
SEO isn’t dead…just different.
Perhaps you’re a bit worried. The thought of SEO being mentioned alongside the word, “dead” can cause a collective gasp.
Why?
Like most, you might have banked your dental website rankings on dental keywords stuffed throughout every page on your dental website. From the home page to your contact page perhaps you dropped some cash with an SEO-centric web design firm who all but guaranteed you a top local ranking.
Maybe it’s worked…and maybe it hasn’t.
But that’s not the biggest issue here.
The big deal is – SEO has evolved. How the search engines find and rank you and your content has changed and is changing.
Stewart says, “Google shows search results based on what’s best for the user. We can’t just rank for whatever keywords we want.”
He shares examples of searching terms from “best headphones” to “restaraunts” (in a specific city) to “buy a cheap tv” to “plumbers” (again in a specific city). The results in each example returned no websites on the first page search listings.
What did the search results reveal on the first page? According to Stewart’s examples, it depends.
His “best headphones” search revealed not a single product page. All first page results were articles about headphone types, benefits, pricing, etc.
What about “restaurants” (city specific)? No first page results included a single restaurant website, only review aggregators and Zagat ratings. Below the fold (second pages and beyond) the results featured listicles, reviews, and…again…articles.
“Buy a cheap tv” returned product pages in the top five results. Before you say, “Ah-ha…told you…,” they’re all mega-brands. Stewart confirms something you must understand: you’ll never outrank a brand for those type of keywords (unless you spam it up). And again, guess what, articles not product pages ranked at the bottom of the first page.
Are you seeing a trend here?
What about Stewart’s search example of “plumbers” (city specific)? Again top rankings were review aggregators like Yelp and Google+.
Why you should change your thinking about dental SEO and what you must do now to establish your authority online.
Stewart says two things are happening. 1-Google’s full of data and they’re using it based on what users (e.g. you, me, your patients, clients, etc.) want.
2-Google is moving into the “pay to play” era (like Facebook). They’re capitalizing on the massive revenue that comes from advertising.
(Read Stewart’s complete article here for detailed insight and analysis of this entire trend.)
My main take-away from Stewart’s article is this: content rules!
What does that mean for you and your dental SEO?
1-Listen (more than ever) to your “audience.”
What are they talking about? Concerned about? What services do you provide that solves the problems they face?
- Write to that! And write to it a lot.
- Inform your readers based on what you hear them saying to you via your reviews, surveys, chair side conversations, phone consults, in-office consults, treatment plan questions. You get the idea.
2-Create useful content consistently.
Stop playing the tell-them-everything-on-your-main-webpages game. What do I mean?
The days of burying all your informative “eggs” in your website services “basket” (pages) is done. Why?
People aren’t willing to wade through it. And if they did, it’s often full of too much dental-speak that they numb out and click away from the page.
- Start or re-start your blog/article page. This is your new SEO-friendly platform for valuable keyword relevant content.
- Experiment with podcasts, other forms of social media (Pinterest, Instagram, Periscope), and video (YouTube) content channels. Not all are readers. This will appeal to the audio/visual types.
- Link all content back to your website platform. This increases your search savvy-ness.
I recommend checking out Ryan Stewart’s more thorough and highly practical content on this subject. I agree with the essence of it, SEO isn’t dead but it HAS changed.
How to Find Your “Voice” and Compel a Positive Response to Your Dental Marketing Message
“Imagine the person you’re writing to. Picture him or her as a friend. Believe that the (service) you’re (promoting) will improve your friend’s life. Figure out what it would take to convince you to buy the product.” – Paul Hollingshead
“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” That memorable phrase contains a “double-edged truth.”
On the contrary, what you say does matter. Mixed messages create confusion.
Equally true is how you communicate. Tone, delivery method, or “voice” can make or break your dental marketing message.
I’m a strong advocate for a particular tone of voice in the copy or content I create. And I’m diligent to coach my clients in the same.
Friend or foe?
You shouldn’t be forced to choose, should you? “Foe” is a bit too strong a label.
It’s not productive to view your readers, patients, clients, prospects, etc as “foes” to be conquered. “Friend” is a better perspective for your marketing promotions, blog posts, or conversations when the goal is to compel a response.
Paul Hollingshead’s words that introduce this post help establish that view in your dental marketing. Voice is the core idea when writing, promoting, or marketing your services.
How to find your voice and compel a positive response to your dental marketing message.
1-Use your imagination
It’s important to break free from the seller-prospect mindset when marketing your dental services. Remember, “People don’t like to be sold.”
This common approach sets up an adversarial relationship from the get-go. And you’ll adopt a “voice” that’s perceived that way too.
Rather…
As Hollingshead encourages, “Imagine the person you’re writing to. Picture him or her as a friend.”
- View your promotions as a conversation. Write conversationally – friend to friend.
- Use short sentences. Long sentences typically evolve into something too technical or wordy. Avoid “bloat” and “fluff” throughout your writing.
- Forget “English class.” Beginning a sentence with “And” or “But” is okay in this context. And (there you go…haha) a preposition is okay to end a sentence “with.” Remember conversational, friend-to-friend communication is not only common these days, it’s accepted (like it or not, thanks to social media).
- Use the “barstool” filter. Ask yourself if you would say it (what you’re writing) sitting across from a friend at a bar or table.
2-Deepen your beliefs
Believing in your message, service, or product should translate via your voice. If you sincerely believe it will improve someone’s health or life, how could you not communicate it in a compelling way.
Again, the friend-to-friend, conversational voice compels better than a sales-y, hype-y tone.
- List the “whys” of your product or service. Why is it necessary, useful, beneficial, etc.?
- Listen to comments and reviews. Readers, patients, and clients will tell you “why” they like or dislike your services.
- Write to problems and questions. Beneath a negative experience or review is a solution that will improve your marketing message. Fearlessly evaluate the negatives you hear or experience when promoting or applying your services.
3-Identify with the benefits
Walk-a-mile in your patient’s/client’s shoes. Keep the question in mind – “Would I use this, pay for this, try this, etc.?”
The answers will reveal the true, unvarnished benefits of your particular product or service. Features appeal to logic. Benefits connect with emotions.
Friend-to-friend, conversational communication is more emotional than it is rational or logical.
- Review your products and services searching for benefits.
- List the benefits of each service. Remember “state-of-the-art” is a feature not a benefit.
- Answer the question, “So what?” Confirm that your particular service or product actually leads to a compelling result. Identify that result and write to it as often as possible.
Find your “voice.” Make “friends” through your dental marketing content.