Monday, July 6, 2015

Top 25 Marketing Strategies for Dentists (Vol. 3)

We bring you the final strategies from our three part series: Top 25 Marketing Strategies for Dentists. You already learned how marketing has evolved to offer you a choice of marketing techniques that work best for your practice and your budget.
Missed our previous articles? Read volume 1 here and volume 2 here.




Reactivation Marketing

Do you contact patients after a certain amount of time to remind them of their appointments? If so, you’re already doing a bit of reactivation marketing. Reactivation marketing is communicating, reconnecting and reengaging with patients who have not visited you for a period of time. While it can be challenging to reconnect with inactive patients, it is much more cost effective than acquiring new patients. Since you already have a lot of information on your patients, it allows you to personalize your message.

How to get started:

  • Start by pulling a list of patients who you haven’t seen in the past 12 months.
  • Send these patients a postcard offering an incentive if they respond to your postcard within a certain period of time. Try offering a free electric toothbrush or a whitening kit. 
  • For those who don’t respond, follow up with a letter from the doctor reminding them the importance of dental visits.
  • Finally, assign your team to call inactive patients. Rather than leave a message, make every effort to speak with the patient directly.
  • If none of the above works, put those patients on your archive list and move on. 
Systemize this process and implement into your team’s regular routine.

Local Marketing

Local marketing is a great way to create campaigns that are customized to a certain audience. Rather than taking a broad approach, try reaching out to a group within your community, such as the parents of your child’s soccer team, a nearby country club, the spin studio you attend, or your local Chamber of Commerce. By focusing on a niche area, you will likely see a better return on investment than if you were to do a broader campaign such as traditional ads in radio, TV, newspapers or magazines.

How to get started:

  • Network, network, network! Attend events in your community and hand out business cards. You can also offer to sponsor events, which shows your support for the community and gives your practice exposure.
  • If there aren’t any upcoming events, why not host your own at your office? Make use of social media and invite locals and patients. Ask your network to promote the event. The more the merrier!

Mobile Marketing

In 2013, Harris Interactive conducted a consumer survey showing that 72% of respondents are within five feet of their smartphones the majority of the time. In fact, more people are on their mobile devices than they are on computers or laptops. If you have a website or blog, ensure that it is optimized for mobile devices. Google also ranks sites higher when they are mobile friendly, so if your site is not optimized, your site will be harder to find even if you invest on SEO.

How to get started:

  • Invest in a responsive design for your website. Responsive is when your site will resize automatically no matter the size of the device it is being viewed on, ensuring that it is easy to read and navigate.
  • Use fewer images, minimal scrolling and navigation from page to page. Also use big buttons that are far apart for easier clicking.

Reputation Marketing

This is the combination of reputation management and brand marketing. Today’s consumers want to share their experiences and also learn what other people are saying about services before they commit. Reputations can be built or destroyed on consumer reviews. If you don’t manage your reputation, there can be devastating consequences.

How to get started:

  • Encourage your current patients to post an honest review - whether positive, neutral or negative - on Yelp, Google+ or their social media channels.
  • Monitor regularly what people say about your dental practice using platforms such as Hootsuite or Sproutsocial.  If you get a negative review, respond immediately on the online platform. Be sincere manner and offer to make their experience better.
  • Be sure to respond to positive feedback as well to build stronger relationships.

Brand Marketing

Brand marketing is about creating a positive visual and emotional impression. It is about providing a consistent and unique image that showcases the personality and quality of your practice. Strong brands are memorable, especially if you have an interesting logo or practice name.

How to get started:

  • List all the strengths of your practice. Do you have exceptional customer service? Do you use the latest technologies? Find your core strength and then begin to build your message.
  • Your message should be descriptive, yet short … no longer for than two sentences. This message will guide you throughout your content creation and advertisements.
  • Your logo should match your message, keeping in mind that it should also be welcoming, friendly and professional.
  • Once you’ve set your message and image, spread them throughout your network and in your advertisements.
Keep in mind, your brand is a combination of everything that your patients and potential patients experience – your logo, colours on your website, the tone of your message, your advertisements, staff, etc.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is identifying individuals with influence over potential customers. If an influencer shares your online content, this is one of the best ways to get exposure. A trusted influencer can bring instant credibility to you and your business.

How to get started:

  • Find an influencer. Influencers cannot be determined by the number of followers they have on social media. Influencers are trusted leaders within your industry. A good place to start your search is on dentistry sites like Drbicuspid.com or dentaltown.com, where there are many trusted contributors.
  • Connect with them. Follow them through their social media channels and subscribe to their articles. Establish an online connection by sharing their content, commenting on their work, asking questions and starting conversations. 
  • Once you’ve established a connection and are following them for some time, you’ll begin to see topics in which they are interested. Create content tailored to them and send it along for their feedback. As you continue to build your relationship with them, they may share your content to their following. Keep polishing your content and continue to build relationships with them.

New Marketing

The key to staying on top of the game is adapting to new and ever-evolving strategies and technologies. Even if you’ve been in practice for decades, you should always look for ways to evolve your marketing techniques. Whether there’s a new dental practice in town, new regulatory issues or change in consumer behaviour, resisting change could result in your business declining.

How to get started:

  • Observe the current market. Closely observe your industry and your competitors.
  • React fast. While it may be hard to adjust, procrastinating allows your competitors to get in before you. Earlier adaptation means you’re in a better place to serve your patients.
  • Remember, your customers come first. Be sure to ask for feedback and adjust your process to satisfy them.

Now that we’ve completed our series, Top 25 Marketing Strategies for Dentists, it’s time for you to determine which ones work best for you. You don’t need to implement them all, but the beauty of marketing is being able to try new techniques to reach different types of audiences. Pick and choose a combination from the list that works best for your practice and your budget.

Do you want to cut down your dental supply costs by 20%? Sign up now at Wazu

Friday, June 12, 2015

Complying with HIPPA – A List of Common Dos and Don’ts

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in 1996, this set a national standard in protecting health information, defined as individually identifiable health information in any form including oral, written and electronic. By now you are likely aware of how this affects dentists practicing in the United States. With an increased focus on compliance, every dentist should review his or her procedures to ensure they are covered in every aspect of their business.

To help you avoid the hefty maximum penalty of $1.5 million per incident, we gathered a list of common DOs and DON’Ts when it comes to complying with HIPAA. A lot on these may seem like common sense but it’s a great reminder of how easy it could be to violate HIPAA.

DO

  • Train all staff on HIPAA compliance and assign different security access levels to individual staff members.
  • Ensure patient files are protected so that unauthorized persons do not have access to files.
  • Store information on secure encrypted devices. 
  • Always log off your computers when you leave your desk.
  • Shred any patient records if you need to dispose of them.
  • Update HIPAA documents annually or otherwise necessitated by a change in practice circumstances. 
  • Promptly provide medical records should patients request them.
  • Ensure all forms have the proper signatures on them. 
  • Only provide the minimum level of necessary information to those with access to patient data.
  • Use a cover sheet when faxing health records.
  • Notify the Health & Human Services department should a breach occur.

DON’T

  • Text patient information – while we hope our phones will never get lost or stolen, it happens. 
  • Email private information unless it is a secure connection.
  • Snoop records when it is not necessary or requested – this includes looking into you and your family’s records!
  • Release information to unauthorized persons.
  • Release information to the wrong patient.
  • Discuss health information of patients in public areas.
  • Leave patient information over an answering machine.
  • Release information of a minor without permission of that parental/guardian.

This is not a definitive list, always consult a HIPAA compliance attorney with any questions you might have.

Do you want to cut down your dental supply costs by 20%? Sign up now at mywazu.com

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Dental Lab Work at a Glance: April 2015

Interested in knowing what type of work other dentists are sending to their lab? We've partnered with Frontier Dental Laboratories. to give you an overview of the type of work they see each month. Frontier works with dentists in United States, Canada and Europe, working with the most innovative technologies and the best materials so that each tooth is not just beautiful, but the best possible tooth available.

Here is the summary of data in April 2015
  • The rate of posterior crowns were 64% and 36% for anterior restorations.
  • 80.6% prefer metal free materials such as E-Max, zinconia and empress 

Monday, May 25, 2015

Top 25 marketing strategies for dentists (Vol.2)

Introduction:

This week, we bring you eight more marketing strategies designed to help you maintain strong ties with your clients, build your dental practice’s reputation, and boost your bottom line. Remember: marketing matters, but it’s not all about big billboards and flashing lights.

Read the previous article here.

Email marketing

For many businesses, email marketing is still one of the most effective strategies used to connect with customers. For smaller companies, like dental practices, email is a great way to market your services, without having to break the bank.

Perks:

  • Email marketing is an effective tool for promoting new products or services to existing and prospective patients. And, if done right, it can help build customer loyalty and trust in your dental practice.
  • Unlike other forms of marketing — like mail outs or newspaper advertising — email is incredibly affordable, and environmentally friendly.

How to get started:

  • The first step to effective email marketing is to build (and maintain) an up-to-date contact list. Start by obtaining a list of your existing clients’ email addresses. Then collect names and email addresses of prospective clients by posting a sign-up form on the website of your dental office. If you have a new patient on board, remember to ask for their email address during the initial appointment.
  • Once you have an up-to-date contact list, create an email marketing strategy. Consider how often you should be sending email to your clients, and what kind of content is worth sharing. Avoid bombarding them with too many messages — if communication is too frequent, they’ll begin to tune you out and look to unsubscribe from updates altogether.
  • With a strategy in place, now it’s time to draft that first email. Consider using email campaign software, like MailChimp, which offers mobile-friendly templates that can be easily customized.
  • Remember to make your email as visually engaging as possible — an email campaign containing photos or a video will grab your clients’ attention and keep them reading longer.
  • Before you hit send, make sure you’ve personalized your campaign using dynamic tags, which will ensure your clients are addressed by their first name when they open up the message. Also be sure to include a link to your website and all your social media channels to drive readers online for more news and information.
  • If you’re already familiar with email campaigns, try taking it one step further: send automated emails to target audiences. Have a client that cancelled their dental appointment? Send an automated email acknowledging the cancellation and reminding them to call or sign up for their next appointment. Or, if you have a client who is long overdue for a teeth cleaning, consider sending them an automated email with a promotional offer. While it will take time to categorize your clients into distinct audiences, automated email marketing can lead to great results and increase customer loyalty, without going over your marketing budget.

Online marketing

When it comes to online marketing, the sky’s the limit. But, as a dental practice, the most important form of online marketing you can invest in is a strong, dynamic website. Without an online presence, you’re missing out on huge business opportunities.

Perks:

  • First and foremost, having a website makes it easy for your clients to find the information they need morning, noon, or night. And, by placing key details online, like office hours and holiday schedules, you’ll reduce the number of calls to your front desk, enabling your staff to redirect their energy to other office projects.
  • Having a website also makes it easy for new customers to find you through a quick search.
  • You can also boost customer loyalty and attract new clients by offering helpful information on your website in the form of videos or blog posts.
  • Using platforms, like Google Analytics, you can also begin to track key details — like what cities your visitors are based, and what pages are getting the most views. With increased insight, you’ll be able to strengthen your website and continue to boost your online reputation.

How to get started:

  • Whether you hire a web designer, or choose to go with a free template, it’s important that your website not only looks professional, but is also mobile-friendly.
  • Once you have a design in place, make it easy for your clients to find what they’re looking for using intuitive headings and a clear navigational structure. And remember to make it easy for visitors to find need-to-know information, like office hours, contact information, and service offerings.
  • Don’t forget to put your website to work. You can add a lot of value to your site by giving your clients the option to schedule their next appointment online. Or, post a few client testimonials on your site so that visitors can see what makes your practice stand out from the competition.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketing

Consider the last time you wanted to find out what Greek restaurants in your neighbourhood were open on a Sunday. Where did you turn to? The answer, almost definitely, was online — and to a search engine, like Google, Bing or Yahoo. Everyday, millions of people turn to search engines to quickly find what they’re looking for. Search results are ranked (or listed) in order of what the search engine considers most relevant. And while the results may contain a few paid ads (marked as paid and sitting at the top of the search results), the other webpage listings are generated through an organic search, with top results appearing in order of what’s most relevant based on the user’s search query.
But how do you get to the top of the list of organic search results if you’re one of hundreds of dentists in a city? That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. Using just a few simple SEO techniques, you can help boost your website’s ranking and get above the rest.

Perks:

  • It’s unlikely that visitors will click through to the next page of search results, let alone scroll beyond the first three websites listed. With a strong search engine optimization marketing strategy, your website is more likely to appear higher in the list of search results, which will ultimately drive more visitors to your site and boost business.

How to get started:

  • A key way to boost your rank in search engine results is to add fresh content to your website at least once a week. Why? Many search engines, like Google, give higher ranking to sites that are updated on a regular basis. Don’t know what more you could post to your site? Consider starting a blog, complete with dental health tips, community event listings, and dental promotions or deals.
  • Outside of adding fresh content, using keywords is another easy way to boost your website’s rank in the list of search results. Start by identifying keywords used in the industry and incorporate them into your website copy. You may want to check out tools, like Google Adwords: Keyword Planner, to see how popular keywords worked in the past and learn how well they’ll perform in the future!
  • While there are a number of search engine optimization agencies that can help you boost your rankings, be mindful of those that promise guaranteed results. Ranking high with an organic search does not come easy.
  • Finally, remember to be patient. It will take time for your search engine optimization marketing strategy to pay off, especially in competitive industries, like dentistry.

Local citations marketing

Citations are essentially online references. Anytime the name of your dental practice is mentioned, or listed on another website (with or without a link), you've earned a citation. And in the world of search engine optimization, that’s a good thing. In fact, citations are particularly important when it comes to local search rankings. If the citation includes your practice’s full address, phone number and website link, even better.

Perks:

  • Citations are good for your bottom line, as they bring added exposure to your dental practice and can help attract new clients who may not have otherwise heard of, or considered you.

How to get started:

  • While an online phone directory, or job listing website, are perfect examples of areas you can earn a citation, there are many other, more creative, and much more effective online spaces to get listed.
  • If you've invested in cause marketing and are already supporting a charity, you can gain a quick and easy citation by being listed on their website’s sponsor page.
  • Also consider other relationships you have with businesses and suppliers. If you offer a particular product, like aligners, have the company list you on their website as a practice that offers their product.
  • Invest the time in setting up social profiles with online search discovery services and interfaces, like Google My Business or Foursquare. You’ll not only gain more citations, but have the power to update your company information and address when needed.

Paid search marketing

If you have the budget, paid search marketing (buying key words and online ad space) can be incredibly powerful and bring your website to the top of search results. With this form of marketing, you’re essentially paying to have your website display for certain keywords. When a potential client runs a search using your selected keywords, your practice’s website will appear front and centre.

Perks:

  • Though it comes with a price tag, paid search is an effective way to get your dental practice noticed.
  • In the end, paid search marketing translates to more traffic to your website and ultimately more clients coming through your front door.

How to get started:

  • Start small and set a reasonable budget — sometimes even just $50 to $100 set aside for paid search marketing a month can lead to great results.
  • After you’ve determined how much you want to spend, choose your keywords carefully. Take the time to investigate which keywords are more likely to drive visitors to your site. Resist the urge to go with broad or general keywords, like 'dentist' or 'root canal'. Not sure where to begin when it comes to selecting keywords? Use sites like SEMrush to see what other dentists in your area are using!
  • If you choose to go ahead with paid search marketing, it’s important to monitor the impact using website analytics. If you notice a keyword not attracting as many visitors or producing the results (or conversions) it once did, it may be time to find a new keyword or two.

Retarget marketing

A large number of visitors to your website will leave without ever making a call to book a dental appointment. But, using a retargeting marketing strategy, you can help turn that around. How? With retarget advertising, a small bit of code (known as a cookie) is stored on an individual’s device every time they visit your website. Once they leave your site, they’ll begin seeing your practice’s advertisements at the top or side of other webpages they visit. Essentially, with this form of marketing, you’re looking to ‘re-target’ prospective customers and turn them into new clients.

Perks:

  • Retarget marketing is a great way to reengage with potential clients who have already shown an interest in your practice by visiting your website. Simply put, it’s a more targeted form of advertising than other search-based marketing approaches.
  • Like all forms of marketing, retarget ads will give your dental practice greater exposure and help you get ahead of the competition.

How to get started:

  • The first step is to select a retargeting platform – if you’re new to marketing, consider going with a managed platform (where providers will handle the retargeting efforts for you), rather than a self-service platform. Once you become more experienced, you can move to a self-service platform, which will give you greater control over your results.
  • The next step is to establish your targeting parameters. There can be a lot to factors to consider, but start with some of the basics. Select the audience geography, determine the time of day you’d like the ads to appear, and cap the frequency so visitors don’t get bombarded by your ads everywhere they go online (remember: you can turn potential clients away if your marketing efforts come across as too strong).
  • When developing a retargeting ad, remember that not all clients are created equal. Use different ad copy and direct visitors to different areas of your website depending on what kind of visitor they are. For example, if it’s a prospective client, consider directing them to an online appointment form so they can schedule their first appointment without any hassle.

Direct-to-consumer press release marketing

Historically, press releases have been used by public relations firms and organizations to get their message to the media. But now, online news aggregators, like Google News, are opening up opportunities for smaller companies and individuals to spread their news (and press releases) with the click of a button.

Perks:

  • With direct-to-consumer press release marketing, there’s no need to remain well connected with the media. Simply post your press releases to your website and let online news aggregators, like Google News, do the rest. It’s syndication at its best.
  • And, unlike traditional forms of advertising that come with a big price tag, direct-to-consumer press release marketing won’t require you to write a big check. Simply draft your message and publish!

How to get started:

  • If you’re interesting in press release marketing, the key is to start by familiarizing yourself with how to write an effective release. It’s important to make sure you have something worth announcing. For example, will you be offering a new product or service? Just remember to have a clear message — trying to squeeze in more than one or two will only dilute the impact of your release and confuse your clients.
  • When you’re creating direct-to-consumer press releases, it’s important to also offer more than just news. Give your clients a reason to read the release and take action. Will they be offered a special deal, or free consultation if they sign up today, for example?
  • When using a call to action in your release, remember that all links should redirect to a designated landing page, complete with more information about dental services and products on offer.
  • Outside of relying on key terms to help bump your release to the top of the search results, you may also want to consider signing up with a wire service company, like Business Wire, that will take care of distributing your news for you.

Evangelism marketing

While it may be similar to word-of-mouth, evangelism marketing takes it one step further. Use this strategy and you’ll witness your clients turn into spokespeople (or evangelists) for your dental practice, helping to spread the good news to their friends and family.

Perks:

  • With evangelism marketing, you’ll have an edge up over your competition. Why? Client ‘evangelists’ are not only more likely to come back more regularly for cleaning and try out new service offerings, but promote your work to the wider community and help you attract more clients.

How to get started:

  • Evangelism marketing is not something that you can implement overnight. Like word-of-mouth marketing, it relies on strong customer relationships, and these take time to build.
  • While your dental office is a good place to start developing bonds with your clients, you may want to invest in a social media platform, like Facebook, that allows you to engage directly with your clients and monitor their feedback online. Having a social media presence will also enable your clients to comment or share news you post with their friends and family, helping to further raise awareness of your practice.
  • Remember: like all effective strategies, evangelism marketing won’t work unless you’re listening to your clients and are receptive to feedback. If one of your clients recommends implementing a new service, be sure to let them know you’re listening and are open to the suggestion!

We are launching very soon. Sign up now at www.mywazu.com and we’ll notify you the minute we open the door.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Top 25 marketing strategies for dentists (Vol.1)

Introduction:


From the construction of billboards and the broadcast of television commercials through to the dawn of digital advertising, the world of marketing has evolved dramatically over the past century. Just ask Don Draper.

And while it may not be top on your list of priorities as a dentist, marketing matters.

Here at Wazu, we want to ensure you’re employing marketing strategies that will not only help you maintain strong ties with your client base and build your practice’s reputation, but boost your bottom line.  That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top 25 marketing strategies to help you do just that. In this first post, we drill down on 10 strategies that are sure to change the way you look at marketing. Because it’s not all about big billboards and flashing lights.

Social media marketing


Though still fairly new to the scene, social media marketing is expanding and evolving quickly. With such rapid advancement, comes expanded opportunities to market your dental practice online, using platforms like FacebookTwitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Youtube, and Intstagram.

Perks:

  • Social media is an excellent strategy to employ if you don’t have a huge budget for marketing. Unlike more traditional forms of print advertising, social media doesn’t have to come with a big price tag.
  • Outside of saving you money, social media is a great investment when it comes to client engagement. Sites like Facebook and Twitter offer you a unique opportunity to connect and build a relationship with existing and prospective clients in a direct, and personal manner.

How to get started:

  • If you’re new to social media, it’s best to start small. And remember, social media channels are extremely diverse, so get to know your client base and see what social networks they prefer before you sign up.
    Further reading: A Beginner’s Social Media Guide for Small Businesses 
  • Once you’ve decided what channel(s) will help you effectively connect with your clients, develop a detailed content strategy and post fresh content daily to help keep your customers engaged.
  • You may also want to consider signing up for an account with a social media management platform like Hootsuite, which enables you to monitor all your social networks in one place, schedules posts and tweets, and respond to conversations happening in real time.
  • And don’t forget to track performance, with platforms like Google Analytics, which allows you to measure and analyze your results to ensure your social media channels are helping you achieve your marketing and business goals.

Content marketing


Unlike more traditional marketing strategies that aim to pitch and sell products or services, content marketing is all about engaging – and sometimes educating – your clients with relevant, informative content, like webinars, digital newsletters, blogs, or even videos.

Perks:

  • By delivering valuable information directly to your customers, you’ll begin to engage, build loyalty and ultimately attract and retain new and existing clients.
  • But that’s not all. With content marketing, you’re the sole content creator and distributor, which means you no longer have to rely on others to get the word out about your dental practice.

How to get started:

  • With content marketing, start by determining what avenues, or platforms your clients are most likely to engage with. For example, would a monthly e-newsletter be more appealing than watching a video?
  • Next, find out what topics would be most relevant to your clients. Do they want to learn more about gum health or teeth whitening?
  • Finally, after you've determined the appropriate channel(s) for delivering your content, and what the ‘hot topic’ issues are for your customers, create an editorial calendar to keep track of what’s coming up.

Seasonal marketing


When the flowers begin to bloom in spring, don’t just stop and smell the roses. Take advantage of the season as a marketing opportunity! Seasonal marketing centers on using the seasons — whether they be special holidays or simply peak times throughout the year — to remind clients of your dental services, and perhaps offer a promotion or two.

Perks:

  • A well-timed seasonal marketing strategy is often one of the best ways to get noticed by new — and existing — clients. Don’t believe us? Just think of how effective summer sandal sales are for your favourite shoe retailer.

How to get started:

  • Like all marketing strategies, seasonal marketing starts with getting to know your customer. Determine what holidays, or special occasions your customers celebrate and go from there.
  • Once you have the holidays and seasons listed, develop a seasonal marketing strategy to build loyalty amongst your clients. For example, consider offering your customers a targeted treatment plan in January – after all, it’s a new year and opportunity for a ‘new you.’ Or, offer parents a back-to-school discount for their children in September, or a “sweet tooth clean-up” deal for Valentine’s Day in February. The opportunities are endless.
    Further reading: Seasonal Marketing Ideas

Personalized marketing


Personalized marketing represents the ultimate form of targeted marketing, and requires a tailored approach when it comes to offering services or products to your customers. Remember, each and every one of your clients are unique – which means they’ll be interested in different dental services, depending on their needs.

Perks:

  • While personalized marketing may sound like a lot of work — and often is — the investment is worth it. Why? Businesses that adopt a personalized marketing approach are guaranteed to reap huge benefits. In fact, companies that have already employed this technique have reported spikes in sales. Just think about how Netflix recommends movie choices based on your viewing history – or perhaps that of your kids.

How to get started:

  • Personalized marketing can take many forms – it could be as simple as greeting your client by name at the door! But, of course, it can also be much more sophisticated.
  • Sending out an e-newsletter to your clients over the holidays? Take advantage of tags that can be used to address recipients by their first name — we’re sure you’ll see a boost in your open and click rate.
  • Or, go one step further and research what dental services your clients use the most. If you have a customer that comes in for whitening once a year, why not offer them a discount on their next whitening visit to motivate them to come back sooner?

Diversity marketing


Diversity marketing involves employing effective communication techniques to target — and ultimately attract — a diverse customer base.

Perks:

  • By appealing to customers from a wide range of backgrounds, you’ll expand your client base and boost your bottom line.
  • People are also more likely to engage with organizations that openly support diversity.

How to get started:

  • Begin by analyzing your current marketing materials. Do you have a poster to help promote your practice? Take a look at who’s represented in that poster, and who isn’t, and then ask why.
  • If your marketing collateral doesn't reflect the community you’d like to attract to your dental practice, it’s time to go back to the drawing board. Begin by tailoring your messages to clients from a range of backgrounds.
  • Remember: You’ll never diversify your client base, if you don’t diversify your marketing strategy.

Transactional marketing


Transactional marketing is all about driving up sales (or transactions) using tried-and-true techniques, such as reward cards, coupons, and promotions.

Perks:

  • Transactional marketing involves little investment and no long-term commitment on your part. In fact, it’s one of the easiest ways to bring more customers to your door and help your dental practice turn a profit.

How to get started:

  • It’s easy. Why not try establishing a rewards system for your customers? 
  • Or, if there are services you’d like more of your patients to try, why not offer them a first-time discount to help drive an immediate sale?

Relationship marketing


Selling a product or service is one thing, but if you haven’t invested in building a relationship with your customers, there’s no guarantee they’ll come back for more. This is where relationship marketing comes in. Unlike transactional marketing, which focuses on simply selling a product or service, relationship marketing is all about building a strong rapport with your clients and keeping it — that’s the kicker!

Perks:

  • By building good relationships with your customers, you’ll gain a steady stream of clientèle, and by doing so, be able to plan and budget better. Hairdressing is a perfect example of just how important relationship marketing can be for your bottom line. If you’re like most people, you swear by your stylist and dread the idea of going anywhere else. Why do you keep going back? It’s not just because you've walked away with a great cut, but a wonderful conversation. You’re invested in the relationship.
  • Once you've built a strong customer base, you may also begin to see your dental practice grow. After all, if your current clients are happy, they’re more likely to recommend your practice to others.

How to get started:

  • Because relationship marketing involves getting to know your customers on a more intimate level, you need to ensure you’re tracking their preferences. Some businesses will invest in sophisticated customer relationship management (CRM) software to help manage client preferences and activities, making it easier to act on customer information. But you don’t have to invest in a new platform just yet.
  • Instead, start by really getting to know your clients and making a simple note of their preferences — this will enable you to provide a tailored experience down the road. For example, if your clients have toddlers who are teething, why not call them, or send an email with tips for soothing sore gums? In the end, through relationship marketing, you’ll begin to enter your clients’ everyday lives, which means when they chip that tooth or decide they want a straighter smile, they wont think twice before coming to you.

Cause marketing


With cause marketing you can set your practice apart from the competition by rallying behind a good cause or partnering with a non-profit or charity.

Perks:

How to get started:

  • Don’t just pick a charity out of a hat and hope it will help bring you business. Do your research and select a cause that is near and dear to your heart, and one that your clients can get behind too. Oftentimes, supporting a local charity or service organization in your community is a good place to start. If your chosen cause relates to dentistry even better!
  • After you’ve narrowed it down, approach the charity or non-profit and see if they’re interested in partnering. Walk them through what you had in mind and come armed with a list of ways you can help each other. For instance, could you offer joint promotions and offers?
  • In the end, cause marketing is not just about making a donation to a charity. It’s about going much further and making a name for your practice by making a difference. It’s a win-win strategy.

Viral video marketing


Unlike promotional videos that deliberately aim to sell a product or service, viral video marketing centers on telling a story that demonstrates the value of your business (by not actually having to state it). By creating gripping visual content that draws on your customer’s emotions, you won’t need to spend time and effort distributing and promoting your video. Others will do it for you.

Perks:

  • One of the biggest advantages of viral video marketing is that your content will start to spread like wildfire, reaching a far greater audience than a promotional video about your dental practice ever could.
  • Viral videos are also often deemed to be more credible than promotional videos, as viewers are choosing to share the content, and by doing so, essentially recommending it to their circle of friends.
  • At the end of the day, viral video marketing will also save you money. Though a video may cost a bit to create, if the message is strong, the crowd will pick it up and distribute it for free.

How to get started:

  • Viral videos almost always succeed because they make you laugh, pull at your heartstrings, or make you look at the world in a different way. Start by determining what message you want to share, and how you can employ storytelling techniques to reach your client base.
  • After you’ve settled on the story you’d like to tell, grab your camera, or hire a videographer to help you craft the perfect piece.
  • Before you launch your video, make sure you’ve given viewers the tools they need to easily share your message. Social sharing icons, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, will work like a charm.

Word-of-mouth marketing


Don’t forget good old-fashioned word-of-mouth marketing — we’ve been doing it since the dawn of time. And it remains one of the most powerful marketing strategies around.

Perks:

  • Word-of-mouth marketing is incredibly effective. Just think of how you’re more likley to visit a new restaurant, or stay at a B&B if it’s come highly recommended by a family member or close friend. The same is true in the dental industry — your potential dental clients will trust recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising!
  • This strategy is also incredibly targeted and inexpensive. No need to invest in fancy ads and distribute them widely. A little tête-à-tête between close friends is all that’s needed to boost the reputation of your dental practice.

How to get started:

  • The success of word-of-mouth marketing hinges on your customer’s satisfaction with your practice. And this comes back to relationship marketing — and ensuring that your clients are happy.
  • You may want to consider giving your current clients the power to invite their friends and offer them an exclusive discount to try out your practice.
  • Remember: In this digital age, having a strong online presence is critical to word-of-mouth marketing. Maintain a website, and get active on social media channels to ensure your clients can spread the word about your practice with the click of a button.
We are launching very soon. Sign up now at www.mywazu.com and we’ll notify you the minute we open the door.

Friday, May 8, 2015

7 books every dentist must read

When it comes to running a dental practice, we know you have a lot to juggle. Between handling extractions, bridges, dentures, and fillings, you’re also busy overseeing inventory and billing and marketing your services to keep the molars marching in. But don’t let the ‘day-to-day’ hold you back from exploring new ideas and ways of doing business. In fact, whether you’re a seasoned professional, with decades of experience under your belt, or a fresh face in the industry looking to grow your client base and dental practice, we know there are things you could be doing differently. That’s why we’ve gathered a list of 7 books to help you do just that. Written by experts in — and outside — the dental industry, our top 7 picks offer a great selection of business-savvy tips and advice on everything from team building to customer service. So don’t let ‘business as usual’ hold you back. Keep your mind open and get ready for the ride – and read – of your life.

On business principles and management


Simple Rules: How to Thrive in a Complex World

Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of doing business? Authors Donald Sull and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt argue that just a few simple rules are all you need to tackle even the most complex problems. In this book, these strategy experts offer up concrete examples of how simple rules have helped individuals, governments and businesses make better decisions. So go on, crack open this book and find out how you can apply a few simple rules to maximize your practice’s potential. There’s no reason to start, or stay, small. Just keep it simple.







Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Other’s Don’t

When it comes to choosing between a good company and a great company – it’s a no brainer. But can a good company become a great company? That’s the question American business consultant and author Jim Collins posed to a team of researchers half a decade ago. And, after examining the traits of over 14000 companies, Collins and his team came up with a definitive answer: yes, the transition is possible. In this book, learn about companies at the top of their game and discover about the common traits that helped them succeed.







Scaling Up

Looking to grow your dental practice? Then don’t miss Verne Harnish’s latest book Scaling Up, which offers tools and techniques designed to help you build your business venture. After reading Harnish’s book, you’ll walk away with a growth strategy that will not only help you earn more money, but ensure everyone in your practice is on board and excited to be part of the upward journey. In addition to being a great read, we recommend this book because it offers hands-on tools, including a one-page strategic plan template and checklist to help you scale up your dental practice successfully.





Managing a Dental Practice: The Genghis Khan Way

Don’t be fooled by the title of this book. In Managing a Dental Practice: The Genghis Khan Way, retired dentist and best-selling author Michael R. Young offers a unique perspective and practical guide on empire building in the dental industry through the lens of one of history’s most dynamic leaders. Discover how to employ century-old strategies to enrich your dental practice management skills.









On team building and resource management


Work Rules!

We’ve all heard about the perks that come from working at Google. But you don’t have to build on-site swimming pools and offer free haircuts for your staff in order to boost happiness and productivity. In Work Rules!, a new book by Laszlo Bock, the SVP of People Operations at Google, you’ll get the inside scoop on how to strike a balance between creativity and structure. You’ll also discover how one of the most successful companies in the world has managed to improve their employees’ quality of life, while increasing market share.






Drive

While you’re busy stocking your bookshelf, don’t forget this great read by career analyst Daniel H. Pink. In Drive, Pink unveils that there are better ways to motivate people than simply using the old carrot-and-stick approach. Instead, see what scientists and entrepreneurs are saying about human motivation, and learn how three simple principles — autonomy, mastery, and purpose — can help drive your dental practice forward.










On customer service

“I Love You More than My Dog”

You’re already familiar with the age-old saying ‘the customer is always right.’ But once you read Jean Bliss’s I Love You More than My Dog, you’ll start looking at customer service in a different light. In this book, you’ll be equipped with the tools to build a strong client base and learn how just five simple decisions can help guarantee extreme customer loyalty.










We told you that you would be in for the read of your life. Now put your reading glasses on and get started!


Stop taking it up the Wazu! Find the best deals on dental supplies with the click of a button

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Top 5 Apps for Dentists

From health, games to education, there are 1.2 million apps in the app store just waiting to be discovered. Among them are ones to supplement your dentistry practice or boost your productivity at work. But who wants to look through lists and lists of apps for the best and most useful? Luckily, we did the work for you so you don’t have to. Here are our top 5 apps for dentists.


 KidsDental by Orca Health, Inc.

Let’s be honest. No amount of free, colourful toothbrushes or toothpaste will attract the attention of young kids while they’re in your waiting room or chair. KidsDental is an animated a designed to entertain and educate children to learn about basic tooth care. Share this app with your young patients and their parents; you just might see more children eager to visit you in the future. A feature on the app allows children and their parents to input data about significant events into a calendar, such as losing their first tooth or their next visit to your office!

 Canvas

As a dentist and a businessperson, you know how much paper you go through each year with patient files and information. Help manage your office with this handy app that aims to reduce the amount of paperwork you do. Create forms, store information, gather data and access information from a secure cloud – this app will help you save on the hours you send to keep patient information organized. Here’s to efficiency and being environmentally friendly!

 DDS Anywhere by Dental Anywhere, Inc.

As a dedicated dentist, you want to be available for your patients during any emergency situation. Dental Anywhere allows your patients to communicate with you quickly making treatment convenience and safe. Use the app to easily present your treatment plans to your patients from a library of premade presentations so your patients can get a full understanding of your proposed treatment. With a library of premade presentations, you can easily showcase your treatments to your patients. Your patients can alert you through the app in emergency situations, access treatment information, request an appointment with you and sync appointments to their calendar so they can stay on top of their oral health.


  Eprocrates Rx

With over 2,000 reviews and over 1 million active members, this app delivers accurate and trusted clinical information to healthcare professionals. Quickly access medical information through some of the key features including of the app such as its mobile clinical reference library, medical news updates, and information on disease diagnosis, insurance codes and alternative treatment options.


 Dental Manager

Patients often deprioritize oral health because of cost. With this app, you can easily help your patients calculate costs of your treatment plan while setting up a payment plan to ensure both of you can find the best solution. This app also allows you to store contact information and notes of patients for easy accessibility.

Friday, May 1, 2015

How we got our start and why we decided to fill the gap

Over the past several decades, we've watched the dental industry grow by leaps and bounds — with rapid advances in science and changes to the very tools and materials used by practices around the world. But despite all the developments, we noticed there was one area that had failed to keep up with the times: the business of ordering dental supplies.

And that, in a nutshell, is why we created Wazu.

As a privately-owned, founder-led company head-quartered in Vancouver, Canada — armed with nearly twenty years of experience in the industry — we knew ordering dental supplies could be easier.

So we decided to take matters into our own hands and fill the gap by designing an easy-to-use platform that streamlines and simplifies the purchasing journey.

With Wazu, our users are able to search for what they want, when they want.
No more sales pitch. No hassle.

And, because we don’t have any ties to a particular vendor, we don’t shy away from revealing the true cost of every product, down to the penny.  In fact, using our price comparison model, our clients are able to find great deals on thousands of guaranteed products across today’s biggest industry vendors — with the click of a button.

When it comes time to replenish our customer’s stock, we also believe in a no-hassle approach. We keep shipping addresses and past orders on file so that our customers can place future orders without having to go back to the starting blocks.

But here at Wazu, we don’t believe in just giving our clients the tools to find what they’re looking for — at the price they want. Whether they’re based in Los Angeles or Kentucky, as a registered user, they’ll gain instant access to industry news and insights.

We've moved the business of ordering dental supplies into the 21st century. Now it’s your turn to join the movement and start saving money and time so that you can get back to the things that really matter. And that means more than just flossing.