As a dentist, you see a variety of patients come through your doors. Some are price-shoppers, some don’t return for treatment, and some are what you would call, your Ideal Patient; they keep their appointments, they refer others to the practice, they pay on time, and you have great rapport with them. An ideal patient looks different for each practice. For example, some practices may desire more implant patients while others are looking for more families and general dentistry patients. Whatever your perfect patient may look like, it is essential to the growth of your practice to first identify this patient, and then to determine how to market to them based upon their behaviors and preferences.
The first step is to identify. When you think of your favorite patients, what do they all have in common? Where do they live, work, and play? What do they do in their free time? Do they have a family? Are they dog-lovers? What kinds of cars do they drive? Do they have perfect teeth or do they need cosmetic work? Are they older, candidates for full mouth reconstruction? What kind of insurance they have? Get as granular as you possibly can. Write it down. Create your practice’s wish list.
The next step is to identify real life patients that fit your criteria. Who do you get excited about when you see them on the schedule? Which patients are loyal, responsive, and pleasant to be around? If you are looking to book more high-ticket procedures, look to the recent high-ticket treatment plans you’ve completed. Generate a list of these awesome patients.
Always keep your list top of mind. Nurture your list and nurture the patients on the list. Make sure your staff is aware of the definition of your ideal patient and treat them like gold. Reserve early morning or lunch appointments for them or send them a thank you card after they make a referral. Oftentimes, we find that referrals from ideal patients will generate more patients of that nature.
Don’t forget to ask them questions. It’s okay to be candid with your patients. Ask them, what brought you to the practice? What keeps you coming back? What is the best way for you to schedule appointments? Do you pay attention to any promotional materials? Jot down their answers and use these as low hanging fruits for how to target more patients similar to them. For example, if your excellent chair-side manner stands out as a top reason why patients love your practice, take note of that and make sure every single patient you see experiences it.
Lastly, keep them engaged. Make sure that you are keeping your practice top-of-mind for your ideal patients (both current and potential) through media they prefer most. For example, if your ideal patients came to you through your Facebook page, then keep posting on Facebook, engage with as many users as possible, and continue to grow your following. Really try to hone in on what your ideal patients find relevant.
You don’t have to do this alone. If you’re swamped with running a dental practice and caring for your patients, you’re not alone. Big Buzz has worked with hundreds of practices and has surveyed thousands of their ideal patients. If you need assistance identifying ideal patients, asking them those top questions, and implementing a strategy based on real research, contact us today. We can help your unique practice to grow your perfect patient base. Get your free call now
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