Are there creative ways to draw new patients to your practice without cutting prices?
Are you feeling the pinch at your practice? More competition, more competitors, potentially reducing prices. Are you feeling like you’re in a race to the bottom? Well, in this video, I’m going to show you a simple four-step process. It’s a creative process to help you attract more new patients without cutting prices. Make sure you stay to the end because I’ve got a nice freebie for you.
The important thing in step one is to get people to take their eyes off the price. The only way to do that is to provide something different from everyone else. Think about it: if you were the only person in your local area or even the whole of Australia selling something unique, price would become less of an issue. The challenge in dentistry is that many people think, “Oh, well, all dentists are the same, aren’t they?” Of course, the answer is no, they’re not.
Step two, with that mindset of taking their eyes off the price, is to focus on niches—”niches”, as the Americans call them. Pick a particular group of people and create a bundled product that speaks directly to them. I promise you, if you do this, nobody else in the market will be doing the same.
Now, what’s a niche? A niche could be based on a medical condition, for example, people with diabetes. It could relate to a stage of life, such as kids having their first visit to the dentist. It could even reflect people’s interests—for instance, someone getting married. You can create a bundle to cater to their needs.
The question is, how do you identify the niche? The simplest way is to look at your existing patients. Print out a report of patients who have spent the most money and look at the top of that list. What are their common interests? While not all of them will share the same traits, you’re looking for a specific group that you can target with bundled offerings.
For example, you could bundle a regular service like a check-up and clean with additional elements tailored to the niche. For diabetic patients, you might also include a blood pressure check, provide educational materials, or even create a video like this one—something you can record once and reuse. Perhaps include a quiz or assessment as part of the package,and call it something like “The Ultimate Diabetes Dental Pack.”
Similarly, you could create a package for kids, including a video for parents about their child’s first dental visit, fun activities for the kids, and more. Central to these packages is still one of your regular dental services. Another example could be for people getting married. You might offer an exam and whitening alongside resources like a wedding-ready dental guide or a voucher for a related service. These bundles take the focus off pricing and shift it towards the added value.
Step three is marketing, which is crucial. Give your packages a catchy name. I’ve written down a few examples: “Terrific Toddler First Dental Visit,” for instance. Alliteration works well because it makes the name memorable. A good name piques curiosity—parents will see it and think, “Oh, that’s interesting; I’ve not seen that before.”
Beyond the name, think about where your target market spends their time. For example, if you’re targeting diabetic patients, you could partner with a local diabetes nurse. For kids, you could engage with parenting groups. The key is to reach people where they already are.
I promised four steps, but here’s a bonus tip: partner with neighbouring businesses. Who says your bundle has to be limited to just your services? For instance, you could partner with a local kids’ park and include a discount as part of your kids’ dental package. Or partner with a jewellery store, offering free jewellery cleaning as part of a wedding package. The goal is to think about what appeals to your target audience, bundle it together, and create a unique offering. Nobody else in your area will be doing this, and it takes the focus off price by highlighting the value of the entire package.
As I mentioned at the start, this is all about creative ways to draw new patients without cutting prices. If you found this video helpful, please like it, and check out the link in the bio for free resources. See you next time!