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How Do I Bring In New Patients During Slower Months (Like Now, During Tax Season)?

There are several external marketing techniques that can be quite effective in attracting more patients. These can include:

Direct mail
A well-optimized web site
Coupon marketing
Print advertising
Even TV and radio

But remember, there are three keys to effectively implementing this process:

First, you need a solid brand developed for your practice which will allow the marketing to tell the story of "Why You". External advertising fails when you develop a "Name Recognition Ad" that just lists your services, without telling prospects what sets your practice apart.

Try this test: If you can remove your name from your ad and insert another orthodontist’s name and the ad works just as well for his/her practice, then you have not told potential patients anything unique to attract patients to your practice.

Second, all advertising should have a "Why Now" mechanism in the ad or a reason for the patient to call now. You could offer a discount with a time limit, or no-charge consultations with time limits. Even if you already offer these incentives to all patients anyway, by adding an expiration date on your offers you’ll drive more responses and customer buying behavior.

Third and last, if you are going to spend over $20,000 in external Marketing, it is "penny wise and pound foolish" not to hire a media consultant. A media consultant can do a multi-layered media analysis and based on the demographics of the specific patients you want, recommend which of the above external marketing ideas will target this group in your market.