Practice Marketing in a Time of Crisis
If you are a dentist you are basically in 1 of 2 categories:
- You are in a difficult financial position due to forced and voluntary practice shutdowns, and/or slowdowns in patient flow.
- You are in a stable financial position and can use this as an opportunity to invest and get ahead for when things return to normal.
For those of you in category 1:
We want to help you afford the most essential marketing tactics during this time period.
(1) Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – It is critical you do not lose your ranking in your online presence. If you shut down all efforts to maintain or improve your online ranking, it will likely be difficult and costly to regain your ranking at a later date. You’ve already invested for months or years to earn your current ranking. We recommend, at a minimum, running basic SEO with the specific goal of maintaining a general position in your online ranking. This includes regularly updating your Google business listing as it is the first search result that will be seen.
(2) Social Media – Everyone has migrated to social media for information and comfort in this time of stress and it is currently being used more than ever before. We feel it has never been more critical to maintain or build brand equity through social media. We recommend keeping or instigating a regular social media presence. Even when your team is unable to update your social media, this will ensure regular postings and information is relayed to the public.
(3) Website Updates – Your patients will need to stay updated on the current status of your practice. While this can and should be done through your social media, it is vital that your website is updated regularly to reflect the latest information.
To help your practice afford these essential tactics through the next few months, we are announcing a minimum services option.
This includes:
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – $499/mo.
- Google Business Listing optimization – Free Social Media Posting – $449/Mo.’
- Website Updates* – Free
- TOTAL = $948/mo.
In the past, we have charged $1,600 for the same services. We are confident that these represent the best way to keep your online presence and from being hurt while building brand equity. Both of these things will prepare you to emerge from this temporary period of uncertainty.
For those of you in category 2:
Many practices will be slowing or stopping all marketing activities. This presents a tremendous opportunity for those with the means to take advantage of it. For those in that position, here is what we feel would be the most beneficial right now:
(1) Enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – While others are reducing their online optimization, now is the time to take advantage of that and move your practice into optimal position. Keep in mind that where you rank is always in relation to your competitors, so as they reduce their efforts, it will be much easier to move up right now than it will be when things return to normal. This will include ongoing optimization of your Google business listing and overall citations.
(2) Pay Per Click (PPC) – Most dentists are reducing or stopping their pay per click accounts. This represents an opportunity in 3 areas: First, the traffic generated through PPC is vital in determining your overall ranking. As you implement PPC campaigns while others reduce or eliminate spend, it will more aggressively help to improve your ranking. Second, people still need emergency services. There are still significant numbers of searches being performed for dentistry, and particularly for emergency work. Now is a great time to build your patient base by attracting new patients for work that cannot wait until the pandemic has ended. Third, this is a great time to understand the analytics of how PPC works for your practice in your area so that when things return to normal and all of the people that have put off elective and preventative dentistry are ready to purchase services, you have the analytics to ensure a profitable campaign.
(3) Social Media – Everyone has migrated to social media for information and comfort in this time of stress and it is currently being used more than ever before. We feel it has never been more critical to maintain or build brand equity through social media. We recommend keeping or instigating a regular social media presence. Even when your team is unable to update your social media, this will ensure regular postings and information is relayed to the public. For those who can, we especially recommend running ads through social media. It will be a great way to target those in your community and accomplish the purpose of building brand equity at a time when it will be easiest to do so.
(4) Website Updates – Your patients will need to stay updated on the current status of your practice. While this can and should be done through your social media, it is vital that your website is updated regularly to reflect the latest information.
To help your practice afford to take advantage of these services, we are offering the following:
- Enhanced SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – $999/mo.
- Google Business Listing optimization – Free Pay Per Click Management (PPC) – $449/mo.
- Social Media Posting – $449/Mo.
- Ad Spend for PPC and Social Media – $1,000
- Website Updates* – Free
- TOTAL = $2,947/mo.
In the past, we have charged over $5,000 for the same services.
This strategy will help you to emerge from this temporary period of uncertainty way ahead of those who are not in a position to take advantage of this opportunity.
If you are a current client and would like to take advantage of either opportunity for your practice, please contact your strategist. If you are a new client that would like to explore this opportunity, contact an Ascent Marketing Specialist at 801-285-5672.
* In order for Ascent to make changes, we will need to have access to or have built the website. Certain website languages may not be able to be updated. In those cases where we cannot make changes, Ascent will provide suggested changes via email.
