Ask any dentist and you’ll probably get many intellectually sounding answers to this complicated question. The reason is most dentists are very smart. They are very keen on being methodically perfect at everything they do.  They know a lot about a lot of things. But, usually they don’t know much about the simple things like getting new patients.  But , most of all is what to do with them once you get them and how to keep them interested in what you have to offer… forever.

Think of the main difference as being one is more generalized and the other is more targeted or directed.  Unfortunately, the dental community has confused both of these topics more than needed. They have been used alternatively but to mean the same thing.

In reality, advertising is that thing we have to do to let the world know we exist, that we are there and willing to do business with anyone.  It is as simple as letting your kid’s teacher know you are a dentist. As simple as inviting everyone in your office complex for a wine and cheese get together. That is real world advertising. That is the genuine type of everyday advertising you should always be doing. This type of communication is better known as “image or branding” type of advertising. This builds recognition but it does zero in having the reader take action.  Dentists generally do not have the budget or time to have this type of campaign. They need to see results right away or become log jammed with over budget expenses.  Nevertheless, we must always do this form of image advertising on a personal level. This will over time bring in quality patients that stay and refer others.

Take for instance… when you hear. “ Just Do It”  You know who that belongs to. How about “ 30 minutes or it’s FREE” You know that was an old Dominos commercial.  More recent, Southwest Airlines has that very familiar jingle and a very familiar “ DING” or “Do you want to get away?” These are all image, branding based.

As a dentist, you must focus more on whatever will get your potential patient to take action now.  This action may be to call your office for an appointment or to call a special number for a free report or call and ask for information pamphlets.  You see, action comes in many forms and is designed for the many different types of people.

Some patients want to get in now and get started now. Others want more information, and want to mull over the concept or idea or are simply trying to prepare themselves financially for the procedure.  Some just have no idea what if anything can be done and want that reassurance that there is a solution to what ails them.  Whatever the case, the ad must compel them to take action and do something now or else something worse happens.

Most people are quite rational and want the best for themselves. They do not want to have something happen that they could have prevented.  So, many times our ads will focus on certain issues or problems that the majority of the population will suffer from to create an “ agreement” with the message. Once this agreement has been established, everything in the body from that point forward will be for the reader to take action out of fear from worsening or fear from much costlier involvements.  See, humans don’t want things to get worse. We don’t even want to think what could happen if we fail to act now. This is why the ad MUST enlighten them to these real possibilities.  People’s own mechanisms of defense and self preservation will keep them from realizing those possibilities exist.         

Ads must deliver a compelling message full of intrigue and take people by the throat and force them to call “Now”

	What does an ad have to have to create this Call To Action? •  A very attracting title or subject header that makes people jump
	• A clear message of “trouble” and “painful issues”
	•  A way of contacting you. Phone number is #1.
	• A non threatening way to contact you.
		“Call Today and ask for free   report, or informative pamphlet, etc…”
	• An offer to make it all more appealing.
	• Expiration time or date to get them to act now and create urgency.

You may have seen some ads that read…

"WARNING!!! Don’t call your doctor until you read this free report on the…"

or

"'IMPORTANT! Find out what your pharmacist doesn’t want you to know about in this free report…" 

Now, let’s get to some real answers…

This marketing is better called Lead Generating or Call To Action marketing. It is mostly used in “niche” marketing.  Niche is an interesting word. It means directed towards something or targeted. I like to call it “laser beam marketing”.  Dentists generally feel better at some procedures than at others. They may enjoy certain procedures more than others or just evaluate it them from their ability to generate income. Take for Instance “ Invisalign”. Here is a procedure that if used in this type of marketing can generate huge profits from people wanting to have their teeth straighter and without those ugly wires showing.  Braces are usually thought of for kids, but what if we marketed this Invisalign to adults? How about Implants? This is another huge revenue generating potential source for marketing.      

Which brings me to this. Marketing your dental practice has just become easier than ever with a can’t miss, sure fire way of generating more Implant patients that want what you have got to sell. Imagine taking your dental practice, outing in this turnkey system of generating tons of good implant patients month after month. What would you do with them? Are you ready to deliver this type of care at this extraordinarily high level? What if this patient generating machine was put in place and the new patients were pouring in month after month? Can you handle this load? Is your front desk ready to handle this load?

If you cannot answer yes to these questions, then all this marketing might be wasted money unless you take advantage of my “ Magical Implant Patient Booster”.  This booster does everything for you except do the treatment plan, sell the case and drill the patient.

Ask yourself this:

What are you willing to do to reach your practice goals?

What would it be worth to you if you could double your practice this year?

Would you enjoy having this system in place to bring in the patients and just have to present and do the dentistry?

Would it alleviate your staff not having to field all those calls the moment they happen, but rather at their own leisure where they can fully and correctly handle them?

Have you ever called somewhere only to be treated rushed or mistreated as if you were not important to them?

These questions reveal why so many forms of marketing/advertising fail where others succeed.  The marketer has got to be clever and outwit the prospect. Only then can the marketer have a chance in today’s competitive marketplace.  You must have an edge, a secret weapon of sorts. A call to action campaign will work and work like gangbusters.  But, with every solution to a problem comes the awareness of the next problem or problems.  This will only work perfectly with the right system in place. The system must answer all those questions above and solve the equation of keeping the dentist just doing dentistry and not having to be involved in the campaign.