Marketing Preferences In Today's Tech Savvy Society (Part 1 of 6)

Dentists and their teams who acknowledge and accept these tech savvy generations for who they are and embrace new technology which meets their personal needs, will find themselves unscathed... in unchartered economic waters... where other practices are floundering.

Exceeding patient expectations throughout the entire dental experience have been and always will be the key to exponentially building your practice and "word of mouth" referrals. Whether the economic climate is healthy... or uncertain during the current recession... customer service and delivery of treatment is always the foundation of any marketing program for long term growth. However, no precedent has been established for any business on how to overcome the obstacles practices are facing today not only with the economy, but the explosion of Internet communication and growth. Business owners can't help but wonder what the future holds. Being bold and meeting marketing challenges head on, under the umbrella of an Internet marketing strategy, will "Set You Apart" and empower your practice to engage today's skeptical consumers.

Tech savvy audiences, of all ages, have shifted their information gathering to the Internet. Currently, the largest growing demographic on the Internet is age 60 and over. This age group was the last to come on board once they realized how much easier it is to bank and pay bills online, research medical problems, and keep up with their health insurance and investment portfolios. All age groups want information presented in a clear and simple format which is easy to read and understand.In order to stay competitive today, avoiding the digital boom and Internet marketing is no longer an option if you want to remain competitive.

Finding a way to cut through all the marketing clutter and noise which surrounds us all today, to attract attention and engage patients with your personal marketing message, is a challenge. The phone call is no longer your first point of contact in today's tech savvy society, your website or a targeted web 2.0 Internet marketing strategy is the first contact...

Digital technology is advancing at lightning speed and offers a myriad of marketing possibilities both Offline (in the office) and Online (on the Internet). Digital technology, in all forms, appeals to the emotions of today's tech savvy consumer seeking dental services. The good news is, as a whole, dental practitioners in all areas of expertise have been slow to embrace Internet marketing as a medium to promote their business. The field is wide open for a marketing savvy professional who chooses to take advantage of this new window of marketing opportunity to lead the way in your community. Don't wait...do it now. It won't be long before everyone is jumping on the band wagon.

It is currently estimated 80 % of dental practices have a website and fewer in dental specialties. However, among the practices who do have websites:

1. Many are outdated, both in written content and/or design and fail to grab and engage the attention of today's tech savvy ADHD consumer who is constantly online researching and looking for information
2. At least 95% are search engine optimized (SEO) incorrectly on Google with patient keywords, titles, and header HTML code so they are easily found on the search engines to increase page ranking and promote new patient referrals
3. Less than 1% are adding video, the medium of choice, to engage consumers
4. Few dentists and their marketing team comprehend the opportunities of incorporating Internet marketing strategies into their current internal and external marketing plan or the long term affect Internet marketing has on the future growth of their practice.

The Internet is here to stay...whether you want to embrace its existence with open arms or not. It affords new marketing opportunities to small business owners which were once only available to large corporations with deep pockets and huge marketing budgets. When melded correctly with your internal and external marketing strategies, Internet marketing:

• Is a powerful marketing vehicle to promote all aspects of your practice
• Is much less expensive than traditional marketing methods
• Is easier to maintain and update than printed marketing materials
• Delivers your personal marketing message to a much larger demographic, faster than ever before, and in a format your target audience is comfortable using
• Once created, it is available 24/7, at the precise time your target market is looking for orthodontic information and treatment providers in your area

"Today, any dental professional has the power to market himself/herself as the dental or specialty expert in the area... right at their fingertips... with only a computer, a keyboard, and the knowledge how to correctly market themselves on the Internet to attract new patient referrals."

All you need to "Stake Your Claim On Internet Real-estate" to build your practice is:

1. A website which includes a user-friendly design, content written in a 5^th - 9^th grade level , and verifiable proof of treatment expertise
2. SEO (search engine optimize) and keyword optimization to achieve Page One ranking on Google... the only search engine that matters
3. The latest Web 2.0 marketing tactics to incorporate social networking, video, blogs, press releases, and more

Any dental practice, regardless of size, experience, or location has the ability to attract new patients, build trust, and promote themselves exponentially online. Bottom line... experience and skill level are in the "Eyes" of the consumer, not the "Eyes" of the treatment provider. Knowing what to do...how to do it... and who to target is the key to any successful Internet marketing promotion. The "Rules of Engagement" have changed... How will you reposition your marketing plan for the future?