OK, it’s time to talk about one of the largest groups of dental patients that most surgeries around the world will come across; those who are anxious or have phobias.
And, just as the check-ups have to be changed to help these patients cope, the dental marketing and the strategies to attract them to your surgery have to be slightly different too. After all, every dental surgery claims to have pain-free dental care and sympathetic staff, but you can bet that if a nervous patient doesn’t feel secure in your surgery, they won’t come back. But if they do feel safe, it is almost guaranteed that they will stick with your team.
So, what are some of the time-tested strategies that relate to dental marketing for this group of dental patients?
Pain-free and other phrases
Phrasing is important, especially when it comes to nervous patients.
If you are truly able to offer pain-free dental care, then of course, make this known on your site. But be aware that you should avoid using such phrases unless you have a tool on hand like the Wand. Dental phobics often have higher sensitivity levels and will not be impressed if their dental check-up causes discomfort.
Positive reviews
Research indicates that patients who have a dental aversion spend more time looking at surgery reviews than any other group of dental patients. And while it could be considered skewing the reviews to only place ones that are related to nervous patients, it can help them to feel more at ease and increase the chances of them contacting your team. Also, who doesn’t enjoy reading about how a dental team helped someone with a phobia feel better? Feel good stories will work in your favour too!
Sedation
Your surgery is probably able to offer sedation to dental patients who have phobias. So, why not dedicate part of your website specifically to this group and talk about the sedation options that you have? Be sure to include safety precautions that come with these options too, so your patients will know that you care for their safety once they are out of the surgery.
Communication is key
OK, so you can’t reassure patients online by talking them through their treatments; they aren’t in the surgery yet! But, why not use your blog or vlog to discuss options with patients; so, you could have a video talking about treatment options for cavities, abscesses or even lost fillings. That way, your more nervous patients will have a better idea of what to expect when they attend your surgery, helping them to feel empowered.
Be bold
As mentioned before, when it comes to advertising or aiming your marketing at nervous patients, subtlety just won’t do. Be bold and open about how your team will care for nervous patients across your website and discuss ways that you will help them to overcome their worries. Many sites dedicate an entire page to this area, along with many vlogs, blogs and other bits of information. So, be bold!
