Marketing cosmetic dentistry during a recession

Here are a few tips to help market cosmetic services that some may view as non-essential.

A shift in mindset

People still have disposable income during a recession. Your marketing challenge is to offer the benefits of choosing dentistry over that extra vacation. Don’t decide ahead of time what patients are/aren’t willing to pay for right now. Offer the benefits and let them decide.

Get them into the office

The best place to educate a patient on the value and benefits of a particular cosmetic dentistry procedure is not online, in a magazine, on a billboard or in their email inbox. It’s in the operatory. External marketing efforts should focus on getting patients to come in for essential treatment–annual check-ups and regular cleanings. Once patients are in your chair for the essentials, you’ll have the opportunity to recommend cosmetic treatment.

Improve your case presentation

Now is a great time to make sure you’re investing more time and energy into improving your case presentation. Investing in cosmetic dentistry can have an enormous impact on a patient’s life, affecting every meal, conversation and smile. The better you are at imparting this during case presentation, the more likely it is patients will accept treatment.

Revisit your patient experience

For some patients, cosmetic dentistry is a luxury item. If your practice is primarily cosmetic in nature, your patient experience should reflect this. Create a feeling of luxury at your office. Use colors, scents and décor to create a spa-like environment and then promote this ambiance as part of your marketing message.

Stay the course

Whatever you do, don’t stop marketing. Resist the urge to pull back your marketing budget. New patients are out there and while your ROI on marketing may suffer during a recession, it’s still your best bet at getting fresh faces through your door.