First of all, let me answer the question asked in the title of this article with a resounding YES. In any dental practice there are multiple opportunities to utilize basic marketing tactics to improve patient flow, referrals and image. However, the most overlooked area to implement well-executed marketing tactics is in the treatment room with the patient in the chair. This is your chance to really “sell” the advantages of dental health and proper oral care.

But, here’s why it fails so often:

Consumers are conditioned to block-out boring advertising messages and complex or confusing information. If it’s funny, exciting, sexy, offensive or otherwise emotionally potent, consumers will focus for a brief moment. After that brief moment they’ll move on to one of the other thousands of marketing traps set for consumers everyday and everywhere. As dentists, you are competing for “consumer attention” with the most sophisticated and brilliant marketing experts in the world. New cars, boats, vacations, college tuition, high-def TV, Gucci handbags and Rolex watches are just a few of the reasons that a consumer may delay their dental care. The list of reasons is enormous and growing daily.

I am convinced that delaying or ignoring dental care is more related to consumer spending habits than from fear of going to the dentist. This is mostly due to the amazing success of consumer advertising in contrast with the failure by many dental practices in case presentation. Patients aren’t afraid. They’re pre-occupied with life and the financial pressure to pay the mortgage, travel, drive the cool car and have the perfect life that is driven by buying and acquiring more stuff. A root canal and two crowns on teeth that don’t hurt yet are way down on the list.

When a consumer walks into an Apple Store they immediately fall into a state of buying hypnosis. Apple stores are built to catch consumers like rats in a trap. BMW dealerships, Barnes and Noble bookstores, Krispy Kreme donuts, and even the convenience store on the corner know how to get consumers to “buy”. And, you can dramatically improve the number of buying patients in your practice by applying the same marketing and selling principles that these companies have all learned. Here are some of those rules:

1. Successful consumer-based companies “look” successful. Image is everything in the age of the consumer. If your image doesn’t seem professional you’re already off to a poor start.

2. The products and services are beautifully displayed. I’m not talking about a set of crowns on a velvet pillow under glass. I’m talking about beautiful wall art of people with perfect smiles in the treatment room. Your product is a great smile, so don’t be afraid to sell it. Also remember that your own teeth and the teeth of your team members will be scrutinized by most patients.

3. It’s easy to pay. Do everything you can to promote ease payment terms by working with finance companies that have good approval rates and creative payment plans. Then, promote it like a car dealer would.

4. Up-selling at the register. Retailers sell dozens of high profit incidentals at the register. Consumer electronics always come with a sales pitch for an extended warranty. You can do the same with whitening kits, Sonicare toothbrushes or hygiene products. It will surprise you how much merchandise you can sell in a year by just doing what the grocery stores do.

5. Beautifully designed sales tools. High-ticket consumer products and services almost always have very expensive brochures and other printed materials to keep a consumer’s interest level high if they leave without buying. Some dental treatments are considerably more expensive than a hot tub or a big screen TV but patients who don’t accept treatment leave the practice with nothing but a business card and a treatment estimate. It’s no wonder the hot tub usually wins.