1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,720 Hi, everyone. This is Erica Spicer Mason with 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,120 Becker's Healthcare. Thank you so much for tuning 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,859 in to the Becker's Healthcare podcast series today. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,559 So today, we're going to talk about boosting 5 00:00:10,559 --> 00:00:12,015 patient demand in dental 6 00:00:12,494 --> 00:00:14,894 care. And joining me for this conversation is 7 00:00:14,894 --> 00:00:18,015 Sherianne James, the chief marketing officer of Heartland 8 00:00:18,015 --> 00:00:18,515 Dental. 9 00:00:18,975 --> 00:00:21,054 Sherianne, welcome to the podcast. Thank you so 10 00:00:21,054 --> 00:00:22,675 much for being with Becker's today. 11 00:00:23,614 --> 00:00:25,855 It's great to be here. I'm really looking 12 00:00:25,855 --> 00:00:27,635 forward to this discussion. 13 00:00:28,629 --> 00:00:31,189 Likewise, Sherry Anne. And before we get into 14 00:00:31,189 --> 00:00:32,950 that discussion, I wanted to be sure you 15 00:00:32,950 --> 00:00:34,549 had the chance to share a little bit 16 00:00:34,549 --> 00:00:36,489 more about yourself with our listeners. 17 00:00:36,789 --> 00:00:38,149 So if you don't mind, can you share 18 00:00:38,149 --> 00:00:39,989 just a bit about your background, you know, 19 00:00:39,989 --> 00:00:42,070 your work in health care, whatever feels top 20 00:00:42,070 --> 00:00:43,609 of mind to share with our listeners? 21 00:00:44,204 --> 00:00:44,704 Absolutely. 22 00:00:45,804 --> 00:00:49,005 So I have been in the marketing field 23 00:00:49,005 --> 00:00:51,325 thirty something plus years. I like to just 24 00:00:51,325 --> 00:00:53,244 say thirty something plus so that my age 25 00:00:53,244 --> 00:00:54,704 isn't that apparent. 26 00:00:55,645 --> 00:00:57,424 And I started in 27 00:00:57,780 --> 00:00:58,760 consumer products, 28 00:00:59,140 --> 00:01:01,880 with a little known company called Kraft Foods 29 00:01:02,260 --> 00:01:04,579 and then went on to work, in other 30 00:01:04,579 --> 00:01:07,299 industries in hard goods. But I've spent the 31 00:01:07,299 --> 00:01:07,780 last, 32 00:01:08,260 --> 00:01:10,980 fifteen plus years in health care. I was 33 00:01:10,980 --> 00:01:11,719 in optometry 34 00:01:12,180 --> 00:01:12,680 before 35 00:01:13,064 --> 00:01:16,344 Heartland with a company that has brands like 36 00:01:16,344 --> 00:01:17,084 Ray Ban 37 00:01:17,465 --> 00:01:19,944 and Transitions Lenses and got to work with 38 00:01:19,944 --> 00:01:20,444 optometrists. 39 00:01:20,905 --> 00:01:23,465 And then now I've been in the dental 40 00:01:23,465 --> 00:01:23,965 industry 41 00:01:24,344 --> 00:01:26,265 for the last seven months with the, 42 00:01:27,290 --> 00:01:30,010 number one dental DSO in the country, which 43 00:01:30,010 --> 00:01:32,109 is Heartland Dental. And I'm really, really 44 00:01:32,490 --> 00:01:33,950 enjoying bringing my 45 00:01:34,409 --> 00:01:34,909 experiences 46 00:01:35,370 --> 00:01:37,310 to this great industry. 47 00:01:38,745 --> 00:01:40,584 Well, Sherry Anne, so great to learn more 48 00:01:40,584 --> 00:01:43,305 about you and the marketing expertise that you're 49 00:01:43,305 --> 00:01:45,944 bringing to dentistry and the dental world now. 50 00:01:45,944 --> 00:01:47,005 So that's fantastic. 51 00:01:47,944 --> 00:01:49,704 I'm sure you're learning a lot in these 52 00:01:49,704 --> 00:01:51,405 initial seven months, but also 53 00:01:51,869 --> 00:01:54,349 just with the rise in consumerism and health 54 00:01:54,349 --> 00:01:56,189 care, I'm sure there's so many through lines 55 00:01:56,189 --> 00:01:58,450 in health care and even retail and and 56 00:01:58,590 --> 00:02:00,450 food and service industry. So, 57 00:02:01,549 --> 00:02:03,789 excited to learn more about how this experience 58 00:02:03,789 --> 00:02:05,090 is translating for you. 59 00:02:05,835 --> 00:02:07,515 But to get us started, I I thought 60 00:02:07,674 --> 00:02:09,835 since we're talking about patient demand, I thought 61 00:02:09,835 --> 00:02:11,995 it could help our audience if we started 62 00:02:11,995 --> 00:02:14,895 nice and high level here. So just briefly, 63 00:02:14,955 --> 00:02:17,215 in your view, what really separates 64 00:02:17,530 --> 00:02:19,849 a good dental practice from a great one 65 00:02:19,849 --> 00:02:22,189 when it comes to generating patient demand? 66 00:02:23,530 --> 00:02:24,030 You 67 00:02:24,569 --> 00:02:27,449 said that it's the service industry, and you 68 00:02:27,449 --> 00:02:28,750 you said the consumerism 69 00:02:29,705 --> 00:02:33,224 in health services, and that's what's really behind 70 00:02:33,224 --> 00:02:35,084 the insight in my answer. 71 00:02:35,465 --> 00:02:37,324 It really is pretty simple. 72 00:02:37,784 --> 00:02:41,625 Great services that your patient can't stop talking 73 00:02:41,625 --> 00:02:44,560 about. What we've seen in a very data 74 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:45,060 based 75 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,819 way is when you look at patient demand, 76 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:50,260 what separates 77 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,840 a great and good enough practice from an 78 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,200 excellent one is really those who are able 79 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:57,860 to form 80 00:02:58,275 --> 00:02:58,855 deep relationships 81 00:03:00,194 --> 00:03:02,855 with their patients through a predictable 82 00:03:03,794 --> 00:03:04,294 experience 83 00:03:04,915 --> 00:03:05,974 that their patients 84 00:03:06,355 --> 00:03:09,395 want to really talk about and share with 85 00:03:09,395 --> 00:03:11,335 word-of-mouth. It is really that 86 00:03:12,110 --> 00:03:13,489 superpower that delineates 87 00:03:13,789 --> 00:03:15,810 the the tip of the spear practices. 88 00:03:17,310 --> 00:03:19,549 I I love what you're saying, Sherianne, about 89 00:03:19,549 --> 00:03:20,609 creating a predictable 90 00:03:20,989 --> 00:03:23,709 experience as I'm kind of envisioning, you know, 91 00:03:23,709 --> 00:03:26,275 some of my last health care experiences, and 92 00:03:26,275 --> 00:03:28,675 you're spot on. Those that were predictable, I 93 00:03:28,675 --> 00:03:30,055 knew exactly what to expect, 94 00:03:30,754 --> 00:03:32,435 who my doctor would be, what the care 95 00:03:32,594 --> 00:03:34,435 you know, how much time it would take. 96 00:03:34,435 --> 00:03:35,895 Those are always the most comforting 97 00:03:36,354 --> 00:03:38,215 experiences as a patient. So, 98 00:03:39,110 --> 00:03:40,650 appreciate how you framed that. 99 00:03:41,189 --> 00:03:43,270 And I'd like to kind of get us 100 00:03:43,270 --> 00:03:45,930 started by talking about the patients as well. 101 00:03:46,310 --> 00:03:49,610 So what role can patients play in supporting 102 00:03:49,750 --> 00:03:51,909 a practice's growth? Can you elaborate on that 103 00:03:51,909 --> 00:03:55,155 just a little bit? Sure. So assuming you 104 00:03:55,155 --> 00:03:57,634 nailed what I've just said, which is giving 105 00:03:57,634 --> 00:03:58,134 them 106 00:03:59,235 --> 00:03:59,974 a predictable 107 00:04:00,435 --> 00:04:00,935 experience 108 00:04:01,235 --> 00:04:04,694 that they rave about, then you have to 109 00:04:04,754 --> 00:04:06,995 ask for the tech as we say. You 110 00:04:06,995 --> 00:04:07,655 you must 111 00:04:08,079 --> 00:04:10,340 ask them to share what they 112 00:04:10,799 --> 00:04:12,879 had in mind and and how you delivered 113 00:04:12,879 --> 00:04:15,280 against it. You should ask them for the 114 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:15,780 feedback, 115 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,560 but especially when you know you've nailed it. 116 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,120 And you you usually do because what tends 117 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:22,339 to happen is the 118 00:04:22,664 --> 00:04:23,884 patient starts naturally 119 00:04:24,185 --> 00:04:28,024 emoting about the hygienist or the doctor. And 120 00:04:28,024 --> 00:04:30,524 when that happens, that is gold. 121 00:04:30,904 --> 00:04:33,404 When that happens, what you want to say 122 00:04:33,544 --> 00:04:36,600 to your patient is first and foremost, thank 123 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:37,100 you. 124 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,800 And you want to tell them how much 125 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,040 you appreciate it. So thank them in your 126 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:43,899 authentic voice, but then 127 00:04:44,199 --> 00:04:45,899 really encourage them 128 00:04:46,199 --> 00:04:46,699 to 129 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:47,660 essentially 130 00:04:48,324 --> 00:04:50,805 enhance your digital footprint, but that's obviously not 131 00:04:50,805 --> 00:04:52,985 how you would say it. You wanna say, 132 00:04:53,205 --> 00:04:55,365 can you leave me a five star review 133 00:04:55,365 --> 00:04:57,764 on Google, health grades, all of the places 134 00:04:57,764 --> 00:04:58,904 where you have a footprint? 135 00:04:59,205 --> 00:05:01,225 Say, would you love to share 136 00:05:01,569 --> 00:05:05,170 your experience on your social media and tag 137 00:05:05,170 --> 00:05:07,649 us in and give them the hashtags to 138 00:05:07,649 --> 00:05:08,149 use? 139 00:05:08,449 --> 00:05:10,449 Say, hey. Here's a way you can refer 140 00:05:10,449 --> 00:05:12,389 me to friends and family 141 00:05:12,850 --> 00:05:16,064 and give them referral collateral to help them 142 00:05:16,064 --> 00:05:17,365 do so. So empower 143 00:05:17,904 --> 00:05:18,884 your patients 144 00:05:19,425 --> 00:05:22,544 to be your biggest advocates because they can 145 00:05:22,544 --> 00:05:24,725 do it in a way that no paid 146 00:05:24,785 --> 00:05:25,285 advertising 147 00:05:25,745 --> 00:05:29,444 can because they're sharing their authentic experience. 148 00:05:29,879 --> 00:05:32,860 We've all had that moment where a friend 149 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,879 is telling us about an amazing service they 150 00:05:35,879 --> 00:05:37,959 had, and we're like, oh my god. What 151 00:05:37,959 --> 00:05:39,819 was the name? And we write it down, 152 00:05:39,879 --> 00:05:42,520 and it is better than any messaging and 153 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,379 paid advertising could ever be. 154 00:05:46,004 --> 00:05:48,985 So true. And I think it's really helpful 155 00:05:49,605 --> 00:05:52,245 the simplicity behind what you're saying. You know, 156 00:05:52,245 --> 00:05:52,985 it's not, 157 00:05:53,685 --> 00:05:55,925 necessarily a flashy new device or piece of 158 00:05:55,925 --> 00:05:56,425 technology 159 00:05:56,965 --> 00:05:58,884 to to drive that patient demand. It really 160 00:05:58,884 --> 00:06:01,939 is just kind of taking advantage of word-of-mouth 161 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:03,860 and understanding when those opportunities, 162 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:06,639 are kind of ripe for for great patient 163 00:06:06,639 --> 00:06:07,139 feedback. 164 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,160 And I wanna come back on a part 165 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,080 of what I said to just maybe bridge 166 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:13,300 a little bit with the technology. 167 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:14,319 The the 168 00:06:15,134 --> 00:06:17,634 it is simple, but it's also 169 00:06:19,134 --> 00:06:20,274 behind the digitization 170 00:06:21,375 --> 00:06:23,074 of the the world because 171 00:06:24,175 --> 00:06:25,854 Google has a bit of a black box. 172 00:06:26,254 --> 00:06:27,935 But some of the things we know to 173 00:06:27,935 --> 00:06:28,595 be true 174 00:06:29,055 --> 00:06:29,555 is 175 00:06:30,060 --> 00:06:30,800 they really 176 00:06:31,339 --> 00:06:33,920 reward where how you show up in search, 177 00:06:34,379 --> 00:06:37,500 not only by the quality and and quantity 178 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:39,500 of your reviews, but something we call in 179 00:06:39,500 --> 00:06:40,720 marketing engagement. 180 00:06:41,259 --> 00:06:42,960 So when you get a review 181 00:06:43,535 --> 00:06:46,654 and you comment on it, or when you 182 00:06:46,654 --> 00:06:49,294 get a review and the patient puts a 183 00:06:49,294 --> 00:06:51,535 picture in it, these are the things that 184 00:06:51,535 --> 00:06:53,394 Google crawlers really value. 185 00:06:53,854 --> 00:06:56,254 Why does that matter? Because that's what then 186 00:06:56,254 --> 00:06:58,960 drives up. If someone's searching, I'm looking for 187 00:06:58,960 --> 00:06:59,779 a dentist, 188 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:00,660 suddenly 189 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,920 your practice rises to the top of the 190 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,560 list, which is, of course, what drives people 191 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,660 to click. So, yes, it's 192 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,620 kind of common sense, basic meat and potatoes, 193 00:07:12,034 --> 00:07:13,175 but it's not just 194 00:07:13,555 --> 00:07:14,134 the word-of-mouth 195 00:07:14,435 --> 00:07:16,595 where I go tell a friend. It's what 196 00:07:16,595 --> 00:07:19,794 they're doing to your digital footprint and increasing 197 00:07:19,794 --> 00:07:21,014 what we call your 198 00:07:21,394 --> 00:07:22,694 organic searchability. 199 00:07:23,954 --> 00:07:26,774 That's really why it's so important to drive 200 00:07:27,009 --> 00:07:29,509 those reviews and that social media footprint. 201 00:07:30,850 --> 00:07:33,649 That's such helpful context. So thanks for adding 202 00:07:33,649 --> 00:07:35,569 that on, Sherry Anne. And I I like 203 00:07:35,569 --> 00:07:37,009 where you're going with this too because I 204 00:07:37,009 --> 00:07:39,330 did wanna take the digital piece just a 205 00:07:39,330 --> 00:07:40,345 little bit further. 206 00:07:40,645 --> 00:07:43,225 You know, you're mentioning the the power behind 207 00:07:43,365 --> 00:07:46,165 Google reviews and and how practices can really 208 00:07:46,165 --> 00:07:47,705 drive visibility there. 209 00:07:48,085 --> 00:07:49,305 And you also mentioned 210 00:07:49,925 --> 00:07:50,425 practices 211 00:07:50,805 --> 00:07:52,720 encouraging patients to you know, if they had 212 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,560 a great experience to share that experience on 213 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,959 their own social media, use hashtags or whatever 214 00:07:56,959 --> 00:07:57,620 it may be. 215 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,060 So when it comes to developing that authentic 216 00:08:01,279 --> 00:08:03,759 online presence and and really being active with 217 00:08:03,759 --> 00:08:04,259 it, 218 00:08:04,574 --> 00:08:06,334 You know, how important is that for a 219 00:08:06,334 --> 00:08:08,414 practice? And would you like to elaborate on 220 00:08:08,414 --> 00:08:09,074 any other 221 00:08:09,375 --> 00:08:10,995 best practices in this realm? 222 00:08:12,254 --> 00:08:12,754 Absolutely. 223 00:08:13,214 --> 00:08:15,774 So first and foremost, make it easy to 224 00:08:15,774 --> 00:08:17,970 do what I was just talking about. 225 00:08:18,449 --> 00:08:20,389 First, ask for it, which I think is 226 00:08:20,689 --> 00:08:22,310 sometimes the most uncomfortable 227 00:08:23,250 --> 00:08:24,310 for providers, 228 00:08:24,930 --> 00:08:25,910 because they feel 229 00:08:26,529 --> 00:08:28,610 gauche if they're saying, please leave me a 230 00:08:28,610 --> 00:08:30,550 five star review. So I always encourage, 231 00:08:31,335 --> 00:08:33,415 my provider partners to find a way to 232 00:08:33,415 --> 00:08:36,215 do that in your authentic voice, but also 233 00:08:36,215 --> 00:08:38,934 to make that easier for you. You've seen 234 00:08:38,934 --> 00:08:41,434 it, like, where there's a sign that says, 235 00:08:41,575 --> 00:08:43,654 hey. Had a great experience. Leave me a 236 00:08:43,654 --> 00:08:44,715 five star review. 237 00:08:45,209 --> 00:08:47,690 Also, you can have QR codes that are 238 00:08:47,690 --> 00:08:49,149 part of the checkout process, 239 00:08:49,690 --> 00:08:52,110 follow-up text that asks for the reviews. 240 00:08:53,370 --> 00:08:55,209 These are the ways that allow you to 241 00:08:55,209 --> 00:08:58,250 make sure that you are creating that review 242 00:08:58,250 --> 00:08:58,750 process 243 00:08:59,334 --> 00:09:00,634 in a trackable way 244 00:09:01,095 --> 00:09:03,434 and celebrate those reviews. 245 00:09:04,134 --> 00:09:06,315 When you get a review from a patient, 246 00:09:06,695 --> 00:09:08,394 it is such an honor. 247 00:09:08,695 --> 00:09:11,669 And so when you respond, as I said 248 00:09:11,669 --> 00:09:12,169 earlier, 249 00:09:12,470 --> 00:09:15,590 it already has the pragmatic value of increasing 250 00:09:15,590 --> 00:09:16,090 your 251 00:09:16,470 --> 00:09:17,370 digital searchability. 252 00:09:17,990 --> 00:09:20,409 But also too, if you have the patient's 253 00:09:20,549 --> 00:09:21,049 permission 254 00:09:21,429 --> 00:09:23,450 and you repost a social review 255 00:09:23,990 --> 00:09:24,889 on your, 256 00:09:25,350 --> 00:09:28,865 social media footprint, it's helping drive engagement, 257 00:09:29,245 --> 00:09:31,485 interest. So, of course, as I said, with 258 00:09:31,485 --> 00:09:34,524 their permission, but that's another great way you 259 00:09:34,524 --> 00:09:36,945 can really drive your digital footprint. 260 00:09:38,284 --> 00:09:41,485 Yeah. Really great advice. Thanks, Sherry Anne. And 261 00:09:41,485 --> 00:09:42,144 you mentioned 262 00:09:42,750 --> 00:09:44,590 just a a minute ago, you know, how 263 00:09:44,590 --> 00:09:46,830 it's important for providers to kind of find 264 00:09:46,830 --> 00:09:48,850 their own voice when it comes to 265 00:09:49,389 --> 00:09:51,950 making those asks for patients to leave a 266 00:09:51,950 --> 00:09:52,450 review. 267 00:09:53,870 --> 00:09:55,004 And so I think that 268 00:09:55,485 --> 00:09:55,985 authenticity 269 00:09:56,764 --> 00:09:58,845 imperative is really important for us to touch 270 00:09:58,845 --> 00:10:00,365 on and just go a little bit deeper 271 00:10:00,365 --> 00:10:03,004 on too. So how do you encourage dental 272 00:10:03,004 --> 00:10:05,725 teams to effectively strike that balance between, you 273 00:10:05,725 --> 00:10:08,705 know, intentional marketing, but also keeping it human 274 00:10:08,764 --> 00:10:09,745 at the same time? 275 00:10:10,279 --> 00:10:13,080 So I I think know who you are. 276 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,600 So very much like when you're marketing a 277 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:17,100 brand, 278 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:18,779 a dentist, 279 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:20,220 a hygienist, 280 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,000 they are the brand. Right? The the the 281 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:23,500 practice 282 00:10:24,024 --> 00:10:26,745 name aside, it is really the people are 283 00:10:26,745 --> 00:10:27,565 coming there 284 00:10:27,945 --> 00:10:30,764 for your services, for the 285 00:10:31,304 --> 00:10:33,884 impact your hands and skill 286 00:10:34,264 --> 00:10:36,684 have on them. So you want to define 287 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,279 who you are and make sure that you're 288 00:10:39,279 --> 00:10:42,420 speaking in that authentic voice. If you're very 289 00:10:42,879 --> 00:10:44,259 quiet and understated, 290 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,540 you don't have to try to be all 291 00:10:47,759 --> 00:10:50,820 loud and animated, you can find the right 292 00:10:51,735 --> 00:10:54,294 way you want to say ask for a 293 00:10:54,294 --> 00:10:56,535 review. You can find the right way to 294 00:10:56,535 --> 00:10:59,274 talk about the experience with your patient 295 00:10:59,654 --> 00:11:01,815 in in a way that allows them to 296 00:11:01,815 --> 00:11:02,315 feel 297 00:11:02,695 --> 00:11:03,914 empowered and 298 00:11:04,375 --> 00:11:04,875 reminded 299 00:11:05,414 --> 00:11:06,955 to share. So it's really 300 00:11:07,389 --> 00:11:10,370 going through that exercise and then also leveraging 301 00:11:10,429 --> 00:11:12,209 the full footprint of the practice. 302 00:11:12,669 --> 00:11:14,929 Most of the practices I've visited, 303 00:11:15,389 --> 00:11:17,649 there's always that one person 304 00:11:18,589 --> 00:11:19,089 who, 305 00:11:19,404 --> 00:11:21,985 even in their home life, is already 306 00:11:22,524 --> 00:11:25,825 super, super active on social media. Consider 307 00:11:26,445 --> 00:11:28,384 that person your little marketing 308 00:11:28,924 --> 00:11:30,784 magic sauce in the practice 309 00:11:31,085 --> 00:11:34,230 and leverage them. Like, leverage them to make 310 00:11:34,230 --> 00:11:37,909 TikToks, leverage them to work with patients to 311 00:11:37,909 --> 00:11:39,209 generate what we call 312 00:11:39,509 --> 00:11:43,029 user generated content. So saying, hey. Let's you 313 00:11:43,029 --> 00:11:44,870 and I kind of say something that we 314 00:11:44,870 --> 00:11:46,274 can do a post about. 315 00:11:46,754 --> 00:11:49,815 There's that person who's just very socially comfortable, 316 00:11:50,195 --> 00:11:52,514 and you want to really tap into them. 317 00:11:52,514 --> 00:11:54,055 But most of all, 318 00:11:55,154 --> 00:11:57,875 embrace who you are and find your your 319 00:11:57,875 --> 00:11:59,795 voice and your way of interacting with the 320 00:11:59,795 --> 00:12:01,899 patients, which is what you're experiencing 321 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,860 day to day when you talk with them 322 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,500 and interact with them and communicate with them, 323 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:08,299 and just 324 00:12:08,759 --> 00:12:09,659 weave that 325 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:11,339 request for reviews 326 00:12:11,959 --> 00:12:14,279 into that dialogue in the way that's most 327 00:12:14,279 --> 00:12:15,419 natural to you. 328 00:12:16,784 --> 00:12:19,904 Yeah. Such practical advice, you know, knowing who 329 00:12:19,904 --> 00:12:22,384 you are and then assessing who on your 330 00:12:22,384 --> 00:12:25,825 team is already great at doing marketing. It 331 00:12:25,825 --> 00:12:27,825 might be a you know, they they've they 332 00:12:27,825 --> 00:12:29,504 have a proclivity for social media on their 333 00:12:29,504 --> 00:12:31,679 own terms, and perhaps that's another way to 334 00:12:31,759 --> 00:12:33,279 to grow their skill set in their job 335 00:12:33,279 --> 00:12:35,600 or just become more involved and more engaged 336 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,259 in their work. So really appreciate the advice, 337 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:39,220 Sherry Anne. 338 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:41,759 And to kind of close our conversation today, 339 00:12:41,759 --> 00:12:43,039 I wanted to be sure that we could 340 00:12:43,039 --> 00:12:43,695 touch on 341 00:12:44,174 --> 00:12:44,674 community. 342 00:12:46,014 --> 00:12:47,855 More and more in health care now, we're 343 00:12:47,855 --> 00:12:51,054 seeing providers acknowledge that care goes far beyond 344 00:12:51,054 --> 00:12:52,735 just the four walls of a clinic or 345 00:12:52,735 --> 00:12:53,715 a dental practice. 346 00:12:54,335 --> 00:12:56,174 So can you just elaborate a bit on 347 00:12:56,174 --> 00:12:58,254 the importance for doctors and their teams to 348 00:12:58,254 --> 00:13:00,730 really show up beyond the practice walls and 349 00:13:00,730 --> 00:13:01,850 how they can do that in a way 350 00:13:01,850 --> 00:13:04,029 that's meaningful and also sustainable? 351 00:13:04,889 --> 00:13:07,049 I'm so glad you asked this question because 352 00:13:07,049 --> 00:13:08,830 it's something that I think 353 00:13:09,929 --> 00:13:12,269 providers often miss an opportunity. 354 00:13:12,809 --> 00:13:13,309 The 355 00:13:14,225 --> 00:13:17,425 dental industry is still very much a local 356 00:13:17,425 --> 00:13:17,925 business. 357 00:13:18,625 --> 00:13:19,845 People identify 358 00:13:20,225 --> 00:13:21,685 with their local dentist, 359 00:13:22,225 --> 00:13:24,245 and they refer to them as such. 360 00:13:24,625 --> 00:13:25,925 And when you 361 00:13:26,649 --> 00:13:29,929 aren't leveraging that local presence, it's truly a 362 00:13:29,929 --> 00:13:30,909 missed opportunity. 363 00:13:31,450 --> 00:13:34,970 So what you wanna do is first anchor 364 00:13:34,970 --> 00:13:35,470 yourself 365 00:13:36,089 --> 00:13:37,549 in that local community 366 00:13:38,009 --> 00:13:39,389 and make sure that 367 00:13:39,764 --> 00:13:42,325 whether it's through the aesthetics of your practice, 368 00:13:42,325 --> 00:13:43,465 but really importantly, 369 00:13:43,845 --> 00:13:46,985 the connections that you have within the community, 370 00:13:47,445 --> 00:13:48,745 that you are understood 371 00:13:49,285 --> 00:13:51,225 to be the local dentist. 372 00:13:51,959 --> 00:13:54,439 People go to who they feel are part 373 00:13:54,439 --> 00:13:55,179 of them. 374 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:57,019 So if you're a member 375 00:13:57,559 --> 00:13:59,899 of a church, if you're a member, 376 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:01,179 having 377 00:14:02,519 --> 00:14:04,699 a friend of the family who has 378 00:14:05,384 --> 00:14:07,325 presence in a local employer, 379 00:14:08,264 --> 00:14:09,325 very important 380 00:14:09,785 --> 00:14:11,644 if you have connections 381 00:14:12,105 --> 00:14:13,485 into some of 382 00:14:14,425 --> 00:14:18,264 the retiree communities where dental care and the 383 00:14:18,264 --> 00:14:20,779 return on the patient is so substantial, 384 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,299 those are relationships that you wanna deeply nurture. 385 00:14:24,679 --> 00:14:26,459 And how do you nurture them? 386 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,799 Show up. You want to go to the 387 00:14:29,799 --> 00:14:32,779 aforementioned places. So go to employers, 388 00:14:33,455 --> 00:14:35,615 build a relationship, and ask to do a 389 00:14:35,615 --> 00:14:38,754 health care. Ask for the opportunity to explain 390 00:14:39,215 --> 00:14:41,535 to the employees of that practice who you 391 00:14:41,535 --> 00:14:44,975 know take the to the employees surrounding that 392 00:14:44,975 --> 00:14:47,554 practice, rather, who you know take your insurance 393 00:14:48,014 --> 00:14:48,754 the importance 394 00:14:49,110 --> 00:14:49,850 of dental 395 00:14:50,230 --> 00:14:52,870 care, and the access to dental care being 396 00:14:52,870 --> 00:14:53,769 such a 397 00:14:54,950 --> 00:14:58,169 relevant and critical part of their overall wellness. 398 00:14:58,629 --> 00:15:01,350 So showing up that way and making it 399 00:15:01,350 --> 00:15:02,490 a larger narrative, 400 00:15:03,174 --> 00:15:03,995 not only 401 00:15:04,295 --> 00:15:06,535 does a service to that employer, but it 402 00:15:06,535 --> 00:15:07,355 really shows 403 00:15:07,735 --> 00:15:08,235 your 404 00:15:08,695 --> 00:15:10,634 credentials as a health care professional. 405 00:15:11,495 --> 00:15:11,995 Similarly, 406 00:15:12,695 --> 00:15:14,955 if there is a local business 407 00:15:15,415 --> 00:15:18,500 that is in proximity to yours, you wanna 408 00:15:18,500 --> 00:15:21,220 go there and meet the manager and figure 409 00:15:21,220 --> 00:15:23,700 out how you can help each other. So 410 00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:26,340 if there's a local coffee shop, do a 411 00:15:26,340 --> 00:15:30,019 takeover, do a takeover where you go there 412 00:15:30,019 --> 00:15:31,399 for a day and 413 00:15:31,855 --> 00:15:34,415 you obviously align with the manager that you're 414 00:15:34,415 --> 00:15:35,875 going to meet with the patrons 415 00:15:36,254 --> 00:15:39,455 and maybe offer teeth whitening, but really don't 416 00:15:39,455 --> 00:15:42,975 just sit there passively. Go shake hands, meet 417 00:15:42,975 --> 00:15:43,634 the people, 418 00:15:44,309 --> 00:15:46,309 ask about them. Make sure that they feel 419 00:15:46,309 --> 00:15:48,809 that they know doctor. They know the hygienist 420 00:15:49,190 --> 00:15:51,269 because then they're gonna remember that and it's 421 00:15:51,269 --> 00:15:52,410 gonna start building 422 00:15:52,790 --> 00:15:55,110 your brand and you can do something to 423 00:15:55,110 --> 00:15:57,269 draw them to you by saying, hey. Our 424 00:15:57,269 --> 00:16:00,134 local dentist is giving away $5 425 00:16:00,195 --> 00:16:01,014 coffee cards. 426 00:16:01,394 --> 00:16:02,835 Go over there and meet them. And it 427 00:16:02,835 --> 00:16:03,894 just really creates 428 00:16:04,355 --> 00:16:06,514 a easy opportunity for you to create a 429 00:16:06,514 --> 00:16:09,315 lead. And when if if you get someone 430 00:16:09,394 --> 00:16:10,835 and by the way, you should bring the 431 00:16:10,835 --> 00:16:13,075 computer and book the appointments right there on 432 00:16:13,075 --> 00:16:13,654 the spot. 433 00:16:14,090 --> 00:16:16,009 But if you get someone to come over 434 00:16:16,009 --> 00:16:18,410 and book an appointment, then actually leave them 435 00:16:18,410 --> 00:16:20,490 with a referral card to go tell a 436 00:16:20,490 --> 00:16:22,509 friend to kind of bring it full circle. 437 00:16:22,889 --> 00:16:25,129 Because these are the things that allow you 438 00:16:25,129 --> 00:16:28,190 to first and foremost establish deep 439 00:16:28,715 --> 00:16:29,615 roots through 440 00:16:29,915 --> 00:16:33,274 not only awareness, but deep understanding of who 441 00:16:33,274 --> 00:16:35,054 you are in the community. 442 00:16:35,434 --> 00:16:36,875 And I just want to double click on 443 00:16:36,875 --> 00:16:39,915 something I said. It is especially effective where 444 00:16:39,915 --> 00:16:41,934 you have those authentic relationships 445 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,339 in the community. So where you have a 446 00:16:45,399 --> 00:16:46,220 a friendship 447 00:16:46,919 --> 00:16:48,539 in a with an employer, 448 00:16:49,399 --> 00:16:51,559 don't just show up and meet the HR, 449 00:16:51,559 --> 00:16:54,039 but show up with that friend who can 450 00:16:54,039 --> 00:16:56,360 be the brand ambassador, who the employees there 451 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:57,820 know. If you have 452 00:16:58,134 --> 00:17:01,495 a relationship with a large organization like a 453 00:17:01,495 --> 00:17:02,875 school or a university 454 00:17:03,495 --> 00:17:06,214 that happens to be in proximity to your 455 00:17:06,214 --> 00:17:08,554 practice, again, if you serendipitously 456 00:17:08,934 --> 00:17:10,615 have someone in the practice who knows the 457 00:17:10,615 --> 00:17:11,115 principal, 458 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,080 when you go to show up at an 459 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,200 event, have the principal introduce you. In in 460 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,019 marketing, we call that endorsing. You're implicitly 461 00:17:19,799 --> 00:17:20,299 using 462 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,680 the awareness and respect that they have for 463 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:25,740 that principal, 464 00:17:26,039 --> 00:17:28,554 for that head of HR that you happen 465 00:17:28,554 --> 00:17:31,214 to have a relationship with, to now broker 466 00:17:31,274 --> 00:17:34,174 a relationship on your behalf. Those those 467 00:17:34,474 --> 00:17:37,694 are sometimes so under leveraged, and yet they 468 00:17:37,755 --> 00:17:39,375 add so much value. 469 00:17:41,059 --> 00:17:42,900 Sherry Anne, this has been such a great 470 00:17:42,900 --> 00:17:44,980 conversation with you today. I know we've covered 471 00:17:44,980 --> 00:17:46,579 a lot of ground, but wanted to give 472 00:17:46,579 --> 00:17:48,119 you the opportunity to share 473 00:17:48,420 --> 00:17:50,579 any final thoughts or maybe even any points 474 00:17:50,579 --> 00:17:52,339 that you think we glossed over too quickly 475 00:17:52,339 --> 00:17:54,279 that you wanted to just add on to. 476 00:17:55,115 --> 00:17:57,914 Great. The most important thing for a local 477 00:17:57,914 --> 00:17:59,295 business is to really 478 00:17:59,595 --> 00:18:02,575 have that community, but also have your strong 479 00:18:02,634 --> 00:18:03,695 digital presence. 480 00:18:04,075 --> 00:18:06,955 So have a website with what we call 481 00:18:06,955 --> 00:18:10,234 sound SEO content. That just means that you 482 00:18:10,234 --> 00:18:11,549 have great authentic 483 00:18:12,730 --> 00:18:14,910 content that speaks to your dentistry. 484 00:18:15,289 --> 00:18:17,529 So that if someone's looking up, hey, I 485 00:18:17,529 --> 00:18:20,089 have gum disease, or I'm looking for a 486 00:18:20,089 --> 00:18:22,589 dentist near me that they're gonna find you 487 00:18:22,934 --> 00:18:25,255 organically, which is when you look at Google 488 00:18:25,255 --> 00:18:27,654 and you see that search comes up, there's 489 00:18:27,654 --> 00:18:30,134 ad, and then there's the one that's organic 490 00:18:30,134 --> 00:18:32,294 where there's no ad, which we all tend 491 00:18:32,294 --> 00:18:35,174 to click on. That doesn't happen accidentally. It 492 00:18:35,174 --> 00:18:36,794 happens because of the rich 493 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,159 content on your website. So having a website 494 00:18:40,159 --> 00:18:41,140 with great content. 495 00:18:41,519 --> 00:18:42,339 As I said, 496 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,940 keeping your Google business profile up to date, 497 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:46,819 that is 498 00:18:47,279 --> 00:18:50,500 so critical for a local business. Then responding 499 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:51,380 to reviews, 500 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:52,500 good 501 00:18:53,095 --> 00:18:55,174 or bad. And I want to really make 502 00:18:55,174 --> 00:18:57,174 sure that bad part, because sometimes we want 503 00:18:57,174 --> 00:18:58,455 to run away from that. If you get 504 00:18:58,455 --> 00:18:59,355 a bad review, 505 00:18:59,815 --> 00:19:00,555 going in 506 00:19:00,855 --> 00:19:03,414 saying, hey I'm sorry that didn't happen, figuring 507 00:19:03,414 --> 00:19:06,339 out whatever your policy is to address it. 508 00:19:06,339 --> 00:19:08,919 It says so much about who you are. 509 00:19:09,059 --> 00:19:11,619 So good or bad, it really elevates your 510 00:19:11,619 --> 00:19:12,440 search position. 511 00:19:13,059 --> 00:19:14,200 Posting regularly 512 00:19:14,500 --> 00:19:15,720 about your services, 513 00:19:16,259 --> 00:19:17,000 your team, 514 00:19:17,539 --> 00:19:20,404 and using patient stories. So sharing 515 00:19:20,705 --> 00:19:23,525 pictures of the team, authentic photographs, 516 00:19:24,144 --> 00:19:26,485 authentic videos that humanize 517 00:19:27,345 --> 00:19:28,164 the providers, 518 00:19:28,625 --> 00:19:31,744 but also humanize the team, and then having 519 00:19:31,744 --> 00:19:34,305 your patients and you co create content that 520 00:19:34,305 --> 00:19:37,089 you can share on their social media as 521 00:19:37,089 --> 00:19:38,309 well as on your own. 522 00:19:38,769 --> 00:19:41,349 And then highlight the services in your post. 523 00:19:42,130 --> 00:19:44,930 Having things like doctor Smith, for example, made 524 00:19:44,930 --> 00:19:47,089 my Invisalign journey so easy. That's, like, a 525 00:19:47,089 --> 00:19:47,910 great example 526 00:19:48,450 --> 00:19:48,944 of, 527 00:19:49,424 --> 00:19:52,625 the patient and you generating content together. And 528 00:19:52,625 --> 00:19:53,924 last but not least, 529 00:19:54,304 --> 00:19:57,825 use local hashtags and have the providers tag 530 00:19:57,825 --> 00:20:01,024 the businesses they have relationships with. So remember 531 00:20:01,024 --> 00:20:03,329 when I was talking about community marketing, I'm 532 00:20:03,329 --> 00:20:05,009 like, if you go and you do an 533 00:20:05,009 --> 00:20:08,289 event with a local employer, and you create 534 00:20:08,289 --> 00:20:10,869 an experience on your social media about that, 535 00:20:11,009 --> 00:20:13,650 then tagging in that employer so that it 536 00:20:13,650 --> 00:20:16,609 shows up on their social media, you're now 537 00:20:16,609 --> 00:20:17,829 getting a lot more 538 00:20:18,164 --> 00:20:19,065 reach and visibility 539 00:20:19,765 --> 00:20:22,085 to that experience than even the people who 540 00:20:22,085 --> 00:20:25,045 attended. But because they're seeing their friends and 541 00:20:25,045 --> 00:20:27,605 colleagues in an experience with you, they feel 542 00:20:27,605 --> 00:20:30,345 an affinity to you. So that digital presence 543 00:20:30,889 --> 00:20:32,269 is doesn't have to 544 00:20:32,649 --> 00:20:35,289 really cost money. It just is about that 545 00:20:35,289 --> 00:20:37,609 discipline and using these tips and tricks that 546 00:20:37,609 --> 00:20:38,190 I shared. 547 00:20:38,889 --> 00:20:40,649 Yeah. Sherry, and I I I can't thank 548 00:20:40,649 --> 00:20:43,450 you enough for this conversation and also keeping 549 00:20:43,450 --> 00:20:45,545 it so rooted in, you know, we're not 550 00:20:45,944 --> 00:20:48,664 we're acknowledging the possibilities in digital marketing, Google 551 00:20:48,664 --> 00:20:51,144 reviews, social media. That is a very important 552 00:20:51,144 --> 00:20:53,164 piece of the of the pie here. But 553 00:20:53,704 --> 00:20:56,585 there's also this huge element and opportunity in 554 00:20:56,585 --> 00:20:59,404 in person engagement and interaction and building 555 00:21:00,049 --> 00:21:02,450 connections within the community and what that can 556 00:21:02,450 --> 00:21:04,069 mean for patient demand. So 557 00:21:04,450 --> 00:21:05,509 a really well balanced, 558 00:21:06,130 --> 00:21:09,169 conversation and some really practical takeaways. So thank 559 00:21:09,169 --> 00:21:11,169 you so much again for for your insights 560 00:21:11,169 --> 00:21:11,669 today. 561 00:21:12,049 --> 00:21:13,910 It's been an absolute pleasure. 562 00:21:14,654 --> 00:21:17,075 Oh, we'd also like to thank our podcast 563 00:21:17,134 --> 00:21:19,475 sponsor for this episode, Heartland Dental. 564 00:21:20,095 --> 00:21:21,695 Listeners, be sure to tune in to more 565 00:21:21,695 --> 00:21:23,154 podcasts by Becker's Healthcare 566 00:21:23,455 --> 00:21:27,715 by visiting our podcast page at beckershospitalreview.com.