If you want to grow your dental practice and gain more patients, it’s important to think about how your dental office looks to the rest of the community. You can either be just another building that they drive by every so often, or you can be a name that they recognize and associate with positive memories. Making your dental office a part of your community will take some time and effort, but it will definitely pay off in the long run. Here’s how you can go from being just another office to a recognized part of your community.
Volunteer
If your dental office is in a small community, this can be an especially powerful tool. Look around for local charities, food pantries, or other organizations that need help. You don’t have to be constantly volunteering, and showing up to help even a few times will help people remember you. If you don’t feel like you have the time, then try ordering extra floss, toothbrushes, or travel sized toothpaste with your name on them. Donating them to schools and youth centers is a great way to help kids maintain oral health, while putting your dental office in the back of their parents’ minds.
Sponsor
Youth sports teams are always looking for sponsors. Helping pay for uniforms or other fees is a simple thing, and you end up with your name on a little league jersey that parents see every weekend. But don’t only think about youth sports. There are plenty of other community events that you can help sponsor. Try looking for events that benefit the arts—those are almost always underfunded, and your sponsorship might end up making a huge difference for them.
If your dental office is in a college town, take advantage of some of the events that student organizations hold. Fraternities and sororities are always looking for philanthropy sponsors, and intramural teams are usually willing to advertise on their jerseys. Students far from home won’t always be able to see their dentist when they return for a short break, and your name will be the first on their mind when they start looking for a dentist around campus.
Be Involved
This isn’t hard to do, but it can be easy to let opportunities in the community slip away. If there’s a parade, then enter a float or at least advertise in it. The same goes for any carnivals or events hosted by local schools. There’s almost always a Spring Fling, Fall Fest, or Summer Fest going on to raise money for a local school. Sponsoring, and attending, is a great way to make people feel like you’re a true part of their community.
At Molar Media Mount, we love helping dentists attract more patients and grow their business. That’s why we created the Molar Media Mount—to help you keep your patients entertained and ready to come back. So contact us today if you’d like to hear more about how we can help your dental office.