You can invest thousands of dollars in your marketing budget, but no form of advertisement carries more weight for a dental practice than word of mouth. Online reviews serve as a great way to promote your practice and its specialties, but actually collecting those reviews can be a challenge. However, these are not typical times. The COVID-19 pandemic has people spending more time at home—and an unprecedented amount of time online. Your dental practice consultants at Bryant Consultants want to encourage you to ask your patients to submit reviews during this time of social distancing.
Positive online reviews work
Research shows that a huge percentage of the public—more than 92 percent of consumers, to be precise—regularly read online reviews. That ratio might be even higher during this time when our society is trying to flatten the curve by remaining home and spending more time online. That same survey noted that consumers used a business’ online star rating as the number one influential factor in determining whether or not they were going to patronize that business. Your dental practice is not immune to that trend.
Patient reviews also provide a way to improve your practice. Your patients may have ideas you never considered involving any aspect of your practice ranging from the comfort of the chairs in exam rooms to the accessibility of the parking lot.
How to Get Reviews From Your Patients
- Send texts: Send out a text message to all your patients, asking for feedback. This feedback should be brief: a handful of yes/no, multiple-choice, or one-word-answer questions. When normal business is able to resume, you can use a program to send these texts automatically as they’re leaving your office at the end of their appointment.
- Social media: Social media usage is spiking to unprecedented levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Use social media platforms to maintain or build connections with your clients during this time. We’ve discussed some ways to engage your patients during social distancing in a previous post, but the main priorities are communicating that you care for your patients and desire to offer them the highest possible level of service. In the meantime, toss a link into your posts, asking patients to share their own positive experiences that they had at your office.
- Just ask: A recent survey found that 70 percent of consumers would review a business they’ve patronized if asked. You won’t know if you don’t ask, and right now, people have plenty of time on their hands. By asking, you also show your patients you value their input and feedback. It also demonstrates a willingness on your part to improve the experience of your patients, who will feel heard and valued.
Guiding Your Practice Through COVID-19
We understand these are challenging times for everyone. Bryant Consultants is here to help. Be sure to download our coronavirus dental practice plan. We also currently are offering free one-hour consultations to dentists with questions. Schedule your consultation today by calling (877) 768-4799 or contacting us online. We will continue to provide regular updates throughout the pandemic. To make sure you’re receiving these updates as they are posted, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
