The NEW dental marketing

In a few months you'll be asking yourself how you ever lived without it...

by Joy Gendusa

Last month I wrote an article that explained why integrated marketing (using multiple mediums together) is superior to single-platform strategies. The long and short of it is that when you use different mediums together, you get a "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" situation. Basically 1+1=3 in terms of revenue generation. That's great for your return on investment (ROI) and your pockets.

Of course that sounds amazing. Who wouldn't want that? The trick has always been in the execution. It's flat-out too complicated and time-consuming for the average business owner (especially busy dentists like you) to master! Even with the bare-bones steps I gave you last month, you still may have felt overwhelmed or too busy to bother, and that's totally understandable.

Why then, you may rightly ask, can't you just buy an already integrated marketing campaign? Actually, you can.

The new dental marketing

I touched on this briefly last month. There is a marketing product called DirectMail2.0 that combines the lead generation strength of direct mail with the follow-up power of Google. In case you're not really buying the idea that integration is important, check out this dentist's results.

Two things to note about this graph:

1. Volume matters - There is a clear and significant boost when the postcard volume is increased.

2. DirectMail2.0 adds exponential growth - You can see in the bottom right corner when DirectMail2.0 was added to the campaign, and the results are clear and significant. He moves into a totally new revenue bracket without even upping his monthly mailings. The annual dips (in case you're wondering) are a holiday for him - he closes the practice for a week.

What is DirectMail2.0?

It is tempting to describe DirectMail2.0 as a suite of services bundled together, but that doesn't really do it justice. It is integrated, after all. Think of it more as a machine where each part works with and depends on the others. There are four main parts:

1. Direct mail

For dentists, I recommend postcards as your direct mail pieces. There is no envelope to open, and your offer is simple to grasp - it's not like you're peddling high-risk investment schemes!

What it does:

• Generates leads

• Drives traffic to your website

• Improves your practice's visibility

in the community

Integrates with:

• Mail tracking

• Call tracking

• Google follow-up

2. Mail tracking

Mail tracking allows you to see exactly where your mail pieces are in the USPS mailing system, so you know if there are any hold-ups in delivery and when your postcards should hit. You simply log into a site that shows you this information for your campaign.

What it does:

• Lets you plan for uptick in business and phone traffic

• Keeps you informed of campaign progress

Integrates with:

• Direct mail

3. Call tracking

A DirectMail2.0 campaign comes with a dedicated tracking phone number that tracks how many calls your campaign generates. We generate the phone number, but it rings at your practice just like your normal phone number. It simply gets recorded in a server in the cloud first. You can log on to your DirectMail2.0 dashboard to generate easy-to-use reports that catalog every single call your campaign brings in - both answered and unanswered calls.

What it does:

• Tracks campaign success

• Lists the name and phone number of every call you receive to that number so you can follow up with them if they hang up

• Records incoming calls so you can review the performance of your front desk staff

- You'll want to check to make sure they're asking how clients heard about you, they're being polite, they're not leaving patients on hold for too long, and of course, if they're booking an appointment!

• Gives you data for improving future campaigns

Integrates with:

• Direct mail

• Call tracking

4. Geo-targeted Google ads

I saved the best for last. DirectMail2.0 partnered with Google to provide geo-targeted online ads for all of their campaigns. So at the same time your targeted list receives your postcard in the mail, they are also being shown online banner ads that match the tone and style of your postcard as they cruise the web!

What is does:

• Boosts power of postcards

• Drives more traffic to website

• Makes it seem like your practice "is everywhere"

Integrates with:

• Direct mail

• Mail tracking

• Call tracking

That's DirectMail2.0 in a nutshell. To learn more, visit postcardmania.com/go/direct-mail-2.And don't forget: as a Dental Economics reader, you are entitled to 5,000 free dental postcards, printed by PostcardMania, as well as free samples of postcards that are working right now for other dental practices. Redeem online or call (844) 269-1836 today—free marketing advice for your practice is also included!

In next month's issue of Dental Economics, I'll get into some more case studies from dentists who have used DirectMail2.0, so be on the lookout, and have a great month!

Joy Gendusa is the founder and CEO of PostcardMania. Using just postcards and her innate marketing savvy, Joy built PostcardMania from a one-woman startup with just a phone and a computer into an industry leader, generating more than $21 million in annual revenue and employing 200-plus people in Clearwater, Florida. Joy can be reached for questions or marketing consultations by phone or email via [email protected] or (844) 269-1836.