By Diana Barsan

Attracting new patients is a fundamental challenge for every practice. In order to keep your pipeline full you need a good plan, and the proper execution. Here are a few ideas that you can use to start developing a new overall marketing strategy and attract potential patients.

Pay-per-click advertising

Your website is like a needle in a haystack unless you are driving traffic to it. Getting your message delivered to your target is essential in creating new leads. Pay-per-click advertising is one of the top online marketing tools for attracting new patients. Pay-per-click ads are sponsored links that show up when you perform a web search in Google, Bing and other search engines. Once a PPC network or networks have been chosen, it is vital to have clear objectives and a crafted, strategic plan of execution. With some systems, such as Google AdWords, you can generate targeted traffic within a few minutes of opening an account. Remember that with poor management, you can spend money and effort, generate visits, and end up with nothing to show for it. That is why it’s recommended to seek assistance from a professional marketing/advertising firm.

Diversify your social media

If you have been spending all of your time on Facebook, it might be time to use another social media tool like Twitter, Google+, Pinterest or LinkedIn in order to reach your potential patients. Figure out where your patients spend time online, and take the necessary steps to be part of that conversation. No matter what social media tool you end up using, it is vital to engage with your patients via valuable content and not a marketing pitch.

Keep in touch with your patients

It is crucial to stay connected with your existing patients, because they are the referral force that will attract new clients. Email marketing can be very good at generating more leads, but there are some rules you need to follow. Do email regularly, at least once a month, so as to develop your readership. When writing the newsletter, keep it personable and stick to the formula of 90 percent value-added content and 10 percent pitch and marketing. A newsletter works great at keeping you top of mind with prospects and existing patients.

Maintain a visible presence within your industry

Face-to-face networking allows you to generate quality connections. Step outside of your comfort zone and attend community events or offer to speak on your area of expertise at seminars. Make it your goal to get 5 quality leads from each event. This will definitely attract new business.

Consider using a daily deals website

This is a great way to attract new patients that are still looking to find a compassionate doctor. Using Groupon or Livingsocial is a great way to cultivate qualified leads for your practice. Offering deals encourages people to try your service by reducing the risks associated with spending too much money and then not being satisfied. But deals alone do not generate loyal customers. If the discounted offer doesn’t generate repeat business, it’s because your practice is not using the deals to their advantage in the best way possible. Going above and beyond when engaging customers will improve your chances of retaining your new patients.

– From Guest Author Diana Barsan who is connected with Riverfront Dental Designs, a Denver dentist using these tactics to attract new patients.