2 simple ways to ensure your dental office is easy to find
In the highly competitive world of local dentistry, it’s crucial you do everything you can to excel in the industry. Every little aspect of your office and your patients’ experiences that can be improved should be improved, from the location and placement of your dental office signs, to the quality of chairs in your waiting room.
Quite possibly the most important aspect of your office, aside from the actual services provided, is the ease with which patients can find it. This is especially true with first-time patients. These are people who want to give you their business, so you want to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. They’ve made the appointment, now you need to make sure they find you without any hassle.
That’s why I’ve put together this list of a few top ways to ensure that your office is easy to find. By using these tactics, your patients will start off at your practice with a positive experience.
Manage and update your online profiles
The first and most important way to ensure your dental office is easy to find is to monitor and update the various online profiles where your office is featured. Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Healthgrades are all viable platforms on which to build a profile for your office. You may use one or several of these services, but when was the last time you checked to make sure your information was accurate? If your office requires more than an address to be found, such as down the hall, up the stairs, or third door on the right, make sure that information is readily available on these sites. You may even give visitors a heads up about common landmarks, like “just after the Java Hut” or “turn left at the Noah’s Arc Daycare boat.”
Also include this information on your office Facebook page. You’ve put time into creating a social media outlet for your current and potential patients to interact with you. Why not provide them with detailed directions to your office? These directions can be put on your Facebook page in the section under “Short Description.” You can also post pictures of your signage on Facebook so they know what to look for.
Use outdoor signage
Patients might find your address from your website or other online profiles. Take the next step and help them find your office by using outdoor signage. Dental office signs are invaluable for patients searching for your office. Whether it’s displayed on the street or simply on a wall or window in your office, dental signage is a reassuring confirmation for patients to know they’re in the right place.
Notice that “signs” is plural, because you shouldn’t have just one sign. For example, if your office is a standalone walk-up, you’ll want a sign on the road for people to identify the office and turn into your lot. You’ll then want another sign by your door letting people know that they’re still headed in the right direction. Signs stand as a beacon to your office, but they’re also subtle reinforcements of your practice’s brand identity.
Keep your brand consistent
Dental office signs help define your brand and help patients recognize your location. The style, font, color, and material you use on your signs should all tie-in with the overall cohesive theme you’ve established for your dental practice online.
Your dental signage should match your name, look, colors, and feel of your website and online profiles so patients will recognize it. Great looking and consistent branding and signage creates familiarity, trust, and professionalism. These instilled feelings make patients feel comfortable when they enter your office, and more importantly, when they sit in your chair.
New patients, more revenue
New patients mean more revenue for your practice. For that reason alone it makes sense to do everything you can to make it as easy as possible for new patients (and all patients for that matter) to easily locate your office. Exceed expectations with accuracy and consistency, not only in your practice, but with your patients’ overall experience.
Mitchell Stoker is the digital strategist at Woodland Manufacturing, a custom sign and retail display shop. He previously was a consultant for several dental practices, helping them to increase their website traffic, leads, and patients. His focus has changed from online to offline marketing and branding.
