The post Addressing the 7 P’s of dental practice branding first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

Often, practices that aren’t focused on their online presence don’t think enough about how a website can build brand recognition and how they could be getting more out of their online investment.

When managed correctly, a website can be a powerful asset to any practice that is trying to grow – by attracting more patients, generate more appointments and increase brand recognition.

Here are five important questions you should be asking yourself to make sure you are getting the most of out of your website.

Five things to ask:-

1) What kind of ROI are you getting on your investment?

2) Is your target patient able to find your website?

3) Is your website optimized for mobile devices?

4) Where does your website fit in to the rest of your dental business?

5) Are you able to give your website the attention it needs, for it to be truly effective? If unsure or if you are in need of some advice, contact Dental Focus on: 020 7183 8388 Also for an extended article, see this link:

http://www.sitepronews.com/2014/07/28/website-really-helping-business-grow-five-things-need-ask/?utm_source=newsletter+-+2014-07-29&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Article%2BUpdate

The post Is Your Website Really Helping Your Practice To Grow? first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

New GDC ‘Standards for the Dental Team’ became enforceable in September  2013. To make sure your website complies with all GDC standards, contact Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ today.

At Dental Focus ® we have over 12 years’ experience creating high quality dental websites that are fully compliant with all relevant GDC, CQC and ICO standards. For your complete peace of mind we are offering solutions to ensure all our clients stay compliant with the latest GDC regulations.

• Solution #1. Disclaimers will be automatically placed on all our 500+ client websites to protect you and ensure patients know not to send confidential medical details via email and website forms, which are not encrypted. This service is complimentary to all Dental Focus ® Customer Service Plan (CSP) clients.

• Solution #2. We are offering Valident v-Form services, which have been specially developed to comply with GDC, DPA and CQC legislation. These secure, encrypted forms are incredibly important for online referrals and are available at a special discount to Dental Focus ® customers.

To find out more about website compliance and how we can help you meet the new GDC standards, contact Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ today.

For more information call 020 7183 8388, or visit www.dental-focus.com

The post Keep your website compliant with Dental Focus ® first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

We believe Emotional Branding is central to responsive dental marketing, i.e. understanding people’s concerns, fears and aspirations (especially as dentistry is a lot about appearance, confidence and trust).

Interestingly, we note that now SoftBank in Japan have developed a robot that is capable of deciphering emotions. 

It can tell if you’ve had a bad day and are feeling stressed or if you’re feeling sad and need a shoulder to cry on.

All very well – but for your dental marketing you’d be better off talking to Dental Focus, who as part of their strategy, interpret and understand how human emotions can drive dental patients.

For now, we do not rely much on human-like robots using proprietary algorithms and voice recognition technology. 

Call Dental Focus: 020 7183 8388

See more at:

http://www.sitepronews.com/2014/06/06/pepper-robot-can-read-human-emotions/?utm_source=newsletter+-+2014-06-07&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Article%2BUpdate

The post Emotional Branding first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

Creative design is becoming steadily more important in the digital age for dentistry – not less so.

More and more practices are seeking to and are able to, provide their patients with the best and most beautifully designed experiences – across all digital touch points.

They can now communicate, utilising the highest standard of creative marketing excellence, across email, mobile, social, display and web.

That’s what we do at Dental Focus. Literally we first ‘focus’ on the dental marketing message, and then the most effective means of innovative execution.

For creativity across all technologies and to glimpse the future of marketing, come and talk to Dental Focus: 020 7183 8388.

The post Best Practice in Digital Design for a Dental Practice first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

We believe Emotional Branding is central to responsive dental marketing, i.e. understanding people’s concerns, fears and aspirations (especially as dentistry is a lot about appearance, confidence and trust).

Interestingly, we note that now SoftBank in Japan have developed a robot that is capable of deciphering emotions.

It can tell if you’ve had a bad day and are feeling stressed or if you’re feeling sad and need a shoulder to cry on.

All very well – but for your dental marketing you’d be better off talking to Dental Focus, who as part of their strategy, interpret and understand how human emotions can drive dental patients.

For now, we do not rely much on human-like robots using proprietary algorithms and voice recognition technology.

Call Dental Focus: 020 7183 8388

See more at:
http://www.sitepronews.com/2014/06/06/pepper-robot-can-read-human-emotions/?utm_source=newsletter+-+2014-06-07&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Article%2BUpdate

Adrian Adler is “the Wizard” at Dental Focus Web Design.

Remember to subscribe to our E-Newsletter.

If you have any questions or need help, email us or call 020 7183 8388.

https://www.dentalfocus.com/

The post Emotional Branding first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

‘Polling’ is a very powerful tool that dental practices can use as part of their social strategy (to market the practice).

Big brands often pay a lot of money to have outside services and companies survey customers to get product feedback. Others use social listening tools to see what people are saying about their products.

But dental practices can be more direct and go straight to patients on a social media channel.

Please see this (please just read ‘patients’ instead of ‘customers’):

http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2346906/5-Reasons-to-Include-Polling-in-Your-Social-Media-Strategy

The post Make Polling part of your Social Media strategy first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

When it comes to marketing your practice online, the quality of your website design is absolutely crucial. This is because like it nor not, we all make snap decisions that are formed in the first few seconds of viewing a website. If a website looks outdated and poorly laid out, our instinctive response is often to look elsewhere. Especially these days, in the age of smart phones and mobile devices, the savvy user will very quickly be able to make a judgement on the quality of a dental practice based on how the practice is presented online.

Whether this judgement is correct or not is another matter, but the fact is, if your website doesn’t look the part then you could be turning away literally hundreds of potential new patients who take one look at your practice website, and decide to search elsewhere.

So, how do you know if your website is letting you down? Ask yourself, are you proud of your practice website? How does it compare to your competitors’ sites? Do you feel confident in telling your friends, family and patients about your practice website? Do they react positively?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then the chances are, your website isn’t working to its full potential. In short, it isn’t doing its job. To make the most of your practice’s online marketing efforts, your website really needs to look the part. It doesn’t just need to be well ordered, but it also needs to reflect your practice vision. If you run a boutique spa practice, then your website design needs to reflect this. Very often modern practices will tie their website design in with their other marketing material, with colours and styles matching those used in the practice design itself.

Once you’ve achieved the design you want, then that’s only the first hurdle. So you’ve managed to hold a user’s attention longer than a few seconds. It’s a good start, but there’s still a lot more work to do. This is because once a user has looked at your website as a whole, their next step will be to see exactly what it is you have to say.

Content is very important in online marketing, and just like the design itself, the text you present must reflect your practice and the way you run your business. Text copied from a generic source just doesn’t work – you need to encapsulate your practice vision in the written word just as much as you do in the practical design. The language you use should therefore be chosen very carefully. Don’t over-complicate things, but be careful not to patronise your readers.

To support your message, patient testimonials supported by ‘before and after’ photo galleries can be an excellent way of showing what you can offer to any potential new patient visiting your website. Remember, your website is a 24/7 shop window for your practice business. It works for you around the clock – even when you’re not working. If a someone has toothache and goes online to find their nearest dentist, will they find you? Or will they find you and then decide to look elsewhere?

Though you may not realise it, the better the design of your website and the quality of the text you display, the easier you will be to find on search engines such as Google. This is because Google has a very detailed ‘check list’ that it uses to determine where a website appears on search results. Though this check list is a closely guarded secret, as experienced marketing experts, here at Dental Focus ® we know that this check list includes factors such as quality of content, and also the amount of time users spend on your site. If someone visits you for example, then quickly goes elsewhere, that tells Google that your website isn’t very appealing, and so your website will be ranked further down the search results.

So what’s the solution? Well, the first thing is to make sure you have an exclusive website that works for you. The detail is very much in the design, and then in the content. Once you have a website that you can be proud of, and that you’re happy to share with your patients, talk about it! Encourage your patients to visit it, and share it with their friends. The more people you can get talking about your website, the better you will rank on Google, and the more patients you will attract as a result.

Make no mistake, marketing a dental practice online is no easy task, but it’s a task that can be made easier by working with an experienced online marketing team, with a proven track record of success in dentistry. The award winning team at Dental Focus ® have over 500 dental practices websites to their name, and thousands of page 1 results for natural (organic) search. To make your practice an online success, contact the experts today.

For more information call 020 7183 8388, or visit www.dental-focus.com

The post The Difference Is In The Design first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

The ancient saying ‘all roads lead to Rome’ was the legacy of an empire that knew that conquest advanced with fast communication and travel. Some two thousand years later, the principle still applies, but to online dental marketing. Just as the saying says ‘all roads lead to Rome’, a simple online search is now the quickest way for potential patients to find a dental practice. The question then, is how do you approach the task of attracting these potential new patients – theses leads – and how do you then convert them so they phone or email you and arrange a consultation?

First and foremost, a practice website is an absolute necessity, and it needs to be well designed, professional and informative with fresh content that fully reflects your practice identity. The financial success of your dental practice depends on your patient base, and a website serves as an online hub where you can generate leads and convert these leads into phone calls and email enquiries. This central point needs good infrastructure so that people know that it is there. This can be achieve through a number of means, not least of all by investing in good SEO, and taking advantage of the influencing power of social media.

It is estimated that over 2.5 million websites now have integrated Facebook ‘Like’ buttons. Social networking sites show a culture shift that sees an emerging relationship economy where consumers are still interested in great experiences and products – but want to be able to share the experience with others. Investing energy into digital marketing then means your patients will be encouraged to engage their social networks on your practice’s behalf – for who is more likely to share and influence potential new patients than their friends!

Building an online brand for your practice that is consistent between your website and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn creates a positive chain reaction effect. These forms of online society are absolutely crucial to building a brand where the key word in social media is ‘social’ and your practice brand needs to create tactics that focus on the relationships between patients and prospective patients and how their exchange means that ‘word of mouth’ marketing is more important than ever.

The innate human desire to socialise is the key factor when it comes to digital marketing. All these platforms allow patients to engage with your brand quickly and simply, and gives you a powerful tool that is far more effective than traditional advertising that talks at patients with predictable content and clever slogans. In effect, if you can get patients to talk about your practice and trust your treatments, they will become ambassadors for your brand.   

So how do you get patients to talk about your practice?

Social marketing is about conversations and building genuine relationships, as online communities are real people connecting in a living space and the art of conversation means that authentic and natural flowing dialogue will build accord and trust. Both your practice website and your social networking sites should be updated regularly with new content that is fresh and appealing – that patients may find they want to share. In the context of dentistry, it could be sharing an interesting fact, a new technique or some dentistry-related news. You could also consider writing a practice blog, to keep patients up to date with the latest goings on in the practice, and to keep your content fresh.

You can also encourage your current patients to share links to your website and your social media pages with their friends. If a patient is happy with the work that you have done for them, then the best way they can thank you is to provide a testimonial, ‘Like’ your Facebook page, and share your website with friends. It’s all well and good you telling people about the quality of your work, but it’s even better if your patients do it for you. This adds an extra level of credibility to your practice, and makes your practice seem more ‘real’ in patients’ eyes.

Once you have built a loyal group of followers, they will stay with you and this can be the most powerful and most cost-effective form of marketing available to you. But remember: an excellent social media marketing strategy can crumble without a good practice website to back it up. The secret then is to adopt an integrated approach. It starts with your website: your website also needs to impress patients; it is key to establishing a strong online presence. A website will add depth and integrity to your whole online marketing campaign since it involves purchasing a domain name and putting together unique content that gives your business brand a real and tangible identity. From here you can build your social media presence to foster relationships with patients, and stimulate conversation.

To help you make the most of your online marketing efforts, companies such as Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ have all the skills and expertise to really put your practice on the Google map. By trusting an award-winning, experienced team such as Dental Focus ® you can rest assured your practice’s online marketing is in the very best hands.

For more information call 020 7183 8388, or visit www.dental-focus.com

The post Building Your Online Brand first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

A brand is how your patients “feel” about your practice:

It creates an emotional bond between your patients and your treatments. Think of it as the ‘essence’ of your practice. What’s more, branding is a gradual process that develops over time and is dependent on the beliefs and opinions of your patients. It’s an experience, a feeling and an impression. Obviously, it’s within your control to offer a wonderful service and an amazing patient experience. But, at the end of the day, only your patients can determine how they feel about your practice.

An identity is how your business is “dressed:”

Your identity is everything that your patient “sees and hears” about your practice. It’s the accumulation of all your visual and audio elements.  Unlike your brand, your identity is completely within your control and can be established quite quickly. There are numerous elements of your small business identity including:

– The name of your practice

– Your marketing message or slogan

– Your logo

– Your colours

To read more on this topic, please see this link:

http://www.sitepronews.com/2014/03/18/whats-difference-small-business-branding-identity/?utm_source=newsletter+-+2014-03-19&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Article%2BUpdate

The post The Difference Between A Brand And An Identity. first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

Video is the best way to communicate on the web. Most people would prefer watching a video to reading plain text. And when they watch a video, they stay on your web page longer, spend more time browsing the web and it’s also more likely that they´ll book an appointment at your practice. Whether a video recorded mission statement, treatment advice, or a testimonial, people love it. 

Although often criticised for being too time consuming, it is one way to get viewers onto your website.

 There have been six key tools that have stood out as the most important when using video marketing. Which, if followed you can be sure that you are ticking all the right boxes.

 The first: Letting your personality out. This is key, as it will engage the audience onto your site, and encourage them to look around even more. A video with no real “spark” to it is a sure way to make viewers switch off and exit your website.

 Secondly, being on-going is also crucial. A constant stream of videos with new ideas and imaginative design will keep viewers wanting to watch them, almost as though they are wanting to know what is next. Having a regular supply of videos will help build up and keep your network of people.

 Thirdly, being relevant in your videos. When uploading videos, they must be constantly relevant. Although may seem tough at first producing relevant videos on a regular basis, the more you do it the more it will become easier and the more effective they will become. Videos need to be informative, creative and related.

For the rest of the key factors in video marketing, and more information we are providing you with this published article: http://www.sitepronews.com/2013/09/02/video-marketing-shouldnt-neglect-youtube/?utm_source=newsletter+-+2013-09-03&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Article%2BUpdate  

The post Video marketing on the web first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

What is your brand really about? Identifying your Point Of Difference (POD) is the first step towards establishing your ‘brand personality’ – and this can be regardless of what your actual logo looks like! Your Unique Selling Points (USPs) should be clear in all your communications (signage, adverts etc and especially your website). As a result, a visitor will notice and remember your practice, and hopefully seriously study (rather than glance at) your website.

Another point to pay particular attention to in your practice website design, is how you appear to the public. Your website is a 24/7 shop window that works for you even when you’re not working. As such it doesn’t just need to look good, it also needs to convey the right ‘message’, through visual design and content. You need to look and read as the ‘experts’ with the best level of customer service in your area.

To further enhance your practice profile, you should also consider including patient testimonials as a key feature of your website. These don’t just have to be scanned in comment cards, but they can also include video testimonials that help to convey the human side to your practice. To support testimonials, it is also useful to display examples of your work. After all, how else can patients judge the quality of treatment you provide? ‘Before and after’ photos or a ‘smile gallery’ are an excellent way of selling yourself to the world in this regard, and combined with testimonials and perhaps even some simple case studies, can really prove a powerful marketing tool.

Best wishes,

The Dental Focus team.

The post Point of Difference and Brand Personality first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

They will cost £975 a pair and will feature a camera, voice-activated controls and send sounds to the ear.

The display will be just above the right eye and there you can search the internet (for directions, take photos, translate languages and more) and send messages, just as with your desktop or laptop. Storage of data will be via Google’s cloud, with which the glasses will be synced. They could also be synced with Android smartphones when these run the MyGlass app, which has already been released by Google.

But Google Glasses could be a potential distraction and may need to be banned in certain instances. Such as when driving. It will be interesting to note that should Google Glasses become as prominent as the tablet or smartphone, once your glasses are on, you will always potentially be in ‘work mode’ or ‘on call’, and in a state of accessibility and interactivity for the vast majority of your day.

Google glasses, Apple iPhone, Amazon Kindle, Samsung Galaxy plus all the other brands, are continuously coming to market. Whatever the browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari etc), whatever the device (desktop, laptop, PC, Mac, tablet, smartphone and soon; glasses) – the flow of information is increasingly now 24/7.

Dental Focus ensures that your online presence will not only work across all browsers, but also across all devices too. In fact Dental Focus design a special ‘fast-action’ mobile website, a version of your main site, specifically to suit the characteristics of a smartphone.

With this continuous access to information, maybe we will soon need to have a refuge to ‘shut out’ the world, for just a while?

Best wishes,

The Dental Focus team.

The post Google Glasses: A Glance into a Future in which the Internet is Inescapable? first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.