Dental Marketing: Stop Wasting Money!

How many ways can you think of to market a dental practice?  The average dentist could likely list at least 10 different ideas that might bring in new patients, improve treatment acceptance, or boost patient retention. But here’s the big question: Which of these strategies should you ACTUALLY utilize?

The simple answer? Go with the one(s) that provide the highest return on investment (ROI).

But…how do you figure that out?

OK – the big reveal…. MARKETING ANALYTICS.

Now WAIT!  Before you close this window or click another link, let me at least say this. I KNOW that “marketing analytics” sounds about as exciting as dealing with a tax audit.  And that’s why I didn’t include it in the title of this article (OK a little bait and switch. But it was for your own good).

I can’t stress enough how IMPORTANT THIS IS. This could save or make you hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars and be the difference between 20 or 75 new patients.  No joke. They are also REALLY SIMPLE – yet I’d estimate 85% of practices screw this up.

So, if you want more new patients and more successful practice, take a minute and give this a read.  Warning though – even if you get really excited about this – your friends are probably going to think it’s boring.  OK, whatever – it will be our little secret.

So, let’s explore easy-to-use analytics methods that can improve your marketing’s effectiveness and potentially make and save you a ton of money.

What Do We Mean by Marketing Analytics?

Marketing analytics is all about accurately measuring the results of your campaigns. And many marketing experts would argue that analytics is half, if not more, of the job when it comes to creating a successful marketing campaign.

Analytics includes tracking things like:

• Cost: How much did you spend on a particular campaign?
• Distribution: How many postcards did you send, how many ads did you run, etc.?
• Audience: Who received your marketing materials? Are you targeting the right demographic?
• Conversion: What happened when potential patients reached out—did they book an appointment, or did they fall through the cracks?

With this information, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. For example, here are some key questions you can easily answer with the right data:

• How many responses did your campaign generate?
• What was the cost per response?
• How many of those responses turned into new patients?
• What’s your return on investment (ROI)?

Knowing these metrics becomes even more important when you’re running multiple marketing campaigns at once. For example, if you’re doing postcards, Google ads, and Facebook marketing, you need to know which campaign is performing best. If one strategy is costing you $200 per new patient and another is costing $400 per new patient, it’s clear which one you should focus on. By concentrating your budget on the more efficient campaign, you’ll make more money in the long run—and as your practice grows, you can scale your marketing even further.

And if you really want to know more about all of this – I’d recommend the MGE New Patient Workshop!

The Importance of Comparing Campaigns

Every dental practice does at least some form of marketing. Whether it’s newsletters, Google ads, or simple referral programs, you’re spending time and money to get new patients in the door. But if you aren’t tracking these efforts properly, you could be wasting money on campaigns that aren’t working. Worse yet, you could be missing out on opportunities to double down on the strategies that are bringing in the most new patients.

Imagine this: you’re spending $5,000 a month on various marketing channels. One of those channels might be responsible for bringing in a significant portion of your new patients, but if you’re not tracking your campaigns properly, you wouldn’t know. By grading each marketing method against the others, you can make data-driven decisions about where to allocate your budget.

And the truth is, many practices mismanage their marketing because they rely on feelings and opinions rather than hard data. They might say, “I don’t think we’re getting good patients from this campaign,” or “The quality of patients from this source isn’t great,” without actually looking at the numbers. In reality, two or three bad experiences with patients could taint their perception of an otherwise successful campaign.

When it comes to marketing, the numbers don’t lie. Whether or not you like a particular campaign is irrelevant—it’s either working, or it’s not. This is where humility comes in. You have to be willing to let go of a campaign, even if you personally love it, if the data shows it’s not delivering results.

Four Key Components of Marketing Analytics

To make data-driven decisions, the numbers you need to track are:

1. Cost: How much did you spend on the campaign?
2. Response: How many people responded to the campaign?
3. Conversion: How many of those responses did the practice turn into patients?
4. Return on Investment (ROI): How much revenue did this campaign bring in?

Let’s break these down further.

1. Cost
   Tracking cost is the easiest part. You simply need to know how much you spent on each marketing channel—whether it’s for postcards, online ads, or newsletters. Cost would include every aspect of the campaign – for example with a Google Ad Campaign, it would include whatever management fee you might be paying – along with the actual marketing “spend” (the money paid to Google).

2. Response
   This is where things can get a bit trickier. Your marketing campaign won’t directly give you a new patient; instead, it will generate a response—a phone call, an online inquiry, or a walk-in. Your job is to track how many responses each campaign generated.

3. Conversion
   Next, you need to know how many of those responses actually converted into new patients. Did the person who called after receiving your postcard schedule an appointment? Did they show up? This is where your front desk team plays a huge role. If your team isn’t converting responses into appointments, even the best marketing campaign will fall flat.

4. Return on Investment (ROI)
   Finally, you want to track the revenue that came from each marketing campaign. I suggest looking at both the one-month and three-month ROI. While a patient could bring in revenue for years, you should focus on the immediate return to see which campaigns are paying off quickly.

Common Problems with Marketing Analytics in a Dental Practice

Of these four components, the one that’s most susceptible to human error is tracking response. This step is often mishandled because it requires the front desk team to consistently record where each new patient came from.

If this isn’t done correctly, you’ll have no way of knowing which campaigns are driving new patients. You need to establish a systematic approach to ensure this data is tracked accurately.

Implementing a Call Log System

The solution is simple: use a call log. You can download a sample Call Log here. Your front desk team should record key details for every new patient interaction, including:

• Name and date
• Reason for calling
• Source of the call (Google ad, postcard, referral, etc.)
• Whether the patient was scheduled and showed up

This is where things often fall apart. The “source” of the call is frequently recorded as something vague, like “internet” or “postcard,” without specifying which ad or which postcard. This is a huge missed opportunity. If you’re running multiple marketing campaigns, you need to know exactly which one is working.

For example, if a patient calls after receiving a postcard, ask them, “Do you see a code at the bottom of the card?” By using a unique code for each campaign, you’ll know which specific mailing generated the response. Similarly, if they found you online, you can ask, “What search term did you use?” or “Did you click on an ad?” This gives you valuable data on which keywords or ads are working best.

Using Analytics to Drive Your Marketing Decisions

Once you have accurate data on cost, response, conversion, and ROI, you can start making smarter marketing decisions. If you notice that Facebook ads are performing better than postcard mailers, you can shift your budget to the more effective campaign. This ensures you’re getting the most bang for your buck and eliminating waste.

Over time, you’ll gain a greater sense of control over your new patient flow. You’ll know exactly how to increase or decrease the number of new patients you’re bringing in each month, which gives you more confidence in the growth of your practice.

Ready to Take Control of Your Marketing?

Marketing your dental practice effectively comes down to tracking the right data and making smart decisions based on the numbers. By implementing the simple strategies outlined above, you’ll not only save money but also ensure that your marketing is truly working for you.

If you’re ready to take your marketing to the next level, consider attending our MGE New Patient Workshop. This hands-on workshop is designed to help you bring in more new patients, optimize your marketing, and grow your practice efficiently. We’ll walk you through the exact steps needed to increase your new patient flow and ensure long-term success.

For more information on the MGE New Patient Workshop or to get in touch with our team, visit MGEonline.com or give us a call at 800-640-1140. We’re here to help you take the next step toward building the thriving practice you’ve always envisioned!