Dental Marketing Ideas: How Mailing List Sales Leads Can Drive New Patients.

NEW YORK -- Dentists, orthodontists and dental practitioners haven't had much to smile about recently. According to an annual survey by JPMorgan, 84 percent of dentists said the economy was having a negative impact on their practices and 72 percent believe the economy will impact their business 12 months out. With dental offices closing across the country, many practitioners are trying new dental marketing avenues to find new patients. One method that's proving successful: Purchasing a mailing list and sending out direct mail.

Narguess Riahi, office manager of Brookline Dental Center, tried her first direct mail campaign earlier this year. Since then, she estimates that she's gained at least 10 patients from the mailer. "Working with a mailing list helped us find new patients we couldn't have accessed as easily or quickly," she said.

Jon Rapkin, Senior Vice-President for USADATA, a New York-based mailing list company, agrees that purchasing a targeted list can help bring in new patients. "Mailing lists offer a smart dental marketing alternative as it's easy to target highly specific - and local - demographics." For instance, dental offices wanting to market cosmetic dentistry services can target their mailing to professionals earning within a certain income range and residing within a particular geographic area. With various sources reporting that the lifetime value of a new patient can be $10,000 or more, just a few new patients can translate into highly profitable recurring revenue.

Rapkin has three tips for dental practitioners new to direct mail marketing:

* Tell your mailing list company what kind of patient you want to reach. High-income cosmetic dentistry patients? Families with children? New homeowners? The more specific you are about who you're trying to reach, the better your mailing list.

* Entice your prospects with a tempting offer. Can you offer new dental patients a discount? Free teeth whitening? A great mailing list paired with a fantastic offer will help bring new patients in the door.

* Save money by making sure that you don't mail "new patient" mailers to your current patients. Mailing list companies can exclude the names and addressees of your existing patients, ensuring that your mailer is only reaching new prospects.

Today, Riahi is working with USADATA on an expanded mailing and developing a new direct mail piece. "Purchasing targeted mailing lists should be a part of every dental marketing campaign," says Riahi. "We are completely satisfied with the results."

About USADATA

USADATA has been helping dental practitioners with their marketing mailing lists and sales leads for over 10 years, and is a trusted provider of clean mailing lists for more than 100,000 businesses nationwide including Family Dental Care and Cosmetic and Family Dental Solutions.