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The 5 Stages of the Consumer Decision Process

1. Need Recognition: “I don’t like the alignment of my teeth” – In this stage the consumer acknowledges some kind of problem.
2. Information Search: “what are my options for straightening my teeth” – In this stage customers seek out information or methods that will straighten their teeth. Some people may talk to their friends or read up online about the pros and cons of traditional braces, veneers, Invisalign® etc.
3. Evaluation of Alternatives: “I’ve decided on Invisalign®, which dentist should I see” – In this phase of the buying process the customer has decided to use Invisalign® to straighten their teeth, and focuses on WHICH dentist to go see. The customer will have a set of buying criteria to determine who to go see. Subconsciously most people have a few criteria that are really important and others that aren’t so much. Buying criteria may include price, proximity to their home, ease of access, whether their insurance is accepted, perceived quality, etc. Often patients get information by asking their friends or researching nearby dentists online.
4. Purchase Decision: “I choose this office” – In this stage of the buying process the consumer decides which office they are going to go see. Typically this decision is made as a result of a direct referral, a conversion optimized website, a rock-star receptionist who answers any questions (objections) and closes a consultation, and finally a good sales pitch by the dentist.
5. Post Purchase Evaluation­: “I love my new smile” – The last phase of the buying process is deciding if they made the right decision. If the customer is happy you should be able to leverage them with rebooking’s, referrals, and reviews. If they had a bad experience they may write a negative review or tell their friends not to visit you.

In what sequence should I focus my time and money?

When it comes to investing your money, it is really important to flip the funnel upside down and focus accordingly.

1. Post Purchase Evaluation – Before you spend any money driving traffic to your website, you need to make sure your patients have an awesome experience. Otherwise they won’t refer their friends and rebook and we spent a bunch of money getting a patient through the door who isn’t going to help us grow our business. Little things like greeting a patient when they walk in, hanging their coat, bringing them tea, etc. can go a long way. I always think about how much more I like flying first class compared to economy – As far as the treatment goes, pretend you are the consumer – you would want clear communication, honest feedback, and an emphasis on care. Don’t be afraid to invest in technology, equipment, and staff that can take your service experience to the next level.
2. Purchase Decision – You need to make sure that your website is doing its job and converting clicks into calls and that your front end is doing their job converting calls into appointments or consultations (for bigger sales). Make sure both emphasize why your office is better than your competitors. Address buying criteria and use proof points to clearly communicate WHY someone should choose you. Invest money into training your team and have a bonus structure in place so that they are motivated to do the best they can. As far as converting website traffic, look no further, that’s my job! Book a complimentary call with me and we can go over how to optimize your site.
3. Evaluation of Alternatives – People research online, mostly on Google and often from a phone. Make sure you are coming up when people search for relevant keywords and that your site is optimized for mobile devices you’re your business provides a great experience, it’s time to give me a call and let me work my magic.
4. Information Search – If you are doing the above 3 things well, the next thing you have to do is have a good content strategy for blogging (which helps your SEO and social media). Blogging is the best way to publish content on your website for when people are just searching around for information. Not only will blogging boost your SEO, it might even get you some new patients through the door with “longer tail” keywords.
5. Need Recognition – In this stage of the buying process you have to convince (or remind) someone they have a need. As a general rule, this is the most expensive and least effective way to get a new patient through the door, so make sure you only invest time and money with this phase of the marketing after the above methods have been prioritized.

Breaking Down Need Recognition

Also known as a branding campaign, marketing for awareness is extremely expensive for small and medium sized businesses. You are basically hoping that your message gets in front of someone who is looking for your product or service but has not yet made a decision. Alternatively, you are hoping that your message can CREATE a need for the product.

Let’s examine the 2 different types of messages used in an awareness campaign:

Message 1 – General Message where you are hoping someone who hears the ad is actually looking for a dentist (imagine this being said on the radio or TV)

“Are you looking for a new dentist? Come in today and receive a new patient exam and cleaning for $99”

Message 2 – focused message where your aim is to create a need

“Did you know that having a great smile leads to better wages, more fulfilled relationships, and more confidence? Come in to ABC Dental to learn how we can change your life by changing your smile!”

Now in both of these examples you might get new patients through the door, what we have to focus on is HOW MUCH MONEY will it cost to do so.

Awareness Marketing Concepts in Action

Here are a few definitions:

Reach – The number of people who have the potential to see or hear your ad

Engagement – the number of people who actually see or hear your ad

CPM – Your cost to reach 1000 people.

Frequency – the number of times an advertisement is played (tv and radio)

Spot – the creative or advertisement ( you might buy a 30 second spot for tv advertising)

What marketing companies don’t think about is the actual size of your target market. Let’s use an example to better explain this. I’ll do my best to make up realistic numbers.

Suppose you are a dentist in San Francisco and “Star Radio” comes to you telling you advertising on the radio is an amazing way to grow your business. Let’s make up some numbers:

Reach – 300,000 people listen to Star Radio

Frequency – Your 30 second ad will be played once a day for 6 months

Cost – $50/ 30 second spot

Term: 6 months

So $50/ ad * 1 / day * 180 days = $9000

At this point you are probably thinking, wow only $9000 to be on the radio for 6 months. But here are some things to strongly consider….

• Of the 300,000 people your reach, how many of them are actually LOOKING for a new dentist? Using Google’s keyword tool, we can see approximately 5000 people search for a dentist in San Francisco each month.
• Of the 5000 people who are actually looking for a dentist, how many of them are within a 15 minute commute to your office? Let’s say 1000 people.
• Of the 1000 people, how many of them can afford to pay out of pocket for your services, or have insurance that you accept? Let’s say 250

So really you are spending $9000 to market to 250 QUALIFIED customers. It get’s worse. Think of when we listen to the radio. Almost exclusively in the car while driving or at work. All of the people at work are PASSIVELY listening, so even if your ad comes on during work, there is a good chance your target customer isn’t engaged. As far as driving goes, (assuming the person doesn’t change stations during advertisements), even if someone hears your ad, chances are they forget the name of the business or can’t write it down because they are driving.

This type of logic can be used for radio, tv, newspaper, billboards, etc. The point is, it doesn’t really make sense to pay thousands of dollars getting your ad in front of people who don’t actively want your service.

It’s SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper and more effective to invest money online to get in front of people ACTIVELY looking for a new dentist.

Not sure if you are wasting money with some of your marketing initiatives? Schedule a free call with my and I’m happy to give you a free assessment of your marketing initiatives!

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What separates me from any other dental marketer in the entire world is my in depth understanding of consumer behavior and human psychology. In this post I’ll explain some of the basic principals surrounding dental consumer behavior.

To get the most out of this post, you need to understand the 5-step process that every consumer makes before making a purchase decision. Most of it seems obvious – hang in there, it’ll all come together by the end of this post! 

The 5 Stages of Making a Purchase

Need Recognition: “My tooth hurts” – In this stage the consumer acknowledges some kind of problem.

Information Search: “How can I get rid of my pain” – In this stage customers seek out information or methods that will eliminate their pain. Some people may talk to their friends or read up online about over the counter medications and toothpastes for sensitivity. Ultimately, most people with eventually decide to see a dentist.

Evaluation of Alternatives: “I should see a dentist” – In this phase of the buying process the customer knows that they are going to see a dentist and focuses on WHO to go see. The customer will have a set of buying criteria to determine who to go see. Subconsciously most people have a few criteria that are really important and others that aren’t so much. Buying criteria may include proximity to their home, ease of access, whether their insurance is accepted, perceived quality, etc. Often patients get information by asking their friends or researching nearby dentists online.

Purchase Decision: “I choose this office” – In this stage of the buying process the consumer decides which office they are going to go see. Typically this decision is made as a result of a direct referral, a conversion optimized website, or a rock-star receptionist who answered any questions (objections) and closed the deal (converted the call into an appointment).

Post Purchase Evaluation­: “Wow – what a visit!” – The last phase of the buying process is deciding if they made the right decision. If the customer is happy you should be able to leverage them with rebooking’s, referrals, and reviews. If they had a bad experience they may write a negative review or tell their friends not to visit you.

So now that you understand the consumer decision process. Let’s focus in on the BUYING CRITERIA – ultimately addressing these points will result in the consumer choosing you over someone else.

What are people looking for?

Let’s start by understanding that each individual may have a slightly different set of buying criteria and that what one individual really cares about another might not.

Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes. What are they really looking for?

Exercise: Think about your target customer. What do they care about? Which of their buying criteria do you currently satisfy? Which of their criteria do you not satisfy? Why not? Is that specific criteria something your target audience cares a lot about? If so, you should improve your business by satisfying it. What about your competitors – do they satisfy that criteria? Ultimately you have to come up with OBJECTIVE reasons for why someone should pick you and effectively communicate that on your website and in phone calls.

Proof Points

I like to think of proof points as badges of honor. What are you proud of? What makes your different? Here are some sample proof points you might want to consider:

• 25 years in business
• Voted #1 Dentist in the city by…
• 5 star rating across all major platforms, from over 100 reviews
• Obtained an additional 50 CE credits
• Professor at University

So now that you understand the consumer decision process and a bit more about proof points and buying criteria, let’s talk about SEQUENCE.

In what sequence should I focus my time and money?

When it comes to investing your money, it is really important to flip the funnel upside down and focus accordingly.

1. Post Purchase Evaluation – Before you spend any money driving traffic to your website, you need to make sure your patients have an awesome experience. Otherwise they won’t refer their friends and rebook and we spent a bunch of money on a low value patient. Little things like greeting a patient when they walk in, hanging their coat, bringing them tea, etc. can go a long way. I always think about how much more I like flying first class compared to economy – As far as the treatment goes, pretend you are the consumer – you would want clear communication, honest feedback, and an emphasis on care. Don’t be afraid to invest in technology, equipment, and staff that can take your service experience to the next level.
2. Purchase Decision – You need to make sure that your website is doing its job and converting clicks into calls and that your front end is doing their job converting calls into appointments. Make sure both emphasize why your office is better than your competitors. Address buying criteria and use proof points to clearly communicate WHY someone should choose you. Invest money into training your team and have a bonus structure in place so that they are motivated to do the best they can. As far as converting website traffic, look no further, that’s my job! Book a complimentary call with me and we can go over how to optimize your site.
3. Evaluation of Alternatives – People research online, mostly on Google and often from a phone. Make sure you are coming up when people search for relevant keywords and that your site is optimized for mobile devices you’re your business provides a great experience, it’s time to give me a call and let me work my magic.

What are you waiting for?

I love action takers. Click on the button below to schedule a call with me. Let’s chat about your goals and come up with a plan to grow!

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How can you implement or improve upon these traits to grow your business?

Be the best, objectively…

Every dentist I talk to thinks they are the best – clearly that is not possible. Put yourself in the patients shoes and try to think about what criteria they might use to determine if you are the best. Are you well reviewed? Do you invest new technology? Does your website and office space represent the quality of your care? Do you have the best staff in the city? Do your patients refer their friends? Have you won awards for being better?

Understand you are in the SERVICE industry and people are paying for the EXPERIENCE

People choose you for the experience you provide. Think like a consumer – why should they pick you over the dentist across the street? Think of your office like an airline, and your customers are all first class customers. How can you pamper them so that they become ambassadors for your business?

Have a BONUS structure in place

I can’t stress the importance of keeping your employees happy. Invest in their growth, set collective goals, and grow together. I guarantee you will see a significant spike in customer service and patient referrals when everyone benefits from an increase in revenue.

Focus on Internal Marketing with the 4 R’s

Internal marketing is hands down the most cost effective way of growing your business. Focus on the 4 R’s (Re-bookings, Referrals, Reviews, and Re-activations) before investing money in other activities.

Do you have systems and technology in place to maximize your internal marketing efforts?

Invest in your growth

You have to stop thinking of yourself as a dental OFFICE and start thinking of yourself as a dental BUSINESS. If you are not actively investing in growing your business it’s time to start – competition is only getting harder and harder. I suggest 5% of annual revenue to be your yearly marketing budget. Start with implementing a bonus system, training your team, and having excellent internal marketing. Once that is done, invest money in a great dental website and a highly focused digital marketing strategy.

Understand the Value of a new patient:

Most dental consultants suggest that the average lifetime value of a new patient is over $10,000. This is true when you factor in cosmetic / restorative work, referrals, and hygiene visits over the course of a lifetime. For arguments sake let’s say that a patient is on average only worth $5000 – you should be willing to invest $250-$500 to get that person through the door.

Optimize Your Sales Funnel

Whether you like it or not you are in sales. The best practices spend money on optimizing their funnel to make sure they are maximizing their efforts. Focus on this order:

1. Make sure you offer an amazing dental experience (quality work, friendly team, enjoyable environment) so that people re-book, refer, and review you
2. Make sure your front end team is trained to convert calls into appointments
3. Make sure your website is optimized to turn clicks into calls
4. Make sure your marketing campaigns are optimized to target the right people at the right in the most cost effective way possible.

What are you waiting for?

I love action takers. Click on the button below to schedule a call with me. Let’s chat about your goals and come up with a plan to grow!

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Over the past 7 years I have learned more than I could imagine about dental marketing and how to successfully grow a practice. Now, my mission is simple – to partner up with one dentist in each city who wants to DOMINATE their market and establish themselves as the best office in town.

I possess 3 traits that make me unlike any marketer you have ever spoken with:

1. Candor: I’m honest and tell you how it is. I don’t sugar coat my feedback and won’t beat around the bush.
2. Knowledge: I have degrees in Business, Marketing, and Communication. I also have extensive experience working in the dental industry – both working for a dental office and in dental software sales. I ‘ve spoke with THOUSANDS of dentists and understand your frustrations and challenges.
3. Success: My reputation speaks for itself. 100% of my clients are happy and see a positive ROI. On average I deliver a $4 to $1 short term ROI and every single dentist I have ever worked with has continued to use me after their contract term ends.

Growing your business is tough…

1. Increase in the Supply of Dentists: More dental students are graduating and practicing than baby boomer dentists are retiring. This means new prospective patients have more options and will be spread out over more dentists. Overtime, clinics will continue to see a decrease in new patients, unless they actively invest in growth.
2. Consumer behaviour has changed: The phone book is dead. People have easy access to information 24/7. In only few minutes most consumers can find a well-reviewed dentist within 5 or 10 minutes of their location. What are you doing to get found and why should someone choose you?
3. Once bitten, twice shy: Most dentists have been scammed by some sleazy sales person who knew nothing about growing your practice and only cared about their commission. I get it – that’s why I offer a guarantee!

What are you waiting for?

I love action takers. Click on the button below to schedule a call with me. Let’s chat about your goals and come up with a plan to grow!

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