Here are 5 tips to help Patients find the products they need and increase sales.
1. Link to your Store Everywhere
Put a link to your Patient Store at the bottom of ALL your outbound emails, like notifications and appointment reminders.
Simply add the store url link to your notification templates. This will vary by provider – you can contact us and we’d be happy to help set it up. Alternatively, you can ask your webmaster or service provider and they should be able to easily do this for you.
If you don’t know the link to your store or forgot it, no worries, just drop us a note and we’ll send it to you.
Alternatively, if your service provider allows adding HTML to your templates, you can use the link generator in your Admin to create a button or text link and copy/paste into your notification template. NOTE: You cannot use the widget in emails.
2. Send monthly Emails to Patients
Feature your favorite products or a special offer.
Nothing works better than consistent emails with basic product information – it doesn’t matter whether you include discounts – it’s the consistency and value that counts. If you like a product or have specific tips for products that’s the most valuable type of information to share with patients.
If you want a special discount, just contact us and we’ll set one up for you. We can even help you send an email to your patients with a coupon or free gift card. It’s easy for you and great for them.
(If you haven’t sent Grand Opening Email, let us know and we’ll help you create one for your office. It will contain a special with an awesome offer (free $ gift card or coupon). Not only does it let your patients know how much you appreciate them, but it introduces them to the store in an easy-to-use way.)
3. Reward Patients
Hand out Gift Cards to reward patients – use the Discount Gift Card Program (beta) to save up to 90% on the value of cards ($100 for $10).
Did you know it can cost thousands of dollars to gain new patients? One office recently mentioned it cost them $500 to get just ONE new patient.
How can you reduce this cost? One way is to have your current patients encourage others to come to your office. Your patients think you’re great of course, so why not share this with others? Especially if there is a reward for them!
Using Patient Store Gift Cards to reward clients for referrals is an easy way to get started. Just buy a few gift cards and put up a note letting patients know that if they refer any new clients they will get a free gift card to use toward that shiny new electric toothbrush!
You can also use Gift Cards to reward patients for other behavior you want to encourage – so for example – coming to appointments on time or good attendance, etc.
Rewarding patients for their understanding can promote significant good will. For example, we had a practice give gift cards to patients that got their appointments cancelled one day, due to unforeseen circumstance that occurred at their office.
Our new Discount Gift Card Program (Beta) makes it a no-brainer – you can save up to 90%! You pick the amount and number of gift cards sent per month and pay just 10% of their total value. Then, when a gift card is used, you pay the remaining value on that card only. You only pay the full amount of the card when it’s used! This way you never waste money. Every year BILLIONS of dollars are wasted on unused, lost or forgotten gift cards. So why pay for something not used? Our new program eliminates this risk and the cost associated with it. Want to participate? Simply contact us for details.
4. Run a Facebook Contest
Create some buzz! Engage patients on Social Media.
Whether you have a huge social media following or are just starting out, a gift from your store is sure to make your office a fan favorite!
Contact us for contest ideas or help setting it up! Try our new FB Tool!
5. Give patients a business card
Business cards with a special offer can be given at every appointment.
Every goodie bag is an opportunity to let patients know about what items you carry in your store and the discount you are providing them in the bag.
Example conversation: “Hey Joe, here’s your goodie bag – I’ve also included a coupon for our patient store just in case you wanted to check into that flosser I mentioned during the appointment. See you in a few months – feel free to reach out on Facebook if you have any questions.”
We can send you a complimentary box of custom business cards with a discount coupon code unique to your store. If you need more, let us know.
How can you get yours? Just let us know you want them and send us a hi-res logo.
Beginner Tips:
Just getting started? Here are the most basic things you can do to set yourself up for success.
1. Link your site
Put a button link and/or widget on your website that connects to your store. In your Store Administrator, there is a “link button generator tool” that can create a code snippet for you to copy / paste into your site.
2. Create an easy to remember URL
Have your webmaster create a forwarding shortcut link to your store using your own domain.
For example: DrSmith.com/shop
This link is easy to remember for everyone and helps re-enforce your brand.
Just ask your webmaster to forward “[your-domain-name]/shop” to “[your-domain-name].DentalStores.com”. In the example above, “DrSmith.com/shop” would be a forward/shortcut to “DrSmith.DentalStores.com”
3. Introduce your patients and staff
Contact us to set up a webinar – we can help give you personalized instructions.
Talk to your staff about the store and make sure they know how to use it and recommend it to patients.
Introduce patients with a Grand Opening Email or Facebook Post. Contact us to set it up. We’ll create with an awesome offer with a free $ gift card or coupon. It shows your patients that you appreciate them and gives them an easy way to try your store.
Got an Idea?
Let us know what you have in mind and we’ll do our best to make it happen! We want to help you provide a great service for your patients – let us know how we can work together to achieve your goals. Contact us and let’s get started!
