These days, the ever-growing medical market can be incredibly hard to stand out in.
Because of this, many non-dental practices are starting to sell niche-specific products, like CPAP supplies, to bring in more revenue.
Whether you're selling this supplies as a non-dental professional, or as a dental sleep practice, there are three specific ways to grow your practice:
1. Expanding online visibility
In order to reach new patients and grow your practice, you'll need to make sure you're visible online.
Lots of medical professionals steer clear of online marketing due to fear of HIPAA regulations, especially when it comes to replying to reviews and social media comments.
Fortunately, it's really not that complicated. The regulations are all laid out here.
Once you've reviewed the regulations, it's time to start expanding your online visibility.
One way to do this is by optimizing your website for search engines (SEO). This means using relevant keywords throughout your website content, as well as making sure your site is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
Another way to increase your online visibility is by using social media. This platform can be used to not only attract new patients, but also engage with your current patient base. Posting regular updates and helpful information will keep patients coming back and encourage them to share your content with their friends and family.
You should also consider using paid ads and video marketing. These techniques can be highly effective and key to standing out.
2. Nailing down your strategy
Before you start selling CPAP supplies, it's important to have a solid marketing strategy in place. This means understanding your target market and what their needs are.
After all, the last thing you want to be doing is selling a product that your audience isn't going to buy.
To help you understand your target market, consider creating patient/buyer personas. These are fictional characters that represent your ideal customer. Once you've created your personas, you can start to think about what their needs and pain points are.
After you’ve nailed this down, you can start to create targeted content that speaks directly to them. This content should be educating rather than salesy, as people looking for a healthcare solution are looking for information and answers--they don't want to feel pressured to buy.
You'll also want to work on claiming and optimizing your online directory listings, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Yellow Pages to name a few. This will make it easier for potential consumers to find your practice, read the reviews of others, and leave their own. But this shouldn't be the only way you capture reviews.
One of the most important factors of any marketing strategy is testimonials. These are incredibly powerful when it comes to boosting confidence in your potential patients. After all, if someone is looking for a new dental practice, they're going to want to know what experiences others have had.
Make sure you're regularly asking your patients for reviews and testimonials. You can do this via email, social media, or even in person.
3. Creating a unique brand identity
In a competitive market, it's important to have a strong brand identity. This means having a clear and consistent message that sets you apart from others in your industry. It also means using marketing materials that are visually appealing and reflect your unique brand voice.
You may also want to consider completely isolating your sleep apnea treatments from your brand. Meaning, you need to do more than simply add a page about sleep to your existing practice's website. If you really want to stand out, you should create a separate name, logo, website, and brand altogether to sell CPAP supplies and other sleep hygiene products.
This will be particularly beneficial for SEO purposes, as it positions you as the expert. It will also help avoid potential confusion about what you offer and specialize in. Your patients are looking for the best of the best to help them overcome their sleep apnea, so make sure your brand communicates that you're the authority in the space.
These are just a few of the ways you can start to grow your dental sleep practice and sell more CPAP supplies. By implementing these marketing strategies, you'll be well on your way to increasing your patient base and boosting your bottom line.
At Bizzuka, our fractional CMOs specialize in helping businesses like yours grow their patient/client base. If you’re struggling to bring in revenue, you may be lacking in one of the 6 critical phases of marketing. Find out where you may be falling short by taking our free, 20-question self-assessment.