Working with a marketing firm

By | November 25, 2014

After buying the practice where he had been an associate in a few years ago, Dr. Ash Vasanthan wanted to start from scratch when it came to rebuilding his brand.

“I had a client base and an active website, but I wanted to rebrand myself,” said Dr. Vasanthan, a periodontist who has been practicing for 5 years in Roseville, California.

Dr. Vasanthan  In January 2013, he started working with PBHS, the ADA Business Resources-endorsed website design and practice marketing firm.

Working with a graphic designer, one of his first decision was choosing colors, which led to the creation of his practice’s logo. Both colors and logo are used throughout his practice, from his website and stationary to letterheads and coffee mugs.

Meanwhile, PBHS also built Dr. Vasanthan’s website — which, for people searching for periodontists in his area, is now the top result online.

“Everything had to be very precise,” he said, when it came to working with PBHS. “Building my brand was a defining moment for me because I was a new business owner.”

Dr. Vasanthan spoke with ADA New Dentist News to share some suggestions and advice for making the most out of working a marketing firm.

Call around

“PBHS isn’t the only marketing firm around,” Dr. Vasanthan said. “But dentists need to do their research to find the best firm for their needs. I really wanted a company that would take me and say, ‘We can brand you, we can start from scratch.’

“I zeroed in on PBHS because I felt they would be able to provide me with what I was looking for. It’s also a good idea to just call around. I partly chose PBHS because their customer service was great. I never reached a machine.  Jay Levine, PBHS president, was always available and accessible to answer any questions despite being the very busy.”

When it came to building a website, which Dr. Vasanthan considers his top marketing tool, he compared the construction of a house.

“If you want a beautiful, sturdy house, you have to find the best builder in town for you,” he said. “I called a few places, visited several websites and asked friends for recommendations before I found the one.”

Consider your budget

“For new dentists starting a practice, you have to spend money on so many things on top of trying to repay student loans,” Dr. Vasanthan said. “For me, I didn’t go for PBHS’ top tier offerings. I went with somewhere in the middle. I would tell new dentists to really look at what you’re getting for what you’re paying. Sometimes, you don’t have to choose the most expensive package or service to be happy and to get the results you want.”

Get a website

Dr. Vasanthan said his main focus when he hired a marketing firm was to increase his Web presence.

“My website is my number one marketing tool. It’s my face on the Internet,” he said. “When starting a new practice, it’s important to have a website immediately. I would say it’s only second to having a phone number set up for the office. A potential patient can only reach you 8-5 on the phone. A website allows them to access you 24/7.”

Make things easier for patients

Just because a website or a successful marketing strategy help potential patients find you easier, it should also make things more convenient for them, Dr. Vasanthan said.

“The simplest thing a new dentist can do is to have a responsive Web design with a fill-able patient registration available online,” he said.

Dr. Vasanthan’s website allows potential patients to fill out and submit new patient registration forms when making an appointment. This way, the patient doesn’t have to fill it out at the office and it helps his practice track how many new patients are coming in due to his Web marketing.

Stay involved

When it came to the designing your brand, you have to be very involved, Dr. Vasanthan said. He worked exclusively with Alejandro Salazar, a PBHS graphic designer, who translated his vision into art and helped design his logo, business cards, letterheads, etc.  Dr. Vasanthan said he is extremely proud to hand out his business cards just because of the many times he gets complimented on the design and the quality.

“I put my logo on everything. I’m very proud to show it off. To me, being able to explicitly express what I wanted or looking for was very, very important,” Dr. Vasanthan said. “What you’re doing should reflect who you are.”

11 thoughts on “Working with a marketing firm

  1. Eugene

    Dr. Vasanthan is correct, new practices shouild call around, stay involve and get a responsive website. More importantly, capitalize on mobile marketing. Almost 50% of your current website visitors are browsing on their mobile device(s). Businesses that have a mobile friendly website are much more likely to convert these visitors into paying customers.

    Reply
  2. Adam Binder

    This article is spot on. A responsive website will help to make your practice accessible to patients anywhere, anytime.

    Having worked with dozens of dentists and other medical professionals, I can tell you first hand the importance of having a great website. However, in order to truly succeed online you also have to optimize it so that you are in the top positions of web searches. In addition, a strong social media presence is becoming more and more essential as consumers rely on reviews and even conduct searches on these platforms in lieu of traditional search engines.

    Reply
  3. Donahvan Robello

    Great article! I would definitely recommend all dentists getting a website and learning internet marketing. It’s a great way to gain patients and will be a long term asset to your practice.

    Reply
  4. U.S. Dentist Directory

    Great post! Having a website and making it accessible is definitely a must, but convenience for a patient is also important.

    Reply
  5. Jorge Schuldt

    Interesting analysis , I am thankful for the information , Does someone know where my company might acquire a sample a form document to fill in ?

    Reply
  6. Fernando Gomez

    Starting a business website can be an excellent way to work creatively in a field that you are passionate about. This article actually provides an overview on how and where to start. Help from a professional digital marketer may save your time with the setup process while receiving valuable marketing strategy advice.

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    Reply

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