These days, it seems like much of our advertising has gone online, but don’t dismiss the power of promotional products. In this digital age, tangible gifts still prove to be a popular and effective choice for many marketing campaigns.
When you purchase promotional products for your dental practice, you make your patients feel special while helping your practice gain an edge. Let’s look at the power of promotional products and how they can help your dental office.
Think About Items People Will See
Toothbrushes may seem like the obvious promo product for dentists to give to people. While they are perfect gifts for many reasons, they’re not something other individuals will see. If you want to use your dental promotional products as business cards, consider items that people carry publicly. Toothbrushes tend to be something people store privately, but a tin of mints can easily be shared among an office full of coworkers or with friends who are enjoying dinner at their favorite spot.
Look for Shareable Somethings
Trinkets that have use and bring value to your patients are more likely to be shared. Lip balm, for example, is a great item. Sure, it’s unlikely a person will want to share a tube of lip balm with someone else. But your patient will likely pick up a second or third tube before leaving your dental office, helping to ensure your brand gets passed around to the people who receive the extras.
Consider Conversation Starters
Stress balls are worth a mention. Many office professionals keep these items on their desk in plain sight so they can easily reach for them when the day gets a little frustrating. By giving out tooth-shaped stress balls that sport your practice’s contact information, you’ll put the power of a conversation starter right on your patients’ desks. Colleagues are bound to ask the story behind the fun, squishy item, which immediately opens the door for your patient to boast about your business.
Purchase a Few of a Lot of Products
Rather than purchasing 10,000 units of a single item on your first go-around, consider ordering smaller quantities of a few items. This will help you learn which promotional products are most engaging to your dental patients. If water bottles fly off the shelf, but you’re left with an overwhelming number of keychains, you’ll know where to concentrate your money on your next order. Also, feel free to ask your patients for feedback. Why aren’t they interested in the keychains? Is there something else they might find more useful? The key is exploring dental promotional products that add value to your patients’ lives. Often, you can get answers to these types of questions during normal chit chat in the dental chair.
Advertise Your Dental Practice Outside Your Patients’ Friend Circles
Word of mouth is important. If you operate a reputable dental facility, your patients are probably already telling their friends and families about your practice. However, strangers on the street may also be looking for a great dentist, but don’t know where to start. This is why promotional products that advertise to the public are important.
Tote bags are an ideal solution. Look for high-quality bags that won’t break or bust when they’re used. You might spend a little more money on a promo such as this, but the amount of advertising reach you can get from your efforts will be far worth the expense.
Make Sure Patients Feel Appreciated
No matter what kind of promotional products you choose, the effects of your generosity can foster goodwill between your practice and patients. Promotional products help patients leave your office feeling:
- Happy that they came
- Interested in coming back
- Thankful they’ve found you
- Appreciative of the work you do
As someone who cares for the oral health of your patients, this type of engagement can bolster their overall well-being if it causes them to schedule regular appointments to take care of cleanings, cavities, and other issues that might arise.
Of course, online advertising is important in this day and age, but that’s not where you should concentrate 100% of your efforts. Giving small gifts to your patients helps them feel appreciated. With the right branded promotional items, your dental practice will likely be at the top of your patients’ minds.
Ms. Purrington is a promotional products expert with Crestline Custom Promotional Products. She has more than five years of consultative sales experience in the industry and holds degrees in both social/behavioral sciences and business management.
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