Avoiding the Pitfalls of Unethical Marketing If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is. Lately, we’ve noticed a couple of concerning and unethical sales tactics that have been hitting dentists pretty hard. Companies are taking initial marketing deposits, burning through them in a month, and then locking dentists into long-term contracts based on the initially impressive results. Learn how you can protect yourself from unethical marketing tactics like this in today’s blog. Unethical Tactic #1 In marketing, transparency is everything. Lately, we’ve noticed companies who are taking a couple thousand dollars for an initial marketing deposit and dumping it into short-term, unsustainable methods. This gets everyone excited when new leads begin showing up almost immediately. Using this tactic, they build your trust within a week or a month of impressive results, while spending your initial budget in one short pulse. Then, the company’s next move is to lock you into a long-term contract before this stream of leads fades away. Over time, the budget you’ve set for your marketing gets shifted to new clients, capturing them into this cycle while your ROI tanks. If a company was truly planning for your long-term practice growth, they would come up with a goal and a budget. They’d utilize strategies like re-targeting and a consistent, high-quality online presence on social media to lower your new patient acquisition cost over time. Unethical Tactic #2 Another one we’ve seen is the “no startup fees” offer. Instead of a deposit, you are instead forced to pay for your marketing over 36 months. Oftentimes, these companies may promise 20 or 30 leads in the beginning. But what is a lead in this case? Many of your prospective leads may turn out to be people who have searched for keywords like “free dentistry” and are expecting something entirely different than what you offer. This can waste your team’s time with failed conversions. You might be offered a free month to make up for lost potential, but what good is a free month that won’t help attract your ideal, new patients? Instead, this is how marketing is supposed to work. It’s 2019. Marketing technology has become much more refined and customized for your unique success. These days, tactics like re-targeting are crucial. Utilizing branded social media advertising and high-quality internet marketing, you will attract ideal patients into your funnel campaign, allowing you to stay in front of people who have expressed interest in you before. Effective marketing isn’t about cost. It’s about ROI and the value that it creates for your business. Instead, our approach is to communicate your true value, craft your branding strategically, and leverage quality, consistent marketing that attracts new patients who fit your practice philosophy. The longer you market, the better it works — not the other way around. If you are wondering what a truly effective marketing campaign looks like, we invite you to see for yourself. Schedule your complimentary marketing planning session with Identity Dental Marketing today.
