The Importance of Client Testimonials and How to Use them to Grow Your Practice

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Client testimonials can be one of the most important components of your marketing strategy. Many patients looking for dentists rely on word-of-mouth marketing – testimonials from friends and those they trust. Studies show that customer feedback can have a greater impact on your marketing results than other marketing avenues.

Testimonials for your dental practice can be collected in a variety of ways and can be used across multiple marketing channels.

Here are some tips on how to easily get testimonials and how to best use them:

1. Ask for testimonials.  Most patients are happy to share their positive experiences with others and may not realize how much you value those testimonials if you don’t ask for them.
2. Make it easy for them. Have postcards available at the checkout counter for patients to fill out as they checkout, send an email with a short survey (no more than 3 questions), or even ask if you can quote them if they share in their conversation how wonderful their experience was.
3. Provide prompts. Prompts help develop the kind of testimonial you need. Ask leading questions that guide them. For example, you can ask them to list their concerns before their visit, how you addressed those concerns, and where you exceeded their expectations. Even something as simple as “Would you recommend us to a friend?” can be the start of a great testimonial.
4. Think outside the box. A video testimonial of a happy patient is great to load on your Facebook page and can be a quick and easy way to grab a testimonial from a patient. Make sure you have them sign any appropriate release forms before putting their videos online.
5. Use the power of social media. Let your patients know through your marketing materials that they can leave reviews on social media sites. Facebook make this very easy for users.
6. Share patient testimonials in all of your marketing materials. When patients see others testimonials it reminds them how much you value their feedback and can prompt them to provide you with their own testimonial.

Dental practice transitions can be a great time to assess your testimonials and determine if you need to improve your methods for collecting them. Regardless of where you are in a transition or if you’re just beginning to grow your practice these tips will help you easily improve your marketing strategies.