North Texas Dentistry Volume 7 Issue 2 NTD 2017 ISSUE 2 DE | Page 15

2. Speak to your ideal patient. Keep your ideal patient in mind. What is most important to them? Will your design appeal to them – language, pictures, style? Designing to an ideal patient does not mean you will not get other patients. But it will give you focus. The more tar- geted the communication, the stronger the connection. Put yourself in their shoes. If your ideal pa- tient is a busy mom trying to juggle the dental needs of her family, then extended or weekend hours, family appointment blocks and a no-fail way to book an ap- pointment are probably high on her prior- ity list. Make sure these are front and center on your website. 3. Connect on a personal level. Research shows that the second most vis- ited page on a dental website is the “Meet the Doctor” page. This is great news for the independent dentist. One huge weakness of corporate dentistry is their revolving door. Patients want to know, trust and de- velop a relationship with their dentist. People want to see and hear from the doc- tor before booking an appointment. Be personable. Get professional photography. Have a well-written bio that tells them more than where you went to dental school. Ideally, have a short video of the dentist(s) introducing themselves and the practice. Talk to them and be real. 4. Give them social proof. Rave reviews from current patients are very persuasive and reassuring to prospec- tive patients. With the rise of reviews and ratings online for everything, patient tes- t