Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media Web sites provide a wealth of opportunity for dental practitioners to reach out to new and existing patients. But no matter how savvy or high-tech your online strategies are, without successful word of mouth, social media marketing will fail. If you expect an immediate flood of new patients from Facebook or pay attention to social media only when you have extra time, you will be quickly disappointed. The following traditional “word-of-mouth” tips can help you make the most of your social networking efforts:

It seems like everyone is on Facebook these days, and dental specialists should be quickly moving online to market their practices. But social media marketing involves more than a “build it and they will come” strategy. Building referrals is often the result of promotion within your practice. And once the excitement of your Facebook page fades, it takes thoughtful effort to keep the momentum going. Here are a few tips to help boost your referrals with Facebook:

Many times, marketing efforts are focused solely on attracting new patients to a dental practice, often at the expense of nurturing existing patients. In fact, those existing patients are perhaps your most valuable asset: Unlike potential patients, who must be carefully wooed and courted, existing patients already trust you and value your service.

When was the last time your dental patients heard from you? If you do not reach out to your existing patients on a regular basis you can miss the boat for referrals and risk loosing dental patients to your competition. Engaging with your patients only during office visits is not enough. Here are a few effective ways to stay close throughout the year:

In these challenging economic times, dental practitioners have to work smarter, not harder, to weather the storm. But the good news is that with a number of simple strategies, you can market your business and bolster the success of your practice in the face of the current downturn. According to Jeff Francis, marketing director at Practice Café, dental practitioners can follow a few essential practices that will serve you well.

Here we are in the 21st century, amidst huge leaps in science, medicine and technology. We’re more productive, capable and fast-paced than ever before. But no matter how far we come, referrals and relationships are still the best, most powerful ways to build your dental specialist practice. Learn how social networking can help you build your referrals.

According to an old proverb, “Experience is the best teacher,” and when dental marketing expert Jerry Jones began his dental marketing career, he took that advice to heart. Jones, who runs the dental marketing agency Jerry Jones Direct from its headquarters in Salem, Oregon, decided he wanted to make sure his company’s marketing efforts would be designed to meet the needs of real-life dentists. And what better way to understand those needs than to open and manage a dental practice, to see and experience firsthand the tools a practice needs to keep it ahead of the pack?

Is marketing your dental practice important to you, but you just can’t ever seem to find the time to make it happen? With the new year quickly approaching now is a great time to incorporate a dental marketing strategy into your practice. It’s easy to get overwhelmed but by trying something new once every two weeks your dental practice marketing strategy will be in place in no time. Below is a list of “little” things you can try to improve your dental practice’s marketing efforts

If you are one of the many dental specialists taking advantage of the social networking phenomenon Twitter don’t make these common mistakes.

It may seem like just another fad, but Twitter is an effective way to use social networking to help build your dental practice.