Here's the scenario: You're booked 1 and a half months out, new patients are calling (about 1 a day) you just can't seem to catch up with all the treatment you have diagnosed...What do you do?

Well, the answer I get most often is to STOP MARKETING. Why have patients call when they have to wait 2 months just to get in for their first appointment.

Finding the new dental marketing ideas is a hot topic in the dental industry today. In fact, "new dental marketing ideas" is one of the top dental searches done on the internet.

But is any idea really new?

The website craze is probably considered the newest "idea" to hit dentistry, but when you really look at what a website does, is it truly new.

When someone in the dental industry talks about dental marketing online, they usually are referring to website design.

But in the overall scope of internet dental marketing, a website is just a simple step to an effective dental practice internet marketing system.

The truth is, a dental website needs the same amount of attention as a good postcard, or phone book ad.

With all of the discussion in the media today, many dental practices are "hunkering down" for the economic storm ahead.

This is a dangerous approach considering your practice thrives on growth to succeed. If you want to stay out of economic turmoil, you need to keep your dental marketing momentum.

In the uncertain financial climate, you don't have the time, or the means to test new dental marketing ideas until you find one that is successful.

Marketing to your current patients is not a new dental marketing idea. There are, and continue to be many different strategies and programs that allow you to increase your referrals and retention.

One of the concepts you won't hear very much is the concept of "lift" as it applies to your internal dental marketing. When it comes to marketing for new patients, the best place to start is inside your practice.

You've heard it before, probably from a dental practice management consultant of some kind: "A Referrals-Based Practice is the BEST-case scenario." If your practice has reached that level of development, you deserve it. It obviously took great amounts of physical and mental work to get it there.

If your practice isn't there yet, but you are working on getting it to that level, there are certain key elements that will make it easier to do.

Dear Dental Practice Marketing Expert,

I am tired of having to offer discounts and such just to get new patients in the door. I want the patients to see how trustworthy, and honest I am, as well as how much experience I have (I've been in practice 35 years). How can I convey this through my dental advertising?

Signed, Average Frustrated Dentist

Dear Average Frustrated Dentist,

While it would be nice to simply go on the seniority principle when we promote dental practices, that is not the type of society we live in anymore.

I recently had perhaps one of the most interesting coaching calls I have ever had.

First, the client tells me, "The newsletter isn't working." This coming from a seasoned dentist who has been doing a newsletter for YEARS suddenly thinks his 20+ new patients a month from referrals are due to something else... a Care To Share card. Yes, those work, don't get me wrong.

I'm always on the lookout to tell people if they are doing a great job. Lately, I've even found myself letting those that are not, know as well. In fact, I believe it was a mentor of mine, Ralph Oats, who pointed out:

"If you don't let people know when they are doing things right and when they are doing things wrong, they'll never know!"

Ralph was really into letting people know when they were screwing up so they would stop doing it wrong and start doing it right.

In a recent face-to-face coaching meeting in Portland, the group listened to a presentation from a business consultant, John Patrick.

I won't go into details about the talk, but instead, I want to focus on a question you must ask yourself that he asked us.

Let me set the stage first though:

I'm a "positive thinker." However, I'm also a man of action.

I know some of you may not see too many kids in your practice. And, that's okay. For those of you that do though, I've made a recent find I thought I'd let you in on. And, in your infinite wisdom, you're probably a step ahead of me already.

But first, I have to share with you a quick story.

My niece, Hannah, is now 5 and a half, and she's pretty smart.