A unique selling proposition in dentistry is a feature that can help motivate a lot of patients to choose your dental office. In this article we are going to discuss the concept of a unique selling proposition (USP) so you can try and come up with one for your practice. Additionally, we are going to showcase what another office did to successfully develop and implement a USP.
What is a USP?
A USP is a short, clear statement or concept that tells your prospective patients what makes your business different and better than the competition. It should be something that sets you apart and makes you memorable.
Once you create the concept of your USP, it will require some work. If it were easy, everyone would do it.
A good example of a USP is Dominos Pizza. They had a guarantee that you would get your pizza within 30 minutes, or it was free. Now, the offer isn’t quite the same anymore, but the idea behind it made for a strong selling point that their competitors didn’t have.
It influenced many hungry people to choose them, knowing they would be eating shortly, or they would be eating for free.
What isn’t a USP?
The concept of a USP can be difficult for some to grasp initially. However, it is important that saying things like the following are NOT unique selling propositions:
- “We take care of you like family”
- “We have the latest and greatest technology”
- “You’re in good hands with us”
All of those statements may be true, and they can still be said on your website or marketing materials, but they are not unique selling propositions. Almost any dental practice offers or claims to offer that.
Why is having a Unique Selling Proposition important?
Patients have more choices than ever before. A USP can really set your dental practice apart. Especially if you are in a saturated market.
For example, if you are a general dentist in a large city, patients have seemingly limitless options for choosing a dentist. If you want to stand out, you’re going to have to find a way to differentiate your practice.
Creating a Unique Selling Proposition can be the key to doing just that.
How do I create a Unique Selling Proposition?
When it comes to coming up with a USP, there are a few things you need to consider. First, what is it about your dental office that makes it unique? This could be anything from the type of services you offer to the way you run your business.
It might take you days, weeks, months or even years to come up with the right USP for your dental practice. However, if you do it right, you will reap the benefits.
Remember this too. You don’t have to be the best at what you do nationwide. As a local business, you just need to find a way to be the best at what you do locally.
What one orthodontic practice did
An orthodontic practice I know bought a new building. During the build out, the orthodontist asked the contractor to build a very large game room. Initially, the contractor objected, saying, “Nobody else does this” and even added that it was “crazy” to create such a large space for a game room in his office.
The fact that nobody else did something like that was exactly the point though.
Some people say that they have an orthodontist who did something like this. Maybe, but nobody else in their town was doing it quite like this.
When the office was finished, the game room was filled with arcade games. They also had soft serve ice cream for patients and even did magic for them. Many patients referred to the office as a sort of “Chuck E Cheese”. Naturally, it garnered a lot of attention from parents and kids in town and on social media.
By going over the top and advertising that they provided the best experience for kids, they differentiated themselves from the competition. They got more referrals from patients and it made their dental marketing campaigns on Facebook extremely effective.
Their office has many doctors and is consistently busy. It solved their marketing problems to a large extent.
Any orthodontist or pediatric dentist could do this same strategy and be successful in most towns. However, you’d be shocked how many adults would comment on the page that they wish there was a place like this for them too.
Might be worth a try to do something similar if you are looking for ways to create a unique selling proposition in dentistry.
Summary
If you are able to implement a USP in the right market and get your message right, it could be a game changer for your dental office.
Your USP could be anything from the type of services you offer to the way you run your business. Spend some time brainstorming and see what unique selling proposition you can come up with for your dental office. If you can figure out how to create a unique selling proposition in dentistry, it might just be the thing that takes your dental practice to the next level.