AADOM PODcast – No Budget, No Problem: 10 Free Ways to Grow
Unlocking Growth: The No-Cost Strategies to Boost Your Membership Plan
According to an ADA survey released this September, 49% of dentists are concerned about the US economy and what it means for their practice. With rising inflations, shrinking profit margins, and staff shortages continuing we need to get crafty with where we spend our dollars and time.
Leveraging the tools and systems already within your grasp is a smart and economical way to amplify the outreach and effectiveness of your membership plan. Many dental practices are overlooking the potential revenue lying dormant in their existing resources.
This guide aims to navigate through actionable steps to make your existing tools work meticulously for you.
Open Enrollment
The Open Enrollment period is a crucial phase where you can spotlight your membership plan. It’s the season when individuals are making pivotal decisions about their insurance and healthcare. Ensure that your membership plan is in the limelight, offering a promising alternative to conventional insurance plans. Do a little prepping and outreach through your patient engagement system to your insured patients. Remind them it’s time to do a cost comparison. If you’re not sick of talking about your membership plan, you’re not talking about it enough.
Spend Comparison Worksheet
Create a Spend Comparison Worksheet and make it available on your website and at your office. This worksheet should walk patients through how to compare the out-of-pocket spend with their traditional insurance vs. what their out-of-pocket would be on your membership plan. Don’t forget to include their insurance premium payments. This will help your patients feel more confident when making the decision on which benefit route to go.
Email to Insured
Instead of simply reminding patients about their upcoming appointments, you can use this opportunity to bring their attention to your membership plan. Craft personalized emails to your insured clientele detailing the benefits of transitioning to or maintaining a membership with your organization. Use compelling subject lines, concise content, and a clear call-to-action to guide them toward making an informed decision.
Most importantly, stay consistent. Creating patient loyalty is a critical component in scaling so consider sending out monthly emails to your patient base about what’s new at your practice and highlighting upcoming specials.
Leverage Your Website
Your website is one of your most powerful tools that operates around the clock. Make sure it’s well-equipped with comprehensive information about your membership plan. We’ve found that dental practice websites that mention their membership plan on the homepage enroll more members. When sending out emails or newsletters, include links directing readers to your website or landing pages that succinctly highlight the advantages of the membership plan.
Add to the Morning Huddle
Before the day begins, huddle with your team to identify the uninsured patients coming in. Arm your team with the right information so they can enlighten these patients about the benefits of your membership plan, making it a part of their routine discussions. Bonus points if you can gamify enrollment with your team to increase motivation.
Hold Message
While every practice strives to answer every call and handle the call quickly, placing a patient on hold is a common necessity. The hold message on your phone system is a golden opportunity to showcase your membership plan. Craft a message that educates callers about your membership plan, its benefits, cost-effectiveness, and how they can enroll.
Statement Note
If you have to send a statement to your patients, capitalize on the opportunity. Add an automatic note on the statements briefly mentioning your membership plan and how to learn more. This tiny snippet of information can trigger curiosity, leading them to inquire more about the plan.
Patient Engagement System
Most practices are already using software to send automated appointment reminders, new patient inquiry messages, and follow-up emails post-appointment. In each communication, subtly promote your membership plan, ensuring it always remains in the periphery of your patient’s consideration. Less is more on these communications, but it’s a consistent reminder that there’s a better way to afford their care.
Pro tip: you can contact your account executive and ask if they can customize these messages for you. Many times, they will!
TVs/Tablets
Utilize the TVs and Tablets within your office to run informative slides or videos about your membership plan. A visual explanation can be more effective and engaging, making it easier for patients to grasp the benefits of enrolling. Using the TVs as a visual reminder is also a good way to remind your team to discuss the membership plan with their patients.
Imagine a slide telling your patients today’s appointment could cost $0 if they were a member.
Direct Mail
Almost every practice is still sending direct mail to their local area because it’s one of the highest-performing channels when it comes to response rates. A well-crafted mailer highlighting the benefits of your membership plan can have a higher response rate than other forms of advertising and marketing channels.
Make sure to add a QR code to make it easy for them to get to your website where they can delve deeper into the membership plan details, enroll, and request an appointment.
Consistent Social Media Posts
Harness the power of social media by scheduling consistent posts that relate to your membership plan. Marketing benchmarks state it takes at least 7 interactions before people make a decision, so repetition is key. Celebrate different holidays or special days by relating them to the importance of having a reliable membership plan, thus subtly reminding your followers about your offering.
If you’re not using a content calendar for social media, we highly recommend Connect90. Platforms like Connect90 are built to enhance patient engagement and communication. The analytic insights can be invaluable in tweaking your strategies to manage and measure your membership growth campaigns effectively.
Did you know Plan Forward follows these exact same strategies, but we do it FOR our clients? When you’re ready for a partner who can deliver membership plan results – schedule a call here.
Each of these steps is geared towards making the most of what you already have, transforming your everyday tools into powerful membership growth catalysts. As you embark on implementing these strategies, remember that consistency is key. Evaluate the effectiveness of each tactic, refine your approach, and continue to explore innovative ways to promote your membership plan through the resources available to you.
EPISODE SUMMARY
“No Budget, No Problem: 10 Free Ways to Grow” is not merely a conceptual notion; it’s the same cost-effective strategy we implement for our clients in order to bolster a robust membership plan. Each method is broken down into easily comprehensible and achievable actions, providing you with the opportunity to transform these ideas into tangible growth. This is the starting point for those seeking to grow your membership plan without straining their financial resources.
EPISODE NOTES
AADOM Radio & Plan Forward Present:
Megan Lohman-Founder & Co-CEO
Learning Objectives:
- How to capitalize on the open-enrollment season to grow your membership base
- Strategic daily opportunities to remind patients and your team of the membership plan
- Where to find marketing gold in existing patient communications that position your membership plan as the best option for their care
More About Megan:
As Founder and Co-CEO of Plan Forward, Megan Lohman leads the company’s product development and internal operations. Leveraging her years of industry experience as a financial coordinator for a dental practice, and knowledge of dental membership plans, Lohman works closely with Plan Forward’s partners and customers to honor the company’s mission of being the membership engine that makes great practices even better.
More About Plan Forward:
Plan Forward is a leading dental software company enabling dental practices to offer an alternative method of payment to their uninsured patients. The comprehensive solution includes an innovative new platform for enabling the custom creation, management, and analysis of dental membership plans, compliant membership agreements, and marketing support to drive membership growth for practices and groups. The company was founded in 2018, and has assembled an experienced, seasoned team of technologists and domain experts. Visit Plan Forward at www.planforward.io
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