When it comes to running a dental practice, it’s often times all about the bottom line of how much money you make, and when those factors are in your mindset, it may seem like a ludicrous idea to offer your product at a discount; even when your margins are much less than what they’d be if you didn’t offer a discount. However, offering a special price on a product or service can do your business plenty of good in the short and long term. Here are some tips on choosing the first special offer for your business and how it can help your company.
Gain Momentum
If you are a small business that is just starting out, then it is vital that you are able to start strong and gain some momentum for your brand name. People may not always be as willing to spend full price on a company that hasn’t proven itself or that they haven’t tried before. So giving customers a special offer will not just gain more exposure for your company, it will entice people to at least come and check things out. If someone knows that they can get a deal on a product or service that they would be buying anyways, it’s likely that they’ll at least come to you to see what you are offering and if they would feel comfortable buying from you. A discount is a great way to get their attention, and then you allow your customer service and professionalism seal the deal.
Keep Them Coming Back for More
When it comes to getting customers think of the saying, “Get them in the door and keep them coming back for more.” As mentioned above, discounts are a great way to gain momentum and get your new customers coming to your business for your product or service. And while discounts may be the initial draw at first, once they are in the door you get a chance to show them why they should continually rely on you and your brand. Discounts are a great way to build repeat customers, which can help your business stay going for years to come in the future. These repeat customers can then turn into marketing tools as well, once they go out and start telling all their friends about how great your business is. Gaining a loyal following of customers is vital for the success of any company. And while discounts can get people in the door, your business gets to keep them there with their customer service that they offer.
Here’s are two examples of the specials my practice offers:
Things to Remember about discounts
One of the key arguments against discounts is that they might generate an attitude among customers to where they will only come to your business if they see that same deal again. However, you can word this in a way so that people do not expect discounts on a regular basis. For example, telling people that you are having a grand opening sale or offering discounts to first-time customers is a great way to generate a stream of people, without having them expect the same price deductions in the future.
Your first special should be worded carefully with pinpoint precision in mind. Know who it is you are going after, how much you can afford to give as a discount and, most importantly, how you plan to turn that initial traffic into lasting customers. If you can do all of this, then you can create a discount or special program that will certainly be worth the initial hit in price that you have to take. And if it pains you to see those discounts go out the door, just keep in mind that they will greatly pay off in the long run.
About the Author:
Dr. Bobby Irani is the owner of Mullholland Dental Care in Woodland Hills, CA. Dr. Irani offers a number of dental services including, general dentistry and orthodontics, and performs great dental implants in Woodland Hills. In his spare time, Dr. Irani makes sure to give back to his community by visiting elementary schools to teach children about the importance of good oral health.