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Think Different by Tony Peniche

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Categories: Marketing;
Think Different 

Effective marketing for a multigenerational patient base

by Tony Peniche

In today’s rapidly evolving orthodontic landscape, one size no longer fits all when it comes to marketing strategies. With patients spanning multiple generations, from baby boomers to millennials and Generation Z, orthodontic practices must adopt a multifaceted approach to effectively reach and engage this diverse audience. By blending legacy marketing strategies with innovative techniques tailored to younger generations, practices can create a comprehensive marketing plan that resonates with all demographics.


Understanding the multigenerational landscape
The first step in crafting a successful multigenerational marketing strategy is understanding the unique characteristics and preferences of each generation:
  • Baby boomers (born 1946–1964): This generation values loyalty, face-to-face interactions and clear, detailed information. They appreciate traditional marketing methods such as direct mail, print ads and in-office brochures. Personal recommendations and word-of-mouth referrals are highly influential.
  • Generation X (born 1965–1980): Gen Xers are tech-savvy yet still value personal connections. They respond well to email marketing, digital newsletters and social media. They appreciate authenticity and transparency and are likely to research extensively before making decisions.
  • Millennials (born 1981–1996): This generation is highly connected and values convenience and immediacy. They prefer digital interactions, including social media, mobile apps and online reviews. Millennials are influenced by peer recommendations and user-generated content.
  • Gen Z (born 1997–2012): Gen Zers are true digital natives, spending a significant amount of time on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. they value short, engaging content and are drawn to video marketing and influencer endorsements.

Blending legacy and modern marketing strategies
To effectively market to a multigenerational audience, orthodontic practices must blend traditional marketing strategies with modern, often digital, approaches. Here are 10 ways to help create a harmonious blend:

1. Leverage the power of storytelling.
Storytelling is a timeless marketing technique that resonates across generations. Share patient success stories, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your practice and the personal journey of your team members. Highlighting real-life experiences can create an emotional connection with patients of all ages.

2. Utilize multichannel marketing.
Employ a multichannel approach to ensure your message reaches patients where they are most active. For baby boomers and Gen Xers, maintain a strong presence in traditional channels such as print ads, direct mail and community events. For millennials and Gen Z, focus on digital channels, including social media, email marketing and your practice’s website.

3. Embrace social media.
Social media is a powerful tool for engaging with younger generations. Create content tailored to each platform—informative posts on Facebook, visual stories on Instagram, short videos on TikTok and professional updates on LinkedIn. Encourage satisfied patients to share their experiences and tag your practice, amplifying your reach.

Keep in mind that your content needs to appear authentic; if your office culture doesn’t fit the vibe on TikTok, don’t do it. Forcing content that doesn’t align with your practice’s identity won’t yield a return on your time and energy investments. Viewers on these platforms can easily discern what is authentic and what seems forced. Posting content that makes people cringe doesn’t help anyone.

4. Invest in video marketing.
Video content is incredibly engaging and can effectively convey complex information in an easily digestible format. Produce videos that showcase patient testimonials, explain treatment processes and provide oral health tips. Post these videos on your website, YouTube channel and social media platforms.

These days, you don’t need to spend a lot of money producing video content; all you need is a newish cellphone with a great camera, a 19-to-22-inch ring light, a tripod or selfie stick and some wireless lavalier microphones that you can buy online for less than $20. You can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) apps such as Captions to reposition your eyes so it appears you’re looking at the camera when you were actually looking at your script. You can also use AI programs that capture your likeness and voice, then add a script and generate an incredibly realistic video of you speaking.

If you still want to produce traditional, high-quality videos, check out Lemonlight, which leverages vetted private contractors near you to produce videos in your office, then sends the footage back to its L.A. headquarters for editing. This process saves you money because you’re not paying for flights, hotels and rental cars for the production crew.

5. Optimize your online presence.
Ensure your practice’s website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive and optimized for search engines. Provide valuable content such as blog posts, FAQs and downloadable resources. Encourage satisfied patients to leave positive reviews on platforms including Google, Yelp, Facebook, Bing, Apple Maps and other online review platforms to enhance your online reputation and increase your digital real estate.

More than 90% of non-client orthodontic practices have not claimed and optimized their Apple Maps business listing, which hurts many offices. By default, Apple Maps business profiles are auto-generated with information and reviews supplied by Yelp, which is usually not ideal. Most practices focus on their Google Maps business listing and getting Google reviews, but remember that more than half of Americans have iPhones and use Apple Maps.

6. Personalize your communications.
Personalization is key to building relationships with patients. Use data from patient interactions to tailor your communications, whether through personalized email campaigns, targeted social media ads or customized treatment plans. Show patients you understand their unique needs and preferences. Avoid copying exactly what other practices are doing across the country, because their target audiences most likely have different preferences. Be observant, ask questions and conduct surveys with your patients and parents to better understand your community and tailor your efforts to their unique interests.

7. Host educational workshops and webinars.
Offer educational workshops and webinars to provide valuable information and position your practice as an authority in orthodontics. Topics can range from the benefits of early orthodontic treatment to the latest advancements in clear aligner technology. Promote these events through both traditional and digital channels to attract a diverse audience. If you’re struggling to find a good topic for these workshops, focus on your website’s keywords that you wish you were ranking better for. Once these webinars are published online, Google transcribes your audio files as written ones, credits you with those keywords and positions you as more of an authority on those topics.

8. Implement loyalty programs.
Loyalty programs can encourage repeat business and referrals, particularly among baby boomers and Gen Xers. Offer incentives such as discounts on future treatments, referral bonuses (in the form of raffles for legal reasons) and exclusive access to special events. Highlight the benefits of these programs in your marketing materials. Make sure your kids club is something patients are thrilled to be a part of. Encourage them to explore nature, engage in community activities, learn new skills and become well-rounded individuals, then reward or acknowledge their personal growth like scouting programs do.

9. Engage with community events.
Participating in community events is a great way to build relationships with local families and establish your practice as a trusted community partner. Sponsor local sports teams in nontraditional ways so you don’t get overlooked, participate in health fairs and host free orthodontic screenings. These activities can enhance your practice’s visibility and reputation.

Be careful not to waste money by paying large fees just to put your logo on something that will be ignored. Throwing money at a traditional sponsorship opportunity is less effective today because the average American sees between 4,000 and 10,000 logos and ads daily, according to a survey by Forbes magazine. Get creative and support your local sports teams and community in unique ways that resonate with your audience.

10. Monitor and adapt your strategies.
Marketing is an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and adaptation. Use analytics tools to track the performance of your marketing campaigns and gather insights into patient behavior. Be willing to adjust your strategies based on what works best for your diverse audience. I highly encourage practices to try new things and conduct experiments, but it’s crucial to find ways to track your results and calculate the return on your investment.

Conduct in-office surveys with your patients and parents to see what’s working and what’s being overlooked. You may indeed be getting a great return on your investment, but without measurable data to confirm the ROI, you might not do it again the following year. We had a client who stopped running radio ads because they assumed it wasn’t effective. Five years later, we conducted a survey and found that the radio ads were highly effective in their area, with more than 35% of patients and parents still remembering those ads.


Case study #1: Reimagined patient progress reports
One innovative program I developed for an orthodontic office, now widely adopted by our clients, is the reimagined Patient Progress Report. At every patient appointment, we provide a simple, multiple-choice report that staff members can quickly and easily complete without feeling overwhelmed.

The key innovation here is using the backside of the report to showcase current marketing programs. These can include offers like Retainers for Life, special discounts for parents to join their child in treatment, or promoting upcoming patient appreciation parties. While many offices are going paperless and focusing on digital communications, this physical Patient Progress Report ensures that marketing messages reach the parents’ hands.

Patients and parents are often unaware of current marketing programs because they might not follow the practice on social media or might ignore email blasts that look like ads. However, they always pay attention to their treatment progress, making this physical report an effective way to communicate marketing messages. Our clients have reported excellent feedback and increased awareness of their marketing programs since implementing this strategy.


Case study #2: Thank-you cards to referring dentists
Another successful program is the use of personalized thank-you cards written by patients to their referring dentists. Traditionally, orthodontic offices might have patients write thank-you cards to their parents for paying for their treatment. While heartwarming, this approach doesn’t directly generate new business.

Instead, we have patients write thank-you cards to the dentists who referred them, including a printed Polaroid photo of the patient smiling on the day they got their braces off. This simple yet effective gesture warms the hearts of the dentists and builds their confidence in referring patients to the orthodontist. The personalized touch of the Polaroid photo, which people rarely throw away, ensures the dentist keeps the card and remembers the positive experience their patient had.

Dentists appreciate this recognition and often display the photos in their offices, subtly reinforcing the relationship with the referring orthodontist. This program has led to increased referrals and stronger partnerships between orthodontists and dentists, showcasing a perfect blend of legacy and modern marketing strategies.


Conclusion
Marketing to a multigenerational patient base requires a thoughtful blend of traditional and modern strategies. By understanding the unique preferences of each generation and leveraging a variety of marketing channels, orthodontic practices can create a comprehensive and effective marketing plan. Embrace the power of storytelling, personalize your communications, and continuously adapt your strategies to stay ahead in the ever-evolving orthodontic landscape.

Author Bio
Tony Peniche Tony Peniche is a marketing consultant and the director of innovation at Peniche & Associates, where he has been instrumental in developing brand and marketing strategies for clients nationwide. With more than five years of experience at Peniche & Associates, growing up as the son of esteemed consultant LeeAnn Peniche, and a background in creating and selling successful products and companies, Tony brings a fresh and innovative perspective to today’s orthodontic market. He frequently lectures at industry events, including the AAO, PCSO, NEXUS and AOE, and leads the Master Marketing Academy four times a year in Portland, Oregon.


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