Message Boards
Today's Active Topics Today's Active Cases Browse Forum Categories My Recent Activity My Messages Private Groups My Marked Threads My Subscriptions
Today's Active Images Today's Active Polls Most Active Topics Global Townie Map Advanced Message Board Search Message Board Terms of Use

Crafting a Winning Strategy by Amy Stafford

Start Discussion More by this author (1)
Crafting a Winning Strategy 

A detailed marketing blueprint for 2025 and beyond

by Amy Stafford


A detailed marketing blueprint for 2025 and beyond

A well-organized 12-month marketing plan can help you maintain steady patient engagement, strengthen referral relationships and optimize slower production periods. By strategizing now, you’ll ensure your practice remains ahead of the curve in today’s competitive orthodontic landscape.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a winning marketing calendar, with practical examples and actionable tips for practices of all sizes to have a successful 2025. Remember, you don’t have to wait until the new year to start a new plan!

Set clear goals
Start by defining measurable, SMART goals that align with your practice’s flow and anticipated downtime. Examples might include:
  • Increasing new patient growth by a specific percentage.
  • Enhancing retention rates through improved follow-ups.
  • Expanding referral relationships with local dentists and pediatricians.
Action: Analyze last year’s performance using tools like your practice management system or your favorite analytics partner software to set realistic benchmarks for growth.

Based on your findings and variables such as your region, cost of living and the economy, a reasonable and attainable growth goal for an orthodontic practice in 2025 is between 10–15% growth in revenue or new patient starts. Here’s why:
  • 10% growth: Aligns with inflation-adjusted market expansion and steady patient acquisition in stable economic conditions.
  • 15% growth: Represents a stretch goal achievable through targeted marketing, operational efficiencies and leveraging trends like clear aligners or new referral programs.
Where do you measure up?
  • Highly competitive markets: Practices in saturated areas should aim for 8-10% growth but focus on capturing market share through hyper-local strategies.
  • Emerging or less saturated markets: Practices here might aim for 15–20% growth, leveraging opportunities for first-mover advantage or minimal competition.
  • Practices adding new services: Introducing clear aligners, remote monitoring or additional pediatric services could boost growth potential to 20% or more.
Understand your audience
Successful marketing starts with knowing your audience. For orthodontic practices, segment key groups and tailor strategies to their unique needs.
  • Parents of young children: Highlight the benefits of early orthodontic evaluations.
  • Teens and their parents: Focus on aesthetics and comfort, offering options like clear aligners for high schoolers, but don’t forget braces and colors for many middle schoolers.
  • Adults: Studies show this is an audience practices should focus on in 2025. Emphasize discretion and convenience for achieving a great smile.
  • Referral sources: Build trust with local dentists and pediatricians by showcasing your expertise.
Action: Host a “Braces and Beyond” virtual webinar for parents, addressing common questions about early orthodontic care, treatment options and showcasing success stories. Remote monitoring is key here. While you discuss the convenience factor for kids, parents will pick up on how well it would work for them, too. Include a live Q&A and an offer to engage attendees. Evaluate your financial options, especially for adults. Are you providing the flexibility they need to say yes and start the same day?

Plan marketing strategies
An effective marketing strategy combines diverse tactics to maintain engagement throughout the year. Focus on:
  • Social media: Maintain a consistent presence on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook. Share visually engaging content, such as patient testimonials, educational posts and behind-the-scenes glimpses.
  • Email campaigns: Send monthly newsletters with practice updates, promotions and targeted messages for specific groups.
  • Community events: Participate in local health fairs, school events and charity drives to build brand awareness.
  • Referral programs: Reward patients and professionals with incentives like gift cards or exclusive benefits.
Action: Create a “[Practice Name] Smile Influencer” program where existing patients earn rewards for actively posting on social media, tagging your practice, posting pics or videos during their visits, and wearing your swag while out in the community. Additional rewards may be earned when this leads to referrals.

Launch a “Reset in 2025” campaign showcasing your complimentary consultations with a limited-time offer for patients who schedule their first visit. Track the number of new patient starts and adjust future promotions accordingly.

Use promotions and events to target slower production periods. For instance, adult promotions are great considerations for spring and fall, as are the holidays. Your slower periods are also the best times to plan for events that may boost referrals. The key is knowing where these events and promotions will happen and adequately planning by utilizing a calendar.

Budget and resources
A well-planned budget ensures your marketing strategies are executed effectively. Allocate funds across these key categories:
  • School marketing: Sponsor local school events, provide branded supplies for classrooms and create car rider line tags. For example, partner with schools to distribute orthodontic health flyers and host a “Healthy Smiles Week” to build awareness.
  • Community involvement: Participate in health fairs, festivals, parades and charity events, or host a community open house. Use part of the budget for branded giveaways like water bottles or tote bags to enhance visibility. For example, sponsor a local charity run, providing custom-branded water bottles to participants.
  • Patient engagement: Reserve for initiatives like holiday giveaways, patient appreciation events, rewards programs, swag and milestone gifts such as braces removal celebrations. For instance, create “Smile Kits” with toothpaste, a travel toothbrush and lip balm and gifts for every patient finishing treatment.
  • Dental community referrals: Plan for quarterly gifts or events to strengthen relationships with referring dentists. Consider hosting a thank-you dinner party, continuing education brunch, or sending high-quality branded gifts, such as notebooks or gourmet locally sourced baskets. For example, plan a spring lunch event to thank your dental community and discuss how remote monitoring benefits the community.
Action: Determine Your Budget. To achieve a 10–15% growth goal, calculate your expected revenue increase and allocate 7–10% of your projected revenue for marketing. For instance, if your practice aims to grow revenue from $1 million to $1.1 million, consider a marketing budget of $77,000–$110,000. This ensures sufficient resources to execute campaigns while aligning with your growth objectives.

For example:
  • School marketing: Approximately 10–15% of the total budget ($7,700–$16,500).
  • Community involvement: Approximately 15–20% of the total budget ($11,550–$22,000).
  • Patient engagement: Approximately 20–25% of the total budget ($15,400–$27,500).
  • Dental community referrals: Approximately 10–15% of the total budget ($7,700–$16,500).
  • Additional considerations: Approximately 30–35% of the total budget ($23,100–$38,500). Reserve a portion of the budget for advertising and content creation to support all categories. This includes investing in digital advertising, social media promotions and professional photography or videography to produce high-quality content for your campaigns.
These allocations are flexible and should be adjusted based on the specific goals, market conditions and performance metrics of your practice. Regularly reviewing and analyzing the return on investment for each category will help in making informed decisions and optimizing the marketing strategy.

Note: The percentages and amounts provided are approximate and should be tailored to fit the unique needs and objectives of your orthodontic practice.

Ensure your team has the resources and tools needed to execute campaigns, from CRM software to social media management platforms. Consider a professional orthodontic marketing agency to manage the details for the best results and stand out from the competition. Track and adjust your budget monthly and quarterly.

Monitor and adjust
Consistent tracking and adaptation are crucial to marketing success. Regularly monitor key metrics such as:
  • Leads, new patient calls and conversions: Reflecting new patient growth.
  • Retention rates: Measuring long-term patient satisfaction.
  • Social media engagement: Indicating audience connection.
  • Website traffic and conversion rates: Highlighting digital campaign effectiveness.
Action: Utilize analytics and social media insights to identify your top-performing content each month. Repurpose similar formats like short videos or topics such as same-day starts to maintain audience interest and engagement.

Use performance insights to refine your strategies. For example, if a specific social media platform outperforms others, allocate more resources there. Schedule monthly strategy reviews and performance meetings to discuss results and make data-driven adjustments. Delegate key areas of responsibility to your marketing team for management and accountability so that each target category is properly covered throughout the year.

Final thoughts
The future is brimming with opportunities for your orthodontic practice to grow and thrive. By setting clear goals, understanding your audience, implementing targeted marketing strategies, managing your budget and staying adaptable, you’ll ensure consistent success throughout 2025 and beyond. Start now, and toast with your team to a winning year.

Author Bio
Amy Stafford Amy Stafford, North American director for The Invisible Orthodontist, has dedicated almost 30 years to the orthodontic profession, a journey that began as a part-time summer job and grew into a lifelong passion. Stafford’s career has spanned roles from traveling nationally as a software and team trainer to in-practice positions as a records assistant, clinical assistant, treatment coordinator, marketing director, and leadership positions in management and business development. She was named SureSmile Treatment Coordinator of the Year and earned Disney Customer Experience certification.



Orthotown Magazine
September 2025
Orthotown Magazine September 2025 Read Current Issue Read Archived Issues
Sponsors
Townie® Poll
Do you have a dedicated insurance coordinator in your office?
  
Site Menu
Message Boards Magazine Continuing Education Podcasts Blogs Classifieds News Events Townie® Poll Ebooks Townie Choice Awards
Company Info
Contact Us Advertise With Us Howard Farran DDS, MBA Policies and Agreements
Site Help
Sally Gross, Member Services Specialist
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: sally@farranmedia.com
©2025 Orthotown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450