Marketing Your Lab

[GoldRunner]

Sounds like a good approach. We have changed significantly the types of restorations that we offer and can provide much better service than before. The problem is that we have to get the word out to more clients both existing and new. We have a new web site for product awareness and digital communication, but really need to motivate clients to go there. Maybe provide some unique offer if they visit our site and print it out? A strategic and continual process of marketing is the best, but like most labs, I admit to falling short of our marketing goals.

If you would like to help, please PM me.


Thanks!

 

[antoinette6774]

Good afternoon. I work for a fairly new orthodontic laboratory and I am hoping that you can help me with our marketing plan. I have been mailing out information and I am now in the process of putting a packet together to bring by various doctors offices. We do have a web site and I keep it updated with our newest work that we have done, but I need tips on what else I could be doing.

Please help. Please respond with a PM.

 

[rkm rdt]

How about a lunch and learn?

 

[ZsoltM]

 

[ZsoltM]

@ DenLab. Hi, PM me please if interested. I am not sure where you located and such, but would like to a your service.
Thank you

 

[DenLab]

@ DenLab. Hi, PM me please if interested. I am not sure where you located and such, but would like to a your service.
Thank you

Man, this site does not make it easy to find how to IM privately. You can email me at dmmx11 at yahoo dot com. Here is something new to share. So my marketing campaign was going great- we were getting around 8 - 10 new clients per month by sending out a specific marketing item after confirming their interest in using a new lab. The owner of the lab I work for decided he wanted to slow down the amount of marketing materials I was sending out to save on costs. Well, that slowed the number of doctors coming in dramatically. Clearly, when you have a doctor that is interested in a new lab or is open to trying a new lab or has tried a new lab in the recent past, you have a better shot at earning their business than blindly sending marketing materials out. Anyway, I have started sending out marketing items like before. The lab owner learned his lesson. If you have something that is working, DON'T CHANGE IT! So I'm making my calls again and getting lots of interested dental offices getting our marketing materials.

As of now, from new clients in, the ones that have stuck with us are generating $8K - $10K worth of business per month. More new clients to come!

 

[DenLab]

@ DenLab. Hi, PM me please if interested. I am not sure where you located and such, but would like to a your service.
Thank you

Hi ZsoltM. please email me at [email protected] - yes. I can absolutely help no matter what state you are in.

 

[MrSae]

Hello,

I enjoyed reading the topic. I noticed there is no more activity going on here. From my point of view its is very good for motivation to share our experience and ideas with each-other.

I became marketing person in a lab. I believe I'm good in economics. As I never worked, nor ever had contact with dental labs before, its a challenge for me to get to know with the whole process lab is doing.
The lab was never doing a marketing before. We have only one permanent partner, a dental clinic. So we totally depend on them. I'm hired to change the situation and get new clients. No doubt our lab is doing a very professional and quality work.

I came up with a plan. Personally I don't believe in e-mail marketing, nor so much in social network marketing -when we are talking about B2B situation with low marketing budget. Also, I don't want dentists feel me as an agent, so I won't do direct calls and door knocking. I wish they look at us as we are totally unique and different from other labs they work with. So I was thinking of other interactive ways to get our share on the market.
The bulb in my head lit up. So I'm organizing a business presentation. We are going to introduce our self in presentation form. I will send out invitations for the event. Because our laboratory is very big and nice inside, in minimalist and modern style, I decided to design custom - minimalist envelopes in same style as our lab. Envelopes will be made of high quality materials (no fancy stuff, just poor quality).
As our first contact with potential clients will be as they receive and open the envelope, it must be perfect. The envelope material and design will talk for it self - quality and perfection.
The presentation will be held by our pure professional worker.

So far the printing shop did very nice job, I was able to transfer my vision to them. Just the envelopes will cost as complete e-mail marketing for a month or so.

What do you think of my strategy?

(sorry because of my not so professional English)

Chris

 

[DenLab]

Hello,

I enjoyed reading the topic. I noticed there is no more activity going on here. From my point of view its is very good for motivation to share our experience and ideas with each-other.

I became marketing person in a lab. I believe I'm good in economics. As I never worked, nor ever had contact with dental labs before, its a challenge for me to get to know with the whole process lab is doing.
The lab was never doing a marketing before. We have only one permanent partner, a dental clinic. So we totally depend on them. I'm hired to change the situation and get new clients. No doubt our lab is doing a very professional and quality work.

I came up with a plan. Personally I don't believe in e-mail marketing, nor so much in social network marketing -when we are talking about B2B situation with low marketing budget. Also, I don't want dentists feel me as an agent, so I won't do direct calls and door knocking. I wish they look at us as we are totally unique and different from other labs they work with. So I was thinking of other interactive ways to get our share on the market.
The bulb in my head lit up. So I'm organizing a business presentation. We are going to introduce our self in presentation form. I will send out invitations for the event. Because our laboratory is very big and nice inside, in minimalist and modern style, I decided to design custom - minimalist envelopes in same style as our lab. Envelopes will be made of high quality materials (no fancy stuff, just poor quality).
As our first contact with potential clients will be as they receive and open the envelope, it must be perfect. The envelope material and design will talk for it self - quality and perfection.
The presentation will be held by our pure professional worker.

So far the printing shop did very nice job, I was able to transfer my vision to them. Just the envelopes will cost as complete e-mail marketing for a month or so.

What do you think of my strategy?

(sorry because of my not so professional English)

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your post. I've been busy generating leads for some members of dentallabnetwork that contacted me directly. Here's my advice. First, a majority of doctors are already working with a lab they are happy with. From my experience, doctors are bombarded with offers by mail. I have tried that myself and received ZERO response from mailers. ZERO. I believe that much of the mail dental offices receive goes into the trash (circumvented by a receptionist- I don't think very much of it makes it to the doctor's hands). How many marketing mailers that you receive at home do you sit down and open, read and actually engage with? Unless you are looking for a new car, that invitation to go to your local auto dealer does not mean much and even if you are interested, you still have TONS of dealers to choose from before you consider going to someone who sent you an invitation to an "event?" I know it's two different things but the similarity is that there must be a "need" for the mailer to resonate and there is no shortage of good labs out thee.

The key is to actively find those offices that are open to, looking for, in need of, usually try, or plain want to use a NEW LAB and only send marketing to them- it's a numbers game. The more you send to interested doctors, the more chances one of them will turn into a client. This is the approach I have tried with the two labs I have worked at and at both places, the results have been amazing. Just last week, we received three new doctor's offices in our lab and two are sending in even more cases before they even see the first crown finished! The lab owner has hired 3 new technicians because of the continued new work I have brought in from my lead generation.

I am not discouraging your approach (the simple well designed mailer/invitation) and I'd love to know your results. I just know that dentists are busy people and getting them to come to you from just a mailer is a challenge unless you are a very well known and established lab that has immediate name recognition and respect in the industry and they see a major benefit from attending your event (they are in the market for a new lab, you will demonstrate a new technology, teach them something they don't already know which they are sold will benefit them immensely, offer major prizes for attendance, etc.) This is simply my opinion.

If you want to discuss, please write to me and I will be happy to share some info with you on lead generation and getting in a steady stream of new doctor's into your lab. My email is [email protected].

Thanks and no matter what you do, I wish you MAJOR success!

 

[Dr Jizzler]

Hi just stumbled across this thread and am interested in starting a direct mail campaign would be interested to know how to set one up. Does anyone have any links to any good guides on the subject ?. @DenLab dont suppose your expertise extends to over the pond does it ?

 

[SZsharpmill]

Marketing strategies can be separate to home marketing strategies and abroad marketing ,for home market,we can build the good relationship between doctor and patient ,that need us to "run"frequently . For abroad market ,it need us use internet to find the agent who have more orders .I think

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your post. I've been busy generating leads for some members of dentallabnetwork that contacted me directly. Here's my advice. First, a majority of doctors are already working with a lab they are happy with. From my experience, doctors are bombarded with offers by mail. I have tried that myself and received ZERO response from mailers. ZERO. I believe that much of the mail dental offices receive goes into the trash (circumvented by a receptionist- I don't think very much of it makes it to the doctor's hands). How many marketing mailers that you receive at home do you sit down and open, read and actually engage with? Unless you are looking for a new car, that invitation to go to your local auto dealer does not mean much and even if you are interested, you still have TONS of dealers to choose from before you consider going to someone who sent you an invitation to an "event?" I know it's two different things but the similarity is that there must be a "need" for the mailer to resonate and there is no shortage of good labs out thee.

The key is to actively find those offices that are open to, looking for, in need of, usually try, or plain want to use a NEW LAB and only send marketing to them- it's a numbers game. The more you send to interested doctors, the more chances one of them will turn into a client. This is the approach I have tried with the two labs I have worked at and at both places, the results have been amazing. Just last week, we received three new doctor's offices in our lab and two are sending in even more cases before they even see the first crown finished! The lab owner has hired 3 new technicians because of the continued new work I have brought in from my lead generation.

I am not discouraging your approach (the simple well designed mailer/invitation) and I'd love to know your results. I just know that dentists are busy people and getting them to come to you from just a mailer is a challenge unless you are a very well known and established lab that has immediate name recognition and respect in the industry and they see a major benefit from attending your event (they are in the market for a new lab, you will demonstrate a new technology, teach them something they don't already know which they are sold will benefit them immensely, offer major prizes for attendance, etc.) This is simply my opinion.

If you want to discuss, please write to me and I will be happy to share some info with you on lead generation and getting in a steady stream of new doctor's into your lab. My email is [email protected].

Thanks and no matter what you do, I wish you MAJOR success!

would love to hear from these DLN members on how well your techniques are working out. 8-10 clients a month is monstrous! any feedback on how well youre doing for folks here would be great.

 

[drock]

Its really about building relationships and meeting the client face to face and providing the things your client needs. We often partner up with dental companies and host study clubs along with fine dining, it works well for us. we will also hold courses for our clients in our training centre for Dr's to get there CE points. Every week a group of Drs will play hockey so that's where I am getting to know the guys better and meeting new ones. We also host a large golf tournament that our clients love. If there's a dental school in your area, treat every graduating class out for a nice meal. Its an excellent way to meet the new up and comers.

 

[grantoz]

I still think that kate new member from the front page was very funny, talking about how they are a small lab with just 2 branches in 2 different states and they only had the ability to only contacts a couple of thousand dentist with their marketing poor luvs.

 

[ondang2]

Hello can someone help me to construct a cover letter, i do have a small laboratory and I'm planning to email dentist and send my new pricelist, since im not good in english can someome pm me or advice what will be the best i can tell to a dentist. Thanks in advance

 

[SZsharpmill]

Hello can someone help me to construct a cover letter, i do have a small laboratory and I'm planning to email dentist and send my new pricelist, since im not good in english can someome pm me or advice what will be the best i can tell to a dentist. Thanks in advance

please email me ,maybe we can exchange our idea

 

[RockyMark]

DT Technologies localized at Davenport, Iowa - Specialize in outsourcing & providing dental laboratories equipment and materials.

They offer CAD/CAM Equipment….

· DT Scanner
· Dental Mills
· Sintering Furnaces
· Suction Units, Compressors

 

[dentagama]

Nowadays everybody can be reached through Internet. Either in the social networks or through the mail.
Unfortunately most of the work should be done by hand. Automated marketing campaigns doesn't have much success because they are not personalized. The good news is that if you make it right you can attract very good profits. Even if you start working with a single dental clinic you can calculate what the profit would be in the long run. It is worth the effort.
I would try contacting dentists in the city you work and the other cities nearby. Send them a personal message and be sincere in your intentions. Don't try to look for email lists in Internet, you have to do that by hand.

Go in Google and type
"your city"+dentist
"surrounding cities"+dentist

Then email them personally.

A good website of yours will do the rest of the work. It must be done professionally, including useful information, showing your skills and some of the lab work you've done.

 

[DenLab]

Wow, has it really been over three years since my last post?

So back in 2013 I was doing marketing for a dental laboratory which was pretty successful and I brought in tons of new accounts. But life pulled me in another lucrative direction and I left the lab. Things that seem like a better deal don't always turn out to be so, and I am now back in the lab world. Starting to do the same exact marketing again for the same lab to bring in new dentist offices. One of the first things I asked the lab owner is how many of the accounts I brought in in 2013 are still around and sure enough, about 60% are still sending cases. So my concept of marketing only to those that are interested is pretty spot on. Starting again the week of December 5th with cold calling, marketing and bringing in those new dentist offices. However, was curious if anyone found that marketing in December is like spinning your wheels?

 

[JMN]

Wow, has it really been over three years since my last post?

So back in 2013 I was doing marketing for a dental laboratory which was pretty successful and I brought in tons of new accounts. But life pulled me in another lucrative direction and I left the lab. Things that seem like a better deal don't always turn out to be so, and I am now back in the lab world. Starting to do the same exact marketing again for the same lab to bring in new dentist offices. One of the first things I asked the lab owner is how many of the accounts I brought in in 2013 are still around and sure enough, about 60% are still sending cases. So my concept of marketing only to those that are interested is pretty spot on. Starting again the week of December 5th with cold calling, marketing and bringing in those new dentist offices. However, was curious if anyone found that marketing in December is like spinning your wheels?

Welcome back.

If they have a need they'll bite, but if they, personally, don't feel the need, they'll never take the time right now to even look and see if you have options that suit them better.