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Establishing New Patient Growth Goals and Marketing Budget

Posted on 3/19/2021 by Lori Bernardo, Senior Marketing Consultant

Digital illustration depicting new patient growth and marketing budgets for dentists

We all got the memo. Goal setting is the first step in formulating a cohesive plan to accomplish anything. You wouldn't take a road trip without knowing your destination? You shouldn't do that with your dental marketing.

I talk to a lot of dentists, and when I ask them their growth goals, they often can't answer this question specifically. I hear things like 'I just want more new patients' or 'I just need to be busier'.

Is every new patient ‘call’ the right new dental patient for your practice and goals? You may get 'busier' but unless you are getting the kind of new patients you want, it’s an exercise in futility.

Setting Patient Growth Goals

Here are a few questions you should ask of yourself and your team to help you establish goals.

•	What services do we like to do the most?
•	Which of these services would you like to see more in your practice?
•	Do we have a good system in place to get a high treatment acceptance on those services?
•	How many new patients can you realistically fit in your schedule in the next month? You don't want to spend money on getting a new patient (NP) to call then not be able to fit them in immediately.
•	How many NPs are you currently seeing? Where do those patients come from? And are you tracking their referral source?

This should help you to start formulating your action plan, or as I like to call it ‘dream building’.

Determining Your Marketing Budget

Once you have established your goals, the very next critical step is to develop a marketing budget. Many practices I speak with do not have a clue what they should be investing on their dental marketing. Investing the right amount and then using that to project your ROI is a valuable exercise when planning a solid dental marketing strategy.

The American Academy of Dental CPA's recommends investing 3-7% of your gross revenue for marketing if you want to grow. If you are running a healthy balance sheet, your marketing line should be easy to identify. We find that for many clients that is between $2,000-$5,000 per month.

But what if you are a new practice? What should you allocate from your startup capital? Another important metric is the average cost to acquire a new patient through marketing. On average the cost for a NP in a general practice is $100-$200. The range depends on several factors including your location. Big City vs. Rural, and the competitiveness of the marketing landscape. For specialty practices, that new patient cost of acquisition (CAQ) can be in the $300-$500 range. The general rule of thumb is the higher the fee for the service, the higher the cost to get a new patient. It usually falls in around 10% of the 1st years patient value.

So lets say you want to add 20 more NP/month for a general practice. So, you should be looking at a budget of $2,000-$4,000 to and expect a 5-10X return on investment.

When you consider that the average value of a general practice patient is patient is $1,000 a year. If you keep that patient for 7 years, then a $200 investment to receive $7000 in revenue is a really great investment.

Get an expert opinion by scheduling a complimentary marketing analysis with one of our Senior Marketing Consultants.

Marketing Services for Dentists & Dental Specialists

As leaders in our industry, we here at WEO Media can help you and your team navigate the intricate complexities surrounding today's dental marketing.

Dental Websites

Your dental website is the first impression your potential patients have of your practice, make sure that impression is the one you want to make.

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Dental SEO

When your business is at the top of Google’s search results, you should see a significant increase in website traffic.

See How SEO Works

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Dental PPC

Pay per click ads typically pop up at the top of search engine results pages and are an effective tool if you want to drive more traffic to your website.

Learn More about PPC

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Patient Pipeline

Optimize marketing efforts, increase practice revenue, and get higher returns on your investments.

Find out if Patient Pipeline is right for you

Reputation Management

Drive patient reviews to the most important online review sites for dentists: Google, Facebook, and Healthgrades.

Boost your Online Reviews

Social Media

We will work with you to implement strategies designed to grow your followers, and ultimately grow your practice.

Put your socials to work

More Services

Healthgrades

Dental Practice Videos

Scheduling

Along with the basics, we also offer a wide-variety of additional marketing services. Some of these services include:

•	Credit Card Processing: We have partnered with an online credit card processing company to help your patients pay through your website. Our partnership also helps you save money with lower rates and transaction fees.
•	Dental Practice Photography: Custom photography can help potential patients feel connected to your practice before their first appointment. If you need an experienced photographer to update your online photos, our team is here to help!
•	Patient Education Videos: What's the best way to make sure a patient follows through on treatment recommendations? Make sure they have the information they need to understand the benefits of dental treatments offered by your practice.
•	Direct Mail Campaigns: Believe it or not, direct mail campaigns are still a powerful promotional tool, especially for people that have just moved to your area. If you want to target this demographic, we can design a custom campaign tailored to your office and brand.
•	Email Based Newsletter for Patients: An electronic newsletter is one of the best ways to stay in touch with your current patients. We want to avoid the old adage, “out of sight, out of mind.” Staying visible with a newsletter can lead to more scheduled appointments and better patient loyalty.
•	Email Hosting: We offer email hosting to ensure your business email matches your website domain. A matching domain and email address is much more professional that using Yahoo, Gmail, or Hotmail.
•	Facebook Ads: Due to Facebook’s popularity, paid ads can be a fruitful way to generate new patients leads. Facebook ads are also unique in that they allow us to target your key demographic (with laser focus) based on age, gender, geographic location, relationship status, “likes,” education, job title, and other aspects.
•	Logo, Design, and Branding Services: Your logo and brand may be more important than you think. Talk with our design team to learn more about your possible options, whether you need a new logo or want to update an existing one.
•	Online Bill Pay: Much like our credit card processing, online bill pay makes it easier for your patients to pay for their treatments, especially if they need a payment program. We use the latest software and security measures to ensure a seamless billing process.
•	Patient Forms (Fillable PDF): A fillable PDF makes it easier for your patient to complete their paperwork before their first visit. This reduces your set-up time, allowing you to see more patients throughout the day.
•	Patient Forms (Secure Online): Secure online forms cut paperwork out altogether, meaning your staff will not have to waste time transferring the data to your computer system. It is also a more environmentally-friendly option, a nice selling point for patients that want to keep it green!

We Provide Real Results

WEO Media helps dentists across the country acquire new patients, reactivate past patients, and better communicate with existing patients. Our approach is unique in the dental industry. We work with you to understand the specific needs, goals, and budget of your practice and create a proposal that is specific to your unique situation.

+400%

Increase in website traffic.

+500%

Increase in phone calls.

$125

Patient acquisition cost.

20-30

New patients per month from SEO & PPC.

Schedule a consultation that works for you

Are you ready to grow your practice? Talk to one of our Senior Marketing Consultants to see how your online presence stacks up. No strings attached. Just a free consultation from experts in the industry.

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Why Choose WEO?

Not your Average Dental Marketing Agency

WEO Media specializes in dental marketing for dentists across the country, offering a comprehensive suite of services tailored specifically for you.

We have helped dental practices across the country enhance their online presence, attract new patients, and increase patient retention. We understand the unique challenges and opportunities within the dental industry. Our expertise in SEO, website design, and content marketing ensures that your practice is easily found online.

Ensure your practice remains competitive in an ever-evolving landscape, our commitment to innovation means your marketing efforts will always be cutting-edge.

At WEO we take the time to understand your practice's specific goals and tailor our marketing strategies to meet your needs. Whether you need a new website, social media management, reputation management, or pay-per-click advertising, WEO Media provides customized solutions that fit your needs and budget.

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WEO Media, 125 S. 1st Ave, P.O. Box 249, Hillsboro, OR 97123 - 888-788-4670 - weomedia.com - 5/6/2025 - Related Phrases: Dental Marketing -

Establishing New Patient Growth Goals and Marketing Budget

Setting Patient Growth Goals

Determining Your Marketing Budget

Marketing Services for Dentists & Dental Specialists

Dental Websites

Dental SEO

Dental PPC

Patient Pipeline

Reputation Management

Social Media

More Services

Credit Card Processing:

Dental Practice Photography:

Patient Education Videos:

Direct Mail Campaigns:

Email Based Newsletter for Patients:

Email Hosting:

Facebook Ads:

Logo, Design, and Branding Services:

Online Bill Pay:

Patient Forms (Fillable PDF):

Patient Forms (Secure Online):