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| A “Place” On The Web – Free Advertising At Its Best |
| Posted by AM-Touch, 7/25/2011 12:15:23 PM |
 There are many ways to advertise a dental office these days. You can hit the phone book, develop a website, advertise on local television, or even hire someone to stand outside your office in a giant tooth costume waving at passing cars.
Advertising is important – we all know that. Problem is, it’s not cheap. But there is one absolutely essential marketing tool that won’t cost you a dime and won’t take more than a few clicks of your mouse.
Google has developed “Place Pages,” which is essentially a business listing that appears before local web surfers when they search a term relevant to your business. Signing up for your own Google Place page is free, and the results are incredibly valuable.
Free Advertising
First, by setting up a Google Place page for your business, you ensure that you’ll be in the mix of local businesses that pop up on the screen when a specific search term is entered on Google.
For example, Jon Dell (me) goes to Google and searches for “Dentists.” Google knows that I’m in Valencia, CA, so in addition to your normal search results (definition of dentist, dental schools, e.t.c) a section called “Places for Dentists near Valencia, CA” pops up. In my case, it’s the third result on the page. In it, I see about 7 dentists in my town, their address, phone number and how many reviews they have.
As a Marketing guy, I can’t help but be impressed. Companies spend tens of thousands of dollars every year trying to increase their presence in search results and these dentists were able to get a PRIME spot near the top for free? It sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. It’s actually part of Google’s plan to deliver the most relevant information to searchers, and you’re a beneficiary of that.
*Note, there’s no way of guaranteeing where your place page will show up in the search results. Competition, keyword value and a few million other factors determine when and where your place page shows up, so be patient.
Reviews = Credibility
It’s one thing to get free advertising, but it’s another thing to get reviews. Like word-of-mouth, reviews are much more powerful than any advertisement money can buy. People trust people, and the Internet has brought reviewing to a whole new level.
When you develop a Google Place page, consumers will have the ability to rate your business and write reviews. You have absolutely no control over what they write, but you do have the ability to monitor your reviews and respond as necessary. I know that’s a scary proposition, but reviews usually even out. Readers aren’t stupid, and they disregard fake or overly vicious reviews.
The good news is that reviews build credibility. They allow the good doctors, the great customer service and the hard work to shine though.
Crave Input
Like finding a $5 bill in your jacket pocket, Google Place pages have one more pleasant surprise. When you activate your place page you also get access to analytical data that tracks how web searchers found you, which keywords they used and where they came from.
It’s up to you to use the data wisely and help refine all other modes of advertising.
More?
Yes there is more. Your Place page comes equipped with some nice customizable features, including the ability to display a coupon.
Additionally, Google has an integrated paid advertising program called ADWords, that’s conveniently managed in your Place page admin section. If you’re looking to do any pay-per-click adverting, you can add that on through your existing Place page.
In order to get started, all you’ll need is a Google account, which is also free to anyone. Setting up a Place page is pretty straight forward, although you will need to verify the account through SMS or a telephone number. But the process is harmless and very, very easy. You can learn more about the process directly from Google.
As with all marketing tips, there is no silver bullet. A Google Place page won’t be all you need to survive this tough economy. But honestly, its value/cost ratio will almost always be 100%. Those are odds you won’t find in Las Vegas.
- Jon Dell, Director of Marketing, AM-Touch Dental
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| Category: Featured Articles |
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| Top 5 Alternative Uses For Bibs |
| Posted by AM-Touch, 4/5/2011 08:14:40 AM |
AM-Touch Bibs are mighty. They protect from the evils of splatter, gunk and yuck. But while their task is noble, these courageous 2 and 3-ply bibs long for a different life; one where they are free to use their incredible features for tasks outside of the dental office.
Here are the top 5 alternative uses for AM-Touch Patient Bibs.
Water Resistant July 4th Patriot Hat
Ever have those moments where you look good, but want to look GREAT? Does it also just happen to be July 4th? What better way to join the festivities than making your own patriot newspaper hat from a bib! Make sure to fold it inside out to use the plastic liner for rain-proofing. NOTE: Due to the fact that bibs are smaller than newspaper pages, your hat may be better suited for a child. Or, slip it on and call it a nurse hat!
Here’s directions and a video on how to fold your hat: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Hat
Personal Green Screen
Any amateur sci-fi movie director will tell you that real things are hardly as exciting as made-up things. That’s why green screen, or Chroma Key technology is so awesome. Because our bibs are solid colors, they are perfect to use as backgrounds for special effects. Make your family believe you were scuba diving. Convince coworkers that you spent the weekend in Paris. Don’t just lie, lie with style!
Hands Free Advertising
Have extra tickets to a sporting event? Hitchhiking? Want to make sure passing motorists know that the world is ending? What ever your message, say it loud and clear by displaying it across your chest! Simply use a bib as intended and write a message on the front. Just make sure to write the message before you put on the bib. Because no one will understand “00:01 tA yadrutaS elaS egaraG”
Inter-office Capture the Flag
Lets just say it’s a Friday, on the eve of a holiday weekend, and the office is really slow. You could take the free time to work on special projects, deep cleaning or inventory management…that’s what we would do :). But if you’re not as committed as us, a dental office is ideal for a close quarters capture the flag battle. Use two different color bibs (we recommend Blue and Dusty Rose). Plant them at either end of the office, divide the staff and play on!
Super-Kitty Cape
Finally, the chance to soar on the shoulders of a super-powered feline avenger. Perfectly sized for a medium to large indoor house cat, these bibs swing around to the back, adding style and apparent aerodynamic grace during flight. Not sure what else capes are supposed to do…
In a perfect world AM-Touch Bibs would be able to fulfill any of these incredible roles. But the truth is, they just work too well as bibs. They’re priced right, they over deliver on quality, and come from a great family (AM-Touch Dental Product Family). Why mess with a good thing?
If you think we missed any other uses of bibs, feel free to comment below! And if you haven’t tried these heroic bibs, call your AM-Touch Account Manager or check them out online!
Related articles:
Top 5 Alternative Uses for Cotton Rolls
Top 5 Alternative Uses for Sterilization Pouches
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| Category: Featured Articles |
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| Coltene-Whaledent |
| Posted by AM-Touch, 1/21/2011 12:54:44 PM |
AM-Touch Dental is proud to be an authorized distributor of
Coltene-Whaledent Dental Products
• COLTENE-WHALEDENT is a global leader in dental consumables and small equipment covering the whole dental treatment process.
• Specializes in root canal points, self-threading parapulpal pins, products for model-making in the dental lab, orthodontic instruments (Dentronix), patient safety/hygiene products (Hygenic), and small table-top equipment.
Most Popular Coltene-Whaledent Products
Alpen Burs Affinis
Hygenic Dental Dam Para-Post
Bio-sonic Cleaner Ultra-sonic Scaler
Paracore
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| Category: Manufacturers |
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| 3M ESPE Dental |
| Posted by AM-Touch, 1/18/2011 10:18:51 AM |
AM-Touch Dental is proud to be an authorized distributor of
3M ESPE Dental Products
• Digital Oral Care department integrates advanced digital technology and materials science through CAD/CAM and digital impressions.
• 3M has brought a number of amazing “firsts” to the dental industry:
• first-ever tooth-colored restorative material
• first self-adhesive universal resin cement
• first nano ionomer
• first malleable, preformed temporary crown
• first automated mixing of impression materials
Did you know?
...3M products are sold in nearly 200 countries!
…3M manufactures and brands SCOTCH TAPE!
Where is 3M in your dental office?
Impregum Imprint
Filtek Supreme Ultra RelyX
Adper Adhesives
Ketac Nano
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| Category: Manufacturers |
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