Revenue Growth Technique No 4: How to Get New Google Reviews For Your Dental Clinic To Attract New Patients

For the ongoing series on Revenue Growth Techniques for Dubai Dental Clinics check out parts 1, 2 and 3. Google Reviews play a VERY important role in bringing in new patients, particularly if you have a steady stream of NEW reviews. The fact the review is new, i.e. in the last month, shows prospective patients that your clinic is alive, well and popular. The problem is that very rarely will patients voluntarily write a google review.  If you ASK for it, there is a slight chance it'll happen…but it's better to be proactive.

The Value of a Google Review

A google review is a bit hard to determine the exact AED value, but a good measurement is to think of it in terms of how much a new patient is worth. From my research, a new patient has an LTV (Lifetime Value) of AED 20,000 ($5k USD), which includes 5 years of visiting the practice for a bi-annual hygiene visits, including cosmetic dentistry (i.e. whitening) and necessary oral health treatments (i.e. fillings, crowns, etc.).   If a new patient is worth AED 20k, then how many NEW google reviews attract one patient? I conservatively think that 1-3 new excellent google reviews a month can attract one new patient.  To be EXTRA conservative, let's say 3 new google reviews a month attracts one new patient.  Therefore, getting NEW google reviews has an ROI and is worth your time and effort to get more of them. How can we get 3 new google reviews a month? Here are 4 ways to make that plan a reality.

1) Ask for the review in the office

After a patient's treatment, politely ask for the google review.  It's better for the ask to come from their dentist or the owner, but it's also fine if a receptionist asks for it. This can be as simple as, "Hi George, I hope this experience at ABC dental has been a very satisfying experience.  We're a small clinic and what helps us the most is a Google Review.  Would you be ok filling one out?  It helps us slowly grow the practice." Asking can work but you also need to…

2) Setup a system to TRACK how many google reviews come in and are asked for each week/month.

You can have a key admin be in charge of "new google reviews" per month.  Their job is to:

• Track the google reviews daily
• Report which new ones come in and which patient gave them
• Follow up with the patient with an appreciative message

Another key point is to set up a SIMPLE CRM to track it.  Using a google sheet (or preferably a proper CRM like Pipedrive…which is what I use with my clients), you can have a new sheet with the names of 40 patients from the previous month.  Include their name, phone number and when they went into the clinic and what treatment they did. You can then call and send a WA using the same line we used in the first point to gently ask them for a google review

3) You can incentivize a Google Review

Getting people to write a review isn't easy, but why not add a SMALL reward for leaving a review? This could be something like:

• Their next hygiene appointment is free (AED 700 value)
• A free whitening (AED 800 value)
• Discounts, coupons or future credit.

Then, since you're tracking reviews, you can thank them after the review comes in AND send them the free gift.

4) Have ONE key administrative staff member be IN CHARGE of "New Google Reviews"

We know that "what gets measured, improves" so it's important to have one admin on your team in charge of new google reviews.  Do not have two people in charge (unless they are in separate clinics) Every week, this person has to share how many new google reviews came in during a Monday meeting. If you have about 40 patients a month, it's reasonable to convert 10% into new google reviews.  Therefore, one admin's goal is to have 4 new google reviews per month, which is one per week. Also, this won't take a lot of the admin's time.  It shouldn't take more than 2-3 hours a week to follow-up with patients from last month with a phone call and WA, and update the Google sheets with what's been happening. If he or she isn't hitting their numbers, then it's key to find out why, and at Clinic Assist, we have several techniques to improve this metric. If you start getting 4 new google reviews a month, that has an ROI of 1 new patient with an LTV of AED 20,000.  Since it takes an admin about 8-12 hours a month, then 10 hours x AED 60 per hour is a spend of AED 600 per month…which is a massive return on investment. I help service businesses hire and train remote sales reps so they can make an extra $20k-$25k per month without writing SOPs and spending time on 90% of the hiring process and it only takes 90 days, book a call with me to learn more. www.winwinwitheric.com