13 Ways To Get 5 STAR Online Patient Reviews

Welcome to
Dental Practice Optimization

In the realm of dental service organizations, the power of patient satisfaction cannot be overstated. It's a fundamental belief of mine, that every content patient has the potential to be a beacon, drawing in more individuals to your practice. The pinnacle of success is when word-of-mouth becomes your primary marketing tool, with your patients' endorsements bringing their acquaintances directly to your doorstep.

However, what happens when your practice hasn't quite reached this nirvana? Perhaps you lack a structured internal referral system or a method to encourage existing patients to engage in the trifecta of paying, staying, and referring. In such instances, the next best strategy is to leverage the influence of your satisfied patients to attract potential ones.

More precisely, in the absence of direct patient referrals, the influence of positive online reviews becomes invaluable. These testimonials serve as a testament to the quality of your services, encouraging others to choose your practice over competitors.

Diligence in your work is rewarding, both financially and through the satisfaction of meeting your patients' needs. Yet, shouldn't there also be a form of public acknowledgment for the hard work you and your team put in?

Without online reviews, prospective patients might struggle to see why your practice is the superior choice, potentially affecting your visibility and ranking on search engines like Google.

The essence of the matter is the necessity of soliciting online reviews from every pleased patient. But how does one go about this? Even the most astute business owners, who understand the critical role of online reviews, often find themselves at a loss on how to effectively ask for these reviews and guide their patients through the process.

Fortunately, there are numerous strategies at your disposal. I've identified 13 effective methods for garnering reviews, specifically targeting Google's platform, as reviews on third-party sites like Yelp or DemandForce might not carry the same weight with Google's algorithms.

These methods range from ensuring your business is accurately listed on Google, to utilizing links or clickable images on your website, creating single-page handouts with instructions, sending personalized emails, employing autoresponder emails, making snail-mail requests, producing instructional videos, leveraging social media, utilizing QR codes on postcards or as stickers, making phone calls, incorporating requests into gifts, and directly engaging with patients through conversation in your office.

It's crucial to understand that these strategies are not exclusive; you're encouraged to employ multiple approaches to find what best suits your practice and your patients. Diversifying your methods not only helps in accumulating reviews across various platforms but also allows you to discover the most effective strategies for your unique patient base.

Organic method—making sure your business is listed properly on Google (98% of dentists are NOT), so that customers can find you if they feel like writing reviews spontaneously.
Links or clickable images on your site—something that patients who return to your site can click on to write you reviews.
Single-page handouts—a sheet of instructions you can simply hand to customers, which walks them through how to post a review.
Personal email—a simple email with a polite request and a link. But for Pete’s sake, personalize it: none of that “Dear Valued Customer” garbage. You can also do this with your email signature: instead of a bunch of fluff at the bottom of your emails, have a little link to where customers can dash off a quick review.
Autoresponder email—if you have your customers on an email list through a service like DemandForce or Smile Reminders, you can have an email request that goes out automatically that requests a Google Review, NOT a DemandForce or Smile Reminders review.
Snail-mail request/instructions—people generally pay more attention to snail-mail, especially if it’s personalized and from a business they know and like. This method is more work, but you’ll probably bat pretty well if you do it.
Video—a short walk-through, for patients who you think would just rather watch a quick video than follow other types of easy instructions.
Social media—in particular, Facebook. What’s nice is customers can write reviews directly from a social media post or campaign.
QR code on a postcard—hand or send your customers a little postcard that asks them to review you by scanning a QR code with their smartphones. The QR code would just contain a link to your Google Places page.
QR code as a sticker or decal—the sticker or decal could go anywhere in your office or store, and customers could scan it with their smartphones to review you on the spot.
Phone call—kinda old-fashioned, but effective with the right kind of customer.
Part of a little gift that you send patients. Like a free pad of paper with your logo and phone number on it, plus a request to leave you a quick review. Or a fridge magnet. A pen might be a little too small. The gift has to be something people will actually use, keep on their desk or kitchen table, and see every day. The idea is it’s a subtle but persistent reminder.
“The People Method” In other words, talk to your patients in the office and ask if they would like to write a review. Instead of the patient watching your TV or looking at their own phone, spend the time talking about what they like (or don’t) and show them your QR code to review you online. I suggest you only do this with really close, really loyal customers who don’t mind helping spread the good word.

In conclusion, the journey to enhancing your practice's reputation and visibility through patient reviews is multifaceted. By adopting a combination of the aforementioned strategies, you can build a robust online presence that reflects the quality of your services and attracts more patients to your practice.