No one would think to recommend an internist to someone with a tooth problem or send someone with an upset stomach into our dental offices. The same goes for dentists who attempt to enter into the marketing arena without the help of a good advertising or media placement agency to guide them. 

 

You may have a strong message and a generous amount of money to spend in order to have it seen or heard by the public. But if you haven’t devised a plan to create and strategically place your materials, you could end up spinning your wheels and wasting dollars, not to mention a great idea or message. So take the lead in finding and effectively working with the individuals that will make your marketing plan a success.

 

In order to begin, it is important to understand the key difference between advertising and media placement agencies. There are two kinds of marketing skill sets that you’ll need to put your marketing plan on the fast track. Look to hire the professionals who can design a beautiful, compelling ad either for radio, print, internet or television, as well as those who can effectively place your ad in media outlets where they will be seen and heard. Some agencies offer clients creative ad design and media placement, but in my own situation I hired experts that stand alone in each of these fields.

 

 

Your ideal advertising agency must listen closely to your ideas in order to produce eye-catching, compelling work that will stand out in specified media arenas. As you start the search for the right agency, be committed to the long haul. It may take years to find the best company for you, but the wait will be well worth it. For example, I searched for an agency for 8 years and went through 7 until I hit the jackpot. In Kansas City, Rick Rhyner, who can be reached at rrhyner@rhycom.com, was the one who combined his incredible talent, knowledge and skill into the text and layout creations that I was looking for.

 

Rhyner understood that advertising cosmetic dentistry is different than marketing appliances or cars. Cosmetic dentistry has a high emotional factor that needed to be addressed in each ad that was created. Make sure that your agency does the research to target the audience that will help grow your business.

 

To get started, begin with the interviewing process. Contact the professionals or agencies whose ads you admire, or pay attention to the work demonstrated on the walls of the offices or in portfolios. Conduct a background check and always ask for referrals. You may find it is helpful to speak to the referrals before an interview in order not to waste anyone’s time. Lastly, hold yourself accountable and rely upon your own instincts during the decision making process. Whether a novice or an expert, if you really understand what you are wanting with your marketing, you will know when you have the right agency.

 

Think of a hiring a media placement agency or professional as the proverbial icing on the cake—these individuals take the refined information about you and your business and serve it up to the public in an appealing and eye-catching way.

 

A good placement agency understands the ins and outs of advertising venues and how best to manipulate them. These professionals know how to get an ad on the right page of a popular magazine, at the right time and for the best value. It is important to note that advertising agencies also conduct media placement but they may not have as much influence to get you the most and best bang for your buck. Because media placement agencies buy huge amounts of advertising in mediums across cities and states, they typically get better deals than those organizations that place less.

 

Ruth Burke & Associates in Kansas City is a great example of a media placement agency that has a strong national presence. Their representative, Linda Norfleet, gave my advertising campaign the muscle and clout it has desperately needed for years. My yearly budget hasn’t changed, but my media coverage has—she’s almost doubled the amount of ads placed in high-profile magazines and in newspaper special sections. Norfleet, who can be reached at Lnorfleet@rburke.com, has always been dedicated to helping me succeed, enabling me to reach my marketing goals.

 

Practice common sense when searching for the right media placement agency. Do your research, background checks and thoroughly interview candidates until you find the right match. Be sure to take the initiative and clearly express your objectives to ensure your success. Trust the experts to do their specified jobs, but voice your opinion. In fact, it is your important opinion that an agency needs to understand how to best market you and your business. 

 

If you are interested in hiring either Rick Rhyner or Linda Norfleet for your own professional needs, please reference their contact information at this article’s end. Both understand how to market cosmetic dentistry and could significantly help your marketing plan succeed.

 

Do you have additional questions that haven’t been addressed in this series yet? Email me anytime or check out the July installment which will focus on the questions and solutions that were presented at my marketing seminar held here in Kansas City last May. It will be a great opportunity to continue to relate experiences with each other in our quest to better our lives and our businesses!

 

Sincerely,

Dr. John Gordon

 

Rick Rhyner

 

Linda Norfleet

Ruth Burke & Associates