Episode 587: Is Your Practice Making This Marketing Mistake?

In this episode, Kiera is joined by Kayvan Mott, cofounder of The Doc Sites, which builds websites for dental and medical offices. It’s a great first dive into the importance of a great website for your practice. Listen up to learn about:

• Why SEO is important

• Three things to have in place for good SEO

• The biggest mistakes dentists make with marketing

• How often you should review your website

• Getting more Google reviews

• And more

Episode resources:

Check out The Doc Sites

Connect with Kayvan for a complimentary, no obligation review: [email protected]

Reach out to Kiera

Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast

Become Dental A-Team Platinum!

Review the podcast

Transcript:

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0:00:05.6 Kiera Dent: Hey everyone, welcome to the Dental A Team Podcast, I'm your host Kiera Dent, and I have this crazy idea that maybe I could combine a doctor and a team member's perspective. Because let's face it dentistry can be a challenging profession with those two perspectives. I've been a dental assistant, treatment coordinator, scheduler filler, office manager, regional manager, practice owner, and I have a team of traveling consultants who we have traveled over 165 different offices, coaching teams. Yep, we don't just understand you, we are you, our mission is to positively impact the world of dental. And I believe that this podcast is the greatest way I can help elevate teams, grow VIP experiences, reduce stress and create A teams. Welcome to the Dental A Team Podcast.

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0:00:51.0 KD: Hey Dental A Team listeners, this is Kiera, and you guys I am beyond giddy about the fact that we are having a way for you guys to kick off your 2023 in the most epic way. That's right, I want you guys to go into 2023 with direction, with a plan and to actually get something done, done and done. If you've been looking at that operations manual, it is time guys. For three months, every single week, I'm going to be doing a workshop with you and your team in January to get that operations manual done in three months.

0:01:22.4 KD: Guys, this is a value of over $10,000 that I know you're gonna freaking love, because you're actually going to get it done. So if you wanna get your Ops manual done in three months and kick off your January ultra strong, head on over to thedentalateam.comopsmanual, and I will see you January 5th for our kick-off. Hello, Dental A Team listeners, this is Kiera, and you guys I'm super jazzed to be bringing on an incredible guest today, he met Tiff in person at Voices of Dentistry in Arizona, and they have become best buds truly. If you know spiffy Tiffy, you're gonna love Kayvan. Kayvan Mott is a website and online marketer, guys he has 14 years of experience in web design, SEO, social media, online marketing, check out their website, they're pretty fun. I did a whole deep dive on him today, 'cause let's be real, if he wasn't legit I wasn't bringing him on, but he passed, he passed all my tests and I actually called one of his clients from his website this morning. So I'm super jazzed guys to bring on Kayvan, Kayvan how are you today?

0:02:23.4 Kayvan Mott: I'm doing great Kiera, really excited to be here.

0:02:26.5 KD: Oh well, I'm so jazzed. So tell us a little bit, I know you briefly, Tiff has told me a lot, you guys have the company DocSites, but I wanna know who is Kayvan for real. How did you get to where you are today? Anything you wanna share with us, I'm excited just to learn more about who you are and how Kayvan became Kayvan of 2022 today.

0:02:45.1 KM: Sure, so I'm a co-founder at DocSites, we do two things for dentist, one is websites, and two is online marketing, we have a great reputation, close to about 700 active clients nationwide. And how we got started in dentistry, how I got started in dentistry was, I grew up in LA, went to UCLA for design, and so my background is visual design and communication. And I have two business partners here at DocSites, our very first client, this was about 14 years ago in 2008, was a dentist.

0:03:18.8 KD: Oh.

0:03:19.2 KM: So at the time, we were taking on any client, right? Who would come on, because when you start a business, you'll do that, right? You'll do services for anyone, it just so happened our first client was a dentist.

0:03:29.8 KD: That's awesome.

0:03:30.3 KM: So he said... He gave us a $1000 cash in a white envelope, I remember at Starbucks and said, "I'm going to Las Vegas, I have four empty walls, no one knows who I am as a dentist, do whatever you website marketing guys do." And so we helped to grow him from one to about 13 locations in eight years.

0:03:49.8 KD: No way.

0:03:50.3 KM: In Las Vegas. Yeah, and he's a great operator to his credit he still is, his wife was an orthodontist, so he's like, "Hey, you gotta use these guys, they're great." So she liked us, and then her brother owned a couple of practices here in Southern California, you know the thing about doctors and dentists, they all know each other. So organically, we started working with more and more dentists, and about six years ago, in 2016 is when we decided to create DocSites just to focus on providing personalized websites and affordable marketing for dentists.

0:04:26.2 KD: That's awesome, that's a real fun... I love the white envelope at Starbucks, like kudos to you guys to actually get paid for your first gig, because my first gig was, I paid my way to go consult. I was like, "How about this? I'll come pay you, you're gonna take this on. And it's gonna be a good time." So kudos to you guys for that, I love that story. So where are you guys at today, what is kind of your world today? You guys have 700 people, I love that you guys organically grew, kind of got into dentistry, you probably have learned more about dentistry in the last 14 years than you've probably ever cared to know, but where are you guys at today now?

0:05:00.8 KM: Yeah. So now over the years, we've realized more and more what the pain points of dentists are, and we've crafted our product around that, for example, when we first came out as DocSites it was about creating an affordable solution. Because previously we were more of a boutique website and we were building 8, $10,000 websites, and that was pricing a lot of doctors out, not everyone can afford that, or can they afford $5000 a month for marketing. So when we created DocSites originally it was to create affordable website marketing option. However, over time that grew, because we were listening to dentists and what they want, because it wasn't just about having something affordable, it was also having it personalized. So we created and we now have a plus website and a premier website for those dentists who want something more personalized, for example, reviews are such a huge thing and they've become more and more of a big thing. So on our websites we started integrating Google reviews, and it pulls in five-star reviews from the doctor, they don't have to worry about updating it or sending it here, or sending that link, it automatically does it. So that was an example of us adapting and listening to what dentists want. Another pain point, I think a lot of dentists have, where whether they'll admit it or not, is working with unresponsive companies, it's a big...

0:06:30.0 KD: Well, companies let's be real if you're gonna work with dentists, don't expect them to call you, you've gotta blood hound them out, they're busy, they're in places like, come on. Every dentist is like "Kiera could you help... Are you gonna make me do a bunch of projects?" I'm like, "Absolutely not Docs. You guys are busy, I'm gonna come after you." So I agree, you cannot be an unresponsive company with a doctor, 'cause when they do message you, it's like the heavens open, those doctors are actually chatting, so be available.

0:07:00.6 KM: Yes. And so if you look at a lot of companies' negative reviews you'll see one of the biggest complaints is they're not responsive, just like any of us, right? We're busy, whether you're a vendor, or you're selling, or you're buying, no one wants to wait an extended period of time. So with DocSites as we've grown, we always know this, and I've actually had customers tell me, "The heart of your success Kayvan, is your customer service." And so the fact that we actually will reply promptly responsive, I just had a dentist talk to me yesterday, he's like, " Do you know why I'm calling you?" I said, "No, why?" He's like, "One, I wanna save money, and two I can't get a response with my current provider, they're making me jump through hoops. I have to make an appointment just to talk to someone."

0:07:48.4 KD: Yeah.

0:07:48.5 KM: Right? So we realized it wasn't just about the SEO widgets and gadgets, and right, what's hot and what's trending, like actually what do doctors care about? Dependability, that's what they want, just as much as a great personalized website and attractiveness. So it's kind of morphed into that, but also, we've realized what's important, like live chats are important, so we integrate that, or membership plans, membership plans have become really big wouldn't you say in the last couple...

0:08:21.7 KD: Totally.

0:08:22.2 KM: Of years where people are doing in-house membership.

0:08:24.6 KD: Yes.

0:08:24.9 KM: So, we've just adapted and been able to showcase and adapt with the times, of what dentists actually care about to stand out, to make their practice stand out and showcase how they're different.

0:08:38.7 KD: Which I think is paramount in marketing, we actually just hired... Kayvan I'm like a grown up company over here, as of in the last month we hired our first real big hire in our company, and he's a phenomenal marketer. I love him, he came from SaaS, which I was really anxious about, because I'm like, "How are you going from dental to SaaS? Like the SaaS to dental And he said, "You know, Kiera, I'm just excited to come in and bring what I know from SaaS into dental." He said, "But the reality is marketing, you have to be constantly staying on top of it, otherwise, you get outdated very quickly." And I just love that you guys have stayed up with the times, you're paying attention to your clientele what they're wanting, because I feel like that's how marketing works. You cannot do a one-size-fits-all.

0:09:23.9 KM: Right.

0:09:24.4 KD: Anyone who is listening to me knows I am a he man woman hater of marketing actually, like I have been bit and burned by marketing, I have been bit and burned by every freaking website that I've tried to build, and every new marketer wants a new website. So I love that you guys are coming in affordable, I also love that you're pulling the Google reviews, that was something I noticed. I did look at your guys' testimonial pages and your gallery page, which I thought for a marketing company is pretty impressive, you've got to have your gallery out there if you're going to be a marketing company. And I love that every single one of your websites has those Google reviews in there. So I'm curious, you guys had mentioned before the SEO, like SEO if you guys don't know, you guys know ask any question, that's why we're here, that's why we put the podcast on. But SEO, tell us Kayvan what is SEO? 'Cause people hear it all the time, and you guys have figured out how to use SEO to attract quality patients, but what exactly is SEO and how are you guys using that to attract quality patients, not just quantity patients?

0:10:23.6 KM: So great question. SEO is an acronym, it stands for Search Engine Optimization, SEO. Essentially it's when a patient is looking for a dentist or a specific treatment, dental treatment in your area, are they finding you on Google or are they finding someone else? So the reason why this is really important, is if you think about it, where is the first place any of us go when we're looking for dentists? Probably gonna ask friends or family, the second place we typically go if we can't find what we're looking for is where? Google, right? So a lot of people are going to Google and you want to show up for your area. Now if we double-click on this a little bit more, right? You get Google versus Facebook, and Google actually tends to perform better because if you think about it, when you go to Google you're looking for something. If you're looking for Invisalign for adults, for example, if you find a good provider, you're more likely to book an appointment. Versus if you're on Facebook, you just might be scrolling and they kinda hit you with the Invisalign special offer and maybe you're not even looking for Invisalign, you have a less likelihood that you'll convert. So I just wanted to wrap this up before we get into the details of SEO, why it's important, because patients who want your service are looking for you on Google, and that's where you want to show up, so...

0:11:50.3 KD: Totally, I actually think that's a really good point, and I think it actually simplifies, like going back to what you guys said you do for doctors, it simplifies where we need to put our focus and our effort of getting those reviews on Google. 'Cause you're right, that's where they're looking, that's where they are, and I think if you can put your exerted efforts into the place it's actually going to translate, that makes life a lot simpler, I think, for business owners. Which dentist are business owners, to really know where to put that. So I am super curious, how do you guys use SEO to attract those quality patients?

0:12:22.9 KM: So SEO is... It does take a long time. It's not an overnight thing, like let's say Google Ads or sending out these post cards. So what our focus is, is creating good quality content on your website and then adding to that content every single month. So those are the two things that haven't changed in the last 10 or 15 years, that probably will not change in the next 15 years with SEO. It's all about quality content and great reviews. So how we approach it is, there's three essential things I believe you gotta have in place for your SEO to do well, and for you to attract quality patients. The first thing is, you have to have an optimized website. The second thing is monthly SEO blogging, and the third is reviews, and I'll just dive really quickly into them.

0:13:16.4 KD: Thank heavens, 'cause I was like, "I have no idea what the first two are." The last one I could handle but... Okay, ready.

0:13:22.3 KM: Yes. Perfect. Perfect. So the first one is having an optimized website. The easiest way to think of it is, let's say you are a dentist right? You probably offer different treatments and services, you wanna make sure that each of your treatments and services have their own page and that they're optimized for your city. Because again, let's take an example, right? Let's say I was on social media or my friend got Dental Veneers and I'm like, "Wow, those are great, I wanna get Veneers." I'm gonna go on Google and I probably won't put dentist near me, I'm probably either gonna put, Dental Veneers specialist near me or cosmetic dentist, right? So I'm looking for that specifically. So if your website doesn't have each of your treatments optimized for your city and your competitor does, guess who's showing up on Google? So you wanna make sure each of your treatments have their own page and they are optimized for your city, that's the first step of being optimized and having that foundation ready. The second part is about creating content. What you alluded to earlier, Kiera about marketing has to be a constant, and SEO is similar, where you have to be updating your website consistently with content so that you get found on search engines.

0:14:39.8 KM: Now, here is a really important part to look at, I've seen hundreds of dental websites, we've been to trade shows online, offline, I've seen so many. The biggest mistake that dentists are making when it comes to their SEO is, in this monthly blogging, their marketing companies are blogging about things that patients would never search for. Things like Happy Cupcake Day or best mouth washes of 2022. It's great, it's cute, but I guarantee you there's no mom or dad or patient, no one is looking for a dentist searching, "Is it cupcake day today?" They're not. They're looking for things like, Family dentist near me, Pediatric dentists in Tarzana, what are the costs of veneers in their city?

0:15:32.6 KD: That's a good point.

0:15:35.1 KM: It's really important that you need to focus your blogs and have your marketing company focus it on specific treatments in your area code. And again, one of the reasons I think we do SEO really effectively at DocSites even though we're affordable, is for that reason, we're focusing it in on one thing, which is, what are patients in your area actually searching?

0:15:56.8 KD: Yeah, I like it. And I think it's an interesting... I had never thought about, they're not looking for those things. Think about what they're going to go Google for that. And if you don't know, ask a family member, "Hey, if you're looking for a dentist, what would you Google?" 'Cause they're not dental people, so they will tell you more authentically, but I would ask the question on it and you might be getting to the next part, but I've heard from so many SEO companies that they just basically vomit on your website because they want all those words, they want all the keywords, they want to optimize it, so it's just a bunch of jargon and junk on there. Is there a way that you can actually have good content, because also there's the whole thought out there Kayvan of, you have written and now there's video and video is replacing and becoming stronger for SEO rather than just a written. How does that work so you're not vomiting all this jargon just to get your website to rank higher, but actually providing content and not having too many words, but actually utilizing video as well. What have you guys found for that within that optimization and writing the blogs to have that content there?

0:17:01.6 KM: So that's a great question having... You don't have to do everything, but you have to do the most important things. So it's not a matter of having the most words and the most keywords, but in specific important areas, you need to have them there in the title or in the meta, and also the keywords are important. If you can get those essential elements in, then you're good, you're great. It's not about a game of perfection, it's just about having those essential elements in there, which means you can still have an SEO optimize a web page and still make it personal with photos and videos and not have so much content where it looks like this is too much and you wanna click back. You brought up a great point with video. So do you happen to know who owns YouTube?

0:17:52.9 KD: Mm-hmm.

0:17:57.1 KM: Google, right? For you...

0:17:57.4 KD: Really?

0:17:58.2 KM: Yeah, Google owns YouTube, they bought it a long time ago, so it's the second biggest search engine in the world, second only to Google.

0:18:06.7 KD: Wow, I did not know this.

0:18:09.2 KM: So a lot of people, their strategy is they're taking those testimonial videos, and we have more of our clients doing this. Just today, I got sent maybe 10 or 12 videos from YouTube, so it's really easy that the dentist or the team member records a video on their iPhone or mobile phone, and then they just upload it to their own YouTube channel, and they provide it to a company like ourselves or their website company who then puts it on their website. And then that video can be optimized for dentists near me, dental review or best prosthodontist Dr. Kiera and put in your city. So you can actually optimize those videos to get more bang for your buck.

0:19:04.3 KD: Interesting. All right. So you can still do it. You need to write... Do you guys have offices that you work with write all that blog and content or do you guys write that information for them?

0:19:13.1 KM: So we write the content for them. The doctor doesn't need to write anything. We write the monthly content and blogs and we keep it general, you know, it's more about just being found. So we don't talk about insurance, we don't talk about costs, we don't talk about specifics of procedure. We just keep it general and we do all the writing and posting and publishing at DocSites.

0:19:35.7 KD: Gotcha. Very cool. Okay, so we have optimize, then we have writing for keywords. And then you had a third one for SEO and what was that third one? I feel like it was like posting, but I could be...

0:19:45.1 KM: That one is about reviews, about getting reviews, because Google My Business is very much tied into, you know, SEO and everything you're doing. So the more reviews you have on your Google My Business, the better. And I feel like we could probably do a whole episode just on getting more Google reviews. But that's a really important part of it. So if you haven't yet, make a concerted effort to increase your Google reviews, your five star reviews on Google, that will help in addition to having a good website and adding SEO blogs to help you get more traffic from Google.

0:20:23.3 KD: Is it just the number of Google reviews you have or the frequency you have of those Google reviews?

0:20:31.3 KM: There's no specific kind of hard set. The more you have, the better just to keep it simple as we like to keep it simple over here.

0:20:41.5 KD: Yeah.

0:20:42.0 KM: So as long as you have a system for your office that's increasing those reviews, that's really what matters. And I've had doctors tell me that by itself has generated so much business. So...

0:20:55.3 KD: 100%, that's always my lowest hanging fruit for any practice that wants more new patients. I'm like, are you getting Google reviews consistently? If not, I'm a huge fan of Swell guys, you know, Swell CX they're my buds, my bros, I've hung out with them for the last four or five years. I'm obsessed with them and they do a Dental A Team, like massive discounted pricing for you guys. So get those Google reviews ramped up because I agree.

0:21:23.1 KM: Love that.

0:21:23.7 KD: That can help a ton. And then utilize a website. I love, love, love. Like I think my favorite thing actually about DocSites, from everything I've seen, Kayvan, is the fact that you guys pull in those Google reviews onto the website because it keeps it current. 'Cause I literally, like when I say I researched you this morning, I really did, I went through so many different things. But what I loved is I looked at so many different clients' websites and the thing that I was drawn to the most were the reviews on the website, which I think is very clever because yes, I can look at the Google reviews, which I'm probably going to look at those reviews and the numbers before I select a website. But then being on the website, getting the feel of that website and then seeing those reviews, which I didn't realize you guys pulled in on... 'Cause I was like, dang, these are all updated. They're current ones. Like these were just from a month ago. Which usually on websites that takes a long time for it to get edited. To hear that they just, you guys, it sounds like just auto dump them in. Is that correct? Like they don't... You don't have to even do anything. That's what you guys are doing. Is that correct?

0:21:56.6 KM: That's correct. And one step above that we filter. So it only allows your five star reviews to show up. So we can't do anything if you get a four star or below. But we on your website, control it. So only the five star reviews show up. So it puts your best foot forward.

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0:22:39.7 KD: Are you guys sick of trying to figure it out on your own? I know I am. When I'm trying to run a business, sometimes I just think like there's got to be a better way to do this. And so for me, my answer has been to find someone who's done it and does it really, really, really well. Like I'm talking the best of the best of the best. I want someone who's been in my shoes, somebody who understands what I'm going through. When I was looking for the consulting business, I found a coach who literally has run a consulting business. Well that seems like the perfect fit. So you guys, right now we have a few spaces open in our platinum consulting. That is in the consulting where we actually come to your practice, we help you get systems implemented. We don't just tell you what systems to implement, we actually implement them with you and for you. You guys, it is one of the best investments I have ever made is to hire a coach who understands the business I'm in, who's lived it, who's done it. And that's what we in The Dental A Team do. We literally physically fly to you.

0:23:50.0 KD: So if you're sick of trying to figure it out on your own, if you just want somebody who understands you, join our platinum, I'd love to have you. I'd love to have our consulting team come out and see you, be in your office, be with your team and truly help you get onto the easy path of dentistry. It doesn't have to be hard. So join us in the platinum. We'd love to have you.

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0:23:58.9 KD: Very clever because I attend a lot of marketing. I just attended a Don Miller, if anyone's into story brand marketing. I attended a seminar that he put on and I, there were so many other people speaking about websites and how to optimize. And honest to goodness, I feel like the number one thing I got is people are like, how do people feel when they come on your website? And then are you doing a good job of showing them that you are the expert in your field when they're on your website? And I thought that that was such an important piece. And if you're not, then those are some key pieces. And I feel like those Google reviews that you guys have on the websites we're so clever. So basically what you're saying is to get this SEO, we've gotta optimize, which I feel that's pretty tricky without a company. So guys get your company, they do the keyword stuff, I have no clue how to do it. Then we've gotta have the words and the content of the keyword specific for what people are searching. So we pull up in those searches. And then third is having the high Google reviews. 'Cause my hunch is you guys do all the hard work of getting people to like, getting all the keywords for what they're searching. But if me as an office don't have high Google reviews...

0:25:01.7 KM: Right.

0:25:03.6 KD: They're not gonna click on me. Is that correct?

0:25:03.7 KM: Exactly. That's correct. And if you could do those three things, you really have a great chance of being successful on Google and SEO. If you're looking to hire a SEO company, you might just wanna ask, "Well, what are you actually doing for me every month?" Because we both know sometimes you don't know, right? It's kind of this black hole and they just give you a fancy report and analytics and dashboard and you're like, "Well what are you actually doing every month?" So that might be, if you're in the market to hire a new company for your website or SEO, just keep it simple. Like what are the deliverables that you're providing every single month?

0:25:39.2 KD: For sure. Which I think is really smart because I'll be honest, as a business owner, I don't speak that jargon. Just like most people don't speak dental jargon. But to really understand that, because I feel like those are words I don't know nor do I want to know them, however, guys, we are in 2022, and I think it's paramount that you are optimized online. Because otherwise, how are people finding you? It's not telephones, postcards sometimes depending upon your area and your avatar, but typically speaking, I feel like we're moving more and more and more into a digital age that's becoming where it's going. So that's really brilliant on SEO and then Kayvan I'm just dying, you sent over a dangling carrot for me and I want to know, because you said what are the costly marketing mistakes to avoid? And I'm like, "I've got to know, I have to know." You've hooked me in with this thing of what are the costly marketing mistakes to avoid, so I've got to know before we wrap up today, what are they, so I can avoid that and hopefully everybody listening can.

0:26:34.9 KM: Yes.

0:26:35.4 KD: Selfishly this is for me guys, so you can all just tune in to my private conversation here, what are those Kayvan? I'm super curious.

0:26:42.5 KM: So the single biggest costliest mistake that dentists need to avoid when it comes to their marketing, is the set it and forget it mentality.

0:26:50.9 KD: Oh, shoot that's me. [chuckle]

0:26:52.5 KM: If you have a set and forget a mentality with your marketing, you're eventually gonna lose opportunity, patients, and really effectiveness of your marketing. You can't treat your website or marketing like insurance, meaning you just pay for it every month and you don't look to see if it's effective, if it's representing you well. You don't wanna be that company who says, "We have in-house membership plan and I'm a platinum provider, and I have 500 five star reviews." And then when I go to your website, you have none of those. But you see it often. Again, and it's not anyone's fault or pointing fingers because I'm a business owner, Kiera you're business owner, you know when we're servicing our clients sometimes our own marketing gets put on the backburner. We get it, I can relate to it, however, don't let that be a crutch.

0:27:45.8 KD: True.

0:27:46.4 KM: Ask yourself, "Hey, who built my website? Is it my brother-in-law who did me a favor and has no idea how to market a dental practice? Hmm maybe it's time to hire someone else. Or did I swap services with my patient and gave him veneers so he could do my SEO?"

0:28:06.5 KD: I love that you know the world, it happens all the time, they'll be chatting in the chair.

0:28:09.8 KM: Yeah.

0:28:10.1 KD: "Kiera this guy is my plumber and we're giving him veneers." And I'm like, "Oh cool, that's great."

[laughter]

0:28:16.1 KM: It's funny and we laugh 'cause it's really true, right? Like we hear it all the time, so you just don't wanna be in a position where that starts to really negative effect you. Just today I was talking to a doctor who said, "My brother-in-law was supposed to do my practice." And it kind of turned into a dire situation 'cause his brother-in-law kept putting him off and now he's like, "Kayvan I'm in pain. It's like my operatories are empty, I'm not even... I can't even be open two days a week, he said he was gonna do Google ads, he said he was gonna to do my website, nothing is done." So it's like if you don't look at it, eventually at some point or another, it'll come back to haunt you unfortunately. So that's the biggest mistake, just don't have that set it and forget it mentality. And maybe take an opportunity to reach out to myself or Kiera or someone just to review your website and marketing, because if you don't look at it, something will go off and you just wanna prevent that.

0:29:19.3 KD: And I'm a big person, like guys you know how I operate, I like to make things very simple for you, so I would say let's make life real easy and let's do at a minimum, an annual review of you guys' website. So I would say December is coming up, I think that's a good time, review your entire company, your every department, and your business, which includes your marketing, which includes your website. So it's an easy time guys, you can just pop it in the calendar in December between Christmas and New Years, we typically have that week off in dentistry, there is some downtime during that time, just set it as a cadence so you know, "I'm going to be reviewing my website." If you wanna go the extra mile, I'd say pop it in June as well, so you have two times a year, you're reviewing it, looking to see what things could you change, reaching out to companies if you want. But I feel like that's an easy way for you to remember, 'cause we all know I like cadences, so I don't forget. [chuckle] I might as well forget, so.

0:30:10.3 KM: I love that.

0:30:12.1 KD: Perfect.

0:30:12.3 KM: That's so great to put the rhythm in there, and if you want a professional company for us to do that work for you, and give it to you in simple plain words. Just like we're chatting and you're hearing us, no fancy analytics or dashboards, but just in words that you can understand, where you can make some decisions from it, you can feel free to reach out to myself, Kayvan at DocSites, and I'm sure we'll link up my information. I'm happy to offer a complimentary, no obligation review for all your listeners.

0:30:42.1 KD: Cool, that's awesome. That's really great. So guys, it's almost Q4, take him up on the offer, it's at least a way to check that box before the end of the year. What other costly mistakes, don't set it and forget it, anything else we should be watching out for?

0:30:54.8 KM: Yes. So another one is that the website is not personalized, right? You have this website, but you might have stock photos or maybe you have an amazing operatory or your staff, and your website just looks cookie cutter. People are drawn to other people, right? Whatever business you think you're in, you're in the people business really, you're not in the dental business.

0:31:16.8 KD: Totally.

0:31:16.8 KM: I'm not in the website business, you're not in the consulting business, we're all in the people business, right? 'Cause we're connecting with other people, so a big mistake is if you actually have nice photos or you have a decent-looking waiting room or operatory whatever it may be, or a photo of yourself and you're not showcasing that on your website. That's a really big miss, because everyone wants something that's personalized, so the patient gets a sense of what they're walking into. Another big missed opportunity we talked about is, a lot of dentists are not doing a good job of showcasing their reviews on their website.

0:31:54.6 KD: Yeah, I would agree with that 100%.

0:31:56.8 KM: It's a really, really big low-hanging fruit, and if you think about it, we all look at reviews for everything. I have six nephews and pretty much every time I shop a gift for them or holidays coming up, I'm looking at the reviews first. And this is for a kid's toy, what do you think I'm gonna do if I'm thinking of bringing myself in to see a dentist? Not look at your reviews?

0:32:20.1 KD: That's valid.

0:32:20.5 KM: Absolutely, we definitely will. So just make sure that on your website you're highlighting your positive reviews, because it's a really big important asset that you have. So I see that mistake being made all the time, where dentists are not showcasing their reviews on the website, and then... I got a couple more. You just let me know.

0:32:42.9 KD: Oh, I'm ready. No, I'm literally sitting over here taking notes like okay, got it. Got it. Things we can improve. Yes. Yes. Okay. Ready.

0:32:48.1 KM: So another one, I guess, I'll give you a pop quiz Kiera.

0:32:52.2 KD: Oh, shoot, guys.

0:32:53.5 KM: Do you know what the most... Other than the Homepage, do you know what typically is the most visited page on a website?

0:32:58.6 KD: I would guess the About page.

0:33:01.8 KM: Exactly. It's spot on.

0:33:03.0 KD: Boom. I didn't know, but I guess 'cause I always go there and I'm like, "Who are these people? Let me see who they are."

0:33:06.1 KM: That's exactly it. Okay. That's exactly it. So if you have an outdated picture from prom right? Or the '80s or you don't even have a photo, right? It's just an empty page or anything like that, that's a big missed opportunity. So don't make that mistake because everyone's going there. You're missing an opportunity to have that patient connect with you. So it can be as simple as a photo that was taken by your staff member. Just make sure there's sunlight in your office or you can make [0:33:39.0] ____ husband or family member just to build some kind of connection. So don't make that mistake of leaving your About page or Meet The Dr. Page empty.

0:33:48.9 KD: That's actually a really good point. And I am pretty anti wanting to get pictures Kayvan, because I feel like pictures are kind of this kiss of death and it's like you take pictures and then ah, shoot, that person just quit. And then you've gotta think about where to put them so you're not having them, like put them on the side so you can crop them out. But I had somebody give me good advice on pictures and they said, "Honestly Kiera, that's a time in your life where these people were and it's okay. Just have a cadence again of taking those photos." But I agree a hundred percent. I go there all the time on these websites. I wanna see who these people are, see if I like them. So that's an excellent point.

0:34:25.7 KM: Absolutely. It's a really, really... And it's an easy fix.

0:34:30.5 KD: Yeah. It really is. It doesn't take a lot of work. [chuckle] Especially with our phones today.

0:34:34.8 KM: Exactly.

0:34:36.3 KD: They're pretty great phones.

0:34:38.5 KM: That's where everyone has to remember it. Our photos come out really great on the phone. So just make some time to take some photos and send it to your website company so they can update it. And then the last big mistake I see a lot of dentists make has to do with their work and not showcasing their work. So we both know when you're presenting a case, a treatment plan and it might be 10, 15, $20,000 for a full smile makeover, maybe that patient is not saying yes right away. They wanna think about it. What's gonna help them make a decision and say yes is if they see the quality of your work.

0:35:21.7 KD: I agree.

0:35:24.2 KM: So a lot of dentists out there actually have quality work and they either don't have photos, they don't take them or they've taken them, but it's stored away on a hard drive somewhere. So take those out of the hard drive, assign someone to do do it or do it yourself and actually get those photos on your website because then imagine when the patient, new patient or old patient comes to your website, they see your photos, they see your reviews, and you have a smile gallery and they're like, "Wow, that is good quality work." How much more likely are they to pick up the phone and make an appointment?

0:36:00.9 KD: For sure. I think it's a... I mean, that's what I did with you guys. I wanted to see, what are your websites? What do they look like? And I feel, guys, we are in a day and age of so much information that's being sent to us online, on social media. I do not... [chuckle] Guys, I was telling Kayvan before, we were doing IVF, which I think some of you know, I'm going on these people's freaking websites. I'm going on their Instagram pages, I'm reading client testimonies. I'm going in creepily looking at those clients to see if they're real clients on their Instagram pages to see like, "Did they really have babies? Did they not have babies?" You guys don't even have to deal with that. You have smiles and you can show before and afters. And I think it's so important to show it because that's where we're going.

0:36:44.6 KD: I mean, no one's gonna go choose a plastic surgeon based on some Google reviews. They're gonna go look for that work to see do they do a good job? You guys hopefully aren't gonna choose a website company without going and checking out their gallery of websites they've built. Otherwise, that's how you see these people's true work and not just taking their word for it. So, completely agree. I feel like the... And those are... Kayvan, what I love, you just shared low hanging, super easy to implement items that can really make a huge impact for your practice.

0:37:15.3 KM: Exactly. And they matter a lot to the patients and they're really easy once you get a system up or assign a person or whatever you find is convenient for your practice to get those photos up on your website.

0:37:27.5 KD: And if you know me, I'm real lazy or a great delegator, you guys can choose however you wanna view me, but I don't enjoy doing that stuff. So if I don't enjoy doing it, have someone in your practice...

0:37:38.3 KM: That's a great skill.

0:37:40.1 KD: Who does it. Find somebody if it's not your favorite thing to do, you're probably not going to do it every day. So therefore just find someone in your practice, maybe, I know a lot of us are hiring younger millennials who love to be on social media, love to take pictures, like that's the world they grew up in. And so hire somebody or find someone in your practice, have them be over it and then it's on... I'm putting massive air quotes out there, Kayvan. It's a set it and forget it because you delegated it to somebody else and then you just need to check in with them every so often. [chuckle] So I think those are fantastic ideas.

0:38:09.1 KM: Correct. And dentists have a great community. A lot of dentists I speak to... Someone just reached out, "We wanna redo our website." Oh, I'm like, "How'd you hear about us?" "I went to school with Dr. So-and-so. He said great things. Great." I think another opportunity is ask your fellow dentist who's doing before and after as well. And say, "Hey doctor, what are you doing? You have a system, you do it, you control it? Oh, you have a team meeting where in the morning, you know who's gonna be a good patient for before and after. So you actually assign someone to do it. Wow. That's a great idea. I never thought of that." You won't know until you ask. So another option is maybe you can look at a fellow dentist who's doing Before and afters well, and just ask them, "Hey, what are you doing that works for you?" And see what they say.

0:39:02.3 KD: Totally. I think it's absolutely brilliant. Kayvan, that was a lot of info guys. We went from websites, to SEO, how you guys can actually optimize your websites, Google reviews, how to get more Google reviews, talking about Swell, into the costly marketing mistakes and how to avoid them. And I feel like my favorite one of all of the ones we talked about is probably the having pictures of yourselves on the website, and the reason why is because I feel like it just makes you a human. It makes you personable. It makes... I mean, guys, I know you are maybe shy but I think about it, if you are literally in dentistry, we take our hands and we put them in stranger's mouth. Anywhere else in the entire world, in any other setting besides the dental office, that would be very weird unless you're a parent helping a child brush their teeth. Beyond that, it's weird. It's super, super weird. It's very vulnerable, it's very intimate, it's very awkward, and so I feel like you really giving yourself a humanized feature about yourself and humanizing yourself and making yourself somebody that's real, rather than just a dentist behind a wall. That used to be the way that dentistry worked.

0:40:11.2 KD: I feel is probably my favorite thing of all of it. Guys, if nothing else, make yourself human, make yourself out there, and I feel like it's done, like Kayvan, you said, through your website, making you available, showing your work of what you do, showing the reviews and showing yourself as a human. Three things, yes, pushing out of your comfort zone for some of you, but three things that I feel are just brilliant. So Kayvan, thank you for all the info, thanks for being on the podcast. If people want to work with DocSites, if they're wanting to check off their box before the end of the year of having their website reviewed, seeing if it's up-to-date, figuring out how they can optimize to get more quality patients, how can they connect with you?

0:40:47.1 KM: Yeah, so there's two ways. You can go to docsites.com to learn more about us. That's D-O-C-S-I-T-E-S dot com. Or you could text me directly at 818-489-9823. That's my cell phone. You're not gonna go in a funnel or anything. Just make sure you let me know you heard about us from this podcast. And again, the number is 818-489-9823. So you could text me and we could set up a time to chat and review your website and online presence, and also you can go to docsites.com to learn more information about us and myself.

0:41:26.7 KD: I love it. And guys, that really is his real number, I was looking at my phone when he said it. It's really his number, so try it out. Kayvan, I think it was awesome. I'm super excited 'cause guys, I think this is just his zone. We're in 2022, and if you aren't current in the digital world, I feel like you really will be left behind. So I feel like I'm doing a battle cry for you of, "Don't be left behind." Get ahead of the curve before competitors do, before other people do, that way you can truly serve more patients, because the people listening to the podcast, I know, are the best dentists out there. And you, dentists, have a moral obligation to serve more patients and to provide them with the best industry out there. So Kayvan, thanks for being on the podcast today and being just a wealth of knowledge and resources to our dental community. I super appreciate it.

0:42:12.3 KM: Thank you so much, Kiera. It's been a pleasure.

0:42:13.9 KD: Absolutely. Alright guys, go do something from today. I don't care what it is, whether it's take a picture, update your website, set a meeting to update your website. If you decide you wanna figure out more about optimization, if you want to get more Google reviews, if you are wanting to set up the morning huddle of who's going to be taking a picture of a patient, there are so many pieces in here. But guess what, this is just information and without execution, nothing changes. So guys, go execute. And as always, thanks for listening, and I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.

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0:42:45.7 KD: And that wraps it up for another episode of the Dental A Team Podcast. Thank you so much for listening and we'll talk to you next.

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