How to Attract More Patients Without Discounting Your Services

Shannon: Today, Arron and I are excited to discuss something I hear every day from dentists—many have put so much into their education and their beautiful practices. They’re building their legacy practices, yet, ever since COVID, they’ve struggled to find high-quality patients. The issue is constantly fighting discount shoppers, right, Arron?

Arron: Absolutely.

Shannon: It’s one of the biggest problems we hear about, and it’s a real challenge. But what if I told you there are plenty of high-quality patients searching for great dentists? Today, we’re going to dive into how these patients and your practice can find each other. Sound good?

Arron: I can’t wait!

Shannon: Fun, right?

Arron: Absolutely!

Shannon: There’s something key that these patients need to see and hear in order to connect with you. Consistency is crucial. Practices go through good months, okay months, and bad months, but the goal is to make it consistent. Consistently rising? That’s even better. We’ll talk about that in a bit, but first, let’s explore why we’ve seen a decline in consistent new patients since 2020. So why is this happening?

Arron: One big factor is the surge in social media subscribers since COVID. It’s a good thing more eyeballs are available, right?

Shannon: Absolutely, but it also brings a lot of noise. People are now consuming information in a very different way—they scroll quickly, looking for those quick dopamine hits.

Arron: Doom scrolling.

Shannon: Yes, exactly! People are getting their errands done or researching something while they scroll. It’s a constant cycle of distraction. They’re busy, and their trust is fragile because everyone is pushing their agendas. They see ads, they see social media posts, but who do they trust? Who are they really seeing when they’re looking?

Arron: Yeah, absolutely. It’s completely changed how people shop.

Shannon: It has, hasn’t it? The sales funnel that once made sense is no longer the norm. People are now bouncing around different areas, engaging in many ways. Because of their short attention spans, they don’t stick to one platform for too long. They’ll visit social media, watch something on YouTube, browse a website, and then get distracted by an ad. Trust-building has become a more circular process rather than a linear one.

Arron: Right. With high-quality patients, it’s even more difficult because they’re busy, not sitting in front of their computers. They might be out and about, or engaged in conversations offline, which is also a touchpoint people forget about.

Shannon: Exactly. In person, someone might say, “Hey, check out my dentist, they’re doing something cool on TikTok!” These offline touchpoints are becoming important too. It’s no longer just about being present in one spot—it’s about a comprehensive strategy.

Arron: For sure. In 2025, the concept of touchpoints has changed. In the past, 8 touchpoints were enough for effective marketing. But now, we’re looking at nearly 20 touchpoints on average. That’s a lot.

Shannon: A lot! As a business owner and a dentist, how do we solve for this? When we can get in front of our patients consistently, we’re building trust, but what does that really look like? Google says people need about 11.4 digital interactions to trust you. So what are those touchpoints? What are they seeing? Are they seeing your brilliance? Are they connecting with your personality? Are they hearing you answer questions and solve problems that your competition isn’t?

Arron: I like to be cheeky.

Shannon: And you’re really good at it.

Arron: But seriously, it’s no longer just about content being king. Yes, content is still essential, but it’s about creating content that resonates with your audience. It’s about building trust and speaking to your community. It’s about finding a balance. You don’t want a thousand TikTok dances, and you don’t want to just educate on dental implants. It’s a mix of both. Entertain, educate, and show that you’re the expert—this is how you build trust.

Shannon: And that’s the key. Patients are looking for a mixture—someone who can entertain them, educate them, and who they can trust as the expert.

Arron: Exactly. That’s the way modern marketing works. It’s more authentic, and it aligns with our core value—marketing with love. It’s not about trying to trick anyone into coming to your office. It’s about being you, connecting with the people you want to serve, and showing them how great you are at what you do.

Shannon: Yes, and this is where the idea of knowing your avatar really comes into play. You need to know exactly who you want to attract and speak to them. When our doctors do this, they end up with much better patients. These patients are attracted to them because of their personality, their expertise, and their values. And those patients are more likely to say yes to treatments quickly. We’ve found this time and again.

Arron: Absolutely. It’s all about attracting those high-quality patients. And once you build that relationship, it becomes so much easier for them to say yes to treatment.

Shannon: Exactly. And this brings us to a problem. How do doctors create all this content when they’re already so busy?

Arron: Let me share a little secret. We do it through content batching. It’s not about creating content every single day. You can set aside one day, prep for it, and then capture months of content—3, 4, 5, or even 6 months’ worth—all at once.

Shannon: Yes! It’s all about planning. You can schedule it out and use tools like AI to make it easier. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. And if you need help, we can assist. But the process should be fun. When you’re having a content batching day with your team or favorite patients, it should feel natural and enjoyable. You get to showcase what you do best in front of the people you want more of.

Arron: Exactly. It’s about bringing your patients into the process. You can make it fun and really showcase what makes your practice stand out.

Shannon: And that’s the word—strategy. You can’t just throw content out there. You need to think through what you want to showcase. How can you position yourself as a thought leader? What questions can you answer that your competitors aren’t addressing? Answer those questions, and your patients will fall in love with you. This works wonders for SEO too, because you’re positioning yourself as an expert.

Arron: It’s about nurturing relationships and building trust. When you combine that with great content, you create a culture of authenticity. You also have to step back and look at the competition. How can you sound different? How can you make your content more compelling?

Shannon: Exactly! It’s about getting in front of those patients at the right time, in the right place. You have to show your personality and expertise.

Arron: Yes. It’s about making sure you’re everywhere your patients are looking and that you’re building trust wherever they go. That’s omnipresence in action. And the cool thing is that this strategy works for any dentist, regardless of the competition in their area. You just have to get it right.

Shannon: Yes, the competition might be tough, but with the right approach, you’ll win them over with content that matters and truly connects.

Arron: High-quality patients visit high-quality dentists.

Shannon: It’s as simple as that. You just have to show them.

Arron: And here’s one more thing. You will always have low-quality patients who just want a cheap cleaning and a $59 coupon. That’s fine, and there are practices that will serve them.

Shannon: But if you want the high-quality patients—those who truly value your work—you have to give them the information they need and build that relationship with them. That’s the answer.

Arron: Absolutely. And you nailed it earlier: omnipresence. It’s about being where people are, giving them the information they need, and building trust so you become the authority.

Shannon: Yes! Thank you for joining me today, Arron.

Arron: Anytime.

Shannon: If you liked this episode and want more tips, subscribe to our YouTube channelThis link opens a new tab to YouTube. Let us know what you want to hear next. If you want to dive deeper into what Arron and I just discussed, check out our video on the Social Media Guide for DentistsThis link leads to a Blog post about social media guide for dentists. I think you’ll really enjoy it!