Death of the Traditional Dental Office
No, not the design, flow, functionality, or technology but the idea of having them tucked away in office parks or hidden in large office buildings. So, the question is where are they moving to?
Enter: Shopping Centers
Recent downturns and growth cause a major shift in the way people buy. Big box retailers are shrinking their footprints as to not follow in the same footsteps as K-Mart, Radio Shack, and Sears. Modification to these large retail locations has opened the door for many non-traditional retail users to take advantage of amenities offered by retail centers. Here is why this benefits the dental industry especially:
Visibility
Retail giants do one thing well. They spend an immense amount of time and money to locate the perfect location where they know their target demographic will shop. They want to be on main roads, highways, and interstates. They know that heavy exposure and visibility lead to awareness. That strategy ultimately leads to sales. This means that dentists can truly take advantage of the work and research that has already been done for them. No longer are dental offices relegated to a small sign on a placard in the lobby. Pylon, monument, and storefront signage are the norm.
Accessibility
Have you ever wondered why Starbucks always seems to be on the right side as you drive to work? That is because they understand how important it is to make things easy for the customer. If they must turn left across four lanes of traffic just for coffee, they will drive another mile down the road to find a more convenient location there. The same applies to your dental practice. Your patients do not want to drive around business parks searching for the right building. They would much rather pull right up to the office's front door in a retail location.
Convenience
Shopping centers are the ultimate convenience for consumers. What better way for a busy mom to juggle multiple children than to have a single destination to accomplish all her errands in one shot. Take this moment to truly think about it. How successful would your dental office be if you were located in a shopping center that gives your patients the opportunity to get their teeth cleaned, pick up necessities at Target, coffee at Dunkin Donuts, grocery shop at Giant, and grab Chick-Fil-A on their way out? You can't make it much more convenient than that.
Better Marketing
There's nothing like having signage in front of your target market every time they go shopping. Being in the presence of retail giants creates an immense sense of credibility. It also requires less effort on your part. Your name will be top of mind whenever a client starts to think about their dental health.
The best and most success dentists are taking advantage of the retail opportunity being presented to them. Reap the rewards and be smarter about your business. If you need help on how to abandon the traditional office space to revamp your practice, feel free to reach out to us for assistance.