If you’ve never tested your own SEO, you might do so right now. Try searching for different terms (commonly called keywords) that people might use when searching for a dentist in your area. For example, “Chicago dentists” if you’re located in Chicago. Do you show up high in the rankings?

You may want to look into putting some effort into your SEO if you don’t.

A recent article over at Search Engine Land highlighted the latest trends and habits of internet searchers looking for information on local businesses.

47% said they relied mostly on the Internet for local information
36% rely on search engines
31% rely mostly on newspapers
22% rely on word of mouth from friends and family
8% rely on local TV
5% rely on local radio

These numbers will only trend in favor of the internet more and more, especially as mobile smartphones like the iPhone become more commonplace than they already are.

If you’re not sure where you stand on your practice website’s SEO, get in touch and let’s discuss.

(Originally posted as Why SEO Is Vital For Dentists on Gundelach & Associates - Business Consulting for the Professional Dentist)

This has been a long obsession of mine, dating back to my high school days in the 1960s. My parents were staunchly against me owning one back then due to possible injury, but soon after graduation, I bought one for myself.

I’ve owned one (or more) ever since.

Not that it’s always been a smooth ride, which leads me to the interesting vehicle included with this post.

In 2001, I developed a nerve condition in my lower extremities. We came to learn it was a form of peripheral neuropathy – probably caused by agent orange defoliant from my tour of duty in Vietnam. The condition worsened over the years, and by 2009 I had to give up riding two wheeled vehicles altogether.

Not that I’d let that stop me.

My need for speed and for the wind in my hair had to be satisfied, and with the help of some very talented friends, we came up with what you see here in the photo.

It’s a “trike” with a 350 cubic inch 420 horse power V8 engine. I can operate it completely with my hands – no foot controls required. (The body on the back is a replica of a 1963 Corvette.)

I absolutely love it. I’m back on the road and in the wind!

If you’re a fellow motorcycle enthusiast, please get in touch and show what you’ve got. You can see some of the motorcycles (and classic cars) I’ve owned through this link.

(Originally posted as About the Motorcycles on Gundelach & Associates - Business Consulting for the Professional Dentist)

The best advice we have is to try your best to bring the experience that someone has coming into your office online.

When a patient comes in, you probably don’t take a robotic tone and recite a dental encyclopedia. For some reason, I see many doctors abandon this once their start writing online.

There are no hard-and-fast rules to writing a blog post, other than try your best to be real and helpful.

With that in mind, here are three things you could write about.

1) OFFICE NEWS This one is obvious. If you have anything new in the office, this is blog worthy. Staff, equipment, and deals or promotions all apply.

2) HIGHLIGHT A PATIENT’S BUSINESS OR EVENT Showcasing things your patients could use help promoting is a great way to build a better relationship. When you do this, there’s a great chance they will link to your website from theirs, and also highlight your blog post via their social media channels. If it’s something the rest of your patients will find helpful or informative, even better.

3) GET PERSONAL Writing about your own hobbies and interests is a great way to humanize your practice’s website. Blogs started as personal online diaries before they found their way into business applications, and there’s nothing wrong with letting people see a side of you from outside the office.

If you’re struggling for topics, come back to any one of these three for generating ideas. Any one of them should give you plenty of options, and remember – the more your write, the easier it will come to you.

(Originally posted as Three Things To Write About On Your Practice’s Blog on Gundelach & Associates - Business Consulting for the Professional Dentist)

Click this link to download a sample, and ask yourself how helpful it may be to know the answers to these questions.

(Originally posted as Listening to Your Patients on Gundelach & Associates - Business Consulting for the Professional Dentist)

Significant variations in these numbers represent your signal for action. The sooner you see these numbers and take decisive action based on them, the sooner your practice will improve. The numbers do not tell you exactly what to do, they simply indicate that some action is required.

1. Doctor’s Production
2. Number of Doctor’s Days
3. Average Daily Production
4. Hygiene Production
5. Number of Hygiene Days
6. Average Daily Production
7. Total Office Production
8. Average Daily Production for Total Office
9. Collection
10. Collection over the Counter
11. Collection Percentage to Production
12. Accounts Receivable
13. Accounts Receivable Ratio
14. Accounts Receivable over 90 days
15. Accounts Receivable in Insurance
16. New patients – Referred by External Marketing
17. New patients – Referred by Internal Marketing
18. Dollar Amount of Treatment Diagnosed
19. Dollar Amount of Treatment Sold
20. New Patient Value
21. Percentage of Practice in Recall
22. Total Overhead Expenses
23. % of Overhead to Production
24. % of Staff Salaries to Production
25. % of Hygiene Salaries to Production
26. % of Laboratory Costs to Production
27. % of Rent to Production

(Originally posted as 27 Monthly Trend Indicators on Gundelach & Associates - Business Consulting for the Professional Dentist)