Veteran Dentist Finally Finds the Right Marketing Partner
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Jonathan Hill, DDS, is quick to say that he has no desire to provide the type of glitzy cosmetic dentistry that is popular in some big cities. When he opened Hill Dentistry in Colorado Springs, Colorado, he simply wanted to serve the small town and its community made up largely of military personnel and their families. "I envisioned a small dental practice," he says, "seeing children, parents, and grandparents."
Building trust in the community—in part through marketing—has always been a key component of Hill's business model. During his first few months back in 2001, he estimates that he spent approximately $15,000 per month on marketing.
Hill quickly doubled the size of his practice but made sure to maintain a concierge atmosphere. "We have a smaller office that does not feel too busy for patients, and it works well for us," he says.
Despite meeting so many of his goals, Hill always felt that his marketing was lacking. He had tried everything, including direct mail, email, television commercials, billboards, and bus stop benches. He even worked with several companies on improving his website and search engine optimization (SEO).
"Our area is very competitive, so you need to be willing to evolve, but we just could not get traction with our marketing and social media because no one knew how to do it well," Hill says. "That was the part of the practice that I was missing."
Finally, in 2019, Hill found someone who knew how to do it well—and more. At the American Dental Association's Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, he met with the team from Scorpion, a comprehensive platform for improving patient acquisition and driving practice growth. Scorpion's services are not only unique to each practice and budget but also delivered by professionals who exclusively focus on dentistry. Their all-in-one solution for marketing and technology frees up practice owners to focus on providing high-quality care to their patients.
The process for Hill began with an interview about his 5- and 10-year goals, both personally and professionally. "It was not about money," he says. "They wanted to know who I was, who my patients were, what type of community we work with, and what I wanted to achieve during my career."
The next interview focused more on what Hill wanted for his practice and his website. "They showed me a preview of my new website that was based on all of the information they had collected, and I was emotionally moved," he says. "It was what I had always wanted. At that moment, I knew that this was the best investment I had ever made."
Shortly thereafter, however, COVID-19 hit, and except for emergencies, Hill had to close his office for 6 weeks. Regardless, he looked at the situation as an opportunity to prepare to be better than ever before upon reopening.
"I was totally comfortable and not stressed out at all," Hill says, "I knew I had an amazing team supporting me. When we reopened, we were so far ahead of the pack because we had stayed in touch with our patients consistently through videos, letters, emails, and social media, and we have not stopped since then."
Scorpion also assists with SEO, monitoring online reviews, website management, and other functions. Since reopening, Hill's practice has grown by 16% in production, and collections are 7% higher. They acquired 277 new patients in 2021 through mid-September, which was 100 more than they had acquired during the previous year by the same time. And despite all of this growth, the practice's marketing budget is no higher than it was prior to working with Scorpion.
"I had always worried so much about social media and SEO, and I could never quite get what I was promised," Hill says. "With Scorpion, I am getting more than I ever expected."
Hill's website now includes vaccine information and employment information for prospective additions to his team at a time when hiring is challenging. "My website is like a living organism, and I could not do it without Scorpion," he says. "They are so hardworking, they are experts in the field, and they make me feel like I am the only client they have."
After so many years of unsuccessful marketing investments, Hill was certain that Scorpion was the perfect fit. "I know that Scorpion will be a part of my practice until I retire," he says.
Contact Information
Scorpion • scorpion.co • 888-375-7259