Welcome to WRITING MATTERS, celebrating the value of good writing in the business world.

 

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VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 – MARCH 2009

 

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This Month's Case Study – George Patterson, D.D.S.

 

The Company

George Patterson was a periodontist specializing in dental implants.  Although he had been in practice for several years, he only recently began promoting his specialty.  Because he was located in a large metropolitan area, distinguishing himself from other dentists was an ongoing proposition.

 

The Challenge

Dr. Patterson’s clientele was comprised mostly of older patients who had been going to him for years.  New patients came by referral on occasion, but he realized he needed to reach out to a younger demographic to ensure continued success.  And with dental implants becoming the preferred option for replacing missing teeth, Dr. Patterson had a niche he could actively promote.

 

Dr. Patterson had a simple web site, but it was only one page and didn’t include much information.  He felt his practice could benefit from a more robust design, effectively communicating what he could offer to prospective patients, and also implementing some modern conveniences such as online scheduling of appointments, patients surveys and the like.

 

The good doctor had good ideas, but needed someone to help bring them to fruition.  He contacted Jeb, the web designer he had used previously, and asked if he could help him.  Jeb said he could certainly handle the design, but recommended a professional writer be hired to compose the copy.

 

The Solution

Fortunately, Jeb had worked with a variety of copywriters in the past, and knew someone who had experience writing copy for the dental and medical fields.  He contacted Sally and asked about her availability.  She was in the middle of a few projects, but offered to make time to meet with Jeb and Dr. Patterson to discuss the new web site.

 

At the meeting, Dr. Patterson conveyed his needs to Sally and Jeb, and the three brainstormed accordingly.  Sally recommended a simple design, but with enough content and functionality to act as both an effective marketing piece and a useful tool to streamline certain parts of the business.

 

Sally was available to begin work on the project in two weeks, and she and Jeb agreed to send the doctor a proposal outlining the project, including their fees and a timeline for completion.  Dr. Patterson was impressed with the way Sally and Jeb collaborated, and looked forward to their work on the new site.

 

The Outcome

 

As the new web site took shape, Dr. Patterson was pleased with the results.  Sally conducted interviews with the doctor and his staff to help define the content, while Jeb worked on the design and appropriate coding for some of the site’s more advanced features.

 

In the end, the new web site more than exceeded Dr. Patterson’s expectations.  It was easy to navigate and featured a simple, classy design.  Pages included a brief biography of Dr. Patterson (“Meet The Doctor”); some background information on dental implants and basic dental education; general information such as hours, phone numbers, payment options, and email contact; and, finally, online appointment request and patient feedback forms. 

 

The online appointment request offered patients another option for making their appointments, and the patient survey form  would allow Dr. Patterson to identify areas that needed improvement.  The overall package communicated a focused, consistent message to both existing patients and potential new ones.

 

After the project’s completion, Dr. Patterson retained Jeb’s services on an as-needed basis for site updates and assistance with any data retrieval issues related to the appointment and survey forms.  He also planned on using Sally again, as he wanted to update his in-office policy and procedure manuals.  In a relatively short period of time, Dr. Patterson’s practice had a whole new image, thanks to the hard work of his freelance copywriter and web designer.

 

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If you have a "writer-to-the-rescue" story to share, please let me know at: JPT@spectrumcopywriting.com.

 

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The next issue of WRITING MATTERS will be out April 1st.

 

Have a great month!

 

 

John Paul Tancredi, Copywriter/Consultant

Spectrum Copywriting Services

JPT@spectrumcopywriting.com

www.spectrumcopywriting.com

 

 

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