Marketing Implosion: Why DSOs Fail at Advertising
One of the biggest disasters of selling to a DSO is how they handle marketing. DSOs tend to centralize marketing with a small team that manages hundreds of offices at once. This results in:
1. A One-Size-Fits-All Approach
Most DSOs apply the same marketing strategies across all locations, regardless of differences in demographics, income levels, or local competition.
What works in New York or Los Angeles won’t work in a smaller market like Ohio or Nebraska.
Instead of customizing strategies for each location, they push generic campaigns that fail to produce results.
2. Major Billing & Payment Issues
Many DSOs don’t properly manage ad spend or even pay for marketing services on time.
I’ve personally seen DSOs fail to pay their credit card bills for months, leading to their social media ads getting shut off.
When 80% of your new starts come from paid social ads, this is a massive wake-up call.
No marketing means fewer leads, fewer starts, and a serious decline in revenue—but the DSO still expects you to hit growth targets.
DSOs cut corners in marketing to save money, but in reality, this short-sighted approach cripples their ability to drive new patient flow.