Dental Relationship Marketing

Archive for the ‘social media marketing for doctors’ Category

Are you using automation tools to post to your Facebook Page?  If so, it’s important to be aware how too much automation can hurt you. There have been several situations where I’ve seen automated RSS feeds pushing out way too many posts at a time—for example, 5 or 7 posts pushed out on Facebook one right after another.  This comes across as spammy.

What makes it worse is an automation symbol can scream “there’s no human on the other end of this post”. Often posts may not include a graphic image …. take a look at a Page that’s over automated and it will likely lack visual interest.

Another reason I’ve cautioned practices about over-automation is that it makes it too easy to ignore your Page.  There is a direct correlation to the amount of time you spend promoting your Page and the results you will get. As SocialBakers said, “Take the time with your communities, make sure you manage them, manage their expectations, and be social on your Facebook page!”

Read Social Bakers “Automated Facebook posting can make your page fail… Engadget now knows.” P.S. I’m a huge fan of SocialBakers—great resource!

Popularity: 42% [?]

I often hear doctors and practice managers express concerns about Facebook security. While it’s important to be aware and vigilant, don’t let rumors keep you from marketing and networking on Facebook.

I recommend all practices and teams involved in Facebook marketing “like” Facebook’s Official Security Page:  http://www.facebook.com/security If you aren’t already a part of this community, like the Page. The Facebook Security Page will easily keep you updated about any concerns—and separate valid concerns and solutions from myths or rumors.   Stay safe friends!

Popularity: 39% [?]

You have a new patient sitting in your treatment chair.  What is the conversation you’ll have with that patient?   Masters at small talk will tell you they can use open-ended questions to open the door to trust with patients at their first visit.  While small talk still has its place, consider a new patient who found you via Facebook …

Rather than a new patient waiting for you to open conversation, the patient may say, “I saw on Facebook that you are an avid fisherman.  My husband and I both love to fish too!  Have you ever been to … ”.  Practices who use social media to share a bit of their authentic selves will begin to notice deeper relationships (that also grow faster) than those who do not.

Small talk has been defined as conversation for it’s own sake, or making comments about what is perfectly obvious.  Which has more meaning, conversation about the weather or sharing your favorite fishing spots with a fellow fisherman?   When practices (dentists and teams) share what hobbies they enjoy or what they are passionate about—outside of the office—they open the door to a whole new world of conversation, “social talk”.  Social talk is not only more meaningful than small talk, it’s also more fun—and more effective!

Will you and your team continue to rely on small talk or have you already ventured into the social world of Facebook?  Once you begin sharing what’s meaningful in your life, you will begin to rely less on small talk and experience more social talk, trust, and new—ideal–patient referrals.

Popularity: 38% [?]

Are you using discounts or free offers to recruit clients to “like” your Facebook Page?  Many businesses are—as well as dental practices.  While offering something such as teeth whitening for free or as a “special offer” may be fine in some instances, it pays to be thoughtful about offering these promotions over the long term.

A “special offer” utilized over and over again will eventually become “not so special” …  My friend, Kevin Rose, is a dental business consultant who explains this risk as “Sofa Sale Dentistry”. Kevin is a thought leader for the business of dentistry.  He is based in England, however his core principles apply in the U.S., as well as internationally.   Read Kevin’s article which he wrote and posted on his blog earlier this year:

Sofa Sale Dentistry

The natural reaction to the traditionally quiet first quarter in Dentistry and retail generally is to have a promotional offer. Right now many dental surgeries are offering promotions in order to attract new and existing patients through the door and this should be a win win for both parties.

However, whilst promotions have their place in the short term, have you stopped to consider what impact they have on your business in the medium and long term? Promotions should form part of an annual marketing strategy and contribute towards the overall direction that the business and patient message is heading.

Promotions inevitably involve reducing margins in the short term, so make sure that you consider what the over all payback will be. Buying market share is a proven strategy outside of dentistry, but it is not sustainable and can reduce business longevity if it is not carefully planned.

There are some companies that constantly market themselves on short term promotions. The TV adverts are full of them at the seasonal peaks such as Christmas and New Year. The “sofa sale” companies are very succesful but only because their pricing and strategy is designed around having a “sale”.

If you are looking to compete in the long term in the style of a “sofa sale” company then maybe that needs to be a conscious decision rather than a short term reaction?

Learn more about Kevin Rose here.

Popularity: 26% [?]

What is your primary objective for being on Facebook or Twitter? Are you interested primarily in link-building, solely for “SEO” purposes? Perhaps you are interested in acquiring as many friends and people who will “like” your Facebook Page as possible, because we’ve always been taught that more is better …

A traditional marketing mind-set was to acquire more.  Let the numbers show how effective our direct mail piece was.  How many patient phone calls we got from our phone book ad.  How many hits to our website.  However, without quality none of those numbers really matters.

It is our intentions that drive our actions.  If we intend to build up a certain number of fans, whether it be 500 or 2,000 fans, we are focused on the numbers. On the other hand, if we focus on winning the interest, praise, and appreciation of our followers, we are bound to win.

Remember that social media marketing is unlike any other marketing tool we’ve ever had access to.  Discard your old marketing mind-set.  Be thoughtful about your objectives.  Consider what is more important to you—a high quantity fan base or a high quality fan base.  I’m not saying you can’t have both, but in social media, typically numbers as a primary goal can sabotage quality.

Set your intention to first and foremost build trust and relationships with your followers.  Strive to make your social media platforms a place you can talk with your patients and followers. Imagine when patients come into your office.  What is the social conversation you have with them?  It is that type of exchange that can make your social marketing efforts a success.

It may take more time and energy to consider what your ideal social media community could look like.  The easy way out is to set a number as a goal and walk away.  A better objective—that will return more positive word of mouth and referrals—is to put interaction, authentic “liking”, and relationship building at the top of the list.

What are your social media goals and objectives?

Popularity: 38% [?]

Can social networking really mimic an in-person connection in our brain?   It seems science has now shown, at least in this experiment, that oxytocin levels spiked and cortisol was reduced while tweeting.

Below is an excerpt from Fast Company’s “Social Networking Affects Brains Like Falling in Love”. The article goes on to say that should these experiments (by Neuroeconomist Paul Zak) prove to be the norm, this should serve as a wake up call for every business …

While tweeting … my oxytocin levels spiked 13.2%. That’s equivalent to the hormonal spike experienced by the groom at the wedding Zak attended. Meanwhile, stress hormones cortisol and ACTH went down 10.8% and 14.9%, respectively.

Zak explains that the results are linked, that the release of oxytocin I experienced while tweeting reduced my stress hormones. If that’s the case, says Zak, social networking might reduce cardiovascular risks, like heart attack and stroke, associated with lack of social support. But there’s even more to our findings.

“Your brain interpreted tweeting as if you were directly interacting with people you cared about or had empathy for,” Zak says. “E-connection is processed in the brain like an in-person connection.”

Read the entire, very interesting, article.

Popularity: 24% [?]

This week’s Featured 2 Minute Audio Snippet: Dentist Social Media Tool of Choice

Or listen to the entire interview:

Popularity: 29% [?]