Fenice Marketing

Should Dentists Be On Social Media?

Uh, yes. Unequivocally, yes.

It was reported several years ago that 67% of dentists were on Facebook. But more than half of them were not posting consistently, if at all. The fans are minimal. There posting is spotty.

In fact, it mostly only happens when an intern comes across a could little meme that is briefly related to the importance to make an appointment with your dentist.

Yeah. I see you there.

The truth is that is NOT “doing social media”. That is not engaging with your fans. Nor is it having a social media presence.

So, let me help you out a minute. Here are 3 key things you NEED to be doing to actually “be doing social media”.

1. You NEED to be consistent. On average, it takes 7-8 times to be seen before a person is going to act on any offer you may be putting out. Posting a clever meme, or a new client dental deal once a month is not going to cut it. You may not even want to waste your time. But when you are consistent, posting 3-5 times a week you will start to see more activity on your page. More people will see your content. And maybe, you’ll even start getting new clients.
2. Be relatable. The idea of being on social media is to relate to your customers. It gives you the opportunity to show your clients that perhaps dentists aren’t so bad after all 😉 This also means you need to be posting your own pictures on your office– no stock images! I’ll give you 10 points if you even go LIVE in your office (hint: the Facebook algorithm love that!)
3. Grow your presence. This may include running specials or giveaways or even Facebook ads. There are many clever ways to grow your social media and this is where a social media manager comes into play (pssstttt! That’s me). But the easiest way to do this is to just engage with your fans. Respond to comments and reviews -good and bad ones.

Ok, so once you do all of that here is what you can expect to see if you are really “doing social media”.

1. Positive reviews. If a customer is well aware you are on social media and they had an excellent experience having them write a positive review on your Facebook page would be amazing! Not only does this show up on your page– but this also alerts all their friends that they had a positive experience with you as well! Definitely a win-win.
2. Less phone calls in the office. Over the years I’ve been to many dental offices. I can’t tell you how often they were over ran by phone calls. Utilizing Facebook you may find yourself really cutting down on those phone calls because: A) You can post your dental information on there including times and services. B) You can take questions online through the messenger.
3. Attract new clients- Facebook generates free advertising for your practice. A social media relationship helps keep the dental office “top of mind” for patients, so when a Facebook friend is looking for a dentist, patients can quickly recommend their dentist with a link to the practice’s Facebook page.

Then if you dare to step into ad campaigning, there are some major benefits. (I recommend leaving this part to the experts. They will give you the most bang for your buck.)

Facebook ads focuses on targeting certain individuals that could potentially become your clients. With tv, flyers,  billboards it is a shot in the dark on if you are actually reaching the right people you would want to be your clients.

Facebook ads allows you to target a certain demographics -all the way down to how they purchase items online! No more wasting money on people that are not even in your target market!

In the end, social media is the wave of the future when it comes to marketing. Taking advantage of a marketing investment that is still new, and definitely not going away, will only put you ahead of the game. Don’t leave money on the table and make 2018 the year your dentist office grows to become one of the best in the area!

___________________________________________________

Written by: 
Christine Fetters
Founder, Fenice Marketing
Christine@fenicemarketing.com

How to Make a FANTASTIC Facebook Post!

I’m not gonna lie, I’m pretty proud of this spreadsheet. It’s been rolling around in my head for a little while now on just how I was going to present it.

SOOOO many times on Facebook I see people that are just posting their heart out, but just aren’t getting the engagement they thought they should and most of the time it’s because they just aren’t posting the *right* thing.

Most common mistakes:

Re-posting something bland or something that doesn’t completely apply to your audience.
Posting product information that people just don’t care about.
Using pictures that just don’t grab attention.

Often times we think that as long as we are posting SOMETHING we should be ok. That’s not the case. You need to really connect with your audience, build that trust. For some people, yes, it is easy, but not for everyone. That is why I have always said going Live is good for your business– it’s the faster way to build trust.

But in this spreadsheet I have put together, I have tested my own theory and it works wonders! You will definitely want to check it out! Just enter your email address and your FREE link will be sent to you– almost immediately!

Reviews are here to stay!

Are reviews really that important? Can they really help my business?

In short:

YES!

90% of customers will read reviews before they commit to buy. NINETY PERCENT. In fact, if they have done their Facebook investigating not only do they know about your business—they also may know your birthday and where you ate on March 18, 2013.

If you are looking to grow your business to anyone that does not know you personally, you need to make sure you get people to leave you, preferably stellar, Facebook reviews. Your Facebook business page is your combined resume and billboard for your business, so don’t underestimate the power of what reviews could do to your business.

The 5 Top Reasons Reviews are AWESOME!

1. Creates Engagement. People like the bottom line. Good or Bad. Yay or Nay. When you are getting a “Yay” from a customer—that will stick in people’s mind. It create engagement both on and off social media. It opens the door for conversations and questions.
2. Increased sales. A person is MUCH more likely going to buy from you if they have seen from previous customer’s that you have great reviews for your service and product. It has been proven that business owners see an average of a 9% increase in sales for every star they get.
3. Audience Needs. It’s no surprise that the market is always changing. Just make sure you are changing along with it! Getting those reviews will definitely help you find out what your audiences likes and needs and conform to it!
4. Improved Rankings. You may not understand much of the backend Facebook tech stuff, but reviews help your page become more valuable to be shown up in the Facebook search results AND even Google results!
5. Let’s your customer’s do your marketing for you! Who doesn’t love free marketing? Having a happy customer is the BEST marketing. If they are happy and recommend you—you will reap the benefits!

But HOW do I get reviews?

1. One of the most popular ways is reaching out to your current customer’s and asking them to leave a review on your business page. Be sure to send them the link directly where they need to leave the review. The easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to do it!
2. Offer a discount! Tell your customer that you will give them a percentage off their next purchase if they leave a review for you.
3. Screenshot your previous reviews, thank the person that left them via a post on your business page.

What if I get negative reviews?

Negative reviews happen. Sometimes no matter how happy you make a customer they are always going to complain. Unfortunately, in this instance you are the unlucky victim. So how do you combat it?

1. Own it. If you truly did make a mistake or were not on par for the day—own it, apologize, and move on.
2. Make sure you are responding genuinely, not making yourself sound like you are a corporation.
3. Take it offline. Message your client directly and try to diffuse the situation. Drama doesn’t do any good for anyone!

So, yes. Reviews are important. And yes, pursue getting them for your page. They are the cornerstone of your business and how successful it is going to be. I already know you’re awesome, we just need to let everyone else in on it too!