I’ve done a few posts like this where I single out a type of business and theorize how I would use Social Media for that job/industry.
Today, this is how I would use Social Media, if I were a family dentistry practice.
The Dentist
How many words in the english language conjure up such terrifying thoughts as “The Dentist?” When I even think about the sound of that drill; eeek! In spite of that, I’ve learned that there are some great dentists out there, and quite frankly, the world should know that. So first and foremost, I want to give a shout out right now to my dentist, Jeff Cabot of Queen Village Family Dentistry – Place Page.
So here’s what I’d do if I were a family dentistry practice.
Website, with a blog
This is the “101” stuff. I would have a website that’s easy to navigate. I’d put up some information about my services. Make it very clear where my office(s) is/are located. The phone number would be visible and all social sites would have links in the header or footer.
For my blog I’d pull together some interesting information on dental health, latest research on dental health and maybe post a video or two, or some pictures. My goal is to create something valuable, that also provides additional search-friendly pages to the website. When prospective patients come to the site, I want them to get a sense of who I am.
Foursquare, Yelp and SCVNGR
These might be the coolest tools I would use. Location based tools would allow me to provide value to my patients outside of the office.
First thing to think about…
Dentist-relevant locations
Think about grocery stores, candy shops and restaurants…not to mention Pharmacies. Foursquare gives me the ability to leave tips at locations that people in my network would see if they checked in nearby. This is a way to keep my dentistry top of mind, not to mention pretty hip and ahead of the curve.
Leave “tips” at Restaurants
If I went to a BBQ joint within 10 miles of my office, I’d leave a tip at the restaurant.
Something like:
“Try the ribs here, they are incredible, but remember to floss afterwards. Ribs are notorious for getting stuck in between teeth.
Leave “tips” at the Grocery store
At the grocery store I’d leave a few tips like:
“Running low on toothpaste? Need to replace your tooth brush? Try a soft bristle brush, great for sensitive teeth. BTW I recommend Crest Mint with Scope, tastes great!”
Leave “tips” at Candy stores
Everyone loves the candy store, right? Believe me, even dentists can’t ward off a “Take 5” craving or the sweet allure of a box of Nerds at a kid’s birthday party. Nothing wrong with liking candy but as your dentist, I’d want to take a moment to suggest good dental health.
I’d leave a tip at a candy store like:
“Personally, I love chocolate covered raisins, but whatever you get, no matter how much candy you eat, just remember to brush your teeth tonight.”
Next step…
Incentives
I’d think about what I could offer at a reduced cost. Maybe I’d do a kick ass toothbrush giveaway, or some percentage off of a teeth whitening procedure. No matter what I’d use Foursquare, SCVNGR, Yelp, Facebook or Twitter to encourage people to do “something” to win.
Finally…
Encouragement
When people came into my office I’d encourage them to connect with us on Foursquare, Twitter and Facebook. I’d ask them to write a review on Yelp. I’d do whatever I could to get my clients to stay more connected with me in between visits.
How do you want your reminders? SMS, Twitter, Facebook.
Another reason for having these channels is to communicate with people where they are. I’d ask new patients if they want reminders via Facebook, Twitter, Email or SMS.
A few YouTube videos.
I’d create a YouTube video of myself talking about my practice. This would let people get a sense of who I am. They might begin to feel more comfortable already,
A “this is why you should floss” photo gallery
This one might be fun. I would consider creating a Flickr group or Facebook gallery called: “this is why you should floss.” I’d let anyone post to it. It would be all pictures of funky messed up gums and rotting teeth.
Sure it’s gross, but probably effective.
Testimonials
This goes back to encouragement. If I do a great job, I’d want other people to know. NOTHING beats word of mouth. If someone told me that they had a good, painless experience, I’d ask them to write a review on Yelp or post to Facebook or Twitter. The more social proof I could get from my customers, the better.
What did I miss?
Those were the things I thought of off the top of my head. What do you think? What else could a family dentist’s office do to use Social Media effectively?