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Posts Tagged ‘Building Business’

Social Media has changed marketing as we know it.  It’s instant, engaging, and presents a multitude of opportunities and benefits for connecting with new and exisiting patients. 

However, one of the oldest and still most cost effective social media marketing tools in your practice is your telephone!  Are you utilizing it to it’s full potential?

Although we don’t want to place or keep a caller on hold, in reality we know it’s going to happen. 

Since your caller is holding, a captive audience you might say, it’s the perfect opportunity to grab your listeners attention, but I can’t tell you how many offices I’ve called (speciality and general) and I get to listen to music  or worse yet, be placed on a dead line while holding. 

Obviously the caller wanted some type of information when they called, why not offer them additional information about you, your team, and your practice/services they may not be aware are available.

Some of the services you can share with your caller:

• Your credentials – the caller may have attended the same school
• Types of dentistry provided (ie. general, cosmetic, family, children, RCT, Perio)
• Infection Control – patients are very concerned about this area
• Your location
• Office hours – early morning, evening, or even Saturday appointments?
• Oral Cancer screening -Oral cancer is on the rise… (ie: Vizilite, Identifi3000, etc)
• Zoom Whitening (or the type you offer)
• Implants – one of the most searched for dental procedures
• Invisalign – let them know you offer clear braces
• Referrals – they may not know you’re accepting new patients
• Arestin
• Laser treatment – soft tissue management and uclers for starters

Even your patients that have been in your practice for awhile probably don’t know all the procedures and services you offer.  Let them know in a short, timely message shared while they are on hold.  Never underestimate what your caller knows, or doesn’t know, about you, your services, and your practice.

I’ve come back on the phone, after placing a caller on hold many times, to have them say “I didn’t know you offered…..   Could you tell me more about it? or Can I make an appointment?”  You never know what else your patients may be looking for…let them know what services you have available.  

Again, we should do everything possible to not place a caller on hold, but when we do these are a few of the procedures and services you can have your callers listen to while holding. 

What additional services or procedures can you add?

Technorati Tags: Building Business, Dental Marketing, engaging and connecting, engaging social media, Livvie Matthews, Patient Relations, social media marketing, Telephone and social media

The 2nd Annual All Women’s Social Media Summit just wrapped up.  It was a blast to share the panel with such energetic and insightful women.  We were asked to choose our favorite social networking site below is a link to the video of our answers.  (The second video from the top)

http://www.facebook.com/beverly.mahone/posts/166450833373957#!/copywritingandsocialmedia

What’s your favorite social site and why?

Technorati Tags: Building Business, engaging social media, Livvie Matthews, social media marketing

Over the weekend, I was a panelist at the 2nd Annual All Women’s Social Media Summit.  But contrary to the title, there also was a Men’s Panel there for discussion, questions, and answers regarding women in business and social media.

They shared information from protecting your identity online to how our pictures (Avatars) are viewed.   

Points presented on protecting your Identify:

• Be careful about posting your children’s names
• Be careful not to post your address
• Do not post pictures of your home

I’d also like to add to be extrememly careful of posting where you are going to meet friends or family and the time to be there.  By posting this informatin you’re opening yourself to someone waiting in the shadows from you when you get there, when you return home, or possible burglary.  Posts with specific details are best left to personal messages. 

But the most pointed question was “In their opinions…What should women STOP doing?”  I think all of us in the room expected several answers to be given, however they all answered the same…”Stop apologizing!” 

We all were amazed and at the same time knew this was so true. For whatever reason, we women think we have to apologize for everything…even things that we didn’t do. 

When someone says they’ve had a bad day…I find myself saying, “I’m sorry”.  I didn’t cause them to have a bad day, so why should I apologize?  If I do feel the need to apologize, then what I should say is “I’m sorry that your day’s been difficult”. 

Another point brought up was the tone used with your voice.  A high pitched voice is equated to less experience or youthfullness.  But a medium to lower pitched voice projects more authority.

Something to be aware of is to NOT raise your voice at the end of your sentence as we were taught several years back to do, but rather keep your voice at the same level at the end of your sentence.  This is projecting trust. 

These where just a couple of the items discussed from a man’s point of view for a business woman, and were important factors to be shared. 

What about you…what do you think about these few items?  Do you have one to add?

Technorati Tags: a man's point of view for women in business, Building Business, engaging and connecting, engaging social media, Internet Marketing, Livvie Matthews, women in business, women using social media

“Getting to Know You” is a show tune sung by Julie Andrews from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, but it could very well be the theme of social media.  Social Media:  Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You.

Traditional marketing  such as telephone book ads, magazine ads, and direct mail are static ads.  Once mailed there isn’t any more contact unless someone replies to the ad. The only thing the viewer knows about you is just what you’ve been able to place within the ad space.  There’s no interaction and the ad just stays there until the next ad renewal only to be renewed “as is”. 

With Social Media Marketing such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and your blog, there’s no limit to the amount of information the viewer can learn about you, your practice, your team, and your skills.  In addition to practice information, the viewer also can learn about your hobbies, your interests, even your likes and dislikes. 

Yes, social media has given dentists the opportunity to show personality, to show skills, to show techniques, and to gain their patients trust. But most importantly social media gives dentists the opportunity to show they’re real!

Let’s face it…who likes going to the dentist?  I don’t and I work in dentistry (a 30 year dental business office professional)!  Most all of us have a fear of dentists, some much more than others.  It’s the biggest reason given for not going to the dentist until there’s a dental emergency.

New patients walking in the door today already know far more about the dentist than the dentist knows about the patient. Because of social media and reading the social posts, the new patient has connected with the dentist because the dentist loves dogs, loves fishing, loves to cook, has teenagers in their family, has a military background from their same branch of service, attended the same college, loves the same sports team….and the reasons go on and on.

The real benefit of social media:  Helping to take the fear out of going to the dentist and drawing more people into the practice for the dental health care they need, because with social media ~  patients are getting to know you, getting to know all about you! What a huge benefit!

What connection has social media played in bringing in new patients to your practice?

Technorati Tags: Building Business, engaging and connecting, engaging social media, Facebook, Facebook for business, Internet Marketing, Livvie Matthews, social media marketing, Twitter

Whether it’s using social media platforms, newsletters, direct mail, or print ads…it’s all about keeping your name in front of your patients or new prospects and the end of the year presents one of the best opportunities…Year End Benefit Reminders.  

As we all know, the last quarter of the year is a busy time.  Businesses are pushing for that year end rush and people are gearing up for the holidays. 

The last thing on their mind is a trip to the dentist…but…they may have also forgotten about those unused flex benefits and unused insurance benefits that have been deducted from their salary all year and they will be lost if not used!

Sending your patients a Year End Benefit Reminder not only benefits you, it can present a big benefit to your patients especially if they have forgotten.   If you haven’t already sent reminders, NOW is the time, it’s not too late.  Sending now will give you time to send any PreTreatment Estimates needed and still have time to seat any crowns before the end of the year (if paying by seat date).  

If you are using Demand Force or Sesame Communications  getting the message out can be very simple. You can even utilize your own newsletter or your practice blog and social sites, the point is make sure you remind your patients. 

ADDED BONUS:  Remember to Tweet and post on Facebook, even your YouTube video reminder…New pospects looking for a dentist have unused flex benefits and unused insurance benefits, too,  and you just let them know where they can use them!

Here is a sample letter:

Subject:  Year End Benefit Reminder

Another year is winding down!  We wanted to remind you to make sure you take advantage of any unused dental insurance benefits and/or unused  flex (FSA) or healthcare (HSA) benefits you may have remaining since most companies do not allow you to carry these over to the next year. 

Call (office telephone number) or email (office email address) to schedule your appointment or if we can be of assistance in any way.  We’re here for you!

Look forward to seeing you soon!

(Doctor’s Name)

Year End Benefit Reminder letters sent in house or by social sites are just one of the many ways to keep your name in front of your patients and new prospects.  What are some other ways you use?

Technorati Tags: Building Business, Dental Marketing, Facebook, keeping your name in front of patients, Livvie Matthews, social media marketing, Social Media Specialist, Social Media Specialist Charlotte NC, Twitter, unused dental benefits, year end benefit letter, year end insurance reminder