How to Sell Yourself Online First
Always Remember What Prospective Dental Patients Care About Most
Dentists often think that prospective patients are looking for the newest technology, a posh office, and refreshments, but the truth is that before they even consider these extrinsic factors, they pass judgment on the dentist and staff. Your future new patients will come if you market an authentic personal brand, one they can trust—because most people don’t have a clue what dental professionals do in their mouths. Without this trust, dental patients aren’t sure that recommended treatment is actually necessary, that it’s not just invoice padding to fulfill some office quota; without trust, they wonder if your staff is sterilizing instruments properly; without trust, dental patients pretty much question everything. In short, to avoid anxiety and fear, prospective patients seek a trusted dental practice that treats patients like family.
Interestingly, people can also gain trust because of something called social proof; prospective patients will assume your personal brand is authentic if your parking lot is full. This short video explains the concept.
You Can’t Fake a Genuine Personal Brand
People have an uncanny ability to analyze others. This is no doubt why humans are so good at perceiving and avoiding danger. Most of the time, there’s nothing observable that leads us to certain conclusions. We might just have a bad feeling, a kind of sixth sense that something isn’t right, a certain dread in our gut. Surprisingly, our intuitions are often proven true over time. Most people really can see through artificiality and recognize deception and inconsistency. That said, when dental patients go looking for a new dentist, their sincerity radar is on full alert and looking to affirm that you and your staff are genuine, that the altruistic mission statement on the website is, in fact, what you truly believe, that you are passionate about dentistry and that patient care is paramount.
Use Social Media to Begin Marketing an Authentic Personal Brand
Despite the work involved in maintaining a robust social media presence, such efforts really are the best way to broadcast your authentic personal brand to the masses. When used successfully, social media can act as a kind of extended, super-thorough job interview. Consider how much information your future patients can learn about your practice by scrolling through posts. In the past, people rolled the dice when choosing a local dentist out of the Yellow Pages; but now, prospective patients can actually do some research. They can make judgments about your office, your personal appearance, the way you treat your staff, the creativity of your posts, your participation in the community, continuing education, an affinity for patients, a sense of humor, etc., etc., etc. So yes, social media requires a good deal of work, but it’s a tremendous opportunity to separate yourself from the competition. Day by day, little by little, you can demonstrate that your personal brand is genuine and that it can be trusted to deliver extraordinary dental care.
Posts That Influence Prospective Patients (In Order of Importance)
- Dentist and Staff with Patients: This is the most powerful social media post when it comes to marketing an authentic personal brand. Pictures of the dentist and staff interacting with patients of record reveal so much. Do the patients look comfortable? Are the smiles real? Does the photo look contrived or staged? Again, people, even children, perceive the subtle nuances that reveal the true contents of the mind, so a picture of the dentist embraced by a genuinely happy patient is marketing gold. Anyone looking for a dental home is going to see the sincere smiles and understand that this dentist is truly respected and trusted. On the other hand, if prospective patients scroll through social media and come across a dentist holding up a card that says “We Love Our Patients” next to someone who’s displaying a get-me-out-of-here smile, prospective patients will understand that this dentist (and more than likely the entire staff) has failed to connect.
- Dentist and Staff with Each Other: I follow a lot of dental practices and notice one very interesting thing: dental teams that seem to really like each other get more engagement online. Posts that expose camaraderie in the office get a lot of likes and shares. People appreciate teams getting along and having fun. Or maybe it’s that cohesive dental teams are just more prone to provide exceptional patient care and, therefore, have more happy, engaged followers. Whatever the reason, staff posts are always a winner online. So be sure to snap pictures of all office events. Highlight staff accomplishments and special moments in their lives—weddings, births, graduations. Even if you’re just getting together for coffee before work, take a quick picture; such impromptu moments demonstrate the positive culture in your office, and prospective new patients understand how such positive energy translates into positive patient care.
- Community Engagement: There’s just something about small businesses giving back to the community that impresses the public. Posts that record your charitable efforts and community engagement will receive a lot of attention online and help you market an authentic personal brand. Perhaps this is because most days we are drowning in bad news, stories about selfishness and greed, so kind acts are a refreshing and admired change. Some dental practices set aside time to donate dentistry to patients who are unable to pay. Some dental teams do service projects together like building habitat homes. There are always citywide cleanups, sports teams, and activities to sponsor, collecting food for local pantries, and helping out at animal shelters. These types of events not only strengthen and build your dental practice brand in the local community, but they also provide a great opportunity to improve teamwork in your office.
- Continuing Education: Patients are looking for dentists who pursue the latest advances, knowing that healthcare requires continuing education in order to deliver the best treatment. Therefore, posts about seminars, advanced training, and CPR express a desire to grow and learn. Blog links can also demonstrate your commitment to education. Have you written any articles? Have you won any awards in your field? All such accolades demonstrate your professionalism and should be highlighted on social media.
Always Play the Long Game When Marketing on Social Media
It’s tempting to believe that an elusive marketing secret will fill your schedule. “Experts” call your office all the time and tell you that they have all the answers, the magic formula that will attract hundreds of new patients a month. The truth is, however, that marketing success isn’t a secret, and it isn’t difficult. To build a healthy practice, all you need is patience, focus, and an unyielding commitment to sharing what you already have: an authentic personal brand that puts patients above profit, quality above speed, and uncompromising ethics above all.
Engaging Social Media for Dentists [4 Best] (Vol. 1)
A Collection of the Most Effective Social Media Posts for Dentists Content, Content, Content It’s a challenge to develop fresh and engaging social media posts for dentists, posts that break through all the noise to deliver likes, comments, and shares. Dental offices are busy places, and there is little extra
