Social media can be an extraordinary marketing tool, especially for dental practices. The key to using social media can be summarized in one word: PURPOSE. What is the purpose of your dental practice’s use of social media? Many think social media’s purpose is to attract new patients, which can occur, but the true PURPOSE of social media for a dental practice is to help build and maintain patient loyalty.
We loved this article from Laura Hatch of Front Office Rocks: Will Social Media Get Your Office New Patients? No! In this article Laura says, “I think any dental office that focuses their attention on social media to get new patients will be sorely disappointed. If you were to ask me a different question, ‘Is being active on social media important for a dental office?’ I would respond with a resounding ‘Yes!’ If social media isn’t getting your office a significant number of new patients —and every dental office wants new patients—then why is it so important?”
In her article, Laura expounds on these 5 reasons:
- People don’t think of you when you are not in front of them.
- Your patients love you and want to tell others about you.
- Your team is more than just a random group of dental professionals.
- Social media offers social proof.
- Long-term patients will get more dental work.
She concludes, “Does social media support your overall branding? You betcha! Does it get people talking about you? I think so. Does it give our current patients a chance to be reminded about why they like us so much or which procedures might be a good choice for their personal dental health? I hope so. The bottom line is this: Use social media as part of your office’s marketing strategy but remember to put the focus not on winning over new patients but on staying engaged with the people who already love what you do.”
Unitas PPO Solutions provides effectual social media management (and more!) with our new Patient Loyalty Builder service. Stay connected with your patients in between visits on a positive level. Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business and gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets. What can your patient or prospective patient expect from your practice? Our Program is designed to help you stay in regular communication with your patients, educate them on dental care, treatment planning, managing dental expenses, and understanding dental benefits.
- We will post patient education content and incentive program information to your Facebook page on a regular basis to promote brand recognition.
- We email relevant, interesting, and educational, mobile device-friendly content to your patients each month.
- We incentivize current and prospective patients to subscribe, and stay subscribed, by entering them into a monthly loyalty sweepstakes for cash prizes paid for by Unitas.
Laura says, “Social media is a way to connect with your patients and share educational (but fun and interesting) things they may not be able to hear or remember while in your office. By sharing this information on social media, you are showing that you are invested in the health of your patients and community. It will help build trust with new or prospective patients who don’t know your team as well, as they see you as an authority and expert on these topics. It will also give your long-term patients the motivation and support they need to make big decisions about their dental health and invest in important work that needs to be completed for their well-being.
Growing your practice is not always about new patients. Many times, your daily goal is achieved by case acceptance from existing patients who are ready to do a needed procedure or begin treatment. Social media can help speed along that process by highlighting the amazing dentistry you do. Your existing patients see posts and begin to consider for themselves what they need for their dental health.”
In addition to Patient Education, our Patient Loyalty Builder also includes your own, regulatory compliant, in-house discount plan.
Patient Loyalty Builder can be purchased separately or is included in our PPO Management and Practice Start services. If you’re a current client, reach out to your Practice representative today. Not a current client? Click here to schedule a free consultation today!
For more great information and tips from Laura Hatch, visit Front Office Rocks and/or her Facebook page.