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Facebook – Still Growing – And Changing

March 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Just when you think you have the new electronic media figured out, everything changes. Again. This becomes doubly complicated when you are trying to use newfangled methods to bring more clients into your office. Think about the last few posts right here on VetNet Marketing. We have talked about Social Media and how to use it for increased visits as well as client communication. Jonathan's excellent article on mobile media (cell phone marketing) opens up all kinds of questions about the new opportunities to stay in touch with clients. All of this makes the term "internet marketing", well, outdated. While we still use the internet to multiply the effectiveness of our marketing efforts, there is so much more to it now. Let's take a look at one of the most effective online strategies.

Facebook has become a power to be reckoned with. Otherwise Google would not have declared war on them. (Don't worry, we'll keep up so you don't have to.) What you do need to pay attention to is the trend of online use. According to Nielsen nearly 23 percent of Americans spend their internet time on social networking and blogs sites and only four percent of their time searching. So where do you want to be? Yes, it is important to be in the top search results when somebody looks for "veterinarian in your-city". But it is just as important to be popular in the online social sphere.

A Facebook presence is the way to stay in front of the social internet crowd. And keep in mind, more and more people are using their smart phones to access the internet. They are using the phone to keep updated as well as post updates on Facebook and Twitter. All the new media are mashing together. You can use this to your advantagey; by staying in front of your clients, they are more likely to come in for a visit. Facebook is a great way to do this, especially considering they added more than 200 million users last year and continue to grow.

The key to a successful Facebook strategy lies in frequent updates. Every time you post something, your "friends" are notified. For example, if news is released about tainted cat food, you can be the one to alert the community. Your clients (and potential client friends) will appreciate your diligence. You can also let people know about specials or discounts on flea meds or other frequently purchased items. This is a perfect way to establish relationships with potential clients and maintain communication with existing clients.

If you wnt to step up your Facebook presence, do it with a fan page. This type of Facebook page doesn't require people to be your friend in order for the page to be fully viewable. We will be talking more about this fantastic way to reach the online (and in-pocket) social community. Facebook just changed the way fanpages are constructed so we will devote a special post just to address fanpages soon. So, watch this space!

Filed Under: Articles, Blog Posts, Social Media

Social Creatures Are Roaming The Vet’s Office

February 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dogs are social creatures. Cats, well, not so much. What about the owners though? Does it make a difference in how you market your services? Let's take a look at some statistics and see how being "social" can make a difference in the bottom line at the typical veterinary clinic.

According to Comscore, a global leader in measuring the digital world and marketing intelligence, social networking (think Facebook) continued to gain momentum throughout 2010, with 9 out of every 10 U.S. internet users now visiting a social networking site in a month. The average internet user spends more than 4 hours on these sites each month and early one out of every eight minutes online is spent on Facebook. Talk about social! People are connected, not just to the internet but to each other through digital connections.

These facts reinforce the notion that a presence on the internet must be more than just an online brochure. While that may have worked in the "old days" it is imperative that you stay connected, really connected, to your clients and potential clients. That begs the question, "How?" There are a number of ways you can do that without spending an enormous amount of time doing it. Here are a few ways to stay in touch:

A Facebook presence is the obvious way to stay connected on the internet. Even if you're not inclined to spend the time just hanging around on Facebook, that's Ok. You could have a member of your staff do status updates and stay in touch with your "friends." However, the best way to utilize Facebook is by creating a Fan Page. These pages are public (they aren't hidden behind a login and don't require "friending"). It's totally free and you control the page, including links – to your website of course. One great feature is that you can send updates to your fans. What a great way to keep in touch! Think of the possibilities; offer an incentive to join your fan page, stay in regular communication, you are frequently in front of clients and prospects, and people share your page thus creating a viral aspect to your internet presence. This is truly a marketers dream.

Email, although on the decline, is still a terrific way to stay connected to your clients and prospects. Collect email addresses – from your website, in the office, any way you can. Email is basic and you should not let this slip by you. It is as important as  regular addresses. There are plenty of ways to utilize email including appointment reminders, client education, and just plain old friendly contact. Autoresponder programs can actually personalize messages and do all sorts of marketing magic at the push of a button.

Mobile contact is on the rise in a multitude of ways as well. The advent of smart phones has literally put the internet in peoples pockets and you need to take advantage of that fact. Mobile email, texting, mobile optimized websites and more are making mobile marketing the wave of the future. Get ahead of the curve on this one and you can dominate the competition.

So, are you ready to get social? Using digital media is a fantastic way to connect so start socializing!


Filed Under: Articles, Social Media

How to Market Your Vet Practice with Facebook

June 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Facebook is a social networking site that allows users to create a page about themselves or their business, add friends, and send messages. Creating your own “Page” will give your veterinary hospital an identity.  Those who are interested in your page will become “fans”, and consequently, all of their friends will see this. 

Your following is developed through the popularity of your “news feeds”, and the more that people like your page, the faster you will grow. In fact, with over 410 Million users, there is potential for your popularity to spread like wildfire. Several companies, such as Adobe and Dunkin Doughnuts use this technique to promote their businesses.

Facebook offers several different types of tools for business users. Polls are used to solicit quick opinions from your clients about services that you already offer, or to determine their interest in services that you are considering adding.  

Paid advertising is also available. You are able to create creative ads that specifically target a certain demographic. The application allows you to customize who you want your ad to appear to and how often. It is very similar to Google Adwords, and the cost is per click, or per impression. You are able to see exactly how many people your ad will hit and set a limit for how much you want to spend.Facebook Connect allows you to integrate your Page with your website. You can retrieve friend information, and post data feeds.

Relate To Followers Using Case Studies

A fantastic way for a veterinary hospital to create a following on Facebook is to post actual case studies and request feedback. You can even attach a promotion or create a contest to encourage a lot of activity. 

For example, let us say that you had an interesting case of Blastomycosis in a dog that was misdiagnosed at another practice. 

You cannot only post information about the case, but also updates on how the treatment is progressing.  Link to an article on your website, educate everyone about Blastomycosis symptoms, upload pictures, and create an awareness campaign. 

It you make the content heartwarming, instead of mostly clinical, then people will relate to it. Ask people to share their stories about their pets that suffered from this disease.

You will not only become an “expert” in the minds of your followers, but you become their “friend”, who is a veterinarian.  Offer to answer questions and encourage examinations and office visits for those that need it.

Encourage your staff to contribute content. This can be a very effective way to utilize down time, and they are likely already using Facebook. 

Once you have learned the basics, Facebook is an easy way to break into social media marketing. With so many free tools available and such a large growing audience, it makes sense to consider promoting your practice this way. 

 

Filed Under: Articles, Social Media Tagged With: , ,

Using Twitter to Grow Your Vet Practice

June 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Twitter is a social networking site that uses text messages (called “Tweets”) and micro blogging to connect people with similar interests to each other. The most recent numbers indicate that there are over 14 million users in the United States alone. That number is expected to grow to 18 million in the next couple of years.

Twitter is ranked as one of the top 50 most popular sites. The huge database of people is free to use, and you can easily search for your existing clients to see who is using Twitter. You can then “follow” them, and they can choose to “follow” you. In this manner, you are able to develop a strong network of contacts that you can deliver your message to.

The primary advantage of Twitter is that it allows you to Tweet via your mobile phone, so you do not have to be in front of a computer. Messages are limited to 140 characters. Here are a few suggestions for using Twitter to promote your Veterinary Practice.

#1 Promote your Brand. When you use a social networking site to promote your brand, your clients will perceive you as approachable. Stay in touch with your followers and tweet often to reach as many clients and potential clients as possible. Share important pet care tips and facts that are relevant to your client’s interests.

#2 Consider receiving customer complaints. Although this may seem like a crazy idea, by receiving customer complaints in an open forum, you are able to shut them down before they can damage your reputation. Address them immediately and show everyone how great you customer service is by your attempts at reconciliation with the complainer.

#3 Run your special deals and promotions. This is highly effective, especially when combined with a short informative article about the service you are promoting. Try to create a pet health alert bulletin that you use to educate clients about why your services are beneficial.

#4 Use it to communicate with your employees. By discussing cases and ongoing patient care with your employees on Twitter, it will allow all of your followers to learn more about what you do.

#5 Create credibility by sharing your expertise. If you hold workshops or educational seminars you can Tweet about those to increase awareness. By demonstrating your knowledge, you will build credibility in the eyes of your online community.

Filed Under: Articles, Social Media Tagged With: , ,