Now that the world is opening up to take a collective breath of fresh air, it’s time to regroup and reconsider your marketing strategy. We’ve compiled this list of offline marketing tips to help your practice gain more visibility – both in person and online. As community events begin to reappear and participants are eager to engage in larger events, it’s time to redesign your marketing strategy to fit this brave new world.
Step 1: Get Involved
Community involvement
It’s time to find new ideas and ways to get involved in your community – local organizations will be thrilled to hear from you!
Local Sponsorships
Theater productions
Local Sports Teams
Race car sponsorship
Running race sponsorship
Summer concerts and seasonal events
Leveraging Your Community Involvement Online
1. Create Engaging Material - Create engaging material for the organization to interact with online: photos, blogs and social media.
2. Obtain Links:
Request a link back to your website from the organization you sponsored - an easy referral since the friendship has already been forged!
Can be as simple as a hyperlink or detailed as a logo, photo or a static web banner on their site.
3. Spread The Word on Social
Let the people involved or in attendance at the event know about you to gain traffic and engagement on your site and social profiles.
Tag yourself in photos
Comment on photos
Mention the event on your blog
Check in on Facebook/Instagram
Share a fun memory
STEP 2: Give Back
Charitable Work
Supporting charitable causes
Neighborhood cleanup volunteering
Big brother/sister program
Soup kitchen volunteering
Nursing home or hospital visitation services
Smile For A Lifetime program
Leveraging Your Charitable Work Online
1. Charity Promotion
Here’s an example of how to integrate this into your everyday practice.
“For every orthodontic patient that chooses pink elastics during October, we are donating $1 to Breast Cancer Research! And, for every LIKE or FOLLOW we obtain during the month of October, we will also donate $1 to the cause. Thank you to all of our patients and fans who have supported the cause already!
OR - Run a charitable promotion tied into social media – example: every LIKE you get on social media you will donate one dollar to charitable cause.
2. Press Content
Create content material for social media.
Take pictures
Write a blog
Write a press release
Take a video of event
STEP 3: HOST EVENTS
Local Events
Block parties or community social events
Ice cream social in the office or office parking lot
BBQ/picnic at the park
Sports events or tournaments
Informational meetings (lunch n' learns) at the office
Child education programs
New parent education programs and seminars
How To Leverage Your Events Online
1. Article Distribution
Create content, such as a press release, about the event and submit it to local newspapers, school bulletins, local patch.com sites... always with the goal of a link back to your site.
2. Incorporate Social Media
Always incorporate social media content into the event.
Create a hashtag for people to submit content
@ mention on twitter or Instagram to be automatically entered to win something
Post flyers on social sites to promote events
STEP 4: BUILD ONLINE REPUTATION
The Importance Of Your Online Reputation
82% of patients and healthcare consumers said that reviews influence their willingness to be treated by a doctor.
50% said that good reviews could encourage them to choose that doctor.
How To Build Your Online Reputation Offline
1. How To Solicit Reviews
Engage your email list to solicit reviews
Use word of mouth with every patient – hand out small postcards after every visit
Hang signage/flyers in the office
Never Be Afraid To Ask For The Review
Educate the office staff so opportunities aren’t missed
Know your patients – ask the patients that love you first!
2. Rewards Program
If you have one, working reviews into your rewards program is a great way to incentivize patients – example: if a patient leaves a review provide them with rewards points or discounted services
Never buy reviews!
STEP 5: PATIENTS AS BRAND AMBASSADORS
Brand Ambassadors
Leverage your patients as a marketing channel for you because they have built in networks of friends and potential customers. Get them talking about your business so they will spread the word.
How To Transform Your Patients Into Online Brand Ambassadors
Use your patients to promote your practice for you...
Encourage the audience to tag themselves on social media
Encourage them to have fun at your office and share online - i.e. check in, take selfies
Ask patients to add a “life event” on Facebook – i.e. “I got my braces removed today!”
Start an album on social media of all the “happy moments” in your office and encourage the patient to tag him or herself while they are in the office
Encourage patients to share a TikTok post of them when they get their braces off or on. Ask to share on your social accounts.
FINAL TIP - GET OUT THERE!
Let Your Business Shine!
Humanize your practice, let its personality shine
Put a face to the name of your practice
Make new friends and potential collaborators in the community
All these things are awesome, but promoting is key: know local reporters, DJs, community organizers - people who are the connectors, promoters and transmitters
Constantly talk about your events, your social profiles, your website/blog, and how patients can get involved and interact
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