When you’re running a busy practice, there’s nothing worse than having your internet cut out. Am I right?
The other day, my friend Cristina lost her Verizon service and her life came to a screeching halt. She tried the customer service line a dozen times to no avail. All she got was an automated recording. She felt like she didn’t matter to them — she was just one number in a sea of customers.
In her frustration, she tried reaching out to them on Twitter. She didn’t think it would make much of a difference but figured she might as well try.
After sending a tweet, my friend got a response back almost immediately. Verizon clearly didn’t want her public tweet to go unanswered. They addressed her problem and made her feel heard…all in under 140 characters.
This is just one example of how powerful social media is in our world today. It connects businesses and customers in new and very cool ways.
Of course, it won’t happen in the same way in the medical field due to privacy and such. But social media is still a fantastic way to build relationships with your existing patients and reach a whole network of new ones.
There are five main reasons why social media is SO worth it for your practice. And good news — four of them are free!
1. Reputation management
People want a personal relationship with their doctor. They’re fearful of getting the “white coat treatment” so they want to know they’re a good personal fit before booking an appointment.
Social media gives a face and a human side to your practice. It gives potential patients a chance to experience what your practice is all about before even stepping foot inside your office.
That’s why it’s important to use social media to share information on who you are and what your practice stands for. Take a snapshot of your practice to show what it looks like. Share photos of your team to show that they’re friendly and fun.
Take a photo of your awards ceremony to show how positive your environment is. Spotlight a staff member every month.
The more comfortable potential patients are with you, the more likely they’ll be to book an appointment with you. Sharing on social media gives people that glimpse into your practice and makes them comfortable.
2. Make patient communication easier
Hopefully you’re collecting the right information on your new patients so you can easily contact them. Maybe you’re even using text message reminders to improve communication. Social media is another excellent way to communicate with your patients to share important updates, notices, and practice news.
For example, this winter we got a ton of snow in my area of Washington, DC. We had a few snow closures and emergency situations where the doc wasn’t able to make it into the office. Social media gave those providers a way to let all of their patients know when the office was closed for the day.
3. Increase your exposure
Social media is a form of free marketing. When you have a patient who loves you and constantly likes your posts, you’re going to be at the top of their news feeds. This helps you stay top of mind. When someone asks for a referral, your patients are more likely to think of you.
Each post is also an opportunity for current patients to share your practice with their friends! If someone likes your page or shares your post, it virally spreads your message.
4. Reach new patients with Facebook advertising
Facebook ads are a highly efficient and cost-effective way to reach new patients. We have some practices where they’re spending $5-10 per week on Facebook ads and are getting fantastic results.
Say you’re an OBGYN. You can target females of child-bearing age, within a certain geographical radius, with a certain household income.
You could show these people an ad to generate awareness of your practice. Something that says “We’ve given birth to 5,000 happy babies this year. Will yours be next?” with a picture of a happy baby. That’s exactly the type of ad that would resonate with a woman who has babies on the brain…and exactly the type of content that would get her to click over to your website.
Are you using social media at your practice? If not, what’s holding you back? What capabilities or team members would you need in order to start making social media a priority?
If you want to grow your practice with social media but simply don’t have the bandwidth, let IPS take the reigns. We offer full social media management to help you reach new patients at a very affordable price. Click here to set up a call and learn more.
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