If you’re a health care professional who runs his or her own practice, you have a dual role in your business. First, you want to help people feel or look better. Second, you want to have a successful business. These two concepts are interconnected. You won’t make money if you’re not good at helping people get or stay healthy. At the same time, you can’t provide your services if you go out of business. Utilizing social media effectively is one way to increase the number of patients you have which will also grow your business.
Encourage Appointments
One way social media can help you encourage appointments is by providing reminders to current and potential customers. Keep the messages friendly and non-judgmental. Dentists, optometrists, and general practitioners can send out appointment reminders with silly pictures such as an ape brushing his teeth or an owl wearing glasses to catch the viewers attention. Make sure to include a link to take customers straight to an online appointment’s page. The easier the sign-up process is, the more likely you are to get appointments.
Show Happy Customers
Happy customers are a great selling point. Take pictures of your clients with shiny teeth, new glasses or holding a “clean bill of health” certificate to post on your social media accounts (with their permission, of course). For new patients, especially those who might fear dentists, for example, showing satisfied customers might allay some of their qualms.
Advertise Specials
In a medical practice, you might never host a 50% off sale, but that doesn’t mean you can’t offer specials. Dentists, for example, could advertise 20% off for couples who book appointments back-to-back during the month of February. A doctor might offer a free stuffed toy for new kindergartners getting immunizations before they start school. Post your deals on social media and electronic community bulletin boards.
Give Yourself a Shout-Out
Social media is a great place for a humble brag. If you and your staff volunteer at a local food pantry or hand out toothbrushes to underserved children, take some pictures and post them. Your connection with the community may be just the push someone new to town needs to choose you over another care provider.
Post Health Care Tips
To keep your name and practice relevant, post health care tips or related trivia every week on your social media pages. Of course, include a link back to your webpage for those willing to take the next step.
Using social media to promote your medical practice is a no-brainer. The more people you introduce to your business, the more new customers you are likely to gain.
