Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

convenient& pr ofessional for all your Core Subject needs visit www.corecpd.com Email info@smile-on.com or call 020 7400 8989 wherev erandwhenever be sure you have reviews/tes- timonials in a variety of on- line locations (again, to make yourself easily found in Google search). Most importantly, if you aren’t already on board, re- search what you need to get your practice on Facebook. The Facebook platform has replaced ambient noise, which used to be filled by television or radio in many homes. Often users of the enormously popular social net- work will have Facebook open and readily available through- out the day on their computer or their phone. It has already become a great source of testi- monials and powerful, ampli- fied word of mouth for many practices. Make or break marketing With that said, understand that without proper systems in place (primarily word of mouth in your office) your Facebook ef- forts may fail. Social market- ing is not a “build it and they will come” tactic. For example, a traditional magazine advert re- quired you to build your ad, pay for it and then sit and wait for it to work. Social media market- ing requires ongoing effort—like maintaining a garden. You’ll always need to tend to it or it will die. Practices well versed in re- ferral marketing strategies, those who understand what it takes to make traditional word of mouth succeed, will likely find Facebook a remarkable opportunity. On the other hand, those practices looking for fast fixes, immediate floods of new patients, or those who practice on-and-off “when we have time” marketing will be quickly disappointed in social marketing. It’s happening already. Check out Facebook, and you’ll find dozens of abandoned den- tal practice pages. Pages were created, and for whatever rea- son were left ignored. Most commonly I hear, “We just don’t have time”, “We don’t know what to say”, “It didn’t work”, etc. Here are a few successful traditional word of mouth mar- keting elements that will also help you sustain your social media efforts: • Have a plan in place: Identify your goals and objectives • Communicate well • Be sociable, friendly and per- sonable (yet you don’t have to abandon privacy). • Be yourself—authenticity is in • Make one specific person in your office responsible for regu- larly maintaining and monitor- ing your efforts (it helps if they are people oriented, motivated— and for social media, have good web 2.0 skills) • Be patient Social marketing efforts will build results for the long term. As with referral and traditional word of mouth marketing, your returns will reflect the effort you invest. Consider the theo- ry of inviting referrals and the same applies to asking patients to “like” you on Facebook. Talk to your patients, make yourself easily found in Google, and en- sure your web presence por- trays you properly. Place your focus on building quality rela- tionships in highly visible on- line communities and you are sure to succeed in today’s dig- ital word of mouth world. DT About the author Rita Zamora is an international so- cial media market- ing consultant and speaker. She and her team actively co-manage dozens of dental practices’ social media pro- grams. Her clients are located across the United States and internation- ally. She has been published in many professional publications. Rita is also Honorary Vice President to the British Dental Practice Managers Association. Learn more at www.DentalRelation- shipMarketing.com or email rita@rita- zamora.com. Mobile phones can be at the centre for sound monitoring 15Social MediaJune 6-12, 2011United Kingdom Edition