Social Media Marketing - What Should A Dentist Do?

First,
My approach take it relatively slow - after watching others/seeing it mature somewhat - but to get in and start figuring it out.

Second,
Yes, there can be a negative result from getting into social media - but that is ONLY PART of the Reality...
> I have linked to some ARTICLES below from other sources
---- Dentists, you don't need to read all of them - read a couple - even couple paragraphs of a few - to get a broader perspective.

Third,
We can do some removal - however, that is only about 15% to 25% of the content you could get to.

Remember, people can post on their sites, create sites specifically to take out their frustrations on others/businesses, write up something in review sites that are not 'yours/the dentists', etc.

Finally...
The other problem is if dentists pull back too much when they hear about some negative potential pitfall or cliff jump - then whatever BAD there is out there - will start showing up higher THAN the dentist's GOOD reviews/etc.

To some extent Social Media marketing is the WILD WEST. Yet, dentists and dental offices either must go WEST (and try to disarm the BAD Guys) or pull back and the nattering naybobs of negativism take over - or at least KICK up enough dust that the GOOD dentists become virtually non-extistent...

From New York Times Web

"The Excel Phenomenon"

- Book By JAMES W. ROBINSON

http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/r/robinson-excel.html

Some Excerpts

> The invention initially had its doubters and cynics, though. The chief of the British Post Office was reported to have said: "The Americans may have need for the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys.

> Others reacted with fear and superstition. They were afraid to talk to a disembodied voice and worried they would be electrocuted. Still others felt the phone was simply another "gilded-age" toy for the upper crust--certainly not a development that would alter the lives of average people and society as a whole.

> Even the now universal method of answering the telephone went through several manifestations in the very early days.

> The early notion that the telephone would remain an extravagance for a small segment of society was quickly proved wrong. Communications technology spread like wildfire from day one, and it hasn't stopped since:"

(Obviously, social media helps to uncover those businesses that are not 'GOOD' but one person - going off the charts with 'facts' derived in some part through an "I'm upset filter" - can damage another person and/or business significantly more than we would agree with if we were the 'negative receiver' - ONE Wronged - Does NOT justify Sherman's March to The SEA into waves and waves of Virtual, Viral, Viciousness.)

---
Next...

> This 'Yelp' article shows why dentists need to take control - rather than expect their dental office image to be better by hiding from the new....

You've Been Yelped
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100201/youve-been-yelped.html

Social Media's Good, Bad, Ugly and Unexpected
http://technology.inc.com/managing/articles/200901/leary.html

==========

1) Blog not 'editor reviewed' - but the blogger provides a quick synopsis of some of the challenges in Social Media marketing/advertising.

However, it is too simplistic to categorize any marketing completely good or bad. Yes, it does not work for some dentists and it might not be worth in some cases. But like the telephone 100 years ago, fearing new just means dentists will miss the future.

>> 7 Reasons Social Media Is Bad for Marketing
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6244/7-Reasons-Social-Media-Is-Bad-for-Marketing.aspx

==========
Similar Articles at BusinessWeek.com

> Debunking Six Social Media Myths
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2009/tc20090218_335887.htm

> Top Five Social Media Marketing Mistakes
http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jun2010/ca20100617_480316.htm

==========
This INC.com articles goes another direction...

It Takes a Community to Raise a Customer
http://technology.inc.com/managing/articles/200911/leary.html


MORE SOCIAL MEDIA

You Can’t Measure Social Media ROI in a Silo
http://blogs.forbes.com/lisaarthur/2010/11/02/you-can’t-measure-social-media-roi-in-a-silo/

Future Success Depends on Analytics and Integration
http://blogs.forbes.com/lisaarthur/2010/10/12/future-success-depends-on-analytics-and-integration/#post_comments

This Forbes.com article compares online to off line marketing.

Chocolate, Vanilla, or Swirl: The Debate Between Online and Offline Marketing

By Lisa Arthur
http://blogs.forbes.com/lisaarthur/2010/09/08/chocolate-vanilla-or-swirl-the-debate-between-online-and-offline-marketing/

Excerpt...
> I am not debating that digital marketing offers tremendously valuable opportunities to reach out to and connect with consumers. In fact, when Aprimo polled hundreds of marketing professionals who attended Online Marketing Summit events over the past few months, we found that, not surprisingly, 62 percent are increasing their spend for online marketing. It makes great sense. Digital is more cost effective, easier to measure and satisfies instant gratification – for our online audience, as well as for us as marketers.

But –and here’s the KICKER –we also asked marketers, “What channel has yielded you the most success in connecting with customers?” And, here’s how they responded:
• Events – 49 percent
• Email – 29 percent
• Advertising –15 percent
• Industry publications – 4 percent
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) – 4 percent

========

Dick Chwalek

Dental Marketing Consultant and Dentist Communication Coach

NicheDental.com

MORE DENTAL PATIENTS NEEDED, REVENUE NEUTRALIZED, RECEPTION AREA NEARLY NEVERLAND?

33 NEW Dental Patients Per Month Average

For over a year - one dentist - one location - best Month June 2010, Best June Ever 2010, Best Month Ever June 2010!

How was it done?

With Connective Communication.

Complexity Simplified 4Success!
No Gimmicks. No Pressure. Just Real Healthy Marketing

Yes, U Can Do-it-Yourself (DIY).

Go sink your teeth into the easy as pie of cool - Google, Yahoo, Bing bling - whipped up online gorging.

Then more and more dentists start biting into it and you start all over again, and again, and again and...

All that you have is pie online your face. Here is a napkin and some info that will Chart a better PI for your dental office advertising.

Even though virtual space is great in many ways - understanding the reality of the communication environment (real human beings inhabit) is crucial to success in this day and age, and tomorrow too.

Marketing is a lot like dentistry. When undervalued, underfunded and time crunched, what is the result?

Example of how insidious DIY can be:

I know of a dentist who placed his own veneers - pretty sure - prepped them too.

Another who said (on national TV if I am not mistaken) he wouldn't let other dentists do his teeth - because he thought they may not do a 'good job'... Or something to that effect.

How many consumers are doing that right now!?

Doing their own dentistry - not prepping teeth - but doing very little home care, avoiding the dentist visit or have 'given up' because of fear, trust or ignorance about the value advanced dentistry now offers.

ANSWER: About half of consumers are not doing enough (45% or thereabouts).

Yes - money/cost is an issue. But many of those 45% of consumers have money to 'spend' and are probably still spending a good portion of it (or could)?

Let's say 135 millions Americans are not going to dentist 'regularly' - total.

175 Million are adults over 30 (US Census 2009) the cohort most likely to have their own money to spend and would have more dentistry needs then the younger cohort.

Of That 175 million - About 40% of that 45% are high income individuals who don't go to the dentist regularly - about once in two years or less.

That is about 70 Million people. Obviously, the economy has changed this number somewhat.

NOTE: To be clear - this is not about gouging high income earners and forgetting those who might never have the money to 'buy' dental care themselves.

The focus is not one group to the deficit of the other - but that the economy runs on money - rich and poor people need to be dentally healthy. If we all value dentistry more - more of us will save more of our dollars for it.

So we have 70 million people who probably are 'rich' enough to do more dentistry. Since we know some can't now (hopefully soon), others just won't ever want to do more and the 40% might be off by some. Let's go with just 30 million people.

There are about 135,000 General Dentists in the US.

Maybe 10,000 Dentists* are doing enough marketing that 'changing over' to Connective Communication (or any strategy) would not make sense.

Another 25,000 Dentists* are just not going to budge from their stuck in the mud stance: Marketing dumb. Me go under soon. Need energy to swim.

Another group are associates and dentists who work with a franchising operation with many dental offices and would do it differently: 10,000 Dentists.*

Even another group does dentistry 'under the direction' of the dental insurance companies**. Insurance is good except when it influences us more towards 'good enough' rather than done right. This can be done by 'capping' fees and/or by making dentistry a cost issue more than a health issue.

Actually another cohort: Some are retiring and new ones coming onboard, but many young dentists 'know the internet' and just have too much energy and maybe time on their hands that they will be more likely to do it themselves. That takes out maybe the youngest 10,000 dentists.*

That leaves us with 60,000 Dentists* who in the next five years would be likely to move ahead with a strategy that actually changes things rather than reacts to them and then run after them in a huff and puff of mixed bagged mediocre muddle through marketing.

*Numbers of dentists are Approximated by me - generally what I have seen in percentages over 14 years of working with 300+ dentists - in various circumstances - but you can always check my math to be sure.

This means there are 500 consumers who have the money - to buy something right now - from each of those 60,000 dentists.

They are not doing this 'dental care upgrade' because - as Sgt. Schultz once said - or many times: I see nothing! New on a regular basis about why I should do anything different. Plus I am busy running from stuff I fear, to things more important, more valuable... Hogan. Hogan. Get me my limo!"

Now these 500 are the most likely to do something right now and with a decent push. The potential number of people who will do MORE dentistry than they ever would have (using Connective Communication) as well as sooner are limitless...

Next year, there will be more - younger ones getting older - less wealthy getting wealthier.

PLUS those in a cohort where the money was 'tighter' and might still be - will also start understanding the value of dentistry in their lives and the length of their lives as well.

And the tougher to convince cohort - maybe another 30 Million plus - will be influenced by people they trust now and with the Connective Communication you do - will come to you faster and first.

However, if you just look at this 500 number and figure they will do $5,000 on average in new treatment - that is $2.5 Million dollars. That is for treatment only, which means another 10, 20, 30+ years of regular visits - without insurance companies** nickel and dime overseeing you at every tooth turned.

So how do you make this kind of impact that will effectively encourage consumers to upgrade their dental care value status, and become your new patients?

CALL Oliver (Oli) Gonsalves

Niche Dental New Client Liaison, Direct At:

800-763-0913

He will find out what your needs are and then you and I can talk.

Sincerely, Dick Chwalek
Niche Dental President - Consultant, Coach.

**INSURANCE COMPANIES DISCLAIMER: While I believe they 'work for many people' and provide a 'valuable interim' service - they cannot be dentistry focused - which is what someone in need of 'care' requires - or insurance companies would be dentists - free market has its price too.

That Said - many consumers are wedded too tightly to the 'opinion' of the insurance company's fee limits - as if the limits have a meaning related to 'good care' and are associated with any type of long term beneficial treatment plan.

Imagine having 8 broken bones and waiting to get all fixed over 8 years. Then considering what you have done to your body during that time. One tooth at a time dentistry is death by a thousand drill squeals.

Alternate Ending Dentistry Consultant Article - Citizen Version - 33 NEW Dental Patients Per Month Average -