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3 Ways Dental Copywriting Can Take-On Something as Serious as Oral Cancer
I wrote a recent blog post around a now favorite quote by copywriting and marketing legend, Dan Kennedy.
“The ability to organize words that motivate people to buy is a super-power.”
Written communication has the moxie to change things. If you want to win-the-day with any topic, trend, thought, service or product transform them with super-poweredness (how’s that for a cool, new word).
I’m a copywriter (and an occasional public speaker/trainer) so you’d expect me to enter the fray with words. It’s why you hire or outsource your marketing content (word-wise) to those of us with the chops to bring just-the-right words to the front-lines of whatever it is you’re promoting.
Take oral cancer prevention for instance (and take it seriously!).
I picked up an eye-catching…informative data sheet from the front office of the dental practice where I work part-time – “Common Myths About Oral Cancer.” It used the common Myth-vs-Fact approach to heighten awareness of this life-threatening issue.
The more I’ve reflected on the “Facts” the more I believe that super-powered content can shift the battle against this killer that takes 9,000 lives annually out of the 34,000 impacted by it (more deaths per year, by the way, than melanoma and cervical cancer).
The super-power ability in me (thanks to Dan Kennedy) wants to go all Captain America on this health threat.
Words motivate! And there are strategic ways to organize them to compel people to have awareness and take action against something as serious as oral cancer – or whatever you’re promoting.
>Case Studies
Someone has taken on oral cancer and won! Perhaps the tipping-point was an oral cancer screening product used by a savvy dental practice. Maybe a hygienist’s knowledge gained via a particular continuing education course trained her in what to look for. Could be that a practice management firm with a strong bent towards oral cancer steered their practices in the right direction towards state-of-the-art screening technologies.
A well-researched, compellingly written case study tells THAT story. And what better story than a life spared.
>A White paper or Special report
Sometimes the mountain of data must be distilled to its essence. Too much technical jargon numbs your readers or market to the real-life impact of something as threatening, in this instance, as oral cancer.
A white paper or a special report cuts-to-the-chase.
Their unique format states the problem and offers an expert solution (that’s you and your product, service, or information). These also communicate well to an audience that is typically accustomed to a more academic, technical approach. And they do it without the – sometimes necessary – word volume associated with standard technical writing.
>Social Media (didn’t think I’d leave it out did you?)
Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Google+, YouTube, QR Coding, etc. provide a steady-stream opportunity to become a content super-power. Link back to big-gun content like case studies, white papers, special reports, web content, blog posts, etc.
Social media provides the opportunity to get chatty and occasionally frontal about the topic at hand.
Engaging dental social media builds trust. And dental businesses and dental service providers on the front-lines of social media will increasingly be viewed as industry experts.
That’s the big idea, really. Whether you’re talking about oral cancer or promoting dental products and services that offer preventative solutions – you want an “expert” in your corner…right?
Even better…how about some super-poweredness?
3 Ways to Sharpen Your Social Media Mindset as a Dental Business
“All businesses are being forced to go social.” That’s according to Michael Brito.
Maybe you’ve been waiting to see if all the buzz about having a blog, a Facebook page or a Twitter account is just another passing trend. Delaying or avoiding social media altogether may have been the general mindset a few months ago but no longer.
And while the talk (for businesses) about social media engagement surrounds marketing, it’s important to know there’s more to it.
Brito says that most brands get it. And he observes that most brands are doing a really good job listening to their customers through social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Blog, etc.).
So, being a copywriter in the dental industry and one who happens to be a social media convert and consultant I must ask – why wait to dive into social media? Or, if you’ve been dabbling, why not ratchet it up?
3 ways to ratchet-up your mindset and use of social media as a dental industry business:
1) Join the “evolution.”
The days of solely marketing your products and services via direct mail (I said solely so), a competitive postcard mailer, a Yellow Pages ad, and if budgets allow, a radio or TV spot are diminishing. Why would you exclusively limit yourself to these marketing approaches?
Use them. But consider how much more effective and inexpensive (in many cases free) it is to engage your clientele through social media. After all, they’re using it. And could be wondering about your absence.
Brito says, “…organizations are evolving from businesses that merely engage in social behavior into social businesses. There’s a huge difference.”
2) Maximize the “social pillars.”
“Social business is built on three pillars – people, governance, and technology,” according to Brito. And the principles apply to any size organization.
Social media helps eliminate barriers. It especially deals with how we communicate our opinions and feelings about brands.
Imagine how your product and service equity will increase when clients communicate their satisfaction via social media. And they can do it in-the-moment…in real-time! Think less survey forms or ad naseum “how-did-we-do-today?” questions upon check-out.
Equally social businesses are held accountable for their quality (or lack of it) too. You don’t want a viral surge of negative influence about how your company or practice dropped the ball when it came to customer service, etc.
The technology is there and improving as we speak. Already, businesses are seeing the value of QR coding (more on that in future posts), location based social media tools like Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook places, etc.
You can virtually run your marketing from a single laptop or even a smartphone (remotely). And monitor the feedback instantly.
3) Welcome the conversation.
A 2009 study revealed that 85% of Americans using social media think companies should have an active presence in the social media universe.
And according to Brito, “Out of the 85% of people who want companies to be present in social media (get this):
>34% want companies to actively interact with them
>51% want companies to interact with them as needed or by request
>8% think companies should only be passively involved on social media
>7% think companies should not be involved at all.”
No more waffling or dabbling! Social media is here and your prospects and clientele are ready to keep the conversation going.