social media engagement
Understand 2 Things as You Jump Into Social Media
“Social Media isn’t inexpensive, it’s different expensive.”
Jay Baer said that. And what he’s talking about is important…no, vital – especially as you’re taking-the-leap into social media!
First, don’t pull-the-plug on social media or start making cuts to your marketing budget so you can plug it into your dental marketing efforts. Baer isn’t talking cash-flow.
He’s focused on something we all have the same amount of but use so ineffectively – time!
Social media takes time.
To establish a reputation on the social web involves daily participation. Content creation, engagement, customer service – however you use social media – it ALL takes time!
Jay Baer explores the time investment more thoroughly here. Let’s take a look at his two insights (options) from the article and apply them to your dental business. Understand these as you launch a social media presence or reengage the one you’ve already begun (but are finding time consuming).
“Social Media Time Management”
Consider all the time-consuming tasks you do everyday. Sending and receiving email, returning phone calls…oh, and interacting with (hopefully) a steady stream of dental business clients or dental patients – depending on your niche. And if you’re planning to get the most mileage out of your social media presence you’ll need to do a serious time inventory.
“You need to do whatever you can to tie behavior and time utilization to business results. Then, you need to jettison what you’re doing that isn’t a clear net positive, and use that new found time vacuum to fit in daily social media participation.”
Get Help
Many of your social media tasks should bear your unique voice. As Baer says, “…it’s difficult to outsource your voice.”
Keep a grip on your social media efforts. But not such a tight hold that you control too much of it and thus lose control of your valuable time.
Use these social-media-time-saving hints:
>Create a content calendar with topics of interest to your dental patients, upcoming promotions, the latest dental industry news of interest, etc.
>Outsource the research and content creation. Think written as well as video and photo content too. Broaden your social media scope to include the various outsourceable help-points you have available to you.
>Keep a greenhouse of content growing. Keep blog post, tweet, and article ideas in the soil. Water them occasionally with new thoughts. When you need content it’s there and ready to go! (Evernote is a superb “greenhouse” for content and idea “growing”. Check it out!)
Social media works! But you must invest valuable time and use the tools available to help you get the most mileage for your dental marketing purposes.
“Nobody said social media was both transformative AND a slam dunk! It’s hard. Really hard. So you either need to make the time internally, get more people involved, or stay on the sidelines.”
Look no further…I’m “people!” Ask me. And subscribe to this blog for more valuable social media tools in future posts.
If You’ve Ever Been Duped with Fine-Print (Or Been the Dup-er)…Read This!
If you’ve ever been teased or pranked – you know the feeling. It’s irritating to be duped. And while duped might be a bit strong, it carries the emotional punch necessary to explain what I’m talking about.
Occasionally I receive a mailer with a headline announcing something like a SPECIAL PRICE…etc.The layout and content do their job, grabbing my attention just as it was designed to do.
But…
My careful (yet not so common for many) eye is drawn to the fine print beneath the SPECIAL PRICE offer indicating the rules-of-engagement, so to speak!
Now first of all, I understand the power of headlines – it’s what I do for crying-out-loud! I’m a copywriter! And next, I’m aware of the significance of a strong, compelling offer.
Beyond that…
Maybe it’s personal. And perhaps I’m being nit-picky. And possibly I’ve missed something as I consistently learn from master copywriters to hone my craft.
But I must ask: is fine-print necessary in marketing content?
Fine-print has been around for decades (if not longer) in marketing. The often comical equivalent in TV and radio ads are those fast talking auto commercials (don’t get me started on their absurdity – that’s another topic).
Seriously, if the voice over person runs out of breath explaining the deal restrictions before his/her 15 to 30 seconds are up…what’s that about?
In reality, effective headlines and related offers draw you in…tease you a bit…and compel you to take action. That’s great (even good) copywriting!
Why use fine-print? As if to say – “Oh, by the way you’ll need to do this and that to qualify for our amazing deal…see, it’s written right here…let me fetch you a magnifying glass or find you a pair of reading glasses…I still hope you’ll take advantage of our special offer cause we’d love to have your business…” Are you serious?!
Consider this if/when you must use fine-print…
Sometimes you’re forced to use fine-print due to space limitations on a postcard mailer, for example. If so, make sure your copywriting states or restates the offer and doesn’t hide the facts from the reader.
Qualify the reader’s relationship to the SPECIAL OFFER right up front in an easy-to-read…can’t-miss headline (that’s where it matters most). Save the fine-print for take-it-or-leave-it clarifying content, directions, weblinks, instructions, etc. that naturally follows the headline/lead copy.
Be careful…don’t undermine your marketing integrity.
If you worked hard enough to come up with an offer that compels a response why not include that in your headline and lead instead of giving buyers the “oh-by-the-way” real-scoop in the fine print?
1) Don’t mislead hoping I’ll misread!
In the dental copywriting world, if you’re promoting an “$89 TEETH WHITENING SPECIAL…” Tell them it’s for NEW PATIENTS in the offer headline.
What do you lose by including that fact there instead of something like the fine-print version that might read…
“For new patients only who have not had more than 15 cups of coffee, wine, or other tooth staining beverages in the last six months while vacationing in resorts south of the Gulf of Mexico including but not limited to the Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, and Antigua…”
Invest the time to come up with an offer that compels and just tell them what it is. Then they can decide. After all, decision is their prerogative.
Which reminds…
2) Don’t decide for them by luring them in your door or teasing them into a phone call to obtain your offer only to leave them hanging when they find out they don’t qualify (because they didn’t read the “real-deal” in the fine print).
Now they feel stupid…and (if they’re not strong willed) obligated! Sort of helps you understand why many distrust advertising, doesn’t it?
I realize marketers (I am one) assume people are smart enough to read the fine print and to know the set up (which I also realize might weaken my case a bit). But these days marketers should also assume something else…
Today’s consumers/buyers are engaged in social media where trust and authenticity rule!
They’re savvy enough to know when they’re being duped. And they’re equally capable of moving on to sellers/marketers who say it simply…clearly…and compellingly (in a first-glance-readable font) and let them make up their mind then and there!