3 Ways to Step-Away-from-the-Crowd with Better Dental Copywriting
Do you know how much marketing content is published in the dental industry? Your response is probably like mine – “How much…? Not sure. But a lot!”
Your approach to copywriting as a dental marketer, dental supplier, or dental service provider will most likely follow a certain pattern. But the issue is always – will it produce the response you desire for your marketing efforts? And if it does, can it be repeated with equal or greater effectiveness each time it’s sent via email, mailed directly to your list, or posted on your dental website’s blog?
What you already have going for you may be the secret you’ve been looking for in your promotions. In print or online, revealing more of this can lift you above the crowd.
Speaking of crowds…remember a recent social function (a party or networking event). Someone – maybe only one – stood out from the pack of those you interacted with. What initially got your attention? Was it how they were dressed? How they looked? What they said or how they said it?
When all’s been said and done – this shines through. It’s…personality!
Add some personality to your dental marketing content and track the results. It’ll mean avoiding the window dressing mindset (e.g. flash, design, colors, etc.) typical of many copywriting approaches. In the end people will remember you more for the personality that shines through than the exterior coating.
Don’t misunderstand me, I’m a fan of creative, colorful, out-of-the-ordinary promotions. They catch my eye and keep me engaged.
But…
I’m hooked more when I’m drawn into the marketing conversation and it seems like only seconds have passed while it’s actually been several minutes. Good copywriting – the kind with personality – does this.
No more sleep-inducing content!
If your dental copywriting and marketing materials come with a warning label – WARNING: Do not drive or operate heavy machinery after reading this…you know what I’m talking about! More than that they’re TYPICAL…and in business – typical isn’t memorable.
It’s vital to insert personality between every line of your communications with customers and prospects (most read between the lines of what you’re saying anyway). The *personality-ethic* applies to your email promotions, your blog posts and the social media content you post on your Twitter and Facebook page, the copywriting on your website, your e-newsletter content, and more.
Here’s 3 ways to add some personality or better yet get yours working for you and the copywriting that promotes your dental products and services:
1) Inc. yourself (and not in the corporate sense)!
I consistently remember the words a colleague and mentor said to me several years ago – “be yourself.” No one else can be you better than…YOU. Management guru, Tom Peters calls it “You Inc.” or “brand-you.”
It’s about the unique personality…the DNA…you personally bring to your marketing communications. Be unafraid to let people “in” on your life and the behind-the-scenes aspects of your business-story (we talked about this in a previous post).
Step away from worn-out, weak, or ineffective branding! What you keep hidden or overshadowed (too much dependence on brand or image) might be the key to winning a client’s heart.
2) Step from behind the professional veneer.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m a believer in being and remaining professional in all your business practices. Just don’t confuse professionalism with being pretentious, aloof, or out-of-touch.
Why is it that someone talks in plain, easy-to-understand words yet when they get behind the key-board or take pen in hand they become this austere (there I go…using a big word) “plastic” person.
Corporate jargon is just that – jargon. It may or may not reflect your niche in the dental industry…or, for that matter – you. Think about it – how effective does bureaucracy communicate – really?
3) Be anything but typical.
Aim for authenticity. I’ll continue to beat-my-drum about avoiding typical, hype-driven marketing approaches.
Hypey…salesy wording alienates more than it attracts. People do business with hype-sters for much they same reason crowds show up at a freeway pile-up…!
People much more enjoy doing business with someone who’s real…authentic…open…honest…non-salesy! That’s untypical and it works.
Personality shines through every time. Get yours going for your dental copywriting and marketing approaches. Real people enjoy doing business with REAL people. And smile while you’re at it!
Why saying “trust me” destroys trust in marketing
A close family member recently experienced a salesperson’s attempt to close-the-deal by shoving a contract across his desk with the words, something to the effect of, “Come on…sign the (expletive) papers and let’s get this done…!”
Had this been a multi-million dollar deal, built on months of negotiations, with significant upside potential, I’d understand the context. And I’d probably take the expletive emphasis as bold, banter between two soon-to-be business partners one of whom was probably attempting to prove he had a “pair!”
It wasn’t that at all…
The close family member is a young, nervous-as-one-would-expect, first time car buyer. The salesperson (obviously trying to prove he had a “pair”) couldn’t be further from earning the trust he needed to secure the deal.
Would the salesperson have made a better impression saying what’s commonly said in such deal-making scenarios – “Trust me!”
You hear or read those words all the time in advertising.
- “Trust me, ‘X’ the single best product on the market for…”
- “You can count on us…the most trusted source of…”
- “Trust us to deliver the most effective…”
Do you instill trust by merely asking someone to trust you or saying your product/service is the most trusted?
I’ll let you make up your own mind. But I’ll go on record saying, trust is earned.
And a primary way to develop trust is through a relationship not merely telling someone to “trust you.”
Trust emerges on a solid track record of credible engagement.
The problem with many sales approaches (such as the above mentioned car deal) is the forced timing that many salespeople deploy. It’s why I prefer writing marketing copy and why businesses benefit from solid, credible copywriting in it’s various forms – a story-based email promotion, a series of autoresponder emails, a long-form sales letter, engaging blog posts, Twitter feeds, and Facebook page posts, case studies, etc.
Write these effectively and trust rises to the top much quicker than forced, “trust me,” manipulation. And with it comes credibility your prospects will return to again and again!
Master copywriter and trainer, Will Newman shares these five easy-to-implement strategies to help build credibility on a foundation of trust:
1–“Avoid hype.”
Saying you’re “the world’s greatest…” works in infomercials for a variety of reasons but is that your medium? Calm, authoritative approaches do more to establish trusting clients/customers.
2–“Avoid vague or unsubstantiated claims.”
Backing up your comments with substantial data shows you’ve done your “homework” – adding credibility. Instead of proclaiming, “The world’s greatest…,” describe how your product/service/etc. is proven to accomplish this or that by a certain percentage, etc.
3–“Give your prospect a reason to believe.”
Claims of effectiveness, etc. backed by proof and endorsement within your marketing content adds to your believability. And it builds credibility.
4–“Speak to (prospects) as an equal.”
Know-it-alls are seldom listened to. A friendly, realistic, conversational tone establishes a connection.
5–“Respect your prospect and their needs.”
This is a core trust builder. Respect follows trust.
Build trust in your marketing with clear, compelling copywriting.
12 Reasons Why Businesses Fail at Social Media (And How You Can Succeed)
Browsing my Evernote idea file to write today’s post I came across this one I had clipped weeks ago – 2011 Predictions: Top 12 Reasons Businesses Will Fail at Social Media.
I encourage you…don’t let the negative post title think it’s all doom & gloom. In fact, give attention to the “12” and your business could take the lead ahead of other social-media-wanna-be’s in your niche.
My thanks to FruitZoom for the frontal perspective. I’ll share their “12 Reasons…” and zero in on a quote from each so you get the idea. Go to their site to catch the full scoop from their post.
1-“Don’t understand the ecosystem…
(Social media)…doesn’t work like the days of traditional advertising where you push a message and expect to change thought via a cool ad, billboard or tv commercial. Instead you must not only find a way to become part of the community, build your own community but also be able to successfully grab attention of your audiences authentically and via relationships.”
2-“They hire the wrong consultant or agency…
One size does not fit all and a cookie cutter approach not focused on your market niche is going to bring zero to little positive return. Organizations must take responsibilities to do their research, not believe everything they hear from a consultant and do no accept status quo or ‘one size fits all’ solutions.”
3-“They execute via Random Acts of Social Media (RASM’s)…
Organizations must set goals and objectives before engaging in social media. Don’t tweet randomly…To avoid randomness in social media integration is key to success. Social media needs to be integrated into the DNA of business.”
4-“Have wrong social mindset…
They may lack the understanding that social media requires engagement. They may have the mindset that they’ll simply use social media as an additional venue for blasting noise, coupons and other…Social media cannot be leveraged as other traditional mediums.”
5-“Underestimate the resources and knowledge required…
You need more than an intern with a twitter account to execute your social media plan and connect with your audience in a way that represents your brand and market positioning…Although you’ll hear the clueless tell you ‘social media is free.’ Sorry folks it’s not. It steals your greatest asset which is time. It eats ROI for breakfast if you let it.”
6-“They don’t engage…
Bottom line, you must engage with your audience. Do more than tweet at them, tweet with them. Join in the fun. Inspire them to connect with you. Attract them organically to your brand and the people inside your corporate walls.”
7-“They don’t implement a social media policy…
(A social media policy) will protect an organization from legal risks and set a standard for how employees and partners should engage in social media on behalf of the company.”
8-“Lack roles & responsibilities…
Take the time to iron out the internal battles or insecurities within an organization…Clearly define roles…Flying by the seat of your pants will get you flat on your butt and nowhere fun!”
9-“Assume social media will fix their broken business…
If your business is broken, sales is not working with marketing, your message sucks, your audience doesn’t like you…sorry folks, these problems (cannot) will not be solved by social media. In fact, social media will make them worse.”
10-“Make a bad first impression…
Your goal is to build community and inspire people to take action. If you make a terrible first impression the chances of that visitor ever returning to your Facebook page are slim to none.”
11-“Have unrealistic expectations for social media…
Do your research and be realistic with the goals and objectives. You must be patient with social media.”
12-“They are boring…
Social media is about inspiring an audience to connect with you. If you have struggled with this offline or with other traditional media, chances are a Twitter account and a Facebook page are not going to fix it…Connecting with your audience is a requirement not an option regardless of the medium.”
Social media works. Don’t be overwhelmed by the growing list of faux pauxs many are making with it.
Ask for help, plan your use of social media, and work your plan by diving in…start engaging!