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It’s a Brave New World Out There . . . .
Are you ready?
Using Social Media to Grow Your Practice
Dr. Carol Drury
You wonder, Is it time to . . . .
create a Face book page?start Tweeting?join a group on LinkedIn? offer an incentive on Group-On?
Can you really afford to spend time on social media & marketing?
The real question is . . .how can you NOT?
It’s the easiest way to expand your practice, your groups, your workshops, the sale of your books, and increase the number of your self-pay clients.
Before flailing yourself willy-nilly into abroiling sea of social media . . .
stop a moment, or maybe a lot of
moments - think about what you hope to accomplish.
Social media is just waiting to soak up the last few remnants of your
day. (sorry folks, couldn’t help it, just loved the visual!)
setting up a Face book page hunting down like-thinking professionals on LinkedIn re-tweeting interesting bits from
Psychfeed cleaning out your mailing lists for
Constant Contact setting up your Newsletter arranging incentives for Group-on writing your newspaper articles preparing copy for your radio show
Oh, least we forget, you’d better also check out
Delicious, Google Bookmarks, My Space, Digg, Google Buzz, Yahoo, StumbleUpon, Bebe, Buzz,Netscape, Mister-Wong, reddit, & another 200+ sites you can join, add to, register on; do something with - to share, spread, connect, align, attach, bond, link to, link with, link up to with . . . . Well, you get it!
You could just forget about the marketing piece of it; you have now joined the ranks of the 3:00 am internet crawlers, so you won’t be able to get up in the morning to meet with your clients, and you won’t need to market a practice you no longer have.
Where was I before we willy-nilly flailed ourselves into the wee hours of the morning?
We were talking about what you hoped to accomplish with Social Media. The options are many.
I use it. I use a lot of it!
However, I also have a Business Plan and a Marketing Plan, along with a Marketing Consultant and a Web Consultant. My gurus help & advice me on the multiple & difficult choices, especially when what I really want is to do it all.
What’s the bottom line? To increase number of calls & e-mails concluding in appointments with self-pay clients.
Sound good? Start writing!
I write a monthly article for two newspapers, which have brought me more quality clients than all other referrals sources combined.
CAUTION! I don’t get paid for my brilliant articles – oh no – I pay for the privilege of placing my articles into the papers each month.
This form of Social Network Marketing has given me the greatest return on my marketing dollars. My radio show is the second most productive.
My Marketing Plan for March – May 2011. increase re-tweets publish monthly newsletter using Constant Contact provide GroupOn incentives for retreat & workshop continue to add to LinkedIn group complete Face book pages for both
businesses update both websites add articles to blog
As your business grows, may find you are unable to keep up with all the socializing. I hired an intern to help with the social networking: I no longer maintain my website, but still write content; set up tweets a week ahead & re-tweet; provide content & intern sets up Newsletter & Surveys; I still write my articles, prepare radio copy, and write in my blog (less often then I would like).
The ten most valuable lessons I’ve learned from my Adventures in Social Network
Marketing!
Know Your Target Audience Have a Business Plan Have a Marketing Plan Educate Yourself – Take a Webinar Be Selective – You Don’t Need it All Hire Experts Have a Budget Know What Your Good At Take a Leap – Take a Risk Have Fun!
Expense Time Cost/ValueLearning
CurveTime till Take-Off
Website Type A*
$ $ =
Website Type B**
$$ - $$ =
Website Type C***
$$$ -$$$$$ $$$$ =
Blog0 - $ -
$ =
Twitter 0- $ - 0 =
Clean Mailing List
0 0 =
Constant Contact
$$ -
$$ =
CC – E-mails
$$
$$ =
CC -Newsletters
$$
$$ =
Expense Time Cost/ValueLearning Curve
Time till Take-Off
Expense Time Cost/ValueLearning
CurveTime till Take-Off
CC - Surveys
$$ -
$$ =
LinkedIn 0 0 = Group-On $$$ $$$ =
Published Articles On-Line
0 - $ 0 =
Yellow-Pages
$ $ =
Marketing Plan
$$ - $$$ $$ =
Business Plan
$$ - $$$$ $$$ =
Marketing Specialist
$$$$ $$$$ =
E-Books $$ -
$$ =
-
Expense Time Cost/ValueLearning Curve
Time till Take-Off
Pros Cons
Website Type A*
Create a simple site;http://www.godaddy.com;perfect if you simply want to provide basic information about your practice, contact information, hours of operation, & brief bio; inexpensive.
Techno-Savvy consumers are expecting more than the basic these days.
Website Type B**
More sophisticated & time consuming website; with training on godaddy.com & more time, can probably learn to manage own medium-sized website; might have a blog, request information form, three or four pages, & ability to use Word Press to add, change, & modify content & formatting; will gain followers, & can refer potential clients to articles or your blog.
I don’t recommend it; a little like telling client that since money is tight s/he should just talk with sister about issues, since she seems to have good head on her shoulders; believe in letting experts take care of things I don’t have a prayer of learning in less than 24 hours; requires time for maintenance and updating; recommend Types A or C instead.
WebsiteType C***
On this website, your clients can make appointments, complete registration forms; include a method for payment; can sell items; offer video downloads, e-books, and just about anything else your creative mind can imagine.
It’s not cheap, but shop around; this type of sight requires a lot more maintenance.
Blog
It’s inexpensive, and you can get your own blog site at http://www.godaddy.com; great way to get known for a special area of expertise or a personal passion.
Time commitment.
Keeps you in touch with clients & referral sources; keeps your name in the forefront of their minds; allows you to keep more than your clients informed; can short-tweet, which allows you to send longer tweets including items on your website & other published articles.
Re-twittering is your best friend if you do not have time to be creative every day.
Clean Mailing List
It’s free and can be your best friend; start keeping one even before you have plans to take on any of these other marketing strategies.
Your time.
Constant Contact
Your best marketing friend, but the website takes some time to use comfortably. After that, it becomes a pretty exciting tool!
There is a monthly fee for the use of this website; depending on number of items opened by receipients.
CC – E-mails
Easy way to stay in touch with clients and send them articles of interest and timely research findings
Investment in time and some expense.
CC -Newsletters
Require a little more content, than e-mails, but there is plenty out there to pass on as long as you give credit. Keeps you up on the latest in your field so you can pass it on.
A little more time, but no additional expense.
CC - Surveys
An excellent tool for follow-up after a client has ended services, or even during, if you like, as there is a way to respond anonymously.
A little more time, as you’ll want this original, but no more expense.
No start up costs; stay connected with other professionals and referral sources.
None
Face book
An excellent tool to use for providing general information to clients & referral sources; recommend separate professional Face book pages for your practice and for your family & friends; many creative ways to use your professional Face book page.
Keep personal informational and photos off your professional Face book page.
Group-On
Marketing to specific groups by offering special promotions; only pay when someone takes advantage of the promotion.
Difficult to use at first; not all promotions approved.
Published Articles On-Line
Creates interest; can set you up as an expert in a particular field; name recognition; usually free
Finding the time.
Yellow-Pages
Easy Not very effective for quality referrals; can be costly with little pay-off
Marketing Plan
Saves lots of money Time
Business Plan
Saves lots of money Time
Marketing Specialist
Couldn’t live without mine!Gets discounts on everything; keeps me focused
Expense
E-Books Name recognition; expertise; easy Time & ExpensePros Cons
Contact Information: I would love to talk with you personally if you have questions or would like more information; I’d also love to hear how you are using Social Networking & Marketing to grow your practice.
Dr. Carol [email protected]://www.CDrury.com http://www.TheVisionaryAllianace.com
