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6 Ways to Attract Patients with Social Media

Posted June 15, 2016 by Dawn

Social Media Marketing, XLDent Dental SoftwareLooking to expand your flock of social media followers? While many dental practices are active on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, attracting patients via social media takes creativity, devotion and patience.

Gaining traction isn’t easy, but social media marketing done right can bolster your community presence and forge lasting connections with your patients. Here are six quick tips to help you rake in the favorites and likes.

  • Variety is the Spice of Life.

Keep things fresh with a compelling mix of text, photo and video. From educational blog posts and promotional YouTube videos to company news and photo galleries of staff outings, stay well-rounded with a combination of fun and serious content. Running out of ideas? Not every post has to be explicitly work-related. Share milestones like staff birthdays, anniversaries and special achievements.

  • Stay Consistent and Active.

No one wants to follow a social media account that never posts. Schedule high-quality content several times a week to keep your practice on the minds of your patients. Plan in advance to prevent last-minute scrambling and keep your camera at the ready for anything photo-worthy. Be sure to respond to customer reviews and answer their questions!

  • Everyone Loves the Holidays.

Holiday celebrations are a goldmine for social media love. Halloween costumes, Christmas decorations and Fourth of July Festivities offer great photo opportunities and blog post topics. Plan a graphic to honor and remember for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and September 11.

  • Hit Every Social Media Channel.

Don’t miss out on any demographic of your target market. Cross-promote social media posts to capture the moms on Facebook and the teens on Instagram. Sound time-consuming? Use a tool like Hootsuite to publish and schedule across multiple platforms with a single click.

  • Giveaways and Promotions.

Who doesn’t like free stuff? Generate some buzz by having your followers like, comment and share your post to be entered to win free tickets to a ball game or a gift card to a trendy restaurant. All the activity on your page will promote your practice and entice new patients.

  • Pay for Awareness.

Boosting Facebook posts and paying for ads on Twitter and Instagram can be a cost-effective way to tap into new markets and connect with new patients. Consider boosting your most compelling posts to grow your audience and turn social media followers into regular patients.

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Dental Technology, Dental Web-based Solutions, Recare System, Social Media Marketing, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
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Building Patient Relationships with Email Marketing

Posted June 7, 2016 by Danielle H

Email Marketing, XLDent Dental Software, Lighthouse 360 EmailsBuilding patient relationships, and I mean good, solid, trusting relationships, isn’t always as easy as you may think. You often get just a few minutes a couple times a year to actually talk with patients, making it challenging to build that connection that is so desired. And that connection is what is often needed to get a yes to that much needed crown or to keep them coming back for those routine recare visits.

Take a look at these three ways email marketing can reduce your practice’s attrition rate and increase your base of loyal patients.

  • Personalize your messages. Craft your emails so that they build on the personality of your practice. Your patients will keep coming back to your practice because they like you (and your team)!

Consider a great concert your dental hygienist recently attended. I bet your patients would love to see a picture from it! Share milestones like staff birthdays, anniversaries, and special achievements too.

Pro tip: Incorporate humor. Showing your lighter side will keep your reader engaged and wanting more.

  • Promote Your Practice. Use your emails to tell your patients about what’s going on in your office. If you’ve recently invested in new technology, share some information on the benefits your patients will see. Don’t forget to include any product promotions you’re offering. When it comes to elective treatments, like Whitening, educate the reader about what you have to offer and why it’s best for the patient.
  • Email Appointment Reminders give your patients a reason to connect with you electronically. With the ability to confirm their appointment by email, patients will be able to interact with your practice when it’s convenient for them. In addition, readers will be familiar with your branding and more engaged in other messages you send out.

With a multitude of scheduling and automated options, sending personalized emails to your patients is an easy and effective way to market your business. XLDent teams up with Lighthouse 360 give clients a robust email marketing and patient communication system that will help nourish patient relationships for generations.

Posted in: Dental Practice Management Software, Dental Technology, Dental Web-based Solutions, Email Marketing, Recare System, XLDent Patient Experience, Leave a comment/ No Comments »
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