Oh the plight of the entrepreneur. The highs and the lows. Sometimes though when the lows hit... it can be a doozy.

It was the second week of February and I got hit with that crazy flu. I was down for the count in every way. I couldn't speak, I couldn't see, I couldn't move. I'm not sure which was worst. Sometimes I felt defeated by the symptom that pertained to my vision because this affected my ability to read and respond to client emails. I ended up being late on client projects, I was unable to start projects. My mood was shot too.

​Fact: We are exposed to up to 10,000 messages each day and potential customers have gained the ability to tune them out.

As a Social Media Strategist I work with clients to hone in on their niche audience and find out where they are online. There are so many platforms out there. But your customers are not on every single one of them. NOR SHOULD YOU!

Yes... That's me yelling.
But I bet you are breathing a sigh of relief.
Feeling a little better that you don't have to be overwhelmed or spin your wheels?
Ahhh efficiency.

But I digress.

Not only should you offer your product and services to the right customer at the right time. You want to have your potential customers become motivated to investigate and ultimately buy your product or service.

I work with clients to focus on their online:
• strategy
• reputation
• brand voice
• image
• positioning
• freshness
• creativity
• goals
• reach
• Analytics

One of the costliest mistake a marketer can make is to create a campaign in terms of what they wish to achieve. Thinking of your company's goals with no regards of your customer's concerns will lead to mediocre results.

Don't just sell. Engage as well.

Increasing your engagement on the right platforms will help you to break through the advertising noise.
Be consistent.
Strategic repeated messages, relevant and engaging content and building audience relationships.

Rinse and repeat. And you will stand out from the advertising noise.

​I really enjoy my dental appointments. Really. I am a little obsessed about my teeth and I understand the value of a smile. I also think my dentist and his staff are pretty awesome. They make me laugh, they ask about our daughter, and my dentist and I have some pretty good conversations about social media.

He just doesn't get it. Why does it work? I like to give him the break down and he always intrigued.

Today he made a statement. "It probably wouldn't work for my practice."

Me, "What are you talking about? It would totally work! You would be a hit!"

He had to start cleaning my teeth and as he did so I immediately thought... BLOG POST!

So I present to you my tips on HOW to get Social with your dental practice.

Blog:
Blogging keeps your site fresh and current. Google lives new content. A short post (at least) bi-weekly helps with the SEO for your site allowing it to be found more easily by potential customers online.

Repurpose your posts:
Share your blog content on your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn (because business people need clean teeth too) and Twitter. Be sure to include a CTA in those posts. One of my favourites - CLICK LINK IN PROFILE. It is important to bring those who follow you back to your site where they can find out so much more about you.

Behind the scenes visuals:
Let's face it. Often people feel trepidation about visiting their neighbourhood dental office. Share images of your friendly staff, the clean tools, your welcoming waiting room, the x-ray machine and even work being done. For example a picture of the preparation of a patient's night guard. Use this image to explain why one would require one, the benefits and how to go about obtaining one.

Be consistent:
Thankfully, social media platforms such as Instagram can be pretty easy. Take a photo in the moment and post, add captions and hashtag in a few minutes. Be consistent with your online presence. Doing so will help you to grow a following that search engines will notice.

Hashtags:
Use hashtags for your niche audience to find your content easily. Especially on Instagram. #dentaloffice, #Torontodentist #dentistforkids #dentaltips. These hashtags alone have 3500 to 65k posts on Instagram. And do not forget to use generic ones that may also be important for your market. Hashtags like #Toronto #NewYork represent the city you reside in.

Practice these tips for your dental practice and you'll be smiling online in no time!

Do you have a dental office? What tips do you have to share?