Wow! Now this is how you use video.

We just had a visit from Dr. Bill Middleton in our Dallas studio. Many of you AACS members know him from his cosmetic surgery practice in Toronto.

Dr. Middleton flew into Dallas after attending Tulsa Surgical Arts’s CME course on surgeries After Massive Weight Loss. The point of his trip was to shoot 15 short videos on why you should choose his practice for those 15 procedures. These videos will go on his web site, offering excellent access to prospects checking him out. In addition, the videos will be listed on YouTube and on Google Video.

While he was here, he shot some opening video for his web site and shot custom openings for the Post-operative Health & Fitness DVDs he will get from The Cosmetic Channel™. It was a very productive use of a quick-turn trip to Dallas. We offer all clients the use of our specialized Chromakey studio at no cost when they make video with us.

Dr. Middleton has the right idea. He has been on television in Canada on several shows and understands the idea of offering access. This is right in line with the concepts we teach at Dog Star Media. He knows what we know. That if people see you, hear you and get a feel for you early, that they are more likely to come and visit you... maybe even first. Thirty seconds of carefully crafted video message here or there, especially on your web site or in the homes of your patients, can make all the difference in helping them trust you enough for a visit.

I just gave a lecture in Tulsa at the CME course that I referenced above. In the lecture, I asked the question, “If all factors were equal, do you think that a prospect would choose them for a procedure based on merit? ” Most do, of course. You probably think that, too and most likely you are right. However, all factors are not equal.

You cannot control who gets to a prospect first, who a prospect finds first and you cannot control how your competitors present themselves. What you can control is HOW you are presented. Video offers access. Watch a short clip from a Flash video web site and ask yourself the impact it makes. You hear the doctor, you see the doctor, you begin to know the doctor.

If you are not using video in your practice, you are inviting someone else to make the better impression first. It is just a fact of the web.

Factors are not equal and they will not be. You should be planning on tilting them in your direction by using the power of video.

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital in Dubai Web Site Debuts

We are proud to present our latest International web site for Dr. Qadir and her team at The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital in Dubai. You can learn about the amazing facility and staff by clicking through this thorough and beautiful web site.

It is the season for improving Internet presence and strategy. This is the second of some highly exceptional web sites we will be debuting over the next few weeks. All are Dog Star Media originals and all will make singular impressions to visitors. And, while our clients are improving the look and feel of their web sites with new designs and video upgrades, I am even more proud of them for choosing great marketing strategies for their web sites.

Stay tuned to my blog for the next few weeks. There is much more to come. When they go live, we will bring them to you right here.

Another new DSM web site... this one has it all

Congratulations goes to long-time client, David Buck, DDS in Seattle. As most of you know, Seattle is a highly tech-savvy market. Dr. Buck has a strong online presence at TMJSeattle.com but the site needed a facelift to add the rich media that can turn traffic into contacts.

Over the years, Dr. Buck has invested in video production to improve the impressions made on his web site. We added improved graphics, some Flash and video to this HTML site. Thus, it has the same optimization capability plus a high-end media impact once search users arrive at the site. This is a web site for the client who wants it all: a well-optimized web site, an expensive, rich media look and video to make the ultimate first impression.

We have more site like this which will debut later in April. They are designed to be ultra-competitive on the web. They are the best of all worlds in web media. Congratulations, David. You were in the first group of Flash video clients years ago (www.sdavidbuck.com) and now you have taken it to the next level.

If you want the best of all worlds on the web, why not email me today to find out what it takes to get that done. You can reach me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Making the Best First Impression

On Feb. 26, I wrote a blog about the Top 10 Reasons You Need a New Web Site and there was a monster response. It was one of the biggest click-throughs I have ever had from my blog readership.

Last week, it happened again when I debuted two new sites. This is why metrics are important. Anytime I write about web site design, more of you click through, stay longer to read and tend to ask questions. You obviously want more on this, so here it is.

We have many clients that we help measure their web stats, their call stats, their email stats and more. One of the trends that is head and shoulders above all others is that first impressions are made on the web. We have seen solid trends that direct mail and media advertising results in a rise in web hits, more so than direct call responses. In other words, people would rather check out their prospective cosmetic doctor or dentist in the privacy of their own home rather than risk that little bit of space they need to give up if they call or show up. If you don't believe me, try it yourself. Use technological ways to track prospect responses online and offline and see for yourself.

People will check you out online first. So, what does this mean? It should tell you that two elements are absolutely critical. One is a memorable URL. If you have some tricked up, shortened down acronym for a URL, you may as well punt on people remembering it. Your name, even though you want name recognition, should not be your only site. Come up with something memorable for the mainstream and hang the site on that, too. It is not illegal for you to have more than one web site. Make yourself memorable, they way John Q. Public might be able to remember you.

Secondly, if you have an outdated look to your site. If it is not fresh and impressive.... what are you doing? You do not get a second chance to make first impression! With a great design, using rich media like video, Flash or interesting graphics, you can let people know you are an impressive and capable practice. If you are throwing down a 2002-style web site, you might not get a second look.

These are two tips that you should immediately take to heart if the phone is ringing a little less these days. If times are going to be a little tighter, you have to compete for every opportunity. What is the first impression you are making on those opportunities?

If you need help, email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.