This web site has been cooking for a while and I am very happy to announce its debut today. Congratulations go to Dr. Faisal Quereshy in Ohio on his new Flash Video web site which you can see right here. Not only do I love this elegant style and classic color scheme but the use of video really makes this a site that brims with extra quality.
This is an excellent example of a Flash Video web site and completes Dr. Quereshy’s confirmation as a VIP practice, a Video-Intensive Practice. If you read my past few blogs, I have begun writing about the sort of practice that is using video at the most important venues of communication. These three points are: 1) On your web site, 2) in your reception area and 3) in the homes of your satisfied patients. In each of these three communication venues, the use of video can improve your chances of finding new business. In this blog, I am going to start pointing out doctors who have elevated their practice to VIP status.
In Dr. Quereshy’s case, he already uses our post-operative DVDs for liposuction which go home with liposuction patients. These DVDs carry a Health & Fitness message but also carry some strong branding for Visage Surgery Center. Now, when a lipo patient tells family and friends about their procedure and the recovery, they have branded tool for Visage Surgery Center on hand in their home to co-brand the procedure. Now it is not just liposuction; it is liposuction by Dr. Quereshy. This tool works well with increasing the potency of your referral network.
The video on the his Flash web site introduces prospective patients to Dr. Quereshy right away. Through this kind of “video drop,” he begins building trust through making a great, personal first impression on the first click. This is often the first place people go to find information and get validation about a practice or a doctor. So, doesn’t it make sense for the doctor to make a personable appearance here? This sort of video enhances the web site, increasing appeal to prospective new patients.
Finally, through his subscription The Cosmetic Channel, Dr. Quereshy will be receiving a looping DVD of Season 1 shows to use in his reception area. The use of looping video in this communication venue can sow seeds about other procedures with patients with whom you are already connected. In most businesses, it is generally considered 10X easier to upsell or influence an existing customer than to earn a new one. The use of looping video to promote a full range of services will undoubtedly get new conversations started. What a shame if someone come to you for family dentistry but not cosmetic services or if someone chooses you for breast lift and augmentation but chooses someone else for injectable services. If this happens, you are leaving perfectly good opportunities on the table. A looping DVD from The Cosmetic Channel™ can make all the difference in getting that conversation started.
So, that is the outline of the VIP or Video-Intensive Practice. Covering those three bases with specially designed video means that you are using the medium of video every way you can to prop up your marketing effort.
If you have questions about adding video in any of these venues of your practice, contact me at Donald@dogstarmedia.com
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A New Web Site and a New Blog Offering
Dog Star Media is proud to present the new web site for The Practice Advisory Group. You can see the site at PracticeAdvisoryGroup.com.
This site is great because you just sit back, watch and listen while a video host explains why their brand of comprehensive practice consulting can be beneficial for your practice. Incidentally, if the operations of your practice could use some fine tuning, I recommend browsing this site. They have the most integrated, well-supported practice consulting programs I have ever seen. Amazing infrastructure.
The importance of offering access through blogging and video.
In other news, more and more of my retainer and coaching clients are installing their own blog and email marketing processes using my blog as a guideline. This is at the heart of the general “offer access” strategy which I recommend as the best edge a small business has in marketing itself. In an interesting, well-written blog, you can build a readership that follows you in a “safe,” atmosphere. Creating a great blog is in the same vein as adding introductory video to your web site. You want to offer access to your uniqueness, blogging and video are two ways of doing that.
In a recent presentation for cosmetic surgeons, I was talking about the power of offering access. And, although it came off the cuff, I really think this cannot be summarized better. I told the crowd that, if all things were equal, wouldn't prospective patients choose you as the doctor based on merit alone? The whole crowd nodded silently in approval. The problem here is that all things are not equal.
A lesser competitor can hire a great media designer, take a risk that pays off, spend more than you do or do one of the million other marketing miracles that make circumstances unequal. Then, add in that you have more than one competitor and you can see how unequally the odds are stacked against you. Even if you are doing all of this, too, what advantage can you gain to win simply on merit?
The answer is ACCESS. Give people access to you. Give them substance, something concrete about you. Give them what makes people choose you as their dentist or surgeon. Give them the only unique advantage you have. This is ACCESS to you.
A good way to size this up is to look at two web sites from doctors in the same field. Choose one web site where the doctor shows up and talks to you in video. Compare that with a web site where you just get a portrait photo and a written bio. If these were first impressions, from whom would you seek out more? Do you feel the impression of one more strongly than the other? Of course you do. Photos cannot compare with the communication power of video.
But, what if you do not have the resources to add video to your web site? You can offer unique access to your thoughts and personality through blogging. There are two tricks to doing this, however. One is that you need to choose a market to distribute your blog. I suggest using basic email marketing to do this and use your existing patient database of emails as a starting point. Then, make it a priority to always be trying to build that list up.
The second trick is to write a blog that will keep people interested, which results in readers coming back to read the blog when contacted by email, which in turn results in your blog begin forwarded or referred. For this to occur you have to regularly serve up interesting topics presented in an interesting way. This level of interest is fueled by access to your passion or other positive qualities that come out through the writing.
We already offer coaching to help you execute your email marketing but, beginning in June, Dog Star Media is going to offer a new low-cost service to help you maximize your potential of offering access through blogging. Beginning in June, I will be posting a new subscribers-only blog on how to write an amazing blog. Like a Writer’s Workshop, this 12-part blog will give you a monthly writing prompt focusing on characteristics that can turn a blog about your practice into an interesting read that lets readers feel like they get that extra edge in knowing you. The cost to subscribe is only $100/month for 12 months.
Keep in mind, all things are not equal. Using this tool to help you blog will help you tilt the playing field in your favor with the best edge you have: access to you. Just contact me here to sign up for this special, new offering.
This site is great because you just sit back, watch and listen while a video host explains why their brand of comprehensive practice consulting can be beneficial for your practice. Incidentally, if the operations of your practice could use some fine tuning, I recommend browsing this site. They have the most integrated, well-supported practice consulting programs I have ever seen. Amazing infrastructure.
The importance of offering access through blogging and video.
In other news, more and more of my retainer and coaching clients are installing their own blog and email marketing processes using my blog as a guideline. This is at the heart of the general “offer access” strategy which I recommend as the best edge a small business has in marketing itself. In an interesting, well-written blog, you can build a readership that follows you in a “safe,” atmosphere. Creating a great blog is in the same vein as adding introductory video to your web site. You want to offer access to your uniqueness, blogging and video are two ways of doing that.
In a recent presentation for cosmetic surgeons, I was talking about the power of offering access. And, although it came off the cuff, I really think this cannot be summarized better. I told the crowd that, if all things were equal, wouldn't prospective patients choose you as the doctor based on merit alone? The whole crowd nodded silently in approval. The problem here is that all things are not equal.
A lesser competitor can hire a great media designer, take a risk that pays off, spend more than you do or do one of the million other marketing miracles that make circumstances unequal. Then, add in that you have more than one competitor and you can see how unequally the odds are stacked against you. Even if you are doing all of this, too, what advantage can you gain to win simply on merit?
The answer is ACCESS. Give people access to you. Give them substance, something concrete about you. Give them what makes people choose you as their dentist or surgeon. Give them the only unique advantage you have. This is ACCESS to you.
A good way to size this up is to look at two web sites from doctors in the same field. Choose one web site where the doctor shows up and talks to you in video. Compare that with a web site where you just get a portrait photo and a written bio. If these were first impressions, from whom would you seek out more? Do you feel the impression of one more strongly than the other? Of course you do. Photos cannot compare with the communication power of video.
But, what if you do not have the resources to add video to your web site? You can offer unique access to your thoughts and personality through blogging. There are two tricks to doing this, however. One is that you need to choose a market to distribute your blog. I suggest using basic email marketing to do this and use your existing patient database of emails as a starting point. Then, make it a priority to always be trying to build that list up.
The second trick is to write a blog that will keep people interested, which results in readers coming back to read the blog when contacted by email, which in turn results in your blog begin forwarded or referred. For this to occur you have to regularly serve up interesting topics presented in an interesting way. This level of interest is fueled by access to your passion or other positive qualities that come out through the writing.
We already offer coaching to help you execute your email marketing but, beginning in June, Dog Star Media is going to offer a new low-cost service to help you maximize your potential of offering access through blogging. Beginning in June, I will be posting a new subscribers-only blog on how to write an amazing blog. Like a Writer’s Workshop, this 12-part blog will give you a monthly writing prompt focusing on characteristics that can turn a blog about your practice into an interesting read that lets readers feel like they get that extra edge in knowing you. The cost to subscribe is only $100/month for 12 months.
Keep in mind, all things are not equal. Using this tool to help you blog will help you tilt the playing field in your favor with the best edge you have: access to you. Just contact me here to sign up for this special, new offering.
Monday, May 12, 2008
The new TulsaSurgicalArts.com
We are proud to present the new web site for TulsaSurgicalArts.com!
This site should bring your attention to the importance of using video to set tone, give access and separate yourself from the competition. This site blends Flash, Video and HTML for optimum searchablity and optimum visual impact once someone finds the site. In short, this is part of new generation of sites we are designing that rely on video to make most of the first impression. Shortly, we will be adding video guides to this site that enhance the experience of the rich HTML content.
In the coming weeks, you will see us begin to redefine how we design web sites. Gone will be the labels of HTML and Flash or Flash Video. To give you options for greater searchability with the same visual impact of Flash and Flash Video, we will begin offering new ways for you to put together your site to meet more objectives.
This will be the beginning of a new initiative at DSM, one that should affect how all of our doctors and dentists approach the use of media in their practices. The question is: Are you a Video-Intensive Practice? Are you a VIP?
A Video-Intensive Practice is a practice that not only uses video, but uses it at the point where it can help form an opinion. To begin, you have to realize where the critical points of communication are in creating a new patient. These are points of research, points of validation and points of referral. If you have the properly created video message at each of these points, you are using video in a convincing way. This is the basis of becoming a Video-Intensive Practice.
For years, many have heard me speak or read here in this blog about the importance of the video message on your web site. It is a way of letting people have access to the doctor during the “shopping” stage instead of at the end. This is different from just having video produced for your front page. Making this distinction is what makes a Video-Intensive Practice seem more accessible. How much more excited will be people be to meet Dr. Cuzalina or Dr. Koelher after seeing this new web site at TulsaSurgicalArts.com. It is not just video, it is the choice to put a certain kind of video at a certain place. Video-Intensive Practices will gain advantages with this sort of tactic.
There are other places where opinions are formed and influenced. Dog Star Media now provides options for using video in these key places. In the next week, or so, you will all receive information on our new In-Office DVD series for surgeons and for dentists. These are key to influencing patients who already trust you and creating an upselling environment by presenting new possibilities for service without the pressure of the sales conversation. Another way is to influence people with video at the point of referral. Our post-surgical DVDs are the perfect example of how to put key video at the point of referral.
We have positioned Dog Star Media to help Video-Intensive Practices with affordable and effective tools. If you are ready to become this sort of practice, you can start by examining your need at these three points: On the web site, in the reception room and at the point of referral. We can help you address all of these three areas in a very affordable way.
Why not begin to use video the right way and get on the path to becoming a Video-Intensive Practice?
This site should bring your attention to the importance of using video to set tone, give access and separate yourself from the competition. This site blends Flash, Video and HTML for optimum searchablity and optimum visual impact once someone finds the site. In short, this is part of new generation of sites we are designing that rely on video to make most of the first impression. Shortly, we will be adding video guides to this site that enhance the experience of the rich HTML content.
In the coming weeks, you will see us begin to redefine how we design web sites. Gone will be the labels of HTML and Flash or Flash Video. To give you options for greater searchability with the same visual impact of Flash and Flash Video, we will begin offering new ways for you to put together your site to meet more objectives.
This will be the beginning of a new initiative at DSM, one that should affect how all of our doctors and dentists approach the use of media in their practices. The question is: Are you a Video-Intensive Practice? Are you a VIP?
A Video-Intensive Practice is a practice that not only uses video, but uses it at the point where it can help form an opinion. To begin, you have to realize where the critical points of communication are in creating a new patient. These are points of research, points of validation and points of referral. If you have the properly created video message at each of these points, you are using video in a convincing way. This is the basis of becoming a Video-Intensive Practice.
For years, many have heard me speak or read here in this blog about the importance of the video message on your web site. It is a way of letting people have access to the doctor during the “shopping” stage instead of at the end. This is different from just having video produced for your front page. Making this distinction is what makes a Video-Intensive Practice seem more accessible. How much more excited will be people be to meet Dr. Cuzalina or Dr. Koelher after seeing this new web site at TulsaSurgicalArts.com. It is not just video, it is the choice to put a certain kind of video at a certain place. Video-Intensive Practices will gain advantages with this sort of tactic.
There are other places where opinions are formed and influenced. Dog Star Media now provides options for using video in these key places. In the next week, or so, you will all receive information on our new In-Office DVD series for surgeons and for dentists. These are key to influencing patients who already trust you and creating an upselling environment by presenting new possibilities for service without the pressure of the sales conversation. Another way is to influence people with video at the point of referral. Our post-surgical DVDs are the perfect example of how to put key video at the point of referral.
We have positioned Dog Star Media to help Video-Intensive Practices with affordable and effective tools. If you are ready to become this sort of practice, you can start by examining your need at these three points: On the web site, in the reception room and at the point of referral. We can help you address all of these three areas in a very affordable way.
Why not begin to use video the right way and get on the path to becoming a Video-Intensive Practice?
Monday, May 5, 2008
New Web Site and a Teaser
What is the best way to start marketing a new practice? Ask our client Dave Thomas from Ohio. Here’s the answer: A few months before you open the doors, launch your web site and begin your Keyword SEO. This ensures that your new identity can be submitted to search engines and recognized on related keywords well before you need the web to start working for you.
Dr. Thomas opens his new clinic in July. But this new HTML web site: http://www.valleysurgicalarts.com gives him a few months head start for those searching for cosmetic surgery on the web. And, we know that is pretty much everyone who is searching for information on cosmetic surgery. So... Good choice.
Creating a web site can take some time and it is best to do it before you need it. The same is true for integrating all of your marketing steps into day to day operations for the practice. It all comes down to making sure marketing is not an extra thing to do. It should be part of your advanced planning and part of your regular operations.
So congratulations to Dr. Thomas and two doctors opening practices later in the year, Dr. Mike Thornton near Fort Worth, Texas and Baytown’s Dr. Edward Pina. All three of these doctors are starting early, putting in their infrastructure and making proper marketing preparations before opening their doors with a cosmetic practice. Dog Star Media coaching and design and video services are playing a part for all three and I have no doubt that they will get off to better starts because of it.
TEASER TIME:
The Cosmetic Channel™ is prepared to announce two of the new shows we are producing for Season 2. The first is a show on Facial Surgeries where Cristen Cobb, (named Dallas’ edgiest stylist by Allure Magazine) will create cut, color and style hair to compliment six different facial cosmetic surgeries. The show will discuss the makeover potential of each kind of facial surgery. Edgy, fun and stylish, this show will be shot live during the styling and will be hosted by The Cosmetic Channel™ host, Cynthia.
We also will be creating three variations on our most popular format of show, the Vlog show. These conversations shows will be shot with three LVI graduated Cosmetic Dentists. Each dentist brings a specific angle to the discussion which will give a unique content to each topic.
More new shows are coming! However, the big announcement is that Season 2 will be available for online video service and DVD at the same time. Season 1 shows are available now for office DVD, so check out what is available on TheCosmeticChannel.com
Dr. Thomas opens his new clinic in July. But this new HTML web site: http://www.valleysurgicalarts.com gives him a few months head start for those searching for cosmetic surgery on the web. And, we know that is pretty much everyone who is searching for information on cosmetic surgery. So... Good choice.
Creating a web site can take some time and it is best to do it before you need it. The same is true for integrating all of your marketing steps into day to day operations for the practice. It all comes down to making sure marketing is not an extra thing to do. It should be part of your advanced planning and part of your regular operations.
So congratulations to Dr. Thomas and two doctors opening practices later in the year, Dr. Mike Thornton near Fort Worth, Texas and Baytown’s Dr. Edward Pina. All three of these doctors are starting early, putting in their infrastructure and making proper marketing preparations before opening their doors with a cosmetic practice. Dog Star Media coaching and design and video services are playing a part for all three and I have no doubt that they will get off to better starts because of it.
TEASER TIME:
The Cosmetic Channel™ is prepared to announce two of the new shows we are producing for Season 2. The first is a show on Facial Surgeries where Cristen Cobb, (named Dallas’ edgiest stylist by Allure Magazine) will create cut, color and style hair to compliment six different facial cosmetic surgeries. The show will discuss the makeover potential of each kind of facial surgery. Edgy, fun and stylish, this show will be shot live during the styling and will be hosted by The Cosmetic Channel™ host, Cynthia.
We also will be creating three variations on our most popular format of show, the Vlog show. These conversations shows will be shot with three LVI graduated Cosmetic Dentists. Each dentist brings a specific angle to the discussion which will give a unique content to each topic.
More new shows are coming! However, the big announcement is that Season 2 will be available for online video service and DVD at the same time. Season 1 shows are available now for office DVD, so check out what is available on TheCosmeticChannel.com
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