One of the issues about using social networking as means of marketing is that it is very difficult for people to grasp how it works. If you think back, this is very similar to the Internet when it first became accessible to the masses. People could not understand how information was simply available. Where was it coming from? How is it organized? How can we find it? At first, even I remember there being this ethereal and not at all concrete feel to the Internet. Now, it is rock solid. If you are shopping for a holiday gift at a major retailer online, you feel like you may as well be in the store. The concreteness of the medium is established because we understand how it works.
Right now, people do not understand how social media works. There are power users but who are they and do they have any real value to you? The whole mobile aspect of social media makes it seem even more abstract. Ideas are flying into social media sites from all over, people are on the go. It is opinion, interpretation, reposted facts, verified news from legitimate sources... its everything and an abstraction all at the same time.
So how do we use this new format for information exchange for marketing purposes?
There are several ways but after playing with this for about six months, Dog Star Media now has recommended method. And guess what? It all goes back to the basic principles we teach on the flow of information. We have applied the same principles to communications and relationship building. In January, we will begin enrolling clients into a new Social Networking Communications strategy. It will include an integration of the benefits of Twitter, Facebook and Blog/Email marketing. This integrated strategy is based on the most successful examples of what we have witnessed from clients and others in the market of cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery.
Right now, we have a few more social-network-ready clients who are working through the first steps. For now, here is what you can do to get ready if you want to try it after the new year. Open Twitter and Facebook accounts if you do not have them already. Start a blog if you do not have one. You will need all three.
We will demystify social networking for you as we work through this strategy. Soon, you will see it just as you see the Internet, as a concrete way of passing your information along and attracting new business. If you are interested in more on our upcoming intergrated social networking strategy, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Last minute shopping
At this point, many of us have had that meeting with our accountants and bookkeepers about the tax picture for 2010. It’s a time of year when Dog Star Media has a lot of last minute holiday shoppers who are looking to spend now to get the marketing expense on this year’s books. If you are looking for a long-term benefit for a short-term expense, here are a few suggestions.
Mobile Web Site
I have written often this year about the emerging need for a mobile site. We have watched the percentage of mobile users rise on our clients’ sites all year long. A starter mobile site is affordable ($1000) and puts the most critical information about your practice into a mobile format. Additional pages cost $100 each and three before/after photos fit on a page.
Video Drops
Dog Star Media is known for video drops. These are the short snippets of video where the doctor appears on a transparent background that blends into the web site. In that 45 seconds or so, the doctor acts as a host for the web site. This is great for establishing a sense of personality and separating the doctor from the competition by making him/her more accessible. Four minutes of video drops are $4800. It is the ultimate way to begin building trust over the Internet.
New Web Site
Maybe a totally new look and feel is what you need to jumpstart your marketing. Web site redesigns bring you up to date and allow you to correct mistakes in your Internet strategy. Sites range from $5000-$12,300 at Dog Star Media and all work is custom.
Prepaid Contracts
It is not unusual for a client to pre-pay for a year of Search Engine Optimization or our Coaching program. Coaching is a $300/month program and SEO ranges from $300-$800 depending on the level of aggressiveness. Clients also prepay media contracts for radio and billboards at this time of year in the case of major writeoffs.
So, if you are looking for a way of getting long-term value for your short-term need to vent cash at the end of your tax year, please consider the many benefits you get from investing in your marketing and Internet infrastructure. We look forward to helping. If you want to discuss these or other services we offer, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Mobile Web Site
I have written often this year about the emerging need for a mobile site. We have watched the percentage of mobile users rise on our clients’ sites all year long. A starter mobile site is affordable ($1000) and puts the most critical information about your practice into a mobile format. Additional pages cost $100 each and three before/after photos fit on a page.
Video Drops
Dog Star Media is known for video drops. These are the short snippets of video where the doctor appears on a transparent background that blends into the web site. In that 45 seconds or so, the doctor acts as a host for the web site. This is great for establishing a sense of personality and separating the doctor from the competition by making him/her more accessible. Four minutes of video drops are $4800. It is the ultimate way to begin building trust over the Internet.
New Web Site
Maybe a totally new look and feel is what you need to jumpstart your marketing. Web site redesigns bring you up to date and allow you to correct mistakes in your Internet strategy. Sites range from $5000-$12,300 at Dog Star Media and all work is custom.
Prepaid Contracts
It is not unusual for a client to pre-pay for a year of Search Engine Optimization or our Coaching program. Coaching is a $300/month program and SEO ranges from $300-$800 depending on the level of aggressiveness. Clients also prepay media contracts for radio and billboards at this time of year in the case of major writeoffs.
So, if you are looking for a way of getting long-term value for your short-term need to vent cash at the end of your tax year, please consider the many benefits you get from investing in your marketing and Internet infrastructure. We look forward to helping. If you want to discuss these or other services we offer, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Monday, November 29, 2010
A Year Ago...
A year ago, Google added mobile web site statistics to the Analytics dashboard. Since then we have watched mobile traffic stats steadily climb upward on nearly all of our client’s web statistics. This time last year, a few sites we watched had 3-5% mobile use. Now, its hard to find a site that is trafficked less than 5% on mobile devices. And, most sites we watch are having between 7-12% traffic. I even saw one hit about 15% recently.
Nobody knows where the ceiling is going to be on mobile use. Highly reputable tech companies are forecasting compounding growth in mobile Internet use for the next several years. All indications are that more and more people will be using mobile devices for more and more Internet access. That is why we have seen a landrush of early adopters get some sort of mobile web sites this year.
A year from now, we will be talking about 20-25% site visits from mobile users. Right now we have some clients who have hundreds of mobile users visit their web sites each month. The period for early adoption is over. We are in the middle of the bell curve and if your site doesn’t fully show or show well on mobile devices, your Internet strategy is leaking.
There are four weeks left in the year. Why not say you are going into 2011 ready for all the mobile users. Dog Star Media makes mobile sites affordable and easy to get launched. No additional servers are needed, only a specially developed site that works best on mobile devices. If you have video, we can make it play on your mobile site where it will not play on your standard web site. Dog Star mobile sites start at $1000 for a 7-page starter site. Those 7 pages are the most important pages from your standard site, reformatted for best presentation on mobile devices.
Here is a great test. Just look up your web site on a mobile device. If you have to size it, scroll all over to get it to display all your content, can’t see your Flash, can’t see your video or have to wait forever for your graphics to load on your phone, just know, that is how everyone looking on mobile devices is seeing your site. You are probably paying for those visits somehow and every bad visit is marketing money wasted.
We want to encourage all our clients and prospects to make this your last important marketing purchase of 2010. Even if you do it in December, you can say your got your mobile site at the early stages of the mobile boom and that your 2011 Internet Strategy can be seen well by everyone. To get your mobile web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Nobody knows where the ceiling is going to be on mobile use. Highly reputable tech companies are forecasting compounding growth in mobile Internet use for the next several years. All indications are that more and more people will be using mobile devices for more and more Internet access. That is why we have seen a landrush of early adopters get some sort of mobile web sites this year.
A year from now, we will be talking about 20-25% site visits from mobile users. Right now we have some clients who have hundreds of mobile users visit their web sites each month. The period for early adoption is over. We are in the middle of the bell curve and if your site doesn’t fully show or show well on mobile devices, your Internet strategy is leaking.
There are four weeks left in the year. Why not say you are going into 2011 ready for all the mobile users. Dog Star Media makes mobile sites affordable and easy to get launched. No additional servers are needed, only a specially developed site that works best on mobile devices. If you have video, we can make it play on your mobile site where it will not play on your standard web site. Dog Star mobile sites start at $1000 for a 7-page starter site. Those 7 pages are the most important pages from your standard site, reformatted for best presentation on mobile devices.
Here is a great test. Just look up your web site on a mobile device. If you have to size it, scroll all over to get it to display all your content, can’t see your Flash, can’t see your video or have to wait forever for your graphics to load on your phone, just know, that is how everyone looking on mobile devices is seeing your site. You are probably paying for those visits somehow and every bad visit is marketing money wasted.
We want to encourage all our clients and prospects to make this your last important marketing purchase of 2010. Even if you do it in December, you can say your got your mobile site at the early stages of the mobile boom and that your 2011 Internet Strategy can be seen well by everyone. To get your mobile web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Its all about numbers
It was great meeting a new group of cosmetic surgeons last weekend in Tulsa. The presentation I made on marketing went over pretty well, so I thought I would share the subject here, too. It is about using metrics in your marketing.
If you know good benchmarks and how to interpret them, metrics are the key to success. If you don’t measure and you don’t pay attention to your metrics, you are taking a huge risk with your cashflow and with the future of your business.
My presentation was called “It’s a Numbers Game.” In it, I identified six key numbers business owners should know. They are: 45, 3, 2, 50, 1 and 0. Here is why these numbers are important.
45 - As in 45 seconds. This is the length of a quality incoming call. Anything less is a low-value exchange of information or no exchange at all. The tool required to measure incoming calls is a tracking phone number. Tracking numbers let your record all details of your incoming calls form unique placements (web site, print ad, etc.)
3 - As in 3 page views. On a cosmetic surgery or dentistry web site, this is the minimum average number of page views you want people to see. An average of 3 tells us that longer visits are occurring among interested users. Why? Because of your bounce rate. We will get to that.
2 - As in 2 minutes. This is the minimum average length of time users should be spending on your web site. An average of less than two minutes usually correllates with a low number of page views and a high bounce rate, which means... sorry... time for a web site redesign. People are not liking what they find if they are leaving so quickly.
50 - As in 50% Bounce Rate. A bounce is when someone comes to your web site, sees the first page and leaves. 50% is the maximum bounce rate you should see. The lower it is the better but statistics show that 50% is very common. That is why we want to state it as a maximum acceptable bounce rate. You should be doing better.
1 - As in 1 First Impression. That’s all you get. So if the first impression someone sees is your web site, make sure it is a good one and make sure it accounts for the hardware they are using. Standard web sites are not made for mobile devices and if you make someone fight through your standard web site on a mobile device, you are not making much of a first impression. And, if your Flash and video cannot be seen on mobile devices, you are probably making a bad first impression. If you care about every first impression, you should have a mobile web site backing you up on this one.
0 - As in 0 Growth. If you do not measure your marketing results, this is what you are likely to get. The only way to really be successful in marketing is by understanding the productivity of all the elements of your marketing plan. With the advice I give in this blog, you at least have some benchmarks and tools identified.
If you need help with any of the above or want to start measuring your marketing, add a mobile site or begin using tracking numbers, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. I look forward to helping you.
If you know good benchmarks and how to interpret them, metrics are the key to success. If you don’t measure and you don’t pay attention to your metrics, you are taking a huge risk with your cashflow and with the future of your business.
My presentation was called “It’s a Numbers Game.” In it, I identified six key numbers business owners should know. They are: 45, 3, 2, 50, 1 and 0. Here is why these numbers are important.
45 - As in 45 seconds. This is the length of a quality incoming call. Anything less is a low-value exchange of information or no exchange at all. The tool required to measure incoming calls is a tracking phone number. Tracking numbers let your record all details of your incoming calls form unique placements (web site, print ad, etc.)
3 - As in 3 page views. On a cosmetic surgery or dentistry web site, this is the minimum average number of page views you want people to see. An average of 3 tells us that longer visits are occurring among interested users. Why? Because of your bounce rate. We will get to that.
2 - As in 2 minutes. This is the minimum average length of time users should be spending on your web site. An average of less than two minutes usually correllates with a low number of page views and a high bounce rate, which means... sorry... time for a web site redesign. People are not liking what they find if they are leaving so quickly.
50 - As in 50% Bounce Rate. A bounce is when someone comes to your web site, sees the first page and leaves. 50% is the maximum bounce rate you should see. The lower it is the better but statistics show that 50% is very common. That is why we want to state it as a maximum acceptable bounce rate. You should be doing better.
1 - As in 1 First Impression. That’s all you get. So if the first impression someone sees is your web site, make sure it is a good one and make sure it accounts for the hardware they are using. Standard web sites are not made for mobile devices and if you make someone fight through your standard web site on a mobile device, you are not making much of a first impression. And, if your Flash and video cannot be seen on mobile devices, you are probably making a bad first impression. If you care about every first impression, you should have a mobile web site backing you up on this one.
0 - As in 0 Growth. If you do not measure your marketing results, this is what you are likely to get. The only way to really be successful in marketing is by understanding the productivity of all the elements of your marketing plan. With the advice I give in this blog, you at least have some benchmarks and tools identified.
If you need help with any of the above or want to start measuring your marketing, add a mobile site or begin using tracking numbers, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. I look forward to helping you.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Not convinced about mobile use... read this.
We’ve had another spike of interest by clients regarding mobile web sites. Trends in mobile use continue to pick up steam, convincing stats are building and the discussion is brimming over once again. And, as we head down the stretch toward 2011, it’s a good idea to make sure that your mobile strategy is online and ready to play an important role in your overall Internet strategy.
It was just about a year ago that mobile use stats started showing up on Google Analytics. This put some serious light on mobile users. Among our clients, the early adopters jumped right in and we began producing our first mobile sites for cosmetic dentists and cosmetic surgeons in January. Their action was triggered by the very appearance of mobile stats. Early on, we formulated the opinion that, when your mobile traffic hit 5%, you needed to add a starter mobile strategy. And, if you hit 10% mobile traffic, you definitely needed a mobile presence in place. In the last 10 months we have watched most of our clients climb into the 10% range with some on their way to 15%. I am already being asked where this will top out. I think the better question is when this will top out and when it does what will the Internet look like.
So, here is what some others are saying about that.
In a June 2010 Forecast published by Cisco, it was noted that “Globally, mobile data traffic will double every year through 2014, increasing 39 times between 2009 and 2014. Mobile data traffic will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 108 percent between 2009 and 2014, reaching 3.6 exabytes per month by 2014.”
And, in a very interesting marketing conversation on Twitter last week via MarketingProfs, guest expert Christina Kerley made some very good points about the acceptance of mobile technology. Here are a few gold nuggets she dropped:
“CKsays
And here's a neat stat: Twitter grew 40mm users from Apr-Sept. Main reason? Users can access via their mobile twitter apps!”
“CKsays
3.4 billion (BILLION) ppl on mobile. And their phones are always on them. For comparison? Facebook accounts? 500 million.”
“CKsays
This is KEY: Within 3-5 years, mobile devices will be the FIRST screen for users accessing the Web. That's not far off folks”
These comments about acceptance are staggering. CK’s forecast and the Cisco forecast are in line. Think about what is needed for the mobile screen to be the first screen (aka the preferred screen) for users accessing the web. The hardware must be pervasive. Using that technology must be hands-down more convenient. And, use of that hardware must be socially acceptable. If you haven’t noticed, most of us are already there. We are only waiting for the Internet content to catch up with us.
Right now, one of my favorite commercials is the “Really?” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-mo_Qpy6eM
This pokes fun at the fact that mobile surfing is not socially acceptable yet. It’s funny because most of us see folks like this every day and may even be that way ourselves. But, this ad is also a shot across the bow because it indicates that we are working on the social acceptance factor. Pervasive mobile technology... check. Coming social acceptance... check. So, are you working on making your Internet presence hands-down more convenient? You better be.
The fact is, for most businesses, your web site is the first impression you make on potential new business. You mess that up and it’s easy for them to move on to a competitor. The wave is already cresting and it’s not going to stop for several years. That wave of mobile users is going to get higher and higher. Early adopters are there already. If your business does not have a mobile site by... say... today... then you are either in the middle of the bell curve or you are a late adopter. Hopefully, you are not a resister. So, how do you determine the damage of waiting? Here is a quick guide:
1) If you have Flash on your web site, it cannot be read on iPhones. iPhones make up a large share of the mobile market and the conflict over Flash has been well documented. If you saw the release of the iPhone Skyfire ap as a work around, read the fine print. Skyfire works only on Flash video, not Flash. Your take-away here is that the Flash on your standard site is problematic in mobile use.
2) Orientation. Standard sites are landscape-oriented. Mobile devices are portrait orientation. Sure you can size and scroll and turn your phone over, then resize... Boy, that’s a lot of work compared to a site that displays a site that is ideal for a mobile device. Your takeaway: One size does not fit all. Your site should be designed for the hardware used.
3) Graphics. Mobile sites are less graphic and more geared to navigation on mobile devices. We see a tremendous increase in time spent on site for mobile users in our clients’ pre-mobile site stats. These are understanding users who are willing to wait on a cumbersome download just because they like using their phone. This good will is going to start running out as more and more sites load faster, easier and work better on mobile. Your takeway: Get ahead of the curve because this is a survival of the fittest issue. If your site is not as good as others on mobile devices, you are going to lose the interest of mobile users. These are the people you are spending your marketing dollars to attract... and stats show most are more likely using mobile devices more often... and longer.
Like I tell clients and prospects all the time, you don’t have to listen to me about mobile devices. Just pull out your mobile device and look up your web site. Does it load right away? Does it fit on your smart phone? Do you see areas that aren’t loading? Is your video playing? If yes, congratulations for being an early adopter. If no, watch out for that wave. It‘s big enough to capsize an ocean liner.
If you are ready to add a mobile site to your Internet strategy, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We look forward to helping you.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Great New Web Site
Congratulations to David Buck, DDS on his new web site GoodSleepSeattle.com. This new site is designed to address the obstructive sleep apnea marketing in Seattle. I love the choice. Nothing builds trust on the web like video of the doctor talking. It is as close to being in person as possible. This site was designed to have Dr. Buck walk you through the broad concepts related to the treatment and encourage people with these issues to contact him. Every page has video and supporting content that let’s viewers get more information. What a great way to brand Dr. Buck as an expert in this field! It is like an extended consultation... personal, informative and interesting.
I believe this format causes people to respond more confidently in choosing a doctor. The reason Dr. Buck chose this format is because of the clear response to the video he has on his existing TMJ site. He told me, over and again, new patients would reference the video he put on his web site (TMJSeattle.com). And, that video was meant for professional only! He said more people came in knowing he was an expert because he had portrayed that online.
This is not the first time I have heard such a thing. In fact, I hear it all the time. Video is simply the most compelling way to communicate. In the hands of a great video team, you can come off looking professional, speak concisely and communicate to the point in a way that works perfectly for the web. Dog Star Media has specialized in this from the early days of Flash Video and we are still leading the way on this as our clients are beginning to add more and more video like this to their web sites.
So, how are we launching this site? We are taking it out with a radio billboard campaign. This is a specially designed campaign designed to drive web traffic using a substantial volume of short radio buys to establish name recognition. This is a successful strategy used all over the country, including one of my clients who has been using it on local Sports radio station.
If you are interested in adding compelling video to your web site, redesigning your site so that it speaks to the audience clearly with video like this one does or are interested in our radio billboard campaign program, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
I believe this format causes people to respond more confidently in choosing a doctor. The reason Dr. Buck chose this format is because of the clear response to the video he has on his existing TMJ site. He told me, over and again, new patients would reference the video he put on his web site (TMJSeattle.com). And, that video was meant for professional only! He said more people came in knowing he was an expert because he had portrayed that online.
This is not the first time I have heard such a thing. In fact, I hear it all the time. Video is simply the most compelling way to communicate. In the hands of a great video team, you can come off looking professional, speak concisely and communicate to the point in a way that works perfectly for the web. Dog Star Media has specialized in this from the early days of Flash Video and we are still leading the way on this as our clients are beginning to add more and more video like this to their web sites.
So, how are we launching this site? We are taking it out with a radio billboard campaign. This is a specially designed campaign designed to drive web traffic using a substantial volume of short radio buys to establish name recognition. This is a successful strategy used all over the country, including one of my clients who has been using it on local Sports radio station.
If you are interested in adding compelling video to your web site, redesigning your site so that it speaks to the audience clearly with video like this one does or are interested in our radio billboard campaign program, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
What advertising is telling us
Advertising is a great indicator of what is ahead. You just have to listen carefully to what is being said and how it is being said.
There is a significant shift in tone over the past few months in many of the broadcast ads I am seeing and hearing. For a long time now, ads have focused on promoting value. This is because in an economy with restricted cash flow, nearly everybody is focused on getting the best value for their dollar. This mirrors what we have been experiencing for the past few years. Value, low prices, package offers... those have been the hallmarks of much of the advertising I have observed over the past few years. In general, it focuses on a dollar figure and positions that dollar figure as a great value, even if it has to compare it directly to a competitor. This sort of advertising in a restricted economy promotes a knife-fight for every available dollar... or so it feels.
However, lately, I have noticed an important shift in the focus of advertising lately. I am beginning to hear more and more ads focusing on quality, rather than price. I even heard one ad for a major car company that was exclusively about loving the product. So what does this mean?
It means that the more aggressive competitors are seizing improving conditions and striking out with a move designed to grab more market share. While the more conservative elements stick to the low-price, focus on the dollar sort of ads that were necessitated by The Recession, the more aggressive and more plugged-in players are changing the conversation back to something they can use for an advantage.
We are seeing this with our clients as well. Over the past several weeks, we have had several orders for new web sites, particularly ones with video. In fact, we have had more video discussions with dentists and surgeons over the last month than we have had any time in the last 18 months. Why is that? Just like the more aggressive players are returning to advertising and positions more focused on quality, our more aggressive clients are, too. And, video is the best way to separate yourself from competitors online.
So, what is advertising telling us? It is giving us a hint that its ok to begin returning to a more impactful presentation on the web and trying to separate yourself from competitors, not by price/value, but by quality/value. And, for you, there is more money in that.
If you are interested in making a dramatic move back to an aggressive presentation online, please email me about adding video to your web site or redesigning your site entirely. Please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com for help.
There is a significant shift in tone over the past few months in many of the broadcast ads I am seeing and hearing. For a long time now, ads have focused on promoting value. This is because in an economy with restricted cash flow, nearly everybody is focused on getting the best value for their dollar. This mirrors what we have been experiencing for the past few years. Value, low prices, package offers... those have been the hallmarks of much of the advertising I have observed over the past few years. In general, it focuses on a dollar figure and positions that dollar figure as a great value, even if it has to compare it directly to a competitor. This sort of advertising in a restricted economy promotes a knife-fight for every available dollar... or so it feels.
However, lately, I have noticed an important shift in the focus of advertising lately. I am beginning to hear more and more ads focusing on quality, rather than price. I even heard one ad for a major car company that was exclusively about loving the product. So what does this mean?
It means that the more aggressive competitors are seizing improving conditions and striking out with a move designed to grab more market share. While the more conservative elements stick to the low-price, focus on the dollar sort of ads that were necessitated by The Recession, the more aggressive and more plugged-in players are changing the conversation back to something they can use for an advantage.
We are seeing this with our clients as well. Over the past several weeks, we have had several orders for new web sites, particularly ones with video. In fact, we have had more video discussions with dentists and surgeons over the last month than we have had any time in the last 18 months. Why is that? Just like the more aggressive players are returning to advertising and positions more focused on quality, our more aggressive clients are, too. And, video is the best way to separate yourself from competitors online.
So, what is advertising telling us? It is giving us a hint that its ok to begin returning to a more impactful presentation on the web and trying to separate yourself from competitors, not by price/value, but by quality/value. And, for you, there is more money in that.
If you are interested in making a dramatic move back to an aggressive presentation online, please email me about adding video to your web site or redesigning your site entirely. Please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com for help.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
It’s in the details
I have had numerous meetings lately with prospective clients that have wanted to change their marketing strategies. Some want to retool their web site to make it more competitive. Some want to put together campaigns that work and some still are looking for the magic bullet. I listen to their concerns and, of course, we talk about addressing their main issues but it seems that they all have one thing in common: They have no real idea how their current marketing purchases are performing because they are not tracking them properly.
This is the simplest, most inexpensive element of a marketing program and I am shocked at how many people do not track their results. And, I mean with tracking technologies, not by rigorous screening at the front desk or on some pre-consultation paperwork. Those methods invite human error when that is not necessary. A good question to ask a person is “Where do you remember seeing us?” That will give you a good idea of what elements of your marketing campaigns are most memorable which is good information. However, if you want REAL results, you have to use technologies.
I am talking about the kind of analytics you get with Google or a paid search campaign with a major company like ReachLocal. I am also talking about the easiest and least expensive method of measuring production... tracking telephone numbers. Tracking phone numbers are unique numbers tied to tracking technology that allow you to measure all the details of a phone calls coming from a specific media placement. You get call volume, length of call, answered/not answered/ Caller ID and you can record the calls. Spending 15-20 minutes every few weeks reviewing these statistics is the key to understanding what is really going on in your campaigns... all the way to how the phone is being answered.
Everybody talks about ROI and rightly so. If you are doing it right, ROI is easy to figure: compare this year to last year. The sum total of what you did versus what you did the year before is the return you made on your overall effort in time and expense. That is how to measure ROI because it is all connected. The key to measuring performance and response is tracking technologies that tell you how each line item is performing. A well-managed plan has metrics available for all parts of the plan, benchmarks established for performance on each part of the plan and a marketing supervisor to analyze the results and react as needed. And, once this is in place, it is only a matter of moving the benchmarks up to move the needle into the black.
But none of this works without tracking technologies like tracking numbers. Our tracking numbers are $480/year. That’s $40/month! This is by far the least expensive and most important marketing tool we offer. I strongly suggest using this tool on all elements of your marketing plan. Reports are delivered to your email once per month but you can log onto a web site to see real time statistics any time. If you want to start marketing with the clarity of precise measurement, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com. You can have your tracking number in a matter of days.
This is the simplest, most inexpensive element of a marketing program and I am shocked at how many people do not track their results. And, I mean with tracking technologies, not by rigorous screening at the front desk or on some pre-consultation paperwork. Those methods invite human error when that is not necessary. A good question to ask a person is “Where do you remember seeing us?” That will give you a good idea of what elements of your marketing campaigns are most memorable which is good information. However, if you want REAL results, you have to use technologies.
I am talking about the kind of analytics you get with Google or a paid search campaign with a major company like ReachLocal. I am also talking about the easiest and least expensive method of measuring production... tracking telephone numbers. Tracking phone numbers are unique numbers tied to tracking technology that allow you to measure all the details of a phone calls coming from a specific media placement. You get call volume, length of call, answered/not answered/ Caller ID and you can record the calls. Spending 15-20 minutes every few weeks reviewing these statistics is the key to understanding what is really going on in your campaigns... all the way to how the phone is being answered.
Everybody talks about ROI and rightly so. If you are doing it right, ROI is easy to figure: compare this year to last year. The sum total of what you did versus what you did the year before is the return you made on your overall effort in time and expense. That is how to measure ROI because it is all connected. The key to measuring performance and response is tracking technologies that tell you how each line item is performing. A well-managed plan has metrics available for all parts of the plan, benchmarks established for performance on each part of the plan and a marketing supervisor to analyze the results and react as needed. And, once this is in place, it is only a matter of moving the benchmarks up to move the needle into the black.
But none of this works without tracking technologies like tracking numbers. Our tracking numbers are $480/year. That’s $40/month! This is by far the least expensive and most important marketing tool we offer. I strongly suggest using this tool on all elements of your marketing plan. Reports are delivered to your email once per month but you can log onto a web site to see real time statistics any time. If you want to start marketing with the clarity of precise measurement, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com. You can have your tracking number in a matter of days.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Importance of Being Decisive
I had a fantastic client meeting with a long-time client last week. I’m not going to name any names or many details because I do not want to give away any competitive advantages this client will soon have in his marketplace, but I will say...“Wow! That was refreshing!”
A little background first. Generally, in cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry, I have seen two major trends in the last five years: Wasteful extreme spending with little research prior to the Recession and an extreme 180-degree turn-and-run for traceable, web-based solutions during the Recession while every penny counted. However, in most cases, those decisions were made based on cashflow. In other words, both were emotional decisions based on how the business owner and market felt. Don’t get me wrong. That is legitimate factor in making marketing decisions. However, it is not the way solid business people make marketing decisions.
When a client or prospect comes to me with an idea, I offer evaluation based on proven marketing principles. Often times, this throws cold water on unfounded or bad ideas and I know I can be perceived as too conservative. And, I hear every possible flyer... for instance, buying mass media but not buying enough of it to make a difference, buying into a program that promotes another’s brand instead of the client’s brand and buying media or marketing strategies because friends or family are selling them... these are all common scenarios in which I try to take tactful, factual positions to discourage unless there is real merit. And, when I suggest courses of action, I offer strategies with proven benchmarks and track records for success. Of course, your mileage may vary even on the most proven strategies but with proven strategies, there are metrics and benchmarks to guide your evaluation. I bet 99% of those reading this blog see themselves in at least one of these scenarios at one point or another.... looking for the magic bullet that will finally work like a charm.
In general, this is the read-and-react world of small business marketing. I hear it every day, “I’m a doctor (or dentist), not a business man. I’m not trained for this.” Some listen to sensible, measurable strategies. Others do not for whatever reason. Most will not hire a consultant for a real analysis of the situation. And, fewer will do their own analysis. In a nutshell, what we see is most small businesses making less-than-well-thought-out decisions related to the direction of their business and, thus, the marketing of their businesses. I am shocked at how many practices build without doing a demographic and feasability study prior to opening doors or building a building. I am equally shocked at clients who invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in post-graduate education without determining a need for services related to their investment within their community. These are business decisions that ultimately affect marketing decisions. And, in the corporate world, all this thinking and analysis is called a Business Case and it is a good way to proceed.
So, what was so refreshing about the client meeting I had last week? This person came in and proceeded to tell me about the analysis he had done of his business over the past few years. Everything was measured and he took his practice trends into consideration, took market trends into consideration and the metrics of his own marketing into consideration and told me it had let to rock-solid business decisions about the future of his practice. The business analysis was professional, well-thought out and sensible. It was exactly the kind of analysis and decision-making I would have performed as a consultant. Citing his direction and telling me he was ready to commit to a plan that took him that way, he asked for my best advice on making his new strategy work. With such clear targets, it was easy to recommend a web-based strategy with a properly funded mass media traffic driver. What was refreshing? A client coming in with his own olid analysis, clear direction based on the analysis and sturdy on-going commitment at the proper level to make it successful. It all started with the client being decisive, a quality which came from his confidence in the analysis.
Yes, this is possible with small businesses. This client did it himself. In case you are reading this and wondering how you can do this, too, all you need is a real business analysis. You can ask us at Dog Star Media to read-and-react like most of our clients or you can ask us to start with a real analysis of your situation. It may be expensive to do right, but it will eliminate all the guess work on choosing good ideas. If you want help making solid marketing decisions for the short- and long-term, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
A little background first. Generally, in cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry, I have seen two major trends in the last five years: Wasteful extreme spending with little research prior to the Recession and an extreme 180-degree turn-and-run for traceable, web-based solutions during the Recession while every penny counted. However, in most cases, those decisions were made based on cashflow. In other words, both were emotional decisions based on how the business owner and market felt. Don’t get me wrong. That is legitimate factor in making marketing decisions. However, it is not the way solid business people make marketing decisions.
When a client or prospect comes to me with an idea, I offer evaluation based on proven marketing principles. Often times, this throws cold water on unfounded or bad ideas and I know I can be perceived as too conservative. And, I hear every possible flyer... for instance, buying mass media but not buying enough of it to make a difference, buying into a program that promotes another’s brand instead of the client’s brand and buying media or marketing strategies because friends or family are selling them... these are all common scenarios in which I try to take tactful, factual positions to discourage unless there is real merit. And, when I suggest courses of action, I offer strategies with proven benchmarks and track records for success. Of course, your mileage may vary even on the most proven strategies but with proven strategies, there are metrics and benchmarks to guide your evaluation. I bet 99% of those reading this blog see themselves in at least one of these scenarios at one point or another.... looking for the magic bullet that will finally work like a charm.
In general, this is the read-and-react world of small business marketing. I hear it every day, “I’m a doctor (or dentist), not a business man. I’m not trained for this.” Some listen to sensible, measurable strategies. Others do not for whatever reason. Most will not hire a consultant for a real analysis of the situation. And, fewer will do their own analysis. In a nutshell, what we see is most small businesses making less-than-well-thought-out decisions related to the direction of their business and, thus, the marketing of their businesses. I am shocked at how many practices build without doing a demographic and feasability study prior to opening doors or building a building. I am equally shocked at clients who invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in post-graduate education without determining a need for services related to their investment within their community. These are business decisions that ultimately affect marketing decisions. And, in the corporate world, all this thinking and analysis is called a Business Case and it is a good way to proceed.
So, what was so refreshing about the client meeting I had last week? This person came in and proceeded to tell me about the analysis he had done of his business over the past few years. Everything was measured and he took his practice trends into consideration, took market trends into consideration and the metrics of his own marketing into consideration and told me it had let to rock-solid business decisions about the future of his practice. The business analysis was professional, well-thought out and sensible. It was exactly the kind of analysis and decision-making I would have performed as a consultant. Citing his direction and telling me he was ready to commit to a plan that took him that way, he asked for my best advice on making his new strategy work. With such clear targets, it was easy to recommend a web-based strategy with a properly funded mass media traffic driver. What was refreshing? A client coming in with his own olid analysis, clear direction based on the analysis and sturdy on-going commitment at the proper level to make it successful. It all started with the client being decisive, a quality which came from his confidence in the analysis.
Yes, this is possible with small businesses. This client did it himself. In case you are reading this and wondering how you can do this, too, all you need is a real business analysis. You can ask us at Dog Star Media to read-and-react like most of our clients or you can ask us to start with a real analysis of your situation. It may be expensive to do right, but it will eliminate all the guess work on choosing good ideas. If you want help making solid marketing decisions for the short- and long-term, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
A basic principle that should not be overlooked
There is a lot of marketing activity going on right now, which is fairly typical for the elective surgical and dental markets. And, when people shop, they make decisions based on opinions. If you are doing it right, you solicit expert opinions and do your own research, then form a fact-based opinion on what to do. However, most people shoot from the hip without doing that. They see something someone else is doing and just jump. While you have to admire the willingness and initiative, that can be a formula for disaster. So, this time of year, I like to reach back to the basics in case anyone reading is about to make such a move. For the rest who are deliberating making decisions on what to do, here is an expert opinion that you can count on to help you make proper decisions.
All strategies at Dog Star Media are based on a simple communications principle we call the Flow of Information. All sales and marketing communications occur through a flow of information one way or another. And, when it does flow, these communications flow through a medium. Where people get into problems is when the wrong media is chosen for a certain kind of communication or a certain kind of medium is misunderstood or misrepresented, thereby creating unrealistic expectation. In short, if you are breaking down your information flow properly, then you are using the right tool for the right job.
Here are the three basics of communications as they relate to sales:
1) Media - When you put your message into a medium, it is conveyed one way: outwardly. You are projecting an idea. And, given that limitation, messages that are put into mediums must be crafted to produce the desired result. The biggest mistakes we see are the result of misunderstanding this.
2) Sales - The information in a sales communication is exchanged between parties. In other words, the information flows both ways, allowing for comprehension, analysis and reaction. So, we like to define the act of selling as the exchange of information leading to a resolution. This implies that somehow the sales conversation will be brought to a conclusion, Win/Win or No Deal.
3) Marketing - We consider marketing the proper balance of messages and media and sales communication. The balance is critical. It is the cocktail that produces measurable benchmarks which can then be adjusted. Also, we find that separating these terms makes people focus the above two definitions which are often highly misunderstood.
So, using these basics, you begin making decisions. Here is a typical scenario. Let’s say a doctor wants to buy a radio ad campaign. (I choose that because there seems to be a lot of interest in radio among our clients these days). Radio is a broadcast mass medium. Broadcast mass mediums on successful stations have several benefits, one of which is called Reach or the number of people who will be exposed to their signal over a period of time. Some may listen all day, some my just fly by the channel. Most industry professionals will confirm that most radio listeners listen for short bursts of time but do have good brand loyalty. In other words, when they listen, they typically listen to familiar stations regardless of the length. Sometime that length tends to be only a few minutes. You know how you listen to the radio. Just apply that to thousands of people all at once and you get an idea of what radio advertising offers.
Based on these principles, the way to be effective on broadcast mass media is to buy volume and sustain it over a long period of time. In other words, you increase the frequency and duration of your campaign are critical to your message being understood. Right there, you have a limiting factor that small businesses which require an adjustments: cost. Most small businesses cannot afford a saturation campaign, so if expectations cannot be set properly with what can be achieved with a small budget in this medium, the most most likely result is failure and resulting disappointment.
But, you REALLY want radio. So what do you do? You begin by understanding the flow of information with this medium. Radio listeners use their ears, there is nothing visual and a lot of this listening occurs while the listener is doing something else like driving, working out, working, etc. So it is more likely that a small drop of information is going to get through best due to the conditions under which the medium is used. Small, short, effective bursts of memorable information on radio can be very affordable if you buy it right. However, if you go in buying what is sold traditionally, such as a 60-second spot or 30-second spot, then the cost for the time is much more, thereby eating up your small business media budget and reducing your frequency. So, it is smarter to buy a higher volume of brief mentions so you can do the same on your budget with higher frequency. Now you are using this medium the way it was designed to be used for success. One more step in this hypothetical plan. The biggest mistake I see people making in radio spots is having a telephone call to action. Next time you are listening to a radio ad and you hear a random spot for a telephone number, try to remember the number ten minutes later. It’s much harder to remember a 7 or 10 digit number than it is to remember a memorable word, like a catchy domain name. By using short burst of radio spots to drive traffic to your web site, rather than call you, the likelihood of your radio campaign working for you improves dramatically. Why? Because you understand the nature of the one-way flow of information through that medium. Only a droplet is going to get through. Let’s make the droplet as memorable as possible and price the campaign to where you can get as many droplets as possible. Are you going to explain your whole practice or all the benefits? No, but you can do that in another medium where projecting all that information is appropriate for the medium.
This is only one common example. I see dozens every year. Understanding the flow of information and how it works with your choices of mediums is how you make good media choices. And, when you don’t rely on your media buys to do the selling (another HUGE mistake I see all the time), then you have a good balanced approach on how you can attract people, let them educate themselves to a degree, then join into the process and help them through the decision-making process of choosing you as their doctor or dentist.
The Flow of Information. It starts and ends there if you are going to be successful. If you think that your approach can be refocused using these principles and you need help in refining your marketing plan, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We will be happy to help.
All strategies at Dog Star Media are based on a simple communications principle we call the Flow of Information. All sales and marketing communications occur through a flow of information one way or another. And, when it does flow, these communications flow through a medium. Where people get into problems is when the wrong media is chosen for a certain kind of communication or a certain kind of medium is misunderstood or misrepresented, thereby creating unrealistic expectation. In short, if you are breaking down your information flow properly, then you are using the right tool for the right job.
Here are the three basics of communications as they relate to sales:
1) Media - When you put your message into a medium, it is conveyed one way: outwardly. You are projecting an idea. And, given that limitation, messages that are put into mediums must be crafted to produce the desired result. The biggest mistakes we see are the result of misunderstanding this.
2) Sales - The information in a sales communication is exchanged between parties. In other words, the information flows both ways, allowing for comprehension, analysis and reaction. So, we like to define the act of selling as the exchange of information leading to a resolution. This implies that somehow the sales conversation will be brought to a conclusion, Win/Win or No Deal.
3) Marketing - We consider marketing the proper balance of messages and media and sales communication. The balance is critical. It is the cocktail that produces measurable benchmarks which can then be adjusted. Also, we find that separating these terms makes people focus the above two definitions which are often highly misunderstood.
So, using these basics, you begin making decisions. Here is a typical scenario. Let’s say a doctor wants to buy a radio ad campaign. (I choose that because there seems to be a lot of interest in radio among our clients these days). Radio is a broadcast mass medium. Broadcast mass mediums on successful stations have several benefits, one of which is called Reach or the number of people who will be exposed to their signal over a period of time. Some may listen all day, some my just fly by the channel. Most industry professionals will confirm that most radio listeners listen for short bursts of time but do have good brand loyalty. In other words, when they listen, they typically listen to familiar stations regardless of the length. Sometime that length tends to be only a few minutes. You know how you listen to the radio. Just apply that to thousands of people all at once and you get an idea of what radio advertising offers.
Based on these principles, the way to be effective on broadcast mass media is to buy volume and sustain it over a long period of time. In other words, you increase the frequency and duration of your campaign are critical to your message being understood. Right there, you have a limiting factor that small businesses which require an adjustments: cost. Most small businesses cannot afford a saturation campaign, so if expectations cannot be set properly with what can be achieved with a small budget in this medium, the most most likely result is failure and resulting disappointment.
But, you REALLY want radio. So what do you do? You begin by understanding the flow of information with this medium. Radio listeners use their ears, there is nothing visual and a lot of this listening occurs while the listener is doing something else like driving, working out, working, etc. So it is more likely that a small drop of information is going to get through best due to the conditions under which the medium is used. Small, short, effective bursts of memorable information on radio can be very affordable if you buy it right. However, if you go in buying what is sold traditionally, such as a 60-second spot or 30-second spot, then the cost for the time is much more, thereby eating up your small business media budget and reducing your frequency. So, it is smarter to buy a higher volume of brief mentions so you can do the same on your budget with higher frequency. Now you are using this medium the way it was designed to be used for success. One more step in this hypothetical plan. The biggest mistake I see people making in radio spots is having a telephone call to action. Next time you are listening to a radio ad and you hear a random spot for a telephone number, try to remember the number ten minutes later. It’s much harder to remember a 7 or 10 digit number than it is to remember a memorable word, like a catchy domain name. By using short burst of radio spots to drive traffic to your web site, rather than call you, the likelihood of your radio campaign working for you improves dramatically. Why? Because you understand the nature of the one-way flow of information through that medium. Only a droplet is going to get through. Let’s make the droplet as memorable as possible and price the campaign to where you can get as many droplets as possible. Are you going to explain your whole practice or all the benefits? No, but you can do that in another medium where projecting all that information is appropriate for the medium.
This is only one common example. I see dozens every year. Understanding the flow of information and how it works with your choices of mediums is how you make good media choices. And, when you don’t rely on your media buys to do the selling (another HUGE mistake I see all the time), then you have a good balanced approach on how you can attract people, let them educate themselves to a degree, then join into the process and help them through the decision-making process of choosing you as their doctor or dentist.
The Flow of Information. It starts and ends there if you are going to be successful. If you think that your approach can be refocused using these principles and you need help in refining your marketing plan, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We will be happy to help.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
The Mobile Site Experience
I’ve written a lot this year about mobile web sites because it really is a big issue in Internet marketing these days. In the time and space allotted, I’ve been focused on the big reasons why its important to have a mobile version of your web site. The fact that mobile devices don’t play Flash and therefore do not play Flash video is a big reason to have a mobile site. Also, the fact that more than 50% of Internet traffic is conducted on mobile devices these days is a major reason to emphasize a mobile design a priority. The fact is that one size does not fit all anymore on the Internet. Mobile browsing is a major player and your standard web site does not fit.
Many people have responded and we have done a lot of mobile web sites this year. However, we are still seeing clients and prospects that need mobile sites delaying adding this important feature. So, I’ve decided to illustrate the benefits a little more clearly.
If you don’t have a mobile site and a mobile visitor comes to your web site...
1) Navigation is difficult.
A standard web site is designed for display on a larger screen. Therefore the navigation buttons are appropriately sized when the web site is on your computer screen, be it a laptop or desktop. At the size it was designed, it should be relatively easy and intuitive
2) Your orientation is wrong and your site does not present well.
Standard web sites are designed in a landscape orientation, meaning the longer aspect is horizontal. On mobile devices, the orientation is portrait, meaning the longer aspect is vertical. So, your mobile device either shrinks the presentation to meet the horizontal orientation or only displays part of the design. Both are bad first impressions. If your site has to be sized or otherwise finangled to be seen on a mobile device, you are really not making your site convenient to use for mobile users. And, if your site is shrunk or only partly displayed for mobile orientation, then certainly the whole navigation is not displayed. All of this results in a less than pleasing first impression. If you can afford to inconvenience web users who are trying to assess you as a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic dentist, then you can afford to show this bad first impression to mobile visitors. If you really want to be competitive for each visitor, then this is a big reason why you should make the minor investment in a mobile site.
3) You are not addressing the needs of the mobile user.
Search and use patterns on mobile devices are basically the same as desktop users of standard web sites. The only difference is that mobile users expect a new level of convenience. Of course, the Click to Call feature is the hallmark of mobile browsing. A mobile user expects to find what they want and immediately connect, either through voice or the phone’s mapping features. This makes the mobile user a little better of a marketing target because they are using a device on which they are more apt to connect. So, it is important to address their expectations. They expect the same thing a desktop user expects, a presentation made for easy use on the hardware they are using. They want a presentation that fits their device (orientation and size), they want easy to find information (navigation) and they want to be able to act (click to call, map). This is how mobile web sites are designed.
Here is quick test to see if you need a mobile web site to go with your standard site. Look up your site on an iPhone or Blackberry or Android. If you have to scroll, size or adjust in any way, if you have to wait forever for a graphics-heavy presentation to load, if your navigation is not apparent, if your Flash does not load, if your video does not play, you are making a good impression on the mobile browsers at all.
Mobile sites do not require any additional technology. They are inexpensive at only $1000 for a 7-page starter site. And, amending and adding to mobiles sites is easy.
Check out your web site on a mobile device. What you are seeing is what others see... many on a first impression. If you are ready to add a mobile web site to your Internet strategy, please email me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Many people have responded and we have done a lot of mobile web sites this year. However, we are still seeing clients and prospects that need mobile sites delaying adding this important feature. So, I’ve decided to illustrate the benefits a little more clearly.
If you don’t have a mobile site and a mobile visitor comes to your web site...
1) Navigation is difficult.
A standard web site is designed for display on a larger screen. Therefore the navigation buttons are appropriately sized when the web site is on your computer screen, be it a laptop or desktop. At the size it was designed, it should be relatively easy and intuitive
2) Your orientation is wrong and your site does not present well.
Standard web sites are designed in a landscape orientation, meaning the longer aspect is horizontal. On mobile devices, the orientation is portrait, meaning the longer aspect is vertical. So, your mobile device either shrinks the presentation to meet the horizontal orientation or only displays part of the design. Both are bad first impressions. If your site has to be sized or otherwise finangled to be seen on a mobile device, you are really not making your site convenient to use for mobile users. And, if your site is shrunk or only partly displayed for mobile orientation, then certainly the whole navigation is not displayed. All of this results in a less than pleasing first impression. If you can afford to inconvenience web users who are trying to assess you as a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic dentist, then you can afford to show this bad first impression to mobile visitors. If you really want to be competitive for each visitor, then this is a big reason why you should make the minor investment in a mobile site.
3) You are not addressing the needs of the mobile user.
Search and use patterns on mobile devices are basically the same as desktop users of standard web sites. The only difference is that mobile users expect a new level of convenience. Of course, the Click to Call feature is the hallmark of mobile browsing. A mobile user expects to find what they want and immediately connect, either through voice or the phone’s mapping features. This makes the mobile user a little better of a marketing target because they are using a device on which they are more apt to connect. So, it is important to address their expectations. They expect the same thing a desktop user expects, a presentation made for easy use on the hardware they are using. They want a presentation that fits their device (orientation and size), they want easy to find information (navigation) and they want to be able to act (click to call, map). This is how mobile web sites are designed.
Here is quick test to see if you need a mobile web site to go with your standard site. Look up your site on an iPhone or Blackberry or Android. If you have to scroll, size or adjust in any way, if you have to wait forever for a graphics-heavy presentation to load, if your navigation is not apparent, if your Flash does not load, if your video does not play, you are making a good impression on the mobile browsers at all.
Mobile sites do not require any additional technology. They are inexpensive at only $1000 for a 7-page starter site. And, amending and adding to mobiles sites is easy.
Check out your web site on a mobile device. What you are seeing is what others see... many on a first impression. If you are ready to add a mobile web site to your Internet strategy, please email me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
So, The Recession is over. Now what?
Yesterday, the government announced The Recession is over. Now what?
Although this announcement is based on macro-level statistics and you might not be feeling a significant change right now in your local area, it is a sign that things are moving in the right direction. So, in the past few years, you’ve made your adjustments, sharpened your sword to survive the downturn and learned some new tricks. So, when conditions improve, what do you do?
The best suggestion I have is NOT to return to old habits. The biggest change I noticed our clients making was a headlong plunge into measurable marketing purchases. The days of big purchases without tracking ended... finally. There was a big migration toward paid search because it is web-based and fully measurable. And, most importantly, there was a mass adoption of tracking telephone numbers for use in print ads, television ads, web sites and more. This new habit of tracking... it’s a good one that should be maintained no matter where the new economy goes.
Matter of fact, I think it’s irresponsible if you are not using tracking numbers. Why would you not want to know the results of incoming calls? Not only do they measure the volume of responses from a particular placement but the technology behind the numbers offers a massive amount of information. In fact, most of our clients who use tracking numbers record the calls and listen to how their front desk is handling the calls. Now that is a great way to manage that area of communications in your practice or business!
As things improve, I am spending a lot of time encouraging anyone who will listen to keep their eye on the ball when it comes to tracking technologies. When you have a long period of time, like this Recession, where you have had to buckle down, fatigue sets in. When you have a financial threat or downturn, a natural reaction is to bunker down and head for a degree of safety, which tracking technologies provide in the form of details and information. So, when the dust settles and you begin to feel comfortable again, a possible reaction is to relax. I know I am keeping my clients on point during this time, so I am speaking to you readers who are not regular clients here: Don’t quit using measuring technologies like tracking numbers and if you aren’t using them, start now!
Tracking numbers are the least expensive and most valuable marketing tool out there. The cost for one of our tracking numbers works out to $40/month/number. That is a ridiculously low cost to measure hundreds or thousands of dollars of marketing efforts each month. Tracking numbers are unique numbers tied to specific tracking technology to use for measuring marketing results. They are easy to use and can be used anywhere. Place a unique number in a print ad, a television ad, on your web site, on a direct mailer... you will find out exactly who calls from that piece and what happened on that call.
This attention to detail and use of technology should become part of your post-Recession marketing plan. The smart businesses have stepped up to rely on this sort of technology and information for smart decision making. If you would like to try tracking telephone numbers for your marketing, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We can get you set up in a matter of days and you can REALLY know what is going on with your marketing.
Although this announcement is based on macro-level statistics and you might not be feeling a significant change right now in your local area, it is a sign that things are moving in the right direction. So, in the past few years, you’ve made your adjustments, sharpened your sword to survive the downturn and learned some new tricks. So, when conditions improve, what do you do?
The best suggestion I have is NOT to return to old habits. The biggest change I noticed our clients making was a headlong plunge into measurable marketing purchases. The days of big purchases without tracking ended... finally. There was a big migration toward paid search because it is web-based and fully measurable. And, most importantly, there was a mass adoption of tracking telephone numbers for use in print ads, television ads, web sites and more. This new habit of tracking... it’s a good one that should be maintained no matter where the new economy goes.
Matter of fact, I think it’s irresponsible if you are not using tracking numbers. Why would you not want to know the results of incoming calls? Not only do they measure the volume of responses from a particular placement but the technology behind the numbers offers a massive amount of information. In fact, most of our clients who use tracking numbers record the calls and listen to how their front desk is handling the calls. Now that is a great way to manage that area of communications in your practice or business!
As things improve, I am spending a lot of time encouraging anyone who will listen to keep their eye on the ball when it comes to tracking technologies. When you have a long period of time, like this Recession, where you have had to buckle down, fatigue sets in. When you have a financial threat or downturn, a natural reaction is to bunker down and head for a degree of safety, which tracking technologies provide in the form of details and information. So, when the dust settles and you begin to feel comfortable again, a possible reaction is to relax. I know I am keeping my clients on point during this time, so I am speaking to you readers who are not regular clients here: Don’t quit using measuring technologies like tracking numbers and if you aren’t using them, start now!
Tracking numbers are the least expensive and most valuable marketing tool out there. The cost for one of our tracking numbers works out to $40/month/number. That is a ridiculously low cost to measure hundreds or thousands of dollars of marketing efforts each month. Tracking numbers are unique numbers tied to specific tracking technology to use for measuring marketing results. They are easy to use and can be used anywhere. Place a unique number in a print ad, a television ad, on your web site, on a direct mailer... you will find out exactly who calls from that piece and what happened on that call.
This attention to detail and use of technology should become part of your post-Recession marketing plan. The smart businesses have stepped up to rely on this sort of technology and information for smart decision making. If you would like to try tracking telephone numbers for your marketing, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We can get you set up in a matter of days and you can REALLY know what is going on with your marketing.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Attention: Social Media
Social media has taken a solid foothold in the world of marketing and its not going anywhere. The fact that Facebook and Twitter icons are showing up on television ads for major brands means we are past the tipping point. Social media is here to stay and its more than the mass adoption by Internet users that has caused this to happen.
The panacea of Facebook and the machine gun distribution of information on Twitter engage so many users that social networking-based media strategies are becoming a staple in most marketing plans. So, what makes a good social media strategy? A quick look at why television, radio, direct mail and other forms of advertising work reveals why.
If you boil down advertising and marketing to its most basic principles it is about one thing: getting a person’s attention. If you do it in a mass broadcast strategy you are trying to do it on a mass scale. If you do it on a one-to-one marketing format, you are using technology to get one person’s attention at a time. Here are a few examples:
Television: Television has been king now since the 60s. TV ads have the built-in strengths of visuals, sound and brevity. When you engage a lot of senses at once and you hit a quick single message, yes, your TV ad is going to work if you sustain your campaign.
Print: The Internet has clobbered print advertising lately because the Recession has everyone wanting to measure their marketing expenses more closely and the Internet does that better. However, there are some undeniable benefits of print related to gaining and keeping attention. It has staying power (keepability and passability), can be very visual and is subject to excellent design. I recently saw a print ad, an insert into Texas Monthly, that was simple black text on white paper folded into a booklet. It was the best insert I have ever seen, so much so I plan to use the concept for a future DSM piece. See, what happens with print? When we like it, we tend to keep it and that extends the shelf life of the benefit. It gets your attention according to its strengths.
Email Marketing: This database marketing method is the new direct mail. Why is it so effective? Sure it’s inexpensive but more importantly, it has two very effective web-based features. Email gets you into someone’s mainstream of communications and it does so without being too intrusive. One properly written subject line and you can get your nugget or offer in front of your targets fairly easily. For its strengths, it has the capability to get a person’s attention while their day is in progress.
So as we look at social media and ask the question how can it be best for marketing. The answer to that question starts with examining how social media best gets and keeps one’s attention. And, so it begins. By isolating the communications benefits of a medium, you can learn how to use it to get and keep attention. On my Dog Star Media Facebook, I have hundreds of followers. I have also friended many clients and prospects on Facebook and I watch what they post. And, only one or two are really using it right because most are forcing it. Using social media and using social media properly to achieve marketing goals are two different things. If you are scattershooting or blatantly promoting a special, you are not really using it properly. If you are building conversations and keeping people’s attention over a long period of time, the groundwork you are laying in social media will pay off both short-term and long term. Social media is like being at a party or a day in school. Lots of little storylines are going on and if you hear one you like (in other words it gets your attention), then you can opt in or stop down for more. By participating in the social element of the medium (which is how it helps people gain and keep attention), you are in position to use the medium to your advantage.
Can we help you figure out a way to use social media to your benefit? Sure. Will you participate properly to make it work for you? Only if you join in and understand how it connects people. And, that is what social media is all about. For more information on social media strategies, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
The panacea of Facebook and the machine gun distribution of information on Twitter engage so many users that social networking-based media strategies are becoming a staple in most marketing plans. So, what makes a good social media strategy? A quick look at why television, radio, direct mail and other forms of advertising work reveals why.
If you boil down advertising and marketing to its most basic principles it is about one thing: getting a person’s attention. If you do it in a mass broadcast strategy you are trying to do it on a mass scale. If you do it on a one-to-one marketing format, you are using technology to get one person’s attention at a time. Here are a few examples:
Television: Television has been king now since the 60s. TV ads have the built-in strengths of visuals, sound and brevity. When you engage a lot of senses at once and you hit a quick single message, yes, your TV ad is going to work if you sustain your campaign.
Print: The Internet has clobbered print advertising lately because the Recession has everyone wanting to measure their marketing expenses more closely and the Internet does that better. However, there are some undeniable benefits of print related to gaining and keeping attention. It has staying power (keepability and passability), can be very visual and is subject to excellent design. I recently saw a print ad, an insert into Texas Monthly, that was simple black text on white paper folded into a booklet. It was the best insert I have ever seen, so much so I plan to use the concept for a future DSM piece. See, what happens with print? When we like it, we tend to keep it and that extends the shelf life of the benefit. It gets your attention according to its strengths.
Email Marketing: This database marketing method is the new direct mail. Why is it so effective? Sure it’s inexpensive but more importantly, it has two very effective web-based features. Email gets you into someone’s mainstream of communications and it does so without being too intrusive. One properly written subject line and you can get your nugget or offer in front of your targets fairly easily. For its strengths, it has the capability to get a person’s attention while their day is in progress.
So as we look at social media and ask the question how can it be best for marketing. The answer to that question starts with examining how social media best gets and keeps one’s attention. And, so it begins. By isolating the communications benefits of a medium, you can learn how to use it to get and keep attention. On my Dog Star Media Facebook, I have hundreds of followers. I have also friended many clients and prospects on Facebook and I watch what they post. And, only one or two are really using it right because most are forcing it. Using social media and using social media properly to achieve marketing goals are two different things. If you are scattershooting or blatantly promoting a special, you are not really using it properly. If you are building conversations and keeping people’s attention over a long period of time, the groundwork you are laying in social media will pay off both short-term and long term. Social media is like being at a party or a day in school. Lots of little storylines are going on and if you hear one you like (in other words it gets your attention), then you can opt in or stop down for more. By participating in the social element of the medium (which is how it helps people gain and keep attention), you are in position to use the medium to your advantage.
Can we help you figure out a way to use social media to your benefit? Sure. Will you participate properly to make it work for you? Only if you join in and understand how it connects people. And, that is what social media is all about. For more information on social media strategies, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Back to Business: Mobile sites are necessary
I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. Now, it time to get back to business for the last big push of 2010. Typically, it is this time of year that we see a lot of strategy changes and additions of new strategies. At the same time, we are seeing a steady rise in mobile web site traffic. So, if this is not on your radar right now, you need to check out how your site looks on an Iphone or any other mobile device.
Here are three great reasons to make a mobile web site part of your September push.
1) Make the best first impression on everybody. Flash and Flash video do not play on mobile devices and that is never going to happen. If you rely on Flash to make a certain aesthetic impression on your web site, rest assured that it is only causing a bad first impression on a mobile device because it is not loading. Same for video. When we remaster your site into a mobile site, we account for this, including reprogramming your video to play.
2) Cost-effective solution. Making a mobile site is inexpensive and has no ongoing maintenance costs or additional costs whatsoever. The cost to get a starter mobile site is $1000 and it immediately solves the issue on all mobile devices.
3) Mobile traffic is increasing. The first stat that caught everyone’s attention late last year was that more than 50% of web traffic occurs on mobile devices now. The next stat that seemed to help everyone make sense of their mobile traffic is when we stated that at 5% mobile traffic, you should have at least a basic mobile site. Now, we are seeing most of our clients reaching up into the 5-10% mobile traffic range. Clearly this trend is taking hold and it is showing up all over on our cosmetic dentist and cosmetic surgeon clients.
So, are you ready to bring your Internet strategy up to speed with a mobile web site? When you have this, you can rest assured that no matter the device being used, your web presence will be making the best possible impression. And, right now, it is likely that 5-10% of your traffic might be seeing your site a lot better on their mobile devices.
If you are interested in a starter mobile web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
Here are three great reasons to make a mobile web site part of your September push.
1) Make the best first impression on everybody. Flash and Flash video do not play on mobile devices and that is never going to happen. If you rely on Flash to make a certain aesthetic impression on your web site, rest assured that it is only causing a bad first impression on a mobile device because it is not loading. Same for video. When we remaster your site into a mobile site, we account for this, including reprogramming your video to play.
2) Cost-effective solution. Making a mobile site is inexpensive and has no ongoing maintenance costs or additional costs whatsoever. The cost to get a starter mobile site is $1000 and it immediately solves the issue on all mobile devices.
3) Mobile traffic is increasing. The first stat that caught everyone’s attention late last year was that more than 50% of web traffic occurs on mobile devices now. The next stat that seemed to help everyone make sense of their mobile traffic is when we stated that at 5% mobile traffic, you should have at least a basic mobile site. Now, we are seeing most of our clients reaching up into the 5-10% mobile traffic range. Clearly this trend is taking hold and it is showing up all over on our cosmetic dentist and cosmetic surgeon clients.
So, are you ready to bring your Internet strategy up to speed with a mobile web site? When you have this, you can rest assured that no matter the device being used, your web presence will be making the best possible impression. And, right now, it is likely that 5-10% of your traffic might be seeing your site a lot better on their mobile devices.
If you are interested in a starter mobile web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The End of Free
This week, I have heard a lot about the fits and starts of the economy in my coaching appointments. With only a few notable examples, it seems that everybody is just seeing fewer searches, calls and consults. It’s a lot like the short slow down a lot of the market saw in May earlier this year.
However, yesterday, it was announced that consumer spending was up in July. Clearly, there is little pattern as the economy staggers forward. Even more clear is the fact that old established cycles are not emerging like they have in years past. So, being out of our comfortable patterns, it is important to avoid counterproductive choices just to keep your business rolling.
One way to do this is to eliminate the word FREE from your business vocabulary.
I am writing this today at the end of a summer-long promotion where we gave away four minutes of web drop video with each HTML/Flash web site. So, you see, I am as guilty as anyone who has recently “free” elements in selling new business. However, after reviewing the results, I have decided to take a stand against “free” and go back to what I know is an important marketing point: That being that “free” really conveys no value.
We had several new web sites sold this summer as part of our FREE web drop video promotion. The offer got a lot of conversations started and some web sites signed on. However, in the course of all the sales conversations about web sites, I determined that the free offer, although it was good for starting the conversation, was not a determining factor in whether or not the client chose to do their new web site with Dog Star Media. There might have been an isolated case here or there where this was a determining factor but I think overall, it was not.
I’m glad that those who bought on the special are getting this upgrade because I strongly believe that web drop video is one of the most competitive tools out there for a web site and that all cosmetic practices should have it on their site. However, I wonder if in doing a Free Video promotion, if I undercut the value of this for everyone else who is considering it. This is something you should consider when designing your marketing promotions. Many people who receive something for free never appreciate the true value of that service or object.
So, with the special ending today, I want to encourage all of you to reconsider what, if anything, you are giving away for free. Look at your patients and the responses you are getting and ask yourself if you are undercutting the value of some of your services by throwing them in as free. It is a hard habit to break so, I am going to go first here. When the free video special ends today... so does my use of free promotions. I will shoot them down with coaching clients when I see them and I will not be practicing them
So, let me tell you about the most valuable tool you can add to your web site if you are a cosmetic dentist or cosmetic surgeon. It is a video web drop. It is high value. Our price for such video, under my expert direction, is $1200/finished minute. And it is worth every penny.
If you are interested in adding video of yourself talking on your web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
However, yesterday, it was announced that consumer spending was up in July. Clearly, there is little pattern as the economy staggers forward. Even more clear is the fact that old established cycles are not emerging like they have in years past. So, being out of our comfortable patterns, it is important to avoid counterproductive choices just to keep your business rolling.
One way to do this is to eliminate the word FREE from your business vocabulary.
I am writing this today at the end of a summer-long promotion where we gave away four minutes of web drop video with each HTML/Flash web site. So, you see, I am as guilty as anyone who has recently “free” elements in selling new business. However, after reviewing the results, I have decided to take a stand against “free” and go back to what I know is an important marketing point: That being that “free” really conveys no value.
We had several new web sites sold this summer as part of our FREE web drop video promotion. The offer got a lot of conversations started and some web sites signed on. However, in the course of all the sales conversations about web sites, I determined that the free offer, although it was good for starting the conversation, was not a determining factor in whether or not the client chose to do their new web site with Dog Star Media. There might have been an isolated case here or there where this was a determining factor but I think overall, it was not.
I’m glad that those who bought on the special are getting this upgrade because I strongly believe that web drop video is one of the most competitive tools out there for a web site and that all cosmetic practices should have it on their site. However, I wonder if in doing a Free Video promotion, if I undercut the value of this for everyone else who is considering it. This is something you should consider when designing your marketing promotions. Many people who receive something for free never appreciate the true value of that service or object.
So, with the special ending today, I want to encourage all of you to reconsider what, if anything, you are giving away for free. Look at your patients and the responses you are getting and ask yourself if you are undercutting the value of some of your services by throwing them in as free. It is a hard habit to break so, I am going to go first here. When the free video special ends today... so does my use of free promotions. I will shoot them down with coaching clients when I see them and I will not be practicing them
So, let me tell you about the most valuable tool you can add to your web site if you are a cosmetic dentist or cosmetic surgeon. It is a video web drop. It is high value. Our price for such video, under my expert direction, is $1200/finished minute. And it is worth every penny.
If you are interested in adding video of yourself talking on your web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
New web site and a moment for thanks
Congratulations to Angela Blass, DDS on the launch of her redesigned web site SmileCentralIowa.com. This is an HTML site with Flash with a content manager and it looks fantastic. The goal, which I think was met very effectively, was create a site that portrayed dentistry performed in a spa-like environment.
A site like this is the best of both worlds. It has all the aesthetics of custom-designed site, has some Flash to establish a high-end look and feel and optimizes well due to the HTML nature of the site. This is the kind of site that about 85% of our cosmetic dentists and cosmetic surgeon clients order when designing a new web site. And, for those who are wanting to manage their own content, we can do that, too.
If you are considering a web site change this year, please remember our Summer Web Site Special has only 7 days left. If you order an HTML/Flash site like this one, you can receive 4 minutes of web drop video for FREE.
In addition to this site launch and reminder about the web site special, I wanted to take a moment to recognize our loyal Dog Star Media clients. One of the difficult parts of owning your own business is the feeling that you are responsible for all aspects of the business. This includes marketing and sales which are vital functions. However, these are vital functions that are not part of dental or medical training.
Every August, I try to stop for a while and think about who I have spoken to and what we have done this year. With the economy in fits and starts, very few have had smooth years and nearly all would say things are improving. That’s good. But I really admire how all of our clients survived the Recession and are strategically building their businesses again. And, all of this is occurring in a changing landscape
Our clients have become smarter over the last few years, sharpening their savvy on knowing what to measure, how to measure it and how to react to the results. (In other words, they took our advice on metrics much more to heart when it really counted.) For the most part, wasteful spending has been identified and eliminated. Nearly all our clients use our tracking telephone numbers to measure and monitor incoming calls to ensure productivity. In its second year, our SEO program has been a great success with most clients posting new traffic gains nearly every month. Our clients have made a major tactical change, many moving from a heavy reliance on mass media to a surgical approach on the Internet.
The speed at which our clients adapted and added mobile web sites has also been impressive this year. The need for this new feature for a complete Internet strategy really popped up over night earlier this year when Google started measuring mobile use on the Analytics dashboard. So far, mobile site orders at DSM have outpaced web site orders and that is a tribute to our clients being forward thinking and wanting to make the best first impression no matter how the user comes to the site.
This has also been the year of the web re-design. As I mentioned, the majority of our clients choose HTML/Flash sites so they can have it all: custom aesthetics and search-engine relevant content in HTML code. We have redesigned many web sites this year, many of those changes were driven by the client understanding his/her site user statistics and realizing that an HTML/Flash site could improve their traffic and responses.
I guess it comes down to the wisdom to change when change is needed. That is a great theme I have seen this year in our client base. And, putting that wisdom into effect takes some guts and fortitude. So, today, I want to thank our clients for having that fortitude and trusting us to help them reach their objectives.
If we can help you with any of these marketing or media strategies, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
A site like this is the best of both worlds. It has all the aesthetics of custom-designed site, has some Flash to establish a high-end look and feel and optimizes well due to the HTML nature of the site. This is the kind of site that about 85% of our cosmetic dentists and cosmetic surgeon clients order when designing a new web site. And, for those who are wanting to manage their own content, we can do that, too.
If you are considering a web site change this year, please remember our Summer Web Site Special has only 7 days left. If you order an HTML/Flash site like this one, you can receive 4 minutes of web drop video for FREE.
In addition to this site launch and reminder about the web site special, I wanted to take a moment to recognize our loyal Dog Star Media clients. One of the difficult parts of owning your own business is the feeling that you are responsible for all aspects of the business. This includes marketing and sales which are vital functions. However, these are vital functions that are not part of dental or medical training.
Every August, I try to stop for a while and think about who I have spoken to and what we have done this year. With the economy in fits and starts, very few have had smooth years and nearly all would say things are improving. That’s good. But I really admire how all of our clients survived the Recession and are strategically building their businesses again. And, all of this is occurring in a changing landscape
Our clients have become smarter over the last few years, sharpening their savvy on knowing what to measure, how to measure it and how to react to the results. (In other words, they took our advice on metrics much more to heart when it really counted.) For the most part, wasteful spending has been identified and eliminated. Nearly all our clients use our tracking telephone numbers to measure and monitor incoming calls to ensure productivity. In its second year, our SEO program has been a great success with most clients posting new traffic gains nearly every month. Our clients have made a major tactical change, many moving from a heavy reliance on mass media to a surgical approach on the Internet.
The speed at which our clients adapted and added mobile web sites has also been impressive this year. The need for this new feature for a complete Internet strategy really popped up over night earlier this year when Google started measuring mobile use on the Analytics dashboard. So far, mobile site orders at DSM have outpaced web site orders and that is a tribute to our clients being forward thinking and wanting to make the best first impression no matter how the user comes to the site.
This has also been the year of the web re-design. As I mentioned, the majority of our clients choose HTML/Flash sites so they can have it all: custom aesthetics and search-engine relevant content in HTML code. We have redesigned many web sites this year, many of those changes were driven by the client understanding his/her site user statistics and realizing that an HTML/Flash site could improve their traffic and responses.
I guess it comes down to the wisdom to change when change is needed. That is a great theme I have seen this year in our client base. And, putting that wisdom into effect takes some guts and fortitude. So, today, I want to thank our clients for having that fortitude and trusting us to help them reach their objectives.
If we can help you with any of these marketing or media strategies, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Summer Web Site Special.
By far, the most popular kind of site we produce is a combination of HTML and Flash. This sort of site has an HTML base for optimization, just enough Flash to add a higher level of aesthetic
Time is running out!
There are two weeks left in our Summer Web Site Special. For new Flash/HTML web sites ordered between June 1, 2010 and August 31, 2010, we offered 4 FREE minutes of web drop video at no additional cost. The four minutes of web drop video is a $4800 value and adds a remarkable image of difference to your web site. Video makes a vivid impression that cannot be duplicated in still photos and text. When you speak on video, your style, mannerisms, trustworthiness and genuine personality comes through while you speak. It is a much better first impression when done well and with such a first impression comes the beginnings of trust.
Here are examples of what this kind of site can be like:
http://www.lakecrestcosmeticsurgery.com
http://www.heartlandcosmeticsurgery.com/index.php
http://renewyou.com/
Video of the doctor is simply one of the strongest tools out there for differentiating yourself. This is exactly why we chose to put it on special this summer. Everyone wants it but for most who are redesigning their web site, it is a little out of reach financially. We wanted everyone taking the initiative to improve their web site with us this summer to be able to do so with the most benefits at an affordable price.
So, we decided to throw in the video on new Flash/HTML sites. If you are serious enough to commit to a site that optimizes well AND has the highest level of aesthetic while others were sleeping this summer, we wanted you to have all the benefits possible. With 14 days left, there is still time to take advantage of this deal. It will end on August 31, so if you are considering redesigning any time in 2010, you can save $4800 by just signing up with us to start before September 1.
There won’t be very many offers on web sites with this much added value. If you want to take advantage of our Summer Web Site Special and get the free video, just ask me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Time is running out!
There are two weeks left in our Summer Web Site Special. For new Flash/HTML web sites ordered between June 1, 2010 and August 31, 2010, we offered 4 FREE minutes of web drop video at no additional cost. The four minutes of web drop video is a $4800 value and adds a remarkable image of difference to your web site. Video makes a vivid impression that cannot be duplicated in still photos and text. When you speak on video, your style, mannerisms, trustworthiness and genuine personality comes through while you speak. It is a much better first impression when done well and with such a first impression comes the beginnings of trust.
Here are examples of what this kind of site can be like:
http://www.lakecrestcosmeticsurgery.com
http://www.heartlandcosmeticsurgery.com/index.php
http://renewyou.com/
Video of the doctor is simply one of the strongest tools out there for differentiating yourself. This is exactly why we chose to put it on special this summer. Everyone wants it but for most who are redesigning their web site, it is a little out of reach financially. We wanted everyone taking the initiative to improve their web site with us this summer to be able to do so with the most benefits at an affordable price.
So, we decided to throw in the video on new Flash/HTML sites. If you are serious enough to commit to a site that optimizes well AND has the highest level of aesthetic while others were sleeping this summer, we wanted you to have all the benefits possible. With 14 days left, there is still time to take advantage of this deal. It will end on August 31, so if you are considering redesigning any time in 2010, you can save $4800 by just signing up with us to start before September 1.
There won’t be very many offers on web sites with this much added value. If you want to take advantage of our Summer Web Site Special and get the free video, just ask me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Another Web Site Debut
We’d like to congratulate Dr. Mayli Davis on her new HTML/Flash web site. You can see it here at drmaylidavis.com. It’s a great blend of cosmetic surgery and ocular medicine and the look and feel connotes such a feminine touch. Good job, Dr. Davis.
Right now, there are a lot of web sites that are being redesigned. We are in the last few weeks of our Summer Special which offers 4 FREE minutes of web drop video ($4800 value) for any HTML/Flash web site like this one. The deadline to order your new web site in this special is August 31 and there has been a lot of interest.
It’s a Balancing Act
We are seeing an interesting swing back to the importance of design in the last several months. When things got tight about a year ago, everyone in the cosmetic surgery and dentistry markets seemed to put heavy emphasis on search placement and direct investments in traffic. For many it was necessary but, in the long run, it is causing an over-correction. As business is stabilized and new goals in sight, it seems there is a groundswell of interest in updating sites to make the look more competitive. This is great, too. But we are cautioning clients to try to maintain a balance this time and not do another over-correction. This time, let’s make great looking web sites that are highly competitive AND optimize AND convert new patients. This time let’s create a great balance of presentation and measurable strategies.
Tracking Numbers Half-Price
This is a great time of year to try our best measurement strategy. August is halfway through the billing year for tracking numbers which means they are half price ($240) due to the pro-rated cost schedule. The numbers renew at full price in February 2011 but you can try them until then for only $240/number. Tracking phone numbers are unique numbers that route directly to your number and can measure all details of your calls from a unique source, like a web site or an ad. This strategy is the best way to know who is calling and what is happening on those calls. It is the least expensive and most effective marketing measurement strategy we offer. If you are interested in trying our Tracking Number strategy at half the cost, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
If you are part of the wave that is redesigning and refocusing your web site, I highly suggest you take advantage of our Summer Special. Video is the most effective way of introducing the doctor to a broad audience and it is a great way to separate yourself from the competition. This is why we made it part of our Summer Special. If you want some brief comments on why video is so effective on cosmetic dental and medical web sites, just watch the first video on our web site, dogstarmedia.com. If you are interested in jumping on the Summer Special as we tick down the summer, please email me directly at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Right now, there are a lot of web sites that are being redesigned. We are in the last few weeks of our Summer Special which offers 4 FREE minutes of web drop video ($4800 value) for any HTML/Flash web site like this one. The deadline to order your new web site in this special is August 31 and there has been a lot of interest.
It’s a Balancing Act
We are seeing an interesting swing back to the importance of design in the last several months. When things got tight about a year ago, everyone in the cosmetic surgery and dentistry markets seemed to put heavy emphasis on search placement and direct investments in traffic. For many it was necessary but, in the long run, it is causing an over-correction. As business is stabilized and new goals in sight, it seems there is a groundswell of interest in updating sites to make the look more competitive. This is great, too. But we are cautioning clients to try to maintain a balance this time and not do another over-correction. This time, let’s make great looking web sites that are highly competitive AND optimize AND convert new patients. This time let’s create a great balance of presentation and measurable strategies.
Tracking Numbers Half-Price
This is a great time of year to try our best measurement strategy. August is halfway through the billing year for tracking numbers which means they are half price ($240) due to the pro-rated cost schedule. The numbers renew at full price in February 2011 but you can try them until then for only $240/number. Tracking phone numbers are unique numbers that route directly to your number and can measure all details of your calls from a unique source, like a web site or an ad. This strategy is the best way to know who is calling and what is happening on those calls. It is the least expensive and most effective marketing measurement strategy we offer. If you are interested in trying our Tracking Number strategy at half the cost, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
If you are part of the wave that is redesigning and refocusing your web site, I highly suggest you take advantage of our Summer Special. Video is the most effective way of introducing the doctor to a broad audience and it is a great way to separate yourself from the competition. This is why we made it part of our Summer Special. If you want some brief comments on why video is so effective on cosmetic dental and medical web sites, just watch the first video on our web site, dogstarmedia.com. If you are interested in jumping on the Summer Special as we tick down the summer, please email me directly at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
New web site by Dog Star Media
This is the 200th post for the Dog Star Media blog. Wow.
And, in this blog, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Benedict Olusola’s new web site, aralilecosmetics.com. This HTML/Flash web site is an excellent redesign, featuring cosmetic surgery services.
We are being bombarded with requests for new web sites. There is clearly a movement in that direction right now as we head into the fall. So, of course, Dog Star Media is expanding its capacity to handle this new influx of web site work. In fact, a lot is going to be changing in the coming weeks at Dog Star Media. My 200th blog is a great place to start the chatter about that. We are not ready to release any details but suffice it say, Dog Star Media is going to the next level. We have already released our re-concepting of The Cosmetic Channel™. Soon, you will see a new, wide range of services from Dog Star. New services, new team members... a lot to get excited about if you are a client.
But, for now, if you are among the many who want to redesign your web site, please contact me directly at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We look forward to helping you.
And, in this blog, I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Benedict Olusola’s new web site, aralilecosmetics.com. This HTML/Flash web site is an excellent redesign, featuring cosmetic surgery services.
We are being bombarded with requests for new web sites. There is clearly a movement in that direction right now as we head into the fall. So, of course, Dog Star Media is expanding its capacity to handle this new influx of web site work. In fact, a lot is going to be changing in the coming weeks at Dog Star Media. My 200th blog is a great place to start the chatter about that. We are not ready to release any details but suffice it say, Dog Star Media is going to the next level. We have already released our re-concepting of The Cosmetic Channel™. Soon, you will see a new, wide range of services from Dog Star. New services, new team members... a lot to get excited about if you are a client.
But, for now, if you are among the many who want to redesign your web site, please contact me directly at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We look forward to helping you.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
New Web Site and The Cosmetic Channel™
Well, it is suddenly a busy season for web sites. We have several that are finishing that are ready to debut and even more inquiries for web sites. Today, I’d like to congratulate Millennium Medical Spa on completing their website. You can see it here: anythingcosmetic.com. Most of the web sites we do these days are HTML/Flash blends like this.
Last week, I announced that we were re-tooling The Cosmetic Channel™. Just on the announcement alone, we had some forward thinking doctors and dentists contact us regarding uploading their videos onto the new Cosmetic Channel™. Here are a few more details. We plan to launch the new format by September 1 and all cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists will be able to upload their videos for free. If you have an office tour, an interview, television commercials, procedure videos or any other video talking about your services, skills or approach. If you have video that promotes your practice, you will want it posted and indexed on The Cosmetic Channel™.
The site is going to be a one-stop location for promotional video on elective cosmetic procedures, both medical and dental. Doctors will be able to set up and manage profiles, link directly to their web sites, add contact phone numbers and more. Videos will be linked to profiles but will be searchable in many ways including geographically and by procedure. It will be easy to use and users will be able to watch all kinds of details about procedures and doctors. It will be a great place to have your promotional video. And, the best part is that it is FREE to set up your profile and post your videos.
Next week, I will post more details but if you have video, email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com to be part of the beta test where we will be asking the first group of doctors to upload their videos. If you are among those who have already contacted me about this, you are on the list for the beta test.
Last week, I announced that we were re-tooling The Cosmetic Channel™. Just on the announcement alone, we had some forward thinking doctors and dentists contact us regarding uploading their videos onto the new Cosmetic Channel™. Here are a few more details. We plan to launch the new format by September 1 and all cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists will be able to upload their videos for free. If you have an office tour, an interview, television commercials, procedure videos or any other video talking about your services, skills or approach. If you have video that promotes your practice, you will want it posted and indexed on The Cosmetic Channel™.
The site is going to be a one-stop location for promotional video on elective cosmetic procedures, both medical and dental. Doctors will be able to set up and manage profiles, link directly to their web sites, add contact phone numbers and more. Videos will be linked to profiles but will be searchable in many ways including geographically and by procedure. It will be easy to use and users will be able to watch all kinds of details about procedures and doctors. It will be a great place to have your promotional video. And, the best part is that it is FREE to set up your profile and post your videos.
Next week, I will post more details but if you have video, email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com to be part of the beta test where we will be asking the first group of doctors to upload their videos. If you are among those who have already contacted me about this, you are on the list for the beta test.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The NEW Cosmetic Channel
In a few months, Dog Star Media is relaunching The Cosmetic Channel™ with a new concept that will bring even more benefit to our clients. Think YouTube™ for Cosmetic Surgery and Dental Procedures.... only with SEO and direct traffic benefits.
There will be no cost to list your video on TheCosmeticChannel.com. And, unlike YouTube™, The Cosmetic Channel™ will be exclusive to cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry. We are building in SEO benefits through backlinking and the direct traffic benefits of a major listing directory. And, of course, it will feature our educational video on cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery procedures.
This re-engineering of The Cosmetic Channel™ is based on the avalanche of video the elective medicine market has loaded onto YouTube™ and their web sites. We are sure that a directory site, based on video content, will be an excellent way for cosmetic surgeons and dentists to put their best foot forward on video and all benefit from creating such a specific repository of video.
Sure it will be a great educational resource but we want every listing to have the most marketing benefit as well. In short, The Cosmetic Channel™ will make it easier for users to find your video on the web. Take the most compelling media you have (video) and make it easier to find (specific search directory) and you improve your use of video for marketing your practice. This will provide more and better information on video to prospective patients searching for information on specific procedures.
Doctors will be searchable by geography and procedure and will be able to list web sites, phone numbers and email addresses. On The Cosmetic Channel™, there will be no jumping through hoops to get to a doctor. See a doctor you like, click to contact.
You can start now. Please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com if you have any of the following videos. We’d invite you to be the first listings on The Cosmetic Channel™ .
1) Videos on YouTube.
2) Videos on your web site,
3) Videos in your reception area
4) Videos on DVD that you give prospects or patients.
All of these will have a home on The New Cosmetic Channel™.
There will be no cost to list your video on TheCosmeticChannel.com. And, unlike YouTube™, The Cosmetic Channel™ will be exclusive to cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry. We are building in SEO benefits through backlinking and the direct traffic benefits of a major listing directory. And, of course, it will feature our educational video on cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery procedures.
This re-engineering of The Cosmetic Channel™ is based on the avalanche of video the elective medicine market has loaded onto YouTube™ and their web sites. We are sure that a directory site, based on video content, will be an excellent way for cosmetic surgeons and dentists to put their best foot forward on video and all benefit from creating such a specific repository of video.
Sure it will be a great educational resource but we want every listing to have the most marketing benefit as well. In short, The Cosmetic Channel™ will make it easier for users to find your video on the web. Take the most compelling media you have (video) and make it easier to find (specific search directory) and you improve your use of video for marketing your practice. This will provide more and better information on video to prospective patients searching for information on specific procedures.
Doctors will be searchable by geography and procedure and will be able to list web sites, phone numbers and email addresses. On The Cosmetic Channel™, there will be no jumping through hoops to get to a doctor. See a doctor you like, click to contact.
You can start now. Please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com if you have any of the following videos. We’d invite you to be the first listings on The Cosmetic Channel™ .
1) Videos on YouTube.
2) Videos on your web site,
3) Videos in your reception area
4) Videos on DVD that you give prospects or patients.
All of these will have a home on The New Cosmetic Channel™.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Getting serious about social networking
Yesterday, I was involved in a conference call with our local ReachLocal rep, Jessica Cooper, looking at a new product ReachLocal has rolled out related to social networking. Admittedly, this is a new medium that is changing at very rapid pace. It’s hard to get a hold of a strategy, learn how to work it and make it pay off before the next new thing comes along and changes the game. However, one thing is certain about social networking: it provides connections and connectivity can be fuel for some marketing strategies if you know how to use them.
On Facebook, which is one of the most dominant social networking sites, I see only a handful of cosmetic surgeons or cosmetic dentists actually working it. And, when I check in with them, they tell me that their efforts in social networking are resulting in better relationships and new business. Conversely, I see a lot of people trying halfheartedly and, worse, getting an account started and not participating. Clearly there is room for improvement here, market-wide.
Facebook, Twitter, blogs... these are all content driven ways to get new information on the web about your practice and the benefits of your services. In fact, you can use these mediums to marshall a lot of conversation, buzz and awareness if you have an organized approach to it. The reason why people are not doing it in mass yet is that they do not understand the new wave of communication on the Internet. So, here is a warning... If you think of the Internet as only web sites and email, you are looking at only the tip of the iceberg. There is a whole other, much bigger chunk of Internet usage floating below the surface.
The product (ReachCast) I saw from ReachLocal yesterday does two things as I can see it. It provides a platform for the use of social media with an easy to use dashboard for distributing and monitoring the effects of content on social mediums. In short, it is like a control panel that tells you how you are doing everywhere, not unlike stat reports from Google Analytics. In doing this, I think the real genius of the platform is revealed. It is easy for you, the consumer, to understand the value of social media as a marketing tool. I have found through years of introducing new ideas to my clients, that the biggest obstacle is the client’s lack of understanding of the value of a strategy. Social media is the example de jour right now. So many are not doing it or doing it poorly because they do not understand it. The ReachCast dashboard will help you understand the potential.
With that understanding in place, you just need to have strategies in place to use and manage content through the available channels. You add content. You measure. You react to what you learn. You add more content. And, so on, and so on. Dog Star Media has been waiting for a product like this to come along and streamline the use of social media so we can be an effective strategy and content provider. Now that this is in place, we are gearing up to be our clients’ content provider as a new service. Using the ReachCast platform, we will help guide clients through the everchanging landscape of social networking and help them use the Internet for marketing to its greatest potential.
Here is an example of the sort of detail you will get. “Hello, ReachCast people!” I know you are see me writing about you thanks to your Radar feature on your dashboard. This is how ReachCast users are able to track all mentions of their business on the Internet no matter where it shows. You can have this, too, to understand what is being said and written about you across all online medias.
This month, I will be talking to all my coaching clients about ReachCast this week. If this is something that interests you, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
On Facebook, which is one of the most dominant social networking sites, I see only a handful of cosmetic surgeons or cosmetic dentists actually working it. And, when I check in with them, they tell me that their efforts in social networking are resulting in better relationships and new business. Conversely, I see a lot of people trying halfheartedly and, worse, getting an account started and not participating. Clearly there is room for improvement here, market-wide.
Facebook, Twitter, blogs... these are all content driven ways to get new information on the web about your practice and the benefits of your services. In fact, you can use these mediums to marshall a lot of conversation, buzz and awareness if you have an organized approach to it. The reason why people are not doing it in mass yet is that they do not understand the new wave of communication on the Internet. So, here is a warning... If you think of the Internet as only web sites and email, you are looking at only the tip of the iceberg. There is a whole other, much bigger chunk of Internet usage floating below the surface.
The product (ReachCast) I saw from ReachLocal yesterday does two things as I can see it. It provides a platform for the use of social media with an easy to use dashboard for distributing and monitoring the effects of content on social mediums. In short, it is like a control panel that tells you how you are doing everywhere, not unlike stat reports from Google Analytics. In doing this, I think the real genius of the platform is revealed. It is easy for you, the consumer, to understand the value of social media as a marketing tool. I have found through years of introducing new ideas to my clients, that the biggest obstacle is the client’s lack of understanding of the value of a strategy. Social media is the example de jour right now. So many are not doing it or doing it poorly because they do not understand it. The ReachCast dashboard will help you understand the potential.
With that understanding in place, you just need to have strategies in place to use and manage content through the available channels. You add content. You measure. You react to what you learn. You add more content. And, so on, and so on. Dog Star Media has been waiting for a product like this to come along and streamline the use of social media so we can be an effective strategy and content provider. Now that this is in place, we are gearing up to be our clients’ content provider as a new service. Using the ReachCast platform, we will help guide clients through the everchanging landscape of social networking and help them use the Internet for marketing to its greatest potential.
Here is an example of the sort of detail you will get. “Hello, ReachCast people!” I know you are see me writing about you thanks to your Radar feature on your dashboard. This is how ReachCast users are able to track all mentions of their business on the Internet no matter where it shows. You can have this, too, to understand what is being said and written about you across all online medias.
This month, I will be talking to all my coaching clients about ReachCast this week. If this is something that interests you, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Fresh Web Sites are Back!
All year long, the hot topic has been mobile web sites. The need for mobile sites has had the most buzz and has been our hottest selling item this year by far. However, in recent weeks, there has been a lot of talk about refreshing and improving standard web sites. The ones we redesigned for clients in the third quarter are making excellent progress on search engines and are getting consistent higher new traffic with calls going up as well. And, lately, people who are tired of their old web sites that have stagnated, are calling about new web sites.
Summer is a great time to rebuild your site. With the longer days, people seem to have that little extra time to do something for themselves and the truth is, a redesign takes a lot less work on the client’s part than when you design a site from scratch. Using the bones of your current site as a starting point saves you time. It doesn’t save the designer any steps but it does speed the process.
Redesigns usually have two focuses. The first is to make technical improvements. It is pretty clear what works for a steady Efficient Keyword SEO approach like the one we employ so redesigns are often focused on making the site more sturdy for ongoing work related to organic search. Secondly, a redesign focuses on improving the graphic presentation and flow of information. When it is available, an analysis of your existing traffic patterns help us determine the best ways to lay out the site. And, often, revising your navigation can help with your relevance for some terms (a factor determined by search engines in determining organic rankings).
What often triggers a redesign? Lately we have seen people choose redesigns because of a lack of performance by the site (failure to acheive better rankings despite being optimized, short visit time, high bounce rate (people leaving the site right away) or dwindling phone calls from the site (which can be tracked best with a dedicated tracking number). Or sometimes, people have the foresight to realize that their site is old and an investment in that first impression makes all the difference sometimes.
For everyone who has interest in redesign, we still have two months left on our summer web site special. That specials is a Flash/HTML web site (the most popular choice among our formats) at regular price ($7500) with four minutes of web drop video for FREE (a value of $4800). This offer is good through the end of August. If you are interested in redesigning your site, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Summer is a great time to rebuild your site. With the longer days, people seem to have that little extra time to do something for themselves and the truth is, a redesign takes a lot less work on the client’s part than when you design a site from scratch. Using the bones of your current site as a starting point saves you time. It doesn’t save the designer any steps but it does speed the process.
Redesigns usually have two focuses. The first is to make technical improvements. It is pretty clear what works for a steady Efficient Keyword SEO approach like the one we employ so redesigns are often focused on making the site more sturdy for ongoing work related to organic search. Secondly, a redesign focuses on improving the graphic presentation and flow of information. When it is available, an analysis of your existing traffic patterns help us determine the best ways to lay out the site. And, often, revising your navigation can help with your relevance for some terms (a factor determined by search engines in determining organic rankings).
What often triggers a redesign? Lately we have seen people choose redesigns because of a lack of performance by the site (failure to acheive better rankings despite being optimized, short visit time, high bounce rate (people leaving the site right away) or dwindling phone calls from the site (which can be tracked best with a dedicated tracking number). Or sometimes, people have the foresight to realize that their site is old and an investment in that first impression makes all the difference sometimes.
For everyone who has interest in redesign, we still have two months left on our summer web site special. That specials is a Flash/HTML web site (the most popular choice among our formats) at regular price ($7500) with four minutes of web drop video for FREE (a value of $4800). This offer is good through the end of August. If you are interested in redesigning your site, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Mobile sites... 2010’s Flavor of the Year
So what is boosting another wave of interest in mobile sites? How about the even-greater-than expected glut of iPhone 4 orders this month? Every few months it seems there is another hardware release that boosts the importance of making a good presentation on mobile devices.
This week, Jack Peterson, MD got his mobile site. Click it on your mobile device to see the difference in format between mobile devices and what appears on your desktop or laptop computer.
With millions of new units flooding the market this year, we have seen a steady upward trend in traffic. Most of our SEO clients (who we measure their mobile use as a metric) have climbed up to 5% use and many are over that. The 5% use mark is where we recommend adding a starter mobile site. We have seen no cases of regression where the use number dips back below 5% and all trends are pointing upward.
This is the reason we have been running our starter mobile site special for two months. We are in the last days of the special which ends on Friday, June 25, 2010. For that special, you get additional pages added to your 7-page starter mobile site at no additional charge. The total cost to get this base covered is $1000 for a starter mobile site. The time really is now which is why we put the special in place. Many have taken advantage of the special and we hope many more will before Friday. If you want the starter mobile site special, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
This week, Jack Peterson, MD got his mobile site. Click it on your mobile device to see the difference in format between mobile devices and what appears on your desktop or laptop computer.
With millions of new units flooding the market this year, we have seen a steady upward trend in traffic. Most of our SEO clients (who we measure their mobile use as a metric) have climbed up to 5% use and many are over that. The 5% use mark is where we recommend adding a starter mobile site. We have seen no cases of regression where the use number dips back below 5% and all trends are pointing upward.
This is the reason we have been running our starter mobile site special for two months. We are in the last days of the special which ends on Friday, June 25, 2010. For that special, you get additional pages added to your 7-page starter mobile site at no additional charge. The total cost to get this base covered is $1000 for a starter mobile site. The time really is now which is why we put the special in place. Many have taken advantage of the special and we hope many more will before Friday. If you want the starter mobile site special, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Great new web site
Congratulations to Dr. Ahn-Tuan Truong with the redesign of his web site. For years, the East Bay Surgical Arts web site has been one of the most liked among all of our web designs. I show it at at all the meetings and presentations I attend. There is just something about the design that is very attractive.
However, when Dr. Truong called earlier this spring saying he wanted to make his site more search engine friendly, we had the challenge of maintaining the popular aesthetic within some new SEO-friendly programming. And, I am happy to say that we were able to do both.
Redesigns have been popular this year. In the last year, a lot of people have become more serious about their search engine optimization and therefore required redesigns like this. Others have seen their Google Analytics and SEO summaries and realized that their designs needed to be more intuitive for the savvy web user. And, others, well, their old sites just hit the wall and needed a serious refresher. As we turn out these redesigned sites, we have seen a consistent uptick in rankings, visits, length of visit and contacts (both phone and email). If you are stalled in any of these key areas, it is probably time to redesign your site.
If you are interested in redesigning your web site, please let me know. We are running an advertised special on web design (see my blog from two weeks ago) and one unadvertised special. You have to talk to me to get that one... no emails. Phone or in person only. To get the ball rolling, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
However, when Dr. Truong called earlier this spring saying he wanted to make his site more search engine friendly, we had the challenge of maintaining the popular aesthetic within some new SEO-friendly programming. And, I am happy to say that we were able to do both.
Redesigns have been popular this year. In the last year, a lot of people have become more serious about their search engine optimization and therefore required redesigns like this. Others have seen their Google Analytics and SEO summaries and realized that their designs needed to be more intuitive for the savvy web user. And, others, well, their old sites just hit the wall and needed a serious refresher. As we turn out these redesigned sites, we have seen a consistent uptick in rankings, visits, length of visit and contacts (both phone and email). If you are stalled in any of these key areas, it is probably time to redesign your site.
If you are interested in redesigning your web site, please let me know. We are running an advertised special on web design (see my blog from two weeks ago) and one unadvertised special. You have to talk to me to get that one... no emails. Phone or in person only. To get the ball rolling, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Monday, June 7, 2010
This Changes Everything.
That is the campaign slogan for the new iPhone. Yesterday we got a look at it and Apple is right. This changes everything. Let me give you some serious advice that is not based on brand promotion. This is a blog that you will remember for a long time if you are paying attention. If you dismiss it right now because I am talking about Apple technology, you are going to be looking (from behind) as your competitors take the immediate communications advantage of offered by the new iPhone4.
One feature in particular offers you a tremendous advantage in communications and you should take it immediately. It is the FaceTime feature. Video phone calls. If you haven’t seen the promotional clip, watch it here before you go on to read about why you need to be an iPhone-friendly practice.
Video calls are now the new standard in communication. This product launch is going to be very similar to the iPhone launch in 2007 when overnight the standard changed. Certainly competitors are not far behind and the features we see only on the iPhone now will be all over the place. That is why it is absolutely critical that you adopt this technology and use it as soon as it is available. Why? You now have the chance to be more intimate with your patients and prospects and if you don’t use this edge, someone else will.
Look no further than the segment of this commercial where the mother shows the father the ultrasound on a video call. For cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists, this takes those private moments of realization and makes them sharable. And, we all know the shared experience is the most powerful experience of all.
For instance, in cosmetic dentistry, every cosmetic case has an emotional moment. It is the moment when the patient sees their new smile in temporaries. This is the first look at what their new smile of veneers will look like. This is where the patient often cries, hugs the doctor, gets emotional somehow and sees their life change. It is the happy, memorable moment that fuels the experience for 99% of cosmetic patients. It is also a moment that is almost always only shared with a chairside group... the patient, the dentist and the dental assistants. If you are an iPhone friendly office, you can now allow your patient to share the experience with loved ones as it happens. Friends, family... let them all share in the experience. You can now make the experience a shared experience. This influences more people.
For cosmetic surgeons, you all want your prospective patients to bring a friend. When two women shop together, the friend is an excellent reinforcement for the decision to buy. And, in many cases, the friend is a good prospective patient as well. However, shopping in pairs happens way too infrequently for a variety of reasons. As an iPhone-friendly practice, you can bring in the friend. Imagine at the point where a prospective patient is trying on breast sizers, how conferencing in a friend, a family member, a husband or a boyfriend could make a difference.
And, for post op patients with iPhones who are a distance away, imagine how much easier it will be to check in on post-op recovery. Your ability to be accessible just improved. I hope you take it.
These are just two examples of how this one feature can be used to reposition your practice as a great communicating practice. There are many other features of iPads and the new iPhone which can be used to enhance your communication capabilities at your practice. If you are interested in ways that you can improve your communications with these new Apple tools, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
One feature in particular offers you a tremendous advantage in communications and you should take it immediately. It is the FaceTime feature. Video phone calls. If you haven’t seen the promotional clip, watch it here before you go on to read about why you need to be an iPhone-friendly practice.
Video calls are now the new standard in communication. This product launch is going to be very similar to the iPhone launch in 2007 when overnight the standard changed. Certainly competitors are not far behind and the features we see only on the iPhone now will be all over the place. That is why it is absolutely critical that you adopt this technology and use it as soon as it is available. Why? You now have the chance to be more intimate with your patients and prospects and if you don’t use this edge, someone else will.
Look no further than the segment of this commercial where the mother shows the father the ultrasound on a video call. For cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists, this takes those private moments of realization and makes them sharable. And, we all know the shared experience is the most powerful experience of all.
For instance, in cosmetic dentistry, every cosmetic case has an emotional moment. It is the moment when the patient sees their new smile in temporaries. This is the first look at what their new smile of veneers will look like. This is where the patient often cries, hugs the doctor, gets emotional somehow and sees their life change. It is the happy, memorable moment that fuels the experience for 99% of cosmetic patients. It is also a moment that is almost always only shared with a chairside group... the patient, the dentist and the dental assistants. If you are an iPhone friendly office, you can now allow your patient to share the experience with loved ones as it happens. Friends, family... let them all share in the experience. You can now make the experience a shared experience. This influences more people.
For cosmetic surgeons, you all want your prospective patients to bring a friend. When two women shop together, the friend is an excellent reinforcement for the decision to buy. And, in many cases, the friend is a good prospective patient as well. However, shopping in pairs happens way too infrequently for a variety of reasons. As an iPhone-friendly practice, you can bring in the friend. Imagine at the point where a prospective patient is trying on breast sizers, how conferencing in a friend, a family member, a husband or a boyfriend could make a difference.
And, for post op patients with iPhones who are a distance away, imagine how much easier it will be to check in on post-op recovery. Your ability to be accessible just improved. I hope you take it.
These are just two examples of how this one feature can be used to reposition your practice as a great communicating practice. There are many other features of iPads and the new iPhone which can be used to enhance your communication capabilities at your practice. If you are interested in ways that you can improve your communications with these new Apple tools, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Now is the time to sharpen the sword
Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People is one of the most owned but least read books. Nearly every professional I know has bought it or has received it for a gift or both. And, so few have actually taken the time to read it. That means even fewer people have actually put this great advice to work.
Today, I will save everyone some trouble and focus on one of his most important messages. It’s good one for this time of year. Small businesspeople tend to do one of two things in the summer. They either try to take a big step forward, preparing for the next big run once summer schedules are over or they coast through the summer thinking they will make improvements after they are through relaxing. This is just like the fable about the ant and the grasshopper. The businesses that get ahead are the ones who are like the ant and work diligently to get ahead through the easy days. You don’t want to be the grasshopper wishing you had prepared better.
Covey has a great way of putting it. Habit 7 is Sharpen The Saw. This means find ways to renew and improve yourself. Refreshing and renewing in all aspects of your person makes you stronger and more capable. In terms of business, it means making an effort to renew what has grown stale, what has plateaued and what needs a jump start. I have noticed a very strong trend in the improvements most prospects and clients are buying. Most are buying video to enhance their web site and buying mobile sites to increase their visibility. But almost no one is retooling or redesigning their web sites. Bells and whistles are being added and those are good. That sharpens the saw. But, what about the Internet strategies that really need some work? Adding video there is not nearly as impactful as having a much improved site, especially if a redesign makes it more user friendly and search engine friendly.
So, I suggest to things: First... be the ant. Second... be honest about your web site. If you need a new one, sharpen the saw for your business. And, to empower and offer incentive for you to do this, Dog Star Media is going to make a standing offer that is good through August 31, 2010. If you buy a 30-page Flash/HTML web site ($7500), then we will offer four-minutes of web drop video (the doctor speaking to the site visitor on a transparent background) for free. This is a $4800 financial value and a highly significant site upgrade. The HTML/Flash/Video site is the most competitive site out there. It is search engine friendly, makes a high-end impression and is highly competitive with the doctor making a video first impression.
How can we make this offer even better? We will customize payment plans to your convenience. Normally, we break up a web site into three equal payments. But, if it helps you make this step, I will bend our rules and we can work out a payment plan of equal payments that makes you comfortable with choosing to sharpen this saw.
Please let me know if you are interested in our Summer Web Site Special. Free video with an HTML/Flash web site only through August 31, 2010. Get it while it’s hot! If you are interested, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Today, I will save everyone some trouble and focus on one of his most important messages. It’s good one for this time of year. Small businesspeople tend to do one of two things in the summer. They either try to take a big step forward, preparing for the next big run once summer schedules are over or they coast through the summer thinking they will make improvements after they are through relaxing. This is just like the fable about the ant and the grasshopper. The businesses that get ahead are the ones who are like the ant and work diligently to get ahead through the easy days. You don’t want to be the grasshopper wishing you had prepared better.
Covey has a great way of putting it. Habit 7 is Sharpen The Saw. This means find ways to renew and improve yourself. Refreshing and renewing in all aspects of your person makes you stronger and more capable. In terms of business, it means making an effort to renew what has grown stale, what has plateaued and what needs a jump start. I have noticed a very strong trend in the improvements most prospects and clients are buying. Most are buying video to enhance their web site and buying mobile sites to increase their visibility. But almost no one is retooling or redesigning their web sites. Bells and whistles are being added and those are good. That sharpens the saw. But, what about the Internet strategies that really need some work? Adding video there is not nearly as impactful as having a much improved site, especially if a redesign makes it more user friendly and search engine friendly.
So, I suggest to things: First... be the ant. Second... be honest about your web site. If you need a new one, sharpen the saw for your business. And, to empower and offer incentive for you to do this, Dog Star Media is going to make a standing offer that is good through August 31, 2010. If you buy a 30-page Flash/HTML web site ($7500), then we will offer four-minutes of web drop video (the doctor speaking to the site visitor on a transparent background) for free. This is a $4800 financial value and a highly significant site upgrade. The HTML/Flash/Video site is the most competitive site out there. It is search engine friendly, makes a high-end impression and is highly competitive with the doctor making a video first impression.
How can we make this offer even better? We will customize payment plans to your convenience. Normally, we break up a web site into three equal payments. But, if it helps you make this step, I will bend our rules and we can work out a payment plan of equal payments that makes you comfortable with choosing to sharpen this saw.
Please let me know if you are interested in our Summer Web Site Special. Free video with an HTML/Flash web site only through August 31, 2010. Get it while it’s hot! If you are interested, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Great New HTML/Flash/Video Web Site
We’d like to congratulate Martin Abelar, DDS on the launch of his new web site. This web site combines the aesthetics of a high end cosmetic dentistry web site (including video introductions by the doctor) and an HTML framework that is ideal for keyword optimization.
All Dog Star Media web sites are custom designs. However, there are certain principles that we build into each design if the client allows us. From a design point of view, we suggest a classic design heirarchy to keep visitors engaged. From an optimization point of view, we recommend a blend of design elements that allow us to make keyword changes that can be read by search engine spiders. From a sales point of view, nothing sells like video of the doctor talking and we highly recommend that. Video allows site visitors to hear the doctor, see his or her inflections and get a feel for his or her personality. These are all major advantages of video on a web site which can begin to build trust.
This new site includes all of these elements in a custom-built design specifically for Dr. Abelar’s desired look and feel. We can do this for you, too. If you are ready to energize and update your Internet strategy, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
All Dog Star Media web sites are custom designs. However, there are certain principles that we build into each design if the client allows us. From a design point of view, we suggest a classic design heirarchy to keep visitors engaged. From an optimization point of view, we recommend a blend of design elements that allow us to make keyword changes that can be read by search engine spiders. From a sales point of view, nothing sells like video of the doctor talking and we highly recommend that. Video allows site visitors to hear the doctor, see his or her inflections and get a feel for his or her personality. These are all major advantages of video on a web site which can begin to build trust.
This new site includes all of these elements in a custom-built design specifically for Dr. Abelar’s desired look and feel. We can do this for you, too. If you are ready to energize and update your Internet strategy, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
New Web Site by Dog Star Media
We have several new web sites that will be debuting over the next few weeks. Congratulations to Mark Gladstein, MD on the launch of his new web site. In addition to cosmetic dentists and cosmetic surgeons, we are beginning to get requests from pain doctors and spinal surgeons for web sites.
This is an information-packed site that is a great guide to understanding his services for pain management. Being dense in copy is a good thing when it comes to optimization. One of the most criticized elements of SEO is the lengthy copy which is necessary. Most people do not understand that rankings are all about relevance. In order to be relevant, your keywords need to appear in the text and the text needs to be substantial in comparison with competitors for that keyword. Frequently, the instructions we get from our SEO audit tell us to write copy blocks of a specific length in order to be considered relevant on that term by search engines. Then, within in that copy block, the keywords are seeded at a specified density. In a nutshell, this describes the basic instructions for keyword SEO.
If you are interested in a new web site or in Search Engine Optimization, please let me know. You can contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
This is an information-packed site that is a great guide to understanding his services for pain management. Being dense in copy is a good thing when it comes to optimization. One of the most criticized elements of SEO is the lengthy copy which is necessary. Most people do not understand that rankings are all about relevance. In order to be relevant, your keywords need to appear in the text and the text needs to be substantial in comparison with competitors for that keyword. Frequently, the instructions we get from our SEO audit tell us to write copy blocks of a specific length in order to be considered relevant on that term by search engines. Then, within in that copy block, the keywords are seeded at a specified density. In a nutshell, this describes the basic instructions for keyword SEO.
If you are interested in a new web site or in Search Engine Optimization, please let me know. You can contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Facebook Special
There are several cosmetic surgeons out there that are doing a good job on using Facebook to cultivate a following and generate leads for surgery. I know because I see many of them. But most of the Facebook attempts I see right now are practices reinventing the wheel and not getting very far.
Here is a quick primer on using social networking to generate leads, not just benefit your practice from a visibility point of view. Start by showing some personality, not just making business posts. In a business like cosmetic surgery or cosmetic dentistry where trust is so important, it gives you a huge advantage if people like you going in. It is possible to use your Facebook account to propagate information and promote certain specials but HOW you do it more important than what you are saying. The posts that turn up leads are part of bigger ongoing conversation and you have to be present for that conversation in this medium. Otherwise any offers you put out there are just another ad, unlikely to get a response.
Next, you have to embrace the immediacy of the medium. Most people who are active on Facebook check their accounts several times each day. They scan for what is interesting and move on. So, you have to be timely and know that responses will be timely. This means deadlines. Put an offer out there and have a short deadline on it. If no one bites, try the next day with something else.
Finally, making your offer available for redemption on Facebook will encourage others to reply or get involved once they see others doing it. Facebook has a high Monkey-See, Monkey-Do quality about it and one comment can open up all kinds of discussion or commentary. Staying involved in that conversation opens up new relationships or gives you greater understanding of existing relationships.
Here is an example. The hottest seller at Dog Star Media right now are mobile web sites. This is probably because everybody’s mobile traffic went up in the last month and some jumped significantly. So, I chose this high interest item for this example. Today, to coincide with this blog, we are running a Facebook-only promotion. Offline, we are running four special offers right now at Dog Star Media ranging from $4000 off a Flash/HTML web site with 4 minutes of video, to first month of coaching or SEO free to 5 additional pages for a new starter mobile site. However, today only on Facebook, we are offering 10 additional pages on a new starter mobile site for the first three who respond here on our Facebook page. If you have any interest, I would hurry up because of the limitation on time and spaces available. Just say you want it in the comments under the offer.
So what happens if no one replies today? Nothing is lost, only the one-minute it took to write up the offer. You have to have that mindset going in. My prospects and clients move a lot slower on Facebook than yours simply because what you are selling has such an emotional impact. If you can get people talking about cosmetic enhancements, you can really get the ball rolling online. Maybe a few people will get a great deal on a starter mobile site today but at the very least, you have template you can copy to get your offers going. And, use this advice to make it personal.
If you have any questions about mobile sites or social networking, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Here is a quick primer on using social networking to generate leads, not just benefit your practice from a visibility point of view. Start by showing some personality, not just making business posts. In a business like cosmetic surgery or cosmetic dentistry where trust is so important, it gives you a huge advantage if people like you going in. It is possible to use your Facebook account to propagate information and promote certain specials but HOW you do it more important than what you are saying. The posts that turn up leads are part of bigger ongoing conversation and you have to be present for that conversation in this medium. Otherwise any offers you put out there are just another ad, unlikely to get a response.
Next, you have to embrace the immediacy of the medium. Most people who are active on Facebook check their accounts several times each day. They scan for what is interesting and move on. So, you have to be timely and know that responses will be timely. This means deadlines. Put an offer out there and have a short deadline on it. If no one bites, try the next day with something else.
Finally, making your offer available for redemption on Facebook will encourage others to reply or get involved once they see others doing it. Facebook has a high Monkey-See, Monkey-Do quality about it and one comment can open up all kinds of discussion or commentary. Staying involved in that conversation opens up new relationships or gives you greater understanding of existing relationships.
Here is an example. The hottest seller at Dog Star Media right now are mobile web sites. This is probably because everybody’s mobile traffic went up in the last month and some jumped significantly. So, I chose this high interest item for this example. Today, to coincide with this blog, we are running a Facebook-only promotion. Offline, we are running four special offers right now at Dog Star Media ranging from $4000 off a Flash/HTML web site with 4 minutes of video, to first month of coaching or SEO free to 5 additional pages for a new starter mobile site. However, today only on Facebook, we are offering 10 additional pages on a new starter mobile site for the first three who respond here on our Facebook page. If you have any interest, I would hurry up because of the limitation on time and spaces available. Just say you want it in the comments under the offer.
So what happens if no one replies today? Nothing is lost, only the one-minute it took to write up the offer. You have to have that mindset going in. My prospects and clients move a lot slower on Facebook than yours simply because what you are selling has such an emotional impact. If you can get people talking about cosmetic enhancements, you can really get the ball rolling online. Maybe a few people will get a great deal on a starter mobile site today but at the very least, you have template you can copy to get your offers going. And, use this advice to make it personal.
If you have any questions about mobile sites or social networking, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
SEO numbers are in for April
April saw some pretty big jumps in web traffic for our clients. Dog Star Media SEO clients experienced a 6.6% increase in web traffic last month. That included some pretty big jumps by some clients and, for others, it meant the continuation of steady progress.
And, the story continues to be mobile device uses. Today Apple released news that the 1Millionth iPad was sold. And, today, following analysis of their SEO results, I had to inform two clients that they had reached the 5% mark (5% of site visitors coming on mobile devices), which is the point where you should have starter mobile site. One client jumped solidly up to the 10% mark. And, no one slid backwards on mobile devices referencing their site. It appears this trend is continuing and being reinforced by the new equipment that is out there.
We are offering a special this month on mobile sites that includes 5 additional pages on a starter 12-page mobile site. We have also loosened our restrictions and will now place three Before/After cases on a page. And, more and more clients continue to come to us for mobile sites right now. Mobile site orders are outpacing web site orders by a rate of 10-1 over the past two months.
If you are interested in starting a mobile site strategy, please let me know. You can contact me directly at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
And, the story continues to be mobile device uses. Today Apple released news that the 1Millionth iPad was sold. And, today, following analysis of their SEO results, I had to inform two clients that they had reached the 5% mark (5% of site visitors coming on mobile devices), which is the point where you should have starter mobile site. One client jumped solidly up to the 10% mark. And, no one slid backwards on mobile devices referencing their site. It appears this trend is continuing and being reinforced by the new equipment that is out there.
We are offering a special this month on mobile sites that includes 5 additional pages on a starter 12-page mobile site. We have also loosened our restrictions and will now place three Before/After cases on a page. And, more and more clients continue to come to us for mobile sites right now. Mobile site orders are outpacing web site orders by a rate of 10-1 over the past two months.
If you are interested in starting a mobile site strategy, please let me know. You can contact me directly at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Most requested item lately: Video
It appears that video is back. In the past few weeks, we have had an unusually high number of requests for new video. I attribute this to two things. 1) Generally, everyone is reporting that business is going well and in most cases on its way up. And 2) most video on our markets’ web sites is old by now. Whatever the motivators, more people are improving the video content they have on their web sites and reception area
Video is one of the most valuable tools for a web site. It is an opportunity for the doctor or dentist to make the best possible first impression. Properly designed into a web site, video can offer an insightful and high-quality look at the doctor and the practice on demand. Whether you do this with a tour video, testimonial video, educational video, or narrative video where the doctor appears in video as part of the web site presentation, as a rich medium, video cannot be beaten.
The most popular video we do, we call a “web drop.” We coined that phrase early in the decade when we introduced Flash Video to cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery with sites we designed. With a web drop, we shoot video of the doctor against a green screen background. Under our expert direction, we assure that the lines are delivered properly and with confidence in order to make the best first impression. This is a key element in our process as the performance must be good to be convincing. In post-production, we eliminate the green background and can them import just the doctor’s image into the web site as video.
The result is the doctor speaking with a transparent background that makes it look like he is part of the web site. This is a relatively simple technique but it requires good video skills and good web design skills. Most clients who order this like the fact that video is on the site without a video area or a traditional video box. This sleek design, when built into a web site is very convincing. This is why we are running a special through May 22 of this year on new HTML/Flash/Video web sites. If you want to know the special, email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com to get information on the gift card special.
If you are interested in refreshing your video or adding video to your site, just ask. You can contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com or by phone at 888-321-4004.
Video is one of the most valuable tools for a web site. It is an opportunity for the doctor or dentist to make the best possible first impression. Properly designed into a web site, video can offer an insightful and high-quality look at the doctor and the practice on demand. Whether you do this with a tour video, testimonial video, educational video, or narrative video where the doctor appears in video as part of the web site presentation, as a rich medium, video cannot be beaten.
The most popular video we do, we call a “web drop.” We coined that phrase early in the decade when we introduced Flash Video to cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery with sites we designed. With a web drop, we shoot video of the doctor against a green screen background. Under our expert direction, we assure that the lines are delivered properly and with confidence in order to make the best first impression. This is a key element in our process as the performance must be good to be convincing. In post-production, we eliminate the green background and can them import just the doctor’s image into the web site as video.
The result is the doctor speaking with a transparent background that makes it look like he is part of the web site. This is a relatively simple technique but it requires good video skills and good web design skills. Most clients who order this like the fact that video is on the site without a video area or a traditional video box. This sleek design, when built into a web site is very convincing. This is why we are running a special through May 22 of this year on new HTML/Flash/Video web sites. If you want to know the special, email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com to get information on the gift card special.
If you are interested in refreshing your video or adding video to your site, just ask. You can contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com or by phone at 888-321-4004.
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