An Accessible Social Networking Strategy

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.

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.