Dog Star Media is proud to present the new web site for The Practice Advisory Group. You can see the site at PracticeAdvisoryGroup.com.
This site is great because you just sit back, watch and listen while a video host explains why their brand of comprehensive practice consulting can be beneficial for your practice. Incidentally, if the operations of your practice could use some fine tuning, I recommend browsing this site. They have the most integrated, well-supported practice consulting programs I have ever seen. Amazing infrastructure.
The importance of offering access through blogging and video.
In other news, more and more of my retainer and coaching clients are installing their own blog and email marketing processes using my blog as a guideline. This is at the heart of the general “offer access” strategy which I recommend as the best edge a small business has in marketing itself. In an interesting, well-written blog, you can build a readership that follows you in a “safe,” atmosphere. Creating a great blog is in the same vein as adding introductory video to your web site. You want to offer access to your uniqueness, blogging and video are two ways of doing that.
In a recent presentation for cosmetic surgeons, I was talking about the power of offering access. And, although it came off the cuff, I really think this cannot be summarized better. I told the crowd that, if all things were equal, wouldn't prospective patients choose you as the doctor based on merit alone? The whole crowd nodded silently in approval. The problem here is that all things are not equal.
A lesser competitor can hire a great media designer, take a risk that pays off, spend more than you do or do one of the million other marketing miracles that make circumstances unequal. Then, add in that you have more than one competitor and you can see how unequally the odds are stacked against you. Even if you are doing all of this, too, what advantage can you gain to win simply on merit?
The answer is ACCESS. Give people access to you. Give them substance, something concrete about you. Give them what makes people choose you as their dentist or surgeon. Give them the only unique advantage you have. This is ACCESS to you.
A good way to size this up is to look at two web sites from doctors in the same field. Choose one web site where the doctor shows up and talks to you in video. Compare that with a web site where you just get a portrait photo and a written bio. If these were first impressions, from whom would you seek out more? Do you feel the impression of one more strongly than the other? Of course you do. Photos cannot compare with the communication power of video.
But, what if you do not have the resources to add video to your web site? You can offer unique access to your thoughts and personality through blogging. There are two tricks to doing this, however. One is that you need to choose a market to distribute your blog. I suggest using basic email marketing to do this and use your existing patient database of emails as a starting point. Then, make it a priority to always be trying to build that list up.
The second trick is to write a blog that will keep people interested, which results in readers coming back to read the blog when contacted by email, which in turn results in your blog begin forwarded or referred. For this to occur you have to regularly serve up interesting topics presented in an interesting way. This level of interest is fueled by access to your passion or other positive qualities that come out through the writing.
We already offer coaching to help you execute your email marketing but, beginning in June, Dog Star Media is going to offer a new low-cost service to help you maximize your potential of offering access through blogging. Beginning in June, I will be posting a new subscribers-only blog on how to write an amazing blog. Like a Writer’s Workshop, this 12-part blog will give you a monthly writing prompt focusing on characteristics that can turn a blog about your practice into an interesting read that lets readers feel like they get that extra edge in knowing you. The cost to subscribe is only $100/month for 12 months.
Keep in mind, all things are not equal. Using this tool to help you blog will help you tilt the playing field in your favor with the best edge you have: access to you. Just contact me here to sign up for this special, new offering.
