With a renewed vigor, more and more people are interested in redesigning their web sites. The most popular choice for cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists is our HTML with Flash web site. This site blends the aesthetics of a Flash site with the optimization advantages of an HTML code-based site. Generally, clients consider it the best of both worlds.
In fact, there is so much interest in this sort of site, Dog Star Media is adjusting its product offering to add even more advantages. Starting in May, 2011, we are adding the option to for clients to have a content manager programmed into their HTML with Flash site. Now, at no further cost, clients can add the ability to manage their own copy, photos and content.
To introduce this new change in our web site design offerings, we will be running a May Web Site special on HTML with Flash web sites. Until May 27, anyone ordering an HTML with Flash web site is eligible for a $1500 discount on their web site. We encourage you to try the content manager. Our clients who have it and use it find it extremely convenient.
If you are interested in this special for a content managed, HTML with Flash web site, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Commerce and Social Networking
Today, Facebook launched its new Deals feature in selected markets. It’s like Facebook’s answer to Groupon, which has brought coupon promotion up to date. Only, with 500 million+ subscribers, Facebook has some distinct advantages. It’s the same reason why we are seeing surprisingly high results on driving web site traffic from Facebook ads from our clients.
Essentially, Facebook is a giant database. You fill in your own information and the social component of Facebook keeps most of us feeding it with new information consistently. Details on your profile, who you are “Like,” what you visit, what you talk about... all complete a sophisticated demographic profile of the user. This creates the ultimate One-to-One Marketing scenario.
Those of you who have followed my blog for years know that Dog Star Media is a big believer in One-to-One Marketing. Applying programs based on this database-driven method of marketing is the key to improved Vertical Marketing, maximizing a client’s Lifetime Value and, in the case of Deals or Facebook ads, Rifle-shot Marketing.
Here is how it works. The more detail in the database about what you like, the more specific the offers presented to you will be. When placing Facebook ads, one selects a specific demographic to whom your ads will be displayed. And, you can be very specific. Also included in the targeting is matching to people who “like” certain pages, concepts or things.
In the case of the Facebook ads we have been monitoring, we are seeing an extremely high clickthrough rate. This confirms the basics of One-to-One Marketing: The more you know about a contact in your database, the more specifically you can make offers. Based on what I have seen, I believe that Facebook ads are going to become more and more popular with our clients.
If you have questions about One-to-One Marketing, Facebook ads or Deals, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Essentially, Facebook is a giant database. You fill in your own information and the social component of Facebook keeps most of us feeding it with new information consistently. Details on your profile, who you are “Like,” what you visit, what you talk about... all complete a sophisticated demographic profile of the user. This creates the ultimate One-to-One Marketing scenario.
Those of you who have followed my blog for years know that Dog Star Media is a big believer in One-to-One Marketing. Applying programs based on this database-driven method of marketing is the key to improved Vertical Marketing, maximizing a client’s Lifetime Value and, in the case of Deals or Facebook ads, Rifle-shot Marketing.
Here is how it works. The more detail in the database about what you like, the more specific the offers presented to you will be. When placing Facebook ads, one selects a specific demographic to whom your ads will be displayed. And, you can be very specific. Also included in the targeting is matching to people who “like” certain pages, concepts or things.
In the case of the Facebook ads we have been monitoring, we are seeing an extremely high clickthrough rate. This confirms the basics of One-to-One Marketing: The more you know about a contact in your database, the more specifically you can make offers. Based on what I have seen, I believe that Facebook ads are going to become more and more popular with our clients.
If you have questions about One-to-One Marketing, Facebook ads or Deals, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Benefits of Web Drops
For years, a signature of Dog Star Media web sites has been the web drop. A web drop is a specially produced video segment featuring the doctor. Shot on a chromakey, or green screen, background, we are able to take only the doctor's image and place it anywhere in a Flash module on the site. It presents the doctor on a transparent background, seamlessly integrated into the design. Web drops can also be set to play upon loading, click to play or play automatically with audio off with rollover for audio. It can also be set to allow viewers to stop or pause the video.
Here is an example of a client who came to Dallas to shoot his video with us. Just click to play the video using the Click to Play button below the photo in the center of the page: http://www.instituto-orbitofacial.com/
There are many reasons why this is the ultimate advantage on the web. High-end aesthetic, ability to personally welcome a visitor, ability to set a personal tone... These are all good reasons to choose web drops, but there is one, clear cut branding reason to do it. Web drops make for a more personal experience when it comes to meeting the doctor on the web site. In the case of cosmetic procedure, the patient ultimately makes the decision on a doctor based on trust. Do they trust the doctor to perform the procedure to their satisfaction? If this is the ultimate deciding factor, it seems silly to stick to the old model for building trust.
Here is an example of a client who came to Dallas to shoot his video with us. Just click to play the video using the Click to Play button below the photo in the center of the page: http://www.instituto-orbitofacial.com/
There are many reasons why this is the ultimate advantage on the web. High-end aesthetic, ability to personally welcome a visitor, ability to set a personal tone... These are all good reasons to choose web drops, but there is one, clear cut branding reason to do it. Web drops make for a more personal experience when it comes to meeting the doctor on the web site. In the case of cosmetic procedure, the patient ultimately makes the decision on a doctor based on trust. Do they trust the doctor to perform the procedure to their satisfaction? If this is the ultimate deciding factor, it seems silly to stick to the old model for building trust.
The old model restrains meeting the doctor down to the amount of face-time the doctor could actually experience with prospective patients. In other words, there was only so much of the doctor to go around. Therefore a precious few can meet the doctor each month... in the old model. Now, with web drops, everyone seeking information on the doctor or the practice is greeted personally by the doctor via his/her web drops. On a 24/7 basis, the doctor meets and greets online, offering a feel for his/her personality at the beginning of the process instead of the end. Now, by getting a sense of the doctor early on, a prospective patient can begin to visualize knowing the doctor, thereby beginning the trust-building process. Many doctors for whom we have done web drops tell us that new patients come in saying they feel like they already know the doctor due to hearing and seeing them in video.
Web drops make the experience personal, giving you the distinct advantage over others who only present lifeless portraits of themselves online. If you want to add the advantage of web drops to your web site, please email me today for more details at donald@dogstarmedia.com. Dog Star Media introduced web drops to both cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery nearly seven years ago. Our style and process cannot be matched. If you want the best presentation in a web drop, contact me and ask how we do it.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
New Web Site by Dog Star Media
Congratulations to Stephen Hill, DDS on the launch of his new web site. This is a custom designed web site that combines HTML and Flash to give him the best of both worlds: high-end aesthetics with site formatting that makes optimization easy and effective. About 85% of the sites we design for cosmetic dentists are formatted like this: HTML with Flash.
We custom design everything so it always looks original. In fact, the photography in the Flash area are all Dr. Hill’s patients. We were able to use his photography for this highly aesthetic part of the design because of his commitment to consistent quality photography for his patients following reconstructive procedures.
This week, I will be going to Tulsa once again for the CME course held at Tulsa Surgical Arts. As usual, we will be running specials at the course. We will have a special price for an HTML/Flash web site just like the one featured here through the end of the week. If you are interested in a new web site and our special this week, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
We custom design everything so it always looks original. In fact, the photography in the Flash area are all Dr. Hill’s patients. We were able to use his photography for this highly aesthetic part of the design because of his commitment to consistent quality photography for his patients following reconstructive procedures.
This week, I will be going to Tulsa once again for the CME course held at Tulsa Surgical Arts. As usual, we will be running specials at the course. We will have a special price for an HTML/Flash web site just like the one featured here through the end of the week. If you are interested in a new web site and our special this week, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com
Monday, April 4, 2011
Driving Web Site Traffic with Twitter
By now, most everyone recognizes the need to be on Facebook as part of a social media strategy. The great majority are not using it effectively but the landrush is on into Facebook. The potential of Twitter, however, is hardly being discussed in the cosmetic dental and surgical markets however.
Twitter is basically a newsfeed. Short, fast moving messages. How can it possibly be used for marketing elective surgeries or dental work? Well, where there is an audience, easy usage and portability, there are marketing applications.
The requirements for a relationship for Twitter are very low. People will easily follow what appears to be a good source of information. Unlike Facebook where there is an implied friendship and the relationship between parties can be a little intrusive if you let it, Twitter is a hit-and-run social medium with a low threshold for acceptance. That means if you begin programming your Twitter feed with good content, it can spread easily.
So, what makes good content? How about any information about your specialites? Twitter has a search function just like any other site. If your posts include terms that people may seek out related to your specialties, if you posted recently your post will come up in a search. This allows you to attract followers who want your services. Good content can be as much as a specific blog post or simply a link to your web site.
Twitter can be used to make new connections and drive traffic to your web site. It all depends on how you use it. And, since Twitter is fast moving with information that cycles quickly, frequent posts make you that much more visible. Like any good PR strategy where you are seeking exposure, you have to understand the medium, how it is used and how to communicate within the confines of the medium. Dog Star Media offers a strategy for Twitter as part of our new social networking strategy. Our Twitter strategy can stand alone or it can work as part of larger social media strategy. For Twitter only, our Basic Social Media program can keep you relevant on Twitter with two content-related posts per day for as little as $250/month. If you are interested in beginning a Twitter following and driving new traffic to your web site from Twitter exposure, please email me today to learn how at donald@dogstarmedia.com. Or you can follow me on Twitter. Just search Dog Star Media on Twitter and Follow.
Twitter is basically a newsfeed. Short, fast moving messages. How can it possibly be used for marketing elective surgeries or dental work? Well, where there is an audience, easy usage and portability, there are marketing applications.
The requirements for a relationship for Twitter are very low. People will easily follow what appears to be a good source of information. Unlike Facebook where there is an implied friendship and the relationship between parties can be a little intrusive if you let it, Twitter is a hit-and-run social medium with a low threshold for acceptance. That means if you begin programming your Twitter feed with good content, it can spread easily.
So, what makes good content? How about any information about your specialites? Twitter has a search function just like any other site. If your posts include terms that people may seek out related to your specialties, if you posted recently your post will come up in a search. This allows you to attract followers who want your services. Good content can be as much as a specific blog post or simply a link to your web site.
Twitter can be used to make new connections and drive traffic to your web site. It all depends on how you use it. And, since Twitter is fast moving with information that cycles quickly, frequent posts make you that much more visible. Like any good PR strategy where you are seeking exposure, you have to understand the medium, how it is used and how to communicate within the confines of the medium. Dog Star Media offers a strategy for Twitter as part of our new social networking strategy. Our Twitter strategy can stand alone or it can work as part of larger social media strategy. For Twitter only, our Basic Social Media program can keep you relevant on Twitter with two content-related posts per day for as little as $250/month. If you are interested in beginning a Twitter following and driving new traffic to your web site from Twitter exposure, please email me today to learn how at donald@dogstarmedia.com. Or you can follow me on Twitter. Just search Dog Star Media on Twitter and Follow.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
DSM Recommends... for Social Media
For the past several months, we have been developing a Social Networking marketing program that is appropriate for both small businesses and our core clientele of cosmetic surgeons and dentists. Much like Search Engine Optimization, this is a marketing endeavor that most think they must have but do not understand. Our goal is to make this understandable and therefore manageable.
Social Media is, in its most simple essence, user generated content. In other words, it’s what you have to say. If you can make it interesting and attractive, you will get the attention of others. This is a simple concept and if you don’t lose sight of it, you can develop a social media strategy that is easy to maintain and grow.
The Dog Star Media social media strategy includes three mediums: Facebook, Twitter and Blog/Email. And, we have different goals for each of those three mediums. In the Email/Blog phase, you email out your content to your contact database. On Twitter, the goal is to attract as many loosely connected followers as possible. On Facebook, the goal is to begin conversations. And, since conversations are where information is exchanged, this sets up a potential sales scenario. So, our goal is enlist as many of your email contacts as Facebook friends or followers and to drive your new relationships on Twitter onto Facebook. This is an ongoing process, not an event, so publishing your content on all three mediums remains a staple of the plan.
In terms of frequency, our plan recommends the following: 2 blogs per month spaced at two week intervals, daily Facebook conversation starter post and daily Twitter conversation starter post. When properly coordinated, your content flows out like a coordinated PR flight, with the main source of information introduced in the blog, then daily tied-in comments or questions posted into the more active social mediums on a daily basis. The result is a two-week conversation led by you on the benefits of a specific procedure that attracts followers with interesting content and engages them with leading questions and prompts. And, ultimately, on Facebook, where conversations can occur, you can begin to identify individuals who want to discuss procedures. At the very least, this strategy will raise your profile and awareness and connect you very closely with an ever-growing circle of influence.
We are offering our Social Media strategy in three forms.
Turnkey Social Networking Program:
You only provide the blogs twice each month and Dog Star Media does it all: $850/month.
Show Us How/Set Us Up:
In a three-month primer, Dog Star Media gets you set up, planned, trained and operating your own integrated Social Networking Program: $850/month for three months.
Daily Posting Service:
If you only want to have a daily conversation starter on Facebook and Twitter, Dog Star Media can plan and execute that for $250/month.
If you are ready to talk about using Social Media as part of your marketing strategy, these strategies were designed specifically for cosmetic surgery and dentistry practices and small businesses in general. If you are interested in learning more about how this can work for you, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Social Media is, in its most simple essence, user generated content. In other words, it’s what you have to say. If you can make it interesting and attractive, you will get the attention of others. This is a simple concept and if you don’t lose sight of it, you can develop a social media strategy that is easy to maintain and grow.
The Dog Star Media social media strategy includes three mediums: Facebook, Twitter and Blog/Email. And, we have different goals for each of those three mediums. In the Email/Blog phase, you email out your content to your contact database. On Twitter, the goal is to attract as many loosely connected followers as possible. On Facebook, the goal is to begin conversations. And, since conversations are where information is exchanged, this sets up a potential sales scenario. So, our goal is enlist as many of your email contacts as Facebook friends or followers and to drive your new relationships on Twitter onto Facebook. This is an ongoing process, not an event, so publishing your content on all three mediums remains a staple of the plan.
In terms of frequency, our plan recommends the following: 2 blogs per month spaced at two week intervals, daily Facebook conversation starter post and daily Twitter conversation starter post. When properly coordinated, your content flows out like a coordinated PR flight, with the main source of information introduced in the blog, then daily tied-in comments or questions posted into the more active social mediums on a daily basis. The result is a two-week conversation led by you on the benefits of a specific procedure that attracts followers with interesting content and engages them with leading questions and prompts. And, ultimately, on Facebook, where conversations can occur, you can begin to identify individuals who want to discuss procedures. At the very least, this strategy will raise your profile and awareness and connect you very closely with an ever-growing circle of influence.
We are offering our Social Media strategy in three forms.
Turnkey Social Networking Program:
You only provide the blogs twice each month and Dog Star Media does it all: $850/month.
Show Us How/Set Us Up:
In a three-month primer, Dog Star Media gets you set up, planned, trained and operating your own integrated Social Networking Program: $850/month for three months.
Daily Posting Service:
If you only want to have a daily conversation starter on Facebook and Twitter, Dog Star Media can plan and execute that for $250/month.
If you are ready to talk about using Social Media as part of your marketing strategy, these strategies were designed specifically for cosmetic surgery and dentistry practices and small businesses in general. If you are interested in learning more about how this can work for you, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
One Day Sale - Special Prices totaling a savings of $2000
Over the next three weeks, Dog Star Media will be promoting our One-Day Sale which will be held on April 6, 2011. It is our goal on that day to motivate existing and new clients focused and mobilized on three of the most requested marketing elements of 2011: Mobile Web Sites, Search Engine Optimization and Social Networking.
Three specially discounted offerings are available on the One Day Sale:
- Additional pages for mobile web sites.
- Competition Ranking Reports for Search Engine Optimization
- Our NEW Daily Posting Service for Facebook and Twitter
More Mobile Site Pages: One-Day Sale Savings: $200
Mobile web site traffic continues to climb. Many of our clients are receiving between 10-15% of their traffic on mobile devices. This time last year, mobile traffic was beginning to average 5%. Dog Star Media mobile sites are easy and inexpensive to improve. Now that clients are asking to add more content to their starter mobile sites due to higher traffic, we want to encourage them by offering a deal on new pages. Normally additional pages cost $100/each.
One Day Sale Offer: Buy 5 mobile site pages, get two free.
SEO Competition Ranking Report: One-Day Sale Savings: $1200
One of the most misunderstood parts of SEO is how you rank against your direct competition on organic keywords. We now offer a specific rankings report that compares keyword rankings between your designated competitors’ web sites and your web site so you know exactly where you stand competitively. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A DOG STAR MEDIA SEO CLIENT TO USE THIS SERVICE. Normally, our Competition Ranking Report is available for $100/month for one competitor and $50/month for each additional competitor. Reports are generated once each month on or around the first of the month.
One Day Sale Offer: Sign up for The Competition Ranking Report for one competitor on April 6 and receive two competitors free for 12 months.
Daily Social Networking Posting Service: One Day Sale Savings: $600
After months of research to determine a proper social networking service for small businesses, Dog Star Media is releasing a social networking strategy that supports our One-to-One Marketing philosophies. A stand-alone element of this strategy is a daily posting strategy for your Facebook and Twitter accounts. These conversations starters make it easier for you or your team to participate in social networking with the goal of stirring up conversations that can lead to prospecting. Normally priced at $300/month, your cost for being active each day on Facebook and Twitter is around $10/day.
These services are small but they are among the most requested and hottest items we have right now. If you are interested in one or more of the One-Day Sale items, you may order by emailing me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.
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