In the age of social media, the biggest mistake you as a business can make in your marketing plan is not utilizing social media platforms. While there is certainly no substitute for face-to-face interaction, Facebook has become such a prolific part of your patients’ lives (even with the recent headlines), that to not engage on this platform is essentially marketing suicide.

Yes. It is THAT important.

To survive and thrive in the digital age, your business will need to utilize its social media in the best possible way. Not because it’s the “it thing,” but because your target audience is spending a significant amount of time looking at their phone screens and scrolling through their Facebook feed! And while that may not seem useful to you as a business, it is essential to understand that your customer base is not JUST “staring at a screen” they’re actually ENGAGING with their friends and favorite brands while connecting with them on various levels.

By giving your office a social media presence, you not only generate more business (through FREE marketing), but also connect with your customers better and serving them on a new level.

Connecting on Facebook actually makes your online marketing easier!

According to a survey published by Ambassador, 71% of consumers are more likely to recommend a brand to others if they have a positive experience with that brand on social media.

So you can see why having a strong social media presence and engaging with your clients is so important for the growth of your office! The big key to it all is ensuring that your business profile is active, engaging, and a positive experience for your patients!

Here are some tips from our Media specialists on how to maintain a successful Facebook presence for your business.

  1. Have a Business Page

    On Facebook you can create a personal “person” account OR a business page. We recommend that your office has a business page. The reason for this is to keep your personal profile and business page as separate identities. You want to be sure to keep your personal thoughts and opinions NOT on your business page.

    If you have more than one location for your office then there are two ways that you can introduce those to Facebook. Option 1 is to have a brand page and list the other Facebook pages under the brand page as location pages. This will allow you to post on the brand page and it will post to all of the location pages OR you can post for the separate location individually. Option 2 is to have each location as its own Facebook page. The benefit of this is that each location is separate. If you choose to do this then be sure to CLEARLY mark your Facebook page with the company name – location.

  2. Have More Than One Admin

    When you create a Facebook business page, be sure to add more than one person to the admin position. By having more than one person responsible for your page, you ensure that responses are more prompt and nothing gets missed!

  3. Engage and Interact

    Consistent and positive interaction with your audience on social media is VERY important! Be sure to check your business page as often as possible for any new comments, shares, posts to your page, or messages and engage at every opportunity. Your patients are your biggest asset. With positive interaction, you can build a relationship with your community and convert average consumers into an army of advocates for your practice.

  4. Manage Reviews

    Be sure to watch your business page carefully for all reviews. Whether positive or negative, you need to engage with/respond to each one. Remember to keep HIPAA in mind, and do NOT include any protected information in your online discussion. It’s best to take any personal (or negative) discussions offline as quickly as possible by inviting them to call the office with additional concerns.

    Note: for further assistance with Facebook reviews, please contact your Marketing by SOS account specialist and request our Review Guide. For especially sensitive issues, please reach out to us directly for assistance.

  5. Be Open Minded!

    Keep in mind that the world of social media is constantly changing and evolving. This creates a unique challenge for businesses as we work to develop the most effective ways to reach our audience and interact with our patients.

If you would like more information on this subject, or further coaching for you and your team, please feel free to contact us! We are here to help!