I get it – social media marketing can feel like a painful business! Sometimes you can feel fearful of saying the wrong things online. Maybe you feel like you’re broadcasting to the whole world; quite frankly that is a very scary prospect!
You may well be thinking that you need to harness social media marketing but you just don’t know how to. If that’s you then don’t worry; you’re not alone! The trouble is that you can end up procrastinating over online marketing because you don’t know what to actually say.
You know you need to do some marketing but you don’t know what to actually DO!
Now that social media marketing has been around for over a decade, it certainly has proven itself to be the very best way of connecting with potential patients.
The main problem is that because you might be unsure as to what to post online, you end up having a brief dabble and then giving up or perhaps not even getting started as it feels so daunting.
So what’s going on here?
Basically, the problem here is simply a lack of understanding as to what it is you’re trying to achieve. Therefore any attempts you make can feel like you’re shouting down a deep dark hole!
Even the echo doesn’t bother to respond.
Your creativity can be squashed by the ever-present fear of what the authorities might make of it. Then there’s the big spooky spectre of ‘peer judgement’! Oh that’s a biggie! What will they think of my posts? Will they think I’m talking nonsense?
So let’s deal with this.
First of all the authorities are not snooping around social media and looking for misdemeanours. You already know how to conduct yourself and what is allowed. Secondly your peers are not your target market and so you must aim your content towards your potential patients who are the people you want to help.
Get clear on your objectives
Once you know what you’re trying to achieve the whole thing is less intimidating. And when you know exactly what your strategy is then the whole thing is a doddle!
If you begin conversations with potential patients, then what you say will begin to get attention. Indeed online marketing is no different to local networking. It all boils down to effective communication, educating and informing potential patients about the benefits of Osteopathic treatment.
I like to look at it this way.
You are only ever talking to one person. You are talking to your next new patient.
What’s troubling them? What do they need? What would they wish they could get rid of? What is stopping them from remaining active? What’s causing them pain or immobility? How are they feeling? What is their problem stopping them from doing?
If you know who you’re trying to attract more of then you already know the answers to these questions.
Then you can think about why Osteopathy might be a potential solution for them. What are the benefits of Osteopathic treatment to them specifically? What improvements could they hope for? What results do you typically achieve?
Easy social media marketing challenges
Recently in my Osteobiz Inner Circle and Osteobiz Blueprint Facebook forums, I’ve been setting social media marketing challenges. On a daily basis I’ve gone live into the groups and, for instance, challenged them to post an item which debunks a common myth about Osteopathy. Another day I’ve asked them to show me pictures of their treatment room – after all most people don’t know what on earth is behind your Clinic front door!
These plucky Osteos have been sharing unusual facts about themselves and how they deal with their own health challenges. We even had some extremely healthy and tasty meal ideas doing the rounds on Facebook!
You’ll notice that all we were doing was communicating and creating conversations with potential patients. It was fun, it sparked interest and there was not an ounce of selling going on!
Here’s my challenge to you today!
Put a super smiley selfie out on your social media and tell us that you love to treat pain or what you particularly love to treat!
It might feel like you’ve stepped so far out of your comfort zone that you can’t even see it anymore! But trust me here and give it a go. I’ll be very interested to hear what reaction it gets. Feel free to share it on my Facebook Osteobiz page too – a sunny smile or two would brighten the place up a bit!
