Beyond the Standard: Social Media Tips for Marketing the PT Profession, Part 3

Today’s blog post comes from WebPT copywriters Charlotte Bohnett and Erica Cohen.

Like us! Follow us! Nowadays most clinics have a Facebook and/or a Twitter. With everyone vying for customers’ attention on their newsfeeds, how do you stand out? How do you make your posts, tweets, and page more than just standard business promotion? Let’s talk about impact, emotion, and education. This week, we’re discussing four ways to use social media beyond the standard and instead, use your online presence to market yourself and the profession.  

So far we’ve talked thought leadership and promotion. How about we tackle press?

Handle Good and Bad Press with Composure

Because social media allows for instant, two-way dialog, it’s important to be ready for all kinds of comments, both good and bad. Whether high or low praise, you have to be ready to respond in a manner that best represents you and your brand. Just remember, it’s often the critical feedback that helps you and your business grow.

Furthermore, it’s crucial to be not only present online, but also in your community. After you establish your online presence, try engaging with your fans and followers in person. People like to associate a brand or clinic name with relatable activities, topics, and familiar faces. The more the community can engage with a local clinic, the more loyalty will drive increased business. And meeting new people is a great source for new ideas and new content that you can then share online.

Because social media sites like Facebook and Twitter allow for the aforementioned instant, two-way dialogue, practices can easily address both complaints and compliments. And while specific patient details must remain offline, you can still have an instant conversation, showing your followers how important they are to your clinic. How easy of an improvement to your customer service is that? Plus, the conversation is public, allowing all your followers to see how responsive and open you are to your customers and partners.

Just make sure you take advantage of the instantaneousness: According to an article on GSW, “research shows that 70% of consumers expect healthcare companies to reply to requests for information made via social media within a day of the inquiry being posted. Even more so, 40% of them expect a reply within a few hours.”

What experiences have you had with handling positive and negative feedback online? Share in the comments, and stay tuned for the fourth and final part of “Beyond Social” tomorrow.