As any business of any type now knows, utilizing social media outlets like Facebook to get your name out there and promote your services and products is one of the best ways you can boost your sales and increase your customer base. Whether you already have a Facebook strategy or are starting fresh, any dermatology practice can benefit from keeping these six tips in mind to optimize the way Facebook and other social media applications can complement your business.
1. Set Goals and Track Your Success
Your practice should create a social media plan, complete with measurable goals so that you can track your success. This will help you to gauge which posts, links, and other strategies are working, which aren’t, and–most importantly–what kinds of information and offers your patients are looking for. While blindly posting on Facebook will produce better results than not posting at all, the best way to take advantage of this tool is to invest a little time and even money into the process. You should treat Facebook and other social media apps like any other marketing strategy your practice uses.
2. Establish Trust and Credibility
According to recent survey information, more than half of the millennial population regularly uses online reviews to find a new doctor, and over 40 percent of all patients reported having used online reviews to find a doctor back in 2014 (Physicians Practice). This trend is on a rapid upward climb, and there’s no end in sight. The good news for dermatologists is that they can use online reviews to their advantage to help acquire new patients. One great way to do this is by encouraging your current patients to review your practice on your Facebook page, and you can even share a few testimonials from happy patients to establish the trustworthiness and credibility of you and your practice, as well as grow your online reputation.
3. Share Free Tips and Tricks
As a general rule of thumb, try to follow the 80-20 strategy of online marketing. That is, 20 percent of the content that you post should be self-promotional, whereas the other 80 percent is neutral information and tips for the sole benefit of your patients. Sharing a few of your favorite skincare tips and tricks, especially as a trusted dermatologist, can help to attract new patients, as well as encourage current patients to follow and engage with you on social media.
4. Deals and Special Offers
Who doesn’t love a great deal? Deals and special offers are all over Facebook, and most people take to the internet looking for them before choosing a service provider, so why not take advantage of this yourself? Even better still, when you do offer a special deal through Facebook, you can get a good idea of how many people you are reaching online by asking patients to mention your Facebook ad in order to get the deal.
5. Spotlight Your Skincare Products
If your dermatology practice sells skincare (and if you don’t, take a look at this blog about why you should start), Facebook is a great way to spotlight some of the most popular products that you have available, or even highlight a few that tend to be good for various skin types. Of course, you should encourage patients to take the Baumann Skin Type Questionnaire in your office so that they know exactly what their skin type is and which products are right for them.
6. Engage with Your Followers
Finally, make sure that you or someone on your team is actively checking your Facebook and other social media pages and engaging with followers. Oftentimes, you’ll see that patients or potential patients are asking questions or looking for advice in the comments of your posts, or even right on your page’s wall. While you certainly may not be able to address each and every comment, make an effort to engage with a few of your followers on a regular basis.
Developed by world-renowned dermatologist, Leslie Baumann, MD, the Skin Type Solutions® Franchise System is an educational, science-based skincare store that implements a simple and reliable system to maximize skincare product sales and improve patient compliance and results.
Based on Dr. Baumann’s patent-pending Baumann Skin Typing System, this first-of-its-kind retail model provides dermatologists with the scientific methodology, training, and education necessary to prescribe effective, customized skincare regimens utilizing multiple brands of products that have been independently tested and approved by Dr. Baumann. To learn more about what Skin Type Solutions can do for your dermatology practice, visit the STS site here.