Dental practices have been hit hard with the requirement of closures and only being able to accept emergency visits. Rather than falling into the pit of potential doom and gloom ahead, it only makes sense to leverage this downtime to your benefit as much as possible. Prepare for the comeback. Use this time to get those things done that you haven’t had time for and do the things that will help bring patients in once the pandemic has passed. One of our top tips to accomplish this is to optimize your Facebook page. And if you don’t currently have a Facebook page, now is the perfect time to set one up.
Facebook has become a cornerstone for branding a business. Not only is it a great marketing tool, but it also is a great platform for dental practices to engage and connect with patients and potential patients. Especially right now with the COVID-19 outbreak. Internet usage has skyrocketed in the last several weeks. With social-distancing and stay at home orders people are turning to social media for connection. Facebook gives the perfect opportunity to connect with current patients and attract potential patients, even during uncertain times like these.
Make sure your “About” information is up to date and includes the following:
Address
Phone Number
Website Link
Days and Hours of Operation
Specialty (ie. Pediatrics, General Dentistry, Ortho)
Call to Action Button (ie. Book Now, Contact Us, Learn More)
Use a Custom Page URL
Now you’ve got the about section perfected you may be wondering what to post. I promise it’s not as hard as it sounds. Think about what your patients love about your practice. Is your staff wonderful with customer service? Do they go the extra mile to help everyone feel welcome? What is the atmosphere like in your office? Are you regularly participating in community functions and charitable events? Have you recently upgraded equipment or brought in new techniques to improve treatments? Do you have drawings and giveaways? Have you shared a virtual tour of your office?
You’re not striving for perfection here. The goal is connection. Especially now where we find ourselves living in a world of social distancing. People are craving connection. It’s more important than ever that you are posting what’s happening with your practice during this time. Patients want to know you are still moving forward, making plans and optimizing things for reopening. Now is NOT the time to take a break from social media, especially Facebook. Don’t hesitate to post reassuring videos to your patients and community once a week. Keep it light. Keep it positive. And most importantly keep it genuine.