We recently sold our home for a change of pace. But we didn't go searching for a new home until the old one closed first to avoid getting stuck with 2 mortgages.
We had a buffer of a few months after our house closed before we had to be out of it so we didn't end up on the street.
Once the house closed, we were in full blown buyers-mode trying to find our next dream house. And like most of you, I suspect, our first tool was the internet.
I have taught my clients for years, when someone is searching for "My Town Name" plus "Your Service/Product", they are a serious prospect and it is your opportunity to capture their attention. So what you do to make sure you show up under this category is the key between getting the patient and getting lost in the shuffle.
But being on the buying end of this interaction, I got insight most business owners take for granted and lessons everyone needs to take back to their practice and apply.
Why Your Web Presence Is Like Internet Dating
1. "The pictures you see on the site aren't necessarily what you get in real life."
Looking at these houses on the web, I found a few that I just fell in love with. I was prepared to make an offer immediately just based on the site but wanted to check them out in person to close the deal emotionally.
Once we pulled up in the driveway though, we were questioning if this was even the same house!!!
There was an instant disconnect in the marketing message the site was delivering and what reality was. It made me lose faith in the property, the listing agent, and the whole process. I
**If your site is more sophisticated than your office is in reality you're losing patients' confidence. If the staff is rude on the phone, the office is messy, and then you are claiming you are premier cosmetic services practice you're lying to yourself as well as the patient.
2. "Everyone on the site might be implying it was a match made in heaven but in reality, they have already headed divorce court. "
**Doctors should use testimonials on all marketing materials (including the web) in accordance with your state board's rules. All testimonials should be current and updated regularly. If you are set up your website a few years ago and haven't updated the content, it's worthless.
Before and after photos should also be updated and fall into the same category. People notice that your site hasn't changed in 2 years. They are left to assume you haven't had another satisfied customer in that time.
Featuring new patients regularly also builds referrals and an exclusivity club that patients will be 'biting at the bit' to want to belong to. Everyone loves to be recognized for something good, it this will not only improve your external marketing efforts but the internal ones as well.
3. "You got to be looking for love to click the button and sign up. "
Dating sites aren't 'selling' people; they are selling an emotional experience.
**Same is true of your dental or cosmetic surgery practice. Patients aren't 'buying' teeth or Botox; they are buying happiness, confidence, and the feeling of capturing lost youth. In every step of the patient encounter, stop being a doctor and discussing the technical aspects of what you offer. Speak to their heart and let them fall in love with the thought of changing their lives for the better.