Dear Partners in Care,
Remember when marketing your practice was as simple as taking out an ad in the local newspaper? Maybe renting a billboard if things were going well?
I do not need to tell you that times have changed. That is why I was so pleased to see St. Tammany Quality Network hosting a session last week on how to grow your medical practice through social media – or how to “build your brand,” in modern parlance.
The session was presented by STQN member Dr. Joshua Leblanc and St. Tammany Health System Marketing and Communication Director Amy Bouton, two proven experts in the field. (Dr. Leblanc, whose social media savvy has seen his practice grow to include three clinics, has notably never taken out a print ad or paid for a billboard.)
If you attended, you know their session was chock-a-block with pro tips and sage advice. (Artificial intelligence, it was not.) If you could not make it, I would like to share one of their key takeaways when it comes to building a successful social media strategy.
In a word: consistency.
Just keep creating quality posts, and do so thoughtfully and regularly. That will not only help establish you as the subject matter expert for your patients – or your “audience” when it comes to social media – but it will also keep your practice top-of-mind, as well as engendering trust and familiarity.
Additionally, though, your posts should be consistent with the patient experience at your practice. That will set accurate expectations – which reduces misunderstandings and improves patient satisfaction – while also reinforcing your brand identity and building long-term loyalty.
Admittedly, building a strong online following takes time and patience. But, as Dr. Leblanc has proven, if you are open to investing that time, you will find that it improves your relationship with your patients, in addition to bringing new ones to your waiting room.
It might not be as easy as taking out a newspaper ad, but it is effective in today’s wired world. Just what the doctor ordered, you might say.
Thanks to Dr. Leblanc for leading the way and sharing his social media insights. And thank you, as always, for being a part of our STQN team.
Gratefully,