Every community has influential members who boast a large social footprint. Many dental practices find it helpful to engage with these influencers, network together with them in a mutually beneficial way, and encourage them to help in promoting the practice.
While dentists oftentimes overlook this indirect marketing method, it is wildly effective and beneficial. If you’re looking for a new, fresh way to promote your practice, these tips will help you engage and work with community influencers.
Identify Community Influencers
A simple internet search in your area will help uncover locals with influence in your community. Remember to think outside of your industry, keeping bloggers and social entrepreneurs in mind as well. If you’re having a difficult time finding your influencers, look into networking and social events in your area where you can bump elbows with these types of people.
Build a Relationship
First things first, you want this to be a mutually beneficial relationship. Your selected influencers will need to know about your dental practice, including what services and products you have to offer. They’ll need to understand the value of doing business with you so they can share this information within their sphere. One of the best ways to do this is by hosting them at your practice, giving a tour, and explaining what you have to offer.
Sweeten the Deal
Most influencers will need to be able to talk about your practice with a certain authority and key insider information. To best do this, you will want to consider offering free services and products for them to try. It’s incredibly difficult to recommend a dentist when you haven’t experienced their services yourself. Therefore, share freely with your selected influencers and be sure to make a good impression so they, in turn, can share this impression within the community.
Share Information
Make it easy for your influencers to share the information they’ve gained regarding your practice. If they are sharing on social media or a blog, be sure to supply all relevant information they’ll need to do so, such as your practice’s website and social media channels so they can link back to them and community members can easily find you.
Open Communication
When engaging with influencers, it’s important for both parties to understand the terms of the partnership. For instance, if you want specific services or products highlighted, it should be clearly outlined. This will help you avoid miscommunication and ensure that both parties are getting the most out of the relationship.
Follow-Up
The last thing you want an influencer to feel is used or forgotten. It’s always a good idea to keep communication open and to follow-up with them. You can send an email or mail a postcard to show them how much you really appreciate their help. If you want to encourage further engagement, consider keeping them in the loop about upcoming events or discounts. You may even want to consider reaching out to them with further service or product offers that they can share again within their sphere of influence.
Connecting with key influencers is a great way to get your practice’s name out into your community. These tips will help ensure that your partnership is successful and rewarding for both parties involved.