Now...What NOT to Do
If you missed our earlier post on Social Media Do's, read that here...
Social media has become many veterinary clients’ dominant source of information, making it almost impossible not to feel some sense of urgency to jump in. But in the rush to start posting content, you could make some critical mistakes.
Here are tips for how to avoid the five common errors that small business make when it comes to social media, according to Nellie Akalp, the CEO of CorpNet, a legal document filing service for small businesses.
1. Don’t make a hard sell. This means no blatant promotional copy. No more than 10 percent of your status updates or tweets should be self-promotional. Use your medical expertise to build relationships and grow trust with your veterinary clients. This means answering questions, providing helpful information and serving as a trusted resource on topics such as veterinary ultrasound. These activities should ultimately grow your practice’s bottom line. Remember, social media shouldn’t replace all your other traditional marketing practices.
2. Don’t self-promote. Be gracious, genuinely interested in what others have to say and don’t dominate the conversation. Engage with clients and potential clients who post on your veterinary practice’s wall. Share great content from others in the industry. Ask questions and encourage participation. Sometimes it’s better to talk less and listen more.
3. Don’t try to be everywhere. You don’t need to be everywhere to do social media well. Instead, choose one or two of the most relevant and effective outlets for reaching your clients and focusing on those. A neglected social media presence will reflect poorly on your veterinary practice. So, it’s actually better to not have an account at all if you don’t have the time and resources to actively manage it.
4. Don’t overextend your budget. Creating giveaways and contests is one of the most effective ways to generate new likes and improve overall engagement with your clients. But small businesses often feel the pressure to offer flashy prizes. You don’t have to give away a bunch of iPads if that’s not what you can afford. Instead, consider giving away one of your practice’s services, like a nail trim or a wellness exam.
5. Don’t skimp on the time commitment. Social media requires constant commitment, from keeping content fresh to engaging your followers. Unless you consider your time—or your veterinary team members’ time—worthless, there’s a cost involved with social media. If it takes one team member approximately 10 hours a week to manage social media accounts, you can assign a hard cost to the effort.
As always, E.I. Medical Imaging is here to help veterinarians. We would love to show you how our products and accessories can improve patient care while increasing your bottom line! Schedule a demo or contact us at 1.866.365.6596 today!
