Does it ever feel like building relationships on social media is like playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey?
Think about it. You’re blindfolded and facing a cutout of a donkey with no tail. Someone nearby hands you a small ribbon with a tack at the end, grips your shoulders, and spins you in circles. After a dizzying amount of time, they let go and you start stumbling around and feeling your way toward the donkey cutout…
You think you’ve got it! So, you tack the tail into what you’re sure is the donkey’s hind end. But when you rip off the blindfold, you’re about three feet off the mark.
For many healthcare practitioners, growing your practice using social media feels like a shot in the dark. You wrack your brain on what type of content to post or how to make your expertise stand out. So, you make a few posts, write captions that seem pretty good, and maybe do a Live or two. But if we’re honest, most of us feel like this process is incredibly frustrating – much like trying to pin that tail on the donkey.
As frustrating as it may feel, you can rest assured that it is possible to stand out amidst all the clutter on social media. You really can find your ideal patients and build relationships with them! Here are four ways you can do just that.
1. Create Content That Shows What They Can Expect
When your patients come to see you, they’re nervous. They’re concerned about what’s going on in their bodies. They want so badly to get better so they can get back to living their lives. They’re worried that nothing is going to help but yet they are still looking for an expert they can feel confident about working with.
To help calm their nerves and show that you really do care about helping them get well, let them know what to expect when they see you. Create posts that:
- Reinforce how you take the time to listen to their concerns and answer their questions. Let them know you aren’t a patient mill.
- Show how you’re firmly committed to finding the root cause behind what they’re experiencing. You offer way more than just symptom management.
- Explain what it’s like to be a patient at your clinic. Talk about the foundational aspects of healing as shown on your patient journey map.
The goal here is for your ideal patient to get a crystal clear picture of what it’s like to be your patient. So, don’t be afraid to show what their patient experience with you will be like.
2. Make Your Social Media an Extension of Your Practice
When it comes to building a great reputation on social media, it’s tempting to reach for the shiny object or say yes to that super slick ad that keeps popping up in your feed, promising to deliver up to 1 million followers overnight. Ummmm…. probably not.
A better way to think about it is this: treat your social media page as an extension of your clinic. Turn it into a comfortable digital spot where new patients can get to know more about you. How can you do that? Well, to start:
- Post video walkthroughs of your waiting room
- Create photos, videos, or reels of your adjustment table, massage room, and so on
- Show behind the scenes snapshots of your life as a practitioner
The goal here is to create the ambiance and relatability for your potential patients online as though they were in your office and right there with you.
3. Listen to Patient Feedback
One of the biggest hang-ups that patients face with their practitioners is feeling like they’re not heard. It’s a common reason patients will leave one practitioner for another one.
Patients want a practitioner who takes the time to listen to their health concerns and really hears what they’re experiencing. They don’t want to feel like they’re cattle being herded in and out of your clinic.
Part of listening includes taking patient feedback to heart.
You’re already an amazing practitioner with a passion for what you do. You hold yourself to crazy-high standards. But my friend, you’re not perfect. And that’s A-OK! Show potential patients that you listen to all types of feedback – whether it’s a patient singing your praises or providing you constructive feedback.
This builds trust with your patients and encourages them to openly share with you instead of ghosting you for another practitioner. So, yes, share those glowing reviews. But don’t forget to also sprinkle in those more vulnerable posts:
- Share about an experience where you learned something important from a patient.
- Describe a time when patient feedback helped you become a better practitioner.
- Share how something a patient said helped change your practice for the better.
This shows your human side and that you’re open to feedback and improvement. Speaking of being human…
4. Let Them See You
Social media is full of highly curated content that paints a picture of perfection. Perfect lighting, perfect videos, perfect everything. That’s a standard that’s tough to live up to. But perfection doesn’t build a practice. As the saying goes, people do business with those they like, know, and trust, not the ones with the perfect hair and makeup.
New patients crave connection. They not only want to make sure you can address their health concerns, but they want to like you along the way. So, create posts and videos that:
- Express your values and passions
- Show why you became a practitioner
- Highlight your unique, shining personality
The last thing your social media page needs is a sterile profile and a bunch of boring posts. Instead, pull back the curtain a bit and let others see your sparkling personality. It’s a surefire way to build relationships on social media and set you apart from others who do the same thing as you.
Find New Patients and Grow Your Practice by Building Relationships on Social Media
If only you could snap your fingers and magically have a thriving social media presence that draws new patients in by the droves! That would be incredible, but you’ve got to remember that social media is a long-haul game. Just like when you first met your spouse, it takes time to nurture and build something meaningful.
To build relationships on social media, you have to start somewhere. Choose one of the above techniques this week and see how it starts to open doors to meeting new potential patients!
