Professional Networking | Minoa Marketing

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The Power of Talking to Strangers

by Naomi Cooper July 23, 2014

As children, we are taught to never to talk to strangers. Our parents weren’t trying to isolate us or make us antisocial; it was merely seen as a reasonable precaution taken to keep kids safe. Fast forward twenty or thirty years, and an unintended consequence of the “stranger danger” mantra is that grown adults often find it difficult and uncomfortable — even scary — to talk to people we don’t know.

Whether we’d prefer to be distracted by our mobile devices or are simply too shy to make the first move, talking to strangers elicits severe anxiety in many adults. I recently came across an interesting article about this very topic that profiles Danny Harris, a writer and creative director living in Washington DC who made a commitment to talking to one stranger every day, a practice he continued for over three years!

Actually, talking to strangers can be a great way to build the dental team’s confidence, practice verbal skills and even spark word of mouth for your dental practice. What’s more, it’s completely free.

The conversations don’t have to be long or involved, and you don’t have to whip out your business card at the end. Instead, try casually mentioning what you do for a living (and asking the other person about him/herself) in the natural course of any chance encounter, be it at the veterinarian’s office, standing in line at the coffee shop or waiting for an elevator.

Now imagine if you were able to start a casual conversation like this with 3 strangers every day for 30 days. That’s 90 new connections you could make in just one month! Let’s take it a step further – what if your entire team committed to this “3 strangers a day for 30 days” plan? Imagine the number of members of your local community who would have the chance to have a positive association with, and possibly even get to know a little bit more about your dental practice — all because of a few quick, friendly conversations?

Check out this Ted Talks at http://youtu.be/fv9Loq-yNWI and try talking to a stranger today. You never know — it could yield big results for your practice, and possibly even transform your life!

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LinkedIn for Dentists

by Naomi Cooper March 11, 2014

So much of what is written about social media focuses on Facebook, with Twitter and YouTube following closely behind. A recent article published on DentistryIQ.com says that LinkedIn should not only be included in the mix but should actually be #1 on a dentist’s social media To-Do list.

The article asserts that LinkedIn users are more likely to fall into your target patient profile, with an average user age of 44 years and an average income of over $100,000. While those figures sound impressive, and I agree LinkedIn should be a part of a dentist’s marketing mix, I still encourage my clients to build solid profiles on Facebook, Twitter and/or YouTube. When it comes to online marketing, LinkedIn is fundamentally different from these sites. Here’s why:

LinkedIn is an online networking site, focusing primarily on business-to-business relationships. Most dentists have a business-to-consumer strategy, which is not to say that LinkedIn does not have a very real place in dental marketing, but rather that it should not replace other social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter where users are more comfortable with interacting with brands.

Also, when it comes to most social media sites, I recommend my clients build their profiles under the name of the practice rather than in the individual dentist. This builds an overall consistent branding strategy for the practice, and consolidates for a group practice what could be several profiles into one powerful all-inclusive profile.

With that said, my recommendation for LinkedIn would be slightly different. You can build a LinkedIn business page for your practice but it is also important to have an individual profile for each dentist first. Again, as LinkedIn is primarily to be used for professional networking, it is all about relationship-building. LinkedIn users connect with other like-minded professionals, some of whom may be your patients. Others may be fellow dentists, specialists, doctors, business owners, community leaders, and referral sources…yes, they may turn to you for dental services, but they can also be great sources of information when it comes to running a successful business.

If you are reading this and thinking you don’t have time to squeeze another site into your social media plan, think about automating your updates through sites such as Hootsuite. But automating your posts doesn’t equate to a “set it and forget it” mentality. Social media is about engagement — so if someone directly contacts you, be sure to take a few minutes to acknowledge them.

LinkedIn definitely should be a part of your online strategy but remember its unique purpose: professional networking. When used in conjunction with other social media sites, LinkedIn can be yet another tool in your social media arsenal!

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Cultivating Relationships: 6 Networking Tips for Dentists

by Naomi Cooper March 27, 2013

Here on the blog I often speak to the importance for dentists to engage in social media and online marketing. New modern tactics like these are essential for dentists to keep their marketing fresh and relevant. With that being said, a solid marketing plan includes a mix of new and old methods. And nothing can replace the value of professional networking.

Many dentists shy away from networking. Their reasons (ahem, excuses) range from not wanting to be too “sales-y” to simply not understanding the importance of networking.

No amount of advertising can replace face-to-face communication. Fostering relationships with fellow dentists, specialists, other healthcare providers and even other business owners is a way to market your practice and stay in touch with the local community.

Networking does not have to be cheesy or phony. Instead, approach networking as an opportunity to meet other business professionals with the same goal in mind – to grow their business.

Here are few ways for dentists to jumpstart their professional network:

Start with the familiar. Be sure to be an active member of your college and dental school alumni associations. Re-establish relationships with your dental school mates. Even if they are not nearby, you never know where a referral may come from.
Join, or re-engage, with professional associations. On the national level, check out the ADA website for any upcoming seminars or events. Be sure to look closer to home at state or local components.
If there are not any local opportunities, create one of your own and bring together other like-minded healthcare professionals. Host a study club or a cross-specialty workshop for patients with other doctors, for instance a dermatologist or pediatrician.
Include website addresses of your contacts within your practice website. Create a reciprocal page, “Our Medical Community”, with links to other websites of your contacts.
Join your local Chamber of Commerce.
Professional networking is now online. LinkedIn is the most popular site for professionals looking to increase their network. Facebook and Twitter are obviously ideal for engaging with patients, but to connect with other professionals Linkedin is your best bet.

In the end, if you are not talking about your practice, who will be? Operating a successful dental practice is not just about quality patient care. Meeting people and establishing professional relationships must be an element of your dental marketing plan.