North Texas Dentistry Volume 9 Issue 2 2019 ISSUE 2 DE | Page 18

practice marketing
6 Ways Video Can
Give You a Competitive Advantage
by Marc Fowler
Cisco has predicted that video will account for 82% of all
internet traffic by 2021.
Based on Cisco’s prediction, the dental practices that embrace
proactive video strategies now will have a significant
competitive advantage over those without them.
Here are six ways you can leverage video right now to gain a
competitive advantage in your market for your practice.
1
BUILDING TRUST
In this age of scams and skepticism, trust is a rare commodity.
Trust is the differentiator between someone looking to “sell” you
something versus someone who is genuinely trying to help.
Videos humanize you and your practice. Rather than being just
another dental practice they found online, patients are able to
associate your practice with a person. Prospective patients are
much more likely to trust a person than a “practice” or listing
they found online.
The key is authenticity. Consumers are extremely savvy to overly
polished advertising messages. A video message that comes
across as “too slick” doesn’t have the same impact that an honest
message does, and can end up hurting your practice. Don’t be
afraid to share your personal story and let your passion for
helping patients shine through.
Trust is the foundation of the patient – provider relationship.
No other medium builds trust like video.
2
ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY
To maximize the growth of your practice, you need to be
positioned as the expert in the minds of prospective patients.
When looking for a new dentist to clean their teeth, most
patients aren’t necessarily looking for an expert, they just want
a competent, convenient dental office that will not cause them
pain and isn’t overly expensive.
When seeking treatment for more specialized services (implants,
cosmetic, ortho, etc.) patients want the expert, the absolute best
provider they can find.
18 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
No other medium lends itself to establishing you as an expert
and thought leader like video. Video allows you to share, on a
one-to-one level, what makes you the best option for a patient
like them. You can explain why your training, approach and
experience makes you their ideal solution.
3
PATIENT EDUCATION
Humans are hardwired to avoid cognitive strain, and thus, we
are four times more likely to watch a video about a product or
service than we are to read about it.
Ninety percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual,
and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than
text. By putting messages in motion you create a more engaging
experience and a higher rate of retention for the viewer.
The better patients understand the need for treatment and the
options available to them, the more likely they are to schedule
an appointment.
4
IMPROVED VISIBILITY
You can be the best dentist with the best team within 100 miles,
but if prospective patients can’t find you, your practice will not
achieve its full potential.
Google is the largest search engine and the most visited website
in the U.S. Showing up prominently in Google search results can
drive a significant amount of traffic to your website.
Google loves video and has configured its algorithms to give
video content greater organic visibility than text based content.
A well-executed video campaign can significantly increase new
patient flow without having to pay for advertising clicks.
5
EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS
With nonverbal cues such as body language and tone of voice
making up over 90% of effective communication, video is the
perfect medium for connecting with potential patients. Unlike
text or images, video allows the patient to experience facial
expressions, gestures and voice inflection to connect with you at
an emotional level.