Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Chiropractic Marketing with Social Networks and Video

By Matthew Loop, DC

When they first originated, I don't think anyone could've imagined just how lucrative and powerful social networking websites like YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter were going to be for business growth and exposure. When I introduced social media and simple video marketing to the chiropractic profession three years ago, I was confident that these Web 2.0 platforms would change the face of marketing as we knew it. With that confidence, I still could not have predicted the explosion that has taken place globally in such a short amount time.

And that wasn't the end of it either. I was able to save a remarkable amount of time by leveraging tasks, and was able to use web 2.0 and all its services at absolutely no cost. No wonder expensive marketing firms are working like crazy to find new clients to charge loads of money. They sense the end is near, because the real power of SEO and web 2.0 can be unleashed on your own! When I started to introduce myself to my community three years ago using MySpace, I was meeting nearly 50 people a day online. The traffic this drew to my website was unheard of. Soon enough, calls from potential patients starting coming in.

The results and success that I experienced with this kind of online marketing was almost instantaneous. In fact, I experienced dramatic results within 24 hours. I successfully was able to brand myself as the chiropractic authority in my community, and therefore entice countless new patients to utilize my services. I was able to constantly keep in touch with my new friends online and send information to my massive amount of subscribers. When you're keeping in touch with several thousand people on a regular basis, there's basically an avalanche of success that begins to flow your way.

Online video submission is really the powerhouse of chiropractic marketing. It is the basis of my success, and the secrets of it are taught to my students. By making regular videos, you can greatly increase your standing as a chiropractor in the community. When you learn the right tricks and know the appropriate services where you can upload your videos, the potential is amazing. Just a tip: make sure you always compress your video before submitting. Use a program like Windows Movie Maker for PC or iMovie for the Mac.

I noticed a while back that videos receive tremendous index status in the major search engines. When you understand the basics of optimization, you can begin to see your material reach top billing as well. When the most highly targeted visitors see your videos and get the link to your website, you officially have the internet working for you and your chiropractic practice 24 hours a day. My new patients said they felt like they already knew me, even before stepping into my office. That says a lot! When I provide new health and chiropractic information over the internet to help and inform people, they sense that they're not getting junk or spam. They're getting information and support they can trust.

Now is the time to learn the power that chiropractic video marketing can have on your practice. Nearly 52% of online content today is video! When people go online to look for solutions to back pain and neck aches, they want to ideally find videos for "one on one" instruction and information online. The more videos and material you have online, the more they trust what you have to say and believe your credibility in the business. There is no better way to literally stifle the competition.

It's truly awesome when you have the ability to give people a tour of your office, so that they can really see where you work and the environment of your practice. I know it sounds funny, but I carry my video camera and tripod with me everywhere, because I'm always inspired by some new idea for an informational video and promo for my chiropractic practice. I've shot videos everywhere! It says something about the success of my practice that I've made promo videos in the office, at home, in the mountains, near oceans, and even in Costa Rica! Wouldn't you like to hear answers about your back pain from someone sitting in a majestic location? Viewers come with me on this journey, and are better able to trust me when I speak to them in the flattering natural light.

In your chiropractic video marketing campaigns, make sure to also crank-out at least 1-2 videos per week. You can do them yourself or outsource production. If you outsource, though, you will pay a pretty penny. I recommend doing it yourself, as it's so simple and free. It's also a good idea to invite people to subscribe to your YouTube video channel at the end of your video messages. If you directly ask them, they will be more inclined to do so.

The important thing to remember is to relax, have fun, and to not be pretentious. Your videos should not be fake or give a false impression of who you really are. Convey your genuine feelings about wanting to help people and be the go-to person for their specific problems and this is what you will attract. With that in mind, provide a large amount of use value that your followers or people that see your video can implement that same day. This will give you even more credibility and build faster rapport with your community.

You truly do need a good chiropractic coach that understands the current marketing climate, and how modern technology and communications function for chiropractors today. Find a coach that specializes in chiropractic marketing utilizing web 2.0 and social media sharing sites. There's no use finding someone who specializes in anything else. Once you find the right mentor, fasten your seat belt because your practice is about to explode on the internet! - 15615

About the Author: