CallSource^® Aim Higher

Tired of Hide-And-Seek? How the “Local Web” Can Get You Found where it Counts…Online

by Lee Firestone, Vice President, OnlineChiro.com, July 28 2010

You probably already know the importance of having a Website.  But do you know how to use your Website and other Internet resources to help customers find you?  Since it’s all about getting people through the door, there are things you can do to build this client base.  In some aspects, chiropractic is no different than any other product or service. Providers are expected to conduct business in an exceedingly competitive market where customers have access to more choices and information than ever before. For this reason, it’s imperative to get your business in front prospects when they’re ready to buy.  Here are some tips to help you get to the right people at the right time:

1. Beginning where your customers are…online.  You need to be where your customers are.  And they are on the Web – the “local Web,” that is.  It’s how the Internet helps them to connect with the people and places in their hometown.  You can seize this trend by making detailed information accessible on your Website.  It’s  more important than ever that your advertising leads to the proper content with sufficient service detail and clear “calls to action” to motivate people to choose your business.
2. Using social media to promote your Website.  Many use social media sites to reconnect with friends and family, but they also use them to obtain information.  Publishing information and participating in conversations on social media sites can help your Website a great deal.  In addition, social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Blogger, are great avenues to create links to your Website.  The more links you have connecting to your Website, the higher your organic rankings will be.
3. Getting local business results. Have you ever conducted a search for a chiropractor in your area and found ten doctors on the top of the search in “local business results?”  How did these practices get up there?  Its part of a solid search engine strategy put in place by the companies that market them.  This section is searched more often than any other place in the search engines. Make sure you’re business is also coming up in the “local business results.”
4. Making deals matter.  When times are tough, potential customers go in search of a bargain.  You can benefit by adding more promotional content to your Website.  When patients ask questions related to price, don’t be offended.  The fact they are asking questions shows they are interested. It’s your job to educate potential patients and get them through the front door.
5. Publishing eNewsletters.  One significant impact of the Web has been its ability to enable anyone to become a publisher.  Interestingly, one communication tool that has not changed much is the newsletter.  An eNewsletter is an effective way to stay in contact with patients, and this consistent contact has a number of advantages.  First and foremost is the “share of mind,” which simply means you need to keep your name in front of your patients as often as possible.  An educated patient is also a loyal patient.  Make sure to include interesting information your patients will forward to friends and family.  Word-of-mouth is one of the strongest marketing tactics available.

The bottom line is this: If you want to grow your business in your local area, you need to be found online.  The next time someone searches for products or services in your local area, be sure your practice is found.  There were more than one million local searches for “chiropractor” last month – was your practice among those found online in the “local business results?”

Lee Firestone is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at: www.OnlineChiro.com, a company that offers customizable Websites, an e-communications suite, and full search engine strategies.