Not all of us are blessed with the natural ability to tell a joke. Nor are we all great storytellers. Like many clinicians, whilst you might excel in the practice of dentistry, you may feel less confident in your ability to harness the power of the written word.
In a healthcare setting, the difference between excellent and poorly written communication can be a career changer; it can mean ‘happy ever afters’ and great patient testimonials or, conversely, risks of broken dreams and lengthy litigation. Either way, positive patient engagement matters.
When it comes to your dental marketing, your choice of words, tone and content are also important considerations. It can make the difference between raising the bar with your online engagement or losing potential patients at the first hurdle. Indeed, how you choose to tell your story on your website is as important as how it is presented.
Your content needs to be engaging, memorable and entertaining. And it needs to strike the perfect balance between sharing facts and telling your own personal story.
Core principles
Like any skill, there are core principles to observe when it comes to the written word. Once you understand the rules and with some practise, your ability to reach out to patients with digital storytelling will improve exponentially.
Use your copy space wisely. The words we choose to use in our digital communications are key. Empathy and positivity are dual components of any online ‘conversations’ with patients.
Clarity, precision, the avoidance of jargon, brevity and presentation should work together to promote your business. And, whilst the imagery, function and aesthetics of your practice website is often discussed as essentials, patients still need to be informed before taking that leap of faith.
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