I've said to our veterinary clients (clients of
My Hometown Vet) that in order to find new clients of their own, they have to reach them where they are. Where do you believe your prospective clients are? Do you believe that people are picking up the Yellow Pages to find a new veterinarian? Perhaps some of them. But I can tell you from our company's research that most people no longer use the Yellow Pages. They use the Internet.
So, are you there for them?
Are you reaching them with the tools that they're using everyday? For instance, did you know that there are over 200 million active
Facebook users and that an estimated 100 million of them logon to Facebook everyday? Does your practice have a Facebook fan site? What a great example of using Web 2.0!
Many veterinary practice owners are wary of the hype around online social media, but they should think about them as today’s practice-building tools. Are you taking advantage of them to grow your practice?
When there is a discussion about Web 2.0 it typically centers on Web logs (or blogs), Social Networks, Flickr, Wikis, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the like. To be sure, there is an entire universe of very cool technology making up the Web 2.0 landscape.
Yet, technology just for technology’s sake makes little sense and if Web 2.0 were just about the technology it would be far less compelling. Technologies are neither good nor bad. Rather, it is how they are used that defines them.
So, you might ask, “What’s the big deal about Web 2.0?” Web 2.0 technologies are the enablers to a set of social and cultural trends that are transforming our world. Peers coming together and tapping into a collective intelligence to create value characterize this new world. It is a culture where by drawing strength from each other, individuals collectively gain control, influence and power.
Back to the Future
Actually, people’s desire to connect is not new. Historically, people have depended on each other for strength and support. The front porch of the general store was a place where the community gathered to share stories and trade goods. However, during the era of mass production and mass communication, institutions subjugated the value of individual. Now, the social and interactive technologies of Web 2.0 are ushering in a new era of relationship and community—there is a power shift from the institutions back to the people.
Why Should I Care?
A great deal of personal and informal business Web 2.0 usage is taking place today. More than likely, you and/or your ptactice team members are already watching video on You Tube, reading blogs, and joining social networking sites such as Facebook, Ning, and LinkedIn. Unfortunately, many practice owners just haven’t been able to get their heads around the concept—at least not as a business strategy. And even if they know they need to or want to, they're quite busy practicing medicine and don't have the time to do it! Yet, making the Web 2.0 culture part of your Internet marketing plan may very well be a matter of survival.
As pointed out above, Web 2.0 culture in not a passing fad. It’s a long-term hard trend that has significant implications on how your practice can most effectively interact and communicate with your current clients, prospective clients, and team members. Only by understanding Web 2.0 culture (technology and trends) will you be armed with the knowledge necessary to create and implement appropriate strategies to tap into and profit from the Web 2.0 culture.
Myhometownvet.com allows veterinarians to market their veterinary practice on the internet; marketing your veterinary practice website; search engine optimization for the veterinary practice. Veterinary practice management. Veterinary marketing.