For this month’s Marketing Expert column, Shaz Memon presents a guide to assist introverted dentists with their social media marketing.
The introverts amongst us should have been oddly conflicted by lockdown. Without the expectation of socialising, we might keep safely cosseted in our personal small world. Unsociable however guilt-free, because it have been.
Nor have been there the pressures to give you excuses to sidestep that reunion/distant cousin’s marriage ceremony/ageing aunt’s party and so forth.
Introversion, it appears, is just not with out its upsides.
Human connection
But the world is now as soon as once more a gloriously related place – arguably much more so.
The world of restrictions served because the mom of reinvention. Technophobes joined technophiles within the ‘Zoom increase’. They have been pleased to dabble in digital exercise if it meant some type of human connection.
We overcame the restraints of physicality to create bonds just about. The introvert is sitting on the side-line as soon as once more, wanting for causes to not get entangled.
Introverted dentists
I’ve repeatedly spoken about dentistry’s relationship with social media. Now a key element of any dental marketing technique, digital connections rely. I’ve written an entire guide devoted to serving to dentists navigate Instagram specifically.
But what in case you occur to be an introvert?
How do dentists, uncomfortable with the idea of self-promotion, self-promote?
How can they overcome their reluctance to step into the limelight and park that concern of being judged and feeling uncovered with a view to market themselves to potential sufferers?
Psychoanalyst Karl Jung was the primary to speak in regards to the two character attitudes – extraversion and introversion – in 1921. This set the framework for future discussions on the 2 methods of viewing life.
Of the introvert, he stated: ‘His shyness and mistrust of issues induce hesitation, and so he all the time has problem in adapting to the exterior world.’
Types of introverts
But not all introverts are born equal. According to research, there are 4 sorts:
Social introverts – personal individuals who favor small gatherings (one-to-one communications particularly). In bigger teams, they will really feel drained
Thinking introverts – they possess artistic imaginations and are good at storytelling
Anxious introverts – sad on the prospect of socialising, however happier behind the scenes
Restrained introverts – suppose earlier than they act with a pure tendency to err on the facet of frequent sense.
Plus, one I’ve lately encountered…
Voice be aware introverts – they’ve an aversion to individuals who ship voice notes and anticipate you to take heed to them.
Qualities for social media
A frequent thread within the above is that they have the right qualities for social media exercise.
This means they’re nicely positioned to create thought-through and genuine social media posts that genuinely replicate the patient-clinician relationship.
They characteristic nice story-telling, are professionally accountable and accountable and are delivered remotely – thus ticking the packing containers for the introvert and interesting followers.
Introverts typically have sturdy written communication expertise, too, and likewise favor their very own firm – a bonus for time spent on their digital dental marketing.
So flex your fingers, put in your ‘recreation face’ and get posting…
1. Own it
You don’t have to be like anyone else that you just really feel could also be profitable on social media. Use your personal voice and be sincere with your self.
If it helps, write a put up in third particular person and see the way it sits earlier than switching to first particular person. Just like you could have talked about your qualities in an interview or on a CV – that is no completely different.
Try out other ways of telling your story. Use humour, quick face-to-camera movies, or candid distant photographs if you’re uncomfortable with posing for pictures.
All sufferers wish to see is the actual you – and join with you in a manner they really feel most snug. You have many sufferers that love one thing about you, all we have to do is echo what these traits are on social media. Patients already anticipate dentists to be nice at dentistry. Many are extra inquisitive about how you’ll make them really feel when they’re searching your social media.
Remember: you don’t want to check your self to your extroverted colleagues to achieve success on social media!
2. Do. It.
Avoid deliberation and stagnation with sharing posts.
Whilst some introverts hardly ever act on a whim, there’s a level the place that dedication must be made. Give it due consideration, in fact, however strive to not overthink it.
If your early posts are a bit tough spherical the sides, then construct on these and develop your voice and magnificence as you progress.
Social media is meant to be participating, present and enjoyable. The highlight impact is a time period utilized by psychologists to consult with the tendency we now have to overestimate how a lot folks discover us. Most folks don’t care that a lot about all the main points introverts are so good at overthinking about.
3. It’s marketing
Introverts are sometimes cautious of social media as a result of it appears it is filled with folks shouting about themselves. Introverts like myself, wrestle with self-promotion. I now advise altering the time period ‘self-promotion’ to ‘reporting’ which could be very completely different to ‘boasting’.
Patients are curious to listen to about your day, life and what goes on once you go away the follow. Make ‘reporting’ your dental marketing. Promoting your dentistry often is the apparent focus for you – however, as I’ve stated many occasions, sufferers anticipate your dentistry to be nice and solely a few of your posts have to be about scientific expertise.
Successful social media accounts combine up scientific posts with personable posts which present your self in a rounded attention-grabbing mild. Stay targeted on the top consequence – treatment-curious potential sufferers to show into potential leads.
Introversion comes with social stigma however it isn’t a flaw. Watching and assessing may be useful on social media platforms – you see what works and what doesn’t and you might be typically nicely positioned to gauge what it’s affected person wish to know after which ship on that.
Introversion can be your secret weapon – generally it’s the quiet voices that get heard above all of the ‘noise’.
When it involves dental marketing, ‘significant’ somewhat than ‘meaningless’ wins the day.
4. It doesn’t should be all about you
In reality, your social media exercise is healthier if it isn’t.
We’ve all met that bore at a celebration who’s pleased to speak about themselves incessantly. It could also be why introverts dislike massive gatherings a lot, or keep very quiet when folks they meet don’t have any downside speaking about themselves for half-hour straight.
Your posts are not any completely different. Make your posts in regards to the affected person and relate them again to you. They don’t essentially must know what you ate for dinner final night time!
However, sufferers could love the way you immerse your self in aware actions that allow you to turn out to be a greater dentist.
5. Keep it actual
Don’t rely likes, mates usually are not mates and followers is not going to want to think about you as dental royalty. The digital dental world is just not all glamour, grand designs and glowing Google evaluations.
What is your USP? What tales do you need to share?
Don’t be tempted to create a persona that’s miles away from the ‘actual’ you. Authenticity is essential and sufferers need the expertise within the chair to replicate what they’ve seen of you on-line. Be open to participating with them. Social media is not only shouting and showcasing.
Many dentists which have attended my workshops have come again to me to share that their 500 to 1,000 followers have modified their profession in so some ways. A small variety of engaged, loyal followers are extra highly effective than 10,000 followers who don’t care a lot about you.
6. Schedule posts
Set apart time to create and write your posts and possibly use a social media scheduler to plan forward.
If you want, converse to a dental social media marketing consultant who can navigate this for you. This means you don’t waste beneficial time deliberating over them any greater than you need to. Limit the variety of accounts you look to for affect, too, so you aren’t overwhelmed by the number of routes you could want to take.
7. If wants be, hand it over to another person
Dentists are busy folks, so I get why they could look for another person to signify them on-line. But simply take into consideration the results of this.
Again you don’t wish to be misrepresented or do harm to your status. Do you belief them to behave as your ‘voice’? Are they able to representing your model by posting footage, movies, tales, and reside movies that signify you and entice the related viewers?
There are advantages to this association – they could see subjects to share that you’re reluctant to and optimise your profile consequently. Just be sure you get sign-off earlier than they put up something.
Hazel Woodward, of HW Digital, and I speak about this ceaselessly – she has nearly nailed the right dentist social-media partnership.
Catch Shaz’s earlier Marketing Expert columns:
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https://dentistry.co.uk/2022/07/30/marketing-expert-a-social-media-survival-guide-for-introverts/
