Dental and Medical Practices, as well as Other Healthcare Professionals. Patient Testimonials to grow your practice.
The sad fact about online reviews is that people are more likely to write a review when they have something to complain about than things they are happy about. Most people don’t take the time to write a decent review if they are pleased with a business service. Yet, they are more than willing to bad mouth a company that they feel hasn’t met their expectations.
As a business owner, what is the best way to handle this? It will kill your business revenue if you have many bad online reviews. They can hurt your dealings in so many ways. Handling your online business reputation should be one of your top priorities as a business owner. The online world is essential in building and getting the word out about your business, but don’t think that what is said online can’t hurt you. It can.
Reputation management is the way to go to ensure that your business is portrayed in the right light online. You can fight bad reviews, get 5-star reviews, and generally have a stellar online reputation with the correct tools. Online reputation management can save your business.
Consumers Care About Reviews
You might think that those thousands and thousands of reviews online don’t matter, but they do. People read them, whether it’s about a specific good or service, a professional medical office for doctors and dentists, or the restaurant business. They are all subject to bad reviews that affect the bottom line.
People are getting in line because of a powerful reputation, not because of the products.
The marketplace is saturated with businesses of all different kinds, and now, with the advent of the internet, things are more global. So even if your company does most of its business in New York City, a bad online review from anywhere in the world can hurt you.
How O360 can help me with reputation management?
Consumers care about reviews. When they read a bad one, they are likelier to look to another company to give their business to. A bad review is a threat to the integrity of your business. They need to be addressed formally as soon as possible to ensure you don’t get more bad reviews. Bad reviews seem to be contagious. Nip them in the bud so that they don’t hold more weight than they need to.
Have Great Customer Service
This fact goes for any business. Having great customer service at the forefront of your business can halt bad reviews in their tracks. If you ensure that your clients are totally satisfied with your service, they are more likely to come back and not complain about their dealings with you. This is just a good mentality to have when you own a business. You want to make people feel like all their issues are dealt with calmly and understanding. The ability to listen well is a customer service representative’s biggest asset.
In the world of Internet Customer Service, it’s important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away. ~ Doug Warner
People will always remember a good customer service experience. It’s key to have this handled correctly. Make sure whoever handles this in your corporation is skilled at this job. You don’t want to turn off your customers immediately if they have an issue that needs to be carefully dealt with.
Companies sometimes do not put enough emphasis on their customer service teams, or at the very least, the person whose job is handling complaints. Train them right, and you’ll be ahead of the game with customer issues.
Important Steps
Here’s a list of important steps you can take to enhance your online reputation, which is critical to your success as a healthcare professional:
- Create a Professional Website: Develop a well-designed, user-friendly website that provides essential information about your medical or dental practice, services offered, contact details, and testimonials from satisfied patients. Get help from O360 if you need a custom healthcare website developed.
- Optimize for Local SEO: Implement search engine optimization (SEO) strategies focusing on local search. This will help your practice appear higher in local search results, making it easier for potential patients to find you. You can then build a collection of reviews on your Google Maps listing. Check our Reputation Management service.
- Claim and Optimize Online Listings: Claim your business on various online directories and review platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, Healthgrades, etc. Ensure your listings are complete and accurate with consistent business information across all platforms. This may take a little time, but it is a very important step that you need to take to start building your successful online presence.
- Encourage Reviews and Testimonials: Positive online reviews and testimonials can significantly impact your reputation. Encourage satisfied patients to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and your website. Respond professionally to all reviews, whether positive or negative. Make it easy. For example, have an iPad with the link to the review page ready at their checkout desk and ask them to rate your service.
- Be Active on Social Media: Maintain an active presence on social media platforms, especially those that are relevant to your target audience. Share educational content, oral health tips, and updates about your practice. Engage with your followers and respond to comments and messages promptly. If you are busy, you can connect your website’s blog to your social pages and get them updated automatically. Check our social marketing services.
- Share Educational Content: Create and share informative content related to dental health on your website and social media platforms. This establishes you as an authority in your field and builds trust with potential patients. Learn how to write a good medical blog.
- Utilize Online Advertising: Consider investing in online advertising to reach a wider audience. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads can help you target specific demographics and geographic areas. If you need help managing your PPC campaign, click here.
- Engage in Online Dental Communities: Participate in online dental forums, groups, and communities. Contribute valuable insights and information, and avoid overt self-promotion just try to be helpful. Building relationships with other professionals and potential patients can help your reputation online.
- Offer Virtual Consultations: Providing virtual consultations or telehealth services can show your commitment to patient convenience and safety. It can also attract patients who prefer online interaction. Telemedicine is growing fast. Don’t stay behind.
- Monitor Online Reputation: Regularly monitor what people are saying about your dental practice online. Use tools like Google Alerts or social media listening tools to stay updated on mentions and reviews. There are automatic tools that can help you do this.
- Address Negative Feedback Professionally: If you receive negative feedback, address it professionally and empathetically. Try to resolve any issues and take the conversation offline if necessary. This shows potential patients that you care about their experiences. Learn how to respond to negative reviews.
- Stay Compliant with Privacy Regulations: Ensure that your practice complies with privacy regulations, especially when dealing with patient information and online interactions. Check our HIPAA Email and Server Services.
- Highlight Your Team and Expertise: Showcase your team’s qualifications, certifications, and ongoing education on your website. Demonstrating your expertise helps build trust with potential patients. Short bios and images go a long way in giving your office a human face.
Remember that building a solid online reputation takes time and consistent effort.
