The same could be said of print media.  According to some industry experts, print media is on the way out.  It’s apparently being pushed into it’s grave by computers, the internet, electronic book readers such as Kindle, Apple’s iPad, and so on.

We disagree.  Yes, there are definitely some sectors where print is struggling to fend off repeated body blows from modern technology.  Magazines, for example, are struggling because so much of the information in them can now be found online, and because many advertisers can no longer afford the high price of print media.

But in terms of marketing (not advertising, which is just a tiny part of marketing), print media is very much alive and kicking.  For one thing, many people still like the reassurance of seeing something in print.  It makes a company more “real”, because you have something tangible in your hands.

Those looking for quality services or products will gain further reassurance by seeing a printed brochure.  No matter how good a website is, it can’t give the same feel of class that a professional brochure with fantastic imagery, high quality paper and special finishes can give.

And let’s face it, print is easier to read.  Not everyone wants to spend all day staring at a screen.  Constant screenwork can strain your eyes, produce headaches, and isn’t very relaxing.  There is something that seems much more natural about holding a printed item – and you can do it without being bothered by screen reflections, and without having to boot up and/or log on.

And don’t forget, not everyone has (or wants) internet access.  The National Office of Statistics says 70% of households had internet access last year.  But not everyone in those households will be using the internet.  And there are still almost a third without it – that’s a lot of potential patients.

Don’t get us wrong – the internet is HUGE and you absolutely, 100%, need a great website (with all the various SEO and data capture trimmings) to succeed these days.  Just don’t get so blinded by the (screen) light that you forget about print, because it is still very definitely alive and kicking, and offering you loads of potential for promoting your dental practice.

But here’s a question – are before and after photos there to show what the treatment can achieve?  Or are they there to show what you, the dentist, can achieve?

As a marketing agency, we wouldn’t dream of using someone else’s work to show what can be done.  We want to show our own work off – we’re proud of what we achieve, and want everyone to crave something similar for themselves.

Which is perhaps why I don’t understand why dentists are happy to use stock before and after images.  Don’t get me wrong – there is absolutely no criticism implied here, I am genuinely curious as to what you think.  So if you’re feeling indulgent, please email me – hilary @ bluehorizonsmarketing.co.uk  (you’ll need to remove the spaces from this address) with your opinion.  I’ll publish as many of the replies as possible (let me know if you wish to remain anonymous) – it could lead to an interesting debate!

Your answer should be the first one, because as a business you should have IT experts you can rely on, and you should have all your data backed up on a daily basis.

Sadly, far too many practices would still fall into the second category.  In some respects, it’s understandable – you have enough to deal with every day (emergencies, staff problems, difficult patients, new rules and regulations to get your head around, etc) and it is inevitable that some things will be perceived as less important and will fall by the wayside.

But you need to view your computer system as a vital part of the practice and put in place proper procedures for backing up data.  Quite apart from anything else, computer problems can have a negative impact on patients, especially if they happen too often.  Plus you could lose valuable marketing data such as contact information for new enquiries.

Back everything up once a day – emails, patient records, documents, spreadsheets – whatever you use, back it up.  Backing up online is ideal, but secure online systems can be pricey.  A good alternative is an external disk drive or large capacity USB caddy.  Ideally you will have two – one that is in the practice overnight, running your back-up out of surgery hours, and another at home with you, just in case of theft or fire.  You swap them around each day so you always have a back-up that is no more than two working days old.

We’d also advise working with a trusted IT company, someone you can rely on to help out in an emergency, and who can give you fast replacements should you need them.  They’re not always easy to find, so ask around for recommendations.

While you’re at it, you might want to check your back-up for your personal PC too, especially if you have irreplaceable digitial photos on there….

The cup kicks off, and everyone is behind England.  We draw the first game, there is disappointment but still hope.  After the second game major disappointment sets in, with criticism of the players, the coach, and anyone else involved.  Such is the level of disappointment that, certainly in my neighbourhood, the withdrawal of support has been noticeable, with the removal of flags from cars and windows.

What does this have to do with dentistry?  Expectations.  Everyone has them, and if they are not met, then they are disappointed.  And quite likely to not bother any more.

So when you are marketing your practice, make sure you are realistic.  Yes, sing your praises, emphasise your strong points – but don’t make promises that you can’t deliver on, or pretend to be something you are not.

The key is to deliver more than you promise, so that patients’ expectations are not just met but exceeded.  They are surprised and delighted, and ready to rave about you to friends and family.  Much better than over-promising, disappointing, and losing their support.

If you are interested in marketing and don’t follow his blog yet, you should – lots and lots of food for thought on there.

Trying to please

It seems as if this mood of procrastination is affecting a lot of other people at the moment as well.  Maybe it’s because the summer holidays are nearly here and we’re getting boat happy, or maybe it’s more to do with the new Government – we want to hear their plans before finalising ours.

Either way, it is crippling for business.  Any business, however big or small, simply cannot afford to procrastinate in the current environment.  Procrastination means you stagnate – nothing is done, so nothing changes.

One of the main procrastination-inducing fears is that you might do something wrong, or something might fail.  Time for my favourite saying:  “You are not a failure if you don’t succeed, you are only a failure if you don’t try”.

Try not to get hung up on the tiny details that don’t really matter.  With websites, they can always be changed.  Printed literature is not so easily or cheaply changed, but you can rest assured that we will not let you make any costly mistakes – that’s what we’re here for.

And your marketing materials are going to be a lot more effective if they are out there, being used and looked at, than if they are sitting on your desk for weeks or months.

In the past few years, mobile internet access has become richer and richer. Since the introduction of smart phones such as the Blackberry and iPhone, the internet can be accessed from mobile devices just as easily as on a computer or laptop. However, the experience is seldom the same, so let us take a look at why this is the case.

Smart phones, PDAs, e-books, tablets, etc – are perfectly suited for carrying out quick tasks, such as checking schedules, documents and emails, in almost any environment. Laptops and netbooks, while portable, require the user to be stationary (ie; sitting down) in order to carry out longer, more complicated and involving tasks generally associated with computers, which are typically much more powerful.

Technical specifications differ greatly between mobile devices, affecting performance and capability. While many smart phones are just as capable of displaying websites as a computer or laptop, others only deliver partial compatibility. This leaves many website visitors having a very different (and often unfavourable) experience of your website.

Today, mobile devices (with the exception of tablets) typically feature restrictive pocket-sized touch screens. The trillions of websites already on the internet however, have been designed for computers and laptops with much larger screens and more capable input devices, as are most software applications. Much of the functionality and features taken for granted on websites such as drop-down menus, adverts, banners and video, do not translate over to mobile devices well (if at all) despite manufacturers’ best intentions of providing access to them.

In order to richen the mobile user experience, separate mobile-friendly versions of websites can be created. These are often void of the afore-mentioned functionality and features we have come to expect from our computers, but can still be as attractive and easy to use. For an excellent example of a mobile targeted website, check out the award-winning BBC website which provides a very different experience for mobile users and computer users.

There are many ways to provide content to mobile users, depending on business objectives, target audience, hosting options and limitations, design and development expertise, time and cost. All have their pros and cons, which is why Blue Horizons have spent several months putting a foundation in place for all our future websites, which includes integrated accessibility provisions for both mobile devices and assistive technologies to reflect the ever-changing requirements of our clients’ visitors.

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If you have any queries about mobile websites or want to know more about what we can do to improve mobile access for your website, then please feel free to get in touch with us at info@bluehorizonsmarketing.co.uk

Today’s myth is the one that suggests that SEO is a magic wand that can have an instant effect on your search engine rankings, the number of visits you get to your website, and the number of enquiries you receive.

It would be wonderful if it worked like this, but sadly it doesn’t.  SEO is a complex subject.  Firstly, you have to know how to do it, and make sure you do it properly.  On the assumption that you’ve done that, you then have to wait, often for several months, for the results to start to show.  In other words, it’s likely to be several months before your site starts appearing higher on search engine rankings.

Search engines find out about your site and the content by crawling it.  They then index the results, so they are ready to be searched.  There are billions of web pages in existence, with thousands more being added each day, so understandably this process takes time.

Google says:  “Crawling and indexing are processes which can take some time and which rely on many factors. In general, we cannot make predictions or guarantees about when or if your URLs will be crawled or indexed.  In general, the most common reason that a site is not indexed is because it’s just too new — be patient!”

The programme starts you off with small, one minute runs, building you up over eight weeks so that finally you can  run 30 minutes without stopping.  Each stage involves fairly small incremental rises in activity, so that you don’t feel it is totally unachievable.

It occured to me that if you were a novice to marketing, you could take a similar approach.  All dental practices need to market themselves these days, it’s become a do or die activity.  But it may be that you haven’t so far, because you don’t feel you have the time, or the budget, or both.

So, start small and work your way up.  Start your first month with setting aside just 30 minutes a week to take care of your marketing, and allot yourself a small (but not so small you can’t do anything with it!) budget.

After a month or two, you will have got used to this concept, especially the time aspect.  So step up the time you devote to it, and increase your budget a little.

As time goes on, you will find it easier to spend time and money on marketing, because you will notice the benefits – and the more you put into it, the greater the reward.

Why not start right now – carpe diem.

The benefits:

• The iPad provides almost-true A4 landscape and portrait display in your hands, for a comfortable reading experience.
• Like the iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad sports a slim multi-touch screen for ease of use and comfort. Pointing to objects and moving them feels more natural.
• Using the iWork.com service, the iPad can work with Windows based documents such as those created by Microsoft Office.
• With a generous ten hours of battery usage, the iPad can provide a full working day of use. No more having to plug your laptop into a power socket allows you continuous and unrestricted use wherever you are.
• Apple Apps help the iPad to be fast and responsive – but don’t expect it to be compatible with many of the billions of applications you might already be using on other platforms (not yet anyway).
• The iPad makes for a great visual tool, perhaps for demonstrating video procedures or filling out forms.
• Video output allows presentations to be presented directly from the iPad to a projector screen (additional dongle required).

Potential drawbacks (in our author’s opinion):

• The iPad provides Wi-Fi network and server support, but currently has documented trouble connecting to the internet.
• Multi-tasking is available for the iPad, but only for bundled Apps.  True multi-task freedom still requires a laptop or non-Apple smart-phone.
• No means of dragging and dropping files to and from your computer or laptop … the iPad is iTunes dependent (love it or hate it).
• No USB or HDMI sockets means more adaptors and dongles to carry around.
• Millions of websites are incompatible (at least in part) with the iPad due to licensing policies and device constraints. For full internet compatibility, you still need a laptop or modern smart-phone (at least until more websites are built for devices such as the iPad).
• Using the iPad can obscure websites, diverting attention from services or advertising revenue. Precise pointing can also be problematic for bigger hands as can learning operational gestures.

Touchscreen technology is really coming of age right now, and Apple have done an excellent job with the iPad. With most of us being comfortable with touchscreens on our smart-phones for some time now, it is nice to see how this technology can further enrich the business working environment … we just need to be aware that this is in fact a new technology within the working environment, and with that comes the need for new learning in order to fully take advantage of it.

In a future article, we hope to explain why devices such as the iPad are incorrectly being compared to computers and to provide you with some suggestions as to how to best promote your business on these new devices.

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If you have any queries about this article or want to know more about what we can do to improve your business, then please feel free to get in touch with us at info@bluehorizonsmarketing.co.uk