Make an Impact with Video
The secret marketing tactic 99% of laboratories overlook
Jonathan Hill, BS
Laboratory owners who are not yet marketing are already behind, but you can do something about it. Clients and potential clients have smartphones sitting in their hands, just waiting on you to deliver something of value. In a word: video.
Video is the most consumed piece of content online. People don't want to buy from businesses anymore; they want to buy from people. A business needs a face, so laboratory owners and managers need to start getting both behind and in front of the video camera.
When deciding what kind of video to shoot and share, think from dentists' points of view. What could you provide them via video that would benefit them and make their lives easier? More and more dentists are using CAD/CAM systems and milling their own restorations. That is an opportunity, not just a potential of loss of work. If you can help them become a better dentist, they will remember you when (not if) they need to send work to a laboratory. Consider offering 2-minute video tutorials on stain-and-glaze techniques for all-ceramic restorations. This is difficult to explain via phone or email; video allows you to show them.
Video content does not need to be entirely instructional. Are you expanding your laboratory, purchasing more technology, offering new materials and indications, or attending CE courses or tradeshows? These are all opportunities to tell your story to dentist-clients and prospects so they can see you more clearly.
Whether your laboratory is small, medium, or large, video should be leveraged often and used regularly. Dentists want to know more about their business partners. You could introduce your employees, putting a face to a voice or a name. Whether you have a large laboratory or a one-person operation is irrelevant. The goal is to push out content to engage clients and prospects.
Once a video is recorded and ready, consider which platforms can be used to share it with the world. Do you have a Facebook business page? Share there. You can send links to videos via email or even text messages, and link back to your Facebook or other social media pages. A tremendous opportunity is at your fingertips.
Start shooting video, and get comfortable with it. Then you can plan what content to push out over the coming weeks. If you leverage video properly, prospects will not be able to tell the difference between a one- or 100-person laboratory. They will remember the valuable content that you provided, and they will anxiously await the next video.
At the end of the day, viewers won't always remember what you said, but they will certainly remember how you made them feel-informed, empowered by knowledge, and connected with a knowledgeable technician and laboratory. This is critical. When they consider where they want to send their next cases for high-quality work, will they think of you and your laboratory?
About the Author
Jonathan Hill, BS
Owner of EXCELerate, LLC,
Charlotte, NC
