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November 18, 2009| dentalproductsreport.com
Web Exclusive

Should you be Facebook friends with your patients?

Social networking sites can blur the lines between business and pleasure. But with the right approach, Facebook can help you market your practice and relate to your patients.

by Amanda LaBonar, Web Editor

The DPR Facebook Fan Page

Not only is Facebook a way to keep in touch with friends and family, it’s now a marketing tool for businesses. Seeing the little blue “f” icon with a line that says follow us is becoming common in advertisements, magazines and of course on Web sites.

But what does this mean for the dental professional? Should Facebook be personal or business or both? The answer really depends on your individual comfort level with the site. While you may not want to be friends with your patients through your personal account, creating a fan page can be a valuable way to build buzz about your practice, create loyal patients and find new patients.

"There really is no downside provided you manage your privacy settings and monitor activity on your wall," said Daniel A. ‘Danny’ Bobrow MBA, President of American Dental Marketing. Bobrow offers these benefits and tips on how to best use Facebook to enhance your practice. 

5 Benefits to having a Facebook page for your practice.

1. Adds a human dimension to your practice.
2. Permits you to efficiently share relevant information.
3. Helps you create and manage your online reputation.
4. Supports the perception that you have a contemporary, “with-it” practice.
5. Acts as a tool for new business. You can target ads to reach potential patients near your office.

5 Tips for use

1. Beware of what is posted. You can set your privacy options to control how your friends or fans can interact with your profile and or fan page. If you’re worried about someone posting a negative comment you may want to take those options into consideration. Otherwise, just make sure to check your page on a regular basis so you’re aware of what is being posted.
2. Proactive is always better than reactive. Don’t sit idly by waiting for people to comment on your wall and hoping the reviews will be positive. Post questions, topics for discussion and what’s going on at your practice to help drive and encourage conversation.
3. Use the tools provided to build your fan base. Facebook provides a number of tools for users to find and invite friends. Consider creating an ad to help find new patients.
4. Let your current clientele know that you’re on Facebook. Create a sign for your reception area and even consider handing out cards after every appointment. Facebook allows you to create custom URLs for fan pages and personal profiles to make it easy for people to find your page(s). Place the now ubiquitous FB logo on your Web site, blog and any marketing/communication pieces you send out.
5. Educate yourself on the tools Facebook provides. You should feel completely comfortable on what you’ve created and how it works. One possible downside: spending too much time on Facebook. Don’t forget to optimize your Web site, blogs and any other marketing tools you have.

Still not comfortable with the idea of letting your patients into your Facebook world? Check out the Facebook privacy page, to learn about tools and options. For instructions on how to build a fan page click here.

What the fans of Dental Products Report had to say:

DPR asked: “We’re working on an article and want to know what you think! Should you be Facebook friends with your patients? Do you have a page for your practice?”

For me, they can see everything. Makes them see me as a real person, a human with a sense of humor, flaws and a fun family. - Sabrina Y. Hinkle

I have some patients as fb friends. I see nothing wrong with it. Of course, if a person is saying things or sharing photos that are going to reflect badly on their profession, then they might want to think again. - Lorri Daeke Pincock

I wouldn’t feel comfortable having patients as FB friends unless we were already friends outside of the practice. - Kerri Cook

I feel like my patients are my friends because they have watched my son grow up and have shared many things together… I love it and relationships are very important whether they are patients or not. We are just everyday people and it helps for them to realize that!!!!! - Tonya Dobbins Johnson

We do have a “fan” page (wish they’d change that name) for our office and Facebook creates a sort of catch 22 in that you have to have a personal page first from which you build your fan page so you almost have to ask your patients to be your FB friends so that then you can invite them to become fans of your office. I am convinced that social media is going to be the “word of mouth” of the future so I’m hanging on as I take this ride. - Claudia Anderson Scimeca

Yes, I have friend patients. I look at FB as just a way to stay in touch with people. - John Flucke

Yes, I have patients who are FB friends, but I limit what they can see. I don’t want them reading stories about me or seeing all the photos my old high school friends post!! :) - Stephanie Maddox

Well from my point of view, Facebook will be the communication highway in a near future… - Stephane Simard

I will approve the request if they ask (I don’t seek them out) but I block some material. They need to see you as a respected health care provider 1st and foremost. - Bethanie White Harrison

We’re in the process of making a separate page for our practice because we have had several patients ask to friend them. This way, we can still let patients know of events and some personal things we would like to share with them, and they could share theirs with us. I wouldn’t want anyone though to see all my personal happenings and would limit what they could see if I let them into my personal page. - Steven Bloom

Yes, it’s a way to differentiate and connect to patients in a participatory medium. It’s a way for the practice to differentiate and leverage its own unique story. - Michel Madeira

Related Articles

• How to market your business with Facebook
• Does marketing make you feel dirty?
• Social media the marketing frontier

Join the Discussion

• Comment on this and other articles on the DPR Facebook page

Amanda LaBonar is the Web Editor for dentalproductsreport.com. Contact her at alabonar@advanstar.com.