01 Jun How to Get More New Patients by Going Live on Facebook
Are you taking advantage of Facebook Live to create awareness, build a following and getting prospective patients to love you before they even walk in the door?
If that’s a no, then you’re missing out on a lot.
There are many practices that have already started exploring and using this feature. However, they might not be entirely sure on how to use Facebook Live to get more new patients.
If you want to use this feature to promote your practice, then you need to have a plan, just like the way you need to have a plan with your other marketing campaigns, otherwise, you won’t take full advantage of this feature.
If you would like to know why you should jump on Facebook Live, how to use it and exactly how it can get you more new patients, then read on…
So What is Facebook Live?
While Facebook is quite popular, it faces a lot of competition from YouTube when it comes to video content. In fact, most people spend their time on YouTube, as compared to the amount of time they spend on Gmail, Skype or other social networks. Users like the connectivity that YouTube gives them due to the ability to share videos. You can pre-record videos and upload them to YouTube. A few years ago, it would have been impossible to imagine that Facebook and YouTube could end up having a lot in common.
Most users now watch online videos instead of watching TV. Therefore, if you want to reach this audience, then using Facebook Live is a great way to do it. What’s even better is that you can also reach the relatives of these users, as they can be found on Facebook.
The competition between Facebook and YouTube grew even more in 2015 as a result of their virtual reality competition – 360 degree- in the video market. While YouTube had live-streamed special occasions for several years, Facebook launched this feature in its site in 2016.
However, there is a difference between YouTube live streaming and Facebook Live streaming.
With Facebook Live, you can post live videos directly from your personal page or business page. This makes it possible for anyone with a Facebook account to stream live to the entire world. The aim is to help bridge the gap between social media and video, and this strategy has already started giving results.
It’s a great way for businesses to boost engagement on their pages. Whether you are a Dietitian, Physio, Dentist, Podiatrist… No matter what kind of practice you have, you can make use of Facebook Live.
To get started, all you need is a phone that can shoot videos and you are good to go. Once you stream your video live, you can promote the replay to your audience later on.
Build a Following
Live streaming can help you to build a following. This is because it helps your audience to know you and you also get to know them. This helps them trust you more.
The ability of your audience to provide you with immediate feedback as you are live streaming makes it possible for you to interact with them very effectively.
With all these advantages, you will be able to build strong and long-lasting relationships with your potential patients.
Engage Your Audience
When you use Facebook Live, your audience is 3x more likely to view your video as compared to the number of people who would watch a pre-recorded video.
This is based on information given by Facebook.
That’s why Facebook makes live videos more visible on user’s feeds.
Therefore, you can increase your chances of getting in front of your audience by using Facebook Live.
Live Connection
You can connect with your audience “right here, right now.”
This is a great way to share experiences in real time and give your audience a peak at what goes on behind the scenes at your practice.
Most people watch live videos because they want to be a part of something that’s currently going on.
Moreover, your audience is able to interact with you live and build a great connection before even meeting with you for their first appointment.
Increase Your Website Traffic
You need to include a call to action which your audience should follow once the broadcast is over.
One of the things that you can do is to invite viewers to visit your blog or website.
Make sure to mention other related posts or videos that are connected to what you are broadcasting, so that your audience can visit those links afterwards.
It might also be helpful to use short and simple URLs so that your audience can easily remember them. Apart from verbally giving out the URL, write it down on a piece of paper and show it to your audience, so that they can actually see it too. It will make it easier for them to remember.
So we know Facebook Live is a great idea, but how do you actually get started and build it into your marketing plan?!
Get ready for our top 12 strategies to market your practice through Facebook Live, get more new patients, and build a following.
1. Broadcast a Live Event
If your practice is supporting a community event – like a charity run or athletics carnival at a certain location, it’s highly likely that not all your audience will be there.
However, this doesn’t mean that they need to miss out on the action or knowledge that you’re supporting the community and are a part of the furniture.
Broadcast these events live to them so that they can get to be a part of the action from wherever they are.
2. Live Tutorials
You can show your audience a few at-home exercises they can complete to help their issue in between visiting you.
Perhaps you see a lot of people with tech neck day to day – show them the top 3 stretches that can help and how to perform them correctly.
Or show your fans how to use products you might sell like a foam roller or spikey ball.
3. Free Downloads
Throw in a free download to your audience from time to time. This is something that might have exclusive content, for instance, a free audio track for relaxation or eBook on back pain etc.
4. Product Launch
Instead of using a Facebook post or blog post to announce the launch of your product or service, go live.
It’s a great chance to really boost that new pilates program or massage treatment from the word go!
5. Giveaways
Have any freebies that you would like to give away?
You can use Facebook Live to do this.
You can also use giveaways to drive up engagement on your page.
For instance, you can tell your audience to comment if they want to have a chance to win the giveaway. It’s also a great way to draw more attention to your practice and services.
6. Get More Subscribers
Always ensure that there’s a way your audience can sign up to your mailing list when you are doing your Facebook Live videos.
Make the sign-up form as obvious and as easy to fill out as possible.
7. Broadcast Daily
If you are up to it, you can broadcast live on a daily basis.
Share a short inspirational message and encouragement with your followers.
This helps to build community among your fans.
8. Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Your practitioners would here many of the same questions day in day out.
Use this as the perfect forum to address those common queries such as “which running shoes are the best?” or “what toothpaste should I use?”
If you check your blog comments, you are bound to find some questions that are asked over and over again. Answer one or more of these questions in your broadcast.
9. Interview a Guest Live
Invite an industry expert that you can interview live who your audience wants to hear from.
Choose someone who will be relevant to your services and audience – perhaps a professional athlete or a respected doctor.
Have a Q&A session with them where not only you can ask them questions but your audience can too!
10. Behind the Scenes Footage
You can show your audience scenes that are usually not seen, for instance, you can show what goes on behind the scenes of your practice and the fun your team gets up to.
You can also introduce your staff members to your audience where you can pump them up as must see practitioners in their space.
11. Do Live Q&A
What better way to engage your audience than to let them ask you questions and then you answer them live.
This is an efficient way for your fans to get immediate answers from you.
Let potential patients ask you questions or raise concerns that they might have about your business or product and you can answer them. This way, your audience will learn a lot about what you have to offer.
12. Have a Pre-Launch
Tease your fans about the new product or service that you are about to launch as well as any upcoming promotions.
This is a great way to whet their appetite and make them look forward to the launch.
These 12 strategies can help you meet certain goals that you have put in place. For example, you can build a loyal following and your Facebook likes by holding Q&A sessions. The more effort you put into building this kind of awareness around your practice, the more that will translate into new patients over time. Just ensure that all your Facebook Live broadcasts have a strong call to action in the end.
We hope you are now inspired to start using Facebook Live to promote your practice. If you need more help getting your practice out there when it comes to Facebook, download our free guide “The Facebook Marketing Guide for Healthcare Professionals”.
There’s a button below that says “Download The Facebook Marketing Guide for Health Professionals” click on it, and I’m going to hook you up with exactly how you can dominate on Facebook no matter how experienced or even inexperienced you are.
Most people out there, they’re going to tell you that you need to be an extravert to do video, that’s an absolute load of rubbish, you just need a formula, and I’ve designed it for you, you just have to follow it.
You’ll even hear about the Facebook Live that netted a local Sydney Physio $7,500 in just one hour from his first ever live vid campaign.
All he had to do was follow our step by step formula.
There’s also other amazing strategies in there like the Patient Engagement Engine that turns ONE idea into multiple Facebook campaigns in just minutes and positions you EVERYWHERE on Facebook.
We use this over and over with every campaign…and you should too!
So click on the link below and download this guide, so you too can use video to get new patients lining up for your practice.
Let’s get you started!
