I picked up a magazine while in my chiropractor’s office this morning and didn’t have a chance to read the entire article “Cheap Easy Ways to Market Your Practice” – however, I did see the graphic which included “Tweet” and new that it would probably anger me if I had been left long enough to read the entire article.
It angers me because Twitter has already made it’s rounds with the internet marketing guru crowd – with webinars and seminars popping up frequently on how YOU can use Twitter to explode your business. I’ve also seen articles which have advocated business owners with active blogs shut them down because Twitter is “taking over” blogging.
Twitter has been touted as “marketing magic” – but like most “magic” there’s a lot of preparation that goes into preparing for the big show.
It’s time for a Twitter Reality Check.
First – the basics. Part of Twitter’s original marketing positioned it as “micro-blogging”. Blogging as getting a LOT of press both online and offline and in order to make Twitter easier for blogging geeks to “get” – the Twitter founders called it “micro-blogging”.
However, Twitter has less in common with blogging and more in common with Instant Messaging. Since only internet dinosaurs like myself remember IM – the term “micro-blogging” was chosen to “brand” twitter.
Getting Started with Twitter
Getting started with Twitter is easy. You simply sign up and establish a Twitter account. Twitter’s biggest appeal is that it’s free. Once you’ve set up a Twitter account, you can then post instant messages known “tweets”. Tweets must be 140 characters or less – so you can’t wax rhapsodic in a tweet. Short, sweet and to the point is the golden rule when using Twitter.
Who sees these “tweets”? Well – anyone who is “following” you.
In Twitter – you can follow other Twitter members and gain access to their “tweets”. Others can choose to follow you as well and receive your “tweets”. Without followers – you’ll be tweeting to yourself.
Some people using Twitter have tens of thousands of followers – and Twitter will actually “help” you find people to follow initially.
How you can use Twitter as a marketing tool for your chiropractic practice
Here’s the part everyone seems to overlook when it comes to Twitter. Because Twitter is used around the world – it’s possible for you to build a large Twitter following that has almost no value as a chiropractic practice building tool. 20,000 Twitter followers from around the globe aren’t worth a plug nickle for a chiropractor practicing in Des Moines, Iowa.
So before you jump on the Twitter bandwagon – begin by asking your current patients if they’re even USING Twitter.
If your current patients aren’t using Twitter to communicate with their family and friends, then it’s a good bet that any time you might invest in learning how to “tweet” will be wasted in terms of productive practice building.
If you currently have a blog for your chiropractic practice – then getting started with Twitter is fairly easy. Simply sign up for an account, and put a “follow me” button in your blog sidebar. Blog visitors can then “follow” you and Twitter will notify you every time you get a new follower. Get 10 or 20 followers and then begin using Twitter like a community bulletin board – posting announcements like “We’ll be at the BBQ 2nite – more details on our blog!” You then can create a link to your blog post where your followers can learn more about the Chamber of Commerce BBQ that you and your staff will be attending.
Notice how Twitter can be used to bring people back to your blog. You can use Twitter to “tweet” about a blog post you wrote about lower back pain – or share a new video patient testimonial.
You can’t use Twitter to replace your practice website – or to substitute for a blog as a powerful communication tool. 140 characters is the marketing equivalent of a pick up line – with the “real” connection being made on your website and blog.
So while Twitter is a GREAT way to start a conversation – if the only way to continue the conversation is for prospective patients to pick up the phone – then you’ll find Twitter will be a disappointing marketing tool for your practice.
