Branding

Choosing the Perfect Image for a Facebook Ad

by Dr. Jessica Emery | Dec 17, 2018 | Branding, Social Media, Technology

Online marketing is constantly evolving, and something that worked perfectly last year might not work for you this year. It can be so frustrating, but it’s part of the job and reading up on the latest news and advice is key! When it comes to choosing an image for a Facebook ad, this is especially important, because the rules seem to change even faster!

Did you know the image is actually the most important part of your Facebook ad? Images are responsible for 75%-90% of your ad’s performance, according to Consumer Acquisition. Don’t let that overwhelm you, though. A few basic “best practices” can have you feeling confident instead of paralyzed the next time you advertise on Facebook.

Image Size

Facebook recommends that your image be at least 1200 pixels wide but no smaller than 600. Going any smaller than this will result in a pixelated or grainy image which does not reflect well on your brand. They prefer landscape rather than portrait when it comes to orientation.

Color, Color, Color

You’re spending money on your ad, so you want to make sure people actually notice it, right? Choosing the perfect image for a Facebook ad means considering the environment it’s going to live in. If you choose an image that is too similar to Facebook’s colors (mostly white with some blue), it could get totally lost. Consider using images that have bright colors that compliment your brand– think bright pink, orange, red, or turquoise.

Adding Text

While Facebook doesn’t allow ads with a lot of text on the image, you can add a few key words to help entice your audience. When planning your ad design, make sure there’s a logical place to add text that isn’t going to cover up a vital part of your image, then use Facebook’s Text Overlay Tool to make sure you don’t have too much text on your image.

Consider Carousel Ads

When you set up your Facebook Ad, you’ll get to choose from a number of different ad options. Consider going with a carousel ad (the kind with multiple images that is displayed like a slideshow). According to some experts, these ads perform better, and they also give you a chance to feature multiple images. Choose contrasting colors, or play with the sequence element of the ad to get people to stop and take notice!

If you need stylish images for your Facebook ads, we’ve can help! Our sister site, Soiree Stock, offers some very affordable membership options that include unlimited downloads from multiple photo libraries! We even have photos that are specifically geared toward dental professionals! You’ll find exactly what you need, and you won’t have to rely on those boring, cheesy stock photos that are out there… you know the ones we mean!

5 Questions for Your Year-End Marketing Audit

by Dr. Jessica Emery | Dec 10, 2018 | Branding, How To's, Social Media

Here we are, at the end of another year. Did you reach your goals this year for your dental practice? I sure hope you did, but if you fell short, don’t despair. There is still lots of good information and productive takeaways you can learn from failing. It’s probably the reason C.S. Lewis famously said, “failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”

In this blog post, we want to go over five questions you should ask yourself as you do your year-end marketing audit:

What was your biggest success?

Why not start with the good stuff! What do you think was your biggest success when it came to marketing your business? Can you tie that success to any one decision you made about your marketing strategy? Examining what worked (and why) is a very important step to making sure you can replicate it moving forward!

Has your target market changed?

A year is a long time, and in that time, many changes can happen. Your business or your community may have shifted in such a way that the target market you started the year with is not the same target market you have today. It’s important to know who you are trying to reach with your marketing so you can tailor your strategy to reach the right people. Otherwise, you’re just shouting into the void and hoping that someone will hear you!

Who was your biggest competitor?

Sometimes we get so busy we are just focused on keeping our heads down and doing our best work. Nothing wrong with that! However, the end of the year is a great time to finally come up for air and assess what’s been going on in the industry. Who do you consider your biggest competitor? Knowing this will help you as you think of creative ways to differentiate yourself in the new year.

What was your most popular service?

Did any one service rise to the top this year? If so, you might want to consider putting a little more advertising dollars into promoting it over the next year. Your customers are showing you that what you are offering is something they need and want — which is VERY valuable information that you’re getting absolutely free! During your year-end marketing audit, make sure to consider your most popular service and assess how (and how often) you posted about it on social media.

Which social media post performed the best on each platform?

Every year, it’s important to sit down and spend some time auditing your social media profiles. Make sure everything is up-to-date and accurate, but also pull up those analytics! See which posts performed the best on each platform and see if you can identify a common theme. This will help you clearly see which content your followers want to see more of so you can start the new year off on the right foot.

If you decide to outsource your dental marketing in the new year, we would love to help! Dental Soiree specializes in creating engaging social content for dental practices with the specific goal of helping them grow and become more profitable. Learn about our packages or get in touch with us to discuss your needs by filling out our contact form. It’s time to kiss traditional marketing (and the non-stop hustle) goodbye!

How a Dental Marketing Agency Can Change Everything

by Dr. Jessica Emery | Dec 3, 2018 | Branding, Dental Soiree

When it comes to hiring an agency to help with your digital marketing, you have a few choices. You can hire a local marketing agency, a digital marketing agency, or a dental marketing agency. What is a dental marketing agency? At Dental Soiree, we’re proud to call ourselves dental marketers and we using our first-hand knowledge of the dental industry to come up with creative content for your social media feeds!

A talented dental marketing agency can do wonders for your practice. They know exactly what it takes to stand out from the crowd and make patients (and future potential patients) eager to come through your doors — not always an easy thing to do considering how most people feel about visiting the dentist!

What Does a Dental Marketing Agency Do?

Dental marketing agencies offer a range of services, but for the most part, they will help you create and execute an online marketing strategy. They may help with content creation (to varying extents) and they may also handle posting content and engaging with followers. Some dental marketing agencies work more on strategy and provide you with a marketing plan and content calendar so you can execute it on your own.

We love creating content, especially creative branded photoshoots! We will storyboard, source props and locations, and tailor the photo session for your brand. You’ll end up with dozens and dozens of unique photos you can use on your social media feeds, website, and all your marketing assets to create a cohesive and fun brand!

Can’t I Just DIY My Dental Marketing?

Of course! There are so many resources out there when it comes to mastering digital marketing for your practice. However, most dental professionals we talk to are beyond busy and unfortunately, their marketing strategy often ends up on the back burner. It’s great to be busy, and it’s tempting to think that marketing doesn’t matter during these busy times — after all, you’re all booked up, right?

However, once those patients are all taken care of, you want to make sure you have more ready to go! That means a continuous marketing strategy, even during your busy times. A lot of dentists prefer to rely on a dental marketing agency to keep things running smoothly so they can focus on what they do best. If you have a team that can help, a dental marketing agency can be a great resource to get everything set up and on track so your team knows exactly what to do so you don’t spend money or time on things that won’t help you reach your goals.

The team here at Dental Soiree will help your dental practice transform and become everything you dreamed it could be. We can help you elevate your brand by showcasing what you do differently and by highlighting your fun personality with branded photoshoots and social strategies that stand out! Contact us to learn more about our services!

How Content Creation Sessions Impact Your Dental Practice Marketing

by Kari Perlewitz | Sep 10, 2018 | Branding, Dental Soiree, Photography, Social Media

If I were to ask you what kind of content your dental practice marketing plan should include, “photos of myself” probably wouldn’t be the first thing out of your mouth. You might not even think it’s worth listing at all. So many dentists think marketing their practice has very little to do with who they are as a person. However, what may be missing from your marketing — and what could very well be standing in the way of the growth you want to see — is that personal touch.

People are drawn to the people they know, like, and trust. Because you can’t physically get out and meet every potential patient, social media is your primary way to do this! So, rather than thinking it’s a little vain to share a photo of yourself, think of it as a way to connect with other humans who want to know more about you. Content creation sessions are a great way to get tons of unique branded content you can use as part of your digital marketing strategy!

How Unique Branded Content Leads to More Conversions

Think about it; if you were to refer a friend to your doctor or chiropractor or fitness trainer, you wouldn’t just talk about their top-of-the-line equipment or their techniques. You would probably talk about how that person makes you feel, and what makes them different from other people you’ve seen in the past. You’d talk about the real human things about them that make them special.

Unique branded content helps highlight your personality, style, and approach to life and business. It is so important to included content like this into your overall dental practice marketing plan because without it, you’re just another business. When you showcase who you are as a person, people are going to take notice and start talking to you, getting to know you better, and listening to what else you have to say. It doesn’t take much to turn an Instagram scroller into an actual patient when you take the time to make a real connection.

So What Exactly is a Content Creation Session?

We specialize in completely customized content creation sessions, and we have a blast doing it. Our Socialite package is ideal for those wanting to really kickstart (or overhaul) their dental practice marketing. We’ll spend a full day together in Chicago, snapping photos in front of stunning murals and cool backdrops that we’ll scout and coordinate beforehand. We’ll go shopping for props that speak to your brand and personality, and our team of professional photographers and videographers will make sure you get the highest quality content possible. We even have professional hair and makeup artists on hand as well as a professional stylist to help you select the perfect outfits to wear!

We take the time to get to know you and your practice beforehand so we can prepare and come into the content creation session with specific goals that make sense for your marketing strategy. We’ll give you so many amazing content and advertising ideas, you’ll return to your dental practice feeling energized and eager to implement everything you’ve learned.

Every content creation session begins with a consultation call where you’ll get a chance to talk to Dr. Emery about your specific goals, and you can go over anything that’s been standing in your way when it comes to your dental practice marketing strategy. To set up a call and learn more about how a content creation session can benefit your practice, just shoot us a message!

Give Your Dental Practice a Visual Brand Makeover

by Kari Perlewitz | Jul 30, 2018 | Branding, How To's

Long gone are the days of radio promotions and newspaper advertisements. Our world has gotten much more visual and as a result, we have to focus so much energy on making our practices look good. Even though you aren’t selling a visual product, your imagery has to be polished and professional. This can be really hard for dental professionals that don’t have a background in photography or graphic design!

No matter what your branding looks like, you need great imagery to entice people and build trust. If you’ve been getting by with iPhone shots that are getting lost in a sea of expert photography, it’s time to think about a visual brand makeover. You don’t have to do a full re-brand, but investing in a few visual elements can really go a long way when it comes to standing out online and even being able to attract the kinds of patients you want to serve.

The All-Important Logo

Your logo. If thinking about it gives you a mild case of the hives, it’s probably time to give it a little attention. There are so many DIY logos out there, some good and some not-so-good. Templates make it so easy for anyone to whip up a logo in minutes, but there’s something to be said about a professionally designed logo. You can almost always tell the difference.

The logo for your dental practice is something that you should invest in. Please avoid hiring someone from Fiverr or looking for the cheapest option on the message boards. A great logo takes time, and a good designer should get paid a fair price for their time and experience. This is something that you’re going to use constantly, and for a long time, so spending a little bit of money on it just makes sense. Work with someone whose work you love and be sure to let them know what you like. This will cut down on the back and forth and the expensive revisions that sometimes come when you don’t have clear communication with your designer.

Your Fonts and Colors

In a recent blog post, we talked all about color psychology when it comes to branding and social media images. If you’re creating a new practice or re-branding an existing one, be sure to think about the colors you’re using and the psychology behind them. You may need to do a visual brand makeover – focusing especially on the color scheme – in order to attract the right people and communicate your messaging in the most effective way possible.

Similarly, the fonts you use help tell the story of your dental practice. If you haven’t given much thought to your font choice, chances are you’re not sticking with one or two fonts. Using too many different fonts can make your branding look sloppy and confusing. The key with effective visual branding is consistency and uniformity. You might think people will get bored of seeing the same thing all the time, but the truth is, there are lots of things vying for people’s attention. You’ll see it more than anyone else, and the trust you build with your consistent visual style will help people a) instantly recognize you in a crowded market and b) instantly know who you are and what you’re about.

The Content You Share

The images you share online matters when it comes to your visual branding. This is why it is so important to have a digital marketing strategy. Make a list of a handful of content “categories” that represent you and your brand. When you map out a month’s worth of social media content (yes, you should be doing this) you will simply rotate between the content categories. This will create a mix that is both fresh and cohesive for your brand.

For example, at my dental practice, we share images featuring our team, funny or inspirational quotes related to dentistry, graphics of smiles and lips, and images of candy. We love rotating between these categories and by doing so, we’re always telling our unique story. People expect to see this content from us, and when they see something on their feed that fits into one of these categories, they think of us. It’s all about brand recognition!

We love to create libraries of styled stock photography that dental practices and other small businesses can use to promote themselves online. That’s why we created Soiree Stock, our sister business. We created numerous libraries of gorgeous photos, and we’re always adding new content to keep things fresh. If you are thinking about a visual brand makeover, check out our membership options and save yourself some time and energy on your social media marketing.

If you’re serious about your visual branding, we also offer a custom branded photography option. We can use your products, brand, logo, and preferred props to create photography that’s fully customized just for your practice. No more struggling to take photos yourself or hiring an expensive photographer every time you need new images. Our team can get you everything you need to have a polished and professional presence online!

Why I’m on Snapchat and Why You Should Be Too!

by Kari Perlewitz | Jul 23, 2018 | Branding, Social Media, Technology

People are often so surprised to find out that Snapchat is my favorite platform for my business. Most people just don’t think of it as a business app, but it totally is! Not only is it a great way to give people a glimpse into your day, it’s super fun, engaging, and it disrupts the norm… which is my mission as a digital marketer. If you’re not using Snapchat for business, I’m here to convince you to start today!

No, It’s Not Just For Teenagers

It’s so funny, when I posted about Snapchat recently on my Instagram page, someone commented that they’re not “allowed on Snapchat” according to their teenager. Ha! Well, let me be the first to tell you that Snapchat is not just for teenagers. They might be mortified for a moment when you set up an account but they’ll get over it.

Snapchat For Business?

So many businesses and brands are using Snapchat these days. Not only can you advertise on the app just as well as you can on any other social media platform, you can really build relationships with people. It feels more one-on-one than Instagram or Facebook does. Even though your snap goes out to everyone you’re connected with, when someone watches it, they really feel like it’s just between you and them.

Whenever you open up a new line of communication between yourself and your patients, it helps them feel more connected to the practice. If they have a question or a dental situation arises and they’re in need of an expert opinion, they can reach out to you on social media. Trust me, this is not bothersome. Instead, it is a great way to grow your reputation and show patients you care.

Get Ready to Master Snapchat!

We’re going to be doing a Snapchat challenge pretty soon, similar to the Instagram challenge we just wrapped up for dentists last month. If you want to dive headfirst into the world of Snapchat, this is a perfect opportunity! Head to this page for more details on the challenge, and stay tuned for updates on our upcoming “Snapchat for Dentists” course that we’re launching!

If you missed out on The Instagram Suite course, it’s still available for download. In this straightforward video course, we teach you everything you need to know about Instagram for business. You can check it out here!