Mountain of Media
The influence of media on our culture is undeniable. The prescription is to use media, not be at the effect of it. We must create a positive narrative to further the cause – our cause -- of lifetime dental care and healthy longevity. And to create that positive narrative, we must invest in public relations and marketing as individuals, as professional associations and as dental suppliers to gain control over the media message.
This is the Mountain of Belief. The influence of media on our culture is undeniable. Who and what media affect your profession? For dentistry, the answers are TV, print and the Internet and to a lesser degree, movies. The public sees TV and movie comedies about dental scenarios…usually slapstick comedy, sometimes as elements of torture. They read and hear reports of rogue dentists ripping off the public, Medicaid or spreading HIV and Hepatitis. What is seen over and over again is often believed and impressions are formed…that last. Negative media portrayal of dentistry is sensationalistic and must overcome by force. It will not happen by accident or by chance.
Fortunately, the majority of people receive their media dental narrative from positive ads and articles by reputable dentists, dental manufacturers and dental associations. Magazines like Men’s Health, Redbook, Cosmo, or Modern Woman routinely carry the “good” news of dentistry. Then there is that vast repository of all things dental, Google! We live in a time where information on all medical and dental matters is publicly available anytime, anyplace. Our task as dentists is to navigate it, understand it and validate it for our patients, lest they get off on a tangent from the truth.
So the prescription is to use media, not be at the effect of it. We must create a positive narrative to further the cause – our cause -- of lifetime dental care and healthy longevity. And to create that positive narrative, we must invest in public relations and marketing as individuals, as professional associations and as dental suppliers to gain control over the media message.
Climbing the mountains of government and education, we learned how important it is to establish an overall strategy and to gain a beachhead, a foothold in our local community. With the mountain of media the goal is to gain trust in your market area. Laying the groundwork for a strong base means you have established trust by creating a positive public relations campaign that defines who you are and what you stand for. The media helps get the message out. You create your own narrative. You define who you are, who you have been and who you aspire to be. Because perception is 90% of what people see and hear of you, your message should be that of your greatest vision for you and your practice.
Running through the marketing questions, ask yourself these questions:
Who’s in charge? For each media in which you wish to have a presence find out the one person who can make it happen for you.
What do they need? Looking at the news cycles and need for copy or on air video or radio from their perspective, ask yourself what do they need that you can fulfill with your knowledge, time, care, skill and last but not least, money. Yes, the media is looking for revenue. Most are profit-seeking businesses. Even non-profits have a cost of production and need some support. In media as in most other areas of life, money buys access to being selected.
How can I get my message out? Good stories sell. Always look to have an interesting, unique story with an angle that separates you from the pack. Our 11 mission trips to Kenya have all been covered by some form of media over the last decade: The Atlanta Journal Constitution, CBS TV in Atlanta, WWEV radio in Cumming, GA, WPPR in Demorest, GA, Blogtalk Radio in Dallas, TX, Gwinnett Magazine, The Georgia Dental Association Magazine, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Communique Magazine, WATC TV in Atlanta, and cable channels that beam Home & Style to 50 million people worldwide all gave us free airtime or print space to tell our story. When we launched the Deserving Diva Charity we got reduced rates on 104.7 The Fish radio in Atlanta, Gwinnett Magazine and on Victory 91.5 FM Christian radio to request nominations for our dental makeover give-away. Tying together good deeds with interesting stories makes you a celebrity, a celebrity that can be trusted.
What is the most cost effective method? Look for free; get what is available. Many places exist for your announcements and short paragraphs. Magazines need filler content, especially in community news type magazines. If you belong to a group, use your affinity group to announce your events, promotions, hires, awards, continuing education, etc. Most of the time, you will be paying for your marketing and advertising, so look to work with a media buyer or someone who has knowledge of how it’s done, what the going rates are. I find that most advertising rates are negotiable and can be whittled down by 20-30% just by bargaining with the sales person. Knowing the owner and being a long time customer will help you get preferred rates. I work to keep at least one major magazine in our area running an ad about our practice and to gain featured articles in those magazines each year.
Who makes the decisions? Ultimately you need to get an “Okay” to be in the media. Not everyone is accepted. Being compelling by having a book published is the number one way to get on the TV or on Radio. Volunteering to do small things will allow you to be seen as a proven commodity that can fill a need for larger events when that need arises. Being proactive and seeking places to be seen and heard is the ultimate success mechanism you should employ if you want to lay a firm and lasting media foundation. My goal is to be seen and heard in every media. Ubiquitous is the word. We love to hear our new patients say they chose us “…because I see you everywhere”!
Can I participate in the celebration? By all means, there needs to be a reward for your efforts. If you can involve the public in your celebration, you create a double win. For our Deserving Diva Reveal Party, for example, we co-hosted with the Gwinnett United Way, Gwinnett Magazine in the Marriott Hotel a big, loud party with a red carpet runway, a live band, the presentation of our four divas in full bloom --new smiles, new hair styles, new makeup, new outfits and best of all a new image. You see, they all received renewed belief in themselves as a result of being chosen as a Deserving Diva. We were the sponsor of the event, I got to be master of ceremonies for our portion of the Big Reveal, and we had a Suwanee Dental Care booth that my team manned at the Reveal Party. Nothing was done by accident; it was all part of the initial and overall plan as we designed the Deserving Diva campaign.
One of my strong recommendations is that every professional practice takes a public relations course. Consider hiring a public relations company to build your image. Create you own organized, functional public relations plan.
Can I share in the trust? Media feeds off of interesting and sensational stories. Mostly bad news leads. For a media outlet to find a good, new, interesting, captivating story is rare. If you come to them with such a story, you have a good chance to be placed front and center, ahead of the pack. Linking your practice with good events, like a 5K Fun Run raising money for Water For Kenya, or an annual golf tournament for Kenya Medical Outreach, will propel you to trusted status in your local community. People tend to trust those who are generous, those who show up in the media as givers, those who make a habit of sharing the love with everyone with whom they come in contact.