A System with a Century of Success . . . Goes Digital - Part II
A System with a Century of Success . . . Goes Digital - Part II
Last week we explained how the AIDA method has stepped to the forefront as a time-tested method that you can now utilize to optimize your Web site. It helps you analyze what potential and current patients do on your site and what they expect to extract from it.
Using AIDA on your Web site you must:
First, gain the potential patient’s attention and make them aware of you and the services you offer.
Next, foster interest in the benefits of your services for them.
Then, stimulate their desire to possess the services.
Fourth, encourage action to visit or schedule an appointment with you.
The AIDA method is closely linked to the 3 keys to Online Marketing:
Acquisition – Getting current and potential patients to your Web site.
Conversion – Persuading them to take the desired action.
Retention – Deepening the relationship and increasing its lifetime value.
Attention is a scarce commodity in our fast-paced world. We are constantly bombarded by advertising messages from dawn to dusk. Even though the Internet has given us access to a vast wealth of information, it has not helped us to organize or make sense of it. Often it can be very confusing. Try making your Web site a pleasant oasis for your visitors:
Imagine that your visitors have just arrived at your home. Eliminate gaudy or flashy visual elements on your landing (home) page. It should be clear to the visitor what your desired conversion action is. “Five Most Important Reasons Why You Should Join Our Practice.” Eliminate unnecessary choices.
Unclutter the content. Everything on your home page does not deserve the same special emphasis. Become a word miser. Ruthlessly edit text copy. Simplify concepts. Shorten prose paragraphs to easy-to-scan bullet lists.
Organize your information with short headlines so visitors do not have to read unwanted topics. Create room to breathe with lots of white space on the page.
Learn what they want and provide it. If they want to hear what current patients are saying, provide video testimonials. If you’re not sure what they are seeking…ask your current patients what they were interested in.
Interest on the Internet is fleeting. Twenty-five other Web sites for competing practices in your community are just a click away. Initially the visitor’s level of commitment is very low. Often, interest is a split second decision to click on something…or not. The key to creating interest is to focus on the visitor.
Self-selection - Elements on your home page must be relevant to them, and they must self-select because they recognize this relevance. You achieve this by understanding what the visitor is trying to accomplish and assigning the right “labels” to the buttons available to them.
Need recognition – Another way to increase interest is to have visitors identify a specific need they currently have. You see this often on airline sites. Usually to the right of their main graphic is a list: Book a flight; Check in online; Check flight status. What are the 3 or 4 key options your potential patients would like to choose from?
Desire initiates a different type of process than the previous two. Here visitors may stay much longer and give you their full attention. You caught their attention and maintained their interest; they are now in their research mode. During this process you must provide the proper “concise” information in language they can understand to make them feel knowledgeable and believe that you comprehend and can satisfy their needs. This is where we answer the two primary questions:
Does your practice have what I want?
Why should I schedule and appointment with you?
Even when your Web site can answer the first question in the affirmative, you still have to get past the second. Some additional “desire” is usually needed to propel your visitor through the ultimate conversion to becoming a new patient.
Before they move to the action stage they must believe they have found the right doctor and practice and also that they are entering a caring, friendly, trustworthy environment.
Action is the primary reason for building the Web site.
You are interested in having the visitor call to schedule an appointment or visit your office. In some cases, you may wish to provide online scheduling or the ability to download the necessary forms in advance online. In any case, there are only two simple rules relating to Web action:
Get out of the visitor’s way.
Make it easy for the visitor to take action.
Review the process in detail that the visitor follows to become a patient. Are there unnecessary barriers? Is it easy to understand? Are your directions clear? Are the forms simple to fill out? Remember, even if you have done everything right to this point, not everyone will act immediately. They may first seek agreement/approval from another person. They may not have the proper payment method. You may not participate with their particular dental insurance company.
Some may simply want to sleep on it. Always provide the visitor an area on your site for comments and/or questions. If you do, check it frequently. You will be judged on how quickly you respond to their request.
As a secondary source, you may want to provide a free online download or clinical booklet, CD, or DVD on a particular topic that you can forward to them. Through either approach, you are opening another opportunity to interact with the prospective patient, encouraging them to take potential future action. ·
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A System with a Century of Success . . . Goes Digital - Part II
Attention is a scarce commodity in our fast-paced world. We are constantly bombarded by advertising messages from dawn to dusk. Even though the Internet has given us access to a vast wealth of information, it has not helped us to organize or make sense of it. Often it can be very confusing. Try making your Web site a pleasant oasis for your visitors:
Interest on the Internet is fleeting. Twenty-five other Web sites for competing practices in your community are just a click away. Initially the visitor’s level of commitment is very low. Often, interest is a split second decision to click on something…or not. The key to creating interest is to focus on the visitor. 
Desire initiates a different type of process than the previous two. Here visitors may stay much longer and give you their full attention. You caught their attention and maintained their interest; they are now in their research mode. During this process you must provide the proper “concise” information in language they can understand to make them feel knowledgeable and believe that you comprehend and can satisfy their needs. This is where we answer the two primary questions:
Action is the primary reason for building the Web site.
