“What social media posts can I share to attract veterinarians?” “What do I post to get more job applicants for my vet clinic?”
These questions make me realize there’s misunderstanding about how social media works. There’s also confusion about the difference between marketing strategy and brand strategy.
Let’s talk veterinary marketing strategy vs. veterinary branding strategy!
Social media is a marketing tool, and it’s a weapon in your marketing strategy arsenal. It lives there with other communication tools- like email, traditional advertising, or podcasts. You can leverage these resources to communicate a message, but you have to have something to talk about.
This is where brand strategy comes into play. Your brand is the essence of your veterinary business. It consists of many things, some tangible and some more nebulous and hard to describe. Your veterinary brand is things like your logo and colors, your origin story, your core values, what you want to be known for, and who you want to serve.
Related post: Vet Clinic Mission Statements Are Dated! The Next Gen Wants This.
You know the difference you just feel when you walk into a Target vs a Walmart? That’s because of brand strategy.
An intentional brand strategy gives you something worth talking about on social media. When you have a clear veterinary brand, you suddenly don’t have to rely on generic posts. You have something unique to say, and that special message will resonate with your ideal hire.
Instead of asking what to post to attract veterinary talent, ask:
- Who is my dream employee?
- What do they want?
- How does our vet clinic deliver it to them?
To be clear: Brand strategy isn’t just online. To be successful, it needs to be a holistic approach.
If you’re a CSR that got tasked with managing your vet clinic’s social media, you’re going to need buy-in from leadership to build a successful brand strategy. You can’t promise things online that you can’t deliver IRL. New veterinary hires are seeking transparency from their employers. You’ll struggle with retention if you don’t follow through with the promises of your brand strategy.
There’s no quick fix for hiring veterinary professionals online, but it’s possible!
Moral of the story: There’s no quick tips for posts that deliver your vet clinic new employees. The market is competitive right now, and it’s time to focus on brand strategy.
I know veterinary clinics are busy, as appointments numbers rise and productivity numbers fall.
But veterinary clinics that are struggling to hire right now need to see the value in pausing. A few hours dedicated to brand strategy development can have a serious ROI!
After all, the vet clinics that have strong brands seem to be snagging all the talent. My branding client, Dr. Cody Creelman of Fen Vet, tells me he has zero issue finding new vets. I see posts from veterinarians declaring that they’re going to work for companies like VEG and BondVet.
It is possible to hire right now if you take the time to develop a clear brand strategy and commit to sticking to whatever it promises. Social media posts can help you market the message, but you need to figure out the brand first!
Need help with your brand strategy? You can DIY or with some group coaching here at Snout School, or get more high-level support (including motto development) at The Snout Group.
