I often consider tattooing “NO. I WON’T MANAGE YOUR VETERINARY HOSPITAL’S SOCIAL MEDIA!” across my forehead.
I manage social media accounts for several veterinary industry entities, and I obviously love social. As a result, I get asked to fully manage social media for veterinary practices constantly.
I started this website because I didn’t agree with 3rd parties managing hospital’s social media. With that spirit in mind, I think it’s time I fully explain why I will NOT manage your vet clinic’s social media.
1) I’m a stranger.
Veterinary hospitals need to stop brushing off social media & marketing like it’s some random thing that some random person can do. Your team knows your practice and your clients. Having that sense of community is key to the success of your business, both on and offline.
If you wouldn’t want strangers answering your veterinary hospital’s phone calls all day, you don’t want a stranger running your social media. And… even though you read my blog, I’m kind a stranger to the inner-workings of your practice!
It is good to have a professional guide you into creating the best social media possible, but it is simply unnecessary to have a stranger post on your behalf.
Parents can teach kids how to share and play nice, but they can’t make friends for their kids. (Well.. at least not when you’re older than 5).
2) I can’t possibly know everything.
What’s your protocol for flea and tick products? How much do your exams cost? What financial options do you offer? What joint supplement does your vet suggest?
Clients ask questions on social media, and it is good customer service to answer them in a timely manner. If I’m not part of your practice, I don’t know the answer. Sure, I could call and ask. But… in the time that it takes me to do that, why doesn’t someone else at your practice just take a moment to respond?
Offering that level of customer service should be important to you. If it isn’t, we have other issues.
3) It’s not fair to your clients.
The most rewarding part of veterinary social media for me is posting a picture of a client’s pet and having them get all excited about it. This is especially true when I got to meet the client in person, ask them questions about their pet and tell them personally that their pet would be on Facebook.
Social media is an extension of regular social interactions. You can’t really fake it.
Sure, you could send me over all of the pictures of your patients and facts about them. However, doesn’t that seem inauthentic? And.. again.. in the time that it takes you to do that, why do you just post it yourself? I swear it’s not that hard – I even have a bunch of tools here that help you edit pics!
I hate the generic content that a lot of social media companies post on behalf of veterinary hospitals, and I would never want to be in the business of doing that. I like being in the “posting cute puppy pics” biz.
Patient photos are key to bonding with your clients, and there is no reason that every hospital on earth can’t find 2 seconds in their busy days to post them. It’s social media because, just like real life, it takes YOUR TIME time to build valuable relationships. So… you just have to care enough to make the time.
4) I LOVE teaching.
Ok – I will be a little selfish here and say that I love teaching more than just about anything. I love showing people how to do things, and I find it deeply rewarding to watch veterinary hospitals improve their social media based on my guidance.
It’s so cool to me when I show someone a new app to edit their photos, and they get all excited. (Psst – all of my favorite tools are here).
If I am posting for you, I lose that. No fun for me. 🙁
Plus I feel sleazy because I’m taking your money to manage social media in a way that I don’t really agree with… ew.
What I will do…
If you care at all about good social media, you need to invest in learning about it and ensuring you have someone in practice to execute on it.
Sure, there are some more complicated tasks – like video- that can be outsourced.
However, the basic needs of most veterinary hospital’s social media can be met by simply finding the right person in your practice to make it happen. That might even be you!
I will be here to help guide you on how to use social media platforms. I can even walk you through things 1-on-1, step-by-step. You can reach out to me to schedule a coaching call. I will advise you on what you should and shouldn’t post. I can help you write email copy to get more reviews. I can keep tabs on the person you have managing social media if you don’t know how to gauge the work they’re doing.
I can review your overall presence and advise you on what needs to change. I can teach you how to blog and give you topic ideas.. Just contact me or sign up for the next round of my Veterinary Social Media Essentials course.
I’m here to help, but I am not here to manage your veterinary hospital’s social media day-to-day because I simply don’t think it’s the right thing for me to do. To me, it’s wrong. Plain & simple.