This week, I am pleased to provide an article from a guest contributor.  Shane Walsh is a friend and colleague with more than 25 years experience in video production.  He is a storyteller at heart, and I’m excited to share with you his insights on video as a tool for modern dental marketing.

In any given geographic area there will be dozens, if not hundreds, of dental practices vying for new patients. How are you communicating such that your practice brand comes out on top? When I hear the word “brand”, it’s synonymous with story. So, what is it that sets your practice story apart from the other practices in your area? And how are you telling that story?

The fastest, most effective way to communicate who you are and what your practice is about is video. Nothing retains potential patients on your site as effectively as video. When new (and current) patients are searching for information on a procedure or looking for a local dentist, and they come across a site filled with a static page of text, more likely than not, they will leave the site. The speed at which someone finds your site and then leaves is refereed to as the bounce rate.

According to a 2013 article from Entrepreneur.com, viewers are much more likely to remain on your site if it includes video. The longer a viewer stays on your site, the higher the chance they will take the next step and reach out via a contact form, email, or phone call.  (Of course, what happens when that email or call comes in is a topic unto itself.)

A well produced video allows potential patients to get a sense of who you are, by seeing you interact with staff & other patients and hearing your voice. Additionally, patients can get a sense of the office environment, from the artwork on the walls to the lobby area decor.

One key thing to keep in mind when producing a video for your practice is the story you wish to tell and the level of professionalism you need to attribute to your practice. Every aspect of your practice should invoke professionalism and align with your story, from the way you dress, to the demeanor of the staff, to the practice technology, to the business cards at the front desk.

I recently produced a piece for a dental office in Minneapolis, MN. They wanted to show how their practice was different and what to expect when coming there. The video came out fantastic and really captures the unique qualities of this practice. In a future article, I’ll take you through the process and how we went from concept to completion.

About the author:
Shane Walsh’s career in film and video began more than 25 years ago in the great city of Chicago.

During his travels, he has been lucky enough to work for some of the best film companies in the world, including Paramount Pictures and The Walt Disney Company. Shane has also had a chance to do work for some of the finest brands in the world including Panasonic, Toshiba and Verizon.

Shane creates everything from commercials to mini documentaries to features to instructional videos. The thing he loves most is telling stories. Shane loves getting to know a company and learning about what makes them special. Communicating unique and interesting stories is what drives us as humans.  From the earliest cave drawings to modern television shows, we learn best through story.