In today’s media-driven world, PR can make a major difference in the growth of any dermatology practice. In fact, no matter how new or established a practice may be, the right PR strategies could be game changers, taking dermatologists to the next level of success.
Unfortunately, however, far too many dermatologists make some costly PR mistakes. Often, those mistakes end up damaging their reputation, credibility, and even their chances of attracting new clients.
How can dermatology practices avoid those missteps and leverage the best PR strategies?
By knowing what the most common dermatologist PR mistakes are and what to do instead.
Top 6 Dermatology PR Mistakes to Avoid
These missteps can be off-putting to potential and existing clients, especially if your competitors are getting it right. The good news is that these dermatologist PR mistakes can be easy to avoid when you understand why they’re problematic and how to prevent or address them if they do arise.
1. An old, clunky website
Old websites can be unattractive, difficult to navigate, and even hard to find online. That can mean that:
- People who don’t know your practice but who are searching for “dermatologists near me” in your area do not end up finding your website.
- If prospective clients do end up finding your website, they could get the impression that your dermatology practice is behind the times or that you aren’t up to date with the latest techniques or procedures.
How to Avoid this Mistake: Redesign websites that are unresponsive, that are at least two years old, or that are not user friendly.
2. Mediocre photos
Pictures can speak far more than a thousand words for dermatology practices, especially when those photos are the first point of contact people have with a practice. If those photos are unprofessional, blurry, or uninformative, it can be much more difficult to connect and engage prospective clients.
In fact, many will probably look to competitors with nicer pictures of their facilities, services, staff, products, and more.
How to Avoid this Mistake: Make sure you only include professional, high-quality, attractive photos in your practice’s marketing materials and assets, including online platforms, print materials, billboards, and more. Don’t forget to include before-and-after photos highlighting your services. And consider including videos, when possible, to create an even more personal touch and connection.
3. No or poor social media presence
Social media can keep you connected to existing clients while giving you a platform to reach new ones. From paid ads to free posts, videos, maps, reviews, and more, there are several ways to showcase a dermatology practice on social media and truly set it apart from competitors.
Without a social media presence, a dermatology practice can, again, come across as dated or out of touch. That can be the case whether a practice lacks social media pages altogether or it simply stops updating or using its social pages.
How to Avoid this Mistake: Create and maintain dermatologist social media pages on top platforms, including Facebook and Instagram (at the very least). Better yet, create a social media marketing plan that will help you make the most of your practice’s presence in these spaces.
4. No testimonials or poor online reviews
Before new clients reach out to a dermatology practice, there are very good chances they will check out online reviews to see what other people are saying about it. Without reviews, people may have nothing to go on. And they’ll probably look to other practices that do have reviews (and that have good ones).
Alternatively, bad reviews aren’t necessarily a deal-breaker. What can be, however, is if those poor reviews sit online without a response from your practice. That could look like a silent nod to the reviewer that they’re correct — or it could come across like you simply don’t care.
How to Avoid this Mistake: Ask your clients to review you online. Monitor your online reviews and be quick to respond to anything negative. When you do, keep a sympathetic and neutral tone, encouraging the reviewer to contact you offline for any resolution, if needed.
5. Failure to diversify marketing or media presence
The best dermatology PR covers several platforms, channels, and opportunities. That could include online platforms, TV, print, podcasts, and more.
When dermatologists focus on only one avenue or just a few options for their PR, they can seriously limit their ability to make the most out of their PR efforts.
How to Avoid this Mistake: Make sure your PR and marketing plan diversifies your exposure and puts you in multiple channels. Different audiences will be in different places, so this strategy can be the best way to connect with several target groups, no matter where they find their information.
6. Not Partnering with a Trusted Dermatology PR Firm
Ultimately, dermatologists have a lot to do day to day when it comes to running their practice. Their PR and marketing needs can demand a lot of time and energy as well. And, whether or not dermatologists realize it, their PR needs can be compromised by a lack of PR expertise, limited time, and multiple priorities.
In many cases, dermatology PR mistakes are simply the result of dermatologists not retaining the right professionals to handle their PR for need for them.
How to Avoid this Mistake: Set up consultation with the experts at KMR Communications by calling 305-771-2425 or contacting us online. As one of the nation’s best dermatology PR firms, we have represented more dermatologists than most PR agencies in the U.S. That’s how we’ve earned a reputation for excellence — and it’s the reason why dermatologists from across the nation trust KMR Communications when it’s time for exceptional public relations services from a top dermatology PR agency.