Whatever you think about hotel.com’s new Captain Obvious campaign (and believe us we know the reviews are mixed), we still think there’s something to learn from the strategy behind this new “brand ambassador.” This not-so-obvious strategy will make it Crystal Clear why your practice needs a total digital platform for online marketing.
Now it may seem strange to connect your cosmetic dermatology, plastic surgery or wellness practice to a subsidiary of Expedia, a company that generates more than a billion dollars per year. But it’s not. The trends that start with the big brands inevitably ripple through the marketing system, changing the game for all. Even you.
So when we saw a recent Forbes Article featuring an interview with Neha Parikh, Vice President and General Manager of Hotels.com North America, we read and we listened. Here’s what she had to say:
“Customers can access brands in so many ways today — whether through email, social, websites, mobile apps, etc., so it was really important for us to deliver a consistent experience to customers . . .
From our perspective, integrating multiple channels for this campaign is a win-win: it provides a unified experience for our customers and it allows us to amplify our message efficiently. I tell the team internally that by integrating our marketing, we will make “1+1=3” and amplify our message beyond the sum of the parts . . . “
Later, when asked for advice on marketing, she said:
Take a multi-channel approach. There’s no one-size or one-channel fits all solution anymore when it comes to reaching and engaging with consumers.
Sound familiar? Well it should. We at Crystal Clear are broadcasting that same message to our clients day after day, whether they practice cosmetic dentistry or dermatology, plastic surgery, chiropractic or health and wellness.
There is no single channel anymore. To compete in a noisy marketplace, your practice needs to have a consistent message that works responsively on multiple devices (smartphone, tablet, desktop) and across multiple social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+). That’s the only way to engage effectively with current and prospective patients.
What’s more, in the case of small businesses, your practice needs to be found before it can be followed. That means developing content for your website, blog and social media with SEO in mind.
Finally, you have to measure it all. While hotels.com may boost Captain Obvious today, you can be certain he’ll get the boot instead if the metrics don’t add up. Your practice, too, needs to embrace metrics when it comes to shaping and reshaping your digital marketing strategy. Because you can’t manage what you can’t measure.
We want you to make 1+1=3. We want to help you amplify your message across devices, social media and the Internet itself. We want to keep your digital marketing practice on the cutting edge. We want to build you a platform that will enable you to dominate your local market.
Have we made it Crystal Clear? If you learn one thing from Captain Obvious, learn this lesson, please: Choose us.