"We're old fashioned around here," I heard the office manager of a local orthodontist say as I looked around an empty waiting room. "We don't believe in that social media stuff." Well, I said, you may not, but your potential patients do. And don't we all want new customers? Does it really matter if we get them with a television ad or from a Facebook page? Wouldn't this orthodontist like to see his waiting room full at 4:00 on Wednesday afternoon?

The fact is, most business owners or managers are focused on the marketing channels they believe will work for them, with no consideration for where the prospective customer might really be listening for their message. I prefer swimming in a swimming pool, over swimming in a lake any day, but I certainly wouldn't drop a fishing line in that same pool to catch a fish. 

That orthodontist should see marketing in the same light. While that TV spot might make him feel good, there are no fish there anymore. If he wants to catch his target audience, he should be dropping a line in social media.

You can learn more about Pulp's social media marketing services by following this link.