INSIDE. FDA Member Logo Messaging Public Relations Social Media Media Relations Templates MARKETING TOOLKIT FOR MEMBERS

Transcription

1 INSIDE FDA Member Logo Messaging Public Relations Social Media Media Relations Templates MARKETING TOOLKIT FOR MEMBERS

2 Introduction As the Florida Dental Association (FDA) works to recharge and re-energize our branding and communications efforts, we also are focused on providing you with the resources, expertise and support to help you recharge your practice. The FDA is pleased to share our rebranded logos, including an FDA member logo that can be incorporated on your website, signature, brochures, etc. Instructions on how to download this FDA member logo, as well as guidelines for usage of the logo, are included in this toolkit. This marketing toolkit provides tips and templates to help you elevate your practice s communications, including messaging, public relations, media relations and social media efforts. The recommendations included here are designed to be flexible to allow you to pick and choose the tactics that are best for your practice while leveraging resources provided by the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association and your local component. Power of Three: The Three-Tier System The American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association and your local dental association all work together to provide members with every level of service and support. The American Dental Association offers national publications, top-level studies and research, information on federal laws and issues that affect your practice and a united voice in federal legislative issues. The Florida Dental Association is your statewide resource for counsel on insurance and legal matters, legislative advocacy, professional development and continuing education, and statewide news, business and industry updates. Your local dental association provides you with opportunities including patient referrals, employment services, continuing education credits, peer review counseling and networking and education events. This three-tier system forms a cohesive partnership to ensure the success of individual members and their practices, as well as the dental profession. 1

3 Member Logo The following logo was created for FDA members to include on your practice websites, signatures, brochures and other printed promotional items for your practice. To download the member-only logo, simply log in to the member-only section of the FDA website and select Download Member logo. This is the only FDA logo that should be used by members on your individual practice communications. When used, the Member of element of the logo should be included. This is the official logo signifying that you are a member of the Florida Dental Association, and in order to protect the integrity and recognition of the brand, it should not be altered in any way. We request that you not make any changes to this logo, so please do not: alter the mark in any way. redesign, redraw, animate, modify, distort or alter the proportions of the mark. rotate the mark. add words, images or any other new elements to the mark. replace the approved typeface with any other typeface. enclose the mark in a shape or combine it with other design elements or effects. add additional copy to the mark. 2

4 Messaging Consistent messaging is a crucial part of establishing and effectively communicating your practice s identity and focus. Identify three to five key messages that clearly and concisely communicate the nature of your practice and the services you provide. These key messages provide a foundation for your communications, including public relations, advertising, media relations and marketing efforts. ELEVATOR SPEECH The elevator speech is a core messaging component that your practice can use to communicate in 30 seconds who you are, what you do and why the listener should be interested. Components of an elevator speech can include: Your practice s name and broad description (for example: a leading source of comprehensive dental health care in the Orlando area) Your team and experience, such as the year the practice was established, number of staff members and years of experience The services your practice provides (for example: pediatric care or specialized services) The impact your practice strives to have on individuals and the community s health and well-being To help keep your message consistent and prepare every staff member to serve as an ambassador for your practice, distribute your elevator speech to your staff and/or keep copies taped next to phones and computers. 3

5 Public Relations Engaging in public relations efforts will help establish stronger relationships with current and prospective patients, as well as the communities you serve. Potential public relations tactics could include: Identifying opportunities for key spokespersons to engage in public speaking engagements to share expertise on issues affecting dental and oral health, such as fluoridation in city water systems, the importance of quality dental care for pregnant women, pro bono services and events, etc. Speaking opportunities could include Rotary or Kiwanis club meetings, town hall meetings, health care forums, school events, staff gatherings for state agencies and large businesses, etc. Drafting newsletter articles or blog posts for other businesses and organizations allows you to share relevant information about dental and oral health care, as well as the dental industry, with broader audiences. Examples could include: Providing a local business or organization with a newsletter article on dental health care tips or highlighting a specific oral health concern. Working with a local family or mom blogger to write a guest post giving tips for teaching kids the importance of good dental health practices. TIPS: 1. Have a presence in your community. 2. Take advantage of speaking opportunities. 3. Establish partnerships to help spread your message. 4. Time outreach efforts to tie in with other events/observations. 5. Position yourself as an expert. 6. Don t assume that others know what you know. 7. Always be ready to speak about what makes your practice unique. 8. Having someone else sing your praises is better than you doing it yourself. 9. Keep up with evolving trends and adapt to them. 10. Any time you think you ve done enough to promote yourself, do more! 4

6 Social Media Seventy-two percent of Internet users use social media networks, including 1.2 billion Facebook users and 232 million active Twitter users. Websites are experiencing increasing percentages of referrals from social media networks including Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. Facebook users account for half of all retargeted clicks users who clicked on a form of advertisement that redirects them to the advertised website on the Internet. As social media continues to become part of our daily lives, creating and maintaining a social media presence is an integral part of your practice s communications and marketing strategy. The Florida Dental Association and Moore Communications Group will host a social media webinar in 2014 to provide FDA members with a more interactive and in-depth lesson on using social media to enhance your practice s marketing and communications efforts. FDA members will be notified as soon as this webinar is scheduled. TIPS: 1. Keep audiences engaged and content fresh by posting on social media platforms five to six times a week. 2. Develop a content editorial calendar at the beginning of each calendar month so you have posts ready. 3. Use real-time local news and events to keep your content relevant and community focused. 4. Enhance your content with eye-catching visuals and photos to increase audience engagement. 5. Use promoted posts, tweets and other social media advertising to build your following and increase exposure to major news and events. 6. Fully integrate social platforms into your websites, such as adding icons linking to your social media platforms. 7. Use Facebook insights and other analytic tools such as HootSuite to gain insight on how to best engage your target audiences. 8. Consider creating a blog as a platform to share information, position your practice and dental professionals as industry experts and drive traffic to your website. 9. Engage followers and be an active part of the conversation. 10. Be professional, but don t be afraid to show your personality! 5

7 Media Relations Building a relationship with local media will help establish you as a trusted subject matter expert and allow you to share your message with your community. Media relations tactics could include: Hosting a news conference to announce major news or events, such as the groundbreaking of a new office or announcement of a pro bono program. Inviting the media to attend events such as news conferences or pro bono events by distributing a media alert to local daily and weekly newspapers, TV stations and radio stations. An example media alert is included in this toolkit. Media alerts should be sent in the body of an two to four days prior to the event. Sending a news release to local media to inform them of important announcements and accomplishments, such as an industry or practice award, a new employee or a new technology. An example news release is included in this toolkit. News releases should be sent in the body of an . Include when the information can be shared with the public and offer opportunities for one-on-one interviews. Letters to the editor and op-ed pieces are opportunities for you to share your expertise and/or opinion on an issue or respond to a recent article. The author s name, title, organization, location and potentially a headshot should be included with the submission. Letters to the editor are generally shorter pieces ( words) and are typically submitted in response to an article. An op-ed is a lengthier, more in-depth piece ( words) and does not need to be in response to a prior article. TIPS: 1. Build strong relationships with the media. 2. Respect their deadlines. 3. Understand your news and the story angle you would like the media to portray. 4. Do not waste the media s time with unimportant information. 5. Keep updated releases and contact information. 6. Be readily available for questions and comments. 7. Be aware of statistics and research involving your news. 8. Position yourself as an expert. 9. Speak and write clearly. 10. Promote yourself to the best of your abilities. MEDIA PROTOCOL Your practice needs to identify one media contact to handle media calls. The media contact may not be the spokesperson, but the individual will facilitate and coordinate the interviews and comments. The media contact will be included on media tools such as news releases and media alerts. 6

8 WHEN THE MEDIA CALLS If you receive a request for an interview and you haven t had a chance to prepare, do not think you must give an interview on the spot. Let the reporter know you have a scheduled appointment or engagement and ask if you can schedule an interview later that day. Before you get off the phone, ask the following questions so you can be prepared to provide them with the information they need on your next call: What is the reporter s name? What media outlet or organization are they calling from? What is the deadline? What is the story about? What are you looking for? Quote? Statement? Interview? For broadcast media inquiries, find out if the interview is live or will be taped for later broadcast. Remember that you can t edit anything you say on a live program, so you will want to prepare key messages and facts with examples beforehand. When will the story run? How long will it be? Don t be afraid to say no to a media request. If you feel you are not the best source for a story, or are uncomfortable with the content or direction of the piece as described by the reporter, simply say so and thank them for thinking of you. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can refer the reporter to the FDA as a more appropriate source on the topic. MEDIA INTERVIEWS BASICS 1. Know your primary message and key points. 2. Arrive early. IN THE STUDIO When agreeing to a TV interview or radio talk show, know the following: The subject you are expected to discuss. Who the interviewer will be. The format of the program (telephone call-in, questions from a live audience). How long you will be on. IN YOUR OFFICE Several things should be done when arranging an office interview and greeting the reporter. While the camera is being set up, begin to steer the reporter in the direction of your objectives. Not knowing as much about the organization, the reporter may gladly listen for informal guidance about the nature of the story. Do not discuss topics in casual conversation that you don t want covered in the story. Nothing is off the record! Above all, try to gain some common ground on a personal basis with the reporter. 7

9 BRIDGING AND SOUND BITES You can use bridging techniques to make a smooth transition from an undesirable topic in an interview to one fitting your agenda. Examples include: What is key here Let me give you some background information Let me put that in perspective What s important to remember, however Before we get off this subject/topic, let me add A sound bite is a short excerpt, approximately five to 15 seconds long, from a speech or interview. As a general rule of thumb, each response should average seconds, especially for television or radio interviews. Even in a print interview, your responses should not exceed two minutes. Big words, complex sentences and lengthy rhetorical answers don t make good sound bites. So be brief. Use simple, strong sentences. Pause between thoughts. Adding a strategic pause can signal to the interviewer that something you ve said, or are about to say, is important. WINNING AN INTERVIEW Here are some final things to remember to win in an interview: Look for opportunities to make your point(s). You might be asked, Do you have anything to add? Also, when the interviewer looks at his or her notes, proceed with a point by saying, One thing we haven t touched on Answer all questions on a positive note. Always stay calm, courteous and cooperative. If you need to buy time to properly frame a response, ask the reporter to repeat the question. Answer only a specific part of a troublesome general question. Conversely, if the question is hostile and quite specific, frame your answer in relation to the general aspect of the question. Provide specific background or history if this is required to answer the question, but don t start your answer with this information. Give the conclusion first as it may be the only thing that makes the air. If you don t know the answer to a question, say so. Offer to find the answer and get back with the interviewer. Then do it. Edit mentally, and never say anything you don t want to read or hear played back later. Don t repeat negative examples or words used by the interviewer. It reinforces the negative; instead, provide a positive response. Once you ve given your answer, never ask, Does that answer your question? If the interviewer says, No, you ll be on the spot. If a question is unfair, too personal, confusing, etc., don t hesitate to tell the reporter. 8

10 News Release Template Example CONTACT: Name, Title Phone number address FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FLORIDA DENTISTS INC. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO WORK IN TAMPA (Tampa, Fla.) (-insert date of release) In its annual rankings of the best places to work in the greater Tampa area, the Tampa Bay Business Journal has recognized Florida Dentists Inc. as the No. 5 company among the 20 top workplaces in the region. Rankings are based on company policies, practices and demographics, as well as employee feedback. Our practice s commitment to serving our patients begins with a commitment to our employees, says Dr. John Smith, DMD, Founder of Florida Dentists Inc. We re pleased to be recognized by Tampa Bay Business Journal with this honor. Founded in 1993, Florida Dentists Inc. serves patients in the Tampa Bay area and provides comprehensive dental care services. ### About Florida Dentists Inc. Florida Dentists Inc. serves patients in the Tampa Bay area to provide the highest standard of comprehensive dental care. Dr. John Smith, DMD, and Dr. Janet Evans, DMD, have more than 30 years combined experience and work with a dedicated and experienced team to provide patients with the highest quality dental care possible in a comfortable and caring manner. 9

11 Media Alert Template Example CONTACT: Name, Title Phone number address FLORIDA DENTISTS INC. CELEBRATES ANNUAL PRO-BONO EVENT Area dentists will provide free dental care to local children WHAT: During the 4th annual pro-bono event, Florida Dentists Inc. will provide free dental care to an estimated 100 lowincome children in the area. This program is designed to provide oral health education, as well as preventive and restorative treatment, to children who do not have access to regular dental care. This event is open to the public for children ages three to 18 years old. Patients will be treated on a first-come, firstserved basis. WHEN: Friday, September 12 7 a.m. 2:30 p.m. WHERE: Florida Dentists Inc. 15 West Street City, Florida zip code INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Name, Title ON-SITE CONTACT: Name, Title Cell phone number (cell) # # # 10

12 Helping Members Succeed