In and around 2005 when I began to market my chiropractic practice using Myspace and other forms of social media, I received quite a bit of criticism and interestingly enough, there was no shortage of skeptics. Even a few of my own friends couldn’t believe I was getting 6-8 extra New Patients / month just by using one simple social network. So, what did they do? Of course, they created profiles and went to town adding anyone and everyone in their local community to try and duplicate and get similar results. Even though they eventually amassed a few thousand friends, they weren’t able to get New Patients and business at the rate that I had done.

See, my friends made the mistake that most who initially break-into web 2.0 and social media marketing make. Want to know what it is? The BIG MISTAKE is thinking that social media is all about you, when it’s really not. If you stop and analyze many of those that have had a meteoric rise through the use of this new form of communication, you’ll find something very interesting. Most have given a fortune in value away to their audience, listened to what the people had to say, stepped-out into a position of leadership, and built incredible relationships with trust.

When was the last time you genuinely tried to connect with your “friends” on a deeper level, helping THEM get what they want or giving them something of value? Have you ever looked at a new Facebook friend’s profile and asked an open-ended question?

The main reason you’re not getting New Patients or new business from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace, etc… is because you are probably acting a little on the selfish side. Ouch!! One dimensional approches will never build relationships that stand the test of time nor make you the go-to person in your community. When I first began social networking, I didn’t have a flood of people knocking my door down immediately. I took a little time to get to know my base and what their wants and needs were. Once I discovered this, then I began to move the free line and give a boatload in value away to my virtual friends which began establishing credibility.  This helped the snowball develep which eventually turned into an avalanche. My pages were never filled with blatant, spammy advertisement.

Want to know a simple way to build rapport with your following? Tell your life story in a few short paragraphs. Or, maybe you’re a chiropractor and want to share your personal miracle and why you decided to want to serve others. People love stories, heros, and other types of good-guy characters AND, more importantly, they remember them! Here’s a quick example of what I mean. In five seconds, tell me three things you learned in undergraduate college…..GO!! Ok, now tell me three characters from the hit TV show Seinfeld in five seconds…. GO!!

If you’re like most people, you rattled off the Seinfeld characters MUCH faster than what you learned in college. How many even remember what they learned? Most people have been conditioned to think like this so it is critical that you share a little story about yourself when it comes to networking online with web 2.0.

What about authenticity? Do you look like a piece of plastic in your photos or do you actually appear approachable? It’s important to understand what you’re putting-out to your audience on a subconscious level. People want to get to know the real you… and if that’s the guy/girl in a T-shirt and shorts, so be it!! Your social networking profiles and videos you create are not a facade. They should present an authentic image, not an untouchable, scripted mannequin.

In my videos, what you see is what you get. This has helped me build a massive following of chiropractors, real estate professionals, and entrepreneurs that find the content I post useful and are always referring others my way. Being real, giving great content away, and staying consistent with my “relationship marketing” is how I attract hundreds of people at live events we host.

Personally, I like the term relationship marketing rather than social marketing. It just sounds more tuned-in and concerned with the needs of others. Without strong relationships, you’ll get lost in the shuffle when it comes to web 2.0. I encourage you to think for the long-term.

Below, is a short video that I put together last February about internet marketing for chiropractors as it pertains to authenticity. I was in Bogotá Colombia in a beautiful commercial district called Usaquén. I like to take my viewers on a journey with me which only ads to the whole genuine nature of my message and intentions. I definitely recommend changing up the scenery in your videos on a somewhat regular basis. Don’t be afraid to allow people a glimpse into your personal life either.

Go ahead and watch the video right now and leave a comment 🙂

– Matthew Loop