Social Media Etiquette Rules

Andrey Avramenko, expert in the field of medical marketing and management, executive director of the Dega aesthetic medicine clinic, business coach, teacher at the Accord online professional education studio for cosmetologists, teacher at the Russian School of Management (St. Petersburg)

Anna Avramenko , expert in the field of communications and PR, practical psychologist, business consultant, teacher at the Russian School of Management (St. Petersburg)

Practices and audits of promoting clinics or personal brands of cosmetologists on social networks show that it is at the stage of online communication, which logically completes the promotion chain, that potential clients are “lost.” That is why all the efforts of the previous stages of brand advertising are ineffective, and subscribers do not become patients.

The harsh truth of medical advertising

Bringing your target audience to your social media profile is only part of the job of attracting new patients. It's no secret that not all direct messages subsequently turn into full-fledged sales. One of the most common reasons is an incorrectly structured dialogue on the part of the account owner.

Let us list the main tasks of online communications.

Don’t scare them away - otherwise your profile will be closed and forgotten.

Create a positive first impression - this also exists online and is formed through dialogue.

Increase confidence in yourself as a specialist and expert - sooner or later this will lead to the fact that a person will turn to you with their question or recommend it to others.

Strengthening your reputation is one of the most important parts of your personal brand.

To create “soil” for future sales—to “warm up” a hesitant subscriber.

Sell your services/procedures/operations - sign up the primary patient for a consultation, etc.

Communication is one of the key, final links in the long and complex work of attracting the target audience. And the final result depends on how competently this interaction goes: whether a person will come for a consultation with a doctor, whether he will become a loyal patient, and what income the specialist will ultimately receive. The main task of direct correspondence is not to conduct a full-fledged consultation and provide a huge amount of information, but to convince a potential patient to come to a given doctor and to a given clinic.

Internet etiquette: is there such a thing? Yes!

It is worth noting that in popular books on modern etiquette there are separate chapters devoted to online communication (for example, Johnson D., Tyler L. Don’t put your smartphone on the table). These are the basic rules that will help you always be on top, because as technology develops, communications in cyberspace also evolve.

Internet etiquette (netiquette) is a set of rules that allows you to exist harmoniously in virtual space. In this case, the following logic applies: when communicating on the Internet, you should adhere to the same standards of behavior as when communicating in person. And most mistakes are made mainly due to haste, carelessness, and lack of involvement in the communication process.

There are 15 main recommendations for online communications.

Rule #1. Think about how to start your message to come across as a polite doctor.

Of course, direct messages are less formal correspondence than regular emails, but the first sentence always sets the tone for the entire message.

Use a greeting - a sign of good manners. For example:

“Larissa, good afternoon”;

"Good morning. Good evening";

"Greetings;

“Thank you for the question. Thank you for contacting me";

"How can I help you?"

Rule #2. Call the subscriber by name (if it can be found out based on his account).

World-famous communications expert Dale Carnegie said that a person’s name is the most pleasant sound for him. Plus, this is a powerful sign of attention and an indicator that you, as a doctor, are devoting your time personally to this person (and not copying messages).

Agree, how pleasant it is to read:

“Elena, hello!”;

“Mary, good afternoon!”;

“Svetlana, I’m glad to be of service to you!”;

“Anna, I’m always ready to answer your questions!”

Rule #3. Stay in touch with subscribers and patients more often. Try to respond to all messages (except for inappropriate ones) and as quickly as possible.

Business etiquette rules recommend that we respond to emails on the same day or within 24 hours. In social networks, the speed is much higher, modern people do not like to wait, therefore, the faster you respond to a message, the more effective your interaction with a potential patient will be

Logic: every unanswered message is a patient who has gone to another doctor, these are missed opportunities and your revenue.

Rule #4. Check the text for errors.

Why is this so important in medicine? The logic is simple, it is explained by the expectations of modern patients, who are demanding. According to the majority, a doctor is an educated person who has studied for many years, knows a lot, reads a lot, he cannot be illiterate. And, if the doctor made a mistake in a short message, it means he may make a mistake when performing the procedure/operation...

Remember that even online:

communication with patients is business communication, not just chatting or direct messaging;

the fact that you typed the text in an awkward position or simply do not know how to type is not an excuse for spelling, syntax and other errors;

mistakes distract from the content and can sometimes be detrimental to your reputation.

Recommendation: there are many ways and services to check the correct spelling of words.

Rule #5. Keep it simple. When they don’t understand you, they don’t trust you!

Keep it simple

Use clear words.

Don’t use too many special terms, and if you use them, “translate” them and explain them to your subscribers.

Nobody reads very long letters. Short sentences are better.

Use colloquial language. Write as you speak.

There is no need for too many participial and participial phrases.

Be simpler, but not simple; there is no need to communicate in a “familiarity” format.

The logic is as follows (for the average person):

the longer you write, the higher the risk that your message will not be read to the end;

The more complex you write, the more incomprehensible your letter is, the higher the risk that it may be put aside, and they are unlikely to re-read it a second time or may simply forget it.

Rule #6. Be careful with abbreviations.

Of course, most doctors will understand abbreviations such as:

HPV - human papillomavirus;

GAGs - glycosaminoglycans;

HA - hyaluronic acid;

GP - glycoproteins;

GR—hypertrophic scar;

PTG - proteoglycans.

But they are unlikely to be familiar to all patients. The main goal of any communication is absolute clarity and understanding. Some abbreviations may be completely unclear to your patients. No one will understand and think about reductions: modern people are too busy and lazy.

Rule #7. Use “thank you,” “please,” and other polite words more often.

Why is it important? Polite words are:

positive signals;

demonstrating respect for the subscriber;

indicators of the doctor's good manners;

a tool that helps soften text.

Rule #8. Fewer criticisms.

You definitely can't use swear words or obscene words. Remember the high social status of the doctor.

Watch the tone of the letter, especially if you are criticizing something or someone. This may be perceived as an attack (in the absence of other information, the meaning and message of what is read will be interpreted, rather, as negative).

If you speak negatively about some methods, procedures, etc., it is better to do this in a personal meeting with patients, as correctly and accurately as possible.

If you realize that a subscriber was offended, it is better to immediately apologize so that this does not affect the first impression of you and your reputation.

Rule #9. Avoid imperatives whenever possible.

Imperative (Latin imperativus) means demand or order. In communications, they stiffen the message and can be off-putting.

These are words such as “should”, “need”, “must”, “should”, etc.

Rule #10. At the beginning of communication, it is better to avoid inappropriate jokes.

Be careful with straightforward jokes - they may not always be perceived adequately (you cannot see the interlocutor’s face).

Some emojis (pictograms indicating emotions, etc.) can also be ambiguous.

Rule #11. Don't write messages when you're angry.

Angry letters are unacceptable for your image.

Never write or send messages if you are angry. Pause and exhale. Calm down, pull yourself together and only then answer when the intensity of emotions has subsided.

Don't argue with subscribers, it will only add fuel to the fire. Most likely, the person on the line is also in a very irritated psychological state, so the conflict will only intensify.

Sometimes it makes sense to ask for the subscriber’s phone number and call him in a calm state and sort things out. Instead of thousands of negative messages.

Rule #12. Don't write in capital letters.

Most people associate it as if you are screaming.

Rule #13. End communication competently and politely.

Examples:

Thank you! Thank you very much!

Best wishes.

Be healthy.

If you have any questions, be sure to contact us.

We'll be in touch. Write with any questions.

I'm always happy to answer your questions.

Just in case, I’m leaving you my personal phone number, be sure to call if anything happens.

Our clinic periodically hosts promotions, can I ask your permission to send this information?

See you!

I am waiting for you at the consultation on September 20 at 15.00.

Rule #14. Keep your correspondence confidential.

A person, even without ever seeing you, trusts you not only as a person, but also as a doctor. Therefore, even in correspondence on social networks, maintain medical ethics and confidentiality - this is an important part of the reputation of a medical professional.

Rule #15. Think about the consequences. Do not discredit yourself with incorrect correspondence!

Messages can be used against you (in many states in America, emails are considered evidence). There is always a risk that a subscriber may forward or publish your correspondence somewhere.

The result is free

Agree that modern people are tired of negativity and rudeness, stress and anger. In this regard, a pleasant communication format always maintains an emotional connection, including in the “doctor-patient” relationship. The principle “You won’t have a second chance to make a first impression” also works in online communications.

And most importantly, respect and kindness are a low-cost way to strengthen your image and promote your personal brand.

Correspondence with subscribers using simple rules of Internet etiquette:

increases confidence in the cosmetologist;

ensures loyalty to the specialist;

increases the likelihood of sales;

reduces the likelihood of negativity;

and, as a bonus, it increases the doctor’s mood and level of happiness from pleasant, mutually respectful communication.

Using good manners when communicating online with patients does not cost money and does not require investment, but the effect in terms of sympathy, recognition and strengthening of reputation that a cosmetologist can receive is colossal. After all, as the great Miguel Cervantes wisely said: “Nothing costs us so little and is valued so dearly as politeness.”

First published: Cosmetologist No. 3-4, 2020