1 Apr 2015
Anonymous
Job Title
Think you’ve got all the bases covered when it comes to Facebook? Think again. Most practices in the UK now have a Facebook page, but with so much competition for the same online space it has become increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd.
But fear not, help is at hand. Vet Inflow has been providing innovative Facebook management and integrated marketing solutions to the veterinary profession since 2012; so if you can’t see the wood for the trees when it comes to day-to-day Facebook management, building apps, running online competitions and building direct email campaigns, Vet Inflow can help get you ahead of the game.
“Facebook is a very important marketing tool for all veterinary practices as it has become more important to the customers of those practices,” said Vet Inflow managing director Marcelo Alves.
“So any practice not making the most of it is missing out in a big way.”
During the past three years Vet Inflow has continued to grow across the UK and beyond thanks to a reputation for innovation and a case by case attention to detail. As well as Facebook management services designed to maximise soft sell opportunities for practices, more businesses are coming to Vet Inflow for integrated marketing campaigns. These are often based around Facebook, but include a host of other elements, including direct mailing, competitions and old-fashioned voucher campaigns.
Marcelo added: “We work alongside the practice creating campaigns combining Facebook posts, Facebook ads, email, Google ads, websites and web apps. We “think client” to create the strategy, the content and deliver the campaign.
“Reaching out in multiple ways increases the number of times each individual client will see the same message. A client might not pay attention or take action the first time he or she sees a specific message, but this changes when the same client is reminded of that message. Also, different clients respond in different ways to each of the marketing channels (for example, Facebook, email, Google ads), that’s why a combined strategy is a lot more effective.”
Headed up by qualified vets assisted by a team of dedicated veterinary marketing experts, web developers and designers, Vet Inflow certainly knows what it’s doing.
Many practices are already feeling the benefit. “Vet Inflow has been a great help in keeping our Facebook page fresh and interesting, and our page reach has increased significantly,” said Margo Scott from New Malden Vets.
“Vet Inflow also ran a popular photo competition on our site at Christmas, which helped increase our ‘likes’ from fewer than 400 to more than 600. We were able to use this promotion to drive traffic to our website and to increase our mailing list for e-news.”
New Malden Vets is just one of a fast-growing number of practices starting to see the benefits. “Vet Inflow’s daily posts provide humorous and useful content we could never hope to match, and into the flow of which we can insert our own personalised updates and notices,” enthused Darren Partridge at Alpha Vets and Molesey Vets. “Our clients love the content and the activity on our page and the linked website rocketed after we started running its posts.”
Lynne Gaskarth from Drove Vets in Swindon added: “Our Facebook page has grown incredibly since we have been working with Vet Inflow, and by increasing our ‘likes’ and page reach, the traditional marketing spend in the practice has decreased.
“We are very pleased with the attention to detail and like the way the posts are worded – very caring and warm, and love the fact that when we don’t have time to update Facebook, or answer comments or messages, someone else is keeping it updated for us.”
With an ever-growing list of clients, the business is expanding in the UK and into new markets across Europe, including Germany and Spain as the world wakes up to the potential of Facebook-based marketing.
Marcelo added: “It is very exciting and difficult at the same time, because each market has its own characteristics, development levels and legislation. We have to be able to adapt our products to the local ‘taste’.
“But wherever we operate in the world, we believe by tailoring the posts to plant the message in the minds of Facebook users, then following up with educational posts, targeted emails and traditional marketing, the hard sell is made much easier and clients are much more receptive to the offer.
“Apps and competitions reinforce the bond between clients and the practice, and they’re a fun way to have Facebook regulars keeping an eye on the practice’s Facebook page. They are also a way to build a fresh and reliable database of emails, which can then be used for email marketing.”
With new products in the pipeline, like the marketplace it serves, Vet Inflow cannot afford to stand still.
“Times change and we must all change with them,” said Marcelo.
“Of course, we keep an eye on everything new when it comes to digital marketing and social media platforms. We research, run tests and we are always open to new ideas. Going mobile-friendly is a most important movement at this moment, but better than trying to predict what will be the new ‘hot trend’, is being always prepared to make the necessary changes in our strategy along the way.
“We firmly believe Facebook isn’t going anywhere for now and it is the best platform to be used for marketing purposes by veterinary practices; however, if something new comes along that shows promise, we will be on board and point our clients in the right direction.”
