• by Maria Bailey , Columnist, March 17, 2017

I recently completed a four-article series on marketing to moms for Bentson Clark reSource, a quarterly publication dedicated entirely to orthodontic practices. Why orthodontists, you may ask? This particular healthcare category is all about moms and their children, of course.

For the back story, I have Chris Bentson to thank for the opportunity to contribute to his newsletters and reach this audience. Chris heard me speak at a conference way back in 2011, and we have collaborated many times since then. It goes to show the power of moms across every category, and that Chris is smart for recognizing and promoting the connection in what is an annual $11 billion orthodontics niche. 

For orthodontists and all family healthcare providers, here are a few tips to consider for marketing to moms and ultimately growing your practices: 

• Upgrade Appointment Options Moms don’t want to talk on the phone. Only 19% of GenX mothers want to speak with a customer service agent (i.e., scheduling rep or office manager). Explore options for online appointment software and appointment reminders via text or email. Make it easy for moms to calendar appointment days and times on their phones. While live phone conversations are not going away, especially in healthcare offices, moms will appreciate any time they gain back by avoiding long telephone calls.

• Social Media Presence Today’s moms (and their tweens and teens) will look for social media presence if only as a reflection of a progressive practice. If you and your staff can manage a social media account or two, start with Facebook and Instagram and start practicing social listening. Moms appreciate relevant, informative content, and they really love to be “liked” and followed on social media. Respond to comments when appropriate. Including this kind of engagement in your social strategy is imperative. On the flip side, if you cannot commit to the regular posting, maintenance and social listening required for a healthy social media presence, hold off until you can.

• Social Listening and Audits If you have built a social media presence, listen to what moms are saying about you and your industry in general. Search your practice name and hashtags related to the industry on a regular basis to determine what moms are talking about, then comment when appropriate. 

• Whether your practice is active on social media or not, perform an online audit. Search for your practice’s online contact information. Verify that your phone number, address, and website are correct, and take a few easy steps to correct the information if necessary. Speaking from recent experience, nothing is more frustrating to busy moms than searching for a phone number or information that is incorrect. 

• Powerful Word of Mom Finally, regardless of the many social media tactics that I consider a must for practices, good old-fashioned word of mouth, or “word of Mom” is invaluable in gaining new patients. Moms love to socialize and share their latest finds on the playground, in the carpool line and anywhere they gather with friends and family. Consider outreach at community events, sponsoring school activities and underwriting school sports teams (apparel, equipment, etc.) as just of the few ways to show moms that you are involved in the community. 

As I wrote earlier, the power of moms in the marketplace is widespread. Writing this article about a specific niche, I can’t think of one consumer category where moms are not relevant. If you can or you have feedback, please leave a comment below or tweet @momtalkradio. I look forward to hearing from you.