This course provides an overview of how public relations, including the latest social media tactics, can be used to help grow a refractive surgery practice. The latest techniques will be covered, with best practices illustrated through brief case studies. Special attention will be paid to how traditional publicity and online word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing can be used together to build brand awareness and improve the bottom line.

1. “ Growing Your Practice with PR and Social Media” ASOA Symposium & Congress April 12, 2010 Erik Deutsch, ExcelPR Group

4. Today We’ll Focus on: Traditional PR Publicity in print, broadcast and online media Word of Mouth (WOM) via online social media

5. What is “Traditional” PR? It’s not advertising (“paid media”) It’s “earned media” Public Relations (abbr. PR) n : 1. Communication with the purpose of creating a favorable relationship with the public. 2. Communications often in the form of news distributed to media for which the sponsoring organization does not pay a fee.

6. There’s an old expression… Advertising is something you PAY for. PR is something you PRAY for .

7. If a young man meets a young woman and tells her what a great guy he is, that’s advertising. But if the girl propositions the young man because she heard from her friends that he’s a great guy, that’s public relations.

9. Rise of Social Media, Peer-to-Peer Networking and Citizen Journalism

10. PR Need Not be Complicated PR ≠ Requires time, planning and ongoing commitment

11. Traditional Publicity What is newsworthy ? “ Hard” News (new procedure, remarkable case/patient) “ Soft” News (human interest features, “news you can use,” profile, seasonal)

12. Which is newsworthy? 1) Our surgeon is a great guy and really knows his stuff. 2) We finally got our hands on an Intralase so we can offer “All-Laser LASIK.” 3) Our practice is the first in our area to offer a new treatment option for patients who until now were not good candidates for refractive surgery. 4) We just opened a second surgery center in another part of town. A short quiz:

14. “ Traditional” PR/Publicity Process: 1) Identify (or create) a viable story idea 2) Assemble media contact list 3) Formulate the “pitch” 4) Send news release or pitch letter 5) Follow-up 6) Understand journalists’ needs/speak their language 7) Pray

15. Publicity Example #1

16. Publicity Example #2

17. Publicity Example #3

18. Publicity Example #4

19. Welcome to Social Media… User Generated, Two-Way Content No traditional media gatekeeper Individuals and Brands as Publishers Viral Distribution Unprecedented opportunity to build AND destroy your brand

21. The social media universe

22. It’s a Brave New World

24. Where are your prospective patients? general interest social networking micro blogging video sharing local business reviews

31. Facebook Example Loden Vision Center

34. Who do people follow on Twitter?

35. Dr. Cary Silverman (aka TheLASIKDoc) http://twitter.com/TheLASIKDoc

36. Dr. Cary Silverman (aka TheLASIKDoc) http://twitter.com/TheLASIKDoc

45. Questions? Erik Deutsch ExcelPR Group www.excelpr.com [email_address] @ErikDeutsch