Unexpected Ways Doctors and Dentists Can Use Virtual Tours
Are you one of the select practitioners who has made a special investment catering to your patients?
Have you created a spa-like ambiance? Or have you gone the extra mile to welcome children?
We've spent the last couple of posts highlighting how a virtual tour can benefit you. But there is a flip side to these interactive views of your practice. They also offer a memorable way for you to reach out to special groups in your care.
A Gentle Introduction
Who can say how many patients driving past your practice every day would feel more comfortable reaching out to you if they could just have a look behind your front door?
Knowledge is empowering. By opening your virtual front door you offer a gentle introduction to anxious patients. And consider the benefits of giving children a view of your practice (and all those strange looking instruments!), all from the comfort of their own home.
A virtual tour overcomes barriers by allowing potential patients the opportunity to get a feel for your office by "walking" around your reception area and down the hall.
Let People Know
If there's something special about your practice, you should let people know. A virtual tour lets you highlight what makes your practice different. But with a little creative thought, you can do even more.
Give a Warm Welcome to Children
The sky's the limit for pediatric dentists and physicians looking to put some spin on a virtual tour.
With just a few props, you can turn a virtual tour into a virtual scavenger hunt. Just tuck "pirate booty" into bookshelves, under chairs, and in corners. Then encourage your virtual visitors to find all the hidden treasure. Winners could collect a prize on their first (real) visit to your practice!
Or simply "populate" your practice with stuffed animals, everywhere from the reception room to the exam room. (Is that a giraffe getting an X-ray?)
In addition to the fun and games, the tour gives children a positive first look at your practice and a friendly view of the dental chair and medical equipment. A well-crafted tour will help avoid unhappy surprises when your smallest patients actually do come in the front door. The benefits could last a lifetime.
Reassure Anxious Dental Patients
Few people consider going to the dentist a highlight of their day, but a significant number are so fearful that they haven't had their teeth checked in years.
Between 5 percent and 8 percent of Americans avoid dentists out of fear, estimates Peter Milgrom, DDS, at the University of Washington in Seattle. A higher percentage, perhaps 20%, experiences enough anxiety that they will go to the dentist only when absolutely necessary.- WebMD
Unfortunately, fear of the dentist can allow a simple dental problem to morph into a serious condition with disappointing outcomes, such as tooth loss.
Since the dental environment plays a big part in dental anxiety, many dentists have gone the extra mile to create an inviting and soothing retreat to smooth the way for anxious patients. But how will these anxious patients ever know if they never step inside? Who actually sees your practice other than the patients you already have?
Click on the image above to experience a virtual tour for yourself. Virtual tours can be viewed on a laptop, tablet, or mobile phone, allowing prospective patients to experience your practice on the go or from the comfort of their own living room.
If your practice offers a spa-like ambiance geared to calm patients, a virtual tour lets prospective patients see with their own eyes your emphasis on patient care. It may be just the impetus an anxious patient needs to make an appointment.
Help Cosmetic Surgery Patients Understand Your Practice
Many times people hesitate contacting a cosmetic surgeon simply because of all the "unknowns." People know all about family medicine, but the world of cosmetic surgery may seem foreign.
A virtual tour offers an informative view of your practice any time of day, allowing people to reassure themselves about the professionalism of your facility and encouraging them to pick up the phone to make an appointment.
Set Yourself Apart
Whatever virtual tour fits your practice and patients, the Google Street View Trusted virtual experience resonates far longer than the standard photo-and-text combo found on the typical website. (Note: Street View Trusted is the new name for Google's virtual tours, which used to be called Google Business View.)
If you missed our other articles about these interactive tours, you can find them here:
· Welcome Prospective Patients Inside With a Virtual Tour
· Local SEO: When Making it Big Means Thinking Small
If you have specific questions about virtual tours, feel free to fill out the form below and we will get back to you.
