Whenever you're making a major change to your business, you'll want to ensure you've carefully considered how you'll communicate the change.
In addition to updating your website address, you'll also need support updating your local listings in a way that does NOT create duplicates or lose your amazing 5 star reviews.
You'll also want to consider how Google will view the new address? Does this change impact your SEO keyword strategy?
If you're also rebranding or changing your business name at this time, you'll want to carefully consider brand recognition and how to make visual changes without losing loyal patients due to a lack of communication.
For your convenience, Grace Rizza (CEO of Identity Dental Marketing) has crafted a checklist of items to consider when undergoing major business changes.
- Announce the change in a professional and positive way. Start with a press release, then reformat it into a patient letter. From there, let us help you with digital distribution. This allows your news announcement to show front and center when patients search for you online. We'll help you craft your announcement in a way that retains your existing patients and also entices new patients to come and experience the quality care you have to offer.
- Create a graphic that gives your patients and community a sense of peace in the change. Make sure they understand that although you have a new name or address, that your care is still high quality. You may use a headline such as "New Location, Same Great Team!" to featured on your social media banners.
- Keep the focus on patient experience. Too often patients assume that a new building means higher fees or other changes that will impact them. Put their minds at ease by outlining your core values and including what matters most to your team: the patient experience.
- Consider the timing of updates. Updating your online listings too soon can send patients to the wrong address. We'll do our best to help you time the updates of your address online. Also, be sure your admin team confirms the new location by text and/or phone for each and every patient visit for several months after the change. This will help to prevent patients driving to the wrong location.
- Consider adding your name under a new logo. By listing doctor names under the main logo, you can update the branding (if you so desire) without losing the brand recognition that comes with your name and well-established reputation.
Grace recommends the following services to support a major business change:
- Local listing update
- Press Release for digital distribution and to share with patients
- Photo Video Shoot to Show the new office, team, or other major changes
- Branding update (if needed) - tweaking the business name or logo
- Social media announcement banner image
For our SEO clients, the local listing and website update will be included at no charge.