Welcome to WRITING MATTERS, celebrating the value of good
writing in the business world.
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VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 – MARCH 2009
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This Month's Case Study – George Patterson, D.D.S.
George Patterson was a periodontist specializing in dental
implants. Although he had been in
practice for several years, he only recently began promoting his
specialty. Because he was located in a
large metropolitan area, distinguishing himself from other dentists was an
ongoing proposition.
Dr. Patterson’s clientele was comprised mostly of older
patients who had been going to him for years.
New patients came by referral on occasion, but he realized he needed to
reach out to a younger demographic to ensure continued success. And with dental implants becoming the
preferred option for replacing missing teeth, Dr. Patterson had a niche he
could actively promote.
Dr. Patterson had a simple web site, but it was only one page
and didn’t include much information. He
felt his practice could benefit from a more robust design, effectively
communicating what he could offer to prospective patients, and also
implementing some modern conveniences such as online scheduling of appointments,
patients surveys and the like.
The good doctor had good ideas, but needed someone to help
bring them to fruition. He contacted
Jeb, the web designer he had used previously, and asked if he could help
him. Jeb said he could certainly handle
the design, but recommended a professional writer be hired to compose the copy.
Fortunately, Jeb had worked with a variety of copywriters in the past, and knew someone who had experience writing copy for the dental and medical fields. He contacted Sally and asked about her availability. She was in the middle of a few projects, but offered to make time to meet with Jeb and Dr. Patterson to discuss the new web site.
At the meeting, Dr. Patterson conveyed his needs to Sally and Jeb, and the three brainstormed accordingly. Sally recommended a simple design, but with enough content and functionality to act as both an effective marketing piece and a useful tool to streamline certain parts of the business.
Sally was available to begin work on the project in two weeks, and she and Jeb agreed to send the doctor a proposal outlining the project, including their fees and a timeline for completion. Dr. Patterson was impressed with the way Sally and Jeb collaborated, and looked forward to their work on the new site.
As the new web site took shape, Dr. Patterson was pleased
with the results. Sally conducted
interviews with the doctor and his staff to help define the content, while Jeb
worked on the design and appropriate coding for some of the site’s more
advanced features.
In the end, the new web site more than exceeded Dr.
Patterson’s expectations. It was easy
to navigate and featured a simple, classy design. Pages included a brief biography of Dr. Patterson (“Meet The Doctor”);
some background information on dental implants and basic dental education;
general information such as hours, phone numbers, payment options, and email
contact; and, finally, online appointment request and patient feedback forms.
The online appointment request offered patients another
option for making their appointments, and the patient survey form would allow Dr. Patterson to identify areas
that needed improvement. The overall
package communicated a focused, consistent message to both existing patients
and potential new ones.
After the project’s completion, Dr. Patterson retained Jeb’s
services on an as-needed basis for site updates and assistance with any data
retrieval issues related to the appointment and survey forms. He also planned on using Sally again, as he
wanted to update his in-office policy and procedure manuals. In a relatively short period of time, Dr.
Patterson’s practice had a whole new image, thanks to the hard work of his
freelance copywriter and web designer.
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If you have a "writer-to-the-rescue" story to
share, please let me know at: JPT@spectrumcopywriting.com.
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The next issue of WRITING MATTERS will be out April 1st.
Have a great month!
John Paul Tancredi, Copywriter/Consultant
Spectrum Copywriting Services
Subscribe to WRITING MATTERS at: www.spectrumcopywriting.com/ezine.html
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2009 Spectrum Copywriting Services. All Rights Reserved.