How could a specialist agency enhance your digital media strategy?

We know that online activities are becoming increasingly significant to the success of veterinary businesses and that implementing a digital media strategy is no longer a choice but a necessity. However lack of time, confidence and expertise can present significant barriers and are just a few of the reasons why many businesses enlist the support of a specialist agency to assist with their online ventures.  A more professional approach to digital media can help boost business success both on- and offline.

Where am I going wrong?

So you’re on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – maybe you even have a Google+ page and a YouTube channel. But you still get the feeling there’s more you could be doing and have no idea whether your efforts are having the desired impact or not. Or perhaps you’re not even sure what the impact is supposed to be. Well the good news is that you’re not alone: according to our recent survey of online use in the veterinary industry, over 75 % of businesses using social media (which is the vast majority) feel that they are not doing so effectively. However, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to making improvements.

A good place to begin is often with an audit of your current digital media activities. A specialist agency will be able to identify areas for improvement and make recommendations as to how to implement changes and achieve the greatest impact. At Companion Consultancy, we provide a personalised audit service which means that our recommendations always remain in line with your business’ vision and resources. We can even provide general or specific training in anything from social media basics to sophisticated customer communication strategies. This means your staff’s expertise can be put to best use while enabling you to remain fully autonomous in your online activities.

Say goodbye to black holes

Time is valuable and as digital activities are likely to be only one of a small number of things on your day’s ‘to do’ list, it has to be used wisely. It should never be underestimated just how time consuming planning and implementing digital ventures can be – especially if you’re relatively unfamiliar with the task. Social media in particular can be rather like a big black hole, often consuming hours of time without any constructive results.  Feeling pressured to ‘do social media’ without any specific objective is a sure-fire way to lose time and money (and your sanity). In fact, a common mistake made by businesses of all sizes is that they often try to generate the majority of their own social media content, which can end up being inward facing and is ultimately not engaging for the end user.

Using an agency can not only help shoulder some of the time burden by assisting with the creation and implementation of engaging, bespoke content; an agency can also pinpoint key objectives and provide advice on how to create a cohesive strategy to deliver maximum impact with minimum hassle.

Confidence is key

There’s no doubt that social media can have a rapid and profound impact, which for many business owners can be a scary reality. A lack of confidence when it comes to handling contentious issues can be a major hurdle when it comes to online participation. However, having an agency in your corner to provide support when such issues arise, as well as advice on how to avoid them in the first place, can provide invaluable peace of mind. If handled correctly, a potentially damaging event can sometimes even be turned into something positive. Even just a simple policy which outlines how best to promote positive brand values as well as how to handle negative issues may make all the difference – something which 80 % of businesses are missing out on according to our survey.

Monetising social communities

Even if you’re hot on digital media and seem to be engaging your customers online, how can you make sure this translates to tangible benefits? A good return on investment (ROI) is obviously a key concern for all businesses and is not just a given for those participating in social media. An increasingly refined and complex marketplace means that more than ever attention needs to be paid to the subtleties of digital strategies to ensure they’re successful. This means making sure they seamlessly support all aspects of the business’ marketing plan and complement customers’ habits and desires.  A professional agency which understands the industry can provide valuable insight into what drives customer spending and loyalty as well as advice on the practicalities of putting this knowledge to good use. As Companion Consultancy is run and managed by vets, we understand how people in the profession think, feel and what’s important to their veterinary businesses.

Measuring success

Getting a grasp on ROI of online activities is crucial but is often be less than straightforward. Knowing exactly which numbers to evaluate, applying the correct analytical tools and deciphering the results all present significant and time-consuming challenges. Teaming up with an agency which can provide a comprehensive and easy-to-understand report of your digital media activities means you can evaluate your efforts at a glance. This can be invaluable in quantifying ROI and deciding where to allocate resources.  It can also help identify areas needing improvement and provide valuable information about the online behaviours and preferences of your customers.

In a rapidly changing and ever-competitive industry, really taking stock of your business’ digital activities is becoming increasingly important. So why not consider using a professional agency to help maximise your online approach, letting you use your precious time for what you do best?

For a free, no obligation chat about how Companion Consultancy could help your business, just contact us on 01284 363018 / 07887 515870 or email susan@companionconsultancy.com