5 Ways To Make Your Staff Advocates Or Ambassadors Of Your Practice

Your staff is your most valuable asset. So why not use your happy and productive employees to their full potential? 

Over the past few years, branding, and marketing strategies have changed do to our increasingly digital and social world. Many companies are starting to understand the value of being social and encouraging their own employees to be an extension of their marketing and sales strategy. Having your staff be advocates, or ambassadors, of your practice is a valuable way to implement that social strategy. 

Not only does employee advocacy help you with obtaining new patients, but it can also turn new patients into loyal ones. Not to mention that having staff as advocates for your practice can attract top new talent with you need it. These 5 tips will have your staff advocating for your practice like pros in no time.

Create a Happy Workforce

It’s important that your staff be happy in order to be great ambassadors. Your practice should be a place where employees are provided the opportunity to connect and engage in positive ways with one another. Also, show your employees your appreciation–this can be as simple as catering lunch once in a while. Create fun memories for your staff to share with team-building events, group volunteer opportunities or celebrating milestones. Not only will a happy workforce be happy to share their passion for your practice with patients or potential new talent, but it can also decrease turnover. 

 

Make Them a Part of the Mission

If you want your staff to be brand advocates, be sure to communicate your practice’s mission. Then, make your staff feel like they are a valuable part of that mission. To help with this aspect, tie individual job roles or training to that mission. This will allow your staff to see that they are an integral part of the day-to-day of how well your practice operates. Not only will your staff feel important, but it will also boost their engagement with the practice. Engaged employees are more passionate and productive and patients and potential new talent can see it!

Share Excitement

When your employees are happy and feel like they are an important part of the practice, they will want to share their passion and excitement for your company. However, it is important that you encourage your staff to share their excitement. Whether they share in person or online, word-of-mouth is a valuable marketing strategy. Potential patients and talent do their research, and seeing what your employees have to say is much like checking out customer reviews. 

Social Tools for Sharing

Have a social media day in the office where you help all of your staff set up a personal LinkedIn profile. Consider bringing in a photographer to do headshots for their LinkedIn profiles. You want your staff to look professional as they are representing your practice. Also, review with them other social tools to get them spreading their excitement online. Encourage employees to share posts from your practice’s Facebook page or other social accounts. Also, encourage them to share their own thoughts about the practice, not just hitting the like or share button on the business page created content.

 Showcase Your Staff

It’s important to not only show your staff you appreciate them within the office, but to the public as well. Provide a platform for your employees to tell their stories about their relationship with the practice. For example, have a “meet the staff” page on your website, allowing each employee to tell a little about themselves and what the most enjoy about working for your practice. Hold live Q&As on social platforms with your most enthusiastic and knowledgeable employees. Not only will your patients feel valued, but your employees will as well, creating stronger connections between your practice, your staff and your patients. Publish your experts. If you have a blog, include quotes from your most knowledgeable staff or invite one of your employees to do a guest blog. Or, help your experts get published in industry articles. This will not only show that you have top-notch staff working at your practice that your patients can trust, but it will also attract great new talent with you need it. 

 

There is some investment in getting your staff to be advocates for your practice, but those investments will pay off in the end. This type of marketing strategy is more personal and there is high value in word-of-mouth marketing and referrals. A happy staff that is excited to share their passion increases productivity and can cultivate loyal patients who see true value in your practice. Not only that but it can help decrease employee turnover, and attract new talent when you do happen to need it.