There are many techniques veterinary offices can incorporate into their veterinary marketing plans to engage and interact with clients (or potential clients) in unique and fun ways. Many people struggle with ways to effectively utilize social media and make the mistake of simply sharing facts, marketing blurbs, or information that people are not interested in or cannot engage with. The most effective social media strategies are those that provide people with content that is interesting to them and that they have an opportunity to interact with. Be smart about your veterinary advertising by incorporating these items:

• Hold photo contests: Photo contests are a great way to engage clients! People already love to take and share pictures of their pets, so why not make a photo contest out of it. To do this, you will first want to set the perimeters of your contest- what is it that you are looking for in a photo? Are you looking for the silliest picture, the cutest picture, or something else? You will also want to be clear about the prize. Will the pet receive free services, or something else (like a free bag of treats with their next visit)?

• Have a rotating pet of the month: People love seeing their pets in the spotlight. Each month, put together selection criteria to select a ‘pet of the month.’ You can decide what this means, but one example is to have a picture and pet bio displayed in your office, and offer some type of free service for the pet (a free grooming session, for example).

• Offer birthday specials: Remembering someone’s pet’s birthday will really show them that you are a veterinarian that cares! Create a calendar with birthdays and send out cards with a birthday message and a birthday special (even if it’s as simple as free treats with next visit, or a small bag of treats enclosed with the birthday card).

• Test people’s trivia skills: This is a great way to engage while you educate. Pose a question about an important health issue for dogs or cats. For example, ask your followers to list the signs of a common illness, and see what answers people post. Of course, you will provide the correct answer at the end, but let your followers have some fun with it first. People on social media love interactive questions, this gives you an opportunity to not only engage people, but to show your expertise when you provide the correct answer to the question.

• Post reminders: Is tick season around the corner? Is there an outbreak of canine cough in your town? Post reminders for people to remind them to bring their dogs in for important vaccinations, to get on flea/tick prevention, or to engage in other services. For some people it is easy to overlook something like an annual exam; you posting about it may be just what they need to remind them that their animal is due for a visit!

These five tips will help you to guide any veterinary marketing strategy, especially to plan out how to carry out a social media campaign.