Explore the key points to consider before becoming a dental speaker
Are you a dentist? You might have reached the point in your career where you think your true calling is to share the knowledge you have gained over the years.
Don’t worry, you are not alone. Many dental experts feel the same way. Through the years, they have honed various techniques and methods.
Therefore, they are justified in their belief that they have valuable insights to offer. Their inclination might be toward speaking engagements, consulting, or a combination of both. Whether they aim to generate
income from it or establish their very own business, they would end up giving back to the dental industry and contributing to the next generation of dentists. Isn’t this what a positive impact is all about?
Why does your identity as a dental speaker matter?
You must become the recognizable face of your presentations. The days of remaining anonymous behind your clinic’s branding are behind us. To become the speaker that audiences eagerly anticipate, you must truly distinguish yourself. throughout this blog we will be referencing Dr.Susan Mcmahon’s journey as a dental speaker. Dr. Susan is now a long term client at HAKDA media and a world reknpwn dental lecturer in the cosmetic dentistry field.
Your identity serves as a mirror reflecting not just your values, but also those of your team and practice. Building a personal brand empowers you to define your professional identity, setting you apart from the competition. It has the power to shape how your peers perceive you, either positively or negatively. It also determines the success of your speaking engagements.
How to build your brand to establish your career as a dental speaker?
1. Choose the target audience for your lectures
The initial step involves pinpointing your intended audience.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you primarily catering to individuals seeking family dentistry or those interested in cosmetic dentistry?
- Is your practice geared toward serving a local or statewide clientele?
- Are you aiming to connect with Generation X or millennials?
The answers to these hold the key to identifying your audience. Your content should proactively address their questions even before they ask them.
2. Choose the content you will share
Take time to think
Brainstorm the principles or beliefs you abide by in your practice that may be different than your old dental school fellow or the dentist next door. You can take opinions from your co-workers about the features of your practice that make you stand out. You can also ask your patients about the elements they like about your practice that keep them coming back to your clinic.
Focus on your expertise
Choose one topic or more for which you have experience AND passion. When the learner sees that your knowledge is backed by experience, it will be easier for them to see the value in your lectures.
Subsequently, your passion will go a long way in “selling” your programs to meeting planners and potential clients.
Write down your plans
It’s essential to bring your thoughts from your mind to a paper or a computer (whatever you’re comfortable with). Choose the option that will allow you to update and develop your material whenever you want.
You can write the outline, detailed notes, and pointers for the personal stories you want to share with the audience.
Pick a recurring element
It’s crucial to have a recurring element or topic in all your lectures. Take, for example, Dr. Susan McMahon. She strongly advocates minimally invasive cosmetic procedures for teenagers. Her work and lectures are always sold out. Her passion and seamless smile designs make her lectures popular. Not only that, she also shares the new approaches and techniques that she comes up with to achieve these results. Therefore, her lectures and hands-on courses end up having exclusive and rich value that you cannot find anywhere else.
check out this article by Dr. Susan on a minimally invasive technique for composite bonding;
Share case studies
If you have a wealth of experience in the dental field, you perhaps have a plethora of compelling case studies to share. You should do that to make the connection with your audience more relatable. Real-life stories go a long way.
Aspiring students can learn tips and tricks for dental practice, and can also pick up key points of knowledge from the cases they encountered and chose to share.
Why is social media essential to your branding?
In today’s digital landscape, social media plays a crucial role in the success of brands. One of the reasons for this is that it allows you to introduce a human aspect to your brand. Prospective clients can relate and build a personal connection to your brand. This is the perfect way to get repeat customers.
Let’s be honest. Nowadays, there is a vast number of dentists who have established personal brands or professional Instagram profiles. To get ahead of them, you have to utilize what sets you apart, i.e. relatability of your content.
By presenting your values and principles in ways that resonate with your audience, you can capture the interest of a significantly broader demographic, as this is precisely what individuals seek in brands today.
Tips to build your online personal brand to become a dental speaker
- Make an online blog with direct links to sign-ups
- Set up an active social media profile
- Take part in podcasts to associate yourself with your unique take or technique in the dental world
1. Online blog
Whether you’re publishing content for your website, your dental practice, or contributing as a guest expert to a reputable third-party website, blogging can serve as your secret weapon. It aids in enhancing your brand when informative content carries your name as the author.
Prominent platforms like Medium and Blogger offer substantial support in this regard.
Alternatively, you can create your website effortlessly with user-friendly platforms such as WordPress, eliminating the need for coding expertise. Other website builders like Yola, Wix (this website was created on Wix), and Ucraft are also available.
With a multitude of options at your disposal, all it takes is determination and a touch of creativity to set up your dental website with an attractive and professional appearance.
Moreover, you can even consider enlisting the services of a skilled copywriter. All you will need to do is collaborate in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas and allow them to handle the writing aspect.
Keep in mind that the primary objective is to drive traffic to your blog or website.
This is a crucial aspect of your SEO strategy. Your social media profile can play a vital role in achieving this goal. It’s essential to consistently share your blog posts on social media platforms.
Moreover, consider initiating conversations with fellow dentists who share similar interests and share your blog content with them.
It’s valuable to establish direct connections with influencers in the dental industry. You can incorporate references to them in your social media posts or quote their insights, subsequently notifying them about being ‘tagged’ in your articles.
You can also seek their advice and opinions, as many of them are likely to engage with you and potentially share your articles through their social media channels.
In cases where immediate sharing doesn’t occur, you can ask specific questions or engage in discussions that capture their attention, increasing the chances that they will notice and potentially share your content at a later time. This will contribute to the enhancement of your SEO efforts.
2. Social media profile
Consider your social media profile as your professional resume or portfolio. On your platform, your followers should be able to see snippets of your past lectures, testimonials from attendees, and a schedule for your upcoming lectures.
A very strong social media profile as a dental speaker will eventually become the platform through which institutes contact you to schedule future lectures. This is why it has to reflect your image professionally.
Here are a few content ideas to include in your content plan:
· Short videos of your past lectures
· Promotional videos with a brief topic overview of your next lecture
· Links to any books you have published
· Regular story Q & A for your followers to be able to consult you easily
· Frequent Instagram lives once you have over 250 followers
· Testimonials from attendees of your course
· Blog-style posts to share your experience on recent issues or controversial advancements in your field
You might be wondering “Which platforms should I appear on?”
The short answer is ‘Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn’.
If you are thinking, “But what about TikTok?”, well, to be quite honest, this platform is quite complicated and often misunderstood by dental professionals. When you consider building a personal brand to become a dental speaker, your target audience is mainly dentists.
What if your target audience is advanced and experienced oral surgeons? Then, TikTok isn’t right for you as you definitely won’t find that audience flicking through TikTok.
That makes sense, right?
However, if your course or lecture is targeting younger dentists or dental students, then TikTok is probably the best platform for you to share your brand.
Keep in mind, your content on TikTok doesn’t have to be dancing videos. You should simply upload the same video content (testimonials, promotion videos, Q & As) on TikTok.
Last but not least, what about YouTube? Video content is powerful for dental education. Dentists can create educational videos, patient testimonials, and dental procedure walk-throughs on YouTube.
It’s an excellent way to showcase expertise and build trust. So, go for it.
Note: When using these platforms, dentists need to maintain professionalism, adhere to patient confidentiality, and provide accurate dental information.
Don’t forget that consistency in posting and engagement is key to building a strong personal brand on social media.
3. Podcasts:
If you are a dental speaker or are striving to be done, it only makes sense that you appear on dental podcasts since podcasts are all about speaking and sharing information.
As a dental lecturer, this offers you a multifaceted opportunity to showcase your expertise, connect with a broader audience, and contribute to the dental community’s knowledge base.
It’s a strategic move for personal and professional growth, brand building, and staying engaged in the dynamic world of dentistry.
Appearing on dental podcasts as a dental lecturer can be immensely valuable for several reasons:
i) Wider Reach:
Podcasts have a global audience, and many dental professionals and enthusiasts actively seek out dental-related content. By appearing on podcasts, you can extend your reach far beyond your local or regional audience, connecting with individuals around the globe who are genuinely interested in your insights.
ii) Content Repurposing:
Podcast appearances provide you with valuable content that can be repurposed for other platforms. Transcripts, highlights, or key takeaways from podcast discussions can be transformed into blog posts, social media content, or even presentations for your lectures.
iii) Feedback and Improvement:
Podcasts often take feedback from listeners. This feedback can be valuable in refining your approach, identifying areas of interest, and addressing questions or concerns raised by your audience.
To wrap it all up…
Strategically building a personal brand is integral to your success as a dental speaker. It begins with identifying your target audience and niche. You can craft content that focuses on their specific needs and supplement this effort by sharing case studies. In terms of outreach strategy, do not overlook social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. They offer a key avenue through which you can connect directly with relevant audiences. Engaging consistently through digital platforms enhances your credibility and broadens your reach in the dental community.
Good luck!