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In this episode, Barbara discusses: 

  • Why expensive, polished advertising often fails to build real trust with patients. 
  • How simple, slightly imperfect smartphone videos create “micro trust” and attract better-aligned patients. 
  • The four types of videos physicians can record are to clarify expectations, communicate philosophy, and set boundaries. 
  • A simple, no-excuses technical setup for filming short, effective videos with just your phone. 

Key Takeaways: 

“Patients don’t choose you because of perfect ads—they choose you because they feel they know and trust you. Simple, human smartphone videos beat expensive campaigns when it comes to attracting the right patients.” – Dr. Barbara Hales 

 

Connect with Barbara Hales: 

 

Twitter:   @DrBarbaraHales 

Facebook:   facebook.com/theMedicalStrategist 

Business website: www.TheMedicalStrategist.com 

Show website:   www.MarketingTipsForDoctors.com 

Email:   Barbara@TheMedicalStrategist.com 

Books: 

 

TRANSCRIPTION 

 

The Power of Smartphone Videos in Medical Marketing 

 

Dr. Barbara Hales 0:02 

Bob, welcome to another episode of marketing tips for doctors. I’m my host. Dr Barbara Hales, let me say something that may surprise you, the most powerful marketing tool in your practice is already in your pocket, not your website, not your logo, not your $5,000 Facebook ad campaign, your phone, specifically, simple, human, slightly imperfect smartphone videos, and today, I’m going to explain why a 92nd iPhone video will outperform a polished, expensive ad almost Every time when it comes to attracting the right patients. 

 

Why Expensive Ads Don’t Build Trust 

 

Why don’t expensive ads build trust? Let’s start with something honest. Most physicians hate marketing. It feels salesy, manipulative, or beneath the dignity of medicine. So when they finally decide to do marketing, they often go big. They hire an agency, they create glossy ads, they film in a studio, they run paid traffic, and then they’re disappointed because ads create awareness but don’t build trust. Healthcare is not a shoe brand, it’s not a restaurant, it’s not impulse-driven. Patients choose physicians based on one thing, perceived trust, and trust is built through familiarity, not production quality. 

 

Psychology Behind the Smartphone Video Strategy 

 

Let me tell you about two physicians, Dr. A invested $15,000 in a professional commercial, beautiful lighting, scripted testimonials, and cinematic music. Dr. B recorded the 62nd iPhone video in her office, answering common patient questions, such as “Do I really need this test?” What should I expect at my first visit? Why do I run late? Sometimes, no fancy edits, no teleprompter, just honest conversation. Guess who filled their schedule faster? Dr. B, because patients felt they already knew her. Here’s what’s happening neurologically. This is the psychology of the iPhone video. When a patient sees studio lighting, polished script, and corporate branding. Their brain says advertisement. When they see natural light, a real office, and slightly imperfect delivery, their brain says human, and humans choose humans; your slight imperfection increases credibility. That’s the paradox. 

 

What to Talk About – The Four Video Pillars 

 

What smartphone videos do that ads can’t? They create micro trust, deposit every video answers one small fear, and they reduce perceived risk. Patients think I know how she explains things. I like how he thinks she seems calm. They filter your audience. Not everyone will resonate with you. That’s good. The right patients will want to talk about. Patients always ask, What do I even say? Here’s your framework. Here are the four video pillars. It’s. Clarification. Videos answer common misconceptions and expectations. Videos walk through what a visit is like. Philosophy. Videos explain how you think about care and boundaries. Videos set tone and expectations. Respectfully, that’s it. You don’t need viral content. You need clarity. 

 

Technical Setup for Recording Videos 

 

Content, a physician I worked with recorded a 92nd video explaining why she does not prescribe antibiotics for every sore throat, simple, direct, compassionate, within two months, fewer difficult visits, more aligned patients, and better online Reviews, because patients pre-selected themselves, video filters, and attract simultaneously. Here is a technical setup. Keep it simple. Let’s remove excuses. Your iPhone, a window for natural light, eye level, camera placement, quiet room, and 60 to 120 seconds max, that’s it. No ring light required, unless you want one. No studio, no perfection. Look at the lens, speak as if you are talking to one patient. When patients see you regularly, on Instagram, on YouTube, on shorts, on LinkedIn, on FaceTime, embedded in your website, you become familiar. Familiarity lowers resistance. This is called the mere exposure effect. The more we see something, the more we trust it. 

 

Why This Works Better Than Ads 

 

Why does this work better than ads? Ads interrupt. Videos invite. Just think about it. Ads say, book now. Videos say, here’s how I think one builds pressure, the other builds alignment, and alignment is what attracts better patients, not just more patients. Here’s the bigger point. When you create smartphone videos, you shift from technician to thought leader, service provider to authority, employee energy to owner. Energy, you stop competing on insurance networks, you start competing on clarity. And clarity always wins in the long term. 

 

The One Action Recommended After Listening 

 

if you take one action after today. Record 1/62 video answering a question you explained three times this week. Don’t overthink it. Don’t script it. Don’t edit it to death. Post it because patients don’t need perfect, at least in marketing, they need human, and the most powerful marketing strategy in medicine today is simple: visibility, clarity, plus consistency. Your phone is too expensive. Ads might get attention, but your voice, your thinking, your humanity, that’s what gets patients, and that’s something no marketing agency can manufacture. If you’d like, contact me, and we could see about giving you a calendar and list of videos and topics that you might be interested in doing. Go to marketingstrategist.com, forward slash contact. I’ll speak to you then.