Dr. Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist said in the a radio interview that an early exposure to computers inspired his son’s interest in technology, and he encouraged parents to support their children’s strengths and passions with a balance of “work and play.” “My kids all grew up around the office and were all exposed to computers,” said Dr. Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist. “There are advantages to being exposed to computers early on. That certainly enriched Mark’s interest in technology.” Mr. Zuckerberg said he computerized his offices in 1985. His son Mark Zuckerberg, cofounder and CEO of Facebook, was born in 1984 and was raised in the house where his father’s dental offices are located in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., in suburban Westchester. The dentist said his own computer science background was “limited” — he majored in biology in college — but he said he’s “always been technologically oriented in the office” and “always had the latest high-tech toys,” including an early Atari 800. “It came with a disk for programming,” he said. “I thought Mark might be interested and I imparted that knowledge to him. From there it took off.” He said Mark got a book on programming, but “ultimately his ability to program was self-taught. Dr. Zuckerberg is a 1978 graduate of New York University College of Dentistry. He completed a general practice residency at the Brooklyn V.A. Hospital in 1979 and received advanced training in Oral Surgery, Periodontics, Endodontics (Root Canal) and Prosthetics (Crown, Bridges and Dentures). In 1984, Dr. Zuckerberg received a fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (F.A.G.D.) recognizing his superior achievements in post-graduate continuing education. Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=133502469 NPR

Just a quick comment on my meeting with a potential client today. The dental office is open 3 days a week since about 9 months ago as the economy slowed down and the patient’s load became lighter and lighter.  The owner of the dental practice is obviously an intelligent person and understands that internet marketing is probably a way to go. But … is afraid to invest into that technology. Scott (let’s call him like that) says that he is not sure if he can justify spending on SEO optimization of his business website because he is not 100% confident that return on investment will be grater than the investment itself. We all know that most of the times you need to spent in order to make. Yes, the owner of the business needs to spend on SEO optimization in order to see the results. It’s obvious. Isn’t it? SEO takes time and sometimes takes longer than we all want. I don’t  think  these days too many people will disagree with me on the fact that internet is a major channel of advertising and marketing and that you as a business owner shall not only have your web presence established but start the SEO optimization campaign as soon as possible. Otherwise you will be out of the game.

If are just starting in social marketing you definitely need to know how to avoid making mistakes in the social media world. Below are the biggest mistakes you might be able to avoid, as per Greg Fry: 1. No Consistency. Many businesses start off like a speeding train with their social media efforts. Only to find out that they cannot sustain the volume of activity and engagement.  Don’t start something you can’t finish or don’t intend to do well. If you decide to blog, make a decision to do it on a consistent basis. Not randomly. And the more often, the better. Be consistent, present and responsive. Or don’t do it all. 2. Listen to me! Sell Sell Sell. Many businesses forget that they are dealing with real human beings. With hopes and dreams and pet peeves. People relate to each other through two-way conversation, both online and in person. Ever met someone who monopolises the conversation? I have. And I tend to walk the other way when I see them coming. These shiny new social media tools are not loud speakers. Talking about yourself won’t make others talk about you. Don’t shout offers and deals and me, me, me. Take your sales hat off and think like a human being. Invest in getting to know your customers better than your competition does. Listen. Be curious, and interested and engaged. Tell stories and share knowledge. Most of all, ask yourself how you can provide meaning and value. How can you be helpful? How can you support your best friends and biggest fans? How can you lift them up? It’s about people. 3. No Plan. Lots of businesses, especially small businesses don’t take time to build a proper strategy for social media or even do any planning or set any goals. Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail. I highly recommend to read more

Just came across an interesting article by Dr. Larry Emmott. I think those predictions have a bit of sarcasm built in, and I think all 5 predictions are valid. Below are 5 predictions: 1. Some dentists will postpone the purchase of a digital radiography system because they are waiting for the price to drop. 2. Many dentists will install an upgraded management system, add some new team members, but not bother to set up and pay for team training. 3. Dentists will run a paper system simultaneously with an electronic system. 4. Makers of high-tech dental systems, such as digital radiograph and digital impression systems, will continue to create output in a proprietary format that cannot be used by any other system. 5. Dentists will avoid setting up a practice Web site. I might add a couple of my predictions to that list. 6. Many dentists will realize that SEO and web marketing is way to go to market their businesses. However many are still going to stay ignorant to the fact that nobody can find their website on Google search engine. 7. Dentists will agree that the website must exist for their business and hopefully will engage a webmaster to establish a web pretense for their practice. Source: DentistryIQ.com