Marketing your medical practice can be fun! Here are a few tips and tricks to help your practice grow.
Aspiring medical professionals are not trained in how to market their practice in school. Instead, they learn how to save lives and solve problems. Wonderful! It is an amazing skill that practitioners have earned. However, marketing your practice is still crucial. How will people know that you can help them? That is what this article will talk about. These are five tips:
Make Your Patients Feel Like They Matter
What is the most effective marketing tool? Word of mouth! Think about whose opinion you trust the most. Online reviews or the feedback of a loved one? With that in mind, ensure that your patients walk away having faith that their provider is honest, kind, and listens to their health issues. Your front desk staff must be friendly and helpful with no shortage of smiles. Patients want to return to a place that is comfortable and promotes healing.
Enhancing your patient experience does not cost more money. It requires awareness, honesty, and the willingness to serve. When your patients feel like they matter, they are more likely to return. In response, they will be more than happy to spread the word in your favor. If your practice gives them the sense that they do not matter, they are more inclined to look elsewhere for their health care.
Optimize Your Google My Business Page
Your business’s Google My Business (GMB) page is the modern-day version of the phone book listing but on steroids! When prospective patients are researching medical services and come across your practice, you need to look good. Your listing needs to have accurate hours, updated images, logo, address, and 5-star reviews. Simply put, provide as much information as you are able.
A Google My Business profile matters for search engine optimization (SEO). When patients search the internet, they are seeking answers from Google. Example: “Osteopath near me”. Google responds to the request by going into its information bank and providing a list of osteopathic physicians in the surrounding area. Have you told Google you exist? If not, you are not on the list. Tell Google how you can help patients!
Tell Referring Practitioners That You Appreciate Them
As humans, we do not walk this life alone and it is a bad idea if you do. Acknowledge who refers patients to you and consider telling them “Thank you.” They have faith that you will take care of their patients and that is a huge compliment! Write a list of clinics and practitioners you would like to reach out to.
Once you have your list ready, act on it. Sending chocolates or other treats to a clinic’s front desk staff will make them smile and remember your practice in a positive light. Does a physician on your list love a specific coffee shop? Give them a gift card. Please do not overthink this. The core motives you need to lead with are your gratitude and an effort to make them smile.
By acknowledging and nourishing your professional relationships, you will help maintain or increase your new patient pipeline.
Participate in Community Events
When the people in the community meet you in person and discover that you are not just a building they have seen while driving, it will make an impact. They now have a face to associate with your name practice. In addition, it is an opportunity to schedule new appointments.
Here is a splendid example: If you manage a physical therapy clinic, keep an eye out for local running events. Contact the race coordinator and see if having a booth at the finish line is possible. Runners often suffer from chronic physical ailments and physical therapy can help them. If your booth is friendly, informative, and prepared to schedule new appointments, then it can be an incredibly successful endeavor! Even if no patient schedules an appointment, the clinic has introduced itself to new people. In the future, those folks will think of you when they have a physical injury with which you can help.
Produce a Podcast
Before you do this one, the qualifying question is, “would this be fun?” If not, do not worry about it. This suggestion is for those who have always wanted to try it. Having a podcast can promote your credibility and be a wonderful reason to introduce yourself to new and interesting people.
A podcast will promote your credibility by giving you an opportunity to talk about issues and topics your patients will find helpful. You can post each episode to your website, social media, and music streaming services. Producing a chock-full of great content will also promote SEO efforts because you can include links to your website for your listeners to click. Having amazing guests will increase your trustworthiness because it shows that another professional believes you are worth engaging with.
In addition, leveraging your podcast to meet new practitioners will increase your network. Having a wider, stronger network of medical practitioners you trust will enhance your patient care.
In Conclusion
There are a million and one ways to market your medical clinic or practice however you do not have to do everything. Choose a few practical, impactful, and affordable methods. Establish how long you want to try each idea and the resources you are willing to invest into it, then give it a shot. If it works, fantastic! Your practice will grow. If the results are “meh” after an honest attempt, then you still grew. You got this.
Blind Dog Marketing is a digital marketing service provider that specializes in websites, social media, branding, and marketing coaching. If you are interested in talking about digital marketing for your business, click on the book now button to get started. You can also give us a call at 661.675.6736 or email us at admin@blinddogmarketing.com.
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