Technology is the mother of invention, and for the past few years, it has been slowly gaining speed. One thing that will never become outdated is the need for trained medical professionals. No matter how much we advance as a society, that is the one job that cannot be done by computers. Although that in itself is a security, there is no solid guarantee that you will continue to have a steady supply of patients coming into your office.
It might be hard to comprehend, but medical practitioners need to be marketing their services or risk losing business to their competitors. If your practice is located in a bustling city, there are probably a dozen medical offices nearby that are offering the same services at similar prices. How can you stand out from the competition and ensure that patients choose you as their medical or dental provider? Just like any other type of business you’ve got to attract patients and get them in the door.
Medical Marketing Strategies
What are some of the best marketing strategies that your competitors are using? Many practitioners follow tried-and-true strategies that have worked well in the past. Here are a few suggestions for getting new patients to come to your office.
Offer Free Consultations – Medical practitioners frequently offer free consultations as a way of getting new patients in the door. Once they see your office and meet your staff, they may be convinced that this is the place for them. A consultation allows you to get to know them a little bit and discuss how you can help them. If they feel comfortable with you, they will more than likely book an appointment.
Connect Through Social Media – Maintaining an active social media account is an excellent way to connect with current and potential new clients. You have the opportunity to connect with them and have an online presence that will give them confidence in you as a medical services provider. Responding to questions and comments show you have a genuine interest in their concerns, and providing relevant medical-related content that is insightful and engaging will motivate them to contact you for more information or to ask about your services.
Offer Your Services as a Guest Speaker– When the news media has questions or plan to produce a show on a medical-related topic, they often seek out the advice of a local practitioner. You could offer to be a guest speaker for a news program, podcast series, or another medium that allows you to establish a reputation as an expert in the field. Many times doctors are commissioned to appear on television programs as their medical source, which would give you more exposure and a little side revenue as well.
Utilize Direct Mail and Email Marketing–Email marketing is one of the cheapest and most effective forms of advertising. You can email several clients at once, letting them know about your upcoming promotions or special events that may interest them. Don’t neglect direct mail clients. Most of the older population still write letters and if you’re only paying attention to online contacts you’re missing out on a good size chunk of potential clients.
Even though it is not as popular as email, sending out business cards and flyers by direct mail is still a viable option for reaching people who may not be computer-savvy and still live by traditional methods. Handing out flyers in front of stores and posting them on public bulletin boards is another old-school way of reaching people who may not be online.
Improve Your Customer Service– One thing that goes a long way with clients is first impressions. You need to make sure that a client’s first visit to your office is a good experience that they will remember the next time they need services. Train your staff to be attentive and respectful, always considering the client’s comfort and convenience. You can talk with them to find out how their visit went, and to determine any areas that need improvement. Did they feel safe and comfortable throughout the process? Were their questions answered quickly and in a professional manner? Here at VA.care – all of our Virtual Medical Assistants are professionally trained for an a1-month period to get them ready to work with clients across the country.
Training your staff to provide excellent customer service ensures that clients have a good experience and will become repeat clients. Everyone in your office, from the front desk to the person who handles your social media accounts, should be focused on improving the customer experience. Clients that are happy and likely to return and refer others to you.
While training is not necessarily a marketing strategy, it does improve the chances of clients coming back for another visit. More and more, businesses that focus more on the clients, have an increase in repeat business and get more referrals than those that don’t. Improving the customer experience has shown to be an effective strategy for driving repeat traffic and increasing loyalty.
How can you best help your patients? What is the best way to communicate with them to discover their needs and what services would best suit them? Come up with a strategy for encouraging more communication with clients.