Word-of-mouth has always been the most efficient and most preferred way to promote a medical practice. As doctors, we depend on referrals from happy patients, family and friends.
With the myriad of marketing techniques that’s being touted along with the “latest and greatest”, we sometimes forget the simplest way… personalisation of marketing.
The 3 biggest questions are:
- “How do you turn satisfied patients into passionate advocates for your practice”?
- “How do you make your message compelling so that others want to share in their network (i.e. how can you go viral?)”
- “ How can you craft your message so that it immediately touches others?”
Plan of Strategy
- Elicit human emotions
Maya Angelou is credited with saying that long after people have forgotten what you said or what you did, they will remember how you made them feel.
Rather than merely stating medical conditions and treatments, make it personal. Give a case study where a patient was suffering with various symptoms and the hardships that this patient encountered. By the time that you have reached the treatment and outcomes, the reader will be rooting for this patient. Pulling on heartstrings and making the viewer sad and happy is a sure way to captivate the viewer’s attention.
Provide photos and videos that make the viewer hone in and identify with the message that you are sharing.
- Recognize and Connect with your Influencers
Look through social media and blogs to see who has the same target audience as you. Influencers are those who are active on social media sites and have a big following who can disseminate your message and your brand to wider groups than you currently have access to.
Patients and clients trust impartial parties more than the advertising from a practice’s self-promotion. Getting a compelling and relevant message to influencers can lead to exponential growth for a medical practice.
- Encourage Conversation
Allow viewers and clients to share thoughts and interactions, much the way forums and chat rooms work. Facilitate reviews and recommendations so that more people are talking about you and strengthening your brand.
- Discussions
Discuss the latest medical breakthroughs and trends, allowing viewers to ask questions and give their opinions about them.
- Focus on Improvement
Whether it is decreased wait times, friendly smiling staff, or follow up calls from staff, concentrate on making the encounter experience better….much better! By doing so, you will turn patients into raving fans who will want to tell their friends and family.
Need help with your social media marketing? No worries- outsource it! Call 516-647-3002 for a free consultation.