Your medical practice is a business and like it or not, you have to have a strategy to promote it as this- a business.
Marketing Strategy
1: Marketing Materials
Your marketing materials are used to promote your business to current and prospective patients. They include your website, print brochures, business cards, and newsletters. They are the first face that your brand represents to the public.
Identify which marketing materials you have completed and which you need created or renovated in this section of your plan.
2: Online Marketing Strategy
Most people go online these days before making an appointment to see a new health professional. They want to find out about the provider and practice, how they were reviewed by others, the rating they received and the services provided. The right online marketing strategy can help obtain new patients, grow the practice and gain a competitive edge.
Four key components to online marketing strategy:
- Keyword Strategy: identify what keywords will optimize your website. Think of what 3 or 4 word phrases that people type in to Google or other search engines to find you. These are your keywords.
- Search Engine Optimization Strategy: plan updates to your website so it shows up more prominently for your top keywords.
- Social Media: document how you will use social media websites to attract patients. Identify which sites that your patients view most (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat). There is no reason to spread yourself thin and attempt to master every site since the majority of your prospective patients may not be on them.
- Paid Online Advertising: write down the online advertising programs you will implement to reach your target clients.
3: Promotions
There are numerous promotional tactics, and while some are paid such as television ads, trade show marketing, press releases, online advertising, and event marketing, some are free or low in budget as well. Decide which ones will most effectively allow you to reach your target.
4: Conversion Strategy
Conversion strategies refer to the techniques you employ to turn prospective patients into your paying patients.
Increase your social proof (e.g., showing testimonials of past clients who were satisfied with you,as well as rave reviews on rating sites like Healthgrades, Yelp and Vitals.com. If you have gotten any new awards or community mentions, flaunt them. Don’t assume that people know and now is not a time for humility.
Decide which conversion-boosting strategies you will use.
5: Referral Strategy
A strong customer referral program could revolutionize your success. For example, if patient referred one new one, your practice would constantly grow.
6: Retention Strategy
It takes many more dollars trying to attract new, prospective patients than trying to retain the loyal ones that you already have in your practice.
By using retention strategies such as a monthly newsletter or Ezine (digital newsletter), you stay in the mind of your current patients. Identify and document ways you can better retain them.
7: Budget
The final part of your marketing plan is to determine how much your plan will cost and what you are willing to or expect to spend. Include all the information listed in your marketing plan.
Don’t forget the promotional expenses you expect to incur and what your expected results will be in terms of new patients, and the worth they bring in terms of their referrals of friends and family. Include your expected results from your new retention strategy.
While your financial estimate will never be completely accurate, identify which promotional expenses and other strategies should give you the highest return on investment.
If you would like to discuss this further, send us a note to Barbara@TheMedicalStrategist.com
