Nothing makes medical practice staff happier than seeing their patients thriving and taking a proactive stance on their health. The better patients do, the better their business does. Every medical practice wants to reach more patients to see their health also improve.
When outlets for advertising perpetually shift to meet new trends and developments, staying up to date poses difficulty. However, medical practices can employ many simple and cost-effective strategies to use the evolving marketing landscape to their advantage.
Start by Conducting a Marketing Assessment
Every medical practice’s goals are different. Having an initial outline of the current state of client engagement and goals for growth will be extremely helpful when it comes to execution. Start with self-research. Examining outside company perceptions helps in understanding successes and shortcomings. Google, Facebook — and other social media pages — are excellent sources for insight. They are spaces where clients feel comfortable expressing opinions they may not feel comfortable expressing in person.
Knowledge of common industry practices can also assist a medical office with its sights on acquiring more patients. In understanding what other offices in the local area are providing for their clients, medical practitioners can see what they can offer or build upon. In a perpetually adapting world, there are assortments of possibilities.
Patient Retention Is the Most Cost-Effect Source of Revenue
Although bringing in new faces is the primary goal, the importance of existing clients cannot be discounted. The lowest cost solution to companies is retaining businesses with those they already serve. While their patronage has already been earned, there are ways to enhance their experience and express appreciation. After all, the new faces in the medical office will fall into this category after the initial visit.
There are a plethora of ways to show clients their choice in medical practices is appreciated. From disseminating good news in a newsletter to hosting small gatherings, there are many ways to exhibit gratitude.
Use Social Media to Increase Recognition
Effective marketing does not have to include an enormous advertising budget. Medical professionals have vast amounts of expert knowledge not generally known to the public. Using digital virality to their advantage, healthcare professionals have been known to gain massive followings outside of their practices.
Social media offer fantastic tools that enable groups and individuals to market themselves for free. Although there are advertising features where users can pay to promote their services, it is not required to get started.
Contribute to Public Knowledge While Displaying Expertise
Social media offer a great interactive platform where providers can directly communicate with their patients and attract the attention of new ones. However, client interaction is not the only benefit of virtual platforms. Writing guest articles for popular and reputable blogs and journals is another opportunity for positive exposure. Podcasts and YouTube videos are other examples of useful outlets.
Medical professionals have the potential to become leading contributors to public knowledge on a given topic. As an educator on a global platform, offices can advertise their services far beyond what conventional marketing does. Social media have the ability to transform a medical office into a local landmark.
Get Out Into the Community
The modern virtual landscape allows businesses to communicate and engage with larger groups than ever before, but nothing beats an in-person conversation. Fostering a personal connection with the demographic of interest opens the door to a long-term professional relationship.
Attending community events with business cards or brochures in hand helps future patients become familiar with their local medical office. Different medical groups can join together to attend community events. When community members see trusted professionals interacting positively in their neighborhoods, it can remove the alienation people may feel. Join local organizations like the chamber of commerce, as well.
Develop Incentive Programs for Referrals
Adding value to a patient’s experience by encouraging them to recommend their beloved medical office is another great route for outreach. Happy customers are wonderful advertisers. Their networks trust their opinions and are more likely to give a recommendation a try.
Successful referral programs vary in structure. However, rewarding existing and new customers for spreading the good word remains a consistent benefit.
Share the Spotlight With Local Businesses
Referrals do not have to stop with patients. Businesses, regardless of their industry, can promote one another. Getting in contact with contractors whose services complement a medical practice opens businesses up to entirely new markets. Partnering with other local companies also exposes a medical practice’s patients to discovering new services.
Partnering groups can take their efforts to the next level and collaborate with other businesses to address community concerns. Assessing local sentiments beyond what a given company offers shows patients that healthcare professionals care about their overall well-being.
Continue Collecting Feedback
Offices without a standardized method for collecting and considering patient feedback will do well to adopt one. Although every medical office works tirelessly to provide quality care to clients, hearing directly from them can offer unique insights.
Client engagement, acquisition, and retention is an ongoing process. It takes trial and error, and above all, a willingness to learn and grow as a business. As long as the original goal of providing incredible service remains the focus, attracting more patients will be second nature.
Above All, Patients See Intention
Regardless of the route medical practitioners enlist to increase their patient count, patients always look for genuine and compassionate providers. A staff that provides consistent patient care, comfort, and quality ensures the word spreads about their medical practice. A well-established reputation speaks volumes in terms of longevity.
Regardless of marketing methodology, a medical practice’s priority should always remain serving its patients. M-Scribe provides medical billing services that allow medical professionals to perfect their practice. M-Scribe is universally compatible with all medical billing software providers and helps offices stay on top of logistical tasks. Contact us for a complimentary review so we can show you how our solutions will give you time to focus on the patient experience. Call us today at 770-666-0470 or send an email to Patrick.Dougherty@m-scribe.com.
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