There’s a good chance that your dermatology practice is already pretty busy. This means you don’t merely want to increase new-patient numbers for 2019 – you want to change your mix of cases. Maybe you want to cultivate a niche dermatology practice, or you’d like to bring in more cash-pay aesthetic patients. Many dermatology practices aren’t aware that they actually have the power to influence the patients they attract to their office. When done strategically, it’s possible to market your practice in such a way that you bring in the patients you really want. Here’s a closer look at some of the tips and strategies you’ll need to begin drawing in that patient base you want to take your practice to the next level this year.
Do You Want to Attract to Your Practice?
Before you begin implementing a marketing plan or diving into the latest social media marketing techniques, the first thing you must do is determine who you want to attract to your dermatology practice. You can’t completely control who comes into your practice, but you can tailor your marketing to attract a specific group of patients. The key – you have to know who you’re trying to target.
Create a visualization of the patients you’d like to attract. How old are they? What gender are they? What’s important to them? What dermatology concerns to they have? Answering these questions will help you develop the right marketing strategies to specifically target the people you want walking into your office.
Defining Your Marketing Plan
Once you’ve clearly defined the type of patients you really want, the next step is to work on establishing a marketing plan to reach your target market. Beyond determining who you want to reach, a good marketing plan will include:
- Defining what makes your dermatology practice stand out
- Figuring out what services and benefits you have to offer these patients
- Deciding how to promote your services to your target audience
- Determining how much money you can spend on your marketing efforts
Stay Current in Social Media Marketing
You likely have a social media presence already in place for your dermatology practice. However, social media continues to change, and you’ll need to stay current with social media marketing best practices to attract your target patients. Just a few of the most significant social media marketing trends for 2019 include:
- Using Chatbots to Interact with Patients and Potential Patients – Consumers, in general, want the ability to interact with companies 24/7, and that includes medical practices. Chatbot use on social media makes it possible for you to answer potential patients on social media 24/7.
- Live Streaming – Live is a huge social media marketing trend, and according to Media Kix, some of the best live streaming features are offered by Facebook Live, YouTube Live, and Instagram Live. Whether it’s a live stream of your office or a live stream of a procedure you offer, live streaming can be an effective way to reach your audience on social media.
- Video Content – Video marketing on social media has been a key trend over the past couple of years, and it’s not going anywhere. Video testimonials, staff introductions, and procedure overviews are just a few ways you can use video on social media sites.
- Marketing to the New Generation – While there’s a lot of focus on targeting millennial patients, today a large part of the population is “generation Z.” According to Huffington Post, this generation is contributing nearly $44 billion to the U.S. economy. There’s huge potential in turning some of your dermatology marketing efforts towards this new generation of consumers.
3 Popular Tips for Marketing an Aesthetics Practice
If your dermatology practice leans towards being an aesthetics practice and you want to attract patients looking for these services, there are some key marketing tips to remember.
- Tip #1 – Don’t Forget About In-House Marketing – Some of the patients you already have may be interested in aesthetic services you provide, so don’t forget about in-house marketing. This could include using TouchMD video screens in patient rooms loaded with information on the procedures you offer.
- Tip #2 – Billboards Still Work – For aesthetic practices, billboards still offer some great benefits. They’re not new, but their effectiveness remains constant for these types of practices.
- Tip #3 – An Attractive Website – An attractive website is essential for any dermatology practice, but spending more money on quality photos, videos, SEO, specials, and promotions can help you see bigger results for your aesthetic practice.
In many marketplaces, dermatology can be very competitive, but dermatology patients have diverse needs and personal preferences. To succeed in bringing in the patients you want, it’s critical to stand out from your competitors, giving patients compelling reasons to visit your practice. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to marketing your practice. You must determine your target audience and then develop a plan that will best help you reach those patients to grow your practice. To learn more about how M-Scribe, LLC can help your dermatology practice succeed, contact us today for more information.
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