Marketing is a vital part of the overall prospects of any business, and that is why it is no less important for medical practices. For expanding a medical practice, a doctor has to undertake from 30 to 50 new cases in a single month. Furthermore, to attract new clients, a practice should offer reasonably priced services. Keeping current patients also requires effort and dedication.
Although it is essential to nurture existing patients, the question revolves around broadening the circle and gaining new clients. Of course, there are standard ways to reach new customers, such as marketing plans or referral schemes, but there is more to it.
Here are 6 proven ways to help grow your practice and attract new patients:
Build a Strong Online Presence
Digitization has significantly impacted healthcare, making traditional marketing less effective. Since the dawn of social media, and the information technology age, anyone, including patients can easily find information about your clinic online. Most people will decide to visit your clinic based on what they find on the internet, so it is crucial to have a good online rating.
Establishing a strong web presence has several advantages, which include extending patient network, increasing client visibility, establishing more authority, and improving patient connectivity. Two main approaches to this are through having a good website and operating on social media. Working with a specialized marketing agency for healthcare can further enhance these efforts, helping your clinic stand out, build a positive reputation, and ultimately encourage patients to choose your facility.
Define Your Target Audience
The goal for creating and implementing marketing strategies for healthcare professionals must be precise, and understanding your target group is the initial step to get more patients. By knowing who your target audience is, you are in a position to be wise in choosing which channels of communications to apply and the type of content to provide. Usually, age, gender, occupation, and area of residence are some of the initial criteria to bear in mind.
Develop a User-Friendly Website
A strong web presence starts with a well-designed website for your clinic. A modern website can boost patient flow by providing information about your services, expertise, and health-related issues directly from professionals. However, outdated designs or slow load speeds may drive potential patients to competitors. To stay competitive, ensure your website has a modern, user-friendly interface, an attractive home page, informative content, and compatibility with all devices. Investing in good Content Management Software, like WordPress, is crucial. Though a quality website may be costly, it’s a worthwhile investment that can serve your clinic effectively for years.
Foster Positive Online Reviews
Feedback from reviews is a powerful tool to bring in new patients and expand your practice. Ask your patients to leave their thoughts in an online review. One of the best approaches to this is to send a follow up email where you express your appreciation for their visit and encourage them to rate you online. You could provide discounts or complimentary services to encourage patients to post reviews online. With their consent, you can also feature their reviews on your practice website. This approach helps you maintain patient relationships and increases your visibility.
Provide Promotional Offers
Special offers such as a small discount have always proved to be effective in attracting new patients and bringing back old ones. By either offering lower prices on your clinics key service offerings, you will be able to attract the market’s attention. Students, retirees, and others will appreciate the opportunity to use your services at lower costs, especially if they haven’t visited your clinic before.
Here are nine discount ideas to attract more patients: discounts on consultations, specific services, procedures, family packages, back-to-school deals, student and veteran discounts, advance payment discounts, and loyalty rewards.
These strategies can help increase patient engagement and boost your clinic’s business.
Increase Visibility with Commercial Appearances
Exposure is crucial for reaching a broad audience, and while many people prefer computers over TVs, commercials remain a powerful way to advertise your clinic. Sending top doctors to medical shows builds trust and enhances your clinic’s reputation, as it demonstrates that your staff is credible enough to discuss healthcare on TV. Commercials, though seemingly outdated, work by repeatedly exposing your clinic to potential customers. As the saying goes, “repetition makes reputation and reputation makes customers,” making commercials a still-effective method for patient acquisition in your clinic.