After making a substantial investment in a practice, the last news any physician wants is that even more dollars are required to build a patient base. Although a professional and diverse marketing program is the ideal approach for quickly attracting new patients, many of the most important tactics require little or no allocations of funds.Until a practice is ready and able to bring in professional marketing counsel to create and implement a plan, this five-step action plan can be effective for a new or existing practice of any size:
1. Know and understand your target audience. Do you need to reach potential patients directly or will they come in via referrals from other physicians? Will they travel far or come from your local neighborhood? How does their culture affect their selection of physicians? Based on the age groups, what factors will affect their decision-making, e.g. the Internet, family influences, ads in the local laundry mat or a spread in a high-end lifestyle magazine?
2. Remember that you only get one chance to make a good first impression. The image of a practice starts when the patient pulls in the parking lot. Is your building well-maintained and freshly painted? Is your signage clear, modern and professional? Is your office clutter-free, warm and inviting, and comfortable? Is your staff well groomed and neatly dressed, perhaps in matching uniforms? Patients will draw conclusions about your medical credentials based on their initial impressions of the office.
3. Offer your patients a “Ritz” experience. Quality medical care is a given, but the patient’s whole experience in the office is often ignored. A happy patient comes back. An unhappy patient may not return and will take great pains to spread news of a bad experience to dozens of other people. Invest in friendly, well-trained and professional front desk staff who are considerate, patient and helpful to anyone who calls. Assign someone who will make follow-up calls, be a patient liaison and promptly answer calls from patients. Nothing frustrates a patient more than to spend hours waiting, taking tests and being examined only to not hear back from anyone for days or even weeks.
4. Take advantage of social media and web-based tools. Add email addresses to the routine patient information gathering and ask for permission to send educational or product information. Stay in touch with patients on a regular basis. The communications options range from simple email blasts to more sophisticated newsletters through services like Constant Contact and others. Make your website interactive and useful, with online appointment services, timely medical tips and other information that changes frequently. A Facebook page can be useful also, as long as a staff person is responsible for monitoring it on a daily basis. Online coupon services can be effective for physicians who offer consumer products or services that can be easily discounted. Read the fine print carefully, as these services often require a deep discount plus a high percentage of the fee collected.
5. Be a trusted resource. Be a proactive disseminator of useful information that reflects your practice’s focus. Media in particular are often open to medical professionals who can offer noncommercial insight to timely news topics. For example, when cold and flu season hits, newspaper and broadcast journalists need physicians who can offer insight into the latest and most effective remedies and prevention techniques.
Of course, many physicians envision a big story in the local newspaper as the key to attracting new patients. However, garnering these placements is never guaranteed and can often take months to secure. Short of being the next Dr. Oz, physician practice success rests most critically with smooth daily operations and positive patient relationships.
