Effective Marketing Strategies for Medical Practices

Marketing is essential for medical practices seeking to increase their patient volume. However, gone are the days of advertising in the local phonebook. Practices must incorporate marketing strategies that effectively reach today’s patient. This means using technology, social media, and automated systems to advertise services and connect with patients. While there are many suggestions on how to effectively market a medical practice below are just a few tips that can be easily incorporated into your overall marketing strategy:

Have an online presence

Having a website that is organized, educational and easy to navigate can provide many benefits. Not only does a website serve as a resource to help make your patients aware of your practice and services; it also helps to increase your marketability to new patients.

Help educate patients by sharing preventative healthcare information

Create an email newsletter or medical blog that goes out to your current patients and can be linked to social media. Include monthly educational content such as preventative care information and tips on living healthy. This shows you’re invested in your patient’s health, and it provides another avenue for communication.

Use text messaging to fill empty appointment slots

Text messages are most likely to be received within 5 minutes of being sent. Rather than sending emails or making phone calls, send a text to waiting patients when an appointment slot becomes available and allow the first to respond to get the opening.

Ask for referrals

Often word of mouth is the best way to increase your patient volume. Place a sign in the waiting room as a reminder that says you greatly appreciate patient referrals.  Consider offering a pair of movie tickets or free co-pay as an extra incentive.

Make sure your practice is registered with Google maps, Google places, and Bing

When potential patients are searching for a doctor, you want your office to show up in one of the first results. This is why it is important to register your practice with sites like google places and google maps. Google and Bing will show your practice name, address, and telephone for no cost.

Update your sign

Signage is one of the best investments a business can make. If your building allows it, update your sign so that it is more visible to potential patients walking or driving by. Whether it is changing the color or making the lettering larger, often it is just the change that will make people take notice.

Send out a survey through social media

If you’re looking to get feedback on anything regarding your practice or what patients are looking for consider sending an online survey and posting it to social media. Online surveys are easy and efficient, and it is another way to reach a new audience. There are many different or free online survey tools you can utilize.

Visit the Emergency Room

If you or your partners are on the medical staff at the local hospital, it is often beneficial to visit the ER physicians and staff. Have some pizza delivered or bring along a snack and plenty of your business cards. Make sure they know you are on the medical staff, your office is nearby, and you are accepting new patients.

“We miss you” email or mailing

Finding new patients is more difficult than encouraging established patients to return. Generate a list of patients who have not scheduled an appointment or had contact with the practice in over a year and send out a “We Miss You!” mailer or email. It is a great reminder for patients to schedule an appointment and it can also provide the practice with updated information on individuals who have moved or gone elsewhere.