Most physicians assume that marketing is mainly for small businesses. What they need to understand is that a medical practice IS a small business. Therefore, solid marketing strategies are critical to differentiating every practice and helping it thrive in a fiercely competitive marketplace. In fact, it is important to keep in mind that the heart of every practice lies in its marketing plan.
We all know that there is a rapidly growing demand for dermatological treatments and procedures. Some folks even suggest that growing demand has resulted in some kind of shortage in the industry. Does it mean that patients will automatically find you and line up outside your door to get treated? Well…not exactly.
In this article I would like to shed light on a few crucial marketing strategies that should make a difference and pay impactful dividends. If done correctly, it can help you transform your practice and get ahead of the game.
Keep in mind that your existing patients are your goldmine.
Looking for new patients is important, however, taking care of existing patients is not any less significant. Every physician should cultivate and nourish existing relationships, educate and inspire their patients with educational newsletters, reward them for loyalty and implement a compelling patient reward program. In addition, you may incentivize patients to share their experience with friends, colleagues or family members and direct them to your practice. Don’t forget that your patients are your goldmine; they are the ones who can help you spread the word and propel your business forward.
Expand your outreach
Just because you are getting referrals from existing patients, it doesn’t mean you should put other marketing tactics on the backburner or totally neglect them. For a dermatology practice to flourish, the procedures and services it offers should be communicated and explained to both new and existing patients. While existing patients are extremely important to your growth, you need marketing strategies to attract new patients. Each service or procedure should have its own marketing strategy and should be clearly communicated to each target audience.
Consider Public Relations to Get the Word Out and Position Yourself as an Expert
When it comes to promoting your practice and expertise, the importance of positive publicity cannot be overstated. Regularly talking to local media outlets and establishing yourself as an expert can bolster your reputation and may potentially elevate your business to a whole new level. As you may know, advertising is expensive. Therefore, PR is a more cost-effective and potent alternative to advertising and will enable you to bring in more patients, and for less money. By the way, patients are more likely to book an appointment with a dermatologist who has been quoted in various articles or has appeared on a local radio or TV program. In fact, regular media exposure can do wonders for your practice and pay off big time.
Do Your Best to Ensure a Positive Patient Experience
Word of mouth remains one of the best type of marketing. Without a doubt, an overwhelming majority of patients trust recommendations coming from their loved ones and friends. What is the best way to harness the power of word of mouth marketing? The answer is simple. Every dermatologist should fully focus on providing excellent patient experience and making sure patients are fully satisfied with their visit.
So what is one of the best and most effective ways to keep your patients happy? Most people are busy, have a ton of things to do and a lot on their plate. Therefore, it goes without saying that every physician should figure out how to minimize patient wait time and book appointments accordingly. Staff members, from a receptionist to an office manager, are the face of every practice and should be polite, well-spoken, professional and well-trained. All employees should work together as a team to make sure each and every patient gets the attention she/he deserves and gets the most of every visit. It would be a good idea to put together patient surveys and encourage patients to provide honest feedback, share some suggestions or voice their concerns.
Take comments on social media seriously
There is no need to spread yourself too thin and set up a bunch of social media accounts. What you can do is focus on a couple of most relevant platforms and start optimizing your online presence with properly branded images, regular posts and replies to comments. Of course if you find that someone has left a poor review or someone is complaining about his/her experience, make sure you address their concerns right away. It’s also important to keep in mind that getting into a comment war or accusing commenters of lying or exaggerating can damage your reputation; it means that you should always maintain your composure and use comments as an opportunity to build reputation and advance your image. Position yourself as someone who cares about every patient and is willing to work with people – all kinds of people – to give them the results and the attention they deserve.
Final Thoughts
The field of dermatology is growing and evolving fast. As patients are increasingly seeking cosmetic interventions to look beautiful or prevent and treat skin cancer, the demand for dermatological procedures continues to rise. While operating private practices can be very profitable, a well-thought-out marketing plan is crucial for long-term success, growth and profitability and should always be high on your list of priorities. So if you are trying to take your practice to the next level and increase your profits, a few strategies mentioned above can help you achieve bigger, better and more impressive results.
