How do you advertise your medical services to the general public? You know, it’s not like there’s a correct response. What benefits one clinic may not help another. To that end, being open to trying new things is essential if you want to increase the number of people who visit your clinic. We’ve listed five low-cost recommendations below. Look into them, and see if any suggestions can improve your method.
1. Achieve A High Profile Online By Maintaining A Consistent Presence
Google processes 3.5 billion searches daily, and 8 out of 10 people use the search engine to find answers to health questions.
Many potential patients won’t know you exist if you don’t have a web presence, so don’t delay getting one up and running. However, it would help if you didn’t fret; learning to code isn’t necessary to create a website. Building a website has never been easier than with today’s plethora of free website builders that provide you with themes already prepared for you.
Make sure your website is appealing to the eye, simple to navigate, full of information on why your practice is the best, and mobile-friendly. Since 60% of all searches now originate from mobile devices, it’s crucial to have one that adapts to these users’ devices. Before hiring a new agency to help with your website’s marketing efforts, make sure they conduct a digital marketing assessment.
2. Initiate a Blog
Most people (72%) now turn online for health information, so a well-written blog article could provide the help they need.
Writing subjects can range from reflections on specific therapies to case studies with active patients to wellness advice to practice updates.
But if you aren’t the most accomplished writer, that’s okay. Your communication is sufficient if it can be understood.
You may improve your search engine rating and make it simpler for patients to locate you if you update frequently and write original content. You can market your blog through social media platforms to connect with current patients and find new ones.
3. Seek Opinions and Testimonials
The fact that this is such a common method also makes it ageless. They place a premium on each person’s physical and mental well-being. People will look for patient reviews of your practice to see what former patients have to say about the care they received from you. Those who have recently relocated to a new place (city, state, or even country) and are still getting their bearings are especially vulnerable to this. Now that you’re aware of the “demand” for recommendations and praise, it’s time to work on gathering them.
You may provide a link in your thank-you email to patients that will allow them to write you a review on several platforms easily. Yelp, Angie’s List, Healthgrades, ZocDoc, and Google Reviews are just a few examples of well-known rating platforms.
In addition to monetary incentives, such as discounts or free services, you can hold contests with enticing prizes to encourage comments, reviews, and recommendations.
Giving free meaningful, practical goods, like blood pressure or heart rate monitors, can help maintain positive relationships with existing patients. These tracking tools will allow you to contact and check in with them consistently. By showing appreciation for your present customers, you can increase the likelihood that they will recommend your business to their friends and family.
4. Increase Your Clientele By Focusing On Their Health and Fostering Positive Relationships
It’s easy to miss the obvious when we’re preoccupied with the novel.
Even though you put effort into bringing in new business, don’t forget about your current clientele.
It’s time to do an about-face and contact your patients to reschedule their appointments. Remind them of their next checkups with a friendly email. It’s also a good idea to follow up with patients via email to encourage them to rate your services and keep in touch with useful information, such as seasonal health advice and preventative measures for illness. Or, if your practice is highly specialized, such as a gastrointestinal clinic, consider scheduling a colonoscopy for patients turning 50.
Also, if you’ve given a patient a drug, it’s important to check in to learn whether they have unintended consequences. This seemingly inconsequential action can ensure a patient sticks around for the long haul by demonstrating your dedication to their well-being.
5. Adapt To The Times And Adopt New Technology
Today is when healthcare institutions finally catch up to the digital age. To ease your mind, expanding your use of technology with IT for dentists won’t be as complicated or expensive as it sounds.
You may begin by making your practice more amenable to electronic communication via email (be sure to follow all HIPAA regulations). Have patients be able to ask simple questions or make appointments by email. Both patients and staff members will appreciate this time-saving convenience.
It may be useful to implement an electronic check-in system for new patients at in-house facilities (via an iPad, for example). Provide free Wi-Fi, a TV playing Netflix, or another streaming service as people wait to be seen. If you discover that you must wait longer than usual, you can treat yourself to a massage cushion or chair. Who knows, maybe patients might rather wait if they could get a lengthier massage. Patients will be more likely to share their positive experiences with loved ones if treated in a comfortable waiting room.
A different option is to provide virtual visits outside of regular business hours. It’s unrealistic to expect everyone to show up in person between the hours of 9 and 5. After-hours appointments have many benefits, including accommodating more patients per day, greater patient loyalty due to more versatile scheduling, and a competitive edge over other practices that close earlier.
Conclusion
Inviting new clients to your practice might be as easy as trying one of these strategies. Always be willing to try anything new, but be patient if you’re waiting for results. Any of these recommendations can help you provide a better service to your patients. I wish you the very best of luck!
