Your patients are becoming more responsible for paying for their healthcare costs due to High Deductible Health Plans. As a result, they are researching their options in terms of treatment and providers. Therefore, it is imperative for practices to pay attention to how they are perceived by these potential “customers”. When marketing your medical practice.
Remember, you are now also competing for your patients’ attention with not only other physicians but also large retail players. For example, you are also competing with CVS (through Minute Clinics) and Walmart. Above all, both have extensive experience attracting and retaining consumers by providing quick, convenient and cost-efficient services.
The ability to attract and retain new patients is vital to your practice’s success. This means you need to carefully craft and execute a marketing strategy that is reflective of your vision. In addition, you must make sure that this vision aligns with the needs of your market.
Three Tips for Marketing Your Medical Practice
Keep reading to discover three tips that will guide you in marketing your medical practice efficiently and effectively.
Write your practice’s mission and vision statements.
These define who you are, what you represent as an organization, what you value as well as where the organization is headed in the future. Your practice’s mission and vision statements should form the basis of your decision making and provide a strategic framework for the organization.
Identify your practice’s strengths and weaknesses.
Understanding the areas at which your practice excels will give you the ability to showcase these effectively as you market to your patients. At the same time, being aware of your practice’s weaknesses will give you the opportunity to improve on them and avoid being caught unaware. This becomes even more important in the age of social media and online ratings, where patients share their personal medical experiences.
Understand who your patients are and what they want from you.
These same online ratings and social media posts can also be a great way to gain an understanding of who your patients are and the things that are important to them.
Do they want accessibility to the providers?
Or enhanced experience and interaction with the staff?
Do they want shorter wait times or easier and faster ways to get appointments?
Addressing these questions should be an important part of how you market to these consumers. As a result, you will be in line with what your patients’ expectations are.
Marketing Your Medical Practice Next Steps
Once you’ve defined these, you can create a customized marketing strategy and identify the best ways to engage with your target audience.
Also, make sure you measure and track the effectiveness and return from the different channels you utilize. Consequently, you can optimize your marketing dollars and even more importantly, your efforts.
For guidance on marketing your medical practice and creating a marketing plan, download our helpful guide How to Run a Profitable Practice.
In addition, you can contact a CIG Capital Advisors professional directly for custom marketing advice.
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