We must have something amazing to sell before it makes sense to spend the time and effort marketing. This is especially true for physician practices. I feel strongly that medical practices should not spend a dime on marketing until their patient experience, reputation management, and brand are optimized.
Patient Experience
It is easier to keep existing patients happy than keep replacing them with new patients. And, we don’t want to waste your precious time or money marketing for new patients to have anything less than a great experience.
Is your team friendly? Do patients have a smooth experience from scheduling to paying the bill? Have you called your office to make an appointment to see how they treat you? Have you asked your existing patients what the office can do better? I promise they will tell you. And, leading into our next topic, have you checked your online reviews? Sure, some are garbage, but some are not.
Reputation Management
Managing patient review sites and managing online listings is huge for medical practices. They should claim and own their listings to manage the narrative. I will not argue the validity of the reviews with you, because perception is the reality here. Are angry customers more likely to leave a review? Probably. But, if your reviews consistently say that the front office is rude or the doctor is always running behind, it is likely true. Take this free advice and do something with it. Either fix the processes or do an exceptional job of managing expectations. People get way less frustrated over clinic running late when their expectations are managed.
Consistent Brand
Does your practice have a look? Do you have brand guidelines that you share when you send a printer or vendor your logo? Your forms, website, office, social media, brochures, and anything with your name on it should all be professional and consistent. My personal favorite to clean up is the forms that are copies of copies. Don’t be the practice. Creating a consistent brand is a really easy way to spiff up the image of your practice. Simple colors, fonts, and a style are easy to pull off.