Internet Advertising: Know What You’re Up Against and What You Can Do

Three of the most recent mediums that have proven profitable for advertising are the located on the Internet, including: a website, blogging and social media.

The Website: It’s In The Appealshutterstock_274026629

A comprehensive website has pleasing graphics with before and after photos, simple navigation, patient education content, information about the doctors, and a communication option. It’s vital to note that there are literally 100’s of pages associated with each key word search on every search engine. Likewise, there are thousands of websites on the Internet. Consumers looking for information on the Internet often do not search beyond the first three pages of listings. And of course, the first page is the one most often viewed. For these reasons, it is not reasonable to believe that a practice website will be found without a method to bring visitors to the website.

Directory Listings: Traffic Pleasers

Directory Listings are a primary means to bring visitors to your site. Directory Listing companies use their expertise to maintain top ranking search engine positioning and allow physicians to benefit by linking to their site within the physician locator section of the directory.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Revving Up to the Top

Search engine optimization is an advanced means to bring visitors to your site and focuses on the free listing sections of the search engines. One form of search engine optimization is blogging.

Blogging and Social Media: Low Cost SEO Strategies

Blogging and social media offer revolutionary ways to acquire quality patients, obtain referrals and optimize your practice website today. Social Media Sites and Blogs reach 80% of all U.S. internet users, according to Mind Jumper. Facebook is an extension of the word of mouth referral arm. Google Plus, Pinterest and Twitter can also be beneficial.

It is important to note that a comprehensive strategy including a variety of mediums and repeat appearances is often necessary to achieve substantial results from advertising. So, bringing together all of the above mentioned strategies can set your virtual billboard apart from others.

Converting Patients in Today’s Market Space

Converting patients has to do with providing the best service like a beautiful day at an ideal spa.Your patients must be pampered from the moment they arrive. Remember that your patient has had an experience with another physician in the past. He or she has also likely considered others for the service they are seeing you for. In the past, they embraced the physician’s philosophy of patient care and business leadership of another medical provider. Now, it’s time decide if they will have a relationship with you and your practice. With the right techniques, your conversion rates can be as high as 90 to 95 percent. Without the right techniques, your conversion rate can be as low as 50 percent or much worse.

  • The first phone call can be welcoming to set your prospective patients at ease. Appointments reminders can be inviting and encouraging in the form the patients prefers, including: email, text or phone call.
  • Offering a bottle of water and a smile upon entry can go a long way towards patient satisfaction, conversion and retention.
  • Personal touches by informing patients of each step before it occurs and leading patients out the door for their exit can put patients at ease.
  • Introducing patients to the physician, as well as, communicating trust and respect, lets your patient know they are in good hands. If the practice is running behind schedule, inform the patient and ask if there is anything that they need.
  • Thanking your patients from the phone call to the end of the appointment demonstrates you are being cordial- there is power in gratitude. Sending a thank you note and surveying your patients lets your patients know you really care to ensure they are satisfied with your service.
  • Discussing finance issues with genuine care and concern in privacy can be a refreshing change for patients.
  • The ambiance in the office must be warm, clean and hospitable.
  • Following up personally by phone lets your patients know you are in tune with their needs.
  • The informed consent approach lets patients take doctors more seriously when they provide comprehensive information, demonstrate results of the procedure (before and after photos and patient testimonials,) as well as, follow up with the patient post-procedure.

Your patients need excellent service. They need to understand how important the treatment is and what will happen if they do not have it completed. In fact, follow up after a positive patient experience lends an opportunity to generate patient referrals and to secure a testimonial.

Patient Testimonials and Before and After Photos: Essentials in Practice Marketing

Patient testimonials and before and after photos (in aesthetic medicine) are two forms of necessary proof for a patient interested in a private pay cosmetic procedure. In any aesthetic procedure, before and after photos is the most suggestive piece of information to demonstrate the benefits of a procedure. In fact, before and after photos can help set reasonable patient expectations. It is also important that the photos are standard and presented in a way that is pleasing to the eye. Furthermore, patient testimonials are critical for introducing new procedures or for that matter, any elective cosmetic procedure. To develop the right testimonial, ask the patient key questions to develop a comprehensive quote that can be used for any commercial purpose including,

A) How long they were considering the procedure for?

B) Why they chose the procedure?

C) Why this time was right for the procedure?

D) What factors did they consider in choosing the procedure?

E) In what ways have they noticed that this procedure has improved the treated area as well as other areas of their life?

F) Have other people noticed a change in the patient?

G) Do they feel that this procedure would benefit many other people in the same ways it has benefited them?Edit the quote and consider developing small paragraphs. Paragraphs provide for easy reading.

Patient testimonials and before and after photos are the pathway to acquiring new patients.They are an extension of the word of mouth referral arm. They are two indispensable tools that offer firsthand witness accounts of your impeccable service. Hone in on the right strategy and maximize your efforts with the tips listed above.

Patient Retention: The Golden Grail

A high retention rate depends on planning and setting clear expectations like the feeling you get when enjoying fine cuisine at a 5 Star lakeside restaurant on a clear sunny day. This includes offering the best possible service, as well as, a good working long term relationship. In the end, you will be measured on performance in every area.

  • In-house brochures, posters, and before and after portfolios help broaden awareness of other procedures offered within the practice. In fact, in elective medicine these tools can be very effective as one study has demonstrated. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that 34% of U.S. patients who underwent plastic surgery had more than one procedure. Informing waiting room patients about procedures with posters and brochures creates awareness for a new procedure that you have the ability to assist with.
  • A proper hand-off is one of the most important steps an office can make to further instill that the physician will be alongside the patient for the long term. When escorting the patient from the operatory to the checkout desk, the assistant can give a quick refresher about what occurred during the appointment in a motivating way and what needs to occur next. HIPAA rules apply, so patient privacy must be maintained at all times. The assistant can ask also ask “Did you tell anyone you were coming here today?” and “What did they say?” These questions can serve as a reminder to the patient to let who they told know aboutthe appointment, which allows the patient themselves to reinforce their great experience with the practice. This process may prompt a referral and can also lead to prompting thought about another procedure.

Beginning conversations with an approach of genuine care and concern sets the expectation that you are your patient’s partner in care. Excellent communication skills can go a long way towards patient retention. .   Reminding your patients about what you know about them personally lets them know you are their friend.   Package your practice, your presentation and every interaction with precision and excellence. By committing to this level of service, your patients will feel they can speak with you openly and you can stand above your competitors.

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