Marketing is important for businesses and brands in the medical industry, but unfortunately, it’s not quite as easy as promoting a sale or buying ad space. Executing the wrong strategy could lead to an epic business fail. Marketing in the medical field must follow different set of rules in order for a practice to gain awareness and the trust of its patients. Read on for important do’s and don’ts in the world of medical marketing.
Do identify your target.
It is key with any marketing plan to identify your target audience according to the services you provide. Invest your time in planning and creating good strategies with your objective in mind. Target marketing with a well-defined goal in mind allows you to shrink your budget and attract the demographic you really want. Once you have your audience and your objective, focus on educating your audience instead of just talking about practice.
Do send a clear message.
Similar to clearly identifying your audience, you need to send a clear message to your patients. The message should be concise and convincing. It needs to make current and potential customers feel confident and comfortable with your practice. Your marketing message needs to give encouragement and convince them that your services are what they need.
Do create a personalized website.
Ensure your digital space is informative, professional and user friendly. If you do not have a quality website that meets this criteria, now is the time to invest. These days, most people prefer surfing the web for any and all services. This makes it vital for you to grow your online presence. The first step is an intuitive and appealing website. This personalized website should be well laid out and include contact information, quality images, patient forms, details about your employees and even an engaging blog.
Do make use of marketing materials.
Invest in superior marketing materials, and superior doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. Brochures, post cards and other items can be professional without costing too much. All you need is some well written and informative content and good images. If you already have marketing materials, utilize them, but check them over and make sure they are informative and accurate.
Don’t wait for patients to find you.
Use the marketing “do” methods to get out there and bring patients to you. Waiting for customers to find your practice will quickly set your business on the path to failure.
Don’t offer discounts.
While this is unethical, it also sends an unprofessional message about your business. It is good to be proactive and creative with marketing ideas, but avoid this route.
Don’t expect too much too soon.
Marketing takes time; don’t expect results overnight. It is normal for results to take a few months. However, if you aren’t hitting your expectations after three months it’s time to reevaluate.
Don’t use too much medical jargon.
While sometimes it’s necessary, don’t overwhelm people with big medical terms. Use relatable and easy to understand content in your marketing materials and on your website.
These do’s and don’ts of medical marketing will help you define some clear goals for the future and prepare your office for the upcoming new year. Use these ideas to help give your medical practice what it needs to surpass your competition while staying on the path to success. If you have any marketing do’s or don’ts we would love to hear about them on our Facebook page!
