It is now 2018, and it is safe to say things have evolved and changed drastically over the past decade. What I’m referring to specifically in this article is, how do we effectively market our services, businesses and medical practices in today’s marketplace? The day of putting ads in the phone book or on a park bench are soon to be over. Granted there are still billboards, radio, and TV, but how effective are they? Do you see a return on your very expensive investment? I will admit having a prime location on a busy road can be extremely beneficial when it comes to Doctor or Dentist offices. But what if you don’t have the budget to utilize any of these marketing mediums? What are your plans to get patients through your doors?
So what are some new, less expensive and more effective ways of Marketing today? There are many different methods to connect with your patients to get them through your doors. Have you heard the term “Social Media”? Social Media refers to the use of Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube to name a few, not to mention Google, Bing and Yahoo. Just like the traditional methods of marketing mentioned previously, you want to maximize your target or audience reach but you also want your message to be effective. With Social Media marketing, you can actually engage with your patients, answer questions, and build solid and long term relationships with your patients. When you build a relationship, you in turn build trust, and trust is why people decide to do business with you. Most people nowadays, including the elderly, use some form of Social Media either on their computers, tablets, or cell phones. With that being said, you want to make sure that you are able to reach this audience via Social Media!
When it comes to the Search Engine aspect of marketing, you want to make sure that customers are able to find you quickly and easily. The way you go about that is making sure you have effective keywords so that your target audience can easily search and locate you. For example, “Where can I get a flu shot?”, “Doctors open late?”, “Doctors who specialize in Endocrinology”, “Where can I get an Open MRI”; These are just a few examples of a “keyword” search. You want to ensure that you’re ranking with the services you provide, any special equipment, any special procedures, any special hours that you’re open, and even the insurances that you accept.
Another tip to help you reach more patients and to keep them is to provide great service. Patients not only want and expect excellent medical services but they also want and expect excellent customer service! Nowadays when a patient receives bad service, they are sure to tell everyone they know about it. Therefore, you may also want to include a patient survey where your patients can write their reviews and give you feedback on the services they’ve received at your practice. These reviews are very helpful and instrumental to you, the business owner, as it lets YOU know where you have issues within your practice so that you can resolve the issues quickly and not lose patients. As a business owner and medical professional, you can’t be in all places at one time and therefore, these surveys will keep your staff on their toes and will help you know where your staff excels and where there are areas that require improvement.
Since 2003, STAT MedCare LLC has been an expert in Provider Enrollment, Licensing, Rate Negotiation, and other Credentialing-related services. STAT’s mission is, “Providing Client Services on a foundation of Trust and Integrity.” We stay on top of teaching, training, and equipping to properly manage the workplace as an industry expert. STAT has submitted/renewed 250,000+ licenses, submitted more than 10,000 appeals, and renegotiated more than 3,000 contracts. STAT services practices and organizations who are start-ups, surviving, experiencing (rapid) growth, or maturing Enterprise clients. Contact our Sales team for a free consultation at 877-887-1784, Ext. 505
Have a Good Day from everyone at STAT!