To market or not to market? Sure it is a choice, and you can certainly choose not to make the investment, but at what cost?
Too many practices wait to market until there is a specific problem or need — new patient visits are down, patients are leaving the practice, a new competitor has moved into the neighborhood, they lose a key insurance contract, satisfaction scores are suffering, etc.
Successful, forward-thinking practices incorporate marketing into their everyday business, even if everything is going well, to stay ahead of the curve. They proactively and continually build and nurture relationships with their staff, patients, referral sources and community:
- They engage.
- They reach out to understand individual needs and make the changes necessary to better serve.
- They communicate and keep patients and stakeholders informed.
- They thank regularly and show their appreciation.
- They look for opportunities to reach out, to welcome, to serve as a resource, to make new connections.
- They monitor key indicators — satisfaction, referrals, reviews — and take immediate action if an issue or negative trend is identified.
- They protect and strengthen their reputation.
It is well known that it costs five times as much to attract a new customer as it does to keep an existing one. At its heart, marketing is relationship-building. Invest in a healthy marketing “lifestyle” that continually nurtures and organically grows your practice, and you will reap the return.