Insights: Healthcare Marketing

Want to build your practice and attract more referrals?

Then start by making more friends. And I don’t just mean numbers of contacts. I mean quality, individual relationships. 

Whether it be fellow physicians, other healthcare professionals, business executives or community leaders, look for ways to engage and help each other. 

Are you marketing directly to women? You should:

Women make about 80 percent of healthcare decisions for their families. — United States Department of Labor 

Women are more likely to conduct online research for health information than men. — Pew Research Center

Women influence at least 80% of all household spending. — Marti Barletta, author of Marketing to Women

When we talk about improving the patient experience, certainly there are opportunities throughout a patient’s time at your practice. However, I encourage you to place special emphasis on the beginning and the end. Studies have shown that first and last impressions can hold the greatest impact on how someone evaluates satisfaction with an experience.

How do patients first encounter your practice and is it a welcoming experience?

Your practice Web site is one of your most powerful marketing tools. When was the last time you surfed it? 

Most patients — current or prospective — turn first to your Web site for key information about your practice, including phone numbers, fax numbers and addresses. Is your site up to date?

A nationwide study by Cigna earlier this year found that loneliness was at epidemic levels in our country with half of Americans reporting that they feel lonely. 

It is no secret to those of us in the medical community that there is a strong link between physical and mental health. Social isolation can negatively impact health in a number of ways from increased stress and inflammation to disrupted sleep to a weakened immune system.

I’ve always been a big believer in the power of a heartfelt, personal “Thank You” and have made it a tenet of my professional and philanthropic life.

I recently read in Tom Peters’ latest book The Excellence Divide where former Campbell’s Soup CEO Doug Conant sent 30,000 handwritten thank-you notes to employees during the 10 years he ran the company.  

And Peters, an internationally acclaimed business consultant, author and speaker, goes on to share that for more than 40 years, he has made it an annual ritual to personally make 25-50 thank-you calls between Christmas and New Year’s.

These are two extremely busy leaders in the business world. If they can do it, so can we. Who have you thanked lately? 

Time to go out and meet a potential new referral source.
Time to handwrite a personal thank-you note to a new patient or referral source.
Time to call a patient after a procedure or difficult illness to see how they are feeling.
Time to get involved with a community organization.
Time to personally thank your top referral sources on a regular basis.
Time to reach out and apologize when something goes wrong or someone must wait too long.
Time to recognize a colleague or staff member who does a great job.

Often it is the little things that create the deepest connections and propel your practice the most.

One of the most powerful quotes I’ve read in a long time:

“Your customers will never be any happier than your employees.”
                        — John DiJulius, Entrepreneur and Customer-Service Guru

Think about it. Health care is a service, an experience. And it is dependent upon human interactions and relationships. Your employees ARE the face of your brand. Are they happy?

Have you ever seen or received one of those coins or notes that says, “Caught being good?” 

I love the concept. We’re all familiar with random acts of kindness. Why not perform random acts of acknowledgement?  

In our busy, digital world, it is easy to feel invisible. So, take notice! Show appreciation. Let someone know you see them — that what they are doing truly matters. It can be a staff member, a colleague, a referral source or a community partner. It can be something small (sometimes this can be the most powerful kind of recognition) or something large. 

Recognize …

Have you ever seen or received one of those coins or notes that says, “Caught being good?” 

I love the concept. We’re all familiar with random acts of kindness. Why not perform random acts of acknowledgement?  

In our busy, digital world, it is easy to feel invisible. So, take notice! Show appreciation. Let someone know you see them — that what they are doing truly matters. It can be a staff member, a colleague, a referral source or a community partner. It can be something small (sometimes this can be the most powerful kind of recognition) or something large. 

Recognize …