Getting More Traffic
Acquiring new patients is arguably the most difficult task for any health practice. Today’s consumers want a bigger bang for their buck. Once upon a time, people would go to the only doctor in a ten-mile radius. Marketing strategies and medical advertising were unheard of because they simply were not necessary. Thanks to the brutal competition, today there are 20 doctors in that ten-mile radius. Plus, a comparison of patient reviews is analyzed with ease on a mobile device, before making an appointment.
Acquiring new patients from the clutter of digital wellness could seem frustrating, but with the right strategies, any health clinic could attain more patients than they could serve. Here are a few suggestions on how to articulate a patient acquisition strategy.
Digital presence
Let’s face it, every marketing strategy is born, thrives, and dies on the internet. Growth can only be achieved on the internet. Word of mouth can be effective, but it is not reliable. Your clinic’s digital headquarters is your website. Be sure that it conforms with Google algorithms by being responsive and mobile accessible. According to Black Book Market research, 88 percent of individuals under the age of 40 select their doctor according to their online presence.
Social media
To fully comprehend the significance of social media when it comes to patient acquisition, one must view social media through the patient’s eyes. Social media is a portal to healthcare for millions of people. Patients can find answers to their healthcare questions in virtual communities, they could compare a selection of doctors’ profile pages as well as the reviews written about them. As a result, it is imperative that a healthcare business remains active online, by posting regularly and interacting with online discussions.
Online content
An individual is more likely to book an appointment with a medical professional who dispenses practical advice. Be sure to have plenty of good healthy living tips. The wellness industry is booming right now. Everyone is interested in effective exercises and foods to eat as well as to stay away from.
Online reviews
Remember that last product you bought on Amazon? You probably checked out the reviews before striking that ‘add to cart’ button. There is no better way to validate the efficacy of the product than by reading the opinion of previous customers. Doctor shopping is no different. According to Healthgrades, 77% of patients use online reviews to choose a new doctor.
Think of how precious that glowing review will look like on your website, every time you see a patient. Go the extra mile, and you will be rewarded 10 fold! A great review is like a bar of gold, but some experts theorize that bad reviews are even more valuable. A negative review offers an excellent insight into how patients perceive a practice. More importantly, a bad review can illustrate concrete methods on how to improve.
Volunteer
One effective patient acquisition method that does not involve the internet is volunteering in the community. Whenever anyone volunteers their time and efforts for a good cause, they are automatically respected in the community. Volunteering is an excellent way to boost the impression of the practice of which the volunteer represents.
Incentives
Similar to how a carrot dangling in front of a donkey’s face will motivate it to walk for miles, incentives are one surefire way to get staff and patients to offer referrals. Tell patients that by referring someone to your practice automatically puts them in a drawing, in which they could win cool prizes. Or, you can assign prizes for the number of referrals attained. For example, one referral earns a candy bar, five referrals earn a movie ticket and so on. Arrange similar contests with staff members.
Conclusion
Acquiring new patients may seem like a difficult mission, but armed with the right strategy, any health practice could attract a steady stream of new customers. The six patient acquisition methods listed above are all separately very effective, but if all methods are working in tandem, it will be even more effective.