Last week, we began our discussion of the Top Practices Four Great Pillars of Marketing. So, what are the Four Pillars, and how can you execute them in your practice?
Pillar Number One – Web Based Marketing
The single most utilized information source (even ahead of doctor referral) is the Internet. Google Searches. In order to have the thousands of patients in your area who are trying to find the right doctor for them be able to find you AND come to the conclusion that you are the correct choice for them, there is a methodology – a protocol, for dominating the Internet in your local market. I wrote about this and used Dr. Andrew Schneider’s success in a recent blog. This is no longer a choice. The practices that will be successful in the future will do this well.
Pillar Number Two – Referral Marketing
This is often called “shoe leather” marketing because, done correctly, this method involves a representative from your practice physically visiting the medical and non-medical referral sources. This can be one of the most difficult programs you can implement. It takes time and commitment, but when you develop new referral sources, they can bring significant patient numbers to your practice. Failing to nurture your existing relationships and not developing new ones is a critical and very common mistake that medical practices make.
Pillar Number Three – Internal Marketing
I usually refer to this as “database marketing.” This is the regular practice of reaching out and communicating to your existing list (or database) of patients and other relationships in the community, both electronically and in the old fashioned mailbox. This is, by the way, the silver bullet of marketing. I’m happy to let this secret out of the bag, yet again. Understanding this principle and knowing how to do this effectively is the KEY to building and maintaining a healthy practice for the rest of your career.
Pillar Number Four – External Marketing
It’s interesting to me that this pillar is the one that EVERYONE thinks they understand. Advertising. It’s certainly the area in which most practices try the most things. And often spend the most money. While it is true that there are specific ways to make this work for you, there is simply no reason to spend time and money here unless you’ve built your plan and developed the other three pillars first. It’s just like the Yellow Pages – a waste of your money.
“It’s a sure thing that you’ll not finish if you don’t start.” – Napoleon Hill
So take a leaf out of Napoleon Hill’s book and start. Join the Top Practices Mastermind Group today.
