Word of mouth is by far the most powerful tool in the arsenal of any medical practice. Especially, when it comes to marketing. When a practice and its staff get a job done well, patients will be quick to recommend it to their friends and family. Healthcare is of paramount importance to Australian families. Thus, they take good practices very seriously. Often they will be sure to tell others when they have found “a good one” for whatever special or general service they provide.
Some practices may incentivize patients to refer others by offering discounts or other advantages. This encourages people to reverse the common word-of-mouth paradigm that people only share negative experiences with others. Incentives can encourage people to share just as widely when they have a positive experience.
Another key is for the practice to make bookings and appointments as easy as possible. The best way to do that nowadays is to have some facility for booking appointments online. People love online medical appointment bookings because they feel more confidential. It is also easier compared with making an appointment over the telephone. This is especially true among the millennial and younger gen z generations. Both of these generations like to do everything online or through their smartphone if possible.
When a practice makes booking easier, more people will choose that practice. Thus, the more business that can be done. It also makes it easier for the practices themselves to arrange appointments and plan for each day.
Following up with patients is another great way to ensure that you retain clientele and keep a practice healthy. Follow-ups used to be a fairly time-consuming course of action. One had to rely on staff making long lists of phone calls to clients to check on next steps. Nowadays medical practices have access to more advanced systems of communication. These can automatically send out reminders via SMS messages and other channels. It can all be set up when the patient comes the first time with a minimum of fuss.
One factor behind people choosing a medical practice is whether or not that practice comes with any sense of authority in its field. Blogging is a good way for a practice to establish itself in the community and beyond as an authority on health-related topics. If blog posts are read and shared, people start to associate certain health problems and inquiries with the practice that posted them. Thus, will feel more confident and comfortable dealing with them rather than others.
Get involved in the community, attend community events, offer help during a crisis, and find any and all ways to connect with local people. A practice can ensure its survival this way even in relatively small and isolated communities. It’s crucial for a practice to have a visible presence in the community. Otherwise, how will people build the level of trust and confidence you need in the practice to make appointments to go there?
Source : https://www.mikegingerich.com/blog/how-do-medical-practices-get-new-clients/
