Marketing Tips Archives
Each month we present a selection of marketing tips for marketing your private practice. These marketing tips cover the full range of marketing: services, price, promotion and place.
Some pose a simple question to ask yourself, others give instruction, and still others present ideas or concepts that you'll want to flesh out for use in your own practice. A few are simply thoughts intended to give pause.
Here we have collected them all. Browse through them - they are in no particular order - and select the marketing tips that work best for you and your practice. Be willing to try something different.
We regularly add to this list.
- Look for story ideas in current events. Tie your service or product to something else going on in your community. Do a media release and send it to local newspapers and other media outlets.
- If you provide services at your client's site, "you" reflect your company in ways you might not imagine. Considering "dropping by" while on your way somewhere more casual? Take a hard look at your appearance and think twice. If your overall appearance is not up to your usual standard, make an appointment and plan to visit another time.
- Have you looked at your client materials lately? Forms, hand-outs, brochures, checklists, etc.? If you have been making "copies of copies", chances are your materials have lost the crisp look of the originals. Print out fresh originals and use those to duplicate.
- If your work takes you to your client's site, make sure that the way you transport your materials reflects your practice in the manner that you intend (for example, leather briefcase or attractive portfolio versus manila folders). Little things can speak volumes about you and your practice.
- Sit in your waiting area. Try to imagine the kind of experience your clients have while there. Notice the comfort of the seating, the available reading materials, the noise level, the lighting, etc. What is the overall feel? Are the walls and artwork pleasing? What kind of experience do your client's have while waiting in your waiting room?
- Follow up. Follow up. Follow up.
- Does your office feel like a factory to your clients? Being busy is great but don't make your clients feel like they are just widgets on a conveyor belt. Make sure there is adequate seating in the waiting room, don't let a line form when clients check-out and pay their bill, and train your staff not to make a big deal out of finding a time in the book for the next scheduled appointment.
- If your services are provided via telephone or at the client's location, don't keep talking about how busy you are. Be fully prepared for the session, have all needed materials on-hand, make scheduling a breeze. Be fully engaged with the client.
- Does your invoice indicate the full range of services that you provided? Don't just list an "umbrella term" - break down each service into its parts. One-word descriptions can leave your client feeling they paid too much for a "basic" service.
- "Perception" is reality. This means that what your client perceives to be real, is real. Don't waste time defending, you'll offend in the process. Accept that what they perceive is real for them and work to make their reality a reflection of the best of your practice.
- Potential has a shelf life.
- Check the greeting you have on your voice mail. Does it represent you and your practice in the way that you want? Refine the wording, your tone of voice and the information provided until it's right for your practice.
- Look at the market(s) you are targeting and try to define them more clearly. Go beyond demographic information. Consider psychographics.
- Copycat marketing is when you do the same thing everyone else is doing. It's saying "me too". Don't be a copycat. Identify what is different about your practice and position yourself in the market accordingly.
- Take a look at your practice brochure. Does it really inspire one to make that call? Ask someone who is distant from your practice to give you feedback.
- Develop a tool for your practice that can be a part of a viral marketing campaign (spreads like a virus). Something that potential clients will value, share with others, and that will inspire the reader to call you. Examples: a special report, top ten list, informative checklist or fact sheet (with your contact information on it, of course).
- Do it. Do it right. Do it now.
- You are creating your future everyday. What do you need to change today to ensure profits tomorrow?
- Does your practice have a newsletter or other means of regular communication with your clients and potential clients? These vehicles demonstrate your expertise and keep your name in front of your market.
- Look back at the last several clients who came to your practice through referral from another client. What was it that made that client refer a friend or colleague? Is there a trend in reasons your clients refer others to you? Does every client have that same experience - can you duplicate it?
Example: did that client get a special service, an extra, an experience? Did you give them something free to take home that was especially helpful?
- Move your clients' experience with you and your services from 'good' to 'memorable'. Do the unexpected, the extra, the surprise. Make it fun. Add value in a memorable way.
- Use your website to provide customer support. New client materials can be online and easily downloaded and prepared before the first meeting. FAQ can answer those questions clients may not think to ask, but for which they will need the answers.
- Have you read your practice brochure lately? If you've added new services or made significant changes to the practice, your brochure may not be up-to-date.
- Are you using your fax cover sheet as a marketing tool? Is your web address on it? Your marketing message? Full contact information? Offers for free reports?
Are You Trying to:
- Market Your Private Practice?
- Bring In More New Clients?
- Rev Up Profits?
Click Here to Check-out The Private Practice Marketing Roundtable!
Return to previous page
Go to Site Map
For access to all the resources for marketing your private practice - click here.
This intellectual property is licensed for personal
use only. No redistribution or reproduction is permitted without express
written consent of the copyright holder. All rights reserved. Copying, giving away, forwarding, reprinting, or reproduction in any way is prohibited. Requests for permission
to reprint -- such as copying for general distribution, advertising or
promotional purposes, creative new collective works or resale -- should be
submitted in writing by mail to Dawson Resources, LLC at 11289 Bayside Road, Machipongo, Virginia, USA 23405.
|
