Have you heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words?” In marketing, it’s numbers that speak louder — data. In today’s competitive healthcare marketplace, the marketing tactics you’ve used in the past no longer add up. Neither does copying your competition.
The best marketing plan is like your favorite cake recipe: one-part measurement and one-part creativity. Here’s how to change it up:
Your patients come first.
Understanding your patients and how to reach them is the foundation of a smart marketing plan. Conduct patient surveys then analyze the data. The information you gather will help you target messages specifically to them. Attract new prospects by putting these messages in front of them when they’re looking for you. Let the numbers do the talking and put together a plan that’s effective for you and your practice.
Say no to copycat tactics.
Running radio spots or placing ads in the local paper just because your competitor does is not a strategy. That’s a cookie-cutter approach to marketing, and what works for them may be entirely different from what works for you. So, what do you do?
Think strategically AND creatively. Don’t be afraid to think way outside the box even if it makes your competition uncomfortable. Use data to dictate how to reach new patients and grow your practice.
Why ROI matters.
Have you ever heard someone say, “Because we’ve always done it this way”? Banish those words. There’s always more than one way to bake a cake.
Test your marketing tactics by assessing the return on your investment. Is that direct mail piece you’ve been sending for years still driving patients to your practice? If it’s not, it’s time to change the ingredients.
Before you create your new plan, gather data. Ask yourself and your patients questions like: How do new patients hear about you? What keeps them coming back? How much revenue does the average patient bring to the practice?
Then, let the data drive your decisions and let creativity inspire your message and how you deliver it.
Wondering how to implement data-driven strategies to market your healthcare practice? Reach out to us. We know how to collect the numbers, create a plan, and deliver a recipe for success.