We surveyed clients and newsletter readers to learn which methods were the most effective to announce their concierge medicine transition, and create brand awareness. Of the 432 responses that we received, the breakout shows that a professionally coordinated approach was the most “popular”. Unfortunately, when we asked how many tracked their efforts and results by method, few physicians had any real system in place to track the effectiveness of their efforts.
A comprehensive online and offline combined marketing strategy is the single most important growth-process to have in place. But like so many other business owners, physicians often get caught up in the day-to-day operations of the medical practice to develop a written marketing strategy that fires on all cylinders, and then execute on it, and measure the results. Like medication trials, if you can’t figure out which one worked, you won’t know which one to try again.
So many medical practices have spent thousands per month because some lucky sales person was able to convince the doctor that their plan was the right plan. When I ask what went wrong or why it didn’t work, they look at me sheepishly and admit that the consultant suggested a tracking plan to measure results, but nobody had any real time to consistently put in the effort to keep up with the measurement.
Don’t spend money or time on marketing efforts if you have no real intention to measure the results. Simply making announcements is not enough to convert prospects to sales. It is one part of a complex strategy. Asking on a new patient information sheet “how did you hear about us” is a waste of time if that is where the information remains.
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Develop a simple tracking system as part of your marketing plan. Ask your new concierge members how they heard about you. This can be done in casual conversation so the member doesn’t feel “drilled” for information. Another way to put it might be, “Thank you for coming in today (or calling). Who may I thank for sending you our way?” when they come in for an initial meet and greet visit. If your prospects are filling out a form on your website, make sure to add a field for this question. Keep a daily log of all your responses from all channels. Then, compile your responses into a simple spreadsheet. Check to see if your practice management software has any built in client management tools that will hold such information. Remember, some prospects may have heard about you in more than one fashion — so be sure to track daily!
