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As a healthcare practice, you may find it difficult to market yourself. There are a lot of others trying to get their names out there, especially during these times. The wide range of practices looking for ways to market themselves, however, does not mean your practice has to be a faceless member of the crowd. Instead, try these strategies to help your healthcare practice stand out.
Targeted Digital Ads
Target groups with your advertising that fit the services you are offering. A pediatrician's office will have a very different audience from a practice that specializes in dental care or orthopedic surgery. Clearly define your target audience, then design ads that are specifically intended to reach those groups. Place them where your target audience can be found online.
Consider what social media platforms they use most often and how they connect with the brands they care about. What about consumers who are already interested in your brand: how do they search? Create digital ads that are in those locations. Seventy-three percent of consumers will research a product or service online before buying. As a medical practice, you may have only a short window to reach them, since many people need to make a decision fast. If you do not appear in that space, they cannot choose your practice.
Use your digital ads as a place to highlight testimonials, transformations, and other vital information that will encourage patients to check out your practice. Consumers often rely heavily on information from direct reviews and testimonials--and many of them trust that information just as much as they would a review from a friend or family member.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a highly effective tool for reaching your clients. Across the medical, dental, and healthcare industry, approximately 21% of emails get opened. Those emails have an average click rate of 2.49%. That allows you plenty of opportunities to connect with potential patients. Try sending out emails to past clients who may have a future need for your services. Reach out to patients who have shown interest or had consultations in the past, but never followed through with your services.
Emails are a great place to generate interest in your practice or provide the incentive that patients need to come through your doors. To help move them through the door, offer discounts, bundles, or free consultations. Share information about what your practice can accomplish for your patients. What can you do that sets your practice apart? Why should consumers choose you? Emails can help put a face on your practice and create a sense of personal connection, which can help encourage patients to come through your doors.
OTT & TV
TV and OTT commercials offer an excellent opportunity to put a personal touch on your practice and give patients a better idea of what to expect when they step through your doors. They often have a high success rate for healthcare practices, since they can bring patients through the doors of your practice and show exactly what they can expect. You want to create a commercial that appeals to the patient. It should catch the patient's attention, offer information about why they should visit your practice, and encourage them to connect with you.
Often, you can repurpose the creative for your TV and OTT commercials, using many of the same themes and footage for both. There are, however, some differences. In general, TV commercials should be shorter, while OTT commercials typically run longer. OTT ads may also contain a different, more immediate call-to-action. Consumers who stream OTT content do so through connected devices, which means they can click on the ad directly and take immediate action, from contacting your practice directly from the ad to request more information to set up an appointment online.
What should you include in your TV and OTT ads? Show what the practice is like right now. Give patients a chance to walk through your practice, digitally speaking. This is especially important right now when consumers will be looking to see what safety precautions your practice is taking. Show results from past patients, including testimonials, if relevant. Show the people who actually work in your practice. Through these simple steps, you can make your practice more appealing to potential patients.
You want your practice to stand out from the crowd. Effective, creative advertising is one of the best tools in your arsenal. With a powerful combination of TV and OTT, digital ads, and email marketing, you can increase overall awareness of your practice and show consumers exactly what you have to offer. This strategy will help you stand out from the competition and make a name for your practice. If you need help getting started or want a winning advertising combination, connect with an experienced media partner to learn more about the options you have for marketing your practice.
