In general: as more and more people around the world consult the Internet for health information and provider recommendations, it has become increasingly important for physicians to have a strong online presence that is actively managed.

 

1: Make a plan, execute it

First and foremost, set specific, defined goals and use your goals to build an action plan that looks to the future. Learn what your patients are looking for and give it to them. The vital tool to do this is a comprehensive marketing plan. You want to capture all aspects of your practice’s potential and use these ideas to build the professional identity of your business.

 

Include the following sections in your marketing plan:

 

1. Purpose and mission (what do you want to achieve? Overview of changes and possible actions, company mission statement, background, competitive advantages)

 

2. Situation Analysis (the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing the company)

 

3. Marketing Strategy and Objectives (very specific descriptions of strategies to be employed)

 

4. Tactical Marketing Programs (detailed tactics to be carried out to achieve the objectives and goals; about 50% of your plan page count)

 

5. Budgets, Performance Analysis and Implementation (methods to assess effectiveness of plan and discussion of timing and allocation of responsibilities)

 

6. Additional information (any information that might be of benefit)

 

(Adapted from: How to write a marketing plan. KnowThis LLC. http://www.knowthis.com/how-to-write-a-marketing-plan )

 

For a marketing plan to be effective it needs to be detailed, well researched and include items such as: specific initiatives, who is responsible for them and monthly new patient goals. You want to clarify what makes your practice unique, identify competition and target geographical areas, and brainstorm possible referral sources.

 

2: Capture multiple channels

These days it is imperative that you incorporate multiple marketing channels into your plan. This means having a network of “patient touch points” that include a presence on the Internet and social media outlets such as, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and other appropriate websites.

 

Don’t forget that publishing content via blogs, medical sites, or topic specific patient information sites can go a long way in promoting your knowledge, skills and also ensure patients (and potential patients) have accurate information.

 

Of course there may still be a place for more traditional marketing channels, such as television, newspaper and radio advertisements. Constantly ask yourself if your marketing is reaching your target group and resulting in new patients.

 

3: Set a budget

Determine a realistic budget, and include methods to track return on the money you dedicate to each strategy. You want to know which methods are most effective so you can discontinue those that don’t work.

 

As mentioned above, this involves being able to identify how many new patients resulted from a particular strategy. Put a question on intake forms asking patients how they heard about you. Another example might involve setting up a unique telephone number which is listed on your website, or other medium, so you can count the number of inquiries that result from a particular channel.

 

4: Consistently deliver quality patient care

This may sound obvious but it is an extremely important point. Managing your reputation starts with an office-wide goal of exceeding patient expectations. Patients should be acknowledged as customers who choose to come to you for a unique service. Ask yourself how you can distinguish your practice from the competition. This might involve the advertisement of real statistics about exemplary infection rates or highlighting your convenient hours.

 

Could you offer concierge-like services and make travel arrangements for out of town patients? Perhaps your office follows up with patients via personal calls to check on recoveries and offer additional information. Consider ways to accommodate a certain number of last minute appointments each day. Or try calling patients to advise of time delays when their surgeon is running behind. Have you considered offering preoperative patient information sessions or emailing intake forms before appointments?

 

Communication problems with doctors are often at the root of patient dissatisfaction and complaints.  Building relationships by active listening, effective communication skills, and displaying empathy, can go a long way towards growing your practice.  Patient communication skills training courses are widely offered. Contact your local or national professional association for opportunities near you.

 

5: Manage your online reputation

Online doctor rating sites provide a forum for patients to rate their doctors and leave publically accessible commentary on their experiences. These sites are where your current and future patients are checking when looking for health care practitioners.

 

1. Embrace the idea, don’t shy away from it. It is a modern reality that you can't afford to ignore. Check out the leading physician rating sites.

 

2. Know where rating site data is coming from. Make sure your contact information is correct.

 

3. Listen to feedback. It can highlight areas of your service that need to be addressed. Be willing to offer authentic apologies when warranted.

 

4. When possible, claim your listings. Own the listings/profiles for your practice for key sites and you can be notified when reviews are posted and given the opportunity to respond to reviews.

 

Adapted from: 3 tips for reputation management on physician review sites. Flint Group . and 10 Pro Online Reputation Management Tips For Local Businesses. Chris Silver Smith

 

Consider adding a place on your website for patients to leave reviews. This has been shown to significantly increase traffic to physician sites , gives you control over postings and responses, and offers a way to identify holes in your services. Ask your patients to leave a review after every appointment and provide the link to do so via email.

 

6: Ensure your website is refreshed, evolving and constantly updated

Patients are consumers who are increasingly looking online for information to support their decision making. ,  Having a hospital profile page is not sufficient. You need to allocate resources (time and/or money) to building an online presence that communicates to patients that you care enough to provide them with useful information.

 

Do you have a blog associated with your site? The beauty of the internet is that it is not a static offering. Your site can evolve and expand over time as you add information. But don’t forget that you can call in the professionals too…there are companies who can curate a whole online patient information library for you, for a fee, of course.

 

According to the blog from spine professional recruitment service firm SpineSearch  there are a few questions you should ask yourself about your website:

• Does your website answer patient's questions about conditions, diagnosis, and treatments?

• Does it offer something about you other than a CV and a listing of your publications?

• Does it provide value?

• Is it optimized for search?

 

7: Design your website to satisfy search criteria

Tools made by Google, such as Trends, Webmaster and Analytics, can help you determine if the Google search engine is aware of your presence on the web, to what degree, and how to maximize your impact.

 

Can Google “crawl” your site? Here’s how to check. Type “/robots.txt” after your domain name in the address bar (eg. http://www.yoursite.com/robots.txt). If a text file does not appear, you do not have instructions for search engine crawlers. Have your web people fix this immediately. The robots.txt file helps search engines enter and explore your site.

• Google Trends is free and can tell you what search terms people are using. It can help you decide what titles to give your pages and what kind of information to include.

• Google Webmaster Tools is a free service that provides detailed reports on indexing and helps webmasters optimize visibility of websites.

• Google Analytics generates detailed statistics about a website's traffic and traffic sources and measures conversions and sales. It offers a basic service for free and premium service for a fee.

 

Google Adwords is a service where you create an ad, specify what geographical area you want it accessed by and then you pay Google when people click on your ad. You can set a daily maximum charge and link your ad to Google Maps too. Don’t forget to use Google’s tools to find out which key words would be best to use.

 

Additionally, consider registering your practice with local online directories. Users tend to search for providers within their geographical area so you are assured of reaching your potential client base. Search engines rank local directories highly.

 

8: Optimize your website for mobile devices

eMarketer, a marketing company specializing in digital solutions, expects 4.55 billion people worldwide to use a mobile phone in 2014. They also project that the global smartphone audience will total 1.75 billion in 2014.

 

With these numbers in mind, don’t you think your website should be optimized for viewing on mobile devices and tablets? A 2013 survey by Pew Research Internet Project revealed that 56% of US adults own a smartphone and 52% have used their phone to access health information—that’s a lot of potential patients.   If your site is difficult to navigate using your phone and/or tablet it is time to initiate some changes.  Don’t neglect the growing mobile market.

 

9: Tell a story

Connecting with potential patients through the success stories of regular and/or high profile clients is a very powerful tool. Emotionally linking patients to others in similar situations builds personal connections and trust, which can attract people to your practice. Ultimately it encourages patients to have a positive outlook and promotes healing.

 

In an interview with Beckers Spine Review, Robert S Bray, MD, neurosurgeon and founder of DISC Sports & Spine Center in California, US commented that, “The single most important thing we found effective is telling stories. People want to hear the firsthand account. The compelling drama of athletes whose careers would have ended from an injury, but after treatment were able to battle back and win national and international titles strikes an emotional chord.”

 

Incorporating video elements is an effective way to convey positive patient experiences and attract new patients. Providing answers to common patient questions or information on procedures you perform via video can also expand your reach. Whether you film it yourself or hire a professional, upload your video offerings everywhere! YouTube, Vimeo, Vevo are popular platforms.  Embed the video on your website as well and make sure you title your videos with target key words and include your practice contact information and website in the information section that appears below the video.

 

 

10: Generate exposure through educational and sponsorship opportunities

Offering free samples or services is a great way to gain exposure to your target patient group. Getting involved in community-based activities that align with your specialties can benefit your practice. Not only does your practice gain exposure, you and your staff get the opportunity to personally connect with the public and build relationships with individuals who could very well be future patients.

 

Promoting education has a number of positive associations. Firstly, you are in control of the information delivered and therefore can ensure it is current and of the highest quality. Secondly, you position yourself as a person interested in promoting good health practices that are based on accurate information.

 

Here are a few possible outreach strategies:

• Deliver educational lectures to referral sources

• Offer free back health screenings (eg. scoliosis)

• Set up educational booths at local events

• Distribute branded items (pens, bags) at events

• Sponsor fundraising events

• Host an open house

List adapted from: http://www.spine-search.com/blog/2012/12/10-great-ways-to-jumpstart-your-spine-practice-marketing-program/

 

Conclusion

These are just a select few tactics that could be of service when growing your practice. The development and use of a carefully targeted marketing plan will benefit you immensely. When you enter the operating room you have an operatory plan—apply the same consideration to your business development and you will be rewarded with a practice that registers consistent growth and a reputation that reflects your efforts.