Healthcare professionals are one of the backbones of modern society. We’ve made incredible strides in healthcare technology, and have developed cures to countless diseases and ailments. Thanks to doctors, nurses, dentists, mental health professionals and various others, Americans now live an average of 78.8 years – an all-time record high.
But for all the good these professionals do, there is one area where they often have difficulty: marketing. Many healthcare professionals put their marketing on the back burner.
If you’re working in the healthcare industry and are concerned about your marketing efforts, then read on to find out which of these three mistakes you might be making:
Ignoring the monetary aspect
It doesn’t make much sense to discuss healthcare without bringing financials into it – after all, isn’t that your first question after you learn about a treatment option? (How much is this going to cost me?)
You shouldn’t be afraid to provide information about costs in your marketing for a variety of reasons. Patients are already expecting to pay hefty medical bills, and will just be more concerned if you don’t mention prices. Be upfront about the costs, and try to help your patients understand where that money goes. Focus on trying to make the cost more manageable and discussing financing options, instead of trying to avoid the issue altogether.
Downplaying the importance of marketing
You may run a medical practice, but your business still needs money to function, right? I’m pretty sure you didn’t get into this business to lose money. Investing in marketing should be a priority.
Many medical professionals make this mistake. They believe insurance coverage restrictions will help them get clients (i.e. the patient will come because I accept their insurance), or simple word of mouth will do the job. But you’re running a business just like anyone else, and you have competitors, too – and those competitors are spending money on marketing. If you want to prevent every patient from heading to your competition, then you’d better spend some money on marketing, too.
Failing to appeal to the female demographic
Everybody has to see the doctor, but that doesn’t mean everyone sets up appointments. According to the US Department of Labor, women are responsible for approximately 80 percent of healthcare decisions. Basically, mom is setting up the appointments for everyone in the family, so you had better learn to reach her.
Within inbound marketing, we create “buyer personas.” These personas are an estimation of our ideal customer, and every business should have at least 2-3 different buyer personas. If you’re in the healthcare industry, one of your personas had better be a working mother. Reaching this type of patient is the key to possibly securing an entire family.
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