As there have been an ever-changing dynamics in the field of medicine, there has also risen a need for doctors to improve on the way they attract new patients and keep the existing ones coming. And as a doctor’s patients are likely those who live in that geographical area, it becomes imperative that doctors in NJ engage in local marketing.
The importance of local marketing for doctors
Just as every other profession or business, those who market themselves are better noticed by their intended audience than those who don’t market at all. Local marketing for doctors is about reaching out to people living within your geographical location because these are the ones who will readily walk through your front door when they need healthcare. Marketing should not be confused with simply advertising yourself and what you can do, although that is a part of marketing. Marketing is a more tactical approach that requires methodical planning in order to make yourself distinctive and available to those who would need your services. As there are clinics at almost every corner, it becomes important for you as a doctor to make yourself stand out among your competition. This way, you are sure to get more patients walking through your doorstep.
So how do go about your local marketing campaign?
Local marketing strategies for doctors NJ
The following are effective local marketing strategies by which doctors in NJ can market their health care services:
1. Engage in gifting. It shows you care
Everybody likes free things. Once in a while, you could arrange for free medical check-ups for some certain diseases, give out free sanitizers or other health care packages to the community which your serve. These packages need not be expensive, just a token of your care to your community. It is even more beneficial to you if you can imprint your office and contact details on whatever packages you would be giving out because this way, your recipients would literally have your contact details at hand. You may also decide not to let your patients walk out empty-handed after a treatment. By offering them gifts with your details imprinted, you are not only building patient affinity for your clinic, but building for yourself a network of loyal marketers.
2. Blogging
As a doctor, blogging is pivotal to your content marketing strategy. In the world we know today, most mobile users refer to the internet to ask questions and do research on their interests. Via search engines, a plethora of persons are asking questions on health care, and if you can offer quality contents on such topics, you would be reaching millions of viewers. By speaking professionally and with clarity on such topics, you are a leading expert in your field. Note that the key to maintaining an online presence is consistently publishing content. Never forget to include your contact details, social media handles, and a link to your website in your content so the audience can reach you whenever they desire.
3. Take advantage of the social media
Make yourself present on the various social media platforms that are most frequently used by your target audience. You could include your social media handles in the packages you give out to your patients as well. Build a network of fans by frequently posting on your social media accounts, give opportunity for your followers to ask questions to which you should always try to reply.
4. Local SEO
A key to every marketing campaign is local SEO (search engine optimization). How well your website, blog and content are locally optimized determines whether they appear on the first page of the search results or not. Try creating a Google My Business profile for your practice so that you appear on Google Maps and business listing when a search is made for a doctor in NJ. Ensure you include your area of specialization, specific location, and contact details. Also, try to get backlinks from other popular websites, make comments and offer guest posts. This way, more traffic would be redirected to your own website.
5. Customer reviews go a long way to build your reputation
Note that customers are most likely to contact a doctor they perceive to be competent. If they have not interacted with a doctor, the only way for them to know the doctor’s competence is through other customers’ reviews and rating, and these show up on your website and business listing on search engines. Get your patients happy, and their positive reviews will help to market your healthcare even more than anything else could.
6. Engage your patients and audience through newsletters
Collecting email addresses and sending periodical newsletters will not only drive traffic to your blog but engage your audience. You can collect emails from your patients and social media followers.
7. Patient referral
It wouldn’t hurt to ask your treated patients to refer you to their friends and families should they need your services. Just ensure to keep your patients happy, and they would do just that. Through their emails, be sure to send a “thank-you” note or token when a referred patient walks through your door.
