Marketing is an essential part of not only running your practice but also growing your client base. With so many different marketing strategies out there, it can be difficult to know which ones will work for you. And while trial and error are necessary, here are some marketing tips that are sure to help grow your practice.
1. Know your target audience
Knowing to who you want to provide your services to is key when planning your marketing strategy. You can’t possibly advertise to everyone with one singular message, so it’s important to know who your main audience is so you can fit your message to them.
When finding your target audience ask yourself these questions:
- Is there a specific group of people you want to target? (Age, gender, location, service needs)
- What can you offer that isn’t being offered in your area? Are you a niche market?
- What makes you different?
- Who needs your services?
- Who is your ideal patient?
Once you decide who your main audience will be, you can cater the rest of your advertising to attract them to your practice.
Related: Email segmentation added to Paubox Marketing
2. Create social media presence
We already know that a basic social media presence is almost required to be considered a reputable company in today's world, but there are a few new unique ways practices are reaching potential patients that you may not realize.
Tiktok/Youtube
You may just think TikTok and Youtube are platforms designed for goofy dance and prank videos, but it is becoming a useful tool for therapists to create unique and captivating content catered toward the younger generation.
Many doctors and therapists have begun creating short-form videos, offering mental health tips and tricks for free to boost their online presence. These videos are captivating to the younger audience, who are already more likely to attend therapy than the older generation.
Podcasts
Podcasts allow you to share your knowledge with the world while highlighting your practice. Research shows that in the U.S. alone, 100 million people listen to podcasts each month. And while there are a lot of podcasts to choose from, staying consistent and continually creating interesting episodes will help grow your subscribers.
Blogs
If sharing your expertise on a podcast isn’t for you, blogs are another great way to help grow your practice. Not only do they create credibility with potential patients, but they also drive traffic to your website.
3. Create a website
Having a web presence is just as much, if not more crucial than your social media presence. A website creates credibility with potential patients and gives you the opportunity to show them who you are and what services you can provide.
Your website does not need to be fancy. In fact, the less intricate and copy-heavy, the better. Here are some examples of what type of content to include on your website:
- About section
- Services
- Contact info./hours
- Blogs
- Links to other platforms or social media
Ince you have your website created, it is also vital to create a Google Business Profile account. This allows you to be found on Google maps and sidebar highlights when being searched. Google My Business is also the place where most of your reviews will live.
Related: Google Business Profile for therapists: how to rank in local search results
4. Get great reviews
Do people really read reviews? They may be more important than you think. The local consumer review survey 2023 from brightlocal found 76% of consumers “regularly” read online reviews when browsing for local businesses.
Ways to get more reviews? Ask your patients directly, send patient emails with a review link or offer small incentives to those who leave a review. And remember, in-person reviews or referrals can be just as beneficial as ones received online.
Related: Navigating the ethics of soliciting reviews for mental health professionals
5. Network with doctors
While it’s always a good idea to stay friendly with others in your industry, networking with doctors is a great way to grow your patient list at virtually no cost. Patients take recommendations from their doctor’s seriously. If you can be the one they recommend to their patients, you are sure to get some newfound interest in your services.
Be consistent
Establishing an effective marketing strategy isn’t easy. More than likely you will need to utilize more than one of these tips to grow your practice how you envision. Every marketing tip listed above requires consistency and time to make possible and with the right mix, you will start to see positive results.
Related: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
