Not every physician has a gift for marketing.  On the other hand, medical practices are becoming more and more dependent on marketing.   This can pose a very difficult dilemma for medical practices in this tech savvy environment….an environment where every patient now searches for physicians on-line!  So, for those physicians who don’t feel like they’ve got what it takes when it comes to marketing, what’s the answer?

Actually, there are a few good options.  Being a less-than-skilled medical marketer doesn’t spell doom for your medical practice, rather it means that you need to find alternative ways to market your practice.

What are Your Strengths?

If you’re reading this, then it’s probably because you already know the importance of marketing your medical practice.  You’ve probably also noticed that there seems to be no shortage of ways to do just that!   Many services proclaim they have the secret ingredient to making your practice number one on the web.  With all of the possibilities out there…it is quite likely that you are confused as to whose advice you should follow.

Go With Your Strengths 

For example, do you like public speaking…then your strength may be in giving presentations.  However, if the thought of public speaking terrifies you then it is probably not going to help you or your practice.

Consider the following:

• You love to write and create….consider direct mail advertising.
• You have a ton of medical information to share….but do not want to do public speaking…..consider blogging.
• You love socializing and connecting with others, but don’t want to spend a great deal of time on writing….consider social media.

The important thing is to take your time so that you can analyze your strengths and then build on those strengths for an authentic and results-oriented way to market your medical practice.

Educate Yourself and Your Staff 

Maybe you don’t know a ton about marketing, but it sure does look like fun to one of your staff members! In that case, why not pay for them to take a marketing class. Nothing quite beats the enthusiasm that goes along with implementing new ideas, and classes/coaching are a great way to gain exposure to those ideas.

If a class doesn’t seem like it would work for you or your staff member, you might also consider hiring a marketing coach.  This person will get to know the specific needs of your medical practice, along with your personality, in
order to make suggestions for strong methods to market your medical practice.

Hire a Professional Whose Niche is Medical Marketing

You and I both know that not every physician has an interest in marketing his or her practice.  With few exceptions, it’s not typically why someone goes to medical school.  If you’ve determined that you don’t enjoy marketing and/or you’re just not getting results from your efforts, it might be time to consider hiring a marketing professional.  Especially one with a proven track record of marketing physicians and their practices.

This may actually be  your best course of action.  Not only does it free up your time to practice medicine, but it can also save a fair amount of money in the long run by avoiding newbie mistakes and giving your medical marketing a professional appearance while achieving the results you desire.

Interested in hiring a physician who know the ins and outs of medical practices, email me at randall.v.wong@gmail.com or call me at 240.230.7353.

To Your Success,

Randy