18 steps to becoming a patient magnet

There is one undeniable fact in business: Everyone wishes to be successful. But you can define and attain success in many ways.

To be a doctor, you must endure many years of study and competition, which is a testament to your tenacity and success orientation. However, even the most dedicated DC can at times lose sight of the details for developing a thriving practice; moreover, the best game plan in the world is useless if not implemented.

Thus, the first rule you need to adhere to is that you must overcome procrastination. To achieve your goals, get new patients and retain your existing patient base, you must experience a shift in your mindset, and conquer yourself first.

• Set a goal to book 30 appointments this month.
• Find and implement strategies to achieve that goal.
• Be realistic about how much time is involved in executing each strategy.

Without a constant and predictable stream of patients, your clinic’s doors can’t stay open. Therefore, every piece of promotional material that you send out must feature essential items. Whether targeting new patients or retaining current ones, the goal is to be noticed above everything else your patients receive on a regular basis:

1. A compelling headline.

You always need an informative headline, a tantalizing message that appeals to a patient’s self-interests, a statement featuring your uniqueness, a persuasive offer and testimonials.

2. Carve out your identity.

Go through your current list of patients and figure out what segment your base patients represent. One of the biggest mistakes that most clinics make is trying to be all things to all people. Identify your niche.

3. Begin your campaign.

Your goal is to become the local expert. Focus all of your promotion and presence around your brand. For example: If your specialty lies in prenatal treatment, then your focus will be on being known in your entire geographical area as the chiropractor who specializes in working with expectant moms.

4. Analyze your patients.

Commit yourself, in all your promotions, to provide targeted information that exactly matches the interests of those who buy services from you. Advertising studies have shown that up to 95 percent of all ads target only 5 percent of the intended audience they hope to convert.

5. Target the right audience.

To gain a competitive advantage, concentrate your attention on the members of your audience who have already used the services you provide.

6. Focus your promotion.

Aim toward those people who believe in, swear by, and continually use your services (and refer others to them). They account for the largest source of your income.

7. Nurture your super fans.

Scores of advertising studies confirm that this pool of “disciples” will likely account for nearly 95 percent of all sales of your services.

8. Don’t waste your budget.

The people who have used your services before account for so much of your success that it doesn’t make sense to focus your advertising on any other group of prospects.

9. Find those who seek change.

Do promote yourself to dissatisfied patients, as there are so many recipients of medical care who simply aren’t being properly serviced to meet their individual needs.

10. Reward them.

Your task is to incentivize those dissatisfied patients and reward them for taking immediate action—by contacting you.

11. Repeat your strategies.

Apply the same methods to these potential patients that you use with your current base. If you understand who you’re targeting and what they’re seeking, you gain a competitive advantage.

12. Master content marketing.

Your content defines your brand. Everything you write, promote, or say in any of your promotions must be laser focused on your target patients’ needs and interests.

13. Let them read.

Your content should be available to your patients in written form. If you treat a large number of elderly patients, then creating special reports and booklets (in large font) regarding stretching and physical care as one ages would go a long way toward building your brand.

14. Demonstrate your authority.

Your local expert status depends on your ability to write, and provide valuable and current information.

15. Be social.

Your content will also provide fuel for your social media campaigns.

16. Let them find you.

Your social media campaigns are exceptional for letting the community know of your outside interests. If you are involved in animal shelter or environmental issues, then your social media presence draws like-minded patients.

17. Leverage relationships.

Over the last several decades, studies have revealed shifts in consumers’ perception of advertising. Clinics no longer draw in patients as much as the people who work inside them.

18. Let your brand strengthen.

Your content identifies you as an interesting person, with varied interests, and an available local resource.

To conclude, becoming a patient magnet requires critical ingredients. Recognize if a change needs to occur in your business development strategy. If so, you must take action.

Additionally, your message must be like a three-legged stool consisting of a strong headline, a focused brand and excellent content.

Steve Cox and Claudio Gormaz have worked with the chiropractic community for over 20 years. Many prominent medical practices in the country have benefited from their strategies, developed fruitful and predictable advertising messages, as well as creating solid branding platforms while elevating their resident expert status. They can be contacted through 530-492-9971, stevenvonloren.com, or stevenvonloren@yahoo.com.