Consistent patient communications and social media outreach turn your practice into a high-touch marketing machine, bringing in regular patients and new referrals
Health providers are facing an ongoing barrage of competitors vying for the attention of people who are their current or prospective patients. One way to attract and retain clients is by engaging them with consistent patient communications via social media outreach.
Jason Deitch, DC, national bestselling author of “Unmarket Your Practice” as well as an international speaker, trainer, and a social media outreach strategic consultant to the chiropractic profession, and Casen DeMaria, DC, CACCP, CCT, a practitioner with The Drugless Doctors in Westlake, Ohio, gave us their Top 5 Ways to Engage Chiropractic Patients (we chose a Top 5 out of those 10).
They are:
• Make Facebook/Instagram healthy for people by sharing a daily dose of positive inspiration and health reminders. You can also share video on social media outreach platforms of testimonials from patients. DeMaria’s office calls this #TestimonialTuesday.
• Invite patients and their guests to monthly internal, external, or digital (Facebook Live/Webinar) events that teach uncommon solutions to their common health problems.
• Have a “Win Board” in your office for health goals and to witness your patient’s improvements publicly.
• When current patients refer a new client, be sure to give them a gift to show appreciation.
• Share your favorite people, places, and products when planning patient communications.
Social media outreach
“Launching a campaign to turn your practice’s Facebook page from a marketing tool into a valuable local community resource is a three-step process,” explains Deitch. “Update your practice’s Facebook Page Cover Image to invite people to join your tribe; create a content posting strategy you community will find valuable and worth sharing; and enthusiastically promote your practice’s tribe and consistently invite your audience to take a next step with you to either learn more an upcoming event or to schedule a consultation or new patient examination.”
Know that you don’t have to be good at video or social media to begin your social media outreach.
“The key to success in today’s modern tech-centric world is to know your strategy objectives and hire or outsource your strategy to experts who can implement it for you,” says Deitch. “Chiropractors should be keenly aware of their social media and communication objectives and should hold their team accountable to implement the daily, weekly, and monthly tactics.”
Social media outreach and events
“Teach and share a different topic each month that your patients and community will find valuable and that aligns with your professional skills and expertise,” says Deitch. “Build your practice with well-educated people who have learned from you and developed trust in you for greater long-term practice stability.”
DeMaria’s office increases patient communications by holding dinner or lunch along with the DC events.
“This creates internal marketing for your members to share with their family and friends. We have found this to be a great referral opportunity,” she says.
Win Board
On a white board, write a Question of the Week, have your patients write their Wins of the Week, take a photo of it at the end of the week, and use it in your social media outreach.
“When we do a video recap at the end of the year, we like to say, ‘More than 1,000 of you wrote out your health wins’ to add to the grandeur of the moment,” says DeMaria.
Referral Gifts
DeMaria says that it’s important to take care of those who are referring your business.
Give them something to show your appreciation. For example, a free pound of Celtic Sea Salt or something else of their choosing.
Share Your Favorites
“Chiropractors often forget that people look to us for more than just our clinical skills. They look to us for advice, recommendations of our favorite products, and referrals to our favorite people and places,” explains Deitch.
“People appreciate, trust, and respect professionals who weeks to be of service with direction and referrals for things beyond what they earn income from providing. It demonstrates that you care about people more than your income.”
When you automate your patient communications it will make care easier for your office and patients. Meaningful patient engagements begins with high-touch communications and social media outreach, resulting in more patients in the door on a regular basis.
